Chapter 34: Imperial Uncle! Our Suffering is Great!

As Zhang Fei’s words echoed through the room, the atmosphere immediately became tense.

It was true that Yuan Shao disrespected the Emperor and treated Liu Xie with contempt. However, stating it outright ripped away the last veil of pretense.

“Yide, you…” Liu Bei felt utterly helpless. He had repeatedly warned Zhang Fei not to speak recklessly, yet he failed to prevent this outburst once again.

His third brother possessed many admirable qualities, but his impulsive nature was a constant concern.

Doesn’t the Emperor care about dignity? How could such words be spoken so casually? At least some tact would have been appreciated!

But now that it was said, there was no taking it back. Liu Bei continued cautiously, “Your Majesty, I had believed Yuan Shao to be a loyal servant of the Han Dynasty. Tonight’s events, however, leave me greatly disappointed.

“May I ask if Your Majesty has been coerced by Yuan Shao?”

Liu Bei needed to ascertain Liu Xie’s current situation and determine if Yuan Shao had become another Dong Zhuo.

In response to Liu Bei’s inquiry, Liu Xie fell silent for a moment before sighing deeply and walking over to sit down on a nearby chair.

“Your Majesty?” Confused, Liu Bei wondered why Liu Xie wasn’t answering. Just as he prepared to press further, Liu Xie raised his hand, covering his face with his sleeve, and began to sob quietly.

“Imperial Uncle, there is much you do not know.” Liu Xie’s eyes were red and teary as he choked back sobs. “Initially, I believed Yuan Shao to be a loyal subject, which led me to endure great hardships escaping from Cao Cao’s grasp to Jizhou, hoping for his assistance.”

“But who knew, who could have known that I merely escaped the wolf’s den only to fall into the tiger’s jaws!”

“He has confined us within this palace, isolating us from the outside world, and even coerced us into appointing him as Great General, granting him absolute power!”

“Trapped deep within these walls, our words are stifled, actions restrained; sometimes, we barely have enough food… Imperial Uncle! Our suffering knows no bounds!”

Overwhelmed by sorrow, Liu Xie embraced Liu Bei and wailed uncontrollably, tears and snot smearing onto Liu Bei’s clothing.

The anguish in Liu Xie’s cries was palpable, evoking sadness and prompting tears from those nearby.

This was the first time Liu Bei had witnessed such distress in the Emperor, clearly indicating the extent of humiliation endured under Yuan Shao’s control. Holding Liu Xie tightly, his expression turned grim, seething with anger inside.

Guan Yu’s eyes flared with fury, flames of wrath nearly bursting forth. “That scoundrel Yuan Shao! How dare he mistreat the Emperor like this! Dage, let me go chop off his head!”

Although Guan Yu had sworn Liu Bei as his dage, his deeply ingrained moral values compelled him to respect this Emperor who addressed Liu Bei as Imperial Uncle.

Witnessing such humiliation inflicted upon the Emperor was intolerable for him.

“Second Brother, stop!” Liu Bei hastily restrained Guan Yu. “Such recklessness will only lead to Your Majesty’s demise.”

Guan Yu understood that if he killed Yuan Shao, dire consequences would befall not only himself but also his brothers and the Emperor. His expression fluctuated wildly before finally settling with a frustrated, angry grunt.

“Yuan Shao, have you truly become just like Dong Zhuo?” Liu Bei sighed mournfully.

Once, when Yuan Shao led the Eighteen Lords against Dong Zhuo, he appeared so spirited and ambitious, earning genuine admiration from Liu Bei at the time. Now, however, Yuan Shao seemed increasingly mirroring Dong Zhuo’s ways.

“Your Majesty has endured much suffering,” Liu Bei said, filled with self-reproach. “It is my failure; I could not rescue Your Majesty from here, forced instead to witness such indignities helplessly.”

“Imperial Uncle, please don’t say that!” Liu Xie wiped away his tears, touched by Liu Bei’s words. “Knowing your loyalty is enough for me! The Han Dynasty still holds hope, as long as we have devoted ministers like Imperial Uncle!”

Feeling the weight of Liu Xie’s unwavering trust, Liu Bei was deeply moved and earnestly declared, “Your Majesty! Please grant me a decree. Tomorrow, I will leave Yecheng to rally the lords across the land for your rescue!”

With an imperial edict in hand, Liu Bei would have legitimate grounds to raise troops and gather support from other factions, enabling him to challenge Yuan Shao!

However, upon hearing this, Liu Xie’s expression drastically changed, and he repeatedly waved his hands, saying, “No, no! We cannot allow it; we must not agree to such a request!”

“Why not?” Zhang Fei, growing anxious, asked impatiently. “Without Your Majesty’s decree, where can we muster soldiers? Can’t you just magically make them appear?”

Even someone as impulsive as Zhang Fei understood the importance of having a righteous cause.

In simpler terms, they needed a valid pretext to recruit troops. Without it, on what basis could they enlist soldiers? Who would know if they were rebels? Why would anyone join their ranks? Local powers certainly wouldn’t support them either.

Without troops or backing from regional forces, forming a formidable army would be impossible. Even if they managed to recruit soldiers, securing provisions alone would pose a monumental challenge.

Guan Yu added, “Rest assured, Your Majesty. We three brothers have previously campaigned against Dong Zhuo, and my elder brother is of imperial lineage, unlike Yuan Shao.”

“Should you grant Dage authority with your decree, we will surely gather sufficient forces to rescue Your Majesty!”

“A mere Yuan Shao holds no fear for us brothers!”

Guan Yu held little regard for Yuan Shao; his only hero was his own elder brother, Liu Bei.

“I understand…” Still, Liu Xie shook his head, visibly troubled. “It’s not that I don’t want to, but truly, I cannot afford it.”

Liu Bei pressed further, “Why does Your Majesty say so?”

Without concealing his concerns, Liu Xie replied candidly, “If Yuan Shao learns that we issued such a decree, our lives would be at grave risk.”

Hearing this reason, Liu Bei could not argue, as it reflected the harsh reality. Liu Xie remained under Yuan Shao’s control, constantly facing imminent danger.

Discovering secret decrees calling upon regional lords to aid the Emperor would undoubtedly provoke severe consequences from Yuan Shao. Even if it didn’t lead to death, the outcome would still be dire.

“Wahhh! This can’t be done, neither can that - then what should we do?” Zhang Fei exclaimed, clearly agitated and frustrated. “This is utterly suffocating!”

Liu Xie looked remorseful and said, “We are like fish on the chopping block, powerless against those wielding the knife. Our hands are tied by circumstances.”

Liu Bei noticed Liu Xie’s distress and offered reassurance. “Your Majesty need not blame yourself; I understand your predicament well. Please rest assured, I will find another way to help you.”

“One day, Your Majesty, we shall surely secure your freedom!” His words resonated with unwavering determination.

Deeply moved, Liu Xie, eyes reddening, clutched Liu Bei’s hand as he sobbed, “Imperial Uncle, we trust you wholeheartedly. You must take care of yourself too. You are our last hope.”

Liu Bei nodded firmly before leaving with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

Once they were out of sight beyond the palace quarters, Liu Xie hastily wiped his face, quickly regaining his composure. Not a trace of his previous anguish or vulnerability remained.

“I’m unsure what kind of person Liu Bei truly is, but it’s worth a shot. By playing the victim, at least I can try my luck. If there are benefits, great; if not, no harm done.”

To elicit sympathy from Liu Bei, Liu Xie had pulled out all the stops, even forcing himself to tear up convincingly.

While uncertain how effective this display would be, whether Liu Bei would genuinely assist him later, or if it might incite hostility towards Yuan Shao, these outcomes were beyond his control.

After all, human intentions are unpredictable. It was hard to discern if Liu Bei was indeed a loyal servant of the Han Dynasty or the hypocritical villain some scholars portrayed him as.

Casually shrugging off the garment draped over his shoulders, Liu Xie prepared for sleep.

Just then, the door to his chambers abruptly swung open.