Liu Xie shook his head. "You two generals misunderstand me. I am not dissatisfied with these results. My heart simply aches."
His heart ached?
Huang Zhong, Zhang Liao, and Taishi Ci all froze for a moment.
Before they could speak, Liu Xie said with grief written across his face, "Whether they belonged to the Ji Province Army or the Xu Province Army, they were all fine sons of our Han!"
"Had they fallen defending our borders and driving out foreign tribes, returning wrapped in horsehide would have been the highest glory. But now they have died slaughtering their own countrymen. As the Son of Heaven, how could my heart not ache for them?"
"Whenever I think of how many more sons of the Han must be killed or wounded before the warlords across the land are swept away, I cannot help but grieve."
"Their deaths... were so terribly undeserved."
His words moved every general present.
Liu Xie's vision was so broad. This was the bearing of a true sage ruler.
How could a sovereign who treated his subjects so kindly fail to win the realm?
Yuan Xi was the first to step forward. "This is no fault of Your Majesty's. The blame lies entirely with Traitor Yuan Shao! Had he not rebelled against his sovereign and refused to submit, how could so many soldiers have been killed or wounded?"
"One day, I shall slay that traitor for Your Majesty!"
Yuan Xi's words brimmed with hatred. He stopped just short of swearing an oath.
With reverence filling his face, Sima Yi said, "Your Majesty is benevolent and holds the whole realm in your heart. If those soldiers knew of this beneath the earth, they would surely close their eyes in peace."
"Indeed!"
Yang Xiu nodded as he listened, then suggested, "Your