In the fourteenth year of the Jian'an Era, that was, 209 AD, after twelve years of arduous struggle, Liu Bei finally swept away all the feudal lords under heaven.
Of course, those twelve years referred to the time when Liu Bei truly began building his power. In truth, since raising troops during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Liu Bei had already weathered twenty-five years of rises and falls.
After twenty-five years of vicissitudes, Liu Bei had risen from a mere weaver of mats and seller of sandals to restore the Han Dynasty. The bitter years in between were beyond the telling of outsiders.
In short, after Liu Bei returned to the court, the atmosphere throughout the political scene began to grow subtly strange. It was unlike the court struggles of Cao Cao's time; rather, an undercurrent seemed to be pushing him toward the supreme position.
The matter began in March. Emperor Xian of Han, Liu Xie, repeatedly summoned Liu Bei into the palace and spoke at length of abdication, saying to Liu Bei:
"I have occupied the throne for nearly twenty years and witnessed the realm overturned. Fortunately, through the blessings of my ancestors, I survived calamity and found renewed safety. Now the King of Han has revived our blazing Han; it is clear that Heaven's mandate should return to its rightful home."
"When the Great Way prevailed, all under heaven belonged to the public. Tang Yao did not favor his own son, and his name spread without end. I have long secretly admired him. Today, I shall follow in the footsteps of Yao's canon and abdicate the throne to the King of Han. My King, do not refuse!"
Liu Xie had originally begun planning the abdication six years earlier. Yet Liu Bei had not accepted it then, and from that