He then turned and went downstairs with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
After Liu Bei left, Yuan Shao spoke again. "Where are Yan Liang and Wen Chou?"
"Here, my lord!"
Yan Liang and Wen Chou stepped forward together.
Yuan Shao tossed them two military tallies as well and said coldly, "Each of you will lead ten thousand men on either flank of the main army. Watch Liu Bei's movements at all times. If he tries to flee in battle, lead your troops out immediately and kill him on the spot!"
His words brimmed with a deep, murderous intent.
"As you command!"
Yan Liang and Wen Chou took the military tallies and withdrew as well.
Only after making all these arrangements did Yuan Shao finally set his mind at ease. Watching Liu, Guan, and Zhang leave through the gate beneath the tower and head toward the army, he gave a cold smile.
They were all merely his pawns.
This time, he would take Pei County no matter what. Later, he would use it as a springboard to seize Xu Province. How could a mere Lü Bu stand against him?
Once he occupied Xu Province, he could free his hands to strike Gongsun Zan to the north, hold off Yuan Shu to the south, and attack Cao Cao to the west. Then the realm would be his for the taking!
As for Liu Bei? Nothing but dry bones in a tomb!
He, Yuan Shao, was the true bearer of the Mandate of Heaven!
At that thought, Yuan Shao could no longer contain his surging emotions. He abruptly drew the sword at his waist and shouted, "Army, march!"
Boom, boom-!
Earthshaking drums thundered, and fifty thousand soldiers roared together, their cries soaring to the highest heavens.
Liu Xie watched the scene, profoundly shaken.
He, too, longed to command an army and contend for the realm.
Damn it, right now I'm just a puppet Son of Heaven-and a fake one at that.
I need to have a proper talk with Guo Jia about our plan to take over the nest like a cuckoo.
Chapter 41: Yuan Shu: No One Can Stop Me from Declaring Myself Emperor
As Yuan Shao assembled his army to attack Pei County, Yuan Shu, far away in Yang Province, was frantic with preparations to declare himself emperor.
"Almost three months have passed! My Altar of Heaven still isn't finished! What good are any of you?"
"There are fewer than seven days left until my enthronement! If the Altar of Heaven isn't finished by then, how am I supposed to ascend the throne? How am I supposed to worship Heaven?"
Inside the great hall, Yuan Shu's face was full of fury as he pointed at the assembled ministers and unleashed a torrent of abuse.
Though he had yet to formally ascend the throne, he had already impatiently donned a splendid dragon robe embroidered with true dragons, mountains and rivers, cloud patterns, birds, beasts, fish, and insects. With the Son of Heaven's crown on his head, he was dressed entirely as an emperor and had even begun referring to himself with the imperial "We."
Such was his longing to declare himself emperor.
Faced with Yuan Shu's fury, the ministers in the hall suffered in silence.
Building the Altar of Heaven was a massive undertaking. Previously, it had been the depths of winter: not only had the ground been frozen solid, but heavy snowfall had further delayed their progress.
Though the weather had grown somewhat warmer, the ice and snow had yet to melt. How could finishing the Altar of Heaven possibly be so easy?
Yang Hong sighed. "My lor... Your Majesty, finishing the Altar of Heaven within seven days is simply too difficult. We must be allowed more time."
Yuan Shu had already ordered everyone to address him as Your Majesty.
The last time a minister had called him "my lord," Yuan Shu had beheaded him for gross disrespect. Now no one dared disobey.
"Your Majesty, you absolutely must not!"
At that moment, a Daoist standing beside Yuan Shu suddenly spoke, anxiety written across his face. "Seven days from now, the Purple Tenuity Emperor Star will occupy the center and overshadow all other stars, resonating with your destiny from afar. It is the best possible day for you to ascend the throne and declare yourself emperor!"
"If you miss this opportunity that comes scarcely once in a hundred years, you will never find such an auspicious day again!"
This old Daoist was Zhang Pi.
Yuan Shu had now granted him a title, transforming him from an ordinary Daoist into the state preceptor, responsible for divination, rites, and every matter concerning the enthronement.
"What?!"
Hearing Zhang Pi's words, Yuan Shu turned pale with alarm. He immediately snapped at Yang Hong, "Transmit my decree! Gather ten thousand laborers to work together and send soldiers to supervise them. The Altar of Heaven must be finished within seven days!"
"If it is not completed on time, behead them all as a warning!"
Yuan Shu's face twisted viciously, his tone steeped in murderous intent.
At those words, every minister's expression changed.
Yan Xiang, who had remained silent until now, could no longer restrain himself. He said angrily, "My lord, this man is beguiling the masses with pernicious lies! How can you believe him so readily?"
"Declaring yourself emperor already violates a grave taboo. Now you are imposing brutal levies, renovating palaces, and building the Altar of Heaven, making the common people seethe with grievances. If this continues, everything you have built will be destroyed in a single day, my lord!"
"How dare you!"
Yuan Shu flew into a rage. Pointing at Yan Xiang, he shouted, "The state preceptor is a perfected master who has attained the Dao! How could his words be false? Purple Tenuity governs my destiny. So long as I ascend the throne seven days from now, my dynasty will endure forever! Why should I care what those lowborn peasants think?"
"Yan Xiang! Only because you have followed me for years and rendered great service through your toil have I repeatedly overlooked your offenses against my authority. Do not presume upon my favor and act without restraint!"
"I am the Son of Heaven! You will address me as Your Majesty!"
Facing Yuan Shu's wrath, Yan Xiang showed no fear. With a stern expression, he said, "I merely speak with honesty and integrity! Your Majesty, do not persist in this folly!"
Yuan Shu's fury blazed higher still, and he immediately shouted, "Guards! Seize this rebellious minister and throw him into the imperial prison!"
The ministers were all deeply shocked.
Yang Hong was the first to kneel and plead. "Your Majesty, you must not! Master Yan is advanced in years and frail of body. If you imprison him, how could he survive?"
"Please show mercy, Your Majesty, and pardon Master Yan's disrespect!"
After he finished, the other ministers also pleaded for mercy.
Yan Xiang had the longest service among the ministers. He was upright and highly respected, and his words just now had voiced what all of them were thinking. How could they bear to watch him be punished?
Yuan Shu's face darkened. In truth, he had regretted those words as soon as he spoke them, but now he was riding a tiger and could not get off.
He looked at Yan Xiang and said coldly, "Since the ministers have pleaded on your behalf, I will pardon your offense, provided you admit your fault to me!"
"There is no need, my lord."
Without hesitation, Yan Xiang rejected the way out Yuan Shu offered him. He took a letter from his sleeve and placed it on the floor. "You may punish me as you wish, my lord, but please read this letter first. It is from Sun Ce of Jiangdong."
"Fine! Fine! Fine!"
Yuan Shu ground his teeth, all trace of mercy gone from his heart, and ordered coldly, "Guards, imprison the rebellious minister Yan Xiang!"
As his words fell, two guards entered the great hall.
Taking Yan Xiang by either side, they escorted him away.
Only the letter remained where he had left it.
"Bring me the letter!"
Yuan Shu frowned and hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to read it.
After all, Sun Ce had written it to him.
An eunuch soon presented the letter. Yuan Shu took it, opened it, and read it carefully for a while. His expression grew increasingly ugly.
"Well, well, Sun Ce!"
Yuan Shu crumpled the letter into a ball, hurled it to the floor, and ground it beneath his foot!
Seeing this, Zhang Pi beside him could not help asking, "Your Majesty, what did Sun Ce say in his letter?"
The fearsome reputation of Sun Ce, the Little Conqueror, resounded like thunder in everyone's ears.
Yuan Shu's face was dark, and he said nothing.
The letter Sun Ce had written him likewise urged him not to declare himself emperor. It even stated that if he did, Sun Ce would sever ties with him!
Yuan Shu hated Sun Ce to the core, yet feared him just as deeply.
Sun Ce was a tiger of a general, whose valor surpassed even that of his father, Sun Jian.
After Sun Jian's death, Sun Ce had joined Yuan Shu. In practice, however, he was no different from an independent ruler, and his strength could not be underestimated.
If they severed ties, he would surely become a threat to Yuan Shu's very heart!
Had I known it would come to this, I should have helped Liu Biao flatten Jiangdong back then.
Under the eyes of the ministers and Zhang Pi, Yuan Shu drew a deep breath and said expressionlessly:
"Pass down my order. Gather laborers to build the Altar of Heaven. It must be finished within seven days!"
"Seven days from now, I will formally worship Heaven, declare myself emperor, and announce it to the realm!"
With those words, Yuan Shu left the great hall without looking back.
At this point, he could no longer concern himself with whether Sun Ce would break with him. He was only a single step from the imperial throne!
Once he took that step, he would be the true Son of Heaven!
As he walked out of the great hall, sunlight washed over Yuan Shu, and he spread his arms to welcome it.
He wished to gather the entire realm into his embrace.
An entranced look appeared on Yuan Shu's face as he murmured in a voice only he could hear.
"No one can stop me from declaring myself emperor!"
Chapter 42: Zhou Yu's Plan
After Yan Xiang was imprisoned, no one dared oppose Yuan Shu again.
He sent troops to forcibly conscript laborers to build the Altar of Heaven day and night. Many worked themselves to death or froze to death, and countless commoners suffered beyond endurance. Yet no one could stop Yuan Shu's madness.
With no expense spared and no cost considered, the Altar of Heaven was finally completed on the eve of the enthronement ceremony.
The following day, Yuan Shu formally ascended the throne and declared himself emperor in Shou County, offering worship to Heaven in the northern and southern outskirts.
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