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

Chapter 256 Cao Cao: This must be Yuan Shu's scheme!

In the quiet Luoyang Palace, Emperor Liu Xie sat high on the dragon throne in the main hall, looking down at his ministers without uttering a word.

As Xun Yu said, a sage emperor governs by doing nothing; he does not need to speak.

But inaction is not inaction; just as he had just refused Xun Yu, forced the ministers to retreat, and walked alone past Cao Cao's army, striding forward.

How dare these treacherous officials and rebels covet the imperial throne?
Xun Yu's promise to sit peacefully in the heart of the land and wait for Cao Cao to return power to him was something he neither believed nor accepted.

The path to take is determined by my will.

He was no longer naive, no longer simply believing that killing a traitor would solve everything, allow the emperor to rule personally, and bring peace and prosperity to the country.

Nothing in this world is ever so simple.

As for killing Cao Cao, now that Dong Cheng and Xu Huang control the capital, I could easily order Cao Cao to be killed on the spot under the pretext of eliminating traitors.

But Cao Cao had sons, and his camp had loyal ministers. If he killed Cao Cao now, Cao Ren could then mobilize the entire army of Luoyang to besiege and kill the palace.

Just like back then, after he issued an order to kill Dong Zhuo, Li Jue and Guo Si led his Xiliang army directly into Chang'an.

Of course, Liu Bei and Liu Biao's armies are currently outside the city. If I have them issue a message, the army outside the city will also attack Cao Cao's army at the same time.

The two sides fought fiercely, and the outcome was still uncertain.

But after the battle, whether Cao Cao wins or we win, the Han Dynasty is finished.

Xun Yu has made his point very clear. If we assume Yuan Shu's military strength is 10, then let's be optimistic and say Cao Cao is 5, Liu Bei is 2, Liu Biao is 2, Liu Yao is 2, and so on.

If our side can barely muster a 6, we can still defeat Cao Cao's camp.

After a bloody battle, it would be lucky if two or three survived.

The reason Xun Yu listed all the people behind him was because they were all losers in the face of Yuan Shao's camp.

It was precisely to tell himself a truth: he had no military genius like Han Xin, no champion like Huo Qubing, or any of the Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai behind him.

There was no one else who could hold off Yuan's camp with only 2 or 3 troops, and who could be relied upon by them.

Of course, even Cao Cao couldn't do that.

Looking back at Cao Cao's anti-Yuan campaigns to date, he has also suffered repeated defeats, but compared to Liu Bei, Liu Biao, and Liu Yao, who all lost decisively, his defeats were more aesthetically pleasing.

Even in the recent Battle of Wancheng, which I heard about, if it weren't for the self-inflicted calamity of this "pillar of strength" Prime Minister Cao, he could have escaped unscathed.

So here's the question: how do I manage to collect all these numbers like 5, 3, 2, and 1 in this city of Luoyang?

Only when a group of defeated generals from Yuan Shu's camp gathered together could they barely hold off Yuan Shu's army.

At this point, the Han Dynasty was on the verge of collapse. Why bother with the drama of eliminating traitors and staging another internal strife that led to the burning of Luoyang? It was practically handing the Han Dynasty its own funeral.

Xun Yu's words made him so unsettled that he couldn't stand up for a moment.

This reveals the bloody reality that the Han Dynasty, which had lasted for four hundred years, was on its last legs. If he could not turn the tide and save the country from ruin, Liu Xie would be a ruler who would bring about the downfall of his kingdom.

That's why Xun Yu made that remonstrance, suggesting that the ruler should be like Yao and Shun, that Cao Cao should hold the emperor hostage to command the other lords, and that he should unite Liu Bei, Liu Biao, and others, using all the resources of the court to quell the chaos.

But Liu Xie refused, and he walked past Xun Yu and strode forward.

His promise to Xun Yu, that he understood the gravity of the situation, meant that he had grasped Xun Yu's reasoning and would no longer entertain such a naive idea as killing a traitor.

He refused Xun Yu because: How could I sit idly by and suffer such humiliation?
You, Xun Yu, can entrust the great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty to Cao Cao, the lord you have recognized.

But I, the Son of Heaven, will not!

Since holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords can integrate the power of the central government, gather righteous men from all directions, and support the Han dynasty, then the emperor can be restored.

Why didn't the emperor come in person?

The reason he put on this show of harmonious coexistence with Cao Cao was because, at this moment, Cao Cao was no longer just a traitor to the country whom he had once hated, but also a sword he relied on to defend against Yuan Shu.

But a sword can hurt others, but it can also hurt oneself, so he still needs Liu Yao, Liu Biao and others to be his shield.

Fighting without breaking apart, forming factions without contention, maintaining balance among emperors, all depends on one's own will.

He had no idea how far he would ultimately go, nor how he could comprehend the Han Dynasty that he had managed to cobble together by balancing various factions.

Compared to Xun Yu's plan for Cao Cao to centralize power and for the court to be united, which is more capable of rectifying the world and saving the nation from peril?

But one's reputation and position must not be given to others; this is the bottom line.

That's why he feigned compliance with Cao Cao, saying that Cao Cao's journey was arduous and that his defeat was not his fault.

That's why he hinted to Liu Biao to speak out angrily and impeach Cao Cao for his defeat in this campaign.

The emperor and the prime minister must be in harmony; this is the last vestige of dignity for the Han court to maintain its legitimacy. Otherwise, as before, anyone could denounce the emperor's edict as a forgery by Cao Cao and refuse to obey.

However, Liu Biao, Liu Yao, and other ministers had to be in opposition to the prime minister. This was a way for him to seize power from Cao Cao and not become a puppet.

Therefore, inaction is not inaction; the sage emperor governs by doing nothing, and because of this, his officials and ministers speak out for him.

At that moment, as the Emperor's gaze fell upon him, Liu Biao stepped forward and impeached Cao Cao for his military defeat.

"."

"May I ask who you are?"

"I am none other than Liu Biao, the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty!"

Upon hearing that this man claimed to be Grand Tutor Liu Biao, Cao Cao laughed, but then his gaze turned icy cold.

"How dare a minister who has brought disaster to the country bark and howl here?"

If it weren't for saving your Jingzhou, how could we have suffered such heavy losses, and how could Xuande have lost his foundation?

"You enjoy the nine commanderies of Jingzhou and Xiangyang, commanding two hundred thousand troops, yet your army suffered a swift defeat. We were barely able to come to your aid, and you dare to criticize the army's defeat?"

After speaking, he bowed to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, I would not deign to share the same palace with such a treacherous minister."

Cao Cao requests that Liu Biao be executed to appease the souls of these fallen soldiers!

Liu Biao: "???"

"How dare a traitor deceive me?"

Liu Biao angrily rebuked him, and also bowed to Liu Xie, requesting permission to serve.

"This scoundrel is arrogant and disrespectful, yet he still dares to be so arrogant as to say that the Grand Tutor should be executed in court."

Your Majesty, please forgive my frankness, but although I am far away in Jingzhou and Xiangyang, I have heard that Cao Mengde has held the emperor and father hostage and is issuing orders to the world.

"Today, with just one command from His Majesty, we, his loyal and devoted servants, can rid the country of this traitor!"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and lightly pointed to the man who had entered with Cao Cao, saying to the Emperor:

"Your Majesty may not know this, but this man is Wen Ping, my trusted general."

"He still commands 20,000 elite troops from Jingzhou outside the city. Your Majesty need not hesitate; with a single command, we will immediately rid the country of this traitor!"

Upon hearing Liu Biao's words, Dong Cheng, Liu Yao, and others, who had been waiting for this day to eliminate the traitor and seize power, were even more excited and immediately voiced their support.

"What Grand Tutor Liu said is very true. Cao Mengde is called the Chancellor of Han, but he is in fact a traitor to Han. I beg Your Majesty to issue an order to eliminate the traitor and restore the Han Dynasty. The day is now."

"What you all say is very true. I also think so. Moreover, Liu Bei is here today. As a member of the Han imperial family, he must be of one mind with us."

"He also commands 30,000 troops outside the city. Our forces are already superior to Cao Cao's. We humbly request Your Majesty to issue the order so that we may join forces to rid the country of this traitor."

As Liu Yao spoke, he looked at Liu Bei and said, "Xuande, you and I are both relatives of the Han Dynasty, and even the Emperor calls you Imperial Uncle. Now that things have come to this, you wouldn't want to help a traitor, would you?"

Liu Bei: "."

How was Liu Bei supposed to respond to this? He never expected the officials in Luoyang to be so passionate and fervent. He had just entered the city and knew nothing about the situation; how could he be coerced into raising an army to eliminate the rebels?
He could only manage a weak nod, “We will naturally obey the Emperor’s orders.”

Seeing that the Grand Tutor's words had put Liu Bei's new force in check, the Emperor's faction became even more excited and agitated.

"Eliminate the traitors and restore the Han dynasty."

"Eliminate the traitors and restore the Han dynasty."

The shouts of the crowd were deafening, while on the other side, the officials in Cao Cao's camp also changed color in anger, rebuking them:
"You treacherous ministers and traitors, how dare you bewitch the emperor!"

"The Prime Minister has worked hard and made great contributions; how can he be slandered by you?"

Seeing that the conflict between the people was about to erupt again, the contradiction that Liu Xie and Xun Yu had barely managed to suppress at the palace gate was about to break out again.

Liu Xie, sitting high on the dragon throne, realized that he had been naive once again. The so-called imperial strategy and the way of balance were not so easy to obtain.
He wanted to maintain a balance, but his ministers were not his puppets.

He clearly only wanted Liu Biao to suppress Cao Cao, using the pretext of punishing him to strip him of his official rank and power.

But who would have thought that the entire city of Luoyang was already a powder keg ready to ignite at any moment?

Previously, with few soldiers and generals, these people wanted to eliminate the traitors and seize power. Now that Liu Biao and Liu Bei have a total of 50,000 troops and are providing support outside the city, how can they still hold back?

After all, as long as Cao Cao is killed, the Han Dynasty will fall into the control of their imperial faction.

As for Yuan Shu of Huainan? Yuan Shao of Hebei?

Who cares about all that? I'll take power first.

Witnessing this scene, Liu Xie sighed softly.

Can I really restore the Han Dynasty with this group of people?
Seeing that the crowd was becoming increasingly agitated, Liu Xie's gaze involuntarily fell on one person in the room.

It was Liu Bei!

He saw that Liu Bei also echoed the crowd and indicated that he would obey orders.

But with his eyes downcast and his mind elsewhere, he seemed out of place among the excited Imperial Party members who were focused on eliminating the traitors. Clearly, he had other plans in mind, so I quickly asked him.

"But my imperial uncle, Liu Bei, Liu Xuande."

"My lord, having traveled extensively, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

Upon hearing the emperor's words, the court officials fell silent. Liu Yao looked at Liu Bei with expectant eyes, clearly hoping that he would also propose to the emperor to execute the traitor Cao Cao.

Amidst the intense attention of everyone, Liu Bei appeared moved, his eyes reddening as if he were about to shed tears, and he bowed in respect.

"How can a defeated general, a wanderer with no one to rely on, accept the title of Imperial Uncle?"
I have been fighting on the frontier for many years and have received Your Majesty's edicts several times, appointing me as governor of a prefecture and entrusting me with important matters.

"Though I am but a humble and incompetent subject, I cannot repay Your Majesty's grace. Now that Your Majesty has given this order, I will gladly die for it."

Liu Xie: "."

I never expected you to be like this, my royal uncle!

I'm asking you what to do?
So you've passed the buck back to me, haven't you?
I clearly hope you can bring your 30,000 men and bring everyone to their senses.

Cao Cao must be eliminated, but we must do it little by little. We can use him to hold off Yuan Shu for now and develop our strength gradually until we are able to deal with Yuan Shu on our own. Then it will be time to eliminate Cao Cao.

This principle is something that others may not understand, but even you, Liu Bei, who is famous throughout the world, do not understand it?

How did he become a blindly loyal person who only knows how to obey orders?

Liu Xie was caught in the middle and had no choice but to go with the flow, eliminate the traitor Cao Cao, fight a battle with Cao Cao's camp, and decide the winner.

When the crowd saw that Liu Bei had indicated he would obey orders, they became even more emboldened, shouting to eliminate the traitor and sharpening their knives at Cao Cao.

At this moment, even Xun Yu's expression changed, and Cao Cao also knew that something was wrong.

He had just mocked Liu Biao, but little did he know that Liu Biao now had Wen Ping's 20,000 troops outside the city, and thought he had all the power in his hands.

By this time, Cao Cao had a general understanding of the situation.

Perhaps the emperor hadn't intended to kill him yet, but Liu Biao, who had acquired 20,000 Jingzhou troops, and Liu Yao, who had taken hostage 30,000 Liu Bei troops, had no intention of letting him go.

These treacherous officials, thinking they had gained military power, decided to take a risk and kill themselves on the spot.

Cao Cao realized that he had to save himself. The man on the dragon throne was clearly not controlling his ministers, but rather his ministers controlling him.

But how exactly can we bring a group of hot-blooded people who are trying to uphold justice to their senses?

How can we get those who are determined to kill the traitors to stop targeting us?
The answer is obvious!
There is only one more powerful and terrifying traitor, a peerless national traitor who can suffocate everyone!

But amidst the fervent fervor of the crowd demanding the "elimination of the traitors," Cao Cao suddenly burst into laughter.

He laughed three times and angrily rebuked the assembled officials.

"madness!
You are about to die, and we will become subjects of a fallen nation, yet you are unaware of it.

They are still here vying for power and eliminating dissidents.

If the Han Dynasty falls, it will fall at your hands.

Having said this, without confronting the crowd, Cao Cao cupped his hands to the emperor and said:

"Your Majesty, although my campaign was unsuccessful, it was not without its gains."

"I have a shocking secret to share with Your Majesty."

He said in a low voice:
"The reason why the Han Dynasty has fallen to its current state and the nine provinces have been torn apart is all due to the control of one person!"
Yuan Shu, a traitor to the state, had a far-reaching scheme that deceived the world, and the warlords were like puppets manipulated by strings.

"From the calamity of the Partisan Prohibitions in the past, to the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and even the execution of He Jin and Dong Zhuo's entry into the capital, all were his schemes."

As Cao Cao spoke, he recounted in detail the analysis that Cao Cao's camp had previously conducted against Yuan Shu, each point presented with reason and evidence, leaving the crowd that had been clamoring to eliminate the traitor in a state of astonishment and uncertainty.

What! Yuan Shu had an affair with Empress He? How dare this traitor disgrace the mother of the nation?

What? Yuan Shu is the real great and wise teacher? Zhang Jiao is just a scapegoat he pushed out?
What? Dong Zhuo was a protégé and former official of the Yuan family. His journey to the capital was all Yuan Shu's scheme, and Yuan Shao was merely his scapegoat.

What? The coalition of eighteen warlords against Dong Zhuo was just a conspiracy to kill Yuan Wei and Yuan Ji and seize control of the Yuan family?
and many more?

What were we about to do?

That's right! Kill the traitor Cao!

Liu Yao was the first to react and quickly interrupted Cao Cao's rambling speech.

"Cao traitor, stop spouting nonsense and confusing the public!"
Yuan's treason and depravity have been going on for a long time. Even if his crimes are numerous and shocking, that is not a reason for you to escape punishment!

However, Cao Cao merely glanced at him, raised his hand and pointed slightly, saying to the emperor:
"Your Majesty, this man is Yuan Shu's inside man!"

Liu Yao was startled and felt a chill run down his spine. His face flushed red as he rebuked, "That traitor Cao is spouting nonsense! How dare you slander me!"

Cao Cao sneered!

"Now that you all know, Yuan Shu's plans for the world are so far-reaching and terrifying."

Who knows if today's situation wasn't orchestrated by Yuan Shu?
If I, Cao Cao, were killed today, and we were both severely injured, who would benefit?
Is this His Majesty?

Not also!

Who is happy to see this happen?
Who else but Yuan Shu could do it!

His words, though spoken softly, were resounding and thought-provoking.

"Gentlemen, ask yourselves honestly, who wants to kill me today, you or Yuan Shu?"
Do not be misled by Yuan's accomplices, lest you become his weapon without even realizing it!

He then bowed to the emperor and said:
"Yuan Shu is a cunning man, and Your Majesty must be wary of him. He should be thoroughly investigated!"
Among those present, there might be an inside agent from Yuan Shao's camp, feigning loyalty and righteousness while secretly plotting to overthrow the Han dynasty.

(End of this chapter)