After Ju Shou's training, his words and manner were now indistinguishable from those of the real Son of Heaven. No one could have spotted a flaw.
Still, the thought of meeting the Liu-Guan-Zhang Trio shortly made Liu Xie a little nervous.
It was nothing else-he was about to meet living historical figures, one of the powers that would eventually divide the Three Kingdoms.
"Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei..."
Liu Xie murmured their names. These three were the very model of brotherly loyalty, and countless people in later generations had been influenced by them.
Without them, the Three Kingdoms would have lost much of its excitement and romance.
Come to think of it, should he sneak in a question later about whether the three of them had actually bowed to a statue of Lord Guan when they swore brotherhood?
"Your Majesty, they're here."
As Liu Xie's thoughts wandered, Guo Jia, standing beside him, quietly reminded him and brought him back to the present.
Liu Xie looked toward the entrance of the great hall and saw a group walking in.
Leading them were Yuan Shao and Ju Shou, both familiar faces.
The three men following them, however, looked rather distinctive.
One had arms that reached past his knees and exceptionally long earlobes;
One had a leopard's head, round eyes, a swallow's jaw, and a tiger's whiskers;
One had a face the color of dark-red dates and a commanding bearing.
With a single glance, Liu Xie confirmed their identities.
They were Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei!
Romance of the Three Kingdoms didn't lie to me.
Liu Xie marveled inwardly. The three brothers looked much as the book had described them. Those vivid descriptions made them instantly recognizable.
Once the group entered the great hall, Yuan Shao bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have brought Liu Bei, a Han House clansman, to seek an audience."
As his words fell, Liu Bei stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Liu Xie.
"Your subject Liu Bei pays his respects to Your Majesty!"
Liu Xie looked at Liu Bei and asked curiously, "You are Liu Bei? I have heard that you are a Han House clansman. Who was your ancestor? Which branch do you belong to?"
Liu Bei answered truthfully, "Your Majesty, my ancestor was Liu Sheng, Prince Jing of Zhongshan, the seventh son of Emperor Xiaojing. I am Prince Jing of Zhongshan's seventeenth-generation descendant."
"I see. Then I should call you Imperial Uncle!"
Liu Xie spoke as though realization had dawned on him.
His words, however, left Liu Bei momentarily stunned.
He worked out our generations that quickly?
Shouldn't he consult the family genealogy first?
This is far too hasty...
But how could he know that Liu Xie would have loved to put on a scene of consulting the genealogy and acknowledging his kin? The genealogy and everything else were with the real Liu Xie. He did not have so much as a scrap.
So he might as well keep it simple and acknowledge the relationship outright.
Although Liu Bei felt that something was not quite right, he naturally would not object. This was recognition from the emperor himself.
In truth, people had long questioned his claim to be a descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan. The prince had so many descendants that there was no way to distinguish the genuine from the false.
But now the Son of Heaven had personally acknowledged him and called him Imperial Uncle.
From now on, no one could question his lineage!
His status as a Han House clansman was firmly established at last.
Chapter 28: Liu Bei's Ambition
After settling their respective generations, Liu Xie exchanged a few more pleasantries with Liu Bei, then began asking about the true purpose of his visit.
"Imperial Uncle, why have you come so suddenly? Did you see the proclamation calling for the rebels' defeat and come here expressly to help me and the Grand General punish those traitors?"
Liu Xie asked, curious about why Liu Bei had come.
Yuan Shao was quite pleased with the question Liu Xie had asked.
An excellent question!
Better yet, keep all three of them... no, two!
I don't want Liu Bei. I only want Guan Yu and Zhang Fei!
"Your Majesty, I did indeed learn of your whereabouts and make this journey expressly to pay my respects. But I have also come to borrow troops from the Grand General."
Liu Bei concealed nothing and answered honestly about his purpose.
"Pei County, which was under my administration, fell to a surprise attack by the rebel Lü Bu. Its people have all become captives and are suffering amid deep waters and scorching flames."
"I heard that Your Majesty has ordered the Grand General to command all troops under heaven and punish the rebels. Thus, I have come to borrow troops to drive Lü Bu back and recover the lost territory!"
When Liu Bei finished, he bowed deeply.
His words were artfully chosen. First, he said that his main purpose was to pay his respects to the Son of Heaven; borrowing troops came second.
Moreover, his reason for borrowing troops was to answer the Son of Heaven's call to punish the rebels, drive back Lü Bu, recover his lost territory, and rescue the people.
In just a few sentences, he had planted his feet firmly on the moral high ground.
There was simply nothing anyone could pick apart.
Yuan Shao's brow furrowed deeply as he listened, and a flicker of displeasure crossed his eyes.
This Liu Bei has quite the thick skin.
So Lü Bu seized Pei County, and he came to borrow troops. Something like this happened in history, too.
Liu Xie's memories soon stirred.
Lü Bu had indeed taken Liu Bei's Pei County in history. Afterward, Liu Bei sought Cao Cao's help, because the Son of Heaven was then in Cao Cao's hands and had appointed him Grand General to punish the rebels.
Only now, after his appearance, Yuan Shao had become Grand General, and Liu Bei, who should have gone to Cao Cao, had instead turned to Yuan Shao.
Everything had changed.
But all that was secondary. He needed to consider how to answer Liu Bei now. Whether to lend troops was not his decision, after all. He still had to take his cue from Boss Yuan.
Before Liu Xie could speak, Ju Shou spoke first.
"Since your aim is to punish the rebels, Lord Liu, why not stay here and serve His Majesty directly? With your assistance, defeating the rebels and restoring the Han Dynasty would be within reach."
"Why dwell on the loss or gain of a mere Pei County?"
Ju Shou spoke with a smile.
Since Liu Bei had invoked the righteous cause of punishing rebels, he would turn that same argument against him.
Punish the rebels? Certainly. Why don't you simply stay and help? Surely a vast Ji Province is worth more than tiny Xiaopei?
"You wretch-"
Zhang Fei flew into a rage at those words and was about to erupt into curses, but Guan Yu, beside him, pressed firmly on his shoulder. His expression as still as deep water, he shook his head.
"Third Brother, we are before the emperor. Mind your manners!"
Guan Yu spoke in a low voice.
He knew what mattered. Disregarding etiquette before Yuan Shao was one thing, but doing so before the Son of Heaven would give others a handle against them and bring trouble upon their elder brother.
"Hmph!"
Grinding his teeth, Zhang Fei shook off Guan Yu's hand and brooded in silence.
Of course, he was not angry with Guan Yu. What infuriated him was Ju Shou's audacity in suggesting that they stay.
He might have been rough, but he was not stupid. Staying in Ji Province supposedly meant serving the Son of Heaven, but in reality it meant working under Yuan Shao!
Who did Yuan Shao think he was? Was he worthy of having the three brothers serve him?
Our elder brother is the true hero!
Liu Bei's expression remained composed, betraying neither pleasure nor anger. He smiled and replied, "Nothing would please me more than serving Your Majesty. Unfortunately, the people of Pei County are still waiting for me to rescue them, and my wife and children are all in Lü Bu's hands."
"Once I have driven Lü Bu back and recovered Pei County, I will certainly return to serve Your Majesty as faithfully as a hound or horse."
Ju Shou had intended to press him further, but Yuan Shao gave him a meaningful look. He swallowed the words he had been about to say and withdrew to one side.
Seeing that the atmosphere was turning awkward, Liu Xie said, "Minister Yuan now oversees military affairs, and everything shall proceed according to his decisions. Imperial Uncle, you may discuss your concerns with him."
"I am somewhat tired. You may all withdraw."
Whatever dispute Liu Bei and Yuan Shao had was their own business.
As a puppet emperor, he had no desire to get caught in it.
"Your subjects take their leave-"
Everyone bowed in farewell and left the great hall one after another.
Guo Jia left with them.
Before long, however, he returned.
"Why have you come back?"
Liu Xie asked with a puzzled expression.
Guo Jia smiled. "They are returning to the Yuan Residence to discuss matters. My presence makes no difference, so I found an excuse to leave."
"There are still a few things I would like to ask Your Majesty."
His presence in Yuan Shao's camp was currently so negligible that it made no difference whether he attended matters great or small. No one paid attention to where he went, either.
Liu Xie could barely resist blurting out a complaint.
More questions.
Are you some kind of curious toddler?
Before you continue