Ji Han Liu Zhang

Regarding Liu Bei's future, the forces of Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang had a fierce debate in front of Yuan Shao. Yuan Tan's side wanted to preserve Liu Bei, while Yuan Shang's side intended to kill Liu Bei.

There was no consideration of the overall situation. The two sides were only engaged in verbal confrontation for their own interests. However, on the surface, they were all high-sounding, and their words and deeds were for Yuan Shao's consideration and consideration.

Faced with the quarrel between the two factions below, Yuan Shao couldn't help but be a little hesitant. Originally, he didn't intend to pursue Liu Bei for any responsibility and let go of Liu Bei's fault for failing to stop Zhang Yan and Gongsun Xu.

However, Yuan Shao, who was easily influenced or indecisive, felt that Liu Bei had serious personal problems after hearing advice from Feng Ji and Shen Pei from Yuan Shang's faction, and that Liu Bei might become a hidden danger to Hebei.

Think twice and consider again and again.

Yuan Shao made the final decision in the dispute among his advisers. He did not intend to listen to any side, nor did he intend to refute any side. He said impatiently: "Call Liu Xuande back to Yecheng and place him by my side to see the results."

This is the best of both worlds, Yuan Shao thought to himself. This way, both sides can stop arguing over Liu Bei and stop giving him a headache.

In a blink of an eye, a few days passed and the fifth year of Jian'an came to the sixth year of Jian'an.

The General's Mansion.

As the saying goes, a new year brings new changes, but Yuan Shao was not happy with the new changes because he saw a few new white hairs on his temples. Although they were only a few, they showed that he was getting older.

Old age is approaching, and the world is still not stable.

What worries Yuan Shao is not his new gray hair, but the current situation in the world. There is strife in the universe and turmoil all over the world. Although he lives in a strategic location in Hebei, he is not sure of winning.

Leaving aside Liu Biao of Jingzhou and Sun Ce of Jiangdong, the two of them posed little threat to his struggle for supremacy in the world, but Liu Zhang of Guanzhong and Cao Cao of the Central Plains were enough to cause harm.

After a moment of depression, the depression on Yuan Shao's face disappeared, and he regained his previous ambitious appearance. As the saying goes, an old horse in the stable still has a thousand miles to go. When Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang started his army, he was already 48 years old, and he conquered the world in less than six years. He should be on par with Emperor Gaozu and create the Yuan Dynasty.

With the help of the maid, Yuan Shao's hair was neatly combed. Then the maid put a scarf on Yuan Shao instead of the usual hat, which was Yuan Shao's personal preference.

After his appearance and dress were all ready, Yuan Shao stood up and left the backyard and came to the meeting room. As the master of Hebei, it was a rare opportunity for him to have free time.

Most of the affairs of the four directions, internal affairs of Hebei, and matters within the government had to be decided and handled by Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao was unwilling to give up power easily, so he had to work hard on paperwork all day long.

When Yuan Shao entered the meeting room, his confidant Guo Tu immediately came up to him and said with a smile: "Mingsir, Kong Rong is here again! Now he has arrived in Liyang."

"Oh." Yuan Shao responded with a hint of joy. He turned his head and asked, "Is it still the same thing?"

"Still." Guo Tu affirmed.

"This is the third time." Yuan Shao said with emotion.

"It's the third time!" Guo Tu nodded. "The emperor's decree to confer the title of Duke of Wei on you has been issued for the third time."

Three times is the limit. You have refused twice, but you should accept the third time. You should accept the title of Duke of Wei. Guo Tu said this in his heart, but did not say it directly in front of Yuan Shao. He was waiting for Yuan Shao to give a clear signal, and then persuade Yuan Shao to accept the emperor's appointment and reward.

"Mr. Guo, I heard there are rumors in Yecheng recently? Some of the words are taboo." Yuan Shao asked casually while walking towards the main seat in the conference hall.

Guo Tu's eyes lit up, and he immediately responded, "It is true. The people of Yezhong have said that the word 'Wei' means palace, which is a tall building beside the road, so they made up the prophecy of 'the one who will replace the Han Dynasty will be Dangtu Gao'."

"It is said that the two characters 'Tu Gao' in the prophecy refer to 'Wei'. The person who will replace Liu may be surnamed Wei or related to Wei."

"Wei." Yuan Shao, who was sitting in the main seat, muttered the word Wei corresponding to "Tu Gao" in a deep voice, with a thoughtful look on his face.

It was too perfect, so the court conferred him the title of Duke of Wei. There were rumors in Ye that someone had replaced the Han Dynasty and founded Wei. When compared with the title of Duke of Wei he was given, Yuan Shao couldn't help but feel that it was destined by heaven.

Perhaps, we should accept the reward from Duke Wei to fulfill what the prophecy says.

Guo Tu observed Yuan Shao's expression and saw what Yuan Shao was thinking. While there were only Yuan Shao and himself in the meeting room, Guo Tu approached and said, "Mr. My lord, you should accept the imperial edict three times. Otherwise, if you refuse the imperial edict many times, you will seem arrogant and may damage your future."

"Besides." Guo Tu lowered his voice and bluntly pierced Yuan Shao's true intentions: "Tu Gao is Wei. Now it is a sign of destiny. We must accept it. Otherwise, if it is obtained by others, it will be too late to regret it."

"Rumors in the market are not to be trusted." Yuan Shao looked nonchalant, as if he didn't care about the affairs of Duke Wei and Tu Gao, but he was actually very nervous inside.

Liyang is not far from Yecheng. Within a few days, the chief architect Kong Rong arrived in Yecheng and awarded Yuan Shao the title of Duke of Wei for the third time to reward Yuan Shao for his meritorious service in clearing Hebei and stabilizing the area.

This time, Yuan Shao did not refuse as he did the previous two times. Although some of his civil and military officials opposed it, such as Tian Feng who advised him once or twice, Liu Zhang of Guanzhong had been conferred the title of King of Qin, so Yuan Shao felt that the title of Duke was nothing.

As it was, Yuan Shao accepted the title of Duke of Wei despite the advice of some civil and military officials, and became the second Duke of the Han Dynasty after Duke Anhan Wang Mang.

Yuan Shao became the Duke of Wei.

Seeing Yuan Shao being conferred the title of Duke of Wei, Kong Rong, who had come to issue the imperial edict, was somewhat incredulous. He did not expect that Yuan Shao would dare to accept the title of Duke when the previous person to be conferred the title was Wang Mang!

Kong Rong was somewhat disappointed, but he couldn't say anything. After all, the decree was issued by the emperor, and he was just a mouthpiece. Whether Yuan Shao accepted it or not had little to do with him.

It was also because Yuan Shao had staged the scene of three refusal and three declines that the court at least retained a certain dignity, which gave Kong Rong some comfort that he, an angel, would not lose the dignity of the court.

After obtaining the coveted title of Duke of Wei, Yuan Shao held a grand banquet in his mansion and invited all the civil and military officials in Yecheng, acting as if he was having fun together.

"I am the Duke of Wei, and I am also Tu Gao." Yuan Shao, who was sitting in the main seat, looked at the joyful and lively banquet scene below the stage. He said to himself that the Duke of Wei was not important, but the Duke of Wei was in line with the prophecy, which made him indispensable.

The one who will replace Liu will be my Yuan family. (End of this chapter)