Well said!
Liu Xie's eyes lit up when he heard that.
Gongsun Zan had found an excellent justification!
Yuan Shao, who had originally held the moral high ground, had just been branded a rebel who held the Son of Heaven hostage to command the lords!
Yuan Shao's face darkened. He snorted coldly. "His Majesty heard that you were stubbornly resisting and refusing to submit, so he personally led this expedition. When have I ever held His Majesty hostage?"
"Gongsun Zan! Stop spouting nonsense here! Surrender at once!"
"Otherwise, once His Majesty breaches Yi City, he will punish every one of you!"
As he spoke, he shot Liu Xie a meaningful look.
Liu Xie sighed inwardly. He could only play along.
"General Gongsun, the Grand General truly has not taken me hostage. You should come out of the city and surrender at once."
"Your Majesty!" His face filled with grief and indignation, Gongsun Zan said with utter sincerity, "I know that you are under Yuan Shao's control and have no choice but to say these things. Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I swear to kill the Yuan Thief and rescue you!"
As Gongsun Zan spoke, he looked at his own soldiers, then turned toward Yuan Shao's troops and shouted:
"I have seven crimes of Yuan Shao to submit to Your Majesty! Let all subjects of the Great Han hear them!"
"His first crime: Yuan Shao summoned Dong Zhuo to Luoyang. He was the root of the calamity wrought by that villain Dong!"
"His second crime: when Dong Zhuo controlled the court and held the Son of Heaven hostage, Yuan Shao did not resist him. He abandoned his credentials of office and fled, failing in his duty as a subject!"
"His third crime: while serving as governor of Bohai, Yuan Shao prepared