Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 26 I am the Emperor, I am the Heaven!

Yuan Shu's statement that he had long admired Wang Lang's reputation was not unfounded. After all, in his previous life, Zhuge Liang's verbal abuse of Wang Lang to death was a well-known and widely quoted story.

In fact, Wang Lang was a very capable man. During the Cao Wei period, he first served as Minister of Works and later as Minister of Education, ranking among the Three Dukes and becoming famous throughout the land.

However, what Yuan Shu valued most was his attainments and status in classical studies. Wang Lang and his son Wang Su were both great scholars of classical studies in the Han and Wei dynasties. Later generations even referred to the ideas in Wang Lang's annotations as "Wang Studies".

If such a renowned scholar of classical studies were to take up a teaching post, his subsequent establishment of an academy would surely be twice as effective with half the effort.

As Yuan Shu pondered, Wang Lang, seeing his warm welcome and assistance in freeing him from his bonds, softened his expression slightly, though he still maintained a stern face and coldly questioned him.

"Lord Yuan, whose family has held high office for four generations, is highly respected throughout the land. Why has he raised an army without a cause and invaded our territory?"

"I am the Left General of the Great Han Dynasty, ordered to suppress the rebels and to govern this region on behalf of the Emperor. How can I be without a name?"

"How dare you! How dare you!"

Seeing Yuan Shu brazenly produce that forged imperial edict, Wang Lang was so angry that he couldn't speak for a moment.

He could foresee that if he claimed this was a forged imperial edict, Yuan Shu would surely retort with a question:
[It has the Imperial Seal of the State, and it looks exactly like the Emperor's edict. How do you know that this is a forged edict?]

Did the Emperor tell you? Do you dare to confront me before the Emperor in court?

With the emperor far away in Chang'an, who can confront you?
Wang Lang had never seen such a shameless person before!
Wang Lang was dumbfounded, so angry that he almost lost his balance. Yuan Shu personally helped him up, then laughed heartily and said:
"When the mandate of heaven changes, divine instruments will be replaced, and they will belong to the virtuous; this is the natural order."

Since the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling, the Yellow Turban Rebellion has raged, the world has been in turmoil, the state is in grave danger, and the people are in dire need of help.

My family has held high-ranking positions for four generations, and we should take it upon ourselves to serve the people, sweep away the chaos, and bring order to the world!
The Duke of Zhou spat out his food to welcome guests, and the people's hearts turned to him. His methods were not obtained through power or force, but were truly the mandate of Heaven.

Now I rule the southeast in place of the emperor, and reside in Jiangdong, overlooking the nine provinces. All people are devoted to me, and all directions admire my virtue. Is this not the will of Heaven and the people?
You possess great talent and ambition, so why do you insist on acting against the natural order and human sentiment?
Have you not heard the ancients say: those who follow the will of Heaven prosper, and those who defy it perish?

Although my skills are lacking, I command a formidable army of 800,000 men in the Jianghuai region, with fierce generals as numerous as clouds and strategists as plentiful as rain. Compared to the other lords in the world, they are like fireflies among rotten grass. How can they compare to my bright moon in the sky?

Why don't you, my lord, come and surrender with courtesy, assist in our great undertaking, save the nation from its precarious state, and relieve the people from their dire straits? You will surely be granted a title and honors in the future. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Lang was about to rebuke him angrily, but the more he listened, the stranger his expression became.

There was no other reason than that these words inexplicably aligned with his thoughts and reflections after witnessing the current chaotic world, and were even more mature and sophisticated, as if they were his own words. The more he listened, the more reasonable they seemed, and he couldn't refute them.

"This"

Seeing that Wang Lang was speechless after being persuaded by Yuan Shu's rhetoric of persuading Kongming to surrender, Yuan Shu knew that the time had come and bowed deeply.

"I now wish to appoint the prince as Grand Master of the Palace to advise him on government affairs, and concurrently as a Doctor, so that when the academy is established in the future, he can teach students and nurture talents all over the world."

Wang Lang's gaze towards Yuan Shu changed because of his previous words; it was the look of someone who had seen a like-minded confidant. Otherwise, how would Yuan Shu know what he was thinking?

He bowed in return.

"What you say is absolutely right, sir!"

At this critical juncture for the nation, I wish to assist Your Excellency in acting in accordance with Heaven's will and upholding the nation's interests.

Lang, I am ashamed to accept this.

"Excellent! To have gained both Kuaiji and a great talent is my greatest fortune!"

Yuan Shu led Wang Lang to the left side of the civil officials, and then sought advice from his ministers.

"Of the six commanderies in Jiangdong, only Yuzhang remains. Prefect Hua Xin is still resisting the imperial army and stubbornly refusing to surrender. Do any of you gentlemen have any advice for me?"

Before anyone could answer, as Wang Lang was captured, Yu Fan, who had come along with him, began to play the zither.

"Your Excellency, in accordance with Heaven's will and the Emperor's mandate, has punished the disobedient. All the prefectures of Jiangdong have submitted to you. The only reason Hua Xin dared to occupy Yuzhang and resist Your Excellency was because he relied on the Prince. Now that Kuaiji has been pacified and the Prince has surrendered, how could Hua Xin possibly defend this isolated city and resist the royal army?"
"I am of humble ability, and I have previously tried to persuade the princes and nobles on your behalf, but without success. Now I wish to go again and try to persuade them on your behalf."

The technique allows it.

After Fan left, Hua Xin sent an envoy to welcome Shu, and the entire prefecture surrendered.

Yuan Shu knew that he had served as Minister of Works and Grand Commandant during the Cao Wei period, possessed extraordinary talent, enjoyed great popularity in Yuzhang, and had no ambition to seize power. Therefore, he still appointed him as the Prefect of Yuzhang to win him over.

As expected, when Hua Xin heard that Yuan Shu trusted him so much and still allowed him to govern Yuzhang, he was deeply moved and bowed respectfully, saying:
"Having been entrusted with such trust, I dare not fail to do my utmost to repay Lord Yuan."

October, 195 AD, the second year of Xingping!
From the time he launched his troops southward in the first month of the lunar calendar until Hua Xin surrendered the entire county, it took ten months for Yuan Shu to pacify the six counties of Jiangdong, establish his base in the Jianghuai region, and take a peek at the world!
In November, Yuan Shu returned to Shouchun, where Yan Xiang and his officials welcomed him. On this joyous occasion, Yuan Shu immediately held a grand banquet at Shouchun Palace to celebrate his victory and reward his meritorious officials.

However, amidst the joyous banquet and the clinking of glasses, the sound of galloping hooves suddenly broke through the air, and an urgent report was heard through the palace gates.

The gates of Shouchun City, Shouchun Palace, and the Banquet Hall opened one after another, all for that one urgent report from Chang'an, a memorial to the emperor.

The newcomer seemed to have no strength left to dismount, and almost rolled into the hall. His leather armor was already torn to shreds like tattered rags, and the shocking arrow wound on his left shoulder had pus and blood mixed with dust and congealed into a scab.

"Chang'an is in chaos, and the emperor has fled!"

The hoarse roar startled the crows into flight, and the grand hall of the palace banquet fell silent. This assassin, who had traveled thousands of miles from Chang'an, held aloft the silk scroll bearing the letter "Personally Addressed by Lord Yuan," and staggered along, weathered by wind, frost, rain, and snow.

The trembling of the chime bells and songs in the air abruptly stopped. The wine cup in his hand was lightly thrown to the ground. Yuan Shu rushed forward, took the silk scroll that he was clutching tightly, and loudly gave the order.

"Someone, quick, take him to the doctor."

The man, as if relieved of a great burden, forced himself to kneel down on one knee.

"Master, everything is as you predicted. Yuan San has lived up to your expectations."

"Just you alone? What about the other thing?"

“Yuan Yishang is by his side. He asked me to deliver a message back: I will not fail the master’s trust.”

Yuan Shu's eyes were unpredictable, and he nodded slightly.

"Go and rest. I've taken care of your family."

Several armored soldiers carried the man away. After Yuan Shu returned to his seat, everyone's eyes were fixed on the silk scroll in his hand. They seemed to be stunned by the phrase "Chang'an is in chaos, the emperor has fled," and waited for him to finish reading it.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Yuan Shu opened the letter and saw that it was indeed from Liu Yao, who said that Chang'an was in chaos, the emperor had fled, and asked him to restore the state and protect the emperor.

The letter contained phrases such as, "If I were one of the Three Dukes, you would be the Grand General."

Yuan Shu, well-versed in history, had anticipated this. He sent his henchmen under the pretense of escorting Liu Yao to the capital for questioning. One of his purposes was to obtain detailed information about the chaos in Chang'an and the emperor's escape more quickly and accurately than other warlords, so that he could make arrangements in advance.

The excuses about going to the capital to serve the emperor and becoming a general were merely to deceive Liu Yao, to reassure him, and to achieve another purpose.

It is impossible for me to serve the emperor.

He's the fake emperor of Huainan!
Yuan Shu, Yuan Gonglu!

Clutching the silk scroll in his palm, Yuan Shu's eyes flashed with a disdainful arrogance as he looked down at his ministers.

His lips parted, and he whispered silently.

"I am the emperor, I am the heaven!"

(End of this chapter)