With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 96, Mi Heng is not crazy, it is the world that is crazy.
The fact that Mi Heng dared to confront the emperor so directly today made Kong Rong secretly worried for him.

He couldn't persuade him at all. Kong Rong knew that Mi Heng didn't want to be neglected, so he also wanted to find something to do.

Liu Xie had just pushed him away, but Mi Heng still stubbornly stared at him.

Mi Heng continued, "Your Majesty, Cheng Yu's matter has greatly encouraged me, and I am willing to serve Your Majesty with utmost loyalty."

Liu Xie shook his head. "Zhengping, you think you're very clever, but you've disappointed me greatly."

Mi Heng suddenly smiled and said, "Your Majesty's meaning is clear to me."

As he spoke, Mi Heng lowered his voice and pointed at Kong Rong, "His Majesty does not want us to spend our days complaining and grumbling. This is of no benefit to His Majesty's important affairs. We should lie low and wait for the right opportunity."

As he spoke, Mi Heng also vigilantly observed his surroundings.

"Ok?"

Mi Heng's sudden change surprised Liu Xie and the others.

Mi Heng smiled and said, "Your Majesty, it seems I was right. Please sit down and let me explain in detail."

Liu Xie sat down again and had to take a closer look at Mi Heng.

Mi Heng laughed self-deprecatingly, "Your Majesty must think that someone like me, who shouts and yells all day long and occasionally mocks Cao Cao, is no match for Your Majesty, is he?"

Mi Heng's voice was very low; it was inaudible if you were a little far away.

Liu Xie nodded. "That's right, but I know that you are different from the people around Cao Cao."

At the very least, Mi Heng hated Cao Cao, hated the people around Cao Cao, and even hated Xun Yu.

Mi Heng sighed deeply, “When Your Majesty first met me, you praised me, saying that I upheld my principles. In fact, the reason why I speak rudely and ridicule the people in Cao Cao’s camp all day long is because my heart is aching.”

"How could my great Han Dynasty, with its four-hundred-year foundation, have come to this? The world is in disarray, and warlords are vying for power. Those who claim to be loyal ministers and gentlemen are all wearing the cloak of hypocrisy. Few people truly care about the Han Dynasty or the Emperor. I hate it! This world has turned everything I have known since childhood upside down."

As Mi Heng spoke, tears welled up in his eyes, and his voice became increasingly choked with sobs.

"Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, Teacher; Loyalty, Filial Piety, Propriety, and Benevolence—even an uneducated person understands these principles. People like Cao Cao and Xun Yu naturally knew them even better, but what did they do? They attempted to control Your Majesty, manipulate Your Majesty, restrict Your Majesty, and monitor Your Majesty. In my opinion, all of these people should have their entire families executed, preferably wiped out completely!"

Although Mi Heng was very excited, he kept his voice very low.

This shows he was very calm!

Liu Xie looked at him quietly and listened attentively, while Kong Rong stared wide-eyed in astonishment, remaining in a dazed and surprised state.

Kong Rong was completely shocked. He had known Mi Heng for so long, but only today did he realize that Mi Heng had been pretending to be crazy all along!

"Zhengping, why were you so extreme before? You insulted Cao Cao, mocked Xun Yu... You didn't spare a single person around Cao Cao." Kong Rong finally couldn't help but ask.

Mi Heng smiled bitterly, "I have always been looking for like-minded people to do our part for the Han Dynasty and for His Majesty. Unfortunately, the world has changed, people's hearts have changed, and the world is full of wolves with ulterior motives. There are very few like-minded friends."

Mi Heng pointed at Kong Rong and said, "Kong Wenju is barely acceptable to me. At least he can complain and grumble a few words about Cao Cao. I have also heard Yang Xiu of the Yang family talking about Cao Cao on the street. He can barely say a few words. However, Yang Xiu is far from good enough. It is obvious that he is very afraid of Cao Cao's power."

Liu Xie finally spoke, "Some people say that Zhengping has gone mad, but after hearing your words today, I finally understand that it is not Zhengping who has gone mad, but this world that has gone mad!"

Mi Heng nodded vigorously. "Your Majesty, I am incompetent. I wanted to find a few confidants to do something for the Han Dynasty, but to this day, I have not found anyone worthy of Your Majesty's trust. So I have been living in a daze and acting crazy."

"However, the death of Cheng Yu a few days ago gave me a sudden insight. I have finally found a confidant, the best confidant!"

A young eunuch came over carrying a pot of tea, and before he got close, Zhao Yun went over to him.

"General Zhao Yun."

The young eunuch greeted them and was about to continue walking forward when Zhao Yun took the tray from him.

"Leave it to me, you can go back. His Majesty doesn't like to be disturbed."

Zhao Yun's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an irresistible authority. He had joined Gongsun Zan when he was a teenager and had been through many battles. When he became stern, his murderous aura was terrifying.

Liu Xie was very satisfied with Zhao Yun and had great confidence in him. Zhao Yun was not just a simple military general; he was cautious and meticulous in his work, capable not only of handling large-scale battles but also of providing excellent personal protection.

Even in the face of unexpected situations, Zhao Yun could fight against a thousand men single-handedly, becoming Liu Xie's strongest trump card for survival.

"Zhengping, you said you've found a soulmate, who is it?" Kong Rong asked eagerly.

Kong Rong was not angry when Mi Heng ridiculed him. Even someone like him could not be considered a true like-minded person in Mi Heng's eyes. Kong Rong was very curious about who it was.
Mi Heng looked at Liu Xie and suddenly laughed, "This person is both far away and right before our eyes; he is none other than Your Majesty!"

"Huh?" Kong Rong's mouth gaped open, wide enough to fit a duck egg.

Liu Xie smiled without saying a word, still looking at him calmly.

Mi Heng nodded vigorously. "Before, I really thought that Your Majesty only knew how to favor Cao Cao, and that if things continued like this, the Han Dynasty would produce another Wang Mang. But Cheng Yu's death made me realize that when it comes to the determination to restore the Han Dynasty, no one in the world can compare to Your Majesty. Your Majesty is the one I should be looking for the most!"

Liu Xie stood up with a smile and said with great emotion, "Zhengping, I once told Xun Yu that the Han Dynasty would not perish. Now, I pass on those words to you: as long as I am here, the Han Dynasty will not perish!"

After saying that, Liu Xie left without saying anything more.

Kong Rong stood there stunned for a moment, and only after Liu Xie had walked far away did he ask, "Why did Your Majesty leave?"

Mi Heng glanced at him and said, "What? Do you think His Majesty and I should have a good secret discussion about how to deal with Cao Cao next?"

Kong Rong was a little unable to keep up with Mi Heng's train of thought. Mi Heng sighed and said, "The future is long and there is plenty of time. Your Majesty's choice is correct. It's like fishing. If you scare the fish away, how can you possibly catch them?"

"From now on, I will still be the crazy me, and you will still be you, but we must keep our minds clear, because our guide has appeared!"

Cao Cao was able to keep track of Liu Xie's daily whereabouts. After reading today's report, Cao Cao rubbed his temples and looked at Guo Jia with some confusion.

“Fengxiao, now that the cards are out in the open, I don’t quite understand His Majesty’s actions. If it were me, I should have summoned Dong Cheng first and taken control of the military power in the palace.”

Guo Jia smiled and said, “My lord, you are wrong, and very wrong. Don’t forget, I reminded you before that you and His Majesty should maintain a harmonious relationship. If His Majesty takes control of the Imperial Guards, wouldn’t that be tantamount to declaring war on you? His Majesty is very smart; he will not do that.”

"So what do you think his intention was?"

Guo Jia slowly stood up, his eyes gleaming. "His Majesty is using an open strategy. He promotes benevolence and righteousness, and loyalty! He has Yang Biao settle the refugees and gain popularity, and then build the Lingyan Pavilion to record the deeds of loyal and righteous people. There is no way we can stop His Majesty from doing this."

“But if this continues, His Majesty’s reputation will only get better and better, and more and more loyal and righteous people will be willing to follow him, which is very disadvantageous to me.”

Cao Cao could not explicitly state where things were going wrong.

He doesn't have any intention of usurping the throne yet, but Cao Cao has a very bad feeling about it.

We must never allow the emperor to continuously increase his prestige and influence.

Guo Jia glanced at him and smiled, “My lord, His Majesty is very wise. Since he has completely relinquished control over military and political affairs, whatever else he does will not have any negative impact on you in the short term. Don’t forget, you are His Majesty’s personally recognized number one loyal minister of the Han Dynasty. As His Majesty’s influence increases, your reputation also rises accordingly. You should focus your efforts on improving your strength and pacifying Zhang Xiu, Yuan Shu, and others as soon as possible.”

Cao Cao nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. "Fengxiao's words are very good. I just received a report that Liu Biao has dispatched General Deng Ji to garrison Huyang. Huyang and Wancheng are very close. It seems that Liu Biao is going to help Zhang Xiu boost morale."

Guo Jia agreed, saying, "That's right. Zhang Xiu's arrival in Nanyang was tacitly approved by Liu Biao. Your Excellency must send troops as soon as possible to subdue Nanyang, quell Zhang Xiu, and teach Liu Biao a lesson. Zhang Xiu has now become a bulwark against us by Liu Biao. Once this thorn is removed, it will be a piece of cake for Your Excellency to take control of Jingzhou and Xiangyang in the future!"

Cao Cao thought for a moment, then frowned in displeasure. “Last time, Zhang Xiu rebelled and almost killed my beloved son and general. This time, I will not let him off easily. I will immediately order people to prepare provisions and send troops to conquer Nanyang as soon as possible. I will also take care of Deng Ji at the same time.”

Guo Jia had no objection. After a while, he brought up Cao Hong again, saying, "My lord, you should try to persuade General Cao Hong. If he can voluntarily give up the money shop business, everyone will be happy. If he continues to be stubborn, I will have to take action against the money shops in Xuchang."

"Oh? So you also have a plan for dealing with the money shops in Xuchang." Cao Cao's eyes lit up immediately.

Guo Jia smiled without saying a word and nodded slightly.

The genius Guo Jia was no ordinary person! Dealing with Cao Hong was a piece of cake for him!
Cao Cao nodded. "We should have a proper talk with him."

Without hesitation, Cao Cao immediately ordered his men to prepare a sumptuous family feast, with fine wine and delicacies, including everything that flies in the sky, runs on the ground, and swims in the water.

For Cao Cao, who always valued frugality, such a banquet was a rare occurrence.

(End of this chapter)