Chapter 2: Do You Want to Be Emperor?

The moment Ju Shou clearly saw the face of the young man standing in the river, he was utterly astounded.

In Chang’an, he had witnessed the imperial procession and personally seen the countenance of the Emperor—an image deeply ingrained in his memory!

There was no way he could mistake this person.

Before him stood none other than the Emperor of Han!

But how could that be possible?

Firstly, the Emperor typically resided in the capital, and after Luoyang’s fall, Cao Cao had already escorted him to Xuchang. Even if we consider travel alone, given the Emperor’s revered status, he would always be surrounded like stars around the moon. How could he possibly appear here all by himself, without even a single attendant?

Moreover, his attire was tattered, resembling that of a beggar. This demeaned the dignity expected of the Emperor!

“No, I must confirm it,” Ju Shou thought, determination setting in.

Although both reason and intuition told him that this couldn’t be the Emperor, the young man’s appearance matched exactly with the one etched in his memory.

He needed to ascertain the stranger’s identity beyond any doubt.

With this resolve, Ju Shou approached carrying his fish basket and politely said, “Your Majesty… erm, young fellow, could you help me?”

Liu Xie, struggling to spear fish in the river, heard Ju Shou’s words and lifted his head. He glanced around before pointing at himself with some confusion, “Are you talking to me?”

Even the voice sounded identical…

Ju Shou felt another jolt internally but quickly composed himself, smiling as he said, “Yes, I caught a few fish here and thought we could roast them for dinner. However, I’m not skilled in preparing meals and don’t know how to clean them properly.

“Would it be convenient for you, young man, to assist me?”

Upon hearing that he was asked to help with roasting fish, Liu Xie looked somewhat troubled and replied, “But I still need to catch more fish for my meal…”

“No problem, let’s share together.”

“Great! Deal!” Liu Xie declared firmly, immediately accepting the offer.

He had been waiting for this invitation!

Fearing the other might change their mind, Liu Xie swiftly jumped ashore, grabbed the fish basket, and efficiently removed the fish. Using his bamboo spear, he gutted and cleaned them with remarkable speed.

“Let me tell you, you’ve come to the right person for grilled fish. My roasted fish is simply unparalleled; just sit back and enjoy,” Liu Xie boasted proudly, skewering the prepared fish on branches and sticking them into the ground.

Next, he gathered dry branches and grass from the surroundings, then pulled out flint stones from his pocket to start a fire.

Damn it!

These primitive tools were far less convenient than a simple lighter.

After much effort, Liu Xie finally managed to ignite the flames.

Ju Shou observed Liu Xie’s busy actions from the side, ultimately confirming his suspicion:

The person before him was not the Emperor.

The reason was straightforward: The Emperor held immense prestige, raised amidst opulence and luxury since childhood. How could such an individual gut fish, kindle fires, or grill them? These tasks were reserved for lowly cooks and commoners.

“It truly is astonishing that there exists someone who looks exactly like the Emperor…” Ju Shou marveled inwardly.

He had heard tales of influential figures employing look-alikes as decoys against assassination attempts, but never witnessed it himself. Moreover, finding someone with such striking resemblance to the Emperor was incredibly rare, almost indistinguishable from the real deal.

“Wait…indistinguishable?”

A realization dawned on Ju Shou, his eyes instantly brightening. As he watched Liu Xie enthusiastically grilling the fish, a wild and audacious idea emerged in his mind.

“If this person impersonates the Emperor and my lord announces to the world that the true ruler resides in Jizhou, then the ‘Emperor’ under Cao Cao’s control would be deemed a fraud!”

“Thus, my lord could wield the authority of the Emperor against other feudal lords!”

Ju Shou’s heart couldn’t help but race with excitement.

This plan was outrageously audacious and daring; having someone impersonate the Emperor bordered on blasphemy. If discovered, it would undoubtedly invite condemnation from across the realm.

But…who could possibly discover such a deception?

“My lord comes from a lineage of four generations as high-ranking officials, his reputation unparalleled. Should he declare the Emperor is in Jizhou, no one would dare question it!”

“Even if some do doubt, it matters not. My lord only needs the moral justification; the authenticity of the Emperor’s identity is secondary. As long as my lord asserts this individual is the rightful ruler, renowned scholars will come forth to defend him.”

“And given their striking resemblance, discerning between them would be nearly impossible!”

As Ju Shou pondered further, he felt increasingly confident in the feasibility of this plan. Although there were risks involved, the immense benefits of controlling the Emperor far outweighed them, making it entirely worth the gamble!

With this thought, Ju Shou wasted no more time and directly asked Liu Xie, “Young man, would you like unimaginable wealth and prosperity?”

“No.”

Liu Xie, focused on grilling fish, didn’t even lift his head to respond.

Ju Shou’s eyelid twitched involuntarily, caught off guard by such a swift rejection. He hadn’t even explained what kind of wealth he was offering! How could Liu Xie dismiss it so readily?

As if guessing Ju Shou’s thoughts, Liu Xie casually replied while flipping the fish, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch, a principle even children understand.

“I’m just an ordinary person who wants to live well.” After being transmigrated for quite some time, he had come to terms with reality. Forget about kingship or grand ambitions—he simply wanted to survive.

Moreover, a wise individual once said that those promising to make you rich usually have ulterior motives, aiming to profit from you instead.

“Oh? If that’s the case, why did you accept my invitation to share this meal? Isn’t this essentially getting a free lunch?” Ju Shou found the young man intriguing and smiled, probing further.

Liu Xie bristled at these words, “Hey, let’s be reasonable here. You hired me to grill the fish; taking some fish is my rightful payment. How is it a free lunch?”

“What if I were to hire you for other tasks?” Ju Shou continued. “Would you be willing then?”

“Absolutely not,” Liu Xie responded firmly, shaking his head.

Liu Xie shook his head firmly and replied, “I’m skilled at grilling fish, and it carries little risk. However, if you want to hire me for other tasks, that’s another matter entirely.”

“Knowing one’s limitations is invaluable. I have no desire to be merely a pawn or cannon fodder for influential figures like yourselves. Even if the wealth you speak of falls from the sky like golden rain, I’d still weigh my chances of getting crushed under its weight.”

Despite not knowing the identity of the man before him, Liu Xie could tell from his attire and manner of speech that he was no ordinary individual.

Without further speculation, this person clearly held a higher status than himself, a mere vagrant.

When someone with greater power suddenly approaches, offering untold riches, it usually harbors ulterior motives.

“Hahaha! Well said!” Ju Shou couldn’t help but burst out laughing, admiration filling his eyes. His opinion of this young man, who bore a striking resemblance to the Emperor, significantly elevated.

Most common vagrants would have been tempted by such an offer, but this youth maintained his composure and refused - a testament to his exceptional character.

He indeed seemed quite astute.

“One fish is enough for me. Time to go now.” Liu Xie had no interest in entangling further with this peculiar individual; he preferred keeping his distance. Picking up a grilled fish, he made to leave.

However, just as he stood, a hand pressed down on his shoulder.

“Young man, don’t rush off yet.” Ju Shou looked at him with a smile and continued, “What if I told you this immense fortune involves making you an emperor?”