At Zhong Yao's residence in Chang'an, the time usually reserved for his calligraphy practice was instead occupied by a meeting with a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth.
"What does Zhong Shangshu think of my proposal?" Yang Xiu calmly toyed with his teacup, his demeanor so composed that Zhong Yao couldn't fathom his thoughts.
"It's hard to say, hard to say," Zhong Yao replied, shaking his head. Throughout the turmoil in Chang'an, whether during Dong Zhuo's reign of chaos or under Wang Yun's influence, Zhong Yao had remained a low-profile figure, carefully navigating the shifting political landscape. Despite all the changes, he continued as the Shangshu (Minister of the Imperial Secretariat), carrying on with his daily life, practicing calligraphy, and studying the works of Cai Yong. Now, with Yang Xiu approaching him under the guise of rescuing the Emperor, Zhong Yao wasn't about to be easily swayed. In his eyes, Yang Xiu was still too young and inexperienced.
"The timing isn't right, is it?" Yang Xiu smiled, showing no sign of displeasure at Zhong Yao's refusal. His expression remained relaxed. "Then I will ask Zhong Shangshu to continue assisting us. When the time is right, I will return."
Zhong Yao's hand paused as he caressed his teacup. He glanced at Yang Xiu in surprise, his mind racing. After a moment, he spoke slowly, "When the time comes, I will also need the support of the Taiwei."
"Thank you, Zhong Shangshu," Yang Xiu responded with a smile. "I will inform my father of your stance. Please consider the consequences of your actions carefully. My family is already weakened, and such opportunities are rare. I hope Shangshu will act with caution in the future."
Zhong Yao's eyes flickered with uncertainty, unsure whether Yang Xiu was being truthful. After a long silence, he sighed, "Dezu truly lives up to his reputation as a brilliant man. The Yang family will not fall easily in this era."
Yang Xiu accepted Zhong Yao's praise calmly. "Since Shangshu understands, I will take my leave. Li Jue and Guo Si are extremely wary of my family, so it may be difficult for us to communicate again."
"Once is enough. I believe you, Dezu, are a careful planner who won't need further contact. When the opportunity arises, we will both seize it," Zhong Yao replied with a light laugh, turning the tables on Yang Xiu and regaining the upper hand in their exchange.
"Agreed," Yang Xiu said with composure, showing no sign of anger or dissatisfaction with Zhong Yao's proposal.
As Yang Xiu's carriage left, Zhong Yao stood at the doorway, his expression slightly heavy. He couldn't help but wonder if he had underestimated the remaining strength of the Yang family, one of the most powerful and influential lineages, having produced five generations of grand officials.
Inside the carriage, Yang Xiu closed his eyes, contemplating the day's events. He had successfully deceived Zhong Yao. In truth, the Yang family had lost most of its power and resources during Dong Zhuo's rebellion and the subsequent chaos caused by Li Jue and Guo Si.
Internally, the Yang family was now rife with infighting and blame. The faction that once advocated for a strategy of politically undermining the Emperor had crumbled, with many members defecting to join their in-laws, the Yuan family.
Unlike those who were outraged by Dong Zhuo and Li Jue for disregarding the established political rules, Yang Xiu remained calm and rational. He understood the situation too well.
If the Yang family hadn't seen a real chance to control the Emperor politically, they wouldn't have supported the plan so wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, Dong Zhuo's disregard for politics and his brutal actions, including deposing the Emperor and slaughtering ministers, destroyed much of the Yang family's influence. Later, on the advice of Li Ru, Dong Zhuo recalled the scholars and officials exiled during the partisan purge, balancing the political landscape in a way that made Dong Zhuo more powerful than the Emperor himself.
Initially, the Yang and Yuan families had cooperated to push the so-called "pure scholars" led by the Xun, Chen, and Cui families out of the court. The two families then tacitly agreed to divide their strategies: the Yang family would work from within the political system to undermine the imperial authority, while the Yuan family would seize power from the provinces.
However, things had not gone according to plan. The Yuan family was thriving, with Yuan Shu controlling much of the central and southern regions and Yuan Shao commanding formidable forces in the north. In contrast, the Yang family, suffocated by the chaos in Chang'an, could only watch as their influence waned. How could the Yang family, once equal to the Yuan family in prestige and power, have fallen so low?
Now, the Yang family realized that unless they escaped from Chang'an, their plans had no hope of succeeding. Outside of the city, they believed that leaders like Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, or Liu Bei would still follow the rules of the political game. After all, these men were aristocrats with status and reputation, not uncivilized brutes like Dong Zhuo, Li Jue, or Guo Si!
For the Yang family, strict rules weren't the issue—what they feared was a lack of rules. In Chang'an, the warlords held life and death in their hands, killing at will. This sense of helplessness, of being at the mercy of others, was intolerable for the proud Yang family.
Thus, they were left with one final gambit: to flee Chang'an with the young Emperor, find refuge in a warlord's territory, and use the political system to undermine their host from within, gradually seizing control.
Yang Xiu's goal was to convince Zhong Yao that the Yang family still had strength, even if only enough to assist him. This would allow the Yang family to seek shelter with Zhong Yao, who could then protect their remaining assets. Yang Xiu didn't care about Zhong Yao's other alliances; what mattered to him was the opportunity to escape Chang'an with the Emperor. If they succeeded, it would be like a dragon soaring into the sky!
As for Zhong Yao's warning that they would need no further contact, Yang Xiu didn't take it seriously. It wasn't that he underestimated Zhong Yao, but rather that Yang Xiu was confident in his own intellect, believing that Zhong Yao wouldn't be able to outmaneuver him.
Unbeknownst to Yang Xiu, the Yang family's weakened state prevented him from learning that Zhong Yao's ultimate allegiance was to Cao Cao. However, even if Yang Xiu had known, he might have been relieved to escape Chang'an rather than worry about what life under Cao Cao would be like.
The Yang family's legacy of four generations of grand officials had both elevated and constrained them. Despite Yang Xiu's remarkable intelligence, which allowed him to see through Zhong Yao's plans and predict the fractures forming among Li Jue and his allies, he remained bound by the family's prestigious reputation. He couldn't fully grasp the reality that, beyond Chang'an, a world of wolves awaited them, ready to pounce on their weakened state.
As Yang Xiu's carriage disappeared into the distance, Zhong Yao shook his head and turned back inside. He harbored no illusions that Cao Cao was a kind-hearted leader. In a world torn by chaos, those who could carve out territories were not to be underestimated.
Comparing Cao Cao's ambition with Yang Xiu's intelligence, Zhong Yao couldn't help but sigh.