Can I get to the other side?.

Chapter 122: Can an imperial edict without a seal be called an imperial edict? In the name of loyalty, Yuan Shao killed his brother

Diao Chan was a little anxious. She was certain that Lu Bu must have been deceived, otherwise why would he defend the emperor so much?

As a person who personally witnessed Lu Bu abandoning the emperor and fleeing Chang'an, she knew Lu Bu's character better than Mrs. Yan.

In the face of Lu Bu's warning, she still reminded him: "There is a recent news about the emperor of Xu County. Have you heard about it, General?"

"What news?" Lu Bu frowned. He felt unhappy when he heard about the fake emperor of Xu County.

In addition, he was busy leading his troops back to Xia Pi during this period. He was eager to share the good news with his wife and daughter, and he didn't pay attention to any news from the outside world.

Diao Chan thought about it in her mind, and then said, "A few days ago, the emperor of Xu County issued an edict, ordering Kong Rong from Beihai to go to Xu County. I heard that Cao Cao wanted Kong Rong to verify the emperor's identity."

"Kong Rong is the 20th generation grandson of Confucius. He defied Dong Zhuo and went to Beihai to quell the rebellion. He is also a leader in the literary world. His reputation is even greater than that of Yuan Shao."

"If the emperor of Xu County was a fake, Cao Cao would not dare to act like this. General, what do you think... could it be that the emperor of Xu County is the real dragon, and the one in Yecheng is a fake?"

This is exactly the source of Diao Chan’s worries.

The emperor of Yecheng not only conferred the title of Duke on Lu Bu, but also wanted to take Lu Lingqi into the palace, and even promised him the titles of empress and crown prince.

This is so unrealistic.

When aristocratic families marry each other, they still consider each other's origin and family background, let alone the royal family?

A woman who can become a queen must come from a prominent family.

Although Lu Bu had made great contributions in killing Dong Zhuo, capturing Yuan Shu and presenting the imperial seal, it was an unchangeable fact that he came from a humble background and had no support from a wealthy family. It stood to reason that it was impossible for the emperor to make his daughter the queen.

With a little analysis of all these things, we can know that the emperor in Yecheng was trying to win over Lu Bu.

Considering the recent incident in which the Emperor of Xu County summoned Kong Rong to prove his identity, Diao Chan felt that the Emperor of Yecheng was somewhat suspicious.

"Huh! Kong Rong? Who the hell is he!" Lu Bu just snorted coldly after hearing this, and said contemptuously: "So what if he is the 20th generation descendant of Confucius? In my opinion, he is nothing more than a sour and rotten scholar. What qualifications does he have to judge the true emperor!"

"I don't believe in the descendants of Confucius or the fame of Confucius. I only believe what I see with my own eyes!"

"This general saw the emperor in Yecheng with his own eyes. He looked vaguely the same as he did after we parted in Chang'an, and he was just as close to me as before."

"The one in Xu County is nothing but a fake emperor supported by Cao. When I integrate the two states of Yangzhou and Xuzhou, I will ask your Majesty to take Xu County and capture Cao and the fake emperor. I will make another contribution!"

Lu Bu's voice was sonorous and powerful. After several encounters in Yecheng, he firmly believed in his own judgment.

Kong Rong is only a descendant of Confucius, not Confucius himself. And even if he is Confucius, wouldn't he be deceived?

The thief Cao has many tricks.

"General..."

Seeing that Lu Bu was so steadfast and had no doubt at all, Diao Chan realized that he was obviously bewitched by the Queen and the Prince.

"That's enough!" Lu Bu raised his hand to interrupt Diao Chan, and warned her again with a very serious look: "Don't say these disrespectful words to Your Majesty again! This general doesn't like to hear them."

That was Diao Chan. If anyone else had said something like that in front of him, he would have drawn his sword and chopped them off!
Seeing that Lu Bu was very dissatisfied, Diao Chan stopped talking and nodded meekly: "I will remember this."

She was also wondering if she was being too suspicious.

When in Chang'an, the emperor was very close to Lu Bu.

Now that he has promised her the positions of Queen and Crown Prince, perhaps he really has no other intentions.

Moreover, Lu Bu had seen the emperor with his own eyes in Yecheng, so naturally he was so firm because he had verified the emperor's authenticity.

"Did your majesty ever tell me when Qi'er would enter the palace?"

Seeing that Diao Chan stopped talking about the real emperor and turned to Lu Lingqi, Lu Bu immediately chuckled and said, "Although your majesty has never said it, I think the sooner the better. There should be no delay. If Qi'er enters the palace sooner, she can conceive your majesty's heir sooner."

As he said this, he sighed foolishly: "I never thought that our Lu family could also produce a queen, and our grandson will be the future emperor!"

Lu Bu never had the idea or ambition to become an emperor. Although he boasted that his martial power was unparalleled in the world, he also knew that he was just a commoner and he had neither the ability nor the qualifications to be an emperor.

But now his grandson has this opportunity. If he inherits the throne in the future, wouldn’t it be a great honor for Lu Bu?
All the ancestors would have to crawl out and kowtow to him!
"In that case, I will send someone to look for Madam and Qi'er right away." After saying this, Diao Chan hurriedly left the room.

……

Kuaiji County, the prefectural government office.

Since Yuan Shu's defeat, Sun Ce followed Zhou Yu's advice and withdrew his army to Jiangdong, and did not engage in direct conflict with Lu Bu's army.

As the saying goes, one can't digest too much, half of Yangzhou is enough for him to digest for a long time.

It is not a wise move to go against Lu Bu who is currently in the limelight.

According to Zhou Yu's plan, when Lu Bu and Cao Cao were both defeated, he would send troops to seize the entire Yangzhou in one fell swoop.

Therefore, after returning to Kuaiji, Sun Ce recuperated while paying attention to the situation in Yangzhou.

In the garden of the prefectural mansion under the scorching sun, Sun Ce was holding a spear and practicing with a young man who was also holding a spear.

The young man looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, and looked somewhat similar to him, with bright eyes and a heroic appearance.

After only about ten moves, Sun Ce knocked the weapon out of the young man's hand and he was defeated.

"How about it, Zhongmou, are you convinced?" Sun Ce stood with a gun in his hand and said with a smile.

The young man in front of him was his younger brother, Sun Quan.

"I don't agree!"

Sun Quan's face was filled with indignation. He climbed up from the ground and glared at Sun Ce: "Brother, your martial arts are better than mine, yet you still cheat? How can you be so sinister!"

"If you hadn't deliberately rushed into my gun just now, forcing me to put it away, you would have been stabbed by me!"

He felt that Sun Ce had no martial ethics. Although his martial arts were better than his, he actually used such despicable tricks during the battle.

"Zhongmou, don't you like reading? This is what we call treachery in war!"

Sun Ce swung the spear in his hand and hit Sun Quan on the head lightly.

"This is the same principle as commanding troops to fight a war. The art of war lies in cunning, change, strangeness, and danger. If you follow the rules and act according to common sense, you will be defeated in the end. You must learn to adapt."

Listening to Sun Ce's admonition, Sun Quan nodded in agreement.

He understood that this was the experience gained from his brother's many years of fighting, and it was something that could not be learned from a teacher on a daily basis.

While the two brothers were talking, the housekeeper of the mansion came over and said, "Master, the Grand Commander is here and is waiting in the hall."

"Bring me some good tea, I'll be right there." Sun Ce was delighted when he heard Zhou Yu coming. He looked at Sun Quan standing beside him and said, "Zhongmou, you just came back from Wujun and haven't met Gongjin yet, so come with me."

In the lobby of the prefect's mansion, the first thing Sun Ce did when he saw Zhou Yu was to hold his hands and get close to him.

"How come Gongjin has time to come here today? He is a rare guest!"

Usually Zhou Yu would either handle government affairs in the government office.

Or I play the piano or read books at home.

If he doesn't invite me, I rarely come to his house.

After a brief exchange of greetings, Zhou Yu said, "Bofu, today, in addition to coming to visit Zhongmou, I also have some news from Yecheng to tell you."

Sun Ce became interested when he heard this, "What has Yuan Shao done recently?"

Zhou Yu said, "I just got the news that the emperor of Yecheng issued an edict ordering Kong Rong to go to Yecheng to meet the emperor."

"Hahaha." Sun Ce laughed when he heard this. "First it was Cao Cao, then Yuan Shao. They were all anxious to prove the emperor's authenticity. It's a pity that I was still attached to Yuan Shu at the beginning, otherwise I would have created a fake emperor too."

When Zhou Yu heard this, the corners of his mouth twitched.

Although there are many advantages to establishing a fake emperor, once the matter is exposed, the consequences will be disastrous. Is it as simple as Sun Ce thought?
Leaving aside Yuan Shao and Cao Cao for now, if Sun Ce dared to pretend to be the emperor, he would be attacked by the whole world in an instant.

Seeing Zhou Yu remained silent, Sun Ce said, "One of these two emperors must be a fake. Why did they both dare to issue an edict to ask Kong Rong to identify him?"
Everyone knows that Kong Rong has a straight character. Don't Yuan Shao or Cao Cao fear being discovered?"

After a little analysis, Zhou Yu knew Yuan Shao's mentality.

"Cao Cao was the first to ask Kong Rong to verify the emperor's identity. Whether he has no guilt in his heart or has hidden means, Yuan Shao must follow suit, otherwise he will be guilty."

"However, if the emperor of Xu County is recognized by Kong Rong, he can compete with the one in Yecheng in terms of legitimacy."

"What?" Sun Ce was puzzled. "Just a counterattack? Isn't it just to vindicate the emperor of Xu County? Can't Kong Rong convince the people of the world?"

He didn't quite understand what Zhou Yu meant.

Both Kong Rong's personal reputation and the reputation accumulated by the Kong family over generations are golden signs.

At least for him, if Kong Rong recognized the emperor of Xu County, then he would also think that the emperor of Xu County was real and the emperor of Yecheng was fake.

"Brother, you think too simply."

Sun Quan on the side shook his head.

"Oh? Why does Zhongmou say that?" When Zhou Yu heard what Sun Quan said, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Sun Quan said without hesitation: "Although Kong Rong has a high reputation and the Kong family has a deep foundation, it is impossible to convince everyone in the world."

"As long as some people believe in Yuan Shao, the question of whether he is the real emperor or not will never be fully determined. Anyone who dares to make a conclusion will openly support Cao Cao and believe that Yuan Shao is a traitor who pretended to be the emperor."

"But in this world, who has the guts to offend Yuan Shao to death? Big brother, do you dare?"

Sun Ce's eyes widened and he was speechless.

Does he dare?
Of course he didn't dare.

Yuan Shao occupied three states and became a hegemon.

Without providing any substantial evidence, they simply used Kong Rong's endorsement as an excuse to say that the King of Yecheng was a fake.

This is undoubtedly trampling on Yuan Shao's reputation and will inevitably lead to fierce retaliation.

"That's right, Zhongmou is absolutely right!" Zhou Yu laughed and looked at Sun Quan with a new respect.

It is undoubtedly rare for Sun Quan to have such vision and wisdom at his age.

Sun Quan smiled modestly and said, "Grand Commander, you are too kind. I am not very knowledgeable and I need to learn a lot from you in the future."

Zhou Yu shook his head. "It's not an exaggeration. Not many people can understand this."

He glanced at Sun Ce and said, "Your elder brother couldn't think of this."

Sun Ce did not feel embarrassed, but instead looked very proud, as if he was proud of Sun Quan.

"Zhongmou is indeed the young tiger of Jiangdong. His talent and learning are far superior to mine. He will become a great man in the future."

At this moment, he had no idea how Sun Quan would treat his children after he died and came to power.

Zhou Yu nodded slightly without commenting.

"Grand Commander, which one do you think is the real emperor of Yecheng or Xuxian?"

Sun Quan asked curiously.

Zhou Yu smiled bitterly and said, "How can I know this? Whether it is true or not, I am afraid only Cao Cao and Yuan Shao themselves know."

"But I hope the emperor of Xu County is real. Yuan Shao is too threatening. After he pacifies the north, he will definitely attack Jiangdong."

The brothers Sun Ce and Sun Quan agreed with this.

If the emperor in Yuan Shao's hands was real, with his own power and the support of Lu Bu, he could really sweep the world.

……

Beihai County.

Today, Beihai has become the focus of world attention.

Soon after the emperor of Xu County sent an envoy to deliver the imperial edict, the emperor of Yecheng also sent an envoy to deliver the imperial edict at full speed.

Everyone understood that this was the beginning of a new round of competition between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao over the legitimacy of the emperor in their respective hands.

To be recognized by Kong Rong is equivalent to being recognized by more than half of the scholars in the world. The significance of this is self-evident.

Therefore, everyone is paying attention to the developments in the Prime Minister's Office, wanting to know what choice the world-famous Kong Beihai will make.

Should we go to Xu County or Yecheng?

Faced with various speculations from the outside world, Kong Rong never gave any response, but only announced that he had caught a cold and was recuperating at home.

Outside the Prime Minister’s Residence.

Carriages were parked at the gate, surrounding the Prime Minister's Mansion. These were carriages of famous scholars who came under the guise of visiting but actually wanted to find out whether Kong Rong would go to Xu County or Yecheng.

But no matter how high the status or how famous the visitor was, they were stopped outside the palace. No one had been able to successfully enter the Prime Minister's Mansion for several days.

The most stubborn among them were the two envoys from Xu County and Yecheng.

They had been waiting outside the Prime Minister's Mansion, insisting on meeting Kong Rong.

"The Prime Minister has ordered that he not to see anyone."

"Please go back, both of you. Don't make things difficult for me. I really can't go in..."

The steward of the Prime Minister's Mansion mechanically repeated what Kong Rong had told him.

"I have invited the best physician in the county to come and let me take him into the palace to treat the Prime Minister. He will definitely be able to cure him."

The person who spoke was the envoy sent by the Emperor of Xu County.

He was followed by a doctor and two servants carrying large and small bags of various medicinal herbs. It was obvious that he came prepared.

The butler said expressionlessly, "Don't worry, angel. The Prime Minister just caught a cold. He will be fine after resting for a while."

The envoy from Xu County asked anxiously, "How long will it take for me to rest? I have the emperor's edict with me, and I need to hand it over to the prime minister in person."

"Then let me go in and see the Prime Minister."

Until now, the emperor's edict is still in his hands.

Kong Rong claimed to be sick and stayed at home, refusing to go out and see anyone. Naturally, the imperial edict could not be delivered to Kong Rong; and without the imperial edict, Kong Rong could not go to Xu County to meet the emperor.

Under normal circumstances, if the emperor's edict arrives, no matter if you are seriously ill or dying, you have to accept the edict in person.

Otherwise it would be a serious crime of disrespecting the emperor.

But before coming, the envoy from Xu County was repeatedly reminded by the emperor to treat Kong Rong with courtesy and not to be disrespectful in the slightest.

So even though he was always turned away by Kong Rong, he did not dare to show the slightest disrespect and could only wait outside the mansion every day, hoping to find an opportunity to enter the mansion to convey the imperial edict.

Before the butler could answer, a sarcastic voice came from the side: "What kind of imperial edict is that? Does it have the imperial seal? Without the imperial seal, how dare you call it an imperial edict? How can the prime minister see you? You'd better get out of here and go back to Xu County!"

The person who spoke was the messenger from Yecheng.

Compared with the anxiety of the envoy from Xu County, he seemed leisurely. He even placed a table next to the carriage and prepared tea, snacks and even letters. At this time, he looked at the envoy from Xu County with disdain.

"How dare you insult the emperor!"

The envoy from Xu County was already feeling depressed, and after hearing what the envoy from Ye City said, he immediately flew into a rage, pointing his finger at his nose and cursing, "Your Majesty has always been in Xu County, with Lord Yang, Lord Fu and other close ministers always accompanying him, and there are many concubines who can testify that the one in Ye City is a fake emperor!"

"Yuan Shao pretended to be the emperor. Isn't he afraid of being punished by God?"

"Oh, testify?" The envoy from Ye City sneered, slammed the scroll heavily on the table, and confronted the envoy from Xu County: "Duke Wen Lü Fengxian and the emperor's uncle Liu Xuande both recognize our Majesty. Even the imperial seal is in the hands of our Majesty!"

"What can the fake emperor of Xu County do to prove his identity? Who knows if Lord Yang, Lord Fu and the others were coerced by Cao the thief?"

"In my opinion, Cao is the one who should really worry about being punished by God!"

These words made the envoy of Xu County furious. He raised his fist and said, "Do you want to test my skill in fighting?"

The envoy from Yecheng rolled up his sleeves, got ready, and said sternly: "My fists are hard, too!"

The people around them silently stepped back a few steps to give the two men room to display their fists and feet.

Seeing that the two messengers were about to take action, the butler hurriedly took the servants to pull them apart.

"Please be patient, both of you. Please be patient. We can talk things over."

He dared not offend either of these two.

Who knows which emperor behind the messenger is the real one?

"Humph! Vulgar!"

The envoy from Yecheng put down his sleeves, glared at the envoy from Xu County, then sat back down and ignored him.

The envoy from Xu County returned to the carriage with a gloomy face.

"Tap tap tap——"

At this moment, the sound of horse hooves suddenly came.

The person who came was a young man, seven feet tall, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, handsome appearance, riding a tall horse, quite eye-catching.

The young man dismounted, walked up to the butler and said, "Is the Prime Minister here? I have something to ask you."

The housekeeper hurriedly said, "Please follow me into the mansion."

After the young man handed the horse to the servant beside him, he followed the butler into the Prime Minister's Mansion.

This scene immediately shocked the envoys from Yecheng and Xu County.

The envoy from Xu County was particularly surprised and asked, "Why can he go in? Doesn't the Prime Minister not see anyone? I want to see the Prime Minister too!"

As he said this, he was about to force his way into the Prime Minister's Mansion.

The servant who was on guard nearby quickly stopped him.

At this time, one of the famous scholars who came to visit the palace said, "This man is Taishi Ziyi, who is a close friend of the Prime Minister regardless of age difference, and he saved the Prime Minister's life. It is okay for him to come into the palace to visit him."

Upon hearing this, the envoy from Xu County was suddenly speechless. He could only return to the carriage with a depressed look and continue waiting.

After Taishi Ci followed the butler into the Prime Minister's Mansion, the butler did not take him to the bedroom, but went directly to the study.

"The Prime Minister is inside."

The butler bowed slightly and turned to leave.

Taishi Ci took off his shoes, stepped onto the clean and tidy floor, pushed the door and walked into the study.

The study is not big.

Two rows of bookshelves filled with books and bamboo slips, a few calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall, and a desk are all the furnishings in the study, which looks quite simple.

"Cough cough cough..."

A cough echoed in the study.

Behind the desk, I saw an old man with a thin face sitting at the desk and writing.

There were scrolls scattered on the ground around him.

It made his figure look even older and more hunched.

"Meet the Prime Minister."

Taishi Ci took two steps forward and bowed.

This old man is none other than the Prime Minister of Beihai State and the leader of today’s literary world—Kong Rong!
"Ziyi is here?"

Hearing Taishi Ci's voice, Kong Rong did not turn around. He said without looking back: "Ziyi, please make yourself at home. The room is a bit messy. Just find a place to sit."

Taishi Ci just stood quietly behind Kong Rong, watching him busy on the bamboo slips.

After a long time, Kong Rong finally stopped writing, took a long breath, and looked at Taishi Ci: "Zi Yi, why are you here?"

"I heard that the prime minister was ill, so I came to visit him." Taishi Ci answered respectfully.

Kong Rong smiled when he heard this: "Don't worry, Ziyi. It's just a cold. It's nothing serious." "The reason why I claimed to be sick was just because I didn't want to face the two envoys outside... I guess you should have seen them when you entered the mansion?"

Taishi Ci nodded and said, "I heard that they have been waiting outside the palace for several days. Why didn't the Prime Minister meet them? This may damage his reputation."

Claiming illness could only serve as a temporary evasion. If Kong Rong continued to claim illness and refused to meet the two envoys, he would inevitably be criticized by others.

Even if one of the two messengers is fake, the other is a real angel.

"Alas..." Kong Rong sighed and said tiredly, "I have no way of telling which of the two emperors is real and which is fake, so I dare not go there rashly."

"I am worried that if I go to the fake place first, the traitor will detain me and put me under house arrest, and then use my name to deceive the world. In that case, wouldn't I be putting the real emperor in a disadvantageous position?"

Kong Rong was not afraid of death, nor was he afraid of putting himself in danger.

What he was afraid of was that he would be used by Cao Cao or Yuan Shao.

The other party dared to establish a false emperor, what else was there that he dared not do? This was what he was really worried about, so he was reluctant to meet the two envoys.

"Prime Minister, I am willing to escort you to an audience with the emperor." Taishi Ci said solemnly, "If the Prime Minister is detained by the traitor, although I cannot protect the Prime Minister's safety, I can fight to the death and break out of the siege, and spread the news on behalf of the Prime Minister, so that the people of the world will know the true face of the traitor."

"Ziyi..." Kong Rong was somewhat moved, "This matter has nothing to do with you. You don't need to put yourself in danger."

This journey is as dangerous as a den of dragons and tigers.

Not to mention that Taishi Ci is alone, what would happen even if he brought a few thousand soldiers with him?

Once you enter Xu County or Yecheng, it will be extremely difficult to get out.

That is the base camp of Cao Cao and Yuan Shao!
Even if you wait outside the city instead of entering, there is still the risk of being intercepted.

Cao Cao and Yuan Shao are not people who are easy to deal with.

"The Prime Minister has been kind to me. My mother has repeatedly told me that I must repay her. Besides, I am about to take my mother away from Beihai County. Before that, let me do one last thing for the Prime Minister." Taishi Ci looked sincere and his eyes were firm.

Hearing these words, Kong Rong was deeply moved.

He knew that this was just Taishi Ci's excuse.

A few years ago, he was besieged by the Yellow Turban rebels. Taishi Ci risked his life to break out and bring him reinforcements, thus repaying him for taking care of his mother.

"Since Ziyi is willing to sacrifice his life to accompany me, I will not refuse." Kong Rong stood up, having made up his mind, "My Kong family has been blessed by the country for generations. When the emperor is in trouble, I must think of relieving his worries."

"Where do you think I should go first?"

In order to ensure rigor, he had to go to both Xu County and Yecheng to meet both emperors and see which one was real and which one was fake.

What we need to consider now is which emperor to meet first.

Taishi Ci thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to Xu County first. Xu County is relatively close. After Xu County, we can go straight to Jizhou."

"Good." Kong Rong nodded in agreement, then walked out of the study and brought Taishi Ci to the gate of the Prime Minister's Mansion.

When they saw Kong Rong coming out, everyone outside the Prime Minister's Mansion became excited instantly.

"Prime Minister! It's the Prime Minister!"

"The Prime Minister has come out!"

"Didn't they say the Prime Minister was recovering from illness? Why did he show up?"

"He must have dragged his sick body out to see us."

"Does it mean that you want to give a reply to the two messengers?"

"I wonder which emperor's edict the prime minister will accept."

……

Everyone looked at Kong Rong, waiting for his decision.

The envoys from Xu County and Yecheng immediately went to meet him and said in unison: "In compliance with the emperor's order, please ask the prime minister to come to Xu County (Yecheng) to meet him!"

As the two spoke, they presented the emperor's edict with both hands.

Looking at the two imperial edicts in front of him, Kong Rong took one in each hand and took them all.

The envoys from Xu County and Yecheng were suddenly stunned.

The envoy from Xu County could not help but ask, "What does the Prime Minister mean by this? Why did he accept the edict from the false emperor?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the envoy from Yecheng angrily scolded him: "Don't talk nonsense in front of the Prime Minister! My edict has the imperial seal, do you have it in your hand?"

It was the imperial seal again, and the envoy from Xu County felt extremely aggrieved.

It is obvious that the emperor there is real, but he does not have the imperial seal.

Compared with the other edict, this one immediately seemed unreasonable.

Just when the two were about to quarrel, Kong Rong spoke.

"You two don't need to argue." Kong Rong held the two imperial edicts and said calmly, "I don't know which emperor is real and which is fake, so I will go to Xu County and Yecheng."

"After meeting the two emperors, I will be able to judge which one is true and which one is false."

"Early tomorrow morning, I will set out for Xu County and then go to Yecheng."

After saying this, Kong Rong said no more and turned around to go back home.

Only the envoys from Xu County and Yecheng were left looking at each other in bewilderment, as were the stunned crowd.

……

The next morning.

Under the protection of Taishi Ci, Kong Rong followed the convoy of Xu County envoys, set out from Beihai County, and embarked on the journey to Yingchuan.

The news spread quickly everywhere.

Yecheng, the residence of Yuan Shao.

"Kong Rong, that old man, finally went to Xu County."

After reading the briefing that was delivered to him at full speed, Yuan Shao tore it into pieces with a sullen face.

He pretended to be angry in front of his advisers, but in fact he was extremely surprised.

The emperor of Xu County was real after all, and as long as Kong Rong was not senile, he would be able to recognize him.

If he went to Xu County and recognized the true dragon emperor, he would definitely tell the world that the emperor of Xu County was the real one and the emperor of Yecheng was fake, and Yuan Shao would have an excuse to attack.

But if he came to Yecheng first and found out the identity of the refugee, Yuan Shao would have no way to defend himself.

His reputation will plummet, and he will be met with accusations and abuse from people all over the world.

Yuan Shao looked at Ju Su who was standing beside him and asked, "How are the preparations for the execution of Yuan Shu going?"

Some time has passed since Yuan Shu was thrown into the Heavenly Prison.

The reason why Yuan Shao didn't kill him was that he wanted to find a suitable opportunity to take action in order to accumulate reputation.

Now, as the news spread that Kong Rong was going to meet the two emperors, the opportunity he had been waiting for had arrived.

Executing Yuan Shu would undoubtedly allow him to publicize his reputation as a loyal minister who sacrificed his relatives for the sake of justice.

With the halo of a loyal minister, even if Kong Rong later discovered that the emperor of Yecheng was a fake, he would still have more reputation and confidence to confront Kong Rong.

Ju Su replied, "It has been prepared. A few days ago, I ordered people to spread the word that Yuan Shu will be executed in the northern suburbs today. Now many people are watching at the execution ground, just waiting for the lord to go over and execute him."

As a loyal minister who was willing to sacrifice his own relatives for the sake of justice, Yuan Shao would definitely appear in front of the people in person and serve as the executioner.

This will maximize the publicity of his reputation of sacrificing his relatives for the sake of justice.

"Well, let's go." Yuan Shao stood up, put his hands behind his back and walked out of the mansion, "I will see him off for the last time, and let him fulfill my reputation."

……

The execution ground in the northern suburbs of Yecheng.

At this time, the area around the execution ground was filled with people.

It was crowded, with as many as tens of thousands of people.

"Why are there so many people..."

Liu Xie felt the eager gazes of the people around him and felt a little excited.

It was the first time that he appeared in front of so many people.

Although there were many people who came to participate in the sacrificial activities before, they were far less than today. This time it felt like all the people in the city came.

Yuan Shao would never let Liu Xie leave the palace unless it was necessary.

But with the incident of Kong Rong identifying the authenticity of the emperor, he had to bring Liu Xie out for the people to see.

Look at this skin, look at this delicate skin and tender flesh, look at this appearance, who else could it be but the Son of Heaven?
At the same time, Yuan Shao could also demonstrate his loyalty to the emperor by executing Yuan Shu, thereby reducing the accusations from the outside world that he was holding the emperor hostage.

It can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

"Yuan Shao's showmanship is really perfect. After today, everyone knows that Yuan Benchu ​​sacrificed his own relatives for the sake of justice and is a loyal minister." Liu Xie sighed in his heart.

I looked around and saw many familiar faces there.

Shen Pei, Tian Feng, Xu You, Guo Tu, etc., as well as the two resentful brothers Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang.

Guo Jia stood behind Yuan Shang, looking inconspicuous.

Jia Xu chatted and laughed with Yuan Xi, and they seemed very familiar with each other.

Through secret observation, Liu Xie discovered that the two brothers Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang were so close to each other, but half a day had passed without them saying a word to each other.

Needless to say, this was all caused by Guo Jia.

Now with the addition of Jia Xu, the rift between the two brothers will probably become deeper in the future until it finally breaks out completely.

"I just don't know how Jia Xu can incite Yuan Xi to kill his father?"

Liu Xie looked at Jia Xu who was chatting and laughing with Yuan Xi, and thought to himself that this guy's acting skills were also superb.

Not long after, a loud noise was heard.

I saw a group of soldiers separating the crowd, and Yuan Shao came riding a tall horse.

Behind him, there was a prisoner cart carrying Yuan Shu.

When the people saw this, they were immediately in an uproar.

"Yuan Shu! The one in the prisoner cart is Yuan Shu, the one who usurped the throne and proclaimed himself emperor!"

"Is this Yuan Shu? Why does he look like this? He has a pointed face and monkey cheeks, how can he look like an emperor at all?"

"The traitor Yuan Shu suddenly pales in comparison to the emperor."

"The general personally supervised the execution of his brothers. This is truly admirable!"

"The general defeated Dong Zhuo and brought back the emperor who had fallen on hard times. Now he is sacrificing his relatives for the sake of justice. He is truly a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty and a role model for the world!"

The onlookers, under the deliberate influence of the trend, began to talk among themselves.

Some insulted and mocked Yuan Shu, some praised Yuan Shu and said he pales in comparison with the emperor, but more praised Yuan Shao.

After Yuan Shao escorted the prisoner cart into the arena, he immediately came to Liu Xie, bowed respectfully, and then said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, the traitor Yuan Shu has been taken to the execution ground!"

Liu Xie understood that Yuan Shao's show had already begun and he just needed to cooperate.

So he smiled and said according to the pre-arranged lines: "General, you have worked hard. Sit down and watch the execution with me."

Yuan Shao shook his head and deliberately said loudly: "Your Majesty, I have an unreasonable request. I hope Your Majesty can allow me to preside over this punishment!"

Liu Xie pretended to be surprised, "The general is in charge of the execution? This is not appropriate. After all, he is your brother. In my opinion, let someone else take charge."

Yuan Shao sighed deeply, his voice extremely sad: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration. Although this traitor is my brother, we have always had a harmonious relationship.

But he is a traitor who usurped the throne and committed the most heinous crime! How can I tolerate him just because of my brotherly love? Please allow me to preside over this execution, and use the blood of this traitor to wash away the shame of the Yuan family!"

After Yuan Shao finished speaking, he actually knelt straight on the ground.

Liu Xie was shocked. Why don’t you follow the script?

There's no scene in the script where you kneel down.

Damn, you can really act.

Liu Xie even admired Yuan Shao a little. In order to play this scene well, he even knelt down in front of him despite his proud personality.

The people watching from the audience were moved when they heard Yuan Shao's heartfelt words of loyalty and saw him kneeling down and begging for the execution of Yuan Shu.

"The general is truly a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty!"

"Although they are brothers, one is a rebellious minister and the other is loyal. The gap is really huge."

"This traitor has brought shame upon the general's reputation."

"It is really unfortunate for the Yuan family to have such a scum."

"Fortunately, we still have loyal ministers like the general, otherwise the century-old reputation of the Yuan family, with three officials for four generations, would really be ruined by this traitor."

Liu Xie listened to the incited discussions and knew that the time had come. He pretended to be moved and said, "The general's loyalty is known to all. Then let the general preside over the punishment and wash away the humiliation of the Yuan family."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" After thanking him, Yuan Shao turned around and waved his sleeves in front of all the people, "Bring the traitor Yuan Shu to the stage!"

With his order, Yuan Shu was quickly taken to the execution platform.

Yuan Shao looked at Yuan Shu coldly: "Yuan Shu! You have usurped the throne and committed atrocities. Your crimes are unforgivable! Do you know how to repent now?"

Yuan Shu knelt on the ground with a wooden expression, even though he had not been abused in prison.

But life in prison was simply a torture for him, a nobleman who had been pampered since childhood.

Now he looks extremely haggard, with messy hair and beard, covered in dirt, and he is almost unrecognizable after being so thin.

Facing Yuan Shao's questioning, Yuan Shu smiled contemptuously: "I am the Son of Heaven!"

"Even if I die today, I will be the king of a fallen country!"

"He is not the traitor that your little slave girl Yuan Benchu ​​is talking about!"

When facing death, Yuan Shu showed no fear at all. When facing Yuan Shao, his words were still full of pride and arrogance.

"How dare you!" Yuan Shao was furious and shouted, "My Yuan family has had three dukes for four generations and has been blessed by the Han Dynasty. How could there be a traitor like you? How will you face the Han emperors and my Yuan family ancestors after you die?"

"Come here, execution!"

After the show, an executioner dressed in red and holding a ghost-head sword came forward.

Seeing death approaching, Yuan Shu shouted with all his might: "Wait! I have one last request!"

Yuan Shao asked coldly: "What request?"

Yuan Shu licked his cracked lips and swallowed his saliva: "I... want to drink a bowl of honey water."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was stunned.

Liu Xie's wildly upturned mouth corners are harder to suppress than AK.

He is worthy of being called the Honey Water Emperor. He even drinks a bowl of honey water before dying.

Yuan Shao did not expect Yuan Shu to make such an outrageous request. He wanted to refuse directly, but when he saw Yuan Shu's miserable appearance, he couldn't help but feel a little sympathy.

After all, it's just a bowl of honey water.

Liu Xie was very good at observing people's expressions and immediately said, "General, since he is about to die, please satisfy his request."

"Your Majesty is merciful." Yuan Shao waved his hand and ordered people to find honey water.

Not long after, a soldier came over with a bowl of honey water.

Yuan Shu drank the honey water slowly, licked his lips greedily and reluctantly, then heaved a long sigh, no longer reluctant to leave.

"Do it!"

The executioner raised his sword high.

Yuan Shu raised his head, his gaze swept across the heads of the densely packed people below the stage, across the green hills in the distance, and towards the distant sky.

The sky was clear and cloudless.

What a good day to die.

"laugh--!"

The sword falls
Blood spurts.

Yuan Shu's headless body fell to the ground, his head rolled and fell into the dust, and there was no life in his eyes.

As Yuan Shu's head fell to the ground, the people below the stage cheered and burst into applause.

“Good kill—!”

"I feel sorry for the general. To preserve my loyalty, I have no choice but to sacrifice my own family for the sake of justice."

"The general is truly a loyal and devoted minister of the Han Dynasty."

Praise and cheers surged towards Yuan Shao like a wave, and he became the focus of the entire audience.

A loyal minister of the Han Dynasty who sacrificed his own family for the sake of justice, he truly deserves the title!

Liu Xie quietly looked at Yuan Shao who was enjoying the attention and cheers of the crowd, then looked at the dusty head on the ground that no one cared about, and lowered his eyes slightly.

“This is what happens to losers.”

The successful ones enjoy everything, while the unsuccessful ones can only fall into the dust.

So cruel, yet so realistic.

He didn't want to be such a loser.

After the cheers died down a bit, Yuan Shao walked up to Liu Xie and said, "Your Majesty, the traitor Yuan Shu has been executed!"

Liu Xie said hurriedly: "Okay, okay! Let the general deal with the body. I will return to the palace first."

After saying the last line, Liu Xie boarded the dragon chariot and left the execution ground under the escort of Zhang He, Gao Lan and a group of imperial guards.

"General, what should we do with Yuan Shu's body?" Shen Pei asked.

Yuan Shao took a look at Yuan Shu's body and head and said casually, "Just find a place outside the city to bury him. There's no need to bury him in the Yuan family's ancestral tomb."

Shen Pei nodded in agreement.

Yuan Shao smiled and waved to the people while thinking about his own things.

"I killed Yuan Shu. This act of sacrificing one's own family for the sake of justice is no less than the act of Kong Rong fighting to the death with his brother and mother. With this reputation, why should I be afraid of him?"

Yuan Shao is in a good mood now. Kong Rong is famous and powerful, but he is the same.

What if Kong Rong discovered that he was pretending to be the emperor?

He just didn't believe that Kong Rong's words alone could convince the people of the world and destroy the reputation he had worked so hard to build!
……

At the same time, far away in Yingchuan, Kong Rong's carriage slowly drove into Xu County.

(End of this chapter)