Chapter 12: We Shall Make Great Han Great Again!

At that moment, even the Emperor looked utterly bewildered.

When had he ever been to Jizhou? Wasn’t he perfectly safe here?

“Y-We have never been to Jizhou…” Seeing everyone’s gazes upon him, the Emperor hastily defended himself, feeling somewhat panicked.

Xun Yu stepped forward with hands cupped and said, “Your Majesty need not be alarmed. This is Yuan Shao’s treacherous plot, deliberately maligning Sikong’s reputation and falsely claiming Your Majesty is in Jizhou, aiming to deceive the entire realm.”

“Such tactics are truly despicable, disgraceful, and an insult to Your Majesty’s dignity.”

With Xun Yu’s explanation, the crowd began to understand. They finally grasped why Cao Cao had erupted in such fury.

After immense effort to bring the Emperor to Xu County and establish it as the new capital, Yuan Shao immediately spread rumors of the Emperor fleeing to Jizhou, smearing their hard work with deceit. Who could bear such indignity?

“How dare Yuan Shao do this?” The Emperor was equally stunned and deeply troubled after hearing Xun Yu’s words.

If people across the land believed Yuan Shao’s lies and thought the Emperor was in Jizhou, wouldn’t that make his presence in Xu County seem like a false claim to the throne?

But he was clearly the true Emperor!

“What should we do? Perhaps—perhaps we ought to issue an imperial edict right away, proclaiming the truth to all under heaven?” The Emperor couldn’t help but suggest.

The throne represented his last vestige of dignity and respectability. Losing even that would be unbearable for him.

Upon hearing this, Xun Yu said, “Your Majesty, please remain calm. Allow me to consult with Minggong first before making any decisions.”

He then turned his gaze towards the banquet attendees.

“Gongda, Zhongde, Dezu, and Xu Chu, come with me.” With these words, he headed towards the exit of the Great Hall.

Xun You, Xu Chu, and Cheng Yu followed closely behind. Yang Xiu hesitated momentarily, then instructed his father, “Father, please wait here. I will return shortly.”

Yang Biao lowered his eyes, saying nothing.

Sighing, Yang Xiu bowed to his father and joined Xun You, departing from the hall alongside them.

Given this unexpected turn of events, the feast could no longer continue, and most guests began leaving. Only Yang Biao and an extraordinary-looking elderly man remained behind.

This elder was none other than Empress Fu’s father, Fu Wan.

He was none other than the Emperor’s father-in-law.

Like Yang Biao, he was a staunch supporter of the imperial family.

“Mr. Yang, Imperial Father-in-law, what should we do now?” The Emperor turned to them with a pleading gaze, his expression anxious. “Yuan Shao falsely claims that we reside in Jizhou; if people believe him, how can we possibly regain our rightful place?”

Feeling utterly overwhelmed, he could only seek advice from these two trusted ministers.

“Do not panic, Your Majesty,” Fu Wan reassured him. “There is but one true Son of Heaven, and that is you. Yuan Shao may deceive some for a time, but can he fool everyone forever? Eventually, his lies will be exposed.”

“Even if he finds someone to impersonate you, those of us who serve closely by your side naturally know the truth. Unmasking his deception would be effortless.”

Fu Wan considered this issue insignificant, even deeming Yuan Shao’s scheme outright foolish. Could they, as trusted advisors, be deceived when the whole world might fall for it?

The Emperor felt somewhat relieved upon hearing this.

However, noticing Yang Biao’s persistent frown and silence, he couldn’t help but ask, “Why does Mr. Yang remain silent? Are you still resentful that we did not speak on your behalf earlier?”

Yang Biao collected his thoughts and replied with a bow, “No, Your Majesty misunderstands. With Cao Cao holding us like fish on a chopping block, you have no freedom to act independently. Naturally, I understand your predicament; how could I harbor any resentment toward Your Majesty?”

“What then was troubling you, Mr. Yang?” asked the Emperor.

Yang Biao hesitated briefly before answering, “I was merely considering that Yuan Shao’s false claim of Your Majesty being in Jizhou might not necessarily be detrimental.”

“How so? Could it possibly be beneficial?” The Emperor blinked, feeling even more perplexed.

Fu Wan also furrowed his brow and said, “By falsely asserting Your Majesty is in Jizhou, Yuan Shao usurps the Emperor’s authority to deceive the realm, showing blatant disrespect. This is an act of defiance. Why would you defend him, Mr. Yang?”

Neither fully comprehended the meaning behind Yang Biao’s words.

“Your Majesty,” Yang Biao lowered his voice and explained, “Cao Cao harbors disloyal intentions, which are already beginning to surface. Yuan Shao’s proclamation is accurate—he seeks to emulate Dong Zhuo by controlling the Emperor to command the nobles.

“As for Yuan Shao falsely claiming Your Majesty resides in Jizhou, I surmise there are two reasons: first, to prevent Cao Cao from expanding his influence under Your Majesty’s name; second, to leverage Your Majesty’s authority himself, gathering support from various factions and attracting talents across the realm.”

“But regardless of his intentions, this move will certainly tie up Cao Cao.”

“The Han Dynasty may be weak now, but the hearts of the people still yearn for it—toward Your Majesty. As they contend with each other, opportunities arise for Your Majesty to maneuver between them. In time, we might yet rally loyal subjects across the land and restore the glorious days of Great Han!”

Yang Biao’s plan was straightforward: let the two factions engage in a bitter fight, ideally escalating further, creating chaos that they could exploit.

“Could it truly happen like that?” The Emperor’s eyes lit up upon hearing Yang Biao’s explanation, his heart pounding uncontrollably with renewed hope. Initially, falling into Cao Cao’s hands had left him utterly despondent, never expecting to glimpse a sliver of possibility once again. How could he not feel exhilarated? Despite knowing how faint that hope was.

With solemnity, Yang Biao replied, “The future remains uncertain, but please, Your Majesty, do not lose heart or succumb to despair.

“Emperor Gaozu rose from humble beginnings as a minor official, ultimately defeating Xiang Yu and establishing our Great Han Dynasty. Similarly, Emperor Guangwu ascended from being a commoner, swiftly reviving the Han within just three short years!”

“Though Your Majesty faces adversity now, numerous loyal ministers and capable generals remain ready to follow and assist you. You are still the Son of Heaven! Compared to Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Guangwu at their starts, your position is far stronger by many folds. Why should you give up on yourself?”

“Your Majesty must not forget, the blood of Liu flows through your veins!”

Yang Biao’s impassioned and inspiring words resonated deeply.

The Emperor shuddered, feeling both immense guilt and a surge of determination within him.

Yes, he was the Son of Heaven, the Emperor of Great Han!

Just as Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Guangwu brought glory to the Han Dynasty, so could he!

“Mr. Yang! Imperial Father!” The Emperor took a deep breath and declared resolutely, “We will not give up. We shall follow the examples set by these two esteemed emperors and restore greatness to our Great Han once more!”

Yang Biao and Fu Wan were equally moved, immediately bowing down and declaring loudly, “This subject vows to follow Your Majesty unto death!”

This display of unity between ruler and subjects was truly touching.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the hall. Xu Chu entered with guards, approaching the Emperor and clasping his hands respectfully.

“Your Majesty, my lord has instructed me to escort you back to your quarters for rest,” Xu Chu boomed, his voice thunderous.

At Xu Chu’s loud proclamation, the Emperor instinctively shrunk, the newfound courage in his heart dissipating instantly. Hastily, he replied, “Very well, very well, we shall return now.”

“Please accompany us, Your Majesty.”

Xu Chu directed the guards to lead the Emperor away, casting a cold glance at Yang Biao and Fu Wan before turning to leave himself.