Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

After leaving Zhangde Hall, Liu Bian walked slowly down the long corridor.

The wind blew in from outside the corridor, carrying the chill of late autumn, causing the emotions in his chest to churn uncontrollably.

Gongsun Zan was a student of Lu Zhi.

Father Emperor knows.

My father always knew.

But he didn't point it out, didn't ask any further questions, and didn't even put any obstacles in his way of recommending the candidate.

He simply let Gongsun Zan in.

Liu Bian suddenly remembered what Xun Yu had said—if His Majesty did not have His Highness in his heart, he only needed to issue a more severe decree that night, not just confinement, but something else.

He did not.

Now he remembered another saying—Sometimes I think, it would be better if you were a little less intelligent.

Liu Bian stood under the eaves, looking at the distant sky, and suddenly smiled.

The smile was faint, almost imperceptible, but something flickered in her eyes, and they welled up for a moment.

He knew that his father was still his father.

The person leaning against the couch was the emperor, and also the father.

He was wary of him, guarded against him, and held his hand back to prevent him from reaching too far.

But he was also watching him, waiting for him, waiting for the day he would learn "not to rush".

Liu Bian took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

Then he continued walking forward, heading towards Changqiu Palace.

-

Changqiu Palace is not far from Zhangde Hall; it's only a short walk away.

Liu Bian announced at the door that the Empress was in the inner palace and invited the Crown Prince to enter. A moment later, a palace maid came out to lead the way.

The inner hall was filled with the warmth of incense, which felt more vibrant than that of the Zhangde Hall.

Several pots of chrysanthemums, some yellow and some white, were still blooming brightly by the window, seemingly unfaded, even in the early winter indoors.

Empress He sat by the couch. When he entered, she put down the sutra in her hand, raised her eyes, and looked him up and down.

"I've lost weight," she said.

The same two words, when spoken by Emperor Ling of Han, conveyed suppressed pain; when spoken by her, they conveyed an undeniable heartache.

Empress He stared at the bloodshot veins still visible in his eyes, her brows furrowing slightly, and her voice lowered:

"What did Hua Tuo say?"

"When qi and blood attack the heart, one needs to rest and recuperate," Liu Bian replied politely.

Empress He gave a cold laugh, but the smile didn't reach her eyes:

"Rest in peace? Your father told you to rest in peace so that you would learn not to reach out. The Yuan family told you to rest in peace so that you would not reach out."

After she finished speaking, she lowered her tone and switched to her motherly voice:

"But you're my son. If you really fall, who will be happy?"

Liu Bian lowered his eyes and did not reply.

Empress He's rise from the inner palace to the empress was never due to luck.

Seeing his silence, she stopped pressing for details and instead laid out the issues before him, point by point:

"Bian'er, you returned to the palace at the age of seven, and I watched you grow up. You are smart, smarter than anyone else, so smart that sometimes I forget that you are only twelve years old this year."

She paused, a hint of something as thin as a thread in her voice:

"But your father has not forgotten."

Liu Bian lowered his head and remained silent.

"Your father, the emperor," Empress He continued, her voice even lower, as if she were talking about something only she could see clearly.

"He keeps a mental record of who he suspects and who he's wary of, and he never gets it wrong. But he never talks about who he cares for; he just leaves it there."

"but."

She paused, then changed the subject.

"Remember, you are the crown prince, not a general. What you should hold are the hearts of the people, your status, your wealth, and the law. You can influence military power, but you cannot seize it outright."

"In particular, you must not let Yuan Shao find any fault with your 'impatient' attitude."

Liu Bian finally raised his eyes and looked at Empress He:

"Your subject has learned much."

"The worst thing about losing a game of chess is not the loss itself, but the eagerness to regain the lost face in the next move, which results in losing the whole game."

"Your father is waiting to see how you leave, and Yuan Shao is also waiting to see how you leave."

"If you take another action immediately, they'll know that you haven't really thought things through."

Empress He continued.

"The best thing you can do right now is to do nothing and say nothing."

Liu Bian was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"There's one more thing," Empress He said, picking up her teacup again, her tone becoming more casual, as if she had reverted to her mother's.

"Your eldest uncle's side has been making a lot of moves lately. I've already had people warn him a few times, but that guy..."

She shook her head, not saying the rest of the sentence.

Liu Bian kept these words in mind, without asking any further questions, and simply cupped his hands in a respectful gesture:

"Your subject understands."

Seeing him like this, Empress He smiled and reached out to straighten his collar, just like she did when he was a child:

"Go. Go do your work."

"But remember—survive first, then win."

-

By the time they returned to the Eastern Palace, it was completely dark.

The Chengde Hall was brightly lit. Wang Ming came out to greet them and whispered:

"Your Highness, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei... have been waiting in the hall for quite some time."

Liu Bian paused in his steps.

He entered the hall, and the three of them rose and bowed.

Liu Bian nodded: "No need for such formalities."

Then he turned to Liu Bei and said to him:

"Lord Xuande, what have you seen and heard during your travels in Luoyang these past few days?"

Liu Bei remained silent for a moment, as if searching for the most accurate way to begin.

Then he spoke, his voice flat, yet each word clear and firm:

"Your Highness, I have traveled all over Luoyang these past few days."

"The distribution of the Tian Shang Guild's grain shops and charitable granaries, the tea stalls where porters gather, and the market conditions in the East and West Markets."

He paused:

"I have seen many good things."

"Grain prices have stabilized, and the variety of goods on the market is more than double what it was five years ago. People on the street no longer have that numb look on their faces."

Liu Bian did not speak, but simply listened.

"But once outside the city, after passing certain post stations, local powerful families dare to close the granary gates, change the weights on the scales, and change the name of the toll to 'charitable donation'."

"They're not afraid of the Chamber of Commerce," Liu Bei said, looking up at Liu Bian. "What they fear are the officials."

"Not officials in government offices, but officials who can control them and make them fear."

Liu Bian felt a jolt in his chest.

This isn't the wisdom of a scholar; it's a judgment gained through experience on the road.

Liu Bei added another sentence, his voice even calmer, yet even more ruthless:

"Therefore, if trade routes are to be extended, the first thing to do is not to increase the number of carriages and horses, but to find a 'status' that can be established in a place."

"With official status, the Chamber of Commerce won't be easy prey for outsiders."

Liu Bian felt as if he had been hit by a hammer.

He suddenly remembered Emperor Zhaolie of Han in the history books—he did not rise to power by force, but by gathering people together through "status" and "popular support".

Liu Bei is still young, yet he has already grasped the crux of the matter so accurately.

Liu Bian slowly exhaled, his eyes gradually brightening:

"As expected of Xuande."

He immediately made the decision:

"I have complete confidence in entrusting the expansion of trade routes to you."

Zhang Fei suddenly looked up, his eyes lighting up; Guan Yu's gaze flickered, but he remained calm.

Liu Bei did not immediately accept the order, but instead asked:

"Your Highness, under what authority shall I perform this task?"

One sentence brought Liu Bian back to reality.

Liu Bian's heart sank.

Yes—he had just been released from confinement. If he were to ask Liu Bei for an official position now, it would be tantamount to personally delivering evidence to the Zhangde Hall that "the crown prince is still reaching out for his position."

This is asking for trouble.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Just as Liu Bian was pondering, a report suddenly came from outside the hall:

"Mr. Xun has arrived—"