With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 199, Returning After Departure

Even Ju Shou's usually calm face showed a slight change as he looked at Liu Xie with curiosity.

Although he had only just met the emperor and didn't know much about him, there were many things that Ju Shou genuinely couldn't understand.

Despite having the opportunity to leave, Liu Xie returned to Wuchao after sending Cao Cao away.

Why would he stay in such a dangerous place as Wuchao?
Many soldiers cast curious glances at him. Liu Xie stood up, looked around, and said loudly to the crowd, "The soldiers have worked very hard in this battle. We repelled Zhang He and scared away Yuan Shao. We should celebrate properly, but the enemy may come to Wuchao to reinforce us at any time. Therefore, I have decided that everyone should drink a bowl of wine. Those who cannot drink will not be forced to. Remember, each person is only allowed to drink one bowl!"

Liu Xie then said to Zhao Yun, "Everyone fought alongside me to the death, so it's not excessive for us to share a bowl of wine."

"Ow!"

The soldiers cheered, and some shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

A bowl of wine is really nothing; it won't make you drunk, nor will it affect your ability to continue fighting.

But it makes everyone genuinely feel that Liu Xie cares about them.

What could Zhao Yun say? He could only lead his men to get the wine. Chunyu Qiong liked to drink, and there was a lot of good wine hidden in the camp.

Zhao Yun and his men poured wine for everyone. Because there weren't enough wine bowls, several people shared one bowl, but no one complained.

Liu Xie picked up a wine bowl, looked around at everyone, and said with some excitement, "Soldiers, I am very happy and fortunate to be able to fight alongside you!" After saying that, Liu Xie drank it all in one gulp.

Upon hearing this, Ju Shou was taken aback again. The emperor was the supreme ruler, and if anyone should feel lucky, it should be these soldiers.

But Liu Xie said he was very lucky.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Gan Ning almost jumped up, picked up his wine bowl, and drank it all in one gulp with great gusto.

Then, Gan Ning asked everyone, "How are things, brothers? Is His Majesty treating you well?"

"it is good!"

The crowd responded in unison, and one soldier after another raised their wine bowls and drank them down in one gulp.

Gan Ning continued, "Are you all willing to risk your lives for His Majesty?"

"willing!"

Another thunderous response followed.

Liu Xie waved his hand and said with emotion, "You may risk your lives, but I hope you can all live well."

Ju Shou silently watched and observed from the side. He found that, apart from being the emperor, Liu Xie was no different from everyone else when he was with these people.

They ate and drank together, sharing joys and sorrows. If Liu Xie were dressed in soldiers' uniforms, no one would recognize him as the emperor.

That's so down-to-earth!

Such a harmonious relationship is difficult for ordinary people to achieve, let alone an emperor.

Zhao Yun brought Liu Xie another bowl of hot soup. Liu Xie sat down with everyone else, rolled up his sleeves, and ate while chatting with his soldiers.

After watching for a while, Ju Shou couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, you're having them drink to boost morale, aren't you?"

Liu Xie did not answer his question. Instead, he smiled and looked at Ju Shou, asking, "You see, even if you follow Yuan Shao, you still have to address me as Your Majesty. That is the reason why you will lose, because I am the Son of Heaven. To oppose me is to oppose righteousness. Evil cannot prevail over good. You cannot win."

Ju Shou did not refute, as he was now somewhat unsure. Before this, Ju Shou had always believed that Liu Xie was controlled by Cao Cao and was merely a puppet.

He had to listen to whatever Cao Cao said and do whatever Cao Cao told him to do.

However, in this Battle of Wuchao, Cao Cao narrowly escaped death and almost died there. Liu Xie not only saved Cao Cao but also stayed in Wuchao alone, showing exceptional decisiveness.

This is definitely not something a puppet emperor could do.

Even among generals commanding troops, few are as resolute, decisive, and strategic as he is.

The emperor's willingness to risk going deep behind enemy lines to lead his troops into battle deeply impressed Ju Shou.

In contrast, Yuan Shao lacked such courage. Let alone leading troops into battle, he might not even be willing to go to the front lines to offer his condolences, let alone lead an army into battle.

But if Liu Xie had already taken control of everything, Ju Shou found it unbelievable. Would Cao Cao, such a wise and decisive man, willingly obey the emperor's orders?

"Gongyu, what are you thinking about?"

While Ju Shou was distracted, he heard Liu Xie's question.

Before they knew it, even the way they addressed each other had changed; Liu Xie was always good at building closer relationships with others.

When addressed by his courtesy name, Ju Shou could not refuse outright; he could only passively accept it.

Relationships between people often begin with how they address each other.

Using the term "亲" (qīn, meaning close or intimate) indicates a close relationship, while using it to indicate a distant one indicates a distant relationship.
Ju Shou shook his head and said, "It's nothing, Your Majesty. Your choice to stay in Wuchao is too dangerous."

Liu Xie nodded. "I don't deny that it is indeed very dangerous, but restoring the Han Dynasty is inherently a particularly dangerous matter."

"By the way, Gongyu, there is something I don't understand, and I hope you can help me resolve it."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"When I was young, I heard others say that the Ten Attendants had made the world a mess. Lu Zhi, Huangfu Song and others even advised the late emperor that the Ten Attendants were ruining the country. But now, the Ten Attendants have been eliminated, and it was Yuan Shao who led the way in eliminating them."

"The eunuchs are gone. Even if there are still a few eunuchs around me, they only take care of my daily life and can't get involved in military and political affairs at all. But what's the problem? The country is more chaotic than when there were ten eunuchs. Why do you think that is?"

"this?"

Liu Xie casually posed a question, which immediately stumped Ju Shou, a top talent.

Ju Shou was stunned. No matter how talented and resourceful he was, he could not answer.

The Ten Eunuchs are hateful, but even though there are no more eunuchs in the world, things are even more chaotic!

Liu Xie spoke eloquently and continued, "When I was young, I heard of Yuan Shao's reputation. Everyone said that he had a chivalrous heart and saved many persecuted partisans. Yuan Shao was talented and came from a prominent family. He was deeply supported by scholars. But now, he is my number one enemy."

Liu Xie let out a cold laugh, "The world is unpredictable and people's hearts are hard to fathom. Yuan Shao is certainly hateful, but the fact that so many people are willing to follow and support him is the most terrifying thing. It shows that in the eyes of many scholars, I, the emperor, am dispensable and insignificant."

Ju Shou was startled, feeling as if his heart had been pierced by a sword.

Ju Shou knelt on the ground in a panic, "Your Majesty, I am extremely terrified. I have absolutely no intention of supporting Yuan Shao in his usurpation."

Liu Xie waved his hand, "Get up. I was just having a casual chat with you. I understand you have your concerns, and I am not an unreasonable person."

Liu Xie was merely testing the waters to see if Ju Shou still held him as emperor in his heart.

When Ju Shou stood up again, his forehead was covered in sweat. The emperor seemed approachable, but the words that suddenly came out of his mouth were so piercing that Ju Shou was terrified.

Liu Xie looked at him and said, "Your concerns must stem from the belief that I am incapable of ruling personally and wielding power, and that all decrees are decided by Minister Cao, right?"

Ju Shou did not answer; his silence was tacit agreement.

Liu Xie laughed: "It's not surprising that you have such concerns, but let me tell you, you're overthinking it. My coming to Wuchao was my own decision, and my staying in Wuchao now is also my own decision."

Liu Xie paused for a moment, then said resolutely and firmly, "I am the Emperor, and Minister Cao is merely assisting me. No one in this world can control me!"

Zhao Yun, Lü Bu, and the others all turned to look at Liu Xie. They were greatly encouraged, for this was the emperor they had hoped to see.

Zhao Yun thought even more deeply, and his emotions became even more intense. He knew better than anyone the hardships Liu Xie had endured to get to where he was today.

Despite Cao Cao's arrogance, Liu Xie never spoke a bad word about Cao Cao to outsiders.

While praising Cao Cao, he was also treading on thin ice, carefully planning and trying to change the unfavorable situation little by little.

For countless days and nights, even when speaking or breathing, one had to be vigilant and watch one's surroundings, for fear that someone might approach.

"I am the Son of Heaven, and no one in the world can control me." It sounds easy, but he has experienced far too much.

Zhao Yun thought to himself, "Cao Cao, you should really be grateful to His Majesty for protecting you all this time!"

Zhao Yun felt that Cao Cao owed His Majesty too much. Logically speaking, given Cao Cao's actions and his arrogance towards the emperor, his entire family should be executed.

However, Liu Xie kept praising Cao Cao.

As for the deaths of Cao Xiu and Cao Chun, shouldn't they have died?

If Cao Cao had behaved himself and been a loyal subject, many people wouldn't have had to die.

If anyone is to blame for Cao Chun and the others' deaths, Zhao Yun believes it's unfair to place the blame on the emperor.

The emperor simply wanted to reclaim what rightfully belonged to him, nothing more!

Liu Xie patted Ju Shou on the shoulder and said, “I know you don’t believe me, but that’s alright. One day, you will believe me.”

After a while, someone ran in from outside, looking somewhat flustered. "Your Majesty, Yuan Bing is here."

"What? They arrived so quickly?"

Liu Xie suddenly stood up. Zhang He had just left, and Yuan Bing had arrived immediately. Liu Xie was very puzzled.

Liu Xie decisively ordered, "All soldiers, follow me to meet the enemy!"

The soldiers rose quickly, and even those who hadn't eaten their fill hurriedly put down their bowls and chopsticks and grabbed their weapons.

The cheerful atmosphere vanished instantly; everyone reacted swiftly, ready to fight the enemy to the death at any moment.

These are Liu Xie's soldiers!
It wasn't Yuan's troops sent from Guandu that arrived, but Zhang He's.

Zhang He had previously withdrawn his troops, but not long after he left, he suddenly turned back.

Gao Lan was puzzled, but Zhang He said confidently, "Don't worry, once we retreat from Wuchao, Cao Cao and his men will leave immediately. They will never expect us to turn back. If we weren't in such a hurry to put out the fire, I would really like to lead men to hunt them down and annihilate them."

Zhang He was indeed very resourceful and also very eager to put out the fire.

However, when he arrived at Wuchao, Liu Xie had already made arrangements. Zhang He led his men into the camp, eager to put out the fire, and mistakenly thought that the enemy had all left.

But after rushing into the barracks, suddenly, shouts of battle arose all around, as if the enemy had emerged from underground.

Zhang He reined in his horse, glanced around quickly, and his gaze soon fell on the earthen slope to the east, where Liu Xie was standing.

"Your Majesty, you didn't leave?" Zhang He said in disbelief.

Liu Xie shook his head and laughed, "General Zhang He, I didn't expect that you and I are the same, both of you leaving and then returning. I just sent Cao Cao away and then came back, while you had clearly left but then turned back. Haha, as expected of Zhang He, you are indeed a strategist."

Zhang He was indeed very surprised that the emperor himself led the troops and they performed so well.

On the battlefield of Guandu, Liu Xie nearly stabbed Yuan Shao to death with his sword in front of Zhang He.

On the battlefield of Wuchao, Liu Xie not only saved Cao Cao, but also burned Yuan Shao's grain supplies, once again impressing Zhang He.

Liu Xie turned to Ju Shou beside him and said, "Gongyu, please persuade General Zhang He to avoid unnecessary casualties."

Zhang He was stunned for a moment, and looked at Ju Shou in confusion. Could it be that Ju Shou had already surrendered?
Ju Shou was also surprised. The emperor really knows how to order people around. I haven't even surrendered yet, and he's asking me to help you persuade others to surrender.
Liu Xie said earnestly, "Gongyu, I do not wish for too many innocent soldiers to lose their lives. If you do not persuade them, many of them will die here. Should we save them, or watch them die here? The decision is yours."

Liu Xie's reasoning was impeccable.

Despite Zhang He's superior troop strength compared to Liu Xie's, his men had been engaged in numerous fierce battles, and were at a disadvantage in terms of both physical strength and morale compared to Liu Xie's troops.

Ju Shou was immediately caught in a dilemma. If he hadn't been arrested, he wouldn't have cared about what Liu Xie said at all.

But now, Ju Shou's position has become very awkward.

He's already been captured and taken prisoner. Who will listen to him now?

"Ugh!"

Ju Shou remained silent for a long time, and Liu Xie sighed heavily.

Liu Xie then looked at the soldiers beside Zhang He and said loudly, "You should all know my identity. I don't want to kill you, but if you insist on opposing me, I will have no choice but to take action against you in order to bring peace to the Han Dynasty as soon as possible."

If the opponent were Cao Cao, Zhang He would immediately give the order to kill him to his heart's content.

However, Zhang He felt quite helpless when facing the emperor.

Fighting the emperor always made me feel insecure, as if I were a traitor about to rebel.

In fact, Zhang He wasn't the only one who felt this way; no one was an exception.

Although the Han dynasty declined, the lingering power of its four hundred years of history remained.

Yuan Jun's soldiers looked at each other, each wondering whether to fight or not.
Liu Xie did not get the result he wanted, so he could only wave his hand and give the order.

"kill!"

We can't keep dragging this out indefinitely; the emperor's time is also very precious.

Lü Bu took the lead, like a god descending from the mountain, brandishing his halberd and charging down the earthen slope.

Lü Bu attacked from the east, Gan Ning from the west, Zhou Cang from the south, and Zhang Xiu from the north.

Liu Xie glanced at Zhao Yun and said, "Zilong, you should go over there too."

(End of this chapter)