Wei Xiaobao's Three Kingdoms Adventure

Chapter 49 Beauty Trap

Wei Xiaobao was lying in bed daydreaming about marrying Diao Chan, and he didn't even know that Liu Xie was called to court.

Liu Xie returned to the palace wearing a purple robe with dragon patterns and a multicolored feather crown. Wei Xiaobao was surprised when they first met because Xiao Xuanzi's dragon robe was yellow. So Wei Xiaobao didn't recognize Liu Xie's clothes as the emperor's. It was not until Liu Xie told him about Liu Bian's forced abdication and He Lingsi's forced suicide that Wei Xiaobao finally woke up from his dream.

It was only then that Wei Xiaobao realized that the last emperor of the Han Dynasty was Liu Xie. He Lingsi probably only understood what Wei Xiaobao said before her death. Dong Zhuo did not become emperor, but the throne of her son Liu Bian was eventually given to someone else.

Wei Xiaobao began to worry, not about whether he could marry Diao Chan, but about who would become emperor if Liu Xie fled with him? If he took Liu Xie with him to return to the Qing Dynasty and changed history, would Xiao Xuanzi still be the emperor? Wei Xiaobao didn't dare to gamble, because he wasn't gambling with his own money or his life, but with the life of his best friend, Xiao Xuanzi.

Liu Xie said, "I have to move to the Ye Ting Palace. The palace is now full of Dong Zhuo's soldiers, so I'm afraid you two can't stay here. To make it easier for us to meet, I've asked Dong Zhuo for a position as the Western Garden Commandant on your behalf. You'll have to attend court starting tomorrow."

Wei Xiaobao asked, "You are the emperor now, why do you still have to ask Dong Zhuo for an official position?"

Liu Xie sighed and said, "I'm just a child of eight or nine years old. I have no power or army of my own. You think I'm the emperor, but I'm just Dong Zhuo's puppet. Dong Zhuo made me emperor just to see that I was obedient. I didn't expect that I could escape the Ten Attendants, but I couldn't escape Dong Zhuo. In the end, I still became the emperor."

Wei Xiaobao said, "When Aobai was still alive, he also bullied Xiao Xuanzi every day, just like Dong Zhuo today. It's a pity that I didn't bring the knockout drug with me, otherwise I could have tricked him into the palace and killed him. Maybe you can also be a good emperor like Xiao Xuanzi."

Liu Xie asked curiously, "Bird's raw fish soup?"

Wei Xiaobao thought for a long time and said, "Xiao Xuanzi told me that they were named Yao or Tang. Anyway, they were all very good emperors."

Liu Xie nodded and said, "Oh, Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang, right? They were all ancient sages and emperors. I'm just a Taoist who started a rebellion. I know nothing about governing a country. How can I be compared with those sages? Royal descendants learn from famous scholars from a young age to have the ability to govern the country and bring peace to the world. If someone like me were to govern the country, wouldn't I just put the people in dire straits?"

Wei Xiaobao just wanted to persuade Liu Xie to stay and be a good emperor, saying, "I heard that Liu Bang is just a small-time gangster, but can he still be a good emperor?"

Liu Xie said, "Emperor Gaozu had talents like Zhang Liang, Xiao He, Han Xin, and Chen Ping under his command. Look at the court today. Which minister is not fighting openly or secretly for the benefit of himself or the group behind him? Otherwise, I would not have rebelled!"

Wei Xiaobao was speechless for a moment, because he knew Liu Xie was right. Even Cao Cao, who later became the Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty, only cared about himself. Although Wei Xiaobao didn't remember the storyteller's words "holding the emperor hostage to control the princes", he still knew the general meaning.

Liu Xie continued, "Dong Zhuo mentioned the imperial seal during court today and ordered someone to find it. We can't just sit there and wait for death. You must go to Dong Zhuo's mansion and find the Seven-Star Sword as soon as possible. Then you can return to your Qing Dynasty, and I must rush back to stop the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Maybe I can even save Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang. After this trip, I've figured it out. The Yellow Turban Rebellion not only failed to save the people, but instead caused chaos throughout the country. The princes from all directions used the excuse of attacking the Yellow Turbans to recruit troops. Now, even without Dong Zhuo, the court can't control these princes. The people are even more pitiful than before my rebellion."

Wei Xiaobao became even more worried. Without the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Three Kingdoms would not exist, let alone the Qing Dynasty. However, seeing Liu Xie's determined eyes, Wei Xiaobao didn't know how to persuade him. He thought to himself: "For Xiao Xuanzi, I can only let you down."

Wei Xiaobao had already made up his mind. When Zhang Jue used magic to send him and Shuang'er back, he would take the Seven-Star Sword back to the Qing Dynasty.

Wei Xiaobao said, "It's not difficult to steal things from Dong Zhuo's house, but his godson Lu Bu is very powerful. I'm worried about running into him."

Liu Xie asked, "Are there any records of this person in later generations?"

Wei Xiaobao nodded and said, "Yes, this guy is very powerful. At Hulao Pass, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were all unable to defeat him. This part was even written into the book, called "Three Heroes vs. Lü Bu"!"

Liu Xie asked, "Don't you know how to read?"

Wei Xiaobao smiled awkwardly and said, "I also heard the story from a storyteller in a teahouse." Liu Xie said, "I have heard of Liu Bei. He was Lu Zhi's student. When they were in Jizhou, the brothers of the Yellow Turban Army also fought against him. I have never heard of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. I have never heard of the three heroes fighting Lu Bu that you mentioned."

Wei Xiaobao said, "That was what happened later when the eighteen princes attacked Dong Zhuo. It hasn't happened yet!"

Liu Xie said, "Since Lü Bu is difficult to deal with, then stealing the Seven-Star Sword from Dong Zhuo's mansion is indeed difficult. We can only do it when Lü Bu is away."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Isn't that easy? Lü Bu follows Dong Zhuo around every day. I'll steal from him tomorrow when Dong Zhuo is in court."

Liu Xie gave a bitter laugh and said, "Didn't I tell you? You are now the Xiyuan Commandant, and you must also attend the court tomorrow."

Wei Xiaobao wanted to strangle Liu Xie to death at this moment, cursing, "I am the Deputy Minister of the Imperial Guard in the Qing Dynasty, the Manchu Commander-in-Chief of the Plain Yellow Banner of the Cavalry Battalion, and I have been granted the title of Baturu, a First-Class Viscount, and am known as Lord Wei. I don't want a lousy lieutenant like you! You gave me a lousy lieutenant position and delayed my work."

Shuang'er heard Wei Xiaobao getting angry and quickly tried to persuade him, "Xiaobao, he was just doing it for your convenience in entering the palace. He didn't think it would affect the theft of the Seven Star Sword."

Wei Xiaobao also realized that it was useless to get angry, so he calmed down and asked Liu Xie: "Did you meet Prime Minister Wang Yun today?"

Liu Xie nodded.

Wei Xiaobao said, "I have a way to lure Lü Bu away, but I will suffer a huge loss if I use this method."

Wei Xiaobao felt so sad after saying this, because he decided to let Liu Xie find Wang Yun and use Diao Chan's beauty to lure Lu Bu into the trap.

Wei Xiaobao cursed in his heart, "I never thought that I was the one who gave Diao Chan to Lu Bu. This beauty trap is really not something I, Wei Xiaobao, can use. It's so heartbreaking."

Liu Xie hurriedly asked, "What's the solution?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "The beauty trap! There's a singing girl named Diao Chan in Situ's mansion. She's incredibly beautiful. Have Wang Yun invite Lü Bu to a banquet, and then use Diao Chan's beauty to entangle Lü Bu. That way, I'll have the chance to strike! But you have to make it clear to Wang Yun that Dong Zhuo must not know about Diao Chan."

Liu Xie asked, "Why?"

Wei Xiaobao pushed Liu Xie out the door and said, "Don't worry about it. Just do what I tell you to do! I'll stay in the palace tonight, and after court tomorrow I'll go steal the Seven Star Sword."

Liu Xie nodded and said, "Well, since we haven't arranged any accommodation for you outside the palace, you and Shuang'er should stay in the palace tonight."

Wei Xiaobao said, "No need to make any arrangements. I'll go back tomorrow after I steal the Seven Star Sword. I don't want to stay and watch my beloved be snatched away by someone else."

Liu Xie glanced at Shuang'er and said with a smile, "Shuang'er is devoted to you, how could she be snatched away by someone else?"

Wei Xiaobao pushed him out of the door, closed it, and went back to bed. He covered his chest and couldn't sleep for a long time. He kept saying in his heart: "Xiao Xuanzi, oh Xiao Xuanzi, I even gave up my beauty for you. When I go back, you have to make it up to me."

(End of this chapter)