Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The atmosphere at the banquet was unusually solemn, a sense of oppression hanging heavy like a thick, dark cloud. Though everyone managed to drink a few more glasses of wine, they were all distracted, their thoughts diverging. The emperor, forcing himself to offer words of comfort, managed to offer Liu Bei some words of comfort. Though gentle, his words couldn't conceal a subtle worry, a worry that lurked beneath the surface of a calm lake, leaving one feeling a sense of unease. As the sky darkened, dusk descended like a vast, dark blue curtain. Liu Bei was consumed by doubts, which entwined themselves like vines, unsettling him. After much deliberation, he decided it was time to linger, and so he rose to take his leave. The emperor made no move to entice him, having already delivered what he had wanted to say and his elaborate performance. He sent the others off with gentle words, his words shimmering with meaning yet elusive, leaving one to ponder their implications.

After Liu Bei and his brothers left, Liu Xie's face was full of anxiety, and that anxiety was like a burning flame. He couldn't wait to say: "Brother, why did you do this today?" Liu Bian sighed slightly, and that sigh was full of helplessness and worry. He said slowly: "Gongsun Zan treated Liu Bei and his two brothers with great courtesy and always helped them. Gongsun Zan was very kind to Liu Bei. Now the two of them are nominally brothers, but in fact the three Liu Bei brothers are more like Gongsun Zan's generals. Now, we all rely on Gongsun Zan to stabilize the government. But if you look closely, Gongsun Zan's domineering behavior and his various actions now must be guarded against. It can even be said that with Gongsun Zan's mindset, the position of a father-in-law and relative of the emperor may not be able to satisfy the endless desires in his heart. This man is ambitious. If he is not guarded against, he may become a big trouble in the future." Liu Bian frowned, his eyes full of worry and calculation, and continued: "But I also want to use him. On the one hand, I want to use Liu Bei and his brothers to break up Gongsun Zan's influence, so that the relationship between them will no longer be as close as before. Secondly, I also want to use the three brothers Liu, Guan, and Zhang for my own purposes. Let's not talk about Liu Bei, who is quite cunning and difficult to predict. But Guan and Zhang are both loyal and courageous, and they are exactly what we need right now. If they continue to get along harmoniously with Gongsun Zan, how can we take advantage of them? We must find a way to create discord between them and use them for our own benefit." After hearing this, Liu Xie nodded slightly and said thoughtfully, "Brother, you are absolutely right. Gongsun Zan's power is growing day by day. If it is not checked and balanced, it will become a serious threat in the future. But we must proceed with caution and not rush into anything, lest we alert Gongsun Zan." Liu Bian nodded slightly and said, "I naturally understand the difficulty of this matter and we need to take the long view. But we cannot sit idly by and wait for death. We must take the initiative and look for opportunities."

Liu Bian said, "Brother, do you think that brother Liu Bei will believe what I said today?" Liu Bian pondered for a moment, and then said slowly, "Generals Guan and Zhang are both loyal and righteous people, so they will certainly believe it. But Liu Bei is a man of meticulous mind, calm and collected in everything. In addition, he has a close relationship with Gongsun Zan, so it may be difficult to get him to believe it completely for a while." Liu Xie looked puzzled and said, "Then what you did today was in vain, wasn't it?" Liu Bian smiled lightly, with a hint of mystery in his smile, and said, "Brother, I have a backup plan. Otherwise, why did I perform the scene with General Zhao Zilong in front of me today?" Liu Xie couldn't figure it out for a moment, and said blankly, "What do you mean, brother?" Liu Xie's face was puzzled, and his eyes were full of confusion.

Liu Bian said with a hint of pride: "Brother Liu Bei served under Gongsun Zan, and the two of them had a close personal relationship. Zhao Zilong was also a general under Gongsun Zan, and I had seen them interacting very closely before. I think if Liu Bei had any doubts, he would definitely ask General Zilong. And General Zilong has been accepted as my subordinate today, and I have won his heart. He will definitely tell me the story of the imperial concubine's domineering behavior. Now that General Zilong serves me, there will be a little bit of bias in his words. It is the same for us, and there will be a little bit of our own subjective opinions. Thoughts, that's enough. As a general under Gongsun Zan, yet he still speaks like this, how could Liu Bei not believe it? "After hearing this, Liu Xie suddenly realized, his eyes filled with admiration, and he said to Liu Bian, "Big brother, your scheming is so profound, I can't even begin to catch up. I never thought that everything you do is so profound, so interconnected, so tightly knit. Big brother, your scheming is so profound, I can't even try to match it." Upon hearing this, Liu Bian laughed out loud, a hearty and confident laugh, filled with the pleasure of a successful strategy. He raised his chin slightly, his eyes gleaming with wisdom, as if everything was under control. Liu Xie looked at his brother with a mixture of admiration and fear. His brother was so scheming, he dared not even have the slightest selfish motive, lest his brother take action against him.

After Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei left, the doubt on Liu Bei's face lingered like a thick cloud, his inner thoughts never pausing. Zhang Fei continued to chatter, "Brother, second brother, Gongsun Zan, such a majestic man, actually raised such a daughter. It's truly disheartening. The Emperor values ​​us so much, yet he refuses to suffer such humiliation. I wish I could kill this treacherous concubine and show the Emperor his magnanimity." Guan Yu, also somewhat indignant, frowned slightly and said, "Alas, the human heart is unpredictable. The Empress Dowager dares to act so arrogantly. I believe it must be the result of General Gongsun's indulgence. Seeing General Gongsun acting so devotedly for the country and the people, I didn't expect him to have such a heart. As expected, power can lead to self-destruction. I'm afraid General Gongsun doesn't have much respect for the Emperor."

After listening to the conversation between the two, Liu Bei interrupted them and said, "My two dear brothers, please don't say that. I don't think Bogui would do that. The emperor may be too suspicious." Zhang Fei said, "Brother, what you said makes sense. If Gongsun Zan hadn't supported his daughter, would his daughter dare to be so domineering?" Guan Yu also said, "Brother, this is not impossible. If so, what should we brothers do?" Liu Bei said firmly, "If Gongsun Bogui really has two hearts, I, Liu Bei, will certainly not tolerate him for the sake of my country and the people of the world. I must fight him." Guan Yu and Zhang Fei also said, "The three of us brothers live and die together." Liu Bei shook the hands of his two brothers and said, "Good brothers, you are all my good brothers." Then, Liu Bei expressed his doubts, "But I think your majesty is exaggerating, right?" Liu Bei narrowed his eyes slightly and fell into deeper thought.

Liu Bei pondered for a long time, his brow furrowed, his expression grave. He slowly said, "We need to consult Zilong on this matter. Zilong has been on duty at the palace, and he must have heard about the discord between Your Majesty and the Imperial Concubine." Zhang Fei snorted, "Hmph, Zhao Zilong doesn't recognize our past friendship now. How can we possibly be friends?" Guan Yu shook his head slightly and said, "Yide, Zilong and I have known each other for many years, and you know his character. I'm sure he has some unspoken ulterior motive. Don't make such a hasty decision." Liu Bei sighed and said, "Ah, forget it. The three of us brothers will go visit Zilong right now. First, to inquire about Your Majesty and the Imperial Concubine, and second, to understand why he's been so cold to us this time. I don't believe he's such a heartless and ungrateful person." Liu Bei's eyes shone with determination and expectation, as if he firmly believed he could get the answer from Zhao Yun. Guan Yu nodded slightly, his expression calm. Although Zhang Fei was still dissatisfied, he said no more, but his face still showed some confusion and unwillingness.

The three brothers arrived at Zhao Yun's residence. Zhao Yun, still remorseful for his earlier indifference to Liu Bei and his brothers, sat there with a gloomy expression, filled with resignation. After all, he had now pledged his loyalty to the emperor, and Liu Bei and his brothers were deeply attached to Gongsun Zan. If he became too close, the emperor would inevitably question his loyalty. Zhao Yun, reflecting on this, felt a pang of sorrow, a wave of unease. Zhao Yun, who disliked alcohol to begin with, drank alone tonight, trying to drown his sorrows.

The arrival of the three brothers surprised Zhao Yun with a touch of joy. He hurriedly stood up, walked quickly to the door, and welcomed the three into the mansion. Zhao Yun's emotion was sincere and warm, like a close friend reunited after a long separation. His eyes sparkled with excitement, and his words were full of joy. "Three brothers, what brings you here? Please come in, please come in." As he spoke, he busied himself arranging seats for the three and serving tea and water, showing his attentiveness.

Before Liu Bei could speak, Zhang Fei spoke with a hint of anger, "Zhao Zilong, today in the palace, you and my brother were so cold, but now you're so warm. Such a sudden change, from arrogant at first to respectful later, is truly remarkable." Zhang Fei's eyes widened, his face filled with anger, as if he was about to start an argument. He folded his arms over his chest, raised his chin slightly, and continued, "I, Zhang, hate people like you who change their ways. What exactly is the reason for your actions today? Have you forgotten your old friends just because you have a new master?" Zhang Fei's tone was filled with questioning and dissatisfaction, clearly angered by Zhao Yun's change of attitude. Liu Bei quickly reached out to stop Zhang Fei, frowning slightly. "Yide, don't be so reckless. Let Zilong explain." Guan Yu stood quietly by, his expression solemn, as if contemplating something. Zhao Yun's face was filled with embarrassment and resignation at Zhang Fei's accusation. He sighed softly and said, "General Zhang, don't be angry. I really had my reasons for being in the palace today. Now I have decided to be loyal to the emperor, and my three brothers have a close relationship with General Gongsun. If I act too close, the emperor may doubt my loyalty. I didn't mean to neglect my three brothers, I really had no choice." Zhao Yun's eyes showed sincerity and apology, hoping to get the understanding of Liu Bei and the other two.