Reborn Liu Bei: I'll lead this Three Kingdoms to victory!

March 12th, the seventh year of Jian'an, Xuchang.

The sky was overcast, with dark clouds looming over the city.

In the imperial study of the palace, Liu Xie sat alone, a scroll of the Spring and Autumn Annals open in front of him, but he couldn't concentrate on reading a single word.

He had been sitting like this for an hour.

Three days ago, Cao Cao "entered the palace for a meeting." Liu Xie did not want to recall what they discussed. He only remembered the way that man looked at him when he left—like he was looking at a caged bird, like he was looking at prey waiting to be slaughtered.

"His Majesty."

The eunuch's voice came from outside the door, trembling slightly.

Liu Xie raised his head.

"What is it?"

"Prime Minister Cao... is here again."

Liu Xie's hand trembled slightly. Here he comes again. He was here three days ago, and now he's here again. What does he want?

"Please...please let the Prime Minister in."

A moment later, Cao Cao strode in.

He didn't bow, nor did he slow his pace. He walked straight up to Liu Xie, looking down at the young man sitting on the throne.

"His Majesty."

"What brings you here, Prime Minister?"

Cao Cao took out an imperial edict from his sleeve and threw it on the table.

"Signed."

Liu Xie looked down.

The imperial edict contained only a few lines, but with each line he read, his face grew paler.

"I, with my meager virtue, have been unworthy to occupy this high position. Now, the world is not at peace and there are many troubles. Chancellor Cao Cao's achievements are unparalleled. He should be granted the Nine Bestowments, promoted to Duke of Wei, and granted the privilege of not being called by name when receiving audiences, not having to hasten his steps when entering the court, and being allowed to wear a sword and shoes in the palace."

Nine bestowals.

Wei Gong.

He was praised and worshipped without naming his name, entered the court without hastening his steps, and wore a sword and shoes in the palace.

This is the path Wang Mang walked. This is the path Dong Zhuo wanted to walk but failed to take.

Liu Xie's hands were trembling violently.

"Prime Minister...Prime Minister, this..."

"What?" Cao Cao's gaze was like a knife. "Your Majesty is unwilling?"

Liu Xie opened his mouth, as if to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

What could he say? Disagree? Xun Yu was dead. His only support was gone.

The entire court was staffed by Cao Cao's men. With just a word from Cao Cao, he could "die" the next day.

"I..." His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping against a stone, "I sign."

He picked up a pen and signed his name on the edict.

At that moment, his hands trembled so much that he could barely hold the pen.

Cao Cao picked up the imperial edict, glanced at it, and a smile appeared on his lips.

That smile sent a chill down Liu Xie's spine.

"Your Majesty is wise." Cao Cao put away the imperial edict and turned to leave.

As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

"Your Majesty, rest assured," he said softly. "As long as Your Majesty behaves yourself, the throne will still be yours."

He was gone. Liu Xie sat alone on the throne, motionless. After a long while, he lowered his head and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders trembled violently. But no sound came out. He had learned that even crying couldn't be uttered.

At 9:00 AM, at Xiapi Academy.

On Zheng Xuan's platform, Xun Yun sat upright, with a scroll of the Spring and Autumn Annals open in front of him.

Zheng Xuan stood by the window, his back to him.

"The Gongyang Commentary says: 'If a ruler is murdered, a subject who does not punish the traitor is not a subject. If a son does not avenge his father, he is not a son.'" The old man's voice was aged yet gentle. "Xun Yun, how do you intend to avenge your father?"

Xun Yun remained silent. Zheng Xuan had asked this question many times before, and each time he hadn't known how to answer.

"Student..." he finally spoke, "Student doesn't know."

Zheng Xuan turned around and looked at him.

"have no idea?"

"Yes." Xun Yun raised his head. "I hate Cao Cao to the core. But I also know that seeking revenge now would be suicide."

He paused.

"The student's death is not a pity, but the Xun family, numbering over a hundred, has just settled in Liaodong. What will happen to them if the student dies?"

Zheng Xuan looked at him, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

"Good," he said. "To think of this is better than your father did back then."

Xun Yun was stunned.

"Your father also encountered something similar when he was young." Zheng Xuan walked back to the table and sat down. "He had a friend who was killed by a eunuch. He wanted revenge, so he took his sword and went to find the eunuch."

"And then?"

"Later, his family stopped him," Zheng Xuan said softly. "Once they stopped him, he understood. Revenge doesn't necessarily have to involve carrying a sword and killing people. Only by staying alive can you do more."

He looked at Xun Yun.

"What you need to do now is not revenge, but to live. To live better, to live stronger, and to make the Xun family rise again in your hands."

Xun Yun lowered his head.

After a long while, he raised his head, a hint of determination in his eyes.

"The student understands."

- Noon, Medical School.

Fu Shou was changing the dressing of a child. The child was seven or eight years old, the youngest son of the Xun clan. He had fallen and injured his leg on the road, and the wound had become infected, causing him to cry in pain.

"Don't move." Fu Shou's voice was very soft and gentle. "Sister will change your dressing. It won't hurt anymore after you change it."

The child looked at her, sobbing.

"R-really?"

Fu Shou smiled, picked up the small knife, and gently scraped away the festering, rotten flesh. The child's leg trembled, but he didn't cry out.

"Does it hurt?"

The child bit his lip and shook his head.

Fu Shou applied the new medicine and wrapped it with a clean cloth strip.

"Alright." She patted the child's head. "Change it again in three days, and then the child will be able to walk."

The child looked at her with eyes full of admiration.

"Sister, you're amazing!"

Fu Shou smiled.

That smile made Hua Tuo, who was standing at the door, feel somewhat dazed.

Eight years old.

The child is eight years old.

Her father died in the Xudu massacre, leaving her the only surviving member of her family.

But she was still smiling. Still saving lives. "Fu Shou." Hua Tuo walked in. Fu Shou looked up. "Master?"

Hua Tuo walked up to her, squatted down, and looked her in the eye.

"You did a great job today." His voice was gentle. "The child's wound was treated very cleanly."

Fu Shou's eyes lit up.

"real?"

"Really." Hua Tuo nodded. "Starting tomorrow, you can learn surgery from me." Fu Shou was stunned. Learn surgery?

That was something she had always wanted to learn, but Hua Tuo refused on the grounds that she was "too young."

"gentlemen..."

"You're ready." Hua Tuo stood up and patted her head. "Her hands are steady, and her heart is steady too. You can start learning now." Fu Shou stood there, motionless. Her eyes gradually reddened. But she didn't cry.

She simply bowed deeply, with the most solemn gesture an eight-year-old could make:

"Mr. Xie."

At Shenshi (3-5 PM), the night watchman did not enter the secret chamber. Sima Yi stared at the secret report on the table, his brows furrowed. Pang Tong sat opposite him, drinking wine without uttering a word.

"Cao Cao has been granted the Nine Bestowments." Sima Yi finally spoke, "He has been promoted to Duke of Wei, and is granted the privilege of not being called by name when receiving imperial greetings, not having to bow when entering the court, and being allowed to wear a sword and shoes in the palace." Pang Tong put down his wine gourd.

"Signed by the Emperor?"

"It's signed." Sima Yi nodded. "According to our inside report, Cao Cao personally went to the palace and forced the emperor to sign."

Pang Tong remained silent. He walked to the map and pointed to the location of Xuchang. "Cao Cao has moved too quickly this time."

"quick?"

"Yes." Pang Tong's gaze was deep. "He just forced Xun Yu to his death, and the scholars haven't even recovered yet, and now he's forcing the emperor to grant him the Nine Bestowments. He's putting himself on the spot."

Sima Yi seemed to be deep in thought.

"Does the gentleman mean that he will provoke even more resentment?"

"It's more than just dislike," Pang Tong sneered. "What are the Nine Bestowments? They're the path Wang Mang took. Cao Cao is taking this path to tell the world that he wants to be emperor."

He turned around and looked at Sima Yi.

"Believe it or not, within a month, someone will jump out and oppose him."

Sima Yi remained silent for a moment.

"Then let's..."

"Wait," Pang Tong said, taking a swig of wine. "Wait for those people to jump out, and then..." He paused, "give them a push at the right time."

- At dusk, in Xuchang, in a secluded courtyard. Several men dressed in black sat around in a dimly lit secret room.

They all wore masks, obscuring their faces. However, judging from their clothing and demeanor, they were all scholars.

"Cao Cao has been granted the Nine Bestowments," the leader said in a low voice. "Gentlemen, what do you think?"

"His wolfish ambitions are blatantly obvious," another voice said indignantly. "Wang Mang followed the same path step by step, eventually usurping the Han throne. Cao Cao is going to follow in his footsteps."

"So what do we do?"

silence.

After a long silence, the leader spoke:

"With Xun Yu dead, we have no inside help in the court. To force our way in would be suicide."

"Then we won't do it?"

"Do it," the leader said, emphasizing each word, "but don't rush. Wait for the right opportunity."

"What opportunity?"

The leader was looking north.

"Liu Bei".

Everyone was taken aback.

"Liu Bei?"

"That's right." The leader nodded. "The more Cao Cao wreaks havoc in Xuchang, the more opportunities there are in the north. Liu Bei won't stand idly by. When he makes his move, that's when we will."

He looked around at the crowd.

From now on, there's only one thing we need to do.

"wait."

At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), at the Governor's Office of Xiapi, I stood before the map, gazing at the location of Xuchang. On the table lay a secret report sent by Sima Yi. "Cao Cao has been granted the Nine Bestowments and promoted to Duke of Wei." Pang Tong stood beside me, silent. "Shiyuan," I finally spoke.

"exist."

"Tell me, what is the Emperor thinking right now?"

Pang Tong remained silent for a moment.

"I'm thinking..." his voice was soft, "When will this end?"

I turned to look at him. "What can we do?"

Pang Tong shook his head. "There's nothing we can do," he said. "At least not now."

I remained silent.

Liu Xie.

That young man who served as a puppet in Xudu for nineteen years.

The person who watched helplessly as his trusted confidants died one by one, and who was powerless to do anything about it.

What is he thinking right now?

"My lord," Pang Tong's voice rang out again, "do you still remember Xun Yu's letter?"

I nodded.

"In his letter, he said, 'May Your Majesty take care and await the opportune time.'"

"Yes." Pang Tong looked at me. "When was his 'at that time'?"

I was stunned. At that time... when was that "at that time" that Xun Yu and the others were referring to? Was it when Cao Cao brought about his own destruction? Was it when the hearts of the people turned to Han? Or... when my army was at the gates of Xuchang?

"Shiyuan".

"exist."

"Do you think that 'time' is approaching?"

Pang Tong thought for a moment.

"It'll be soon," he said. "Cao Cao moved too hastily this time. Haste makes mistakes. And mistakes give us an opportunity."

He paused.

"Wait a little longer."

At 9:00 PM, in the Imperial Palace of Xudu.

Liu Xie lay alone on the couch in his palace, his eyes open, staring at the dark ceiling. He had been lying like this for a long time.

The events of the day replayed in his mind like a revolving lantern.

Cao Cao's eyes, Cao Cao's smile, Cao Cao's disdainful look when he threw down that edict.

He signed it.

With trembling hands, he signed the edict that sold out the last shred of his dignity.

"Your Majesty." A very soft voice came from outside the window.

Liu Xie sat bolt upright. "Who?"

The window was gently pushed open a crack, and a hand reached in, handing over a letter.

Liu Xie took the letter and unfolded it. The letter was very short, containing only one line: "May Your Majesty take care of yourself and await the opportune time. Though I am dead, there will be those who succeed me."

Liu Xie's hand trembled violently. It was Xun Yu's handwriting. This was the letter Xun Yu had written to him before his death. He had clearly burned it. Why... why did it reappear? He looked out the window; the hand was gone. Only moonlight shone silently on the windowsill. Liu Xie clutched the letter, motionless for a long time.

After a long while, he pressed the letter to his heart and closed his eyes.

A tear slid down the corner of her eye.

At midnight, atop the city tower of Xiapi, I stood alone, gazing south. There lay Xuchang, the emperor, and countless people struggling. There lay Cao Cao, his arrogance at receiving the Nine Bestowments, and the sound of his footsteps as he walked deeper into the abyss.

Pang Tong appeared behind me without my noticing. "My lord, aren't you asleep yet?"

I didn't turn around.

"Shiyuan, do you think the emperor will be able to wait until that 'time' arrives?"

Pang Tong was silent for a moment. "Yes," he said. "As long as he's still alive, he can."

I turned to look at him. "Are you so sure?" He smiled. There was something indescribable in that smile.

"My lord, do you know what Xun Yu's last words to the emperor were before he died?"

I shook my head.

Pang Tong looked south and said softly, "Even though Yu is dead, there will be successors."

I was stunned.

The latecomers. Who are the latecomers? Am I one of them?

Are they those who are waiting in the shadows in Xuchang? Are they all those in the world who refuse to bow down to Cao Cao?

"Shiyuan".

"exist."

"That newcomer will come."

He looked at me.

"My lord?"

I turned and gazed at the brightest star in the south. "That person is me."