Chapter 79: The Liu Family's Traditions Prove Highly Effective

After the banquet concluded, everyone dispersed.

Since Jia Xu had just arrived in Yecheng and lacked accommodations, Yuan Shao invited him to rest at his residence.

Meanwhile, Guo Jia headed straight for the imperial palace after leaving the feast.

Although access to the palace was restricted at night, with Zhang He and Gao Luan commanding the imperial guards, Guo Jia faced no limitations on entering or exiting.

Naturally, he had to avoid drawing attention from Yuan Shao.

Upon reaching the palace, Guo Jia approached Liu Xie’s sleeping quarters, knocked gently, and whispered, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you asleep?”

Receiving no response, Guo Jia increased the volume of his knocks.

Several moments later, a light flickered inside, and a drowsy Liu Xie, half-dressed, opened the door, clearly showing signs of sleepiness.

“Fengxiao, what brings you here so late?”

Relieved, Guo Jia sighed, “I’m glad Your Majesty isn’t asleep yet.”

Liu Xie raised an eyebrow but resisted the urge to sarcastically retort, instead welcoming Guo Jia inside.

To facilitate private meetings conveniently, he never allowed eunuchs to serve in his sleeping quarters at night. Only imperial guards were stationed nearby, ensuring they wouldn’t be seen by outsiders.

“Why has Fengxiao come for a visit this late?” Liu Xie asked, stifling a yawn.

Liu Xie yawned and asked, “Yes, although we barely had a chance to speak before Yuan Shao arrived and took him away.” While Liu Xie did want to discuss matters with Guo Jia, he hadn’t expected it to be this late at night; his head was nodding drowsily.

Wasting no time, Guo Jia got straight to the point, “Your Majesty, I heard that Jia Xu came to the palace today to meet you?”

At the mention of Jia Xu, Liu Xie perked up slightly and nodded, responding, “Correct, but we hardly exchanged words before Yuan Shao showed up and whisked him away. Fengxiao, do you know him? Why would he suddenly come to Yecheng?”

Confused about the situation, Liu Xie decided it was more straightforward to ask Guo Jia directly, saving himself the mental effort—after all, even if he pondered it, he wouldn’t likely figure it out on his own.

Guo Jia proceeded to explain Zhang Xiu’s defection to Yuan Shu and recounted his observations from tonight’s banquet at the Yuan Manor. ”…Jia Xu came to Yecheng for self-preservation. Being a wise man, he won’t follow Zhang Xiu to certain doom under Yuan Shu. Although after Yuan Shu’s inevitable defeat, Zhang Xiu might return to Liang Province, during tonight’s feast, Jia Xu expressed his willingness to join Yuan Shao’s ranks.”

“With such a person around, my future actions must be even more cautious, lest he discerns our intentions,” Guo Jia said, his expression somewhat grave.

Until now, Guo Jia had been leveraging his low profile within Yuan Shao’s camp to incite conflict between Yuan Shao’s two sons, orchestrating his plans silently from behind the scenes.

His next step was to involve Yuan Shao’s eldest son in this sibling rivalry. However, he hadn’t yet taken action when Jia Xu unexpectedly arrived.

This forced him to reassess the feasibility of his plan. If Jia Xu discerned any hints of his machinations, exposing Guo Jia would be minor; the crucial concern was implicating Liu Xie.

Such an outcome could never be forgiven, no matter how many deaths it warranted.

Liu Xie also felt uneasy upon hearing this and cautiously suggested, “Fengxiao, perhaps we should put our plans on hold for now. Safety should be our priority.”

Although eager to escape Yuan Shao’s control, Liu Xie did not wish any harm upon Guo Jia. After all, Guo Jia was the only person wholeheartedly devoted to Liu Xie since his transmigration, surpassing even Zhang He and Gao Luan in loyalty.

Worst-case scenario, he could endure being a puppet emperor. If Yuan Shao unified the land, at least Liu Xie could share some benefits. At that point, Yuan Shao himself would have the strongest incentive to ensure Liu Xie’s safety.

At most, after unification, there might be a ceremonial abdication, allowing Liu Xie to live comfortably under close surveillance as a wealthy noble in the capital.

“Rest assured, Your Majesty, I am aware of the risks,” replied Guo Jia, moved by Liu Xie’s concern.

Sensing Liu Xie’s genuine concern, Guo Jia was deeply moved and continued, “Although Jia Xu possesses exceptional intellect, he is emotionally detached and self-serving. In my opinion, there may be a possibility to sway him to our side.”

“Yuan Shao highly values Jia Xu. If we could win him over as Your Majesty’s ally, working alongside me in strategizing, it would greatly benefit Your Majesty. Together, we could expedite the process of seizing Yuan Shao’s empire.”

Gaining Yuan Shao’s trust and esteem wouldn’t be easy for Liu Xie.

However, Jia Xu could achieve this effortlessly.

Thus, their combined efforts would significantly accelerate the plan to usurp Yuan Shao’s power. Currently, Liu Xie lacked strong allies badly.

Hearing this, Liu Xie responded, “Should We attempt to test his intentions then? If possible, let us try to sway him.”

“I just don’t know what he desires; whether he can indeed be persuaded. Fengxiao, do you have any suggestions?”

Typically, swaying someone relies on three main factors: reputation, profit, or righteousness.

Guo Jia himself was somewhat unique, resembling both the ‘Black-Clothed Chancellor’ of the Ming Dynasty yet not entirely so. His ultimate goal was to await the time when Liu Xie regained full authority, aiming to open avenues for talented scholars from humble backgrounds to rise, akin to crossing the Dragon Gate. This aspiration represented a pursuit of ideals, a form of greater righteousness.

What did Jia Xu truly desire? Was he merely focused on self-preservation?

“No,” Guo Jia shook his head, his expression grave as he responded to Liu Xie’s suggestion. “Approaching Jia Xu directly carries too great a risk for Your Majesty.”

“Allow me to handle this instead. As for how to win him over and whether it’s even possible, I need some time to interact with him and assess the situation.”

Before fully understanding Jia Xu’s character, Guo Jia dared not take any chances by involving Liu Xie directly. One misstep could lead to complete failure.

“All right, we trust your judgment.” Liu Xie nodded firmly, then once again drawing upon the Liu family’s traditional skill, he grasped Guo Jia’s hand, tears welling up in his eyes as he choked back sobs. “Fengxiao, thank heavens you’re here; otherwise, we wouldn’t know what to do.”

Liu Xie felt that his acting skills were improving significantly. At will, he could summon tears effortlessly. Could this be the power of bloodline?

Upon hearing these words, Guo Jia’s demeanor instantly turned serious, and he solemnly replied, “Easing Your Majesty’s burdens is my duty as a subject.”

“It’s getting late, Your Majesty should rest well. Please allow me to take my leave now.”

In genuine sincerity, Liu Xie suggested, “Considering the hour, why don’t you stay overnight in our imperial quarters? We can share a bed, ruler and minister alike, just like…”

Guo Jia was taken aback. The supreme Emperor himself wanted to sleep side by side with him! A blazing fire seemed to ignite within his chest.

Bowing deeply, his voice trembled, “Absolutely not, Your Majesty! With Your Imperial presence, how dare I presume such familiarity! I shall depart immediately.”

Watching Guo Jia’s retreating figure, Liu Xie wore a satisfied smile.

This tactic proved incredibly effective. The Liu family tradition held immense sway over their subjects.

The day after Jia Xu arrived in Yecheng, Yuan Shao demonstrated his high regard for him to all.

First, he bestowed upon Jia Xu a grand residence located in the city’s most prosperous district, along with dozens of carriages filled with wealth and over a hundred servants. Then, Yuan Shao submitted a memorial to the Emperor, promoting Jia Xu to Grand Master of Ceremonies—a direct elevation from Doctor of Light Court, officially ranking among the Nine Ministers.

This level of treatment was unprecedented among Yuan Shao’s advisors.

To avoid suspicion, despite having control over the Emperor and issuing decrees at will, Yuan Shao had only elevated himself to Great General and Grand Marshal. He refrained from granting prominent positions to his generals or advisors, opting merely to confer noble titles on them.

But now, he directly promoted Jia Xu to Grand Master of Ceremonies!

This position held significantly more prestige than that of Doctor of Light Court. Since Jia Xu received his previous title under Dong Zhuo, who was deemed a traitor, few acknowledged any ranks or titles conferred by him. However, Yuan Shao was not a traitor but rather a staunch loyalist, making the appointment granted by the Emperor through his memorandum genuinely authoritative.

Jia Xu swiftly became the new esteemed strategist within Yuan Shao’s inner circle.