Who could stomach this?
"Yuan Shao actually dared to do such a thing?"
After hearing the news, the emperor was dumbfounded, and deeply unsettled as well.
If everyone believed Yuan Shao and thought he was in Ji Province, wouldn't that make him, here in Xu County, a false emperor?
But he was clearly the true emperor!
"What are we to do? Perhaps... perhaps I should issue an edict immediately and proclaim the truth to the world?"
The emperor could not help making the suggestion.
The imperial throne was his last shred of dignity and honor. If even that were taken from him, he truly could not bear it.
"Your Majesty, please remain calm," Xun Yu said. "Let me discuss this with my lord before we decide."
Then he turned his gaze toward the banquet.
"Xun You, Xu Chu, Cheng Yu, and Yang Xiu, come with me."
With that, he turned and walked out of the hall.
Xun You, Xu Chu, and Cheng Yu all followed. Yang Xiu hesitated, then told his father beside him, "Father, please wait here a moment. I will be right back."
Yang Biao kept his eyes lowered and said nothing.
Yang Xiu sighed. After bowing to his father, he rose and followed Xun You and the others out of the hall.
With this interruption, the banquet naturally could not continue. The guests left one after another, leaving only Yang Biao and an elderly man of distinguished bearing.
That elderly man was none other than Empress Fu's father, Fu Wan.
In other words, the emperor's father-in-law.
Like Yang Biao, he was a staunchly loyal supporter of the emperor.
"Lord Yang, Imperial Father-in-Law, what should we do now?"
The emperor looked to them for help, his expression anxious. "Yuan Shao falsely claims that I am in Ji Province. If the world believes him, where does that leave me?"
He had already lost his composure and could only seek advice from these two ministers he trusted most.
"Do not panic, Your Majesty."
Fu Wan comforted him. "There is only one Son of Heaven, and that is you. Yuan Shao may deceive people for a time, but can he deceive them forever? He will be exposed in the end."
"Even if he finds someone to impersonate you, we ministers spend every day in your company. Naturally, we know who is real and who is false. Exposing his lies will be easy."
Fu Wan did not consider this a serious matter. He even thought Yuan Shao's scheme was downright foolish.
He might fool the world, but could he fool them?
Hearing this, the emperor felt somewhat reassured.
But noticing that Yang Biao had remained silent with a furrowed brow, he could not help asking, "Why do you say nothing, Lord Yang? Are you still blaming me for not speaking up for you earlier?"
Yang Biao gathered his thoughts and cupped his hands. "No, Your Majesty misunderstands. Cao Cao now holds the knife and chopping block, while we are the fish beneath his blade. Your Majesty has no freedom to act. I understand that, so how could I resent you?"
"Then what are you thinking about, Lord Yang?" the emperor asked.
Yang Biao hesitated for a moment before saying, "I was merely thinking that Yuan Shao's false claim that Your Majesty is in Ji Province may not necessarily be a bad thing for you."
"What? Could this possibly be a good thing?"
The emperor froze, growing even more puzzled.
Fu Wan also frowned. "Yuan Shao falsely claims that His Majesty is in Ji Province, borrowing the Son of Heaven's name to deceive the world and showing His Majesty no respect. This is an act of rebellion. Why are you speaking in his defense, Lord Yang?"
Neither of them quite understood what Yang Biao meant.
"Your Majesty."
Yang Biao lowered his voice and explained, "Cao Cao harbors disloyal ambitions, and they have already begun to show. Yuan Shao's proclamation was correct on that point: he too intends to follow Dong Zhuo's example, holding the Son of Heaven hostage to command the lords."
"As for Yuan Shao's false claim that Your Majesty is in Ji Province, I suspect that, first, he does not wish to watch Cao Cao grow powerful under Your Majesty's name. Second, he also wishes to borrow your name to win over the various factions and worthy talents throughout the realm."
"But regardless, his actions will keep Cao Cao in check."
"Though the Han imperial house is in decline, the hearts of the people still turn toward the Han, toward Your Majesty. With those two sides contending, you will have room to maneuver between them. In time, you may yet be able to contact loyal Han ministers everywhere and restore the glory of our Great Han!"
Yang Biao's thinking was simple: let the dogs tear into each other, and the more fiercely, the better.
That would give them a chance to fish in troubled waters!
"Could that truly happen?"
After hearing Yang Biao's explanation, the emperor's eyes lit up, and his heart began pounding.
He had sunk into despair after falling into Cao Cao's hands. Now, unexpectedly, he had glimpsed a thread of hope again. How could he not be excited?
Even if that hope was exceedingly faint.
Yang Biao said solemnly, "What the future holds remains unknown. But whatever happens, I beg Your Majesty not to lose heart."
"Emperor Gaozu rose from a mere pavilion chief, ultimately defeating Xiang Yu and founding our Great Han dynasty. Emperor Guangwu climbed from the ranks of commoners and restored the Han imperial house in just three short years!"
"Though Your Majesty has fallen upon hard times, many loyal ministers and capable generals are still willing to follow and assist you. You are still the Son of Heaven! Your position is a hundred times stronger than that of Emperor Gaozu or Emperor Guangwu when they first began. Why should you abandon yourself?"
"Your Majesty, never forget that the blood flowing through your veins is that of the Liu clan!"
Yang Biao's words were impassioned and stirring.
The emperor trembled. Alongside his deep shame, hot blood gradually began to boil within him.
Yes, I am the Son of Heaven. I am the emperor of the Great Han!
Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Guangwu brought glory to the Great Han. I can do it too!
"Lord Yang! Imperial Father-in-Law!"
The emperor drew a deep breath and said with determination, "I will not give up. I shall follow the example of those two late emperors and make our Great Han great again!"
Yang Biao and Fu Wan were equally moved. They knelt on the spot and declared in ringing voices, "We swear to follow Your Majesty to the death!"
The sight of sovereign and ministers united in purpose was truly moving.
But just then, footsteps suddenly sounded. Xu Chu entered the hall with guards and cupped his hands toward the emperor.
"Your Majesty, my lord has ordered me to escort you back to your chambers to rest!"
Xu Chu's voice was tremendously loud, booming like thunder.
At Xu Chu's shout, the emperor immediately shrank back. The heroic spirit that had just risen within him vanished without a trace, and he hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, I shall return at once."
"Your Majesty, this way."
Xu Chu ordered the guards to escort the emperor away. His gaze settled on Yang Biao and Fu Wan, and he gave a cold snort before turning to leave.
Chapter 13: The weight of the name "Yuan Shao"
After leaving the banquet in a fury, Cao Cao stormed back to the hall where he usually handled his affairs.
Soon, Xun Yu and the others followed him there.
With the outsiders gone, Cao Cao could no longer suppress his rage and launched into curses. "How can Yuan Shao be so shameless? He could actually utter such brazen lies!"
"I clearly brought the Son of Heaven back to Xu County. When did he ever go to Yuan Shao's Ji Province?!"
"A scoundrel! An utter scoundrel!"
Yuan Shao's maneuver disgusted Cao Cao to the extreme. He had thought himself shameless enough, but who knew Yuan Shao had even less shame?
He had not even resolved to hold the Son of Heaven hostage to command the lords, yet Yuan Shao had slapped that accusation onto him outright. Now he truly had yellow mud in his trousers-even if it wasn't shit, everyone would think it was.
Most revolting of all, Yuan Shao had written a proclamation specifically to denounce him, brazenly spouting nonsense and fabricating a tale that the Son of Heaven had escaped from him to Ji Province.
And he had even said something about "hearing of the Son of Heaven's plight and sighing in sorrow day and night."
How could he bring himself to say such things?
Ji Province was extremely close to Luoyang. Had Yuan Shao gone to receive the Son of Heaven back then, Cao Cao would never have had a part to play. Yuan Shao had willingly abandoned that opportunity!
Yet now he had turned around and coveted the rallying power of the Son of Heaven's name, resorting to such despicable methods!
He truly was shameless beyond measure!
"My lord, please calm your anger."
Cheng Yu spoke up to soothe him and offered his thoughts. "Yuan Shao is merely lying. The true Son of Heaven is in our hands. Who would believe such a lie?"
"You need only have the Son of Heaven issue an edict, and Yuan Shao's lie will collapse without a blow."
But after Cheng Yu finished, Xun Yu shook his head. "It is no use. Even if the Son of Heaven personally issues an edict, many people will still believe Yuan Shao."
Cheng Yu stared blankly. "Why?"
Xun You gave a bitter smile and added, "Because of the prestige the Yuan clan has accumulated over generations. Because he comes from the Yuan family of Four Generations of Three Excellencies. And above all, because he is Yuan Shao, Yuan Benchu, the man who dared to raise an army against Dong Zhuo."
Cheng Yu was instantly speechless.
It suddenly dawned on him that the man who had issued this proclamation was no ordinary person. It was Yuan Shao!
Had it been someone like Liu Biao, or even Yuan Shu, perhaps not so many people would believe it. But it was Yuan Shao!
With the reputation accumulated by generations of the Yuan clan behind him, combined with his own deeds over the years, Yuan Shao's prestige had reached a terrifying height.
If Yuan Shao said the Son of Heaven was in Ji Province, who would disbelieve him?
Who would think that a hero from an illustrious family, a man who had once led the Eighteen Route Lords against Dong Zhuo, was deceiving the entire world?
Most people would choose to believe him. Even those who did not would, at most, harbor doubts. No one would consider it false news.
That was the weight carried by the name Yuan Shao!
"This is a despicable scheme, yet one carried out in full daylight."
Such was Xun You's rueful assessment.
They knew perfectly well that Yuan Shao was lying, but had no way to make others believe he was lying. That was the most infuriating part.
Standing beside them, Yang Xiu also shook his head. "With this, if my lord wishes to command the lords throughout the realm in the Son of Heaven's name, few will obey anymore."
"Even those who know Yuan Shao is lying will still use this as an excuse to refuse the Son of Heaven's edicts."
Before you continue