Chapter 16: Emperor's Temporary Residence? No, It's a Grand Mansion!

Liu Xie never anticipated that after expressing his boredom of staying at the Lodge to Ju Shou, within just a few days, he would be informed about moving to a new residence.

The construction of the temporary imperial palace had been completed, allowing him finally to leave this courtyard where he had spent over a month and move into a true grand mansion.

On the bustling streets,

over a hundred fully armed guards escorted a black carriage along a wide limestone road, spacious enough for multiple carriages to travel side by side, proceeding slowly.

Both sides of the street were crowded with Yecheng’s residents, craning their necks to glimpse the carriage, curiosity written all over their faces.

News of the Emperor’s arrival in Yecheng was no longer a secret, but despite the time passed, the common folk had yet to catch even a fleeting sight of him. Upon hearing that today the Emperor would move into the temporary palace, many people rushed to the streets, eager to behold the sacred countenance of their sovereign.

“Where’s the Emperor? Where is he? Let me see!”

“Don’t push! You’re stepping on my foot!”

“I’ve lived my whole life without ever seeing what the Emperor looks like. Once I do, gotta tell my wife back home.”

“Haven’t you heard of the ‘True Dragon Emperor’? The Emperor must have a dragon’s head and human body, capable of transforming into a soaring dragon amidst clouds!”

“My dear mother, is it true? Is he still considered human then?”

“Don’t listen to his nonsense; emperors don’t look like that.”

“Heh, calling me nonsense? If the Emperor isn’t a dragon, how can he be called the ‘True Dragon Emperor’?”

“The Emperor surely eats flatbread soup every meal, right?”

“Probably more than that; there should be roasted goose too.”

Inside the carriage, Liu Xie overheard these conversations outside.

Feeling both amused and sorrowful, he thought to himself:

“This is truly an era where education and knowledge are monopolized by aristocratic clans. The common people, ignorant, spend their entire lives under rulers they’ve never even seen.”

With mixed emotions in his eyes, Liu Xie finally comprehended the immense significance of future Hua Xia’s universal compulsory education.

As this realization dawned on him, Liu Xie slightly lifted the carriage curtain, peering through the gap at the spectators lining the streets.

Contrary to his expectations, many of these citizens were poorly dressed, visibly malnourished, and relatively short in stature.

“Isn’t this city under Yuan Shao’s governance? Why do the people still live in such hardship?” Liu Xie wondered, perplexed.

He had initially assumed that urban dwellers would fare much better in terms of food, clothing, and shelter compared to wandering refugees outside the cities.

However, it seemed they were indeed somewhat better off than the refugees but not significantly so; many still appeared severely undernourished.

After some brief contemplation, he understood the situation.

In times of chaos, control over cities frequently shifts hands. Simply surviving was considered fortunate. It should be noted that when many armies captured a city, their first actions often involved pillaging, killing indiscriminately, and plundering supplies.

These displaced people had lost their homes and lands, with even their sustenance stripped away, forcing them to abandon their homeland and wander elsewhere.

Only Yuan Shao, born into nobility, backed by the influential Yuan clan, and conscious of his reputation, would refrain from such actions. However, he still imposed heavy taxes to support his army, leaving the lives of commoners barely tolerable—just enough for survival.

And that was all they could hope for.

“Indeed, regardless of the era, whenever war erupts, it’s always the lowest strata of society who suffer the most.”

“In prosperity or decline, the common folk bear the brunt of hardship—a timeless truth.”

Liu Xie silently lowered the carriage curtain, turning away, his emotions tangled.

It wasn’t that he felt a profound sense of empathy, as if bearing the world’s sorrows upon seeing these impoverished citizens. Rather, witnessing history come alive before his eyes stirred something within him.

Much like the phrase “famine-stricken lands where parents traded children for food,” those mere eight words conceal unimaginable bloodshed, incomprehensible without firsthand experience.

As Liu Xie pondered, the carriage gave a slight jolt and came to a stop.

An armored soldier lifted the carriage curtain respectfully, announcing, “Your Majesty, we have arrived.”

“Ah.” Liu Xie acknowledged, nodding slightly as his thoughts returned to the present.

He then stepped out of the carriage.

As Liu Xie stepped out of the carriage, a massive palace came into view. This edifice was exponentially larger than the Yuan Manor, exuding grandeur and easily qualifying as an imperial residence.

“Now this is what I call a true mansion!” Liu Xie’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

Immediately, he noticed that at the entrance to the imperial residence, Yuan Shao had gathered numerous civil officials and military generals, awaiting his arrival. Upon seeing him, they approached en masse.

“Subject pays respects to Your Majesty—”

Led by Yuan Shao, the ministers bowed deeply before Liu Xie, shouting “Long live the Emperor!”

Having been tutored by Ju Shou for over a month, Liu Xie knew exactly how to respond. Unfazed by this spectacle, he slightly raised his hand and said, “My lords, please rise.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty—”

Yuan Shao and the others then stood up straight.

Yuan Shao, hands cupped respectfully, spoke, “Your Majesty, making you humble yourself within the small confines of the Yuan Manor these past days has truly been my failing.”

“Therefore, I have specially constructed an imperial residence for Your Majesty, serving as your dwelling place and facilitating future audiences with ministers and handling state affairs.”

Liu Xie feigned deep gratitude, replying, “I never expected such thoughtful consideration from Minister Yuan; it truly shows your dedication. With the imperial residence now ready, we must prioritize summoning back our loyal Han ministers, both civil and military, to reestablish the court. Only then can we solidify the foundation of our Great Han.”

Upon hearing this, Ju Shou, standing behind Yuan Shao, couldn’t help but express his indignation, “Your Majesty may not be aware, but that treacherous Cao Cao is truly despicable. Despite Your Majesty being here in Yecheng, he continues to claim you’re still in Xu County and even dares to slander Your Majesty as an imposter!”

“Due to this deceit by the villain, people across the land are misled, unsure of where their Emperor resides. Fearful and uncertain, they refrain from coming to pay homage.”

Liu Xie was incensed upon hearing this. “That traitor has the audacity to impersonate us and spread such lies? Does he think we can be so easily deceived?”

“Yuan Aiqing, we shall issue an imperial decree forthwith, appointing you as Great General, commanding all military forces under heaven. Gather the lords from every region to march against the treacherous Cao Cao!”

Ju Shou had already discussed this appointment with Liu Xie beforehand; now it was time to perform for the audience.

At these words, Shen Pei, Tian Feng, Guo Tu, and others were taken aback.

This was the position of Great General! Second only to the Emperor himself, wielding immense authority!

Could it be true that His Majesty intends to bestow this title on our own lord?

“Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for the honor!” Yuan Shao’s face lit up with excitement as he promptly expressed gratitude. Then, he continued, “However, the power of that treacherous foe should not be underestimated. With my strength alone, it would be challenging to utterly defeat him.”

“I humbly request, Your Majesty, to also confer the title of Grand Marshal upon my brother Yuan Shu, enabling us to jointly pursue the traitor!”

Without hesitation, Liu Xie agreed immediately, “Of course, there is no objection. Following Yuan Aiqing’s suggestion, we will draft the imperial decree right away!”

Liu Xie couldn’t care less about titles like Great General or Grand Marshal. After all, it merely required uttering a few words without any real cost to him. A mere title? If Yuan Shao wanted it, why not grant it?