Can I get to the other side?

Diao Chan was a little anxious. She was already sure that Lu Bu had been deceived. Otherwise, how could he protect the emperor like this?

As someone who had personal experience of Lu Bu abandoning the emperor and fleeing Chang'an, she knew Lu Bu's character better than Mrs. Yan.

Faced with Lu Bu's warning, she still reminded him: "There is news about the emperor of Xu County recently. Has the general heard about it?"

"What news?" Lu Bu frowned. He was very unhappy when he heard about the fake emperor in Xu County.

In addition, during this period, he was only focused on leading the troops back to Xiapi. He couldn't wait to share the good news with his wife and daughter, and he didn't pay attention to the news from the outside world at all.

Diao Chan made a mental draft in her mind, considered it again, and then said: "A few days ago, the Emperor of Xu County issued an edict, ordering Kong Rong from Beihai to go to Xu County. I heard that Cao Cao wanted Kong Rong to prove his identity for the Emperor."

"Kong Rong is the 20th grandson of Confucius. He initially opposed Dong Zhuo and then went to Beihai to quell the rebellion. He is also a leader in the literary world. His reputation is even greater than that of Yuan Shao."

"If the emperor of Xu County is fake, Cao Cao would not dare to act like this. General, tell me... could it be that the emperor of Xu County is the real dragon, and the one in Yecheng is fake?"

This is the source of Diao Chan's worries.

The emperor of Yecheng granted Lu Bu the title of duke, invited Lu Lingqi to the palace, and even promised him the title of queen and prince.

This is so unrealistic.

When members of aristocratic families marry each other, they are interested in each other's origin and family background, let alone the royal family?

A woman who can become a queen must have a prominent family.

Although Lu Bu had great achievements in killing Dong Zhuo, capturing Yuan Shu, and presenting the jade seal, the fact that he was born in a humble background without the support of a wealthy family cannot be changed. It stands to reason that it is impossible for the emperor to make his daughter his queen.

After a little analysis, we can see that the emperor in Yecheng is trying to win over Lu Bu.

Coupled with the fact that the Emperor of Xu County recently summoned Kong Rong to prove his identity, Diao Chan became more and more suspicious of the Emperor of Yecheng.

"Hmph! Kong Rong? Who the hell is he!" Lu Bu just snorted coldly after hearing this, and said contemptuously: "So what about the twentieth generation grandson of Confucius? In my opinion, he is just a sour and rotten scholar. What qualifications does he have to judge?" The emperor is true!"

"I don't believe in the reputation of the descendants of Confucius. I only believe in what I see with my own eyes!"

"I have personally met the emperor of Yecheng. His appearance is vaguely the same as that of Chang'an, and he is as close to me as ever."

"The man in Xu County is just a false emperor supported by the Cao thief. When I, the general, consolidate the two states of Yangzhou and Xuzhou, I must ask your Majesty for orders to capture Xu County and capture the thief Cao and the false emperor. One more achievement! "

Lu Bu's voice was sonorous and powerful, and after several contacts in Yecheng, he unswervingly believed in his own judgment.

Kong Rong was only a descendant of Confucius, not Confucius himself. And even if he was Confucius, wouldn't he be deceived?

Cao Cao has many tricks at his disposal.

"General..."

Diao Chan saw that Lu Bu was so determined and had no doubt at all. She was obviously fascinated by the queen and the prince.

"That's enough!" Lu Bu raised his hand to interrupt Diao Chan, and warned again with an extremely serious expression: "Don't say these disrespectful words to Your Majesty again! This general doesn't like to hear it."

That is Diao Chan. If anyone else had said such words in front of him, he would have drawn his sword and slashed him!

Diao Chan saw that Lu Bu was very dissatisfied, so she said no more and nodded meekly: "I will remember it."

She was also wondering if she was being suspicious.

When he was in Chang'an, the emperor was very close to Lu Bu.

Now that I have promised the position of queen and prince, perhaps I really have no other thoughts.

Moreover, Lu Bu had seen the Emperor with his own eyes in Yecheng, so he was so determined after he had verified the Emperor's authenticity.

"Has Your Majesty ever said when Qi'er will enter the palace?"

When Lu Bu saw that Diao Chan no longer talked about the real and fake emperor, but instead turned to Lu Lingqi, he immediately smiled and said, "Although your Majesty has never said this, I think the sooner the better. Don't delay. If Qi'er enters the palace as soon as possible, then I can conceive your Majesty’s heir earlier.”

As he spoke, he sighed stupidly: "I didn't expect that our old Lu family would also have a queen, and our grandson would be the future emperor!"

Lu Bu never had the idea or ambition to be an emperor. Although he boasted that his military power was unparalleled in the world, he also knew that he was just a commoner with poor family background. He had neither the ability nor the qualifications to be an emperor.

But now his grandson has this opportunity. If he inherits the throne in the future, then he, Lu Bu, will be more than a glorious ancestor?

The ancestors had to climb out and kowtow to him!

"In that case, I will send someone to find Madam and Qier." After Diao Chan finished speaking, she hurriedly left the wing.

…

Kuaiji County, Taishou Mansion.

Since Yuan Shu's defeat, Sun Ce followed Zhou Yu's advice and withdrew his army to Jiangdong without any direct conflict with Lu Bu's army.

As the saying goes, biting off more than one can chew, half of Yangzhou was enough for him to digest for a long time.

It would not be a wise move to confront Lu Bu, who was currently in the limelight.

According to Zhou Yu's plan, when Lu Bu and Cao Cao fought until both sides were injured, he would send troops to seize the entire Yangzhou in one fell swoop.

Therefore, after returning to Kuaiji, Sun Ce recuperated his strength and paid attention to the situation in Yangzhou.

In the garden of the prefect's mansion under the scorching sun, Sun Ce was holding a spear and sparring with a young man who was also holding a spear.

This young man looks to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. He looks somewhat similar to him. He has bright eyes and a heroic appearance.

In just ten moves, the weapon in the boy's hand was knocked away by Sun Ce, and he was defeated.

"What do you think, are you convinced by Zhongmou?" Sun Ce stood with a gun and said with a smile.

The young man in front of him is his younger brother, Sun Quan.

"I don't accept it!"

Sun Quan's face was filled with anger and resentment. He got up from the ground and glared at Sun Ce: "Brother, your martial arts skills are better than mine, but you still cheat? How can you be so insidious!"

"If you hadn't deliberately hit the tip of my gun just now, forcing me to hold it back, you would have been stabbed by me!"

He felt that Sun Ce did not have martial ethics and was already superior to him in martial arts, yet he actually used such despicable tactics during the battle.

"Zhongmou, don't you like reading? This is called a war that never tires of deceit!"

Sun Ce waved his spear and hit Sun Quan on the head gently.

"This is the same principle as commanding troops to fight. The art of war lies in cunning, change, surprise, and danger. If you follow the rules and act according to common sense, you will definitely be defeated in the end. You have to learn to be flexible."

Listening to Sun Ce's admonishment, Sun Quan nodded in agreement.

He understood that this was his elder brother's experience gained from many years of fighting, and it was something that he could not learn from his teacher.

While the two brothers were talking, the housekeeper came over and said, "Master, the Governor is here and is waiting in the hall."

"Send some good tea, I'll come over right away." Sun Ce's face lit up when he heard Zhou Yu's arrival. Sun Quan looked to the side and said, "Zhongmou, you just came back from Wu Commandery. You haven't met Gong Jin yet, so you came with me."

In the lobby of the Prefect's Mansion, the first time Sun Ce saw Zhou Yu, he took his hands and got close to him.

"Why is Gong Jin free to come here today? He is a rare visitor!"

Zhou Yu usually handles government affairs in the government office.

Or just play the piano and read books at home.

If not invited by him, he would rarely come to the door.

After a few people exchanged pleasantries, Zhou Yu said: "Bo Fu, in addition to coming to visit Zhongmou today, I also have news from Yecheng to tell you."

Sun Ce became interested as soon as he heard this, "What has Yuan Shao done recently?"

Zhou Yu said: "I just got the news that the Emperor of Yecheng issued an edict, ordering Kong Rong to go to Yecheng to have an audience."

"Hahaha." Sun Ce laughed when he heard this. "First, Cao Cao and then Yuan Shao were anxious to prove the authenticity of the emperor. It's a pity that I still relied on Yuan Shu, otherwise I would have made a fake emperor."

When Zhou Yu heard this, the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.

Although there are many benefits to pretending to be an emperor, once the matter is revealed, the consequences will be disastrous. Is it as simple as Sun Ce thought?

Putting aside Yuan Shao and Cao Cao for now, if Sun Ce dares to pretend to be emperor, he will be attacked by the whole world in an instant.

When Sun Ce saw that Zhou Yu was silent, he added: "One of these two emperors must be fake. But why did they dare to issue an edict to let Kong Rong go over to identify him?

Everyone knows that Kong Rong has an upright character. Aren't Yuan Shao or Cao Cao afraid of being discovered? "

Zhou Yu knew Yuan Shao's mentality after a little analysis.

"Cao Cao took the lead in asking Kong Rong to prove his true identity for the emperor. Regardless of whether he was innocent or had hidden methods, Yuan Shao had to follow him, otherwise he would have a guilty conscience."

"However, if the emperor of Xu County is recognized by Kong Rong, he will be able to compete with the one in Yecheng in terms of orthodox status."

"What?" Sun Ce looked puzzled: "Just a confrontation? Didn't he directly rectify the name of the emperor of Xu County? Kong Rong still can't convince the world?"

He didn't quite understand the meaning of Zhou Yu's words.

Kong Rong's personal reputation and the reputation accumulated by the Kong family over the years are all golden signs.

At least for him, if Kong Rong recognized the emperor of Xu County, he would also think that the emperor of Xu County was true and the emperor of Yecheng was false.

"Brother, you think too simply."

Sun Quan on the side shook his head.

"Oh? Why did Zhongmou say this?" When Zhou Yu heard Sun Quan's words, a trace of surprise suddenly flashed in his eyes.

Sun Quan said without hesitation: "Although Kong Rong's reputation is high and the Kong family's heritage is deep, it is absolutely impossible to convince everyone in the world."

"As long as some people believe in Yuan Shao, it will be impossible to make a complete conclusion about the true and false emperor. Anyone who dares to make a conclusion is blatantly supporting Cao Cao and thinking that Yuan Shao is a rebel who pretended to be the emperor."

"But today, who has the confidence to offend Yuan Shao to death? Brother, do you dare?"

Sun Ce's eyes widened and he was speechless.

Does he dare?

Of course he didn't dare.

Yuan Shao occupied the three states and was the overlord of one side.

Without any substantive evidence, they just used Kong Rong's endorsement as a reason to say that the Emperor of Yecheng was fake.

This is undoubtedly trampling on Yuan Shao's reputation and will surely lead to violent revenge.

"That's right, what Zhongmou said is absolutely true!" Zhou Yu laughed and looked at Sun Quan with admiration.

It is undoubtedly very rare for Sun Quan to have such vision and wisdom at his age.

Sun Quan smiled humbly and said, "The Governor has given me too much praise. This young man has only limited knowledge. I still need to learn more from the Governor in the future."

Zhou Yu shook his head, "It's not an exaggeration, there are not many people who can understand this."

As he spoke, he glanced at Sun Ce and said, "Your elder brother wouldn't have thought of this."

Sun Ce didn't feel embarrassed, but looked proud, as if he was proud of Sun Quan.

"Zhongmou is indeed a young tiger from the east of the Yangtze River. He is far more talented and knowledgeable than me. He will become a great talent in the future."

At this time, he had no idea how Sun Quan would treat his children after he died in the future.

Zhou Yu nodded lightly, noncommittal.

"Grand Governor, which one of the emperors of Yecheng and Xu County do you think is the real one and which one is fake?"

Sun Quan asked curiously.

Zhou Yu smiled bitterly and said: "How can I know this? I'm afraid only Cao Cao and Yuan Shao know whether it is true or false."

"But I do hope that the Emperor of Xu County is real. Yuan Shao's threat is too great. After he pacifies the north, he will definitely attack Jiangdong."

The two brothers Sun Ce and Sun Quan deeply believed in this.

If the emperor in Yuan Shao's hands is real, with his own power and Lu Bu, he can really sweep the world.

…

Beihai County.

Today's Beihai has become the focus of the world's attention.

Shortly after the emperor in Xu County sent an envoy to deliver the edict, the emperor in Yecheng also sent an envoy to deliver the edict quickly.

Everyone understood that this was the beginning of a new round of competition between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao over the legitimacy of their respective emperors.

Being recognized by Kong Rong is equivalent to being recognized by more than half of the scholars in the world. It is self-evident how significant this is.

Therefore, everyone is paying attention to the trends in the Prime Minister's Office, wondering what choice Kong Beihai, who is famous all over the world, will make.

Should we go to Xu County or Yecheng?

In the face of various speculations from the outside world, Kong Rong never responded, only claiming to be infected with cold and recuperating at home.

Outside the Prime Minister's Office.

Carriages were parked at the door, completely surrounding the Prime Minister's Mansion. These were all in the name of visiting, but in fact they were the carriages of celebrities who wanted to find out whether Kong Rong would go to Xu County or Yecheng.

But no matter how high the status or fame of the visitor was, they were all blocked outside the mansion. For several days, no one could successfully enter the Prime Minister's Mansion.

The most stubborn among them were the two envoys from Xu County and Yecheng.

They have been squatting outside the Prime Minister's Office, insisting on seeing Kong Rong.

"The Prime Minister has given instructions not to see anyone."

"You two, please go back. Don't make things difficult for me. We really can't enter..."

The steward of the Prime Minister's Office mechanically repeated what Kong Rong told him.

"I invited the best doctor in the county to come over and ask me to take him into the house to diagnose and treat the Prime Minister. He will definitely be cured."

The person who spoke was the envoy sent by the Emperor of Xu County.

Behind him was a doctor and two servants carrying large and small bags of various medicinal materials. They were obviously well prepared.

The butler said expressionlessly: "Angel, please rest assured. The Prime Minister is just infected with the wind and cold. He will be fine after resting for a while."

The envoy from Xu County asked anxiously: "But how long will it take to rest? I have the emperor's edict with me, and I need to hand it over to the prime minister in person."

"Just let me go in and see the Prime Minister."

So far, the emperor's edict is still in his hands.

Kong Rong said that he was ill and stayed at home without seeing anyone. Naturally, the edict could not be handed over to Kong Rong; and if the edict was not obtained, Kong Rong would not be able to go to Xu County to meet the emperor.

If under normal circumstances, the emperor's edict arrives, whether you are seriously ill or about to die, you must accept the edict in person.

Otherwise, it would be a serious crime of disrespecting the emperor.

But before coming, the envoy from Xu County was repeatedly told by the emperor that he must treat Kong Rong with courtesy and not be rude in the slightest.

Therefore, even if he was always rejected by Kong Rong, he did not dare to be disrespectful at all. He could only squat outside the mansion every day, hoping to find an opportunity to enter the mansion to deliver the edict.

Before the butler could answer, a sarcastic voice came from the side: "What kind of edict is that? Does it have the seal of the national jade seal? Without the seal of the national jade seal, you dare to call it the emperor's edict? Prime Minister of the country How can I see you again? Let’s go back to Xu County quickly!”

The person who spoke was the envoy from Yecheng.

Compared to the anxiety of the Xu County envoy, he seemed carefree. He even set up a table next to the carriage, prepared tea, snacks and even letters. At this time, he looked at the Xu County envoy with disdain.

"How dare you insult the emperor!"

The envoy from Xu County was already feeling depressed. After hearing what the envoy from Yecheng said, he immediately became furious. He pointed at his nose and cursed: "Your Majesty has always been in Xu County. He is always accompanied by Yang Gong, Fugong and other close ministers. There are many concubines who can testify that the one in Yecheng is a false emperor!"

"Yuan Shao pretended to be emperor, isn't he afraid of being punished by heaven?"

"Oh, testify?" The envoy from Yecheng sneered, slammed the slip on the table, and faced off with the envoy from Xu County: "Wen Gong Lu Fengxian, and the emperor's uncle Liu Xuande all recognized my majesty. Even the jade seal passed down to the country is in my home. In the hands of His Majesty!"

"What can that false emperor of Xu County do to prove his identity? Who knows if Duke Yang and Duke Fuk were coerced by Cao Cao's thieves!"

"In my opinion, Thief Cao is the one who really has to worry about being punished by God!"

These words made the Xu County envoy furious. He raised his fist and said, "Do you want to test whether my fists and feet are skillful?"

The envoy from Yecheng rolled up his sleeves, took a stance, and said sternly: "My fists are not bad either!"

A group of people around them silently took a few steps back to give the two men room to use their fists.

Seeing that the two envoys were about to take action, the housekeeper quickly went up with his servants to pull them away.

"You two, be patient and don't be impatient. If you have anything to say, please speak it out."

He dared not offend either of these two people.

Who knows which messenger is the real emperor?

"Hmph! Vulgar!"

The envoy from Yecheng put down his sleeves, glared at the envoy from Xu County, sat back again, and ignored him.

The messenger from Xu County looked gloomy and returned to the carriage.

"Tap tap tap——"

At this time, the sound of horse hooves suddenly came.

I saw that the person who came was a young man, seven feet tall, with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, handsome appearance, riding a tall horse, which was quite eye-catching.

The young man got off his horse, walked up to the steward and said, "Is the Prime Minister here? I have something to see you."

The housekeeper said hurriedly: "Please enter the house from me."

After the young man handed over the horse to the servant on the side, he followed the steward into the Prime Minister's Mansion.

This scene immediately shocked both the Yecheng envoy and the Xu County envoy.

Especially the envoy from Xu County asked in disbelief: "Why can he go in? Doesn't the Prime Minister not see anyone? I also want to enter the mansion to see the Prime Minister!"

As he spoke, he was about to force his way into the Prime Minister's Mansion.

The servant who was already on guard quickly stopped him.

At this time, one of the famous people visiting from outside the mansion said: "This person is Taishi Ziyi. He has been a close friend of the Prime Minister for many years. He has also been helpful to the Prime Minister. It is natural for him to visit the mansion."

The envoy from Xu County suddenly became silent after hearing this. He could only get back into the carriage with a depressed expression and continue to wait.

After Taishi Ci followed the housekeeper into the Prime Minister's Mansion, the housekeeper did not take him to the bedroom, but went directly to the study.

"The Prime Minister is inside."

The butler bowed slightly and then turned and left.

Taishi Ci took off his shoes, stepped on the clean and tidy floor, opened the door and walked into the study.

The study room is not big.

Two rows of bookshelves filled with books and bamboo slips, a few paintings and calligraphy hanging on the wall, and a desk were all the furnishings in the study, which looked quite simple.

"Cough cough cough..."

A cough echoed in the study.

Behind the desk, an old man with a somewhat thin face was sitting in front of the desk writing.

Scrolls were scattered on the ground around him.

It made his figure look older and more rickety.

"Meet the Prime Minister."

Taishi Ci took two steps forward and bowed.

This old man is none other than the Prime Minister of Beihai, the leader in today’s literary world—Kong Rong!

"Is Ziyi here?"

Hearing Tai Shici's voice, Kong Rong did not turn around and said without looking back: "Ziyi, please help yourself. The room is a bit messy. Just find a place to sit."

Taishi Ci just stood quietly behind Kong Rong, watching him working on the bamboo slips.

After a long time, Kong Rong stopped writing, breathed a long sigh of relief, and turned his eyes to Tai Shi Ci: "Why are Ziyi here?"

"I heard that the Prime Minister of the State was ill, so I came here to visit him." Tai Shici replied respectfully.

Kong Rong smiled when he heard this: "Ziyi, don't worry, it's just a little cold, it's not a big deal."

"The reason why I claimed to be ill was just because I didn't want to face the two envoys outside... I thought you would have seen them when you entered the house?"

Taishi Ci nodded: "I heard that they have been waiting outside the mansion for several days. Why doesn't the Prime Minister see them? This may damage the reputation of the Prime Minister."

Claiming illness can only escape for a while. If he keeps claiming illness without seeing the two messengers, Kong Rong will inevitably be criticized by others.

Even if one of the two angels is fake, the other is a genuine angel.

"Alas..." Kong Rong sighed and said a little tiredly: "I can't tell whether the two emperors are real or fake now, so I don't dare to go rashly."

"I'm worried that if I go to the fake place first, the traitors will detain me under house arrest and then use my name to deceive the people of the world. In that case, wouldn't I be putting the real emperor at a disadvantage?"

Kong Rong was not afraid of death, nor was he afraid of putting himself in danger.

What he was afraid of was that he would be used by Cao Cao or Yuan Shao.

The other party dares to pretend to be emperor, what else can they not dare to do? This was his real concern, which was why he was reluctant to receive the two envoys.

"Prime Minister, I am willing to escort you to meet the emperor." Tai Shici looked solemn, "If the Prime Minister is detained by traitors, although I cannot protect the Prime Minister's safety, I can still fight my way out of the siege and spread the news on behalf of the Prime Minister. , let the world know the true face of the traitor."

"Ziyi..." Kong Rong was a little moved, "This matter has nothing to do with you, you don't need to put yourself in danger."

The danger of this trip is comparable to that of a dragon's pond and a tiger's den.

Not to mention that Tai Shici was alone, so what if he brought thousands of soldiers and horses?

Once you enter Xu County or Yecheng, it will be as difficult as climbing to the sky to get out.

That's where Cao Cao and Yuan Shao's base camp is!

Even if you wait outside the city without entering the city, you still risk being intercepted.

Cao Cao and Yuan Shao are not kind people.

"The Prime Minister has been kind to me, and my mother has repeatedly warned me that I must repay it; and I am about to take my mother out of Beihai County. Before that, let me do one last thing for the Prime Minister." Tai Shici looked sincere and had a firm gaze. .

Hearing these words, Kong Rong was very moved.

He knew that this was just Tai Shici's excuse.

A few years ago, he was besieged by the Yellow Turban rebels. Taishi Ci risked a breakout to find reinforcements for him, thus repaying his kindness in taking care of his mother.

"Since Ziyi is willing to sacrifice his life to accompany me, I will no longer refuse." Kong Rong stood up, already making a decision in his heart, "I, the Kong family, have been favored by the country in my life. When the emperor is in trouble, I have to think about relieving the emperor's worries."

“Where does Ziyi think I should go first?”

In order to ensure rigor, he would go to either Xu County or Yecheng to meet both emperors and see which one was true and which one was false.

What needs to be considered now is which emperor to see first.

Taishi Ci thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to Xu County first. Xu County is relatively close. After going to Xu County, we can go straight to Jizhou."

"Good." Kong Rong nodded in approval, then walked out of the study and brought Taishi Ci to the door of the Prime Minister's Mansion.

Seeing Kong Rong come out, the people outside the Prime Minister's Mansion were instantly excited.

"Prime Minister! It's the Prime Minister!"

"The Prime Minister is out!"

"Didn't they say that the Prime Minister was recovering from illness? Why did he show up?"

"He must have dragged his sick body out to see us."

"Is he going to reply to the two envoys?"

"I wonder which emperor's edict the Prime Minister will accept."

...

Everyone's eyes turned to Kong Rong, looking forward to his decision.

The envoys of Xu County and Yecheng went to meet him at the first time, and said in unison: "In accordance with the emperor's edict, please ask the Prime Minister to go to Xu County (Yecheng) to meet the emperor!"

As the two spoke, they presented the emperor's edict with both hands.

Looking at the two edicts in front of him, Kong Rong directly took one in each hand and took them all.

The envoys of Xu County and Yecheng were stunned.

The envoy from Xu County could not help but ask: "What does the Prime Minister mean? Why did he accept the edict from the fake emperor?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the envoy from Yecheng angrily scolded him: "Don't talk nonsense in front of the Prime Minister! My edict has the imperial seal, do you have it?"

It was the imperial seal again, and the envoy from Xu County felt extremely aggrieved.

Obviously, the emperor in his place was real, but he didn't have the imperial seal.

Compared with the other party, this edict suddenly seemed to be out of place.

Just when the two were about to quarrel, Kong Rong spoke up.

"You two don't need to argue." Kong Rong held two imperial edicts and said calmly: "I don't know which emperor is real and which is fake, so I will go to Xu County and Yecheng."

"After meeting the two emperors, I will make my own judgment on which one is real and which one is fake."

"Tomorrow morning, I will set out for Xu County and then go to Yecheng."

After that, Kong Rong said no more and turned back to the mansion.

Only the Xu County envoy and the Yecheng envoy looked at each other in bewilderment, and the stunned people were left.

...

The next morning.

Kong Rong, under the protection of Taishi Ci, followed the Xu County envoy's caravan, set out from Beihai County, and embarked on the road to Yingchuan.

This news also spread quickly everywhere.

Yecheng, Yuan Shao's residence.

"Kong Rong, the old man, went to Xu County after all."

After reading the briefing in his hand, Yuan Shao tore it into pieces with a gloomy face.

He pretended to be angry in front of his advisers, but he was actually very surprised.

After all, the emperor of Xu County was real, as long as Kong Rong was not old and confused, he would be able to recognize him.

If he went to Xu County and recognized the real dragon emperor, he would definitely tell the world that the emperor of Xu County was real and the emperor of Yecheng was fake, and Yuan Shao would have an excuse to attack.

But if he came to Yecheng first and saw through the identity of the refugee, Yuan Shao would really have no way to defend himself.

His reputation would fall to the bottom, and he would be greeted by accusations and abuses from the world.

Yuan Shao looked at Ju Su on the side and asked, "How are the preparations for the execution of Yuan Shu going?"

It has been a while since Yuan Shu was thrown into the Tianlao.

The reason why Yuan Shao kept him alive was to find a suitable opportunity to do it so as to accumulate reputation.

Now, as the news that Kong Rong was going to meet the two emperors spread, the opportunity he had been waiting for came.

Executing Yuan Shu would undoubtedly allow him to publicize his reputation as a loyal minister who sacrificed his relatives for the sake of justice.

With the halo of a loyal minister, even if Kong Rong later discovered that the emperor of Yecheng was a fake, he would have more reputation and confidence to confront Kong Rong.

Ju Su replied: "It's all ready. I ordered people to publicize it a few days ago that Yuan Shu will be executed in the northern suburbs today. Now there are many people watching at the execution ground, just waiting for the lord to go over to execute."

As a loyal minister who sacrificed his relatives for the sake of justice, Yuan Shao must personally appear in front of the people and serve as the executioner.

This will maximize the publicity of his reputation of sacrificing his relatives for the sake of justice.

"Well, let's go." Yuan Shao stood up and walked out of the mansion with his hands behind his back, "I will see him off for the last time, and let him fulfill my reputation."

...

Execution ground in the northern suburbs of Yecheng.

At this time, the execution ground was full of people.

There were tens of thousands of people.

"Why are there so many people..."

Liu Xie felt the eager eyes of the people around him, and he was a little excited.

It was the first time for him to show up in front of so many people.

Although there were many people who came to participate in the sacrificial activities before, it was far less than today. This time, it felt like all the people in the city came.

Yuan Shao would never let Liu Xie leave the palace unless it was necessary.

But with the incident of Kong Rong identifying the authenticity of the emperor, he had to pull Liu Xie out for the people to see.

Look at this skin, look at this delicate skin, look at this appearance, who else could it be if not the emperor?

At the same time, Yuan Shao could also show his loyalty to the emperor by executing Yuan Shu, so that the outside world would not accuse him of holding the emperor hostage.

It can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

"Yuan Shao's showmanship is really perfect. After today, who doesn't know that Yuan Benchu ​​is a great loyal minister who killed his relatives for the sake of justice." Liu Xie sighed in his heart.

Looking around, I found many familiar faces.

Shen Pei, Tian Feng, Xu You, Guo Tu, and the two brothers Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang.

Guo Jia stood behind Yuan Shang, looking inconspicuous.

Jia Xu talked and laughed with Yuan Xi, looking very familiar.

Through secret observation, Liu Xie discovered that the two brothers Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang were so close to each other. As a result, most of the day passed without saying a word to each other.

Needless to say, this was Guo Jia's fault.

Now that Jia Xu has joined, the gap between the two brothers will probably become deeper in the future until it finally breaks out.

"I just don't know how Jia Xu can incite Yuan Xi to kill his father?"

Liu Xie looked at Jia Xu who was talking and laughing with Yuan Xi, and secretly thought that this guy's acting skills are also very superb.

Not long after, a burst of noise came.

I saw a group of soldiers separating the crowd, and Yuan Shao came riding a tall horse.

Behind him, there was a prison car holding Yuan Shu.

When the people saw it, they immediately became excited.

"Yuan Shu! What's in the prison car is Yuan Shu, who has arrogantly proclaimed himself emperor!"

"Is this Yuan Shu? Why does he look like this? His sharp mouth and monkey cheeks don't look like an emperor at all."

"Yuan Shu's traitor suddenly pales in comparison in front of the emperor."

"The general personally oversaw the execution of brothers and sisters. Such a righteous act of annihilation of relatives is truly admirable!"

"The general crusaded against Dong Zhuo and brought back the emperor in trouble. Now he has killed his relatives out of righteousness. He is indeed a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty and a model for the world!"

The people who were watching began to talk about it under the influence of someone who was deliberately leading the situation.

Some insulted and ridiculed Yuan Shu, and some praised Yuan Shu for being dwarfed by the emperor, but most of them praised Yuan Shao.

After Yuan Shao escorted the prison car to the entrance, he immediately came to Liu Xie, bowed respectfully, and then said loudly: "Your Majesty, the traitor Yuan Shu has been escorted to the execution ground!"

Liu Xie understood that Yuan Shao's show had already begun, and he only needed to cooperate well.

So he smiled and said according to the pre-determined lines: "Thank you for your hard work, General. Sit down and watch the execution with me."

Yuan Shao shook his head and said loudly on purpose: "Your Majesty, I have an unkind request. I hope your Majesty can allow me to preside over this punishment!"

Liu Xie pretended to be surprised, "General, presiding over the punishment? This is not appropriate, after all, he is your brother. In my opinion, it is better to let others preside over it."

Yuan Shao sighed, his voice extremely sad: "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty. Although this traitor is my brother, he has always had a harmonious relationship with me.

But he was rebellious and arrogant, proclaimed himself emperor, and committed a heinous crime! How can I tolerate this because of brotherly love? Your Majesty, please allow me to preside over this punishment and use the blood of this traitor to wash away the shame of my Yuan family! "

After Yuan Shao finished speaking, he knelt straight on the ground.

Liu Xie was shocked, why didn't you follow the script?

There is no scene in the script where you kneel down.

Mad, you can really act.

Liu Xie admired Yuan Shao a little. In order to perform this scene well, with his arrogant character, he even knelt down to him.

The people watching in the audience were immediately moved when they heard Yuan Shao's loyal words from the bottom of his heart and saw him kneeling down to beg Yuan Shu to behead.

"The general is truly a loyal minister of the great Han Dynasty!"

"Although they are brothers, one is a rebellious minister and the other is loyal. The gap is really huge."

"This traitor has ruined the general's reputation."

"The Yuan family is really unfortunate to have such a scum."

"Fortunately, there are loyal ministers like the general, otherwise the centuries-old reputation of the fourth and third princes of the Yuan family would have been destroyed in the hands of this traitor."

Liu Xie listened to these incited discussions and knew that the heat was almost over. He pretended to be moved and said: "The loyalty of the general can be seen from the sun and the moon, so the general will preside over this punishment and wash away the humiliation of the Yuan family. ”

"Thank you for your grace!" After Yuan Shao thanked him, he turned around and waved his sleeves in front of all the people: "Add the traitor Yuan Shu to the stage!"

Following his order, Yuan Shu was quickly taken to the execution platform.

Yuan Shao looked at Yuan Shu coldly: "Yuan Shu! You have arrogated the title of emperor and acted against the will. Your sin is unforgivable! Do you know how to repent now?"

Yuan Shu knelt on the ground with a dull expression, even though he had not been tortured in prison.

But life in prison is simply a kind of torture for him, a son of a noble family who has been pampered since childhood.

Now he looks extremely haggard, with messy beard and hair, covered in dirt, and almost skinny.

Facing Yuan Shao's questioning, Yuan Shu smiled contemptuously: "I am the emperor!"

"Even if I die today, I will still be the king of the subjugated country!"

"It's not Yuan Benchu ​​who you, this little servant, say is the traitor!"

When death was imminent, Yuan Shu was not afraid at all. When facing Yuan Shao, his words were still full of pride and arrogance.

"What an outrage!" Yuan Shao was furious and said sternly: "I, the fourth and third prince of the Yuan family, have been favored by the Han Dynasty in my life. How could I have such rebellious ministers and traitors like you? After your death, how could you have the face to meet the previous emperors of the Han Dynasty and me, Yuan Shao? Ancestor!"

"Come here, execution!"

After the show, an executioner dressed in red and holding a sword with a ghost head came forward.

Seeing death approaching, Yuan Shu tried his best to shout loudly: "Wait! I have one last request!"

Yuan Shao said coldly: "What request?"

Yuan Shu licked his chapped lips and swallowed: "I... want to drink a bowl of honey water."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was stunned.

Liu Xie's crazily raised corners of his mouth were harder to suppress than AK.

As expected of the Great Honey Water Emperor, he even drank a bowl of honey water before dying.

Yuan Shao also didn't expect that Yuan Shu would make such an outrageous request. He wanted to refuse directly, but when he saw Yuan Shu's miserable appearance in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a little compassion.

After all, it's just a bowl of honey water.

Liu Xie was very good at observing people's expressions and immediately said, "General, he is about to die, so please satisfy his request."

"Your Majesty is merciful." Yuan Shao waved his hand and ordered someone to find honey water.

Not long after, a soldier came with a bowl of honey water.

Yuan Shu drank the honey water carefully, licked his lips greedily and reluctantly, and then took a long breath, no longer reluctant to leave.

"Go!"

The executioner raised his sword.

Yuan Shu raised his head, his eyes swept over the heads of the densely packed people below the stage, over the distant green hills, and looked at the distant sky.

The sky was clear and cloudless.

It was a good day for the dead.

"Swish!"

The sword fell

Blood gushed out.

Yuan Shu's headless body fell to the ground, his head rolled and fell into the dust, and his eyes were no longer bright.

As Yuan Shu's head fell to the ground, the people in the audience cheered and burst into applause.

"Good kill--!"

"I feel sorry for the general. For the sake of loyalty, he had to kill his relatives for the sake of justice."

"The general is really a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty."

Praise and cheers surged towards Yuan Shao like a wave, and he became the focus of the audience.

A loyal minister of the Han Dynasty who killed his relatives for the sake of justice, he deserves the title!

Liu Xie quietly looked at Yuan Shao who was enjoying the attention and cheers of the crowd, and then looked at the head covered with dust on the ground, no one cared about it, and his eyes drooped slightly.

"This is the fate of losers."

The winners enjoy everything, and the losers can only fall into the dust.

So cruel, and so realistic.

He didn't want to be such a loser.

After the cheers of the crowd subsided a little, Yuan Shao walked up to Liu Xie and said, "Your Majesty, the traitor Yuan Shu has been executed!"

Liu Xie hurriedly said, "Okay, okay! The body will be left to the general to deal with. I will return to the palace first."

After saying the last line, Liu Xie boarded the dragon chariot and left the execution ground under the escort of Zhang He, Gao Lan and a group of imperial guards.

"General, how to deal with Yuan Shu's body?" Shen Pei asked.

Yuan Shao took a look at Yuan Shu's body and head, and casually said, "Just find a place outside the city to bury him. There is no need to bury him in the Yuan family's ancestral tomb."

Shen Pei nodded in agreement.

Yuan Shao smiled and waved to the people while thinking about his own thoughts.

"I killed Yuan Shu. This act of killing relatives for the sake of justice is no less than the act of Kong Rong fighting for death with his brother and mother. With this reputation, why should I be afraid of him?"

Yuan Shao is in a good mood now. Kong Rong is famous and prestigious, but he is the same.

Even if Kong Rong discovered that he was pretending to be the emperor, what would happen?

He didn't believe that Kong Rong's words alone could convince the world and destroy his hard-earned reputation!

…

At the same time, far away in Yingchuan, Kong Rong's carriage slowly drove into Xu County.