What should have been a friendly greeting came from Liu Xie with an expressionless face and a voice utterly devoid of warmth.
Seeing the distance and coldness in Liu Xie's expression, Yuan Shao first froze, then felt anger welling up uncontrollably within him.
This lowborn wretch! How dare he speak to me like that!
Yuan Shao had grown accustomed to Liu Xie's longstanding deference and fawning flattery. How could he not be furious when Liu Xie suddenly treated him with such a lofty attitude?
He was nothing but an impostor pretending to be emperor!
But before Yuan Shao could lose his temper, Lü Bu, standing behind him, cursed first. "Insolent rebel! How dare you look directly upon His Majesty's sacred countenance? Get on your knees!"
As he spoke, he kicked Yuan Shao in the leg.
Just as he had once kicked Yuan Shu.
This time, however, he held back a little, so Yuan Shao was merely kicked to his knees rather than having his leg broken outright.
That kick also brought Yuan Shao to his senses-this was not a private meeting between him and Liu Xie. A group of outsiders surrounded them.
At that thought, Yuan Shao suppressed his anger. After casting a cold glance at Lü Bu, he respectfully saluted Liu Xie. "Your subject Yuan Shao pays his respects to Your Majesty!"
"Hm?"
Everyone was somewhat dumbfounded.
As a rebel who had defied the Son of Heaven, Yuan Shao might have unleashed a torrent of abuse or met them with cold disdain, and they could have accepted either. Only such a respectful salute caught them completely off guard.
But Liu Xie knew what was going on.
*He still thinks Lü Bu and Yuan Xi are holding me hostage. He doesn't believe I'm the real Son of Heaven, nor does