Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 202 Mi Heng: Traitor! How dare you impersonate Cao Cao and defile the loyal soul!
With emerald eyes and a purple beard, he wielded a long spear and rode a mighty horse!
With decisive command, who can stand against a thousand troops?
Young people should have lofty ambitions and consider themselves the best in the world!
Kuai Yue stared blankly at Sun Quan, who was leading his troops in a charge and carving a bloody path through the enemy lines. He remained lost in thought for a long time.

During this time, he often heard about Sun Quan's victories, but this man only had a thousand men under his command, so even if he won, it would not affect the overall situation, and he never took it to heart.

But all those past military reports and rumors couldn't compare to the shock of what was actually happening right before his eyes.

The young warrior, with his blue eyes and purple beard, rode his horse to the front of the battle, commanding thousands of troops with composure, treating ten thousand horses as nothing.

Although the number of men was small, the soldiers and their weapons were all well-organized during the march. Wherever they went, the enemy scattered like birds and beasts, and they were almost no match for them.

It should be noted that in another time and space, even Cao Cao, who had served as Chancellor of the Han Dynasty for a long time and held great power, was deceived by Sun Quan's appearance when he led his troops, and sighed, "If I were to have a son, I would want him to be like Sun Zhongmou." How much more so would Kuai Yue be here at this time?
In the midst of despair, that figure with green eyes and a purple beard was like a sharp sword piercing the night, illuminating his path to survival.

Compared to Huang Zhong, who commanded 20,000 troops and defended the city, only to have it breached by Yuan Shao's army in a single day, the difference in their abilities is immediately apparent.

Now that he was in this situation, how could Kuai Yue not suddenly realize the truth!
What's with this fear of Huang Zhong!
What Yuan Shu had always wanted to hide, even if he preferred to face a formidable opponent like Huang Zhong, was clearly the young man before him who seemed like a god of war.

As the saying goes, those who plan a lot are often the most worried. Yuan Shu's previous plan was clearly just the simplest imitation of Zhao Kuo's strategy from the pre-Qin period.

However, Huang Zhong took advantage of Huang Zhong's overthinking and suspicion, and his own stubborn belief that Huang Zhong was no ordinary person. Huang Zhong overthought things and fell right into Huang Zhong's trap!

Yes! Why didn't he think of that sooner? The solution to the problem that had kept him up all night was so simple.

With his blue eyes and purple beard, this boy is no ordinary person! He is clearly a young military genius, a reincarnation of the Marquis of Champion of the Han Dynasty.

Why did Sun Quan come instead of Sun Ce? It would have been better to rally the old Sun family members in Changsha and ensure they would have no disloyalty.
This must be a surprise attack. This man's secret crossing of Changsha is definitely a sharp sword that Yuan Shu has prepared to pierce the heart of Jingzhou!

It was only because he and Huang Zhong suddenly attacked and luckily captured Sun Quan that Sun Quan also harbored disloyalty towards Yuan Shu.

This series of coincidences led to the sharp blade that pierced the heart of Jing Xiang falling into his own hands!
At the time, Kuai Yue was not the only one with this idea.

Looking at the people of Jingzhou who still loyally served Liu Biao, their faith collapsed in a short period of time, and they witnessed the sudden defeat of the war god Huang Zhong.

This defeat was swift and overwhelming; Yuan's army's momentum surged like a raging flood, unstoppable.

But in this desperate situation, they saw new hope!

Sun Quan!
Sun Quan!!
Sun Quan!!!

Kuai Yue and Sun Quan joined forces, totaling about 5,000 men. Shouting Sun Quan's name, they broke through layers of obstacles with unstoppable momentum, stormed out of the city, and fled towards Lingling.

On the city tower, Yuan Shu gazed at Sun Quan's figure as he rode his horse with a whip, and chuckled as he accepted the honey water offered by Sun Ce and sipped it lightly.

“Father, why won’t you allow Ce’er to capture and kill that traitor who betrayed his country and defected to the enemy? He has ruined the reputation of loyalty and righteousness of the Sun family. How can we allow him to live in this world?”

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu looked up and sized him up. He didn't know how much of Sun Ce's words were true and how much were false, but at least on the surface, the man in front of him, now Yuan Ce, seemed to have some loyalty.

Yuan Shu shook his head slightly and said to him:

"No rush. The bait has just been put in. If the line isn't stretched out, how can you catch a big fish?"

Zhongmou was not Zhao Kuo. Although he had the reputation of his father, he had no foundation or popularity in Jingzhou. It was no easy task to put a surrendered general on a pedestal out of thin air.

Only when the old gods fall can new gods be born, and only in dire straits will people place their hearts in hope.

Why was Kuai Yue so puzzled by Yuan Shu's strategy? It was because Yuan Shu's strategy was not about the present or Huang Zhong, but about something that had not yet happened. How could Kuai Yue, who was focused on the present, see the hidden dragon hidden in the layers of mist?
After a moment's thought, Sun Ce tentatively asked, "Father, are you referring to Huang Zhong? Indeed, with today's battle at Linxiang, Zhongmou is more than capable of taking over Huang Zhong's prestige in Changsha."

"Huang Zhong?"

Unexpectedly, Yuan Shu scoffed.

"General Huang is capable, but even with my help to push him forward, he still lacks the prestige."

As he spoke, he raised his eyes and stared at Sun Ce, "Do you know why the State of Zhao entrusted its hopes to Zhao Kuo back then?"

Because of despair!

Almost all the able-bodied men in the Zhao state were in Changping!

The land in the country had been uncultivated for a long time, yet grain had to be continuously transported to Changping. The Battle of Changping dragged on day after day, seemingly without end.

Everyone knew that if the conflict dragged on, Lian Po would be able to hold off the Qin army.

But who doesn't understand? If this drags on, what will Zhao use to outlast Qin, which rewards agriculture and warfare, possesses the fertile Guanzhong Plain, and controls the granaries of Bashu?
It was this despair of being slowly boiled like a frog in lukewarm water, this knowing defeat was inevitable, that prompted the Zhao state, in a desperate gamble, to place its hopes and dreams on a young, inexperienced man.

And now.

He looked up and gazed in the direction Sun Quan had fled, then downed his cup of honey water in one gulp, and said with a smile:
"Let's go, Yuan Ce, follow your father on the expedition!"
This journey to Lingling will utterly break the backbone of Jingzhou, leaving them in profound despair to yearn for hope.

But this hope

Thinking of his younger brother, Sun Ce felt a chill run down his spine. He lowered his head and sighed inwardly.

It was you, Father, who personally delivered them.

On that day, Yuan's army broke through Linxiang. Due to the heavy losses incurred from the attack on the city's defenses, Yuan's army suffered nearly 10,000 casualties.

However, after entering the city, Prefect Zhang Xian accepted more than 10,000 of his former troops, so it seems that there was no loss.
Before long, Prefect Zhang Xian sent letters to various places, and all the other counties in Changsha surrendered without resistance.

After recapturing Changsha, Yuan's army rested for five days before advancing to Lingling.

Meanwhile, in Luoyang.

When Mi Heng arrived, he dismounted and was led into the Prime Minister's residence by a servant. He saw that everyone was sitting upright, and the person in the lead was seven feet tall with narrow eyes and a long beard. Who else could it be but Cao Cao?
Mi Heng then burst into tears, which surprised everyone. Cao Hong asked him why.

"Your esteemed envoy has just arrived; why should we weep for him?"

Heng said, “I have been ordered by Liu, the governor of Jingzhou, to come to the court as a local envoy to pay homage to the emperor.”

"Now that there is no emperor in court, it must be a time of national mourning. I, Heng, have long enjoyed the Han's bounty; how can I not weep?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao, who was in charge, turned pale. Oh no, there was something unclean in there.

What kind of messenger is this that Liu Biao sent? If word gets out, people will think I killed the emperor. I quickly signaled to Cao Hong.

Hong was furious and rebuked him!

"Outrageous! Our Great Han still has a Holy Emperor in court, and this is the Prime Minister's residence!"

"You arrogant fool, how dare you curse and kill your sovereign and father?"

Mi Heng seemed to only then realize what was happening. He wiped away his tears and looked around blankly.

"So His Majesty is alright? That's truly fortunate."

But I have come to pay homage to the Emperor; why have I been led to the Prime Minister's residence?

Cao Hong sneered, "We know exactly why you've come here on this mission."

The matter your lord seeks will not be of any use to the emperor; only by seeking it from the prime minister will there be a sliver of hope.

"Stop using flattering words and lest you ruin your lord's important plans."

Heng was furious and rebuked him as well!
"I am a subject of the Han Dynasty, and my lord is a member of the Han imperial family. We only know the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, and we do not know who the Prime Minister is!"

"How dare you! You arrogant brat, how dare you spout such nonsense in the Prime Minister's residence? Don't you recognize the knife in Hong's hand?"

Seeing that Hong wanted to kill him, Cao Cao quickly spoke up to dissuade him.

"Zilian, don't be angry. He's just a madman. Why bother arguing with him?"

As Cao Cao spoke, he displayed a respectful and courteous demeanor towards scholars, and smiled as he addressed Mi Heng.

"The emperor sits and oversees the entire country, managing countless affairs every day. How can he have time to do everything personally?"
We, as his subjects, should do our best to share his burdens.

Mr. Ni, please don't be in a hurry. Everything has its order. Please explain to me in detail why Liu Jingzhou sent you here.

Afterwards, I will personally report to the Emperor and request that the Emperor consider your Lord's request.

"If you truly wish to see the Emperor, let us first settle our important matters, and then, when the Emperor has some free time, I will personally escort you to the palace for an audience. That would not be impossible."

For Cao Cao, bringing Mi Heng to see the emperor was a minor matter; bringing him to court was a major one.

Because Liu Yao, Yang Biao, Xu Huang and others often hindered the court meetings, Cao Cao, in accordance with Sima Yi's current strategy, will simply not convene court meetings unless absolutely necessary!

Even court assemblies were no longer held, and the emperor's decrees could not be issued. Even if Liu Yao and Yang Biao had extraordinary abilities, they had no opportunity to use them.

All matters, large and small, of the imperial court were decided by him and his subordinates, including Xun Yu and Sima Yi, in the Prime Minister's office.

There are two different bureaucratic systems here. In Luoyang at present, the Prime Minister's Office leads the court, and the Prime Minister's Office is the real core of power.

This is similar to Yuan Shu in Huainan, who, despite appointing Xiahou Dun, Yue Jin, Huang Zhong, and others to the prestigious positions of generals such as the Four Expeditions and the Four Levels, was a prominent figure in the Han Dynasty.

But it is clear to anyone with eyes to see that the officials under the name of Yuan Shu's General Yuan's Mansion, such as Ji Ling and Zhang Xun, are the real generals of Jianghuai.

Yan Xiang, who was named the Registrar of Shouchun and acted as the Grand General's Office, was the most important minister in Yuan's camp in the Jianghuai region, a position that could not be granted any official title.

Therefore, for Cao Cao, there was no need to discuss matters at court meetings if they could be resolved at the Prime Minister's residence.

After all, Liu Biao was a member of the Han imperial family, and the envoy was currently putting on an act of generosity and loyalty.

If this gets brought up in the imperial court, and he happens to take a liking to Liu Yao and his ilk, wouldn't that just create unnecessary trouble?

Therefore, he tried his best to be lenient and friendly, letting Mi Heng speak his mind. He said that after they finished discussing the matter, he would privately take Mi Heng to the palace to see if the emperor was alive or dead.

This will also let you know that Cao Cao raised the emperor to be healthy and well-fed, and he didn't mistreat him. The emperor is living a good life.

After you leave, don't spread rumors that I killed the emperor.

However, Mi Heng seemed completely oblivious to Cao Cao's good intentions. His cold eyes were fixed on the man on the high platform, who was seven feet tall with narrow eyes and a long beard.

Under his clear and pure gaze, Cao Cao, who had fought for many years and now held the reins of the court, was somewhat afraid to look him in the eye.

He stood up resolutely and asked in a loud voice:

"I once heard that there was a loyal and righteous man in our great Han Dynasty named Cao Cao, courtesy name Mengde!"

In the past, Dong Zhuo wreaked havoc on the government and the country. He controlled the court and held the emperor hostage, making people all over the world hate him so much that they wished they could eat his flesh and sleep on his skin, but dared not speak out against him.

There was a righteous man named Cao Cao, who was loyal and courageous. Surrounded by enemies, he took a Seven-Star Sword and rode alone into the mansion to assassinate Dong Zhuo.

Unfortunately, he was outnumbered and outmatched, and after his failure, he fled. After escaping Luoyang, he was hunted down by Dong Zhuo and his whereabouts became unknown. No news of him has been heard for a long time.

Upon hearing this, Heng was overcome with grief and personally set up a memorial tablet to offer sacrifices, inscribed with: "[The Memorial Tablet of Cao Cao, Colonel of the Han Valiant Cavalry!]"

Before his spirit, I swear that although I am but a scholar, lacking the heroic spirit of General Cao who single-handedly assassinated Dong Zhuo, I will still be as loyal and courageous as him, and will not bow to power!

After Mi Heng finished speaking, he laughed loudly, "If the spirit of the late General Cao is still in heaven, I swear I will never associate with you worms!"
"There is absolutely no way you'd expect me to collude with you today to discuss important matters!"

After these words were spoken, Cao Cao on the high platform had already turned red in the face, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent. Xun Yu saw that he was about to be in trouble, so he quickly spoke up to persuade him.

"Mr. Heng is mistaken!"

The Han cavalry commander Cao Cao you mentioned is now the Chancellor of the Han Dynasty, and he is the very person sitting in the hall!
Mr. Heng may not have met Cao Cao, and having been in Jingzhou for so long, he has not heard any news from the north. The memorial tablet in your home should be removed immediately.

However, Mi Heng not only failed to understand Xun Yu's good intentions, but instead became furious and scolded him!
"A treacherous and arrogant villain!"
You traitor, how dare you impersonate Cao Cao and defile the loyal soul?

If Cao Cao, the valiant cavalry commander, were still alive, he would surely wield the Seven-Star Sword and, as he did with Dong Zhuo, stab you in your midnight dreams!

Cao Cao's face turned ashen instantly, and he opened his mouth but could not utter a word.

Xun Yu quickly stopped him, saying, "My lord, don't be angry. He's just a madman. Why bother arguing with him?"

Killing such madmen would only soil our axes and swords.

Mi Heng stood in the palace with disheveled hair, laughing loudly to the sky as if he could not stop!

"I am a madman, yet I still know loyalty and righteousness. You are truly disloyal and unrighteous, no better than pigs and dogs!"

Cao Cao gritted his teeth in anger and said hatefully, "You seek fame and fortune, you arrogant fool who's courting death! Today I will grant your wish!"

Xun You, seeing this, hurriedly advised, "My lord! Even when two countries are at war, they do not kill the envoys. How much less should they kill the envoys of allies?"

Now Liu Biao has formed an alliance with you and sent Heng as an envoy to seek your assistance.

If you kill his envoy, you will surely lose his loyalty. If he thinks that you have no intention of coming to his aid, and he is defeated and sides with Yuan Shu, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Moreover, Heng has a great reputation; if you kill him, the world will think you are intolerant of others.

"An alliance? A request for help?"

Cao Cao was so angry that he laughed, his eyes cold as ice.

"Is there any ally like Liu Biao in the world? Has anyone throughout history ever asked for help like Liu Biao?"

Sending this barbarian as envoy clearly shows that Liu Biao has no sincerity in forming an alliance and is deliberately trying to provoke me!

Fearing that Cao Cao would actually kill Mi Heng and make the situation irreversible, several people quickly stepped forward and dragged the madman away themselves.

He was about to persuade Cao Cao to calm down when, unexpectedly, Sima Yi responded to Cao Cao's words, met his eyes, and nodded slightly.

"My lord is right, Liu Biao did it on purpose."

Cao Cao: “???”

This left not only Cao Cao speechless, but everyone else was also stunned for a moment, as Sima Yi then began to explain.

“Mi Heng came from Jingzhou, how could Liu Biao not know his character?”

Anyone can come to ask for help, but sending this particular person must have a deeper meaning.

Firstly, it expresses Liu Biao's dissatisfaction with his lord, as a member of the Han imperial family, and reminds his lord to restrain himself and respect the Han emperor, which is the premise of the alliance.

Secondly, perhaps Liu Biao himself was also troubled by this man, but was reluctant to kill him due to his reputation and the resulting loss of popular support, so he sent him to Luoyang, intending to use his lord to kill him.

(End of this chapter)