Chapter 35: Yuan Shao's Probe

Liu Xie felt increasingly frustrated as this imposter Emperor.

Hardly had Liu Bei left when another visitor arrived? Can’t a man get some peaceful sleep?!

And to top it off, they didn’t even bother knocking!

Once again, Liu Xie reluctantly rose from his bed, glaring angrily at the newcomer. However…his anger quickly dissipated upon recognizing them.

“Shiyun, what brings you here?”

Seeing who it was, all traces of drowsiness vanished instantly from Liu Xie.

It was none other than Yuan Shao himself!

Yuan Shao did not immediately respond to Liu Xie. Instead, he strode into the palace chambers, glanced around, and then fixed his gaze on Liu Xie.

“Liu Bei just visited, didn’t he?”

Upon hearing this, Liu Xie’s heart skipped a beat, feeling akin to the nervousness one might experience if caught cheating by their spouse.

Without hesitation, he replied, “Shiyun, indeed, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were here moments ago.”

The timing of Yuan Shao’s arrival right after Liu Bei’s departure suggested something ominous - that he likely knew! Choosing to hide the truth now would be courting disaster.

“What did he discuss with you?” Yuan Shao pressed further, scrutinizing Liu Xie with narrowed eyes, exuding an invisible pressure.

Liu Xie lowered his head, palms sweating profusely.

Should I reveal the truth? Did Yuan Shao overhear my conversation with Liu Bei? Is he genuinely unaware or merely testing me?

“Reporting to Shiyun,” Liu Xie quickly responded after a brief moment of thought. His face filled with trepidation, he hesitantly said, “Just now, Liu Bei approached me, claiming that Shiyun disrespects the Emperor and acts against hierarchy. He requested a decree from me so that upon leaving, he could rally various feudal lords against Shiyun and rescue me.”

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao let out a cold laugh, seemingly unsurprised.

His disrespectful behavior towards Liu Xie at today’s banquet was intentional, staged specifically for Liu Bei’s reaction. He wanted to observe how Liu Bei would respond.

And as expected, Liu Bei indeed sought out Liu Xie afterwards.

“Seeking a decree from the Emperor? To gather feudal lords against me?”

“Hmph, how laughable.” Yuan Shao scoffed, filled with disdain.

He knew Liu Bei was not one to settle beneath others, harboring grand ambitions instead. This visit wasn’t merely about borrowing troops.

What Liu Bei truly sought was legitimacy!

A force must have a just cause to attract virtuous talents, expand its army, and garner support from various factions. Without such legitimacy, it could never truly grow strong.

Unfortunately, while his aspirations were commendable, they were futile.

Even the Emperor himself was a mere puppet, a pawn in Yuan Shao’s game.

So what did Liu Bei matter in comparison?

Liu Xie dared not look at Yuan Shao’s expression, as he had intentionally omitted part of his response to Liu Bei - specifically, the portion where he played up his hardships.

Playing victim was a calculated move on his part, and revealing it would only bring harm without any benefit, so he attempted to conceal this detail.

If Yuan Shao didn’t notice, all would be well. If discovered, he could still justify it with minimal impact.

“How did you respond to Liu Bei?” Thankfully, Yuan Shao asked a different question rather than probing for specifics.

“Of course I rejected him!” Liu Xie replied matter-of-factly. “Shiyun’s kindness towards me is immense; you provide for my needs and even grant me such spacious accommodations. How could I betray you? I told him that I am well here and there’s no need for concern. Then, I promptly sent him away.”

Despite lying, Liu Xie showed no signs of guilt or unease. Instead, he appeared composed and confident.

Yuan Shao couldn’t help but laugh, patting Liu Xie on the shoulder. “Excellent work this time,” he said. “Tomorrow, I’ll send over two beauties as a reward. Continue performing well, and there will be more benefits to come.”

Hearing about beautiful women, Liu Xie couldn’t resist swallowing nervously. He slightly bowed, rubbing his hands together with a flattering smile, “Um… Shiyun, may I ask for three instead?”

Caught off guard, Yuan Shao burst out laughing.

Liu Xie hastily added, “Just joking, just joking, please don’t mind, Shiyun. Two would be enough.”

“No! You shall have three!”

Yuan Shao stopped laughing and immediately granted Liu Xie’s request. To him, Liu Xie’s small greed made for the perfect puppet piece on his chessboard. For Yuan Shao, offering three beauties was insignificant; even three hundred would hardly matter.

“Many thanks, Shiyun! Many thanks!” Overjoyed, Liu Xie expressed his gratitude repeatedly.

With a faint smile, Yuan Shao turned and left the bedroom.

Inside, Liu Xie wiped away the obsequious grin from his face, adopting a serious expression as his eyebrows furrowed deeply.

“Is Yuan Shao planning to take action against Liu Bei now?” Liu Xie felt genuinely worried.

By revealing the truth to Yuan Shao, he effectively betrayed Liu Bei, albeit out of necessity to save his own life.

“No, I can’t let this happen. Liu Bei has shown me kindness before. Even if, as historians claim, he was a hypocrite, he still played the role of an honorable gentleman throughout his life. If someday I cannot escape Yuan Shao’s control by myself, falling under Liu Bei’s influence would be far preferable to being controlled by others.”

After much deliberation, Liu Xie decided he needed to act. He quickly dressed, then stealthily slipped out of his chambers.

The nighttime imperial palace was eerily empty and shrouded in darkness. However, having lived there for several months, Liu Xie knew the layout well. Guided by moonlight, he navigated through twists and turns until reaching one of the palace exits.

Having lived here for several months, Liu Xie was well-acquainted with the palace layout. Guided by moonlight, he navigated through twists and turns swiftly, reaching one of the imperial exits.

This area was typically guarded by Zhang He’s troops.

“Your Majesty?” Zhang He, surprised to see Liu Xie approaching so late at night, greeted him cautiously.

Liu Xie pulled Zhang He aside to a corner and whispered urgently, “We have a matter that requires your immediate attention - act swiftly, it must be done quickly!”

Sensing the urgency and seriousness in Liu Xie’s tone, Zhang He felt a chill run down his spine. With a bow, he responded, “Please give me Your Majesty’s instructions!”

“Take this and deliver it to Liu Bei’s residence.” Liu Xie handed Zhang He a folded piece of paper.

“This humble servant shall comply!” Without questioning further, Zhang He accepted the note and hurried away.

Watching Zhang He disappear into the night, Liu Xie’s heart gradually settled. All he could do now was alert Liu Bei through Zhang He, hoping to forge a favorable connection. However, how Liu Bei chose to respond was beyond his control.

“Bearing the burden of being Emperor is arduous; being a counterfeit Emperor even more so.” Liu Xie shook his head and turned back towards his quarters.

After leaving the imperial palace, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei walked back to their residence discussing their next course of action.

“His Majesty is under restraint; he dare not issue any decrees for my assistance.”

“And Yuan Shao refuses to lend us troops.”

“Should we head to Yōuzhou to seek help from Brother Gongsun?”

Liu Bei sighed deeply, feeling truly trapped by their predicament.

This was the bitter reality of lacking support and resources.

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei observed their elder brother’s worried expression, wanting to alleviate his concerns but unable to do so. They could only silently accompany him on either side.

Soon, they approached their residence and spotted a suspicious figure lurking near its entrance, seemingly engaged in some covert activity.