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

Chapter 79 Who is more handsome, Xu Gong from the north of the city?

"Why is the angel offering such a grand gesture?"

Kneeling on the ground, looking up at the enigmatic face under the candlelight on the high platform, Fu De was not thinking about the majesty of the angels or the righteousness of the Han Dynasty, but rather about the story of Lord Yuan that Jiang Gan had just whispered to him.

Yuan Gongxiu was over eight feet tall and had a handsome appearance. Dressed in court attire, he prepared breakfast and asked his wife, "Is Xu Gong from the north of the city ready?"

His wife said, "You are in such a hurry. How could Xu Gong possibly cook it?"

Xu Gong of the north of the city was a delicacy from Huainan. Yuan Gong was eager for him to eat, and asked his concubine again, "Is Xu Gong cooked yet?"

The concubine said, "How could Master Xu be so familiar with it in such a short time?"

Before he could arrive, a messenger came from outside and sat down to talk with him. The messenger asked, "The food here is very delicious. Is it the work of Xu Gong from the north of the city?"

Yuan Gong laughed and said, "Xu Gong is not yet mature and is not as beautiful as my wives and concubines."

Therefore, he dared not speak of his request again.

That night, Yuan Gong pondered the matter as he went to bed, and said to Gan, "He came upon hearing the news, wanting me to let him taste Xu Gong's delicacies. Now I treat him with my wives and concubines, whose taste is not as good as Xu Gong's, but whose kindness and affection are greater than Xu Gong's. Therefore, I dare not ask for anything more."

Gan asked, "What happened to this messenger afterward?"

Yuan Gong replied, "It tastes like firewood."

】

Jiang Gan told him many such stories, all of them with certainty and clear details, and there were also "granary" and "kitchen" to corroborate them, so how could Fu De not be afraid?
Looking at the bronze cauldron before him, he seemed to see his future being cooked within it. Afterwards, he remarked that it was "tasty and unappetizing," which may well be his final assessment in history books.

There were many Han officials who were not afraid of being boiled alive and were willing to die for their principles, but they either died under Dong Zhuo's sword or were killed by Li and Guo.

As the Empress's brother, Fu De was indeed loyal to the royal family, but to ask him to be like the sages of old, eating alive and being cooked in the cauldron, was still a bit too much to ask.

Therefore, one should kneel down and listen to the voice that is high above, like the voice from the clouds.

Fu De and Fu Wei bowed deeply, saying, "Lord Yuan's might is unfathomable. I am utterly terrified and have nowhere to hide. I prostrate myself in complete submission."

“Angels, rise quickly! If this is so, where does it place the emperor? I dare not accept such a position.”

Fu De then composed himself after his earlier flustered fall, stood up, and bowed with his hands clasped in respect.

"If Lord Yuan respects the Emperor so much, he is truly a loyal and virtuous man of the Han Dynasty."

Yuan Shu was surprised that the envoy's attitude was too clever. He glanced at Jiang Gan, who had returned to the group of ministers, and saw that he looked like he was about to accomplish something great for his lord. He found it even stranger.

"But was the reception poor when Ziyi came out to greet you? Did it cause the angel to feel uneasy? Tell me the truth!"

"You are an envoy of the Emperor of the Great Han Dynasty, how can you be so timid and hesitant? When you return to the Emperor's court, will all the ministers know that I intimidated the envoy and threatened His Majesty?"

"How dare you!"

Fu De wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and hurriedly replied:

"Brother Ziyi was extremely hospitable. We hit it off immediately and had a very pleasant conversation. He gave me a lot of advice, and I am deeply grateful. How could I possibly have been inadequate in my hospitality?"
Lord Yuan was extremely hospitable, always serving the envoys delicious food. Deeply grateful for his kindness, the envoys were filled with trepidation and dared not ask for anything more.

Yuan Shu was speechless for a moment. He glared at Jiang Gan, who was standing tall and proud, thinking he had succeeded. He wondered what Jiang Ziyi had said that could frighten an angel like this.

Isn't this terrible? When he goes back, won't he ruin the image of the loyal and virtuous Han Dynasty in front of the emperor and his ministers?
Seeing the angel with his head bowed and a docile expression, Yuan Shu, not wanting to offend someone who was smiling, chuckled and invited him on.

"Now that the angel has arrived, let us take our seats and have some food and drink."

Fu De was startled. Recalling the story Jiang Gan had told him, he realized that once he tasted the delicious food, how could he possibly leave?
He then cupped his hands and said:
"I wonder if it's cooked yet? I'm afraid it won't be ready to eat."

I, De, bear the Emperor's mission and at this moment, I can only ask you one question on behalf of the Emperor.

"Lord Yuan, His Majesty has heard that you have obtained the Imperial Seal of the State. Is this true?"

The Imperial Seal of the State! So that's what it was all about.

Yuan Shu knew that if he handed over the imperial seal at this moment, his reputation as a loyal subject of the Han Dynasty would be truly deserved.

But this imperial seal was neither appealing to other warlords nor worth discarding. In Sun Ce's eyes, it was merely a piece of jade that could be used to borrow three thousand soldiers.

In Huainan at present, the Imperial Seal of the State, ordained by Heaven, is the foundation of his rule and is unshakeable.

Yuan Shu's gaze darkened slightly as he lightly tapped the table with his knuckles. His eyes swept over the assembled officials: Yang Hong, Zhou Yu, Sun Ce, Lu Xun, Lei Bu, Chen Lan, Li Feng, and Yuan Yin.
When the angel arrived and mentioned the Imperial Seal, all the ministers looked up at Yuan Shu, awaiting his decision.

He glanced at the crowd, some harboring ulterior motives, others concealing their true intentions, some about to erupt on the spot, and others with murderous intent towards the angel, and answered calmly.

"I didn't."

His voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to carry the overwhelming sentiments of all the officials and ministers. This was exactly what Liu Ye meant by the surging and boiling public opinion on both sides of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers, and it was also the grand and majestic sentiment of Shouchun, which was tied to the imperial seal and held the divine weapon at its waist.

"Where did Your Majesty hear this? I am a loyal and virtuous man of the Han Dynasty. This must be slander from treacherous officials in the court."

His eyes were clear and divine, staring intently at the angel, like a mighty force that swept down everything in its path, turning everything in its way to dust!
At that moment, Fu De was terrified!

He felt that he was doomed to be cooked and eaten today, and his voice trembled.

Was Yuan Gong joking?

"You have no joke!"

In the dimly lit hall, the courtiers remained silent.

What truly terrified Fu De was not Yuan Shu's rebellious words, but the fact that despite his outrageousness, not a single minister spoke up for him, instead acting as if it were perfectly natural.

This is no longer the domain of a feudal lord; it's clearly a den of thieves!

The pairs of eyes that lurked in the shadows around him were like the claws of a wicked dragon, countless gazes fixed on him as if they were about to devour him.

As he looked up, he saw the flickering candlelight reflecting the strange, unpredictable pupils of the monstrous dragon.

He originally thought that Dong Zhuo in Luoyang City acted like a child looking down on the emperor, showing no respect for the sovereign.

He originally thought that Chang'an was in chaos, with Li and Guo plundering the emperor and acting aggressively and lawlessly.

He originally thought that when the emperor was in the camp discussing state affairs, Cao Cao's glaring eyes at the ministers and his coercive gaze towards the emperor were awe-inspiring.

Only now has he witnessed what kind of gaze truly embodies blasphemy!
Those were no longer human eyes; those pupils reflected the ministers in the tent, the 100,000-strong army, and even the millions of people on both sides of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers, all layered and oppressive in his heart, instantly devouring this worm that had strayed into the overwhelming net.

And what about him, an angel? What does he have?

Even the emperor himself was in dire need of protection. Cao Cao, the only one he could rely on, only realized after arriving in Xu County that he had already lost cities and territories to Yuan Shao, and his survival was hanging by a thread.

He was so shocked that he trembled all over, his legs went weak, and he felt like he was about to fall.

"Master Yuan, I...I don't like firewood!"

Yuan Shu: "."

“I am the legitimate heir of the Emperor Zhong family. My father was Yuan Feng. He was born in the first month of the lunar calendar, and I was born on the last day of the month.”

He rose and walked over with a soft murmur, personally supporting the swaying Fu De, holding his hand tightly, offering gold and silver, and speaking earnestly.

"I am a loyal and virtuous man of the Han Dynasty, but I am slandered by petty people, and there are always treacherous officials who want to harm me."

"On your journey, Your Excellency, please speak well of me in court. If any rebellious ministers or traitors dare to speak ill of the Emperor, I will lead an army of 300,000 north to purify the Emperor and punish those who deceive and mislead the court, thus demonstrating the Emperor's virtuous rule."

Voldemort: "."

(End of this chapter)