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

Chapter 28: Holding the Emperor hostage to order the princes

These words are utterly malicious; I beg you to kill him!
Yuan Shu narrowed his eyes, his expression meaningful. He could tell the Lu family's stance just from the fact that Lu Xun had accompanied his adopted son to the banquet today.

However, what he said makes sense. Putting aside the subjective desire to curry favor with the emperor, the matter is fraught with difficulties in practice.

If we had come a few years earlier when Nanyang was still around, the journey from Nanyang to Runan and then to Shouchun in Jiujiang Prefecture would have been unobstructed, leading directly to Luoyang!
But now that Nanyang has been lost, apart from Runan, the surrounding Yingchuan Commandery, Chen Commandery, and Liang State of Yuzhou are also under Cao Cao's control.

The situation in Pei, the last commandery in Yuzhou, is more complicated. The area near Qiao County belongs to Cao Cao; Pei County, also known as Xiaopei, is currently being temporarily given to Lü Bu by Liu Bei to garrison troops; and the area around Qi County belongs to Liu Bei, placing it at a crucial juncture in the struggle between the three parties.

This is also why Yuan Shu dared to lead 3,000 cavalry to Qiao County to bring Xu Chu over, since it was located on the border and small-scale conflicts frequently broke out there.

However, welcoming the emperor now is different. Having lost Nanyang as a bridgehead, he was completely trapped in the south by Liu Biao, Cao Cao, and Liu Bei.

Yuan Yi and Yuan San, along with their eighteen riders, were able to reach Chang'an, but their numbers were still too small. Furthermore, they were acting under the pretext of escorting Liu Yao to the capital for questioning, making them similar to envoys sent by Yuan Shu to Chang'an. Therefore, the other warlords allowed them to pass.

However, if Yuan Shu wanted to travel across the territories of the various warlords to welcome the emperor, it would be too dangerous to bring too few people. Once his whereabouts were revealed, he would surely be surrounded and killed by a large army.

If you bring more troops, with that blazing army pressing in, you'll probably have to conquer cities and territories all the way. But if you can kill your way through all the feudal lords, who will still want to fawn over the emperor?
Don't expect that by raising the banner of welcoming the emperor and restoring the Han dynasty, the feudal lords will not dare to attack you.

Didn't you see Li Jue praising the emperor and denouncing Guo Si as a traitor, yet Guo Si still beat him every day? It was all for the sake of seizing the emperor.

These days, whoever seizes the throne is the one who protects and serves the emperor.

In fact, Yuan Shu wasn't the only one who was blocked outside and unable to reach Luoyang. His neighbor, the big-eared scoundrel, was also blocked from Luoyang by Cao Cao and Yuan Shao.

Otherwise, a few months later, when the emperor in history was starving and had to issue imperial edicts all over the world begging for food, inviting the feudal lords to come to the capital to defend the emperor, the original Yuan Shu had no intention of going.

Liu Biao was inexplicably beaten by Zhang Ji, the newly appointed General of the Cavalry by the emperor, and was too busy fighting to go.
While Yuan Shao was still hesitating, Cao Cao swiftly and decisively took the emperor to Xuchang. By the time Yuan Shao realized what was happening and tried to seize the emperor, it was too late.

But Liu Bei was wholeheartedly devoted to restoring the Han Dynasty. Upon learning of the emperor's current situation, how could he not offer assistance? Yet he did not go to the rescue, and even Xuzhou was blocked, leaving him powerless despite his good intentions.

Recalling the situation of various parties during this historical period, Yuan Shu took a sip of the hangover-relieving honey water, his eyes concealing a sharp edge.

I know the thoughts of all the feudal lords by heart. Can any of the heroes in the world not be used by me?
As he pondered, the atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly oppressive due to the silence.

Seeing Yuan Shu remain silent in his seat, ignoring him and focusing only on drinking honey water, his expression revealing an unpredictable mix of emotions, Lu Xun felt a chill run down his spine.

Seen through?

However, his analysis was based on the truth. Even if the teacher had noticed something, he should have been wary of Zhou Yu and thus seized the opportunity to suppress him.

Zhou Yu and Sun Ce were inseparable. If their teacher showed more dislike for them in daily life, Sun Ce would lose the favor shown to him by his teacher's words, "Your young son is often sick, you should encourage him."

If Yuan Yao hadn't died, and Sun Ce had lost his teacher's favor, how could he, a mere adopted son, compete with the legitimate son?

Once he has protected Yuan Yao for a while longer, his adopted son Sun Ce, who is a thorn in his side, will surely die.

It's not too late to settle the blood feud with the Lu family!
Just as Yuan Shu remained silent, Lu Xun waited patiently, and the assembled officials fell silent, Zhou Yu seemed to ignore Lu Xun's so-called "heart-piercing words." He simply smiled loudly and said:

“What Boyan said, how could I not know it?”

On your journey to Luoyang to welcome the Emperor, you will be surrounded by treacherous and unpredictable dangers as various lords are watching you. As you hold such a heavy responsibility, how can you stand on a precarious wall and risk your life?

However, the emperor, his ministers, and the central government are all located in Luoyang. If we do not seize this opportunity given by Heaven, it will surely be taken advantage of by others!
When Emperor Gaozu launched his eastern campaign against Luoyang, he wore mourning clothes throughout the land in mourning for the death of Emperor Yi, which won the hearts of the feudal lords.

Since the emperor was humiliated by the traitors of the state, Yuan Shao, after forming an alliance to punish Dong Zhuo, always thought of protecting the emperor and serving the king. This was because the situation in Guanzhong was chaotic, and the warlords were fighting each other, so they were unable to save the emperor from danger or prevent the state from collapsing.

Now that I have received the imperial edict, although I cannot go in person, I will still dispatch generals to risk their lives to enter Luoyang. Though I am physically away, my heart remains with the Han dynasty, which is Yuan Gong's long-cherished ambition to restore order to the world.

If we do not flatter the emperor, how can we support the state and avert disaster? If the emperor falls into the hands of Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, who will use him to command the other warlords, we will be at their mercy and regret it too late!

Upon hearing this, Lu Xun felt a strong sense of unease. He thought to himself, "This is no good. This is simply the logic of a robber. Zhou Gongjin is actually threatening and coercing me to save the emperor."
According to Zhou Yu, the issue now is not whether we want to save the emperor or not, nor whether we can save the emperor, but that we have no choice but to save the emperor!

If you don't save him, someone else will. At that time, that person will hold the emperor hostage to command the world. Will the feudal lords obey or not?

If you obey, you will be controlled by others; if you do not obey, you will be a traitor!
However, if the emperor were to be saved, it would be like Emperor Gaozu holding a funeral for Emperor Yi. Regardless of whether the emperor could be saved or not, making such a statement would win the hearts of the people.

However, the journey to Luoyang is fraught with difficulties and dangers, and the outcome is uncertain. The teacher certainly cannot go in person, and Yuan Yaonian is only six years old, so it is impossible for him to represent him in welcoming the emperor.

Therefore, only
Sure enough, Zhou Yu, full of vigor, looked at Sun Ce and said:
"Bo Fu, why don't you share Lord Yuan's burdens!"

The incident happened so suddenly that Sun Ce was clearly taken aback for a moment, but he and Zhou Yu had a long-standing tacit understanding and he quickly reacted. He immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"If there are any difficulties, Ce, I am willing to share the burden with my godfather."

Knowing that the time had come, and that the sky was high and the sea was wide, Sun Ce was ready to go all in. Although he bowed deeply, his sharp edge was fully revealed, and he was generous and heroic!
"With just three thousand men, even the feudal lords would find it difficult to cross; I will go!"
"This mission will surely be to welcome the Emperor back to Shouchun. Even if we fail, though we die on the battlefield, we will ensure the Emperor's safety and will never allow the nation to fall into the hands of others."

He knelt on one knee, bowed twice, and said:
"To fulfill my adoptive father's wishes, I am willing to serve him with utmost loyalty, even unto death!"

At this moment, even Lu Xun, with his composure, was so angry at Zhou Yu and Sun Ce's shameless and reckless cooperation that he wanted to curse.

This thing doesn't argue with him about the feasibility of the plan or how to implement it. It just declares that the plan has to be done regardless of whether it works or not!

Isn't this just being a scoundrel?

He then argued that the matter was dangerous, and although he could not go himself, he could send someone who could represent him.

If Yuan Shu cannot personally attend such an important event as welcoming the emperor, who else besides his adopted son Sun Ce has the authority to represent him?
In broad daylight, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Sun Bofu, how dare you rely on your teacher's favoritism and allow Zhou Gongjin to threaten and coerce you here in order to seek personal gain?

Thief! An Dare!
How could I, Lu Boyan, sit idly by and watch you deceive your teacher?
(End of this chapter)