Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

In just a few words, Liu Bei laid bare the predicament facing the Great Han Dynasty.

The Han Dynasty was in decline, its prestige gone, and heroes rose in rebellion, ushering in an era of chaos.

Although Dong Zhuo was dead, he had preserved the last shred of dignity for the Han Dynasty, preventing the capital, Luoyang, from being burned and the emperor from being kidnapped to Chang'an, but he still couldn't change the fact that the Great Han had become strong in its branches but weak in its trunk, with its control over the regions nearly nonexistent.

However, these remarks, which exposed the current state of the Great Han, seemed somewhat inappropriate coming from Liu Bei, who was an Imperial Uncle.

The representatives of the various lords and aristocratic families looked in Liu Bei's direction, their thoughts churning.

Since Emperor Guangwu restored the Han Dynasty, the imperial court had been controlled in turn by eunuchs and empress's relatives, and coupled with the fact that the emperors often had no sons, they had to repeatedly choose suitable people from among the Han Dynasty's imperial clan to ascend the throne.

This also led to Yuan Shao wanting to support Liu Yu as the new emperor when Dong Zhuo controlled the imperial court, dividing the entire Great Han in two.

The reason Yuan Shao took this action was precisely because, in the eyes of the world, it was not entirely unacceptable for a member of the Han Dynasty's imperial clan to inherit the throne with a righteous claim.

However, Heaven cannot have two suns, and Liu Yu, having no ambition, was even more aware that if he ascended the throne, the entire Great Han would be completely divided, so he flatly refused.

However, the scene of popular support just now made many people feel that Liu Bei's exposure of the Great Han's shortcomings was perhaps a desire to usurp the throne.

Some subordinates who were only loyal to Liu Bei and had no particular attachment to the Han Dynasty itself couldn't help but feel a stir of emotions at this moment.

Among them, Guo Jia was the quickest to react, secretly leaning towards Xiahou Bo, his eyes constantly scanning Xiahou Bo, making Xiahou Bo's face full of doubt.

"Fengxiao, is there something wrong with me?" Xiahou Bo asked.

"No."

Guo Jia shook his head, somewhat disappointed that he didn't see a dragon robe or anything like that on Xiahou Bo.

If Liu Bei wanted to proclaim himself emperor here as a member of the Han Dynasty's imperial clan, then Xiahou Bo, as Liu Bei's close confidant, might have a dragon robe.

However, Guo Jia calmed down and pondered for a moment, then felt that his guess was a bit too outrageous.

Even if his lord had such ambition, his teacher's wisdom would make him understand that now was not the right time, as it would not only damage his foundation but might even invite a joint attack from the lords.

At this moment, Liu Bei, who was passionately describing the current predicament of the Great Han, really didn't notice the changes in everyone's thoughts.

"...And the Marquis of Guoshi once said that everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world! The Great Han is now facing difficulties, and I, Liu Xuande, may have been just a weaver and sandal seller, rising from humble beginnings in the marketplace, but I also have the desire to support the Han Dynasty and stabilize the world..."

"What I think in my heart, what my ambition points to, there is only one thing, and that is: to make the Great Han great again!"

"To make it shine like a bright sun over the Nine Provinces, to teach the people to live and work in peace, to multiply and thrive, and to protect my Han people from being plundered by foreign tribes!"

These words were not a prepared speech that Li Ji had prepared for Liu Bei in advance; every word and every sentence was what Liu Bei thought.

Of course, it may have been heavily influenced by Li Ji.

However, at this moment, when he said these words to the lords, aristocratic families, and the people, Liu Bei's mind was flashing back to his past.

The ambition he made when he pointed at the mulberry tree as a child, what he heard when he was young about foreign tribes invading, what he learned when he was a youth under Master Lu, and more of what he had seen and heard along the way with Li Ji, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei to the present.

In particular, a sentence that Li Ji once said meaningfully left a deep impression on Liu Bei.

"Lord, the Great Han has exerted its power over the surrounding foreign tribes for hundreds of years, establishing the name of a strong Han on countless corpses, but the foreign tribes have not been exterminated; they are like weeds on the grassland, unable to be cut or burned out..."

"But once the strong Han has a day of decline, then the surrounding foreign tribes will surely swarm like hungry wolves, turning the cowardice and fear of their ancestors into resentment and applying it ferociously to the Han people."

"Therefore, the Great Han cannot perish. If the Great Han perishes, it may not be a matter of changing dynasties, but a disaster of national extinction and racial extermination."

Those words seemed to be said lightly from Li Ji's mouth, but Liu Bei, looking at Li Ji's distant eyes gazing at the night sky, understood that Li Ji was by no means an alarmist, but that the Great Han had this hidden danger.

Especially in recent years, signs have already begun to appear, with the Qiang people, Wuhuan, and Xianbei in the northern border successively plundering on a large scale.

It is still like this now, and if the Great Han really completely declined, countless Han people would inevitably be trampled by the iron hooves of foreign tribes.

Born in Youzhou and raised in Youzhou, Liu Bei knew the cruelty and inhumanity of foreign tribes all too well.

Therefore...

At this moment, Liu Bei's eyes were faintly shining, and as he looked at the countless people below looking at him, what surged up was the lofty ambition to protect the people and revive the Han Dynasty.

'I, Bei, will surely protect the myriad families behind me, even if I have to walk on mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and hold high the banner of Han, step by step to the other shore!'

With this thought, Liu Bei drew out the sword at his waist, raised it high, and shouted.

"I, Liu Xuande, hereby swear to protect the Great Han with all my life's strength, so that the people can live and work in peace. May Heaven and the people bear witness to this oath."

In an instant, it was boiling!

This was an oath made by Liu Bei in front of the people and many lords and aristocratic families, and it was an event that would inevitably be clearly engraved in the history books.

Once Liu Bei's future actions violated this oath, he would inevitably be spurned by future generations and leave behind an eternal infamy.

"What kind of spirit and ambition is this?"

Sima Lang looked at Liu Bei with a look of shock, and murmured, "Isn't Imperial Uncle Liu afraid of violating his oath, bearing endless infamy, and being spurned by the world?"

Compared to Sima Lang's concerns, Sima Yi saw even greater benefits hidden behind it.

With this move, Liu Bei, before violating his oath, would undoubtedly possess unparalleled righteousness, and he would also be an unparalleled monarch who would support the Han Dynasty.

In the eyes of countless people who cherished the Great Han, Liu Bei's prestige and status would be even greater than that of the emperor.

Judging others by himself, Sima Yi felt that after achieving great power by taking advantage of this righteous oath, what would be the harm in violating the oath?

'Liu Xuande, either a benevolent ruler of pure nature, or a treacherous and evil hero...'

Sima Yi's eyes flickered, and the determination that had been somewhat hesitant was completely made at this moment.

Apart from Sima Yi, Zhuge Liang was also staring at Liu Bei's back at this moment, feeling that Liu Bei seemed to be shining under the sun, and his heart was so excited that he couldn't wait to quickly complete his studies and contribute his meager strength to Liu Bei's ambition.

"Such a benevolent ruler is my lord!"

Zhuge Liang murmured.

Apart from Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang, in the more outer areas, a young man who was considered ugly also had burning eyes and whispered.

"Interesting, interesting..." (End of chapter)