The frail counselor you said, you fight against three heroes alone?

Xi Yu watched Liu Bei and Guan Yu acting in front of him, his heart burning with anger, and the flames seemed to burn his sanity to ashes.

However, his years of cunning made him suppress his anger, and he still appeared gentle on the surface.

He narrowed his eyes slightly and said calmly, "Let Guan Yu go back to the prison first. I am also tired and need a good rest."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly signaled his men to take Guan Yu to prison.

Looking at Guan Yu's back as he was taken away, a complex emotion flashed in Liu Bei's eyes.

Afterwards, he quickly arranged the guest rooms and prepared to entertain Xi Yu well.

Xi Yu walked towards the guest room surrounded by servants. Along the way, he seemed to be observing the surrounding environment casually, but he was thinking about his next plan in his mind.

He knew that Liu Bei and Guan Yu were not good people, and today's scene was just a small test for them. And he would never let them succeed.

In the guest room, Xi Yu sat quietly on the chair, tapping the table lightly with his fingers.

He was thinking about how to deal with the conspiracy of Liu Bei and Guan Yu.

The news that Xi Yu had arrived at the palace spread quickly to every corner like a dandelion in the wind.

The servants in the palace were discussing privately, and the focus of their conversation was on how Xi Yu would deal with the Guan Yu matter.

Some servants were whispering to each other, speculating in low voices.

"How do you think the Prime Minister will deal with General Guan?"

In the corridors and courtyards of the imperial palace, the servants' chattering could be heard one after another, like a group of restless sparrows.

Liu Bei knew very well that Xi Yu was surrounded by secret guards and his every word and action might be monitored. Any carelessness would lead to unpredictable consequences.

He had to be careful and consider every step he took and every word he said.

In this precarious situation, Liu Bei felt tremendous pressure, but he also understood that for the sake of his great cause, he had to keep his footing.

After Guan Yu returned to the cell, he sat cross-legged and closed his eyes in deep thought. He was also thinking about what to do next.

As the night deepened, the palace was shrouded in silence.

Xi Yu was preparing to rest in the guest room. The fatigue of the day made him long for a peaceful sleep.

However, at this moment, there was a slight knock on the door.

Xi Yu frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "Come in."

The door slowly opened, and a young eunuch walked in cautiously with his head lowered. He said respectfully, "Prime Minister, Lord Liu has prepared a few women to sleep with you. I hope you will accept them."

The palace maids sent by Liu Bei to serve him in bed each had their own charming looks.

One of them had skin as white as snow and eyes like deep lake water.

Another palace maid had a delicate face and eyebrows as dark as distant ink.

There was another palace maid who was very pretty. She had a small and delicate face, with slightly red cheeks, like a ripe apple.

When Xi Yu heard this, he was immediately furious. A trace of disgust flashed in his eyes, and he thought: How could Liu Bei have such a dirty mind?
He suppressed his anger and said coldly: "Let them all get out!"

The young eunuch was so frightened that he trembled all over and quickly replied, "Yes, I will pass the message on right away."

Having said that, he hurried out.

Xi Yu sat on the chair, his anger in his heart could not be calmed for a long time. He was already dissatisfied with Liu Bei and Guan Yu's acting, and now Liu Bei made such a move, which made him deeply doubt Liu Bei's character.

He secretly made up his mind to teach Liu Bei a lesson and let him know that he was not so easy to fool.

On the other side, Liu Bei couldn't help but feel nervous when he learned of Xi Yu's reaction.

He realized that his action might be inappropriate, but things had come to this point and he could only think of other ways to save the situation.

In this dark night, everyone is thinking about their own interests and future.

Several palace maids returned to their residence dejectedly, with dissatisfaction surging in their hearts like a tide.

One of them frowned slightly, and said with resentment in his tone: "Humph, I thought I could climb up to the prime minister's high branch and escape from this dull and boring life, but who could have thought that I would be rejected so ruthlessly."

Another pretty maid sighed, her eyes full of disappointment: "We dressed up carefully and had high hopes, but ended up like this. This prime minister is really unpredictable."

A clever maid nearby bit her lip and analyzed, "Perhaps the Prime Minister doesn't like this arrangement, or perhaps we are not outstanding enough. But how many opportunities like this can we have in this palace?"

Several people were talking to each other, complaining about the unfairness of fate. Their dreams were shattered at this moment, leaving only endless melancholy and confusion, spreading in this cold residence.

The maid who spoke first had a gleam of resentment in her eyes: "The same goes for Lord Liu Bei. How could he send us here so carelessly without considering the Prime Minister's preferences?"

Another maid shook her head helplessly: "We are just floating duckweed in this palace, and our fate is controlled by others. I thought I could seize a chance to change my fate this time, but I didn't expect it to be a false alarm."

Several people fell into silence. They knew in their hearts that their future was full of uncertainty in this treacherous palace. But despite this, they still had a glimmer of hope in their hearts, longing to one day get rid of this helpless fate and find a place of their own.

Xi Yu was lying on the bed. It should have been a peaceful night, but at this moment he had no desire to sleep.

He tossed and turned, his mind full of thoughts. When he thought of Liu Bei's actions, he became furious.

However, after a while, he suddenly smiled.

The smile seemed somewhat mysterious in the darkness, as if a cunning fox had found its prey.

Xi Yu thought to himself: Humph, Liu Bei, do you think you can succeed so easily like this? I have come up with a brilliant idea.

He couldn't wait to see the next day's morning court and see Liu Bei's panic-stricken expression.

He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down and fall asleep so that he could gather his energy for the next day's challenges.

But various images kept appearing in his mind, making him unable to calm down.

The moonlight sprinkled on the ground like a piece of silver frost.

Prince Fang's Palace, the former royal palace of the State of Fang, still exudes an ancient and solemn atmosphere.

The towering palace buildings and exquisitely carved beams and painted rafters all speak of the glory of the past.

The custom of holding early morning court sessions has been preserved here.

Xiyu got up early in the morning.

His face was stern, like an inviolable mountain.

He called his attendant and ordered, "Go and inform Liu Bei that I will attend the morning court today."

The attendant took the order and left.

Liu Bei was sitting in his study, holding a book in his hands, but his mind was a little wandering.

At this time, a servant came hurriedly to report that Prime Minister Xi Yu was going to attend the morning court.

When Liu Bei heard this, he was stunned and almost dropped the scroll in his hand to the ground.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Could it be that Xi Yu was going to deal with Guan Yu's matter at the morning court?
But since the prime minister wants to attend the morning court, I can't refuse.

The atmosphere in the palace was solemn.

The ministers stood on both sides, quietly waiting for the morning court to begin.

Liu Bei had always been sitting in the chair at the front, but today he announced that the prime minister would come to attend. The ministers were all surprised and whispered to each other about this sudden change.

After a while, Xi Yu arrived. He walked with the gait of a dragon and a tiger, with a majestic look on his face.

Everyone hurriedly bowed, Liu Bei smiled and stood up, holding out his hand and saying, "Prime Minister, please take a seat quickly. Today, the main seat should be occupied by the Prime Minister."

Xi Yu sat down, his expression solemn, and said slowly: "I came here because I received Liu Bei's letter. I never expected Guan Yu to do such a beastly thing."

His voice echoed in the court, carrying a bit of anger and disappointment.

After hearing this, the ministers looked at each other, but dared not say a word. Some of them lowered their heads, their eyes flickering, as if they were thinking about how to deal with this embarrassing situation; some of them pursed their lips, frowned, and looked worried; and some of them secretly raised their eyes to observe the expressions of Liu Bei and Xi Yu, not daring to breathe.

The entire court fell into deathly silence. Only Xi Yu's words seemed to still echo in the air, making everyone feel breathless.

Liu Bei secretly guessed that Xi Yu would definitely ask for everyone's opinions next. His influence in Fang County has been very strong recently, and everyone will definitely support him and let Guan Yu stay in prison.

He was secretly calculating in his mind, but his face remained expressionless. His eyes seemed calm, but in fact they contained hidden ulterior motives.

When Xi Yu saw that everyone was silent, he sneered in his heart.

He thought to himself: "What a bunch of cowards, none of them dare to say a word." But he still maintained a serious expression on his face.

So he proposed: "Guan Yu's crimes are extremely serious, it would be better to just give him the death penalty." His voice was cold and resolute, as if this was a foregone conclusion.

Next, everyone was shocked to hear Xi Yu say that he would sentence Guan Yu to death directly.

The ministers raised their heads which had been lowered suddenly, their eyes widened, their mouths slightly opened, their faces full of disbelief.

Liu Bei became immediately panicked, his face turned pale in an instant, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

His clenched fists loosened unconsciously, his body trembled slightly, and his voice became trembling: "This... This is not allowed!"

Then he knelt down and said with tears in his eyes: "Prime Minister, although Guan Yu is guilty, his crime does not deserve the death penalty!"

Liu Bei slammed his knees heavily on the ground, his eyes full of pleading.

Xi Yu shook his head and said firmly: "If an ordinary person made such a mistake, it would not be punishable by death, but Guan Yu must not make such a mistake. I have a special affection for Guan Yu, and he should set an example. Now that he has made such a big mistake, if he is not severely punished, how can we uphold the law and convince the people?"

Many ministers thought: "Liu Bei originally wanted to use this method to keep Guan Yu, but he didn't expect it to backfire. Xi Yu actually wanted to kill Guan Yu. Liu Bei must have been dumbfounded."

They muttered to themselves in their hearts, but their eyes kept moving around, observing the reactions of Liu Bei and Xi Yu.

Some ministers gloated over the misfortune, secretly rejoicing in their hearts: "Let Liu Bei be clever, now it's good, let's see how he ends up."

However, on the surface, they still looked solemn, without any expression, and still stood there respectfully, as if everything had nothing to do with them.

Xi Yu's eyes were like torches, his expression was majestic, and he said loudly: "My orders must not be changed!"

His voice echoed in the empty court with unquestionable determination.

Liu Bei regretted it so much that his intestines turned green. His face was full of regret and despair. He kowtowed again and begged for mercy: "Prime Minister, please show some leniency and spare Guan Yu!"

Xi Yu deliberately asked: "Liu Bei, since you don't want Guan Yu to die, can you die for him?"

Liu Bei was stunned, his mouth slightly open, his eyes full of panic, and he was unable to answer.

At this time, Xi Yu mocked again: "Humph, I thought you three sworn brothers in Peach Garden were so loyal and affectionate, but I didn't expect that you couldn't even die for each other." The corners of his mouth raised with a hint of contempt.

When Liu Bei heard this, his face turned red and he felt even more ashamed. He wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

The wind blew quietly, causing the curtains of the palace to flutter gently, as if adding a hint of coolness to the tense atmosphere.

Liu Bei never expected that Xi Yu would use this trick on him. What should he do now?

He then glanced at the other ministers, his eyes full of help and expectation, but the ministers all lowered their heads, avoiding his gaze, not daring to meet his gaze.

Xi Yu said with a cold face: "It's useless for anyone to plead for mercy." His voice seemed to be filled with frost, which lowered the temperature of the entire court.

Liu Bei already regretted it, but he couldn't say it out loud. His face turned ashen, his teeth were clenched, and veins on his forehead bulged.

Xi Yu then said: "At three quarters past noon today, behead Guan Yu in public to serve as a warning to others. Didn't the humiliated palace maid commit suicide? This will also comfort the palace maid's soul in heaven." There was no trace of pity in his eyes, only cold determination.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the court was extremely depressing, as if even the air had frozen.

When Liu Bei heard Xi Yu's decision, his body trembled violently and he almost collapsed to the ground.

His lips trembled, and he wanted to say something, but in the end he just let out a weak sigh.

At this moment, an old minister finally mustered up the courage to stand up. He cupped his hands and said, "Prime Minister, do you need to reconsider this matter? After all, General Guan has made great military achievements and has made many contributions to the country."

Xi Yu glanced at him and snorted coldly: "Merits are merits, faults are faults. If we don't punish him severely this time, how can we correct the discipline in the future?"

The old minister shook his head helplessly and returned to the queue.

Liu Bei's eyes became empty and lifeless. He stared blankly ahead, his heart filled with despair and self-blame.

He regretted his plan and put Guan Yu in such a desperate situation.

Then, Xi Yu smiled and praised loudly: "Liu Bei, you killed your own relatives for the sake of justice. Guan Yu made a mistake, but you did not cover it up. This is worthy of praise!"

His words echoed in the court, but to Liu Bei, they sounded like sharp sarcasm.

Liu Bei felt very uncomfortable, as if he had eaten shit. His face was terribly gloomy, and he cursed in his heart: "What kind of praise is this? It's simply pushing me to a dead end!"

But on the surface, he still had to pretend to be grateful, and said through gritted teeth: "Thank you for the compliment, Prime Minister."

The atmosphere in the court at this moment was extremely weird, and everyone's thoughts were hidden beneath their seemingly calm faces.

Next, Xi Yu said expressionlessly: "Hurry up and prepare a delicious meal for Guan Yu. It will be his last meal before execution, and I will personally supervise the execution."

After saying this, he flicked his sleeves, turned around and announced: "I am leaving the court, and we can discuss other matters later."

When Liu Bei heard this, he staggered and almost fell.

The ministers also had different expressions, some looked reluctant, while others were secretly glad.

After Xi Yu left, a burst of whispers suddenly broke out in the court.

Someone whispered, "What should we do? Is General Guan really going to die?"

Someone else echoed: "Oh, who could have thought it would end like this."

Liu Bei stood there in a daze, his heart in turmoil, not knowing what to do.

At this time, the sunlight was blocked by dark clouds, and the court seemed increasingly dark and depressing.

Xiyu quickly returned to the guest room.

He sat down on the chair and couldn't help laughing. His laughter echoed in the room: "Haha, I just want to defeat Liu Bei and see what he can do."

His face was full of pride and his eyes were cunning.

But after laughing, his brows gradually frowned, and he muttered to himself: "The next problem is that it is impossible for me to kill Guan Yu, but how will it end if I give such an order?"

He stood up, put his hands behind his back, and kept thinking of a strategy in his mind.

But then he told himself that he was worrying too much.

He patted his forehead lightly and said to himself, "I am really confused. When the time comes, Liu Bei will definitely tell the truth in order to save Guan Yu's life."

A confident smile reappeared on his face, and he felt much more relaxed.

But in the court, Liu Bei burst into tears. His cry was so grief-stricken that he collapsed to the ground and had no interest in state affairs at all.

He cried and waved his hands, shouting for everyone to leave the court immediately!
Some ministers hoped that Liu Bei could tell the truth. They looked anxious and hesitated to speak.

But such words could not be said, because everyone knew about Guan Yu's affairs.

The entire court was filled with a depressing and helpless atmosphere.

After a while, everyone left, and only Liu Bei was left in the empty court, still crying.

His cries echoed in the silent hall, sounding particularly desolate.

Tears flowed from his eyes like a flood, and his shoulders trembled violently, as if he wanted to vent all the pain in his heart.

Until a few young eunuchs came over cautiously to remind him, their faces full of fear and anxiety.

"Mr. Liu, don't be too sad." The young eunuchs said softly.

Liu Bei seemed not to hear it and was still immersed in his own sorrow.

The young eunuchs had no choice but to exchange glances with each other, then stepped forward, gently helped Liu Bei up, and brought him into the room.

The room was filled with a dull atmosphere. Liu Bei lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, tears still flowing. (End of this chapter)