The revival of the Han Dynasty must start with Dong Zhuo

Chapter 271 Volume A capable minister, or a treacherous hero?
The news of Yuan Shu's declaration of emperorship reached the ears of everyone who had just arrived in Wan County. Yang Xiu was so shocked that he crawled directly to Liu Xie.

"Your Majesty! Yuan Shu has proclaimed himself emperor!"

"Oh."

"Oh?"

Yang Xiu stared with his eyes wide open. What was the emperor’s reaction?
Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor!

That's starting from scratch!
This matter was more serious than Yuan Shao's previous attempt to establish another emperor in Hebei.

In the end, the emperor just said...Oh?

"Oh, I see."

Liu Xie was really not surprised that old guy Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor.

In history, people only had Yangzhou and dared to proclaim themselves emperors, let alone now that they have taken over Xuzhou and half of Jingzhou?

It would have been strange if Yuan Shu had not become arrogant and proclaimed himself emperor.

"Your Majesty, do you want to issue a manifesto to accuse someone?"

Yang Xiu asked cautiously, and Liu Xie shook his head decisively.

"Don't worry, there are people who are more anxious than us."

"Wait until Yuan Shao finishes scolding Yuan Shu, and then the imperial court will copy a copy."

"The officials in the imperial court are very busy now, and they don't have the time to write an article specifically criticizing Yuan Shu."

Seeing this, Yang Xiu felt that the emperor had really relaxed a lot since the end of the Battle of Anyi, and could even calmly deal with such a major event as Yuan Shu's declaration of emperorship.

Liu Xie poured himself a cup of tea and signaled to Yang Xiu: "Don't stand there stupidly. There are definitely people who are more anxious about Yuan Shu than I am. Call Zhang Xiu and the others outside the door in first."

"Here."

Zhang Xiu had already put on mourning clothes and was escorting someone to meet the emperor.

"Your servant Zhang Xiu greets the emperor."

After the ceremony, Zhang Xiu kicked Xiahou Dun beside him and threatened: "Salute! Have you forgotten the principles of monarch and ministers?"

Xiahou Dun had only one eye at this time, and he was a little uncomfortable. It took him a lot of effort to see Liu Xie's face clearly.

"Are you the Son of Heaven?"

Although his tone was arrogant, Liu Xie ignored Xiahou Dun and let Zhang Xiu step forward.

The young man who was full of vigor and vitality in the past has always experienced some hardships.

Liu Xie straightened the wrinkled corners of Zhang Xiu's collar and said, "I have heard about General Zhang Ji's affairs."

"I have decided to posthumously confer the title of General and Marquis of Pingyang on Zhang Ji, with a fief of 1,500 households."

"General Zhang Ji's offspring is still young, so I'll have to trouble you to take care of them. Don't let the descendants of meritorious officials feel disappointed."

When Zhang Xiu heard the emperor's posthumous title for Zhang Ji, which was obviously extremely generous, he still couldn't help feeling a lump in his throat, and tears flowed down his nose for no reason.

Seeing Zhang Xiu like this, Liu Xie couldn't help but feel sympathetic.

He called Zhang Xiu a few steps closer, then slowly opened his collar to show him what was inside his clothes.

Zhang Xiu was puzzled at first.

He was greatly surprised until he saw that Liu Xie seemed to be wearing mourning clothes under his outer coat.

For a moment, Zhang Xiu hesitated: "Your Majesty, this seems to be against etiquette..."

"I know."

For an emperor to guard the body of his subject is already the limit.

But Liu Xie was wearing mourning clothes, and he was mourning for the Grand Tutor himself.

If such a thing were to spread, wouldn't it cause criticism?

"What I want to tell you is that I, like you, have lost a loved one."

"What their reputation will be like after this is no longer something they can interfere with. It will depend on the younger generation to maintain it."

"For example, you pretended to surrender to Cao Cao this time, but you did a good job and did not humiliate your uncle Zhang Ji's reputation." "If your deeds are really recorded in the history books, your uncle will also be remembered in history because of you."

Liu Xie patted Zhang Xiu on the shoulder and said, "Go back and take good care of your uncle and aunt, and raise your children and nephews. After that, you must work hard to gain military merits. Only by achieving feats like Fenglangjuxu and Yinma Hanhai, will your uncle's reputation be known to future generations!"

Zhang Xiu knew that the emperor was pointing out the path for his future, and he felt grateful and thanked the emperor again and again.

"You have been defending Nanyang for so many days against an enemy like Cao Cao. It must have been hard work for you."

Liu Xie signaled Zhang Xiu to leave: "Retreat and have a good rest. I will take you home after I have dealt with the affairs of Jingzhou."

Zhang Xiu bowed deeply and then left.

At this moment, only Liu Xie and Xiahou Dun were left in the emperor's temporary palace.

"Xiahou Yuanrang."

Liu Xie and Xiahou Dun talked about an incident that happened before: "I captured Ju Su, who was under Yuan Shao's command, in Hedong before, and exchanged him for Chun Yu Qiong, who was under Yuan Shao's command."

"Such an exchange could actually cause a lot of trouble for Yuan Shao."

"But you... I really can't think of any use for you."

Xiahou Dun.

Wei's original achievement.

Cao Cao is a die-hard fan.

He is the pillar of Cao Wei. To some extent, he is the second in command of Cao Cao...

Moreover, unlike Ju Shou, the Xiahou family behind Xiahou Dun is essentially Cao Cao's clan, so it is impossible for them to compete with Cao Cao for power.

After much thought, the only option left for dealing with Xiahou Dun is “kill”?

"But I don't want to kill you."

Liu Xie was not suddenly possessed by evil taste. He just wanted to try and see if Cao Cao would still launch an attack after hanging Xiahou Dun on the city wall if they met on the battlefield in the future.

But...

"I am keeping you here because I want you to send a message to Cao Mengde when the time is right."

Although Xiahou Dun appears arrogant on the surface, he is actually weak inside when facing the Emperor Liu Xie.

Hearing that Liu Xie would not kill him, he felt relieved.

"What message does the emperor want me to give to Meng De?"

When Liu Xie saw Xiahou Dun claiming to be the emperor, he knew that he was not hopeless yet and would not "refuse to serve in the Han Dynasty" in the future.

"Please ask Cao Mengde for me if he still wants to be the General of the Western Expedition of the Han Dynasty!"

Hearing Liu Xie's words, Xiahou Dun's pupils shrank, and there was surprise and fear in his one eye.

"In peaceful times, a capable minister is a treacherous hero in troubled times."

"Go and ask him for me, whether he wants to be a capable minister or a treacherous hero."

But Liu Xie immediately shook his head again.

"This is not up to him. Whether it is a peaceful or chaotic world is not something he, Cao Mengde, can decide."

"So you have to wait until the time is right, and then ask Cao Mengde this question for me."

"During this period of time, you should follow me to Chang'an and see more of the scenery in Chang'an."

Liu Xie then waved his hand and asked Xiahou Dun to leave.

Xiahou Dun was delighted to see that the emperor had spared his life... and most importantly, the emperor still had good intentions towards Cao Cao, which made him salute the emperor respectfully.

One day later.

Sima Yi, Liu Biao, Shang Yue, Shang Liang, Cai Mao and others who were in Xiangyang also went north to meet the emperor.

Liu Xie first looked at Sima Yi and Liu Biao with satisfaction, but when he saw the people behind them, he sighed softly -

"Everyone has their own ulterior motives!"

(End of this chapter)