This was the emperor's trust, a charge entrusted to him!
I've finally won over my first general.
Liu Xie was delighted.
But he had no idea that, at that very moment, a pair of eyes was watching everything from not far beyond the pavilion.
The man's gaze lingered on Liu Xie for a long time before he finally withdrew it. He stroked his chin, then turned and left, his figure disappearing into the depths of the garden.
Chapter 19: Yuan Shu: How About I Find Someone to Impersonate the Emperor Too?
Zhang He's formal pledge of allegiance meant that Liu Xie finally had his first force of his own in this chaotic age.
Not just Zhang He, but also the thousand imperial guards under his command.
These imperial guards had originally been part of Ji Province's garrison. They had all followed Zhang He onto the battlefield and fought alongside him, so their loyalty went without saying, and their fighting strength was considerable as well.
Although a thousand or so men hardly amounted to much, Liu Xie was already thrilled.
"Your Majesty, what do you intend to do from here?"
Zhang He asked Liu Xie, his voice filled with concern. "As you said, Yuan Shao harbors disloyal ambitions. Ji Province is no place to remain for long."
Having chosen to serve the emperor, he naturally had to consider the emperor's interests.
Although he did not know why Liu Xie said Yuan Shao harbored disloyal ambitions, His Majesty surely had his reasons. Zhang He would not question them.
Liu Xie sighed at this. "Do you think I don't wish to leave? But the realm is in chaos, the House of Han is in decline, and warlords carve up the land. Where could I go?"
"Besides, I am in Ye City now. How could Yuan Shao let me leave?"
Zhang He was immediately at a loss for words.
Indeed, even setting aside whether they could escape, where could they go if they did get away from Yuan Shao?
"Do not worry, Junyi. Although Yuan Shao is a man brimming with ambition, he does not dare show me disrespect at present. For now, I am quite safe."
"I can use this opportunity to build up my strength and contact the old officials who remain loyal to the House of Han. When the time is ripe, we shall join forces to destroy the traitors and bring our Han dynasty out of darkness into light once more!"
Liu Xie patted Zhang He on the shoulder and began painting him a feast of promises.
Zhang He believed every word. He nodded firmly and said, "Everything shall be as Your Majesty commands!"
"All right, go attend to your duties."
"Your servant takes his leave!"
After bowing, Zhang He turned and strode away.
Watching Zhang He's retreating figure, Liu Xie's lips curved upward, and he could not help showing a pleased smile.
Well then, which brick should I pry out of Yuan Shao's wall next?
The edicts conferring titles on Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu were soon issued.
In fact, Liu Xie did not even need to look them over, much less write them himself. Yuan Shao handled everything, from drafting to promulgation.
With the emperor's investiture, Yuan Shao was officially promoted from General of Chariots and Cavalry, concurrently Governor of Ji Province, to Grand General, concurrently Grand Marshal.
In the Great Han, this was almost the highest station a subject could attain!
With these two offices, Yuan Shao could openly recruit men and horses, expand his army, and draw other powers to his side.
Meanwhile, the edict conferring a title on Yuan Shu was also sent to Yang Province.
Yang Province was now occupied by Yuan Shu and served as his base.
Since ancient times, Yang Province had been one of the richest great provinces in the realm, known as "the granary of the realm," and had always been a prize that military strategists fought to secure.
Shou County, Jiujiang Commandery.
"Eight-hundred-li express dispatch! Eight-hundred-li express dispatch!"
It was dusk, and Shou County's gates were about to close.
Suddenly, a hoarse voice rang out from beyond the city, accompanied by the pounding of hooves.
The officer guarding Shou County's gate tower looked closely and saw a fine horse galloping toward them through billowing yellow dust.
The figure on horseback held a sheet of yellow silk high and shouted, "Eight-hundred-li express dispatch! An imperial edict! Open the gates at once!"
An eight-hundred-li express dispatch-and an imperial edict at that?
"Open the gates!"
Hearing this, the officer guarding Shou County's gate dared not delay for even a moment. He immediately ordered the soldiers beside him to open it.
Rumble-
The heavy gates were quickly pushed open. Amid rolling dust, the lone rider vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
He came amid billowing yellow dust and left clouds hanging over the ancient road beneath the stark, clear sky.
After entering Shou County, the courier did not slow down at all. He galloped straight toward the heart of the city.
All the while, he shouted, "Eight-hundred-li express dispatch! An imperial edict! Those who block me die! Those who defy me perish!"
The commoners nearby were all horrified by the sight.
They hurried to dodge to either side of the street.
Anyone who obstructed a courier carrying an eight-hundred-li express dispatch could be killed without redress, even princes and high officials, let alone ordinary folk.
Watching the courier ride away, the commoners began discussing it.
"What could have happened to call for an eight-hundred-li express dispatch?"
"Didn't he say? An imperial edict."
"An imperial edict? Which emperor issued it? I heard there are two emperors now, one real and one fake-one in Xu County and one in Ji Province."
"Yes, and who knows which is real and which is fake?"
"Ah, we're just ordinary folk. Why worry about that? What does it matter to us which one is real?"
"Exactly, exactly. Better think about what we're having for supper."
Yuan Shu's residence stood in the center of Shou County.
As the administrative seat of Jiujiang Commandery, Shou County was an immense county in both population and area, more than twice the size of Ye City.
Although called a residence, Yuan Shu's estate was far more lavish and grand than the mansions of ordinary princes and marquises. By the standards of ritual propriety, it already overstepped his rank, but no one in Shou County would mention that.
Although night had fallen, the residence remained brightly lit.
Yuan Shu had gathered his advisers in one hall to discuss the affair of the true and false emperors that had recently caused such an uproar.
"Tell me, is the emperor in Yuan Benchu's hands real or fake?"
Inside the great hall, Yuan Shu frowned deeply as he questioned his assembled advisers.
Not long after Cao Cao announced that he had escorted the emperor to Xu County, Yuan Shao followed by declaring that the emperor had fled to Ji Province, then proclaimed Cao Cao a traitor.
Now the emperor on Cao Cao's side had issued another edict, stating that he had never been to Ye City and that Yuan Shao was lying.
Truth and falsehood were so tangled that even Yuan Shu could scarcely tell them apart.
Once Yuan Shu finished speaking, his chief clerk, Yan Xiang, stepped forward. "My lord, there is no way to distinguish the true from the false at present. But either way, this benefits you."
"Now that Yuan Shao and Cao Cao are disputing which emperor is genuine, a rift has opened between them. We can seize this opportunity to sow discord and deepen their conflict."
After Yan Xiang finished, Chief Administrator Yang Hong added, "Indeed. While the snipe and clam grapple, you can be the fisherman, my lord, watching the storm with a smile and waiting for the chance to reap the rewards."
But after hearing them, Yuan Shu did not agree.
"Yet many people across the realm now believe the emperor in Yuan Shao's hands is genuine. What if he uses this chance to expand his power?"
"In any case, one of their two emperors must be a fake. Why don't we follow their example and find someone to impersonate the emperor? Then couldn't we also command the realm in the emperor's name?"
Yuan Shu was intensely envious of Yuan Shao's ability to act under the emperor's banner. But the emperor was not in his hands, so he could not help entertaining a crooked scheme.
Hearing this, Yan Xiang and Yang Hong exchanged a glance, each seeing helplessness in the other's eyes.
Finding someone to impersonate the emperor would undoubtedly do more harm than good. Once exposed, the consequences would be disastrous. Why take such a risk?
Looking only at the benefits while ignoring the risks was certainly unwise.
Just as the two were about to offer further counsel, a voice suddenly carried into the great hall from outside.
"Eight-hundred-li express dispatch! An imperial edict-!"
Chapter 20: Heaven's Mandate Is Mine!
"Eight-hundred-li express dispatch! An imperial edict-!"
The voice carried from afar. Then a travel-worn courier ran into the great hall, panting as he raised the sheet of yellow silk in his hand.
"An imperial edict! Yuan Shu, General of the Rear and Governor of Yang Province, receive the decree!"
Everyone in the great hall froze at those words.
An imperial edict? Where had an imperial edict come from?
Or rather... which emperor had issued it?
Yuan Shu glanced at the imperial decree in the courier's hand and asked, "Where was this edict issued? Ji Province or Xu County?"
The courier caught his breath before answering, "Reporting to the general, it was sent from Ji Province."
Ji Province? Yuan Shao?
Upon hearing where the imperial decree had been issued, Yuan Shu's brow furrowed deeply, and a faint sense of foreboding rose within him.
Since the decree came from Yuan Shao's side, it naturally could not truly express the emperor's wishes. It had to be an edict Yuan Shao issued under the emperor's name!
He had always been at odds with that concubine-born son. Now that the man had sent him an imperial decree, he surely had no good intentions.
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