Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Therefore, Emperor Xiaoling had only two sons, one was Liu Xie, and the other was the current emperor Liu Bian.

Since Emperor Liu Bian's wedding, surprisingly, he has imposed no restrictions on Liu Xie, continuing to allow him to reside daily in the secluded palace. Liu Bian struggled with this, knowing full well that this move was unreasonable and would undoubtedly be met with disapproval from many court officials. Yet, whenever he gazed upon the empty harem, a strange sense of melancholy welled up within him. Chang'an had recently settled, and the harem was sparsely populated. Recalling the Luoyang Rebellion, Emperor Ling's concubines had long since been displaced and their whereabouts were unknown, and even Empress Dowager He had passed away. Within this vast palace, Liu Bian often felt lonely and helpless. He reflected that, despite his status as an emperor, how many people could he truly trust? This reflection made him feel that some tolerance for Liu Xie was justified.

Although Liu Xie had been crowned emperor by Dong Zhuo, Liu Bian knew he was little more than a puppet at the mercy of his master. Liu Bian often recalled those turbulent years, realizing that his two brothers were mere pawns in the power struggle. He reflected that his current position on the throne might seem glorious, but in reality, it was a precarious situation. And Liu Xie, sharing the same bloodline, was also struggling in these turbulent times. In today's world, there were only a few people close to Liu Bian, and that was his brother. Liu Bian always felt that those who approached him, or those who came to him for support, harbored ulterior motives. He sighed inwardly: the human heart is unpredictable, and only family affection can bring a touch of warmth in this cold arena of power.

Emperor Liu Bian possessed exceptional intelligence from a young age, yet he always sought to conceal his talents and weaknesses. Having grown up alongside Emperor Xiaoling, he witnessed his various strategies and wisdom. He knew that in this complex situation, a single misstep could spell disaster. He often recalled his father's teachings, advising him to assess the situation and refrain from rash actions. It's no exaggeration to say that the only person he could confide in was his brother, Liu Xie, the former puppet emperor. Now without the support of extended family or the respect of the powerful aristocratic families, Liu Xie posed little threat to Emperor Liu Bian. Within Chang'an, Liu Xie was a shadowy figure. Liu Bian thought, why not be more generous, so that he can fulfill the brotherhood and gain a good reputation as a brother who is friendly and respectful to his younger brother and does not hold grudges? In this way, he can also establish the image of a benevolent monarch in this turbulent situation, and perhaps win more support for himself.

No matter how brilliant Liu Bian might be, or how adept he was at understanding others' thoughts, he was still only a teenager. In the depths of the palace, the loneliness of being alone often followed him like a shadow, leaving him feeling a deep sense of discomfort and anxiety. In the quiet of night, as he lay alone on his couch, gazing at the cold palace dome, he felt a surge of loneliness and confusion. He would think back to the past, the days when he was manipulated like a pawn, the moments when he felt powerless. Throughout these long years, he longed for someone to confide in, for true warmth.

For Liu Bian, Liu Xie posed no threat, and this very fact gave him true peace of mind. Liu Bian knew only too well the brutality of the struggle for power, forcing him to remain vigilant at all times. But facing Liu Xie, he saw only a helpless child, a relative who faced a similarly tragic fate in these turbulent times. Liu Bian thought to himself that with a little caution, he could control the situation. This would avoid drawing excessive criticism from the court officials while also demonstrating his benevolence and magnanimity. Why not? Liu Bian pondered this silently, feeling a sense of relief at his decision. In these uncertain times, he needed more than just power; he also needed the precious bond and trust of his family. And Liu Xie might be the lifeline he could cling to in this complex game of power.

Because of this, Liu Bian was also happy to maintain this situation, allowing the brotherhood to bloom with a ray of warm light in this cold palace.

Gongsun Zan's daughter, however, showed no regard for Liu Xie. She seemed preoccupied with her own emotions and opinions, completely oblivious to Liu Xie's presence, and even without a thought to save Liu Bian's face. She angrily and harshly vented her frustrations at Liu Bian, then stormed off without a second thought. Liu Xie observed all this, and a surge of indignation welled up within him. Turning to his brother, Liu Bian, his words tinged with urgency and indignation, he declared, "Brother, you are the Son of Heaven. How can you tolerate Gongsun's disrespect? Her actions clearly show a disregard for you. If such an arrogant person is not severely punished, she will only become more reckless and undermine your dignity." Liu Xie's eyes revealed his concern and protection for his brother. He believed that as the Son of Heaven, he could not tolerate such an offense. At this time, Liu Xie, though still young, had his own assessment of the situation and knew that his only chance of survival was absolute loyalty to his brother. He expected Liu Bian to take decisive action to set things right and safeguard the emperor's dignity and authority.

Liu Bian seemed to have a bitter smile on his face, but that smile also had some complex meanings. In fact, it was an expression that seemed to be indifferent to Gongsun's anger. He said with a slight flaw: "Brother, what do you think I should do? Punish her severely, order her to not leave the palace, and even demote her rank, and ask the Gongsun family to give me an explanation?" As he said, Liu Bian laughed unconsciously. Liu Bian shook his head slightly, and then said: "Brother, you are still too naive. In fact, what Gongsun said is right. Gongsun Zan has indeed contributed a lot to our current status and situation. Look at the people we can use around us now, how many people do we have? Since Master Lu led me to escape to Youzhou, if it were not for Gongsun Zan's main force, how could we have formed such a situation now? Look at the forces around us now. The power we control is half of the troops left to us by Gongsun Zan, and half of it is the three brothers Liu, Guan and Zhang. Then, in the court, it all depends on Lu Zhi to maintain stability, to keep the government orders smooth, and the government harmonious. . But little brother, have you seen a problem? Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei are brothers, and their master is Mr. Lu Zhi. Ma Chao, who is giving us a headache now, is also a disciple of the Lu family. If you think about it carefully, the strength we have now is inextricably linked to Lu Zhi and Gongsun Zan. Gongsun has his own confidence to be so domineering, and now big brother really doesn’t dare to do anything to him. "Liu Bian's eyes revealed helplessness and worry. He knew that although he was the emperor, he had to act cautiously in this complicated situation and could not easily offend the forces of Gongsun Zan's side. He sighed lightly and continued: "It's not that I don't want to establish the majesty of the emperor, but the situation is pressing now, and I have to weigh the pros and cons. If we act rashly against the Gongsun family, it may trigger a chain reaction, making our already difficult situation even worse. My dear brother, you must understand that in this chess game of power, we must be cautious in every step and not act on impulse. "

After hearing this, Liu Xie's face was filled with anger. He said anxiously, "So we can just watch her act so arrogantly and do nothing? In the future, won't she have absolute control over my harem? How can we tolerate this?"

At this time, Liu Bian smiled bitterly and said slowly: "Little brother, you are still too immature. This is why I did not make her the queen. It is because she is a concubine that she is dissatisfied with this status, which will prompt Gongsun Zan to support us more and make Gongsun Zan work for us without hesitation. It is precisely because of the temptation of being the queen that Gongsun Zan will do his best. If she is directly made the queen now, not to mention the chaos in the harem, Gongsun Zan will become the father-in-law of the country. He will be complacent and will start to interfere in all aspects of government affairs. By then, the military generals will be headed by Gongsun Zan, and the civil officials will be headed by "With Gongsun Zan's mentor, Mr. Lu Zhi, at the helm, what say do you and I have left? So what's the difference between you and me being held hostage by Dong Zhuo? I'm marrying Gongsun as my consort to give Gongsun Zan a sweet treat, but if the opportunity arises, I'll marry the daughter of a warlord. I'll find another partner, and let her family compete with the Gongsun family, preventing Gongsun Zan from dominating. Only in this way can we maintain our footing in this complex situation and find a glimmer of hope." Liu Bian's eyes revealed determination and wisdom. He knew that in this treacherous power struggle, he had to be cautious in his planning to maintain his position.

Liu Xie frowned slightly after hearing this, as if lost in thought. He seemed to understand some of it, but the complexities involved were too complex to fully comprehend. After much deliberation, Liu Xie decided to stop dwelling on it and turned to Liu Bian, saying, "Then, big brother, you should take charge of everything." Liu Xie's tone was filled with trust and reliance on his brother.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bian's face lit up with a confident smile. He said, "Little brother, just watch as I, your elder brother, toyed with them like a charm." With that, Liu Bian laughed with a hint of arrogance, a smile filled with confidence in his own strategy. Liu Xie also acted innocently, like an innocent teenager, and laughed along. At this moment, the brothers' laughter echoed throughout the palace. However, behind this laughter, countless political calculations and complex political struggles were hidden.

Liu Bian gently put his arm around Liu Xie's shoulders and said in a low voice, "Brother, I need you to cooperate with me in a play. I will do this and that... and I will use this move to win Zhao Yun's heart in one fell swoop. Zhao Zilong is extremely brave and has the talent to command troops. I must capture this man." There was a gleam of determination in Liu Bian's eyes, as if he had already seen the future in which Zhao Yun would be used by him.

Liu Xie nodded repeatedly, his eyes revealing admiration for his brother's strategy. He knew that in this volatile situation, every decision his brother made was crucial. And being able to share his brother's worries and participate in this strategic plan made Liu Xie feel that he was not useless. He secretly resolved to follow his brother's instructions, perform this drama well, and contribute his own strength to his brother's great cause.