Chapter 15: Appointing the Great General! Bestowing the Title of Grand Marshal!

Construction on the Emperor’s temporary palace had begun long ago.

Initially intended as Yuan Shao’s residence, it was repurposed as the Imperial retreat when Liu Xie, the “Son of Heaven,” arrived. To expedite its completion, Yuan Shao mobilized over a thousand laborers to work day and night on the palace. This move aimed to enhance the legitimacy and appearance of the Yecheng-based imperial court.

After all, the Emperor could not indefinitely reside in Yuan Shao’s estate; protocol demanded otherwise. If visiting ministers witnessed this arrangement, they might perceive it as disrespect towards the Emperor, which was not what Yuan Shao desired.

By now, the construction of the temporary palace was nearing completion.

“I never thought that in my previous life, I couldn’t afford a house, but here in ancient times, I end up owning a grand palace.” Liu Xie shook his head, finding it somewhat absurd.

At the same time, an intriguing thought surfaced in his mind.

With this separate palace, could he finally establish a harem? After all, it was quite normal for an Emperor to have a bevy of beauties at his disposal, right?

However, Liu Xie swiftly dismissed such thoughts.

“Liu Xie, oh Liu Xie, how shallow can you be?! You are now the Son of Heaven, bearing the responsibility to restore Great Han’s glory and rebuild it anew for the third time! From this day forth, abstain from lust!”

Liu Xie deeply reflected on his lapse, feeling profound remorse and shame over his fleeting desires.

But then again…he was merely a puppet Emperor; what did restoring Great Han’s glory have to do with him?

Could he realistically stand up against Bosses Yuan and Cao?

“That settles it.”

Instantly, Liu Xie felt relieved and contented.

The initial enthusiasm and grand ambitions typical of a reincarnator had faded away. For him now, simply surviving in this era would be more than enough.

As for vying for power amidst these Three Kingdoms’ heroes, that might as well remain a pipe dream.

After leaving Liu Xie’s courtyard, Ju Shou headed to Yuan Shao’s study to report on his progress in tutoring the young Emperor.

“My lord, he has now fully mastered the etiquette and language protocols. He can recite the imperial chronicles flawlessly and respond effortlessly.”

“However, mastering the etiquette of behavior will require some more time, but I believe it will be completed soon.” Ju Shou slightly bowed, providing a comprehensive update on Liu Xie’s situation.

“I understand.”

Yuan Shao seemed unconcerned; instead, he continued writing at his desk. “Gongyu, your timing is perfect. There happens to be something I need to discuss with you.”

“Take a look at this,” Yuan Shao said as he set down his brush.

Ju Shou approached, picked up the paper from the desk, and began examining it closely. Soon, a surprised expression crossed his face.

“My lord, is this…an imperial edict?” Ju Shou looked at Yuan Shao, astonished.

The document in his hand was indeed an edict issued in the name of the Son of Heaven.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Yuan Shao nodded, hands clasped behind his back. “With the Emperor’s authority within our grasp, we must utilize it. I intend to issue an order in the Emperor’s name, seeking appointment as Great General.”

The position of Great General was the highest honor and rank for military leaders! In theory, it held equal status to the Three Ministers, but in practice, it surpassed them.

Since even lower ranks like Protector-General or General of Chariots and Cavalry were equivalent to the Three Ministers, the Great General’s role carried significantly more prestige.

In Han Dynasty history, three Great Generals stood out most prominently: Han Xin, Wei Qing, and Huo Guang. They truly embodied being second only to the Emperor, yet above all others!

Now, Yuan Shao planned to use the Emperor’s authority to appoint himself as Great General!

“My lord, isn’t it somewhat inappropriate to directly claim the title of Great General? Remember, there is still debate across the land about whether the Emperor resides in Xu County or Jizhou. Assuming this position might invite criticism,” Ju Shou expressed his concerns with unease. The significance of the Great General title was immense, attracting many ambitious eyes.

Becoming the Great General meant, in principle, gaining command over all military forces nationwide, effectively becoming the supreme leader of the armed forces!

“What’s so inappropriate? During my campaign against Dong Zhuo, I was already endorsed by various feudal lords as General of Chariots and Cavalry. This is merely taking a step further.”

“The position of Great General has been vacant for too long. If I don’t take it, would you rather let Cao Cao seize the opportunity first, using the Emperor’s name to claim this role?”

Yuan Shao’s perspective differed from Ju Shou’s; he believed his promotion to Great General was entirely justified.

During the Eighteen Lords’ campaign against Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao had been appointed as their leader, with all regional governments unanimously supporting him for the position of General of Chariots and Cavalry, though lacking imperial endorsement.

Now that he held the Emperor, it provided the perfect opportunity to officially ascend to the rank of Great General.

Seeing Yuan Shao’s resolve, Ju Shou ceased his attempts at persuasion but was taken aback by another appointment mentioned in the decree.

“You also intend to appoint Yuan Shu as Grand Marshal?”

The Grand Marshal was one of the Three Ducal Ministers, overseeing military affairs.

However, since Yuan Shao had already declared himself Great General, controlling all military power, appointing Yuan Shu as Grand Marshal would clearly place him above Yuan Shao—wasn’t this counterintuitive?

Yuan Shao stroked his beard, smiling. “After all, Gonglu is my brother and a member of the Yuan clan. How could I overlook him? Upon careful consideration, the role of Grand Marshal suits him best. This way, he will ultimately remain under my command.”

“Moreover, issuing the decree in the Emperor’s name, how can he possibly refuse?”

Yuan Shao’s decision regarding Yuan Shu stemmed from personal motives. Firstly, it would prevent criticism within the clan for not supporting his brother, and secondly, it allowed him to maintain dominance over Yuan Shu.

“My lord!”

Ju Shou firmly shook his head, his expression grave. “This must not happen. There is already animosity between you and Yuan Shu; such actions will only deepen his hatred for you! Instead, consider changing the position of Grand Marshal to either Grand Protector or Generalissimo—then…”

Before he could finish, Yuan Shao cut him off.

“No need. My decision is made. This is how it shall be—he will receive the title of Grand Marshal. Is being appointed as one of the Three Ministers too little honor for him?”

Stunned, Ju Shou struggled to find words to dissuade Yuan Shao further. It was a personal matter between the two Yuan brothers, and as merely a subject, he felt ill-suited to intervene.

“Oh right, how is the construction of the Emperor’s new palace progressing?” Having settled the appointment issue, Yuan Shao asked another question.

Ju Shou collected his thoughts before replying, “From what I’ve seen, it should be nearing completion soon. The Emperor can move into the palace within days.”

“A fortunate turn for him,” Yuan Shao muttered with a slight scoff. Originally, this palace was intended for his own residence, but now it would serve as quarters for this imposter Emperor instead.

“Dispatch a thousand men from our forces to the palace as the imperial guard.” After a moment’s thought, he added, “As for their commander…let Zhang He take the role.”

Yuan Shao pondered for a moment. Zhang He had been a subordinate of Han Fu, the former lord of Jizhou. After Yuan Shao seized control of the province, Zhang He naturally joined his ranks.

However, he did not fully trust this newly recruited general and was unsure how best to employ him. Appointing him as commander of the imperial guard seemed fitting, and it would prevent others from accusing Yuan Shao of nepotism.