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

March 15th, the seventh year of Jian'an, Xuchang.

The atmosphere at the court assembly had never been as strange as it was today.

Cao Cao stood at the head of the assembled officials, dressed in the ceremonial robes of the Duke of Wei, with a nine-tassel crown, a black upper garment and a crimson lower garment, and a jade-hilted sword at his waist. These were garments reserved for the emperor, yet no one dared utter a single word of dissent upon him.

Liu Xie sat on the throne, his face as pale as a sheet. His gaze occasionally drifted to Cao Cao, then quickly shifted away, as if afraid of being burned by that gaze.

"Your Majesty," Cao Cao spoke, his voice echoing in the empty hall, "I have received the Nine Bestowments and should do my utmost to share Your Majesty's burdens. Now the world is not at peace, and the traitor Liu Bei has seized the four provinces of You, Qing, Xu, and Liaodong. I request Your Majesty's permission to punish him."

The ministers all held their breath for a moment.

To attack Liu Bei?

They just forced Xun Yu to his death and the emperor to grant them the Nine Bestowments, and now they want to attack Liu Bei?

Liu Xie's hands trembled violently inside his sleeves, but he tried his best to keep his voice steady:

"Prime Minister...Prime Minister, Liu Bei's power is great. If we rashly launch a campaign against him, I'm afraid it will not be an easy task."

Cao Cao laughed. But there was no warmth in that laugh.

"Your Majesty, rest assured. I know what I'm doing."

He turned and his gaze swept over the assembled officials. Those whose eyes met his lowered their heads.

But Cao Cao knew what was hidden beneath those drooping eyelids.

Is it fear, resentment, or... disdain?

he does not know.

But then he suddenly remembered what Xun Yu had said before he died:

"It's not me who's changing, it's you."

Is he changing?

No, he hasn't changed.

These are the people who are so out of touch with reality.

"Dismiss the court."

At 9:00 AM, in Wu County, Jiangdong.

Sun Quan sat in the main seat of the main hall, with a secret report that had just arrived from Xudu spread out in front of him.

"Cao Cao was granted the Nine Bestowments and promoted to Duke of Wei."

He handed the secret report to Zhou Yu, who was standing beside him.

Zhou Yu took it, glanced at it, and a cold smile appeared on his pale face.

"Duke Wei?" His voice was soft. "Next should be King Wei. And after that, it should be..."

He didn't continue. Sun Quan interjected, "Usurp the throne." Zhou Yu nodded.

"Cao Cao has acted too hastily." He put down the secret report. "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 in a very difficult position."

Sun Quan looked at him.

"Gongjin, what do you think we should do?"

Zhou Yu remained silent for a moment.

"Wait," he said. "Let's wait for Cao Cao and Liu Bei to make the first move. Then we'll sit back and watch them fight."

"What if Liu Bei loses..."

"No," Zhou Yu shook his head. "Liu Bei isn't that easy to lose. He has a wealth of talent under his command: Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi, Xun You, Pang Tong—none of them are easy to deal with. It won't be easy for Cao Cao to defeat him."

Sun Quan seemed to be deep in thought.

"So we're just going to do nothing?"

Zhou Yu smiled.

"My lord, sometimes doing nothing is the best thing to do."

At noon, in Xiangyang, Jingzhou.

Liu Biao lay on his sickbed, his face ashen and his breathing weak.

Cai Mao stood by the couch, holding the secret report in his hand. "My lord, Cao Cao has been granted the Nine Bestowments." Liu Biao's eyes twitched, but he didn't open them.

"He's been promoted to Duke of Wei... He's not allowed to be called by name when being praised, he doesn't have to bow when entering the court, and he can wear a sword and shoes in the palace..." Cai Mao's voice was very soft. "He's trying to emulate Wang Mang."

Liu Biao finally opened his eyes. His eyes were cloudy, yet a glimmer of light still shone within them.

"Mao'er..." His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping against a stone, "Tell me, what should we do?"

Cai Mao remained silent. What to do? What could he do?

The eight commanderies of Jingzhou were nominally under Liu Biao's control, but in reality, Cai Mao held the power. However, he couldn't afford to offend either Cao Cao or Liu Bei, two formidable forces.

"My lord, let's... wait."

Liu Biao closed his eyes.

Wait. Wait for what? Wait to die? He didn't say it aloud.

But Cai Mao understood the answer from his expression.

It was Shenshi (3-5 PM) in Chengdu, Yizhou.

Liu Zhang sat in the main hall, holding the secret report in his hand, his hand trembling slightly.

"Cao Cao... Cao Cao has been granted the Nine Bestowments..." His voice trembled slightly. "Will he... will he attack us?"

Fa Zheng stood to the side, his eyes lowered, and said nothing.

Zhang Song couldn't help but speak up:

"My lord, if Cao Cao is going to attack, he'll attack Liu Bei and Sun Quan first, and he won't be able to attend to us for the time being. But..." He paused, "we need to make preparations as soon as possible."

"Prepare? Prepare for what?"

Zhang Song glanced at Fa Zheng, who still had his eyes downcast and no expression.

Zhang Song gritted his teeth.

"My lord, Liu Bei is recruiting talented people and treating the people well in Liaodong. I've heard he's even giving land and houses to displaced people. Shouldn't we in Yizhou do the same..."

"Enough!" Liu Zhang interrupted him. "Liu Bei, Liu Bei, all you know is Liu Bei! No matter how good he is, he's an outsider! I, Liu Zhang, am the rightful ruler of Yi Province!"

Zhang Song lowered his head and stopped speaking. But he and Fa Zheng exchanged a glance.

There was something indescribable in those eyes.

At dusk, in Wuwei, Xiliang, Ma Teng stood atop the city wall, gazing eastward. Han Sui stood beside him, his face grave. "Cao Cao has been granted the Nine Bestowments," Han Sui said. "This is clearly an attempt to usurp the throne."

Ma Teng remained silent.

"Shoucheng, what do you think we should do?"

Ma Teng remained silent for a long time.

Then he spoke, his voice low: "Chao'er is still in Xudu." Han Sui was stunned.

Ma Chao, Ma Teng's eldest son, was sent to Xuchang as a hostage three years ago. Now, Cao Cao has bestowed upon him the Nine Bestowments, shaking the world. Ma Chao's situation in Xuchang...

"Shunari, what do you want..."

Ma Teng shook his head.

"I don't want to," he said, "but I have no choice."

He turned to look at Han Sui. "Wenyue, what do you think of Liu Bei?"

Han Sui thought for a moment. "It's said... that they're quite good. They treat the people well, recruit talented people widely, and even give those who surrender a way out."

Ma Teng nodded. "I understand." He didn't say anything more.

But Han Sui saw a glimmer of determination in his eyes.

At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), at the Governor's Office of Xiapi.

I stood in front of the map, looking at the points I had marked.

Xudu, Jiangdong, Jingzhou, Yizhou, Xiliang...

News was spreading from every corner of the country. Everywhere, people were watching the news of Cao Cao receiving the Nine Bestowments.

"My lord," Pang Tong's voice came from behind, "after reading it so many times, what have you figured out?"

I didn't turn around.

"Shiyuan, tell me, was Cao Cao's move the right one?"

Pang Tong walked over to me and took a swig of wine.

"Right?" He laughed. "Of course right. For him, it's absolutely right. He's been granted the Nine Bestowments, promoted to Duke of Wei, and is one step closer to that chair."

He paused. "But for the people of the world, this step was taken too quickly."

I turned to look at him. "Quickly?"

"Quickly." Pang Tong nodded. "So quickly that before he even had time to consolidate his support, he'd already put himself in a precarious position."

He pointed to the location of Xuchang on the map. "Xun Yu has just died, and the scholar-official class hasn't recovered yet. He forced the emperor to bestow the Nine Bestowments, which is tantamount to telling the world: I want to usurp the throne. What will those who are still watching think?"

I pondered this. "Would it be disheartening?"

"Yes." Pang Tong's gaze was deep. "It will chill you to the bone, and then...things will change."

He took a swig of wine. "My lord, just you wait and see. Within three months, someone in Xuchang will surely rebel."

At the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), the night watchman did not enter the secret chamber. Sima Yi sat at his desk, a thick stack of secret reports spread out before him. Pang Tong pushed open the door and entered, bringing in a gust of cold wind.

"Zhongda, is there any new news?"

Sima Yi raised his head.

"Yes." His voice was calm. "Over in Xuchang, people have started to move."

Pang Tong's eyes lit up. "Who?"

Sima Yi handed him a secret report. Pang Tong took it and quickly glanced at it. "Oh? It's him?"

Sima Yi nodded. "This man is a protégé of Xun Yu, serving as a court advisor. After Xun Yu's death, he remained secluded. But today, he quietly went to a residence—the one we've been eyeing before."

Pang Tong smiled. "Good." He put down the secret report. "The fish are starting to bite."

Sima Yi looked at him. "Sir, what are we going to do?"

Pang Tong thought for a moment. "Do nothing," he said. "Let them do it themselves. Our job is just... to hand them a knife when the time is right."

At midnight, at Xiapi Academy.

Xun Yun sat alone by the window, gazing at the night sky. He had been sitting there for an hour.

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

When the news of Cao Cao's bestowal of the Nine Bestowments reached this place, Zheng Xuan was lecturing him on the Spring and Autumn Annals.

The old man only said four words: "Those whom Heaven wishes to destroy, it will first make mad."

Arrogant. Cao Cao was indeed arrogant. So arrogant that he didn't even bother to pretend anymore.

"Young Master Xun." A voice came from behind.

Xun Yun turned around. Fu Shou stood behind him, holding a bowl of hot soup.

"Mr. Hua said you didn't eat dinner tonight." She handed over some soup. "Have some."

Xun Yun took the soup and drank a sip. It was warm, warming him to the core. "Miss Fu, thank you." Fu Shou smiled and sat down beside him. "Young Master Xun, what are you thinking about?"

Xun Yun was silent for a moment. "I was thinking..." he said softly, "If my father were alive, what would he think if he saw this scene today?"

Fu Shou didn't speak. She simply stayed with him, gazing at the night sky together.

After a long silence, Fu Shou spoke: "When my father died, I often thought about this question as well."

Xun Yun turned to look at her. "And then?"

"Later, I stopped thinking about it," Fu Shou said softly. "Because thinking about it is useless. They're gone, but we still have to live."

She stood up and dusted herself off. "Mr. Hua said I'll have my first experience with the knife tomorrow. I'll be stitching up a rabbit's wound."

Xun Yun was stunned. "You...you're not afraid?"

Fu Shou smiled. That smile shone brightly in the moonlight. "What's there to be afraid of? Mr. Hua said, 'Hands must be steady, and so must the heart.' My hands are steady, and so is my heart."

She turned and disappeared into the night.

Xun Yun stared at her retreating figure, remaining motionless for a long time.

I was practicing my sword outside at the Xiapi Protectorate. "My lord," Xu Shu's voice came from behind me.

I didn't turn around. "Yuanzhi, what is it?"

"There's news from Xuchang," he said softly. "Someone wants to see you."

I turned around. "Who?"

Xu Shu handed me a secret report. I took it, unfolded it, and read only a few words: "Zhao Yan, a disciple of Xun Yu and a court advisor, intends to come north."

I stared at those words for a long time without saying a word.

Xun Yu's disciple. Finally, someone began to move.

"Yuanzhi".

"exist."

"Arrange for someone to bring him over. Make sure everything goes smoothly."

"Yes." Xu Shu turned and left.