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

Chapter 73 Xiahou Dun, how dare you betray your master for personal gain?

"Ziyang, look, who is this person?"

The newcomer was eight feet tall, with a tiger-like body and a bear-like waist. Although his left eye was blind, his right eye was wide open and radiating a sharp light. He faced Yuan Shu directly without fear, like a fierce god.

Upon seeing this person, Liu Ye was utterly horrified!
With such a heroic appearance, how could he not recognize him?

If it wasn't Xiahou Yuanrang, then who was it?
But how is that possible?

"Liu Ziyang, do you still want to confront me?"

A confrontation?

Liu Ye was overwhelmed with mixed feelings, his thoughts swirling and chaotic. He stood there, speechless.

Xiahou Dun is already standing here, what's the point of further confrontation?

His correspondence with Cao Cao's camp was extremely confidential, and no one else knew about it except for a few of Cao Cao's confidants. How could Yuan Gonglu have seen through it at a glance without any reason?
And Xiahou Dun happened to be one of Cao Cao's confidants.

Liu Ye felt dizzy and couldn't believe it.

He had heard that Xiahou Dun had been trapped in Yuan's camp during the last battle of Yangdi and his fate was unknown, but he never expected it!

Xiahou Dun, Cao Cao's closest brother, with whom he had grown up together and followed him since the beginning of his rebellion, had betrayed him and defected to Yuan Shao, even leaking Cao Cao's camp secrets.

If even Xiahou Dun could betray Cao Cao, who else in Cao Cao's camp wouldn't betray him?

If Yuan Shu had the intelligence leaked by Xiahou Dun, and was fully aware of everything happening in Cao Cao's camp, what schemes or tricks could he possibly use to deceive him?
Just like my own journey, I planned and schemed a thousand times, but as soon as we met, Yuan Shu exposed my identity as a spy. How could I possibly accomplish anything under such circumstances?

"What business does Lord Yuan have with me?"

Xiahou Dun, not understanding the meaning behind this, asked in a cold voice.

He wasn't afraid of death or clinging to life; firstly, Yuan's camp had been keeping a close watch on him, preventing him from seeking death.

Secondly, after the initial impulsiveness subsided, Yuan Shu treated him with considerable kindness.

Even if he didn't have good wine and meat, at least he wasn't short of anything. Treating a prisoner like this was more than enough, and Xiahou Dun was grateful for his kindness.

Since Yuan Shu neither humiliated him nor forced him to surrender, nor made him leak secrets or do anything harmful to Cao Cao's camp, and he was simply eating and drinking there, Xiahou Dun was not in a hurry to die.

At this time, he was summoned by Yuan Shu. Although he did not understand the meaning of the summons, he was ready to receive it at any time.

If Lord Yuan were to ask him to do something harmful to Cao Cao's camp, Xiahou Yuanrang would never be afraid of death!
In response to Xiahou Dun's question, Yuan Shu chuckled and pointed to a person.

"He is Liu Ziyang from Huainan. Does Yuanrang still remember him?"
Now everyone in Shouchun knows that he is a loyal and virtuous man of the Yuan family, and he has even taken my eldest son as his student. Therefore, the Yuan family specially sent him here to offer me a strategy to defeat Cao Cao.

Because I do not believe his strategies and am suspicious of him, he just said he wanted to find someone to confront in court, so I summoned Yuan to come.”

Xiahou Dun was utterly horrified upon hearing this! Liu Ziyang had actually betrayed him and defected to Yuan?

He was close to Cao Cao and knew that Liu Ye had corresponded with Cao Cao's camp to discuss Liu Xun's defection to Cao Cao.

But he never expected that the two of them would meet in Yuan's camp.

Indeed, Yuan Shu is now very powerful, and even I have been captured. My lord is in grave danger. Who wouldn't want to find another way out?
Liu Ziyang's talent is so great that even the lord and Xi Zhicai have praised him highly. If he really offers Yuan Gonglu a plan to defeat Cao Cao, wouldn't the lord be in danger?
I'm sorry, Mr. Yuan!

Although you have been very kind to me, I am working for my master, so how can I sit idly by?

At this moment, the lifeless Xiahou Dun seemed to come back to life. He, who had been living a life of idleness, seemed to have discovered a way to save the country from peril, a way to serve his lord even while in Yuan's camp.

Before Yuan Shu could finish speaking, he interrupted.

"Lord Yuan must not be easily fooled by his schemes!"

Xiahou Dun narrowed his one eye, staring intently at Liu Ye, this "traitor," his gaze burning with deep hatred.

You treacherous scoundrel, how dare you betray your master for personal gain?

If you take Yuan Shu's eldest son as your student, the Yuan family has probably already arranged a bright future and wealth for you.

Then let me, Xiahou Yuanrang, personally ruin your future and wealth on behalf of my lord, so that you traitors will serve as a warning to others!
Of course, he wouldn't just believe Yuan Shu's side of the story, but now that Liu Ye was right beside him, and he himself hadn't refuted what Yuan Shu said, how could it be false?

As for Liu Ye? Of course, he couldn't refute it. Xiahou Dun had already revealed his secrets and was now confronting him in court. What could he possibly say in response?

The key point is that everything Yuan Shu said was true, something that everyone in Shouchun knew and that everyone present had witnessed. So what room did he have to refute it?
Then, Xiahou Dun stepped forward and spoke out for justice, glaring at Liu Ye with a face full of loyalty and righteousness.

"This fickle and despicable man, Yuanrang, please kill him!"
Liu Ziyang is a liaison between Liu Xun and Cao Cao's camp. He often advises my lord. Now that he has come to offer a plan, it must be false. He must be treacherous and want to harm Lord Yuan!

Yuan Gong should not trust this man's strategies and should think carefully. Although he is exceptionally talented, if he is not put to use, he will become a hindrance. What difference is there between keeping him and not keeping him?
"It would be better to kill him on the spot as a warning to others, thus demonstrating Yuan Gong's authority throughout the land!"

His words were filled with murderous intent. Xiahou Dun thought fiercely, "How can I let you be used by Yuan Shu?"
You traitorous scoundrel! I, Xiahou Yuanrang, swear today to rid my lord of this villain!

Upon hearing Xiahou Dun's words, Liu Ye no longer harbored any illusions and angrily rebuked him.

"You treacherous scoundrel, how dare you harm me like this?"

"Traitorous scoundrel, how dare you utter such words!"

Xiahou Dun sneered inwardly, thinking to himself that he had humbled himself to serve the traitor for the sake of his lord's great cause, like someone who had endured hardship and humiliation. How could he be compared to a traitor like Xiahou Dun?
"You betrayed your master for personal gain! Now you, a despicable man, have brought me harm, and I have nothing to say."

Liu Ye thought to himself, "I went deep into the enemy camp for the sake of the lord's great cause. You traitorous villain, how dare you speak ill of me?"

(End of this chapter)