The Fake Emperor (1)
One thing was crystal clear: from the emperor's perspective, every single warlord in the land was a rebel. The clique in Chang'an went without saying, but even the mightiest among them, Yuan Shao, refused to acknowledge the current emperor and had plotted to enthrone Liu Yu instead. Cao Cao had stepped forward to serve the emperor too, but his private appointment as Governor of Yan Province and the office bestowed upon him by Yuan Shao were just two of many points that could raise eyebrows at court. In this way, the Han court's authority had plummeted among the warlords.
Yet they all clung to one final line they wouldn't cross: the identity of the Han dynasty itself.
—This is still Han. Overthrow a realm handed down for centuries overnight? And not through reform at court, but by changing the country's name outright? That's treason. Everyone would freak out.
So the warlords eyed each other warily, wondering who would dare commit that "mad act." If they kept propping up the current emperor, wouldn't they end up like Liu Bei, who lost all of Xu Province to Lü Bu in one fell swoop? Wouldn't they have to kowtow to Cao Cao instead, twisting imperial edicts to suit her tastes?
—Infuriating. Yuan Shu just went and founded a new dynasty.
"Hey, bring me some honey water."
The government offices in Shouchun had now become a "palace." In the center of the palace, on the highest seat, lay a middle-aged man who summoned servants with a mere gesture, a satisfied smile on his lips.
"Ahh, this is power."
The middle-aged man, Yuan Shu, gazed at the emperor's crown before him and chuckled repeatedly. Crafted from memory, this crown symbolized his new realm—the Zhong Empire, which he himself had founded.
"Blue Heaven is dead. Yellow Heaven shall stand. The Yellow Turbans only knew the first part and bungled the rest."
Yuan Shu pulled out a brush, inked it, and wrote the character for "huang" on a bamboo slip in response to some query.
"Yellow Heaven isn't for the likes of those Yellow Turban scum—it's the color of my Zhong Empire. Heh heh."
Zhong Empire. China. Yuan Shu repeated the name of his new nation over and over.
"Foolish warlords. Soon they'll learn who the true master of this realm is."
Yuan Shu rose from his seat, sipped the warm honey tea brought by an attendant, and peered outside. Though still within Shouchun's walls, beyond the offices rose the framework of a grand palace he would call home. Emperor's ascension, founding of the empire. He'd dreamed of becoming emperor for ages. But building an ostentatious palace or granting lofty titles to his generals too soon would tip everyone off. So he'd held back, and held back some more. But no longer.
Yuan Shao ascends to Grand General. Cao Cao steps down from Grand General to become Frontline General. The two most powerful posts once held by Grand General He Jin and his immediate subordinates had gone to Yuan Shao and Cao Cao. In truth, Cao Cao had yielded the Grand General post to Yuan Shao to appease the north, but regardless, among the warlords, Yuan Shao now held the mightiest recognized authority.
Yes—Yuan Shao, not Yuan Shu.
"That concubine's whelp, adopted daughter of eunuch stock."
Yuan Shu gripped his teacup, trembling with rage.
"A bastard and a woman occupying a seat they have no right to! What an absurd state of affairs! The rightful eldest son of the great Yuan clan sits here, yet that Yuan Shao dares claim Grand General? The nerve!"
Crash! Yuan Shu hurled the teacup to the floor. Then he threw his arms wide and laughed heartily.
"This is now the world of Yuan Gonglu! History will record it thus: To right the crumbling Han dynasty, Yuan Gonglu founded a new nation! The dawn of this Zhong Empire, to endure a thousand, nay, ten thousand years! Ha ha ha!"
Yuan Shu burst into mad laughter. No one could stop him. He was effectively emperor already, and in Shouchun, none dared speak against him. Anyone who had would have long tasted the emperor's absolute power in full.
"Yes, yes. I must proclaim my ascension to all under heaven. Especially to the north, to Ji Province. Let them hurry down to celebrate their emperor's enthronement and pledge eternal loyalty to this Zhong Empire."
Yuan Shu retreated to his chambers and seized a brush with fervor.
"Yuan Benchu, pay court to the emperor of the Zhong Empire, Yuan Gonglu. Ahh, just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine."
Writing from the emperor's perspective came effortlessly, as if by divine inspiration. Yuan Shu gazed at the finished draft of the imperial edict and laughed again and again.
"Yes. The realm enters the age of Yuan Shu. This nation, China, shall command all under heaven."
Yuan Shu founds "Zhong."
"Yuan Shu's lost his mind."
Liu Biao's head began to throb at the report from the woman before him.
"He actually did it. How dare he call himself emperor when the sovereign of Han still lives?"
"No letter has arrived in Jingzhou yet? He's demanding we rush to Shouchun and pay him court."
"......"
The arrogance was staggering. Yuan Shu was arrogant, but so was the woman before him.
"Did you hear this from Cao Cao?"
"I heard it from her, but a letter arrived directly too. Wan was once part of Nanyang under Yuan Shu's rule, his temporary base. He's not seriously expecting court, but he'll try pulling as many warlords to his side as possible."
"I haven't received any such letter."
"One of two things: it got lost en route, or he doesn't think you need to bother paying court."
Jia Xu pointed to the map of the central plains on the wall.
"In the past, Yuan Shu sent Sun Jian to seize Jingzhou. Do you think he'll give it up now?"
"Hold on. So what you're saying is: since Yuan Shu covets Jingzhou, we shouldn't antagonize those two up north and instead oppose him?"
"Yes, exactly."
Liu Biao bristled at her leisurely demeanor. Her tone and attitude felt like mockery.
"Isn't Yuan Shu a rebel now?"
"A rebel with over two hundred thousand troops."
"They were once Han subjects too. With a knife at their backs, who would want to serve under Yuan Shu?"
"...It was tolerable under Dong Zhuo?"
Even if she held a far higher office than him under Dong Zhuo's abnormal regime, that didn't make it right.
"I respect you. That's why I've tolerated you this far."
Without Dong Zhuo, Liu Biao would have risen high in the capital on his own merits.
"So let's set aside the past and focus on the present."
To him, Jia Xu was a flea hopping from one vulture's back to another for rank.
"You ally with me, then forge a marriage alliance with Cao Cao to the north. Isn't this an insult to me?"
Having his face lost by such a creature irked him deeply.
"Did you come here to buy time? Hm?"
"Not at all. This involves the principle of men and women not mixing ranks. We were on the brink of war but barely pulled back."
"That war... Hah, never mind."
Liu Biao had hoped for conflict between the generals and Cao Cao, but a marriage alliance changed everything. He couldn't very well tell her strategist, "Actually, I wanted you two to fight."
In truth, his snappishness toward Jia Xu was mere petulance because things weren't going his way.
"The alliance with the Changsha forces is off."
"Governor, please reconsider."
"The alliance is dissolved. I understand you're urging me to strike Yuan Shu, but linking arms with Changsha against Cao Cao is like baring our teeth at her needlessly."
Liu Biao laid down the law.
"If Cao Cao learns of this, I won't sit idle."
"Then what will you do? Enter Yuan Shu's service?"
"What?!"
Liu Biao slammed the desk and shot to his feet at her sarcasm.
"I indulge you, and you grow blind! Do you think you're still an official? A woman who climbed high under Dong Zhuo dares mock a provincial governor?!"
"I understand your anger. With Changsha cozying up everywhere, you're in a tough spot—I get it. So let me smooth things over."
"You? Smooth it over?"
"Yes. Do you know how the emperor escaped Chang'an?"
"......"
Liu Biao sank back into his seat. Not overwhelmed by her eerie aura, but compelled to listen.
"Soon I'll head to Heodo as an envoy bridging Changsha and Cao Cao's forces. There, I'll meet the emperor in person."
"And?"
"I'll bring you good news, Governor. Consider it my apology for the trouble."
"......"
Liu Biao closed his eyes tightly.
"If the emperor asks what Jingzhou needs, tell him Liu Biao has two sons."
"Sons... Ah."
Fire kindled in Liu Biao's eyes.
"Yes. Tell him he has two sons of the Liu clan."
"Why are my ears itching like this?"
"Teacher?"
"Nah, just some dog barking somewhere."