But far away in Xu Province, Yuzhou, Yan Province, Ji Province, and elsewhere, an entirely different scene had already unfolded.
In Xiapi, Lü Bu held a beauty in his arms as he watched the heavenly screen, letting out a burst of utterly unrestrained laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
"That bastard Yuan Shu really is nothing but dry bones in a tomb!"
"And he dreamed of joining my family in marriage? Mine, Fengxian's?"
"What an idiot's dream!"
Beside him, his adviser Chen Gong frowned slightly, staring intently at the heavenly screen, while pondering something else.
Yuan Shu was finished, so who would this so-called greatest emperor of all time be?
In Yuzhou, Liu Bei sat together with his two brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, watching the heavenly screen with complicated expressions.
Unable to hold back any longer, Zhang Fei slapped his thigh and shouted, "That Yuan fellow brought it on himself. Serves him right!"
"I just wonder whether this greatest emperor of all time the heavenly screen mentioned could be you, Eldest Brother!"
At those words, Liu Bei merely waved his hand, his face bearing its usual kindness and concern, and sighed.
"Third Brother, don't talk nonsense."
"Heaven's mandate is hard to fathom. We need only fulfill our duties and uphold the Han."
Ji Province, Yuan Shao's residence.
As this general-in-chief, born into a family that had held the Three Ducal Offices for four generations, watched his younger half-brother's tragic end on the heavenly screen, his face showed not the slightest sympathy, only contempt and disdain.
"That fool Gonglu overestimated himself. His defeat and death were inevitable."
His advisers Tian Feng and Ju Shou exchanged a glance, each seeing the same question in the other's eyes.
With Yuan Shu, that stepping stone, gone, where exactly was the true dragon hiding?
On the heavenly screen, the golden radiance paid no heed to anyone's thoughts and continued to flow coldly.
[After Yuan Shu's crushing defeat, his subordinate generals scattered and fled. Most ultimately surrendered to Cao Cao of Yan Province.]
"Cao Cao!"
On the dragon throne, Yuan Shu, whom Yang Feng had only just soothed, flew into a rage again the instant he saw that name!
He slammed his hand against the throne's armrest and sprang from his seat like a man possessed!
"Cao Cao again!"
"The adopted grandson of a eunuch! What gives him the right?"
"What gives him the right to defeat me?"
"What gives him the right to take in my generals?"
Yuan Shu trembled with rage. He was no fool: the heavenly screen had reviewed events from the Yellow Turban Rebellion all the way to his proclaiming himself emperor and his downfall, then immediately mentioned Cao Cao.
The implication was self-evident.
Could it be... could this greatest emperor of all time mean Cao Aman?
The moment that thought emerged, it was as though ten thousand ants were frantically gnawing at Yuan Shu's heart. He simply could not accept it!
He, Yuan Gonglu, a legitimate son of a family that had held the Three Ducal Offices for four generations, the heaven-mandated emperor of the Zhong dynasty, was actually going to become a stepping stone for a eunuch's descendant to rise?
This was worse than killing him!
Yet, consumed by impotent fury, Yuan Shu failed to notice that below the dais, the looks in the eyes of his supposedly loyal generals had begun to change quietly.
Ji Ling, Zhang Xun, Qiao Rui, and the others standing at the front of the military officers all kept their heads lowered, eyes on their noses and noses pointing toward their hearts, as though utterly indifferent to everything before them.
But how could any of this escape Yang Feng's eyes?
His gaze was like the most precise scanner, taking in every microexpression on their faces.
The corner of Ji Ling's eye twitched slightly, and his fists quietly clenched inside his sleeves.
Zhang Xun's breathing had noticeably quickened. His gaze wandered, flicking toward the doors of the hall from time to time.
Qiao Rui even shifted his feet unconsciously, turning his body slightly toward the colleague nearest him, seemingly seeking some silent alliance.
Heh. Their hearts have scattered.
Yang Feng sneered inwardly.
These fellows were still roaring "Long live the emperor!" just now, looking utterly loyal and ready to die for Yuan Shu at any moment.
Now that the heavenly screen has appeared and laid the script of the future out on the table, every last one of them has immediately started planning his escape route.
There's certainly no future in following Yuan Shu, that unlucky bastard destined to croak without getting a sip of honey water.
Wouldn't surrendering to Cao Cao become the wisest-and only-choice now?
Too bad their emperor is still drowning in anger and jealousy over "Why am I not the greatest emperor of all time?" and turning a blind eye to these potentially fatal details.
How pathetic and laughable.
Meanwhile, in Yan Province.
"Hahahaha!"
Watching the contents of the heavenly screen, Cao Cao likewise burst into uncontrollable laughter, brimming with the exhilaration of triumphant satisfaction!
Fantastic!
Absolutely fantastic!
Guo Jia, Xun Yu, and the others beside him also looked delighted, clasping their hands in congratulation one after another.
"Congratulations, my lord!"
"Heaven's mandate rests with you, my lord!"
Cao Cao waved for everyone to quiet down, but he simply could not suppress the upward curve of his lips.
He was positively glowing inside.
This heavenly screen really knows how to behave!
From the Yellow Turban Uprising to Dong Zhuo throwing the capital into chaos, then Yuan Shu proclaiming himself emperor-wasn't every single event laying the groundwork for me, Cao Cao?
Isn't this the classic approach of lowering things first to raise them later, using the failures of these capering clowns to throw the wisdom and martial prowess of the ultimate victor-me-into relief?
Excellent. Truly excellent.
However, Cao Cao's excitement soon cooled, and his brows furrowed slightly.
Hmm... exposing me now doesn't seem like such a good thing, does it?
Wouldn't that be putting me straight over the fire to roast, making me the common target of every warlord under heaven ahead of time?
Yuan Shao, Lü Bu, Liu Bei... even that Sun Ce, who hasn't appeared on the scene yet.
If they join forces and all regard me as their greatest enemy, that could be a little troublesome.
But on second thought, Cao Cao felt at ease again.
He stroked his signature short beard, a flash of a ruthless conqueror's domineering air passing through his eyes.
It's good to reveal it sooner!
Revealing it sooner will save me from having to drag out all this fighting with them!
Let them learn sooner where Heaven's mandate lies, obediently wash their necks and wait, or simply surrender outright. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Only by knowing Heaven's mandate can one follow Heaven's will!
Just as the warlords across the land entertained their differing thoughts, the great golden words on the heavenly screen changed once again.
Their contents, however, left everyone utterly astonished.
[After Yuan Shu's defeat and death, a slave under his command named Yang Feng gathered the remnants of his former forces. After enduring countless hardships and dangers, he fled west, ultimately reaching Yizhou.]
[At this point, this future greatest emperor of all time finally regained his freedom completely, after passing through the flames of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the oppression of Dong Zhuo's chaos in the capital, and his time lying low under Yuan Shu.]
[He had been enduring all along.]
[He had been building up his strength all along.]