Just then, someone in the hall gave a cold snort.
"His Majesty's rewards to his officials are a sign of boundless imperial grace. Why should Lord Cao decide who receives them?"
The moment those words rang out, the hall fell silent.
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
Cao Cao glanced over and smiled faintly. "I wondered who it was. So it is Lord Yang."
The speaker was Yang Biao.
He came from the Hongnong Yang Clan and had served as Minister over the Masses, Minister of Works, and Grand Commandant. He had also remained at the emperor's side all along, a staunch imperial loyalist.
Yang Biao sneered. "What? Under Governor Cao of Yan Province, are we not even permitted to speak?"
Though he was already past fifty, his voice remained full and forceful, ringing through the hall.
Chapter 11: Cao Cao's Fury!
Yang Biao had no fear of Cao Cao whatsoever.
His temperament was as fierce and upright as his name suggested, and he was among those most loyal to the imperial house of the Great Han.
When Dong Zhuo had wanted to take the emperor away and relocate the capital, Yang Biao had risked his life to argue against him.
If he had not feared Dong Zhuo, why would he fear Cao Cao?
He had also vehemently opposed Cao Cao's move to bring the emperor and the capital to Xu County, but circumstances were stronger than any man, and he had been forced to yield.
That had left him with an extremely poor opinion of Cao Cao.
Now, seeing Cao Cao deny the emperor even the right to reward his own officials, how could Yang Biao hold his tongue?
"Cao Cao, though you rendered a service by rescuing the emperor, do not forget that you are merely his subject!"
Yang Biao looked up at Cao Cao, his gaze sharp. "A subject must know his place. Whom the emperor rewards is his prerogative. What business is it of yours?"
"Do you mean to take over the sacrificial rites from their rightful officiant?"
Yang Biao's words struck straight at Cao Cao's intentions.
Beside him, Yang Xiu was already drenched in sweat. He tugged at Yang Biao's sleeve and urged him in a frantic whisper, "Father, please stop..."
Who did not know why Cao Cao had brought the emperor to Xu County?
With the emperor in his grasp, he could act in the emperor's name, no different from Dong Zhuo, who had held the emperor hostage to command the lords!
But could such things be said aloud?
Yang Biao simply ignored his son's attempts to stop him. He straightened his back, his eyes boring into Cao Cao like two sharp swords.
The atmosphere in the hall grew heavy.
"My dear Minister Yang..."
Seeing the two men at daggers drawn, the emperor grew flustered and tried to intervene, but Cao Cao spoke first.
With his wine cup in hand, he narrowed his eyes at Yang Biao and smiled. "I have long heard of your unyielding character, Lord Yang. Your reputation is well deserved."
"You flatter me," Yang Biao said coolly. "I am merely accustomed to speaking my mind. Governor Cao of Yan Province, you show disrespect to the emperor. As a subject of the Great Han, I must naturally defend His Majesty's dignity."
"You old bastard! How dare you!"
A burly general flew into a rage at those words. He slammed a hand on his table and sprang to his feet, his other hand already on the sword at his waist, poised to draw it.
"Xu Chu, do not be disrespectful."
Cao Cao stopped him, then looked at Yang Biao with a chuckle. "It seems you harbor quite a prejudice against me, Lord Yang."
"His Majesty wishes to reward his officials. I am merely determining who has rendered meritorious service before His Majesty grants the rewards. Where is the disrespect in that?"
Yang Biao sneered. "Who has rendered service and who has not—is that not for you to decide? If you draw up the list, I fear the Imperial Court of our Great Han will soon be filled with your retainers, Cao Cao!"
"His Majesty has only just established the capital. The Imperial Court is not yet fully formed, and Han officials scattered throughout the realm have yet to come and pay homage. Yet you already wish to thrust your hand into the Imperial Court and seize its key posts. Do you truly think no one can see through you?!"
As Yang Biao finished, Yang Xiu closed his eyes in despair.
But Cao Cao remained unruffled. He merely said calmly, "Whether I harbor selfish intentions is not for you to judge, Lord Yang. It is for His Majesty to decide."
As he spoke, he looked up at the emperor.
"May I ask, Your Majesty, do I harbor selfish intentions?"
For a moment, many eyes in the hall settled on the emperor.
Under their gazes, the emperor turned pale. His eyes shifted between Cao Cao and Yang Biao for a long while before he finally forced a laugh. "Mengde is, of course, utterly selfless..."
At those words, Yang Biao's expression dimmed at once.
Cao Cao, meanwhile, could not help bursting into laughter, and the civil officials and military officers in the hall laughed along with him.
Yang Xiu scrambled into the center of the hall and kowtowed to Cao Cao, pleading, "My father spoke out of turn after drinking today. Lord Minister of Works, please do not hold it against him!"
Cao Cao waved it off. "There is no need to say more, Dezu. Lord Yang has long accompanied the emperor and is a veteran servant of the Han. I have always respected him. How could I blame him?"
He raised his wine cup again and laughed aloud to everyone in the hall. "Come, come, drink! Tonight, no one leaves sober!"
"As you command!"
The hall grew lively once more. Cups crossed and wine flowed, while Yang Biao alone sat at his place like a man bereft of his soul, saying nothing.
Seeing his father like this, Yang Xiu did not know how to comfort him and could only sigh.
He knew his father's loyalty to the Han Dynasty, but from the moment the capital had been established in Xu County, the decline of the Han Dynasty had been sealed. The emperor would become nothing more than Cao Cao's personal puppet.
That was not something they could change.
The emperor above them also noticed Yang Biao's expression. Though guilt weighed on him, he was powerless and could only drown his sorrows in wine.
Just then, an abrupt cry came from outside the hall.
"Report!"
The voice drew closer, and soon a guard ran inside.
"What have you to report?"
Cao Cao frowned. He had been thoroughly enjoying himself, and the sudden interruption naturally displeased him.
The guard looked troubled. He glanced at the emperor above, then at Cao Cao, unsure how to answer. Finally, he lowered his head and presented a dispatch with both hands.
"Give it to me."
A middle-aged scholar stepped away from the banquet, took the dispatch, and examined it closely.
Before long, shock appeared on his face.
"What is it, Xun Yu?"
Seeing his expression, Cao Cao could not help asking.
Xun Yu was normally composed, never letting joy or anger show. What could have made his expression change on the spot?
"This..."
Xun Yu opened his mouth, but did not know how to explain. He could only hand the dispatch to Cao Cao. "My lord, you had best read it yourself."
Puzzled, Cao Cao nevertheless took the dispatch, opened it, and read it carefully.
Soon, the same shock spread across his face.
Along with an indescribable fury!
"Yuan Shao, you treacherous scoundrel! You shameless bastard!!!"
Cao Cao cursed viciously, hurled both the dispatch and his wine cup to the floor, then raised his hands and overturned the table before him!
Even that failed to vent his rage. He stamped hard on the dispatch, his face twisted with fury.
Such a violent reaction startled everyone in the hall.
Xun You could not help asking, "My lord, what does the dispatch say to provoke such fury?"
Cao Cao's face was dark. Without answering Xun You, he rose and strode out of the hall, leaving everyone staring in bewilderment.
With Cao Cao gone, Xun You could only turn his questioning gaze toward Xun Yu.
After all, Xun Yu had been the first to read the dispatch.
Xun Yu sighed. Without keeping them in suspense, he said, "The dispatch says that Yuan Shao has issued a proclamation denouncing our lord as a traitor seeking to usurp the realm, claiming that he brought the emperor here to follow in Dong Zhuo's footsteps."
"It also says that the emperor has escaped to Ji Province and plans to establish his capital in Ye City. It calls upon worthy talents and Han officials throughout the realm to go there and pay homage."
The emperor... was in Ji Province?
Everyone froze at those words, then turned to look at the emperor seated above them.
Then who was this emperor before their eyes?
Chapter 12: I Shall Make the Great Han Great Again!
At that moment, the emperor himself looked utterly bewildered.
When had he gone to Ji Province?
Was he not right here, perfectly well?
"I... I have never been to Ji Province..."
Seeing everyone looking at him, the emperor grew flustered and hurriedly spoke in his own defense.
Xun Yu cupped his hands. "Your Majesty, there is no need for alarm. This is Yuan Shao's treacherous scheme. He has deliberately smeared my lord's name and even falsely claimed that Your Majesty is in Ji Province, all to deceive the people of the realm."
"Such methods are truly vile and contemptible. They are also an insult to Your Majesty."
Only after Xun Yu's explanation did everyone come to their senses.
At last, they understood why Cao Cao had been so furious.
He had gone to immense trouble to bring the emperor to Xu County and establish the capital there, only for Yuan Shao to immediately announce that the emperor had escaped to Ji Province-and throw a basin of filthy water over him into the bargain.
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