The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 240 Liu Bei is promoted to King of Qi, and Li Yi is appointed Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Li Yi formally discussed with everyone his intention to persuade Liu Bei to declare himself king.

Firstly, because Liu Bei's territory was already quite large.

Traditionally speaking, the territory of the Han dynasty mainly consisted of Henan and Hebei.

These two places were the political, economic, and cultural centers of the Han Dynasty.

Therefore, after Cao Cao unified Henan and Hebei in history, he began to overstep his bounds, first calling himself a duke and then a king.

If it were anyone else but Lao Liu, Li Yi would have advised him to first address him as "Gong" (a title of honor) to give him a slight transition.

Unfortunately, Old Liu's surname is Liu, and he is a descendant of the royal family.

Regardless of how distant their bloodline is, as long as they are descendants of royalty and have the surname Liu, they have an innate advantage in becoming king.

But even today, this kind of thing would still be considered an extremely audacious and presumptuous act.

Therefore, Li Yi did not hesitate to leave Jizhou and come to Xuzhou in person to contact Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and other veteran officials.

They intend to exert pressure together.

Zhuge Liang said:
"...I fear my lord may not be willing to become king now."

Li Yi raised an eyebrow and said seriously:

"The current situation in the world is that we are vying for supremacy with Cao Cao."

"The two sides will fight sooner or later, and claiming the title of king now is to gain the moral high ground."

"Fortunately, we gained the upper hand in the subsequent competition."

After saying this, Li Yi turned around and took out a memorial.

He gave it to Zhuge Liang and Xu Shu to see.

"This is a petition jointly written by Yi and his ministers urging him to ascend the throne."

"This document was drafted by Zizhong (Mi Zhu) and proofread by Gongyou (Sun Qian). It was jointly signed by thirty-seven of my former subordinates from Xuzhou and newly recruited members from Hebei."

Li Yi pushed the silk cloth onto the table; the cinnabar ink was still wet.

"May Zhuge Liang be given the title 'Sleeping Dragon,' and Yuan Zhi be appointed 'Humble Scholar of Yingchuan,' so as to fulfill the hopes of the literati."

"When I see my lord tomorrow, I will be like the 'arrow formation' in military strategy."

“I will be the arrowhead, you two will be my flanks, and the rest of you will speak in turn.”

"In case of any unforeseen circumstances, we will use the throwing of a cup as a signal, and all of you will kneel down together to request permission."

Once the agreement was reached, Zhuge Liang and Xu Shu signed the memorial of advice together.

Li Yi then went to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei again to confirm the matter.

Once everything was ready, everyone went home and rested early.

……

The next day, early morning.

Li Yi, the head of the civil officials, and Guan Yu, the chief of the military officials, led the civil and military officials to the capital of Xiapi to meet Liu Bei.

Seeing that all the officials had arrived and the procession was enormous, Liu Bei was caught off guard and quickly asked:
"Gentlemen, what important matter brings you all here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze unconsciously turned to Li Yi.

It seemed they were certain that Li Yi was behind it all.

Li Yi glanced around, exchanged a look with everyone, and after confirming their identities, stepped forward first and said loudly:

"Ming Gong——"

"Today the world is collapsing, and treacherous heroes are stealing lives."

"Your Excellency, as a descendant of the imperial family, inherited the legacy of Emperor Gaozu, yet you still maintain humility and modesty."

"This is not how to live up to the expectations of the world."

Liu Bei was taken aback, and before he could ask a question, Li Yi's next sentence was even more significant.

The resounding words echoed throughout the hall:

“The expedient measures are permitted by the sages.”

"In the past, before Emperor Guangwu ascended the throne, he first enfeoffed Xiao as the Prince."

"Your Excellency should be granted the title of Prince to govern China."

"Therefore, there are five:"

"First, rectify names. The world is in turmoil, so that all heroes know that the Han dynasty has a legitimate reason for worshipping the dead."

"Secondly, it serves to deter the enemy. Wherever the king's banner points, the remnants of Yuan Shao, the Sun family of Jiangdong, and Liu Biao of Jingzhou will not dare to act rashly."

"Thirdly, gather the wise and virtuous, so that scholars will admire righteousness and flock to you."

"Fourth, strengthen the foundation, so that the soldiers of Qing and Xu know what they are willing to die for."

"Fifthly, it signifies that the heavens will receive the influence of Mars, which will guard the heart of the sky, indicating the rise of a great ruler."

"Given these five advantages, I hope Your Excellency will not refuse."

"If we focus on minor details and neglect major plans, we fear that heroes will become disillusioned and the people will lose heart."

"This is what Lu Zijing meant when he said, 'The cause of an emperor cannot be ruined by humility.'"

"Only a wise and impartial judge can determine this!"

Li Yi recited the words he had prepared in advance in one breath.

This caught Liu Bei off guard, but he quickly realized what was happening.

No wonder important officials like Li Yi and Guan Yu all rushed back to Xuzhou.

Liu Bei initially thought that everyone had won the war in Liaodong and was returning to Xuzhou for a reunion.

I never imagined that such a big thing would be planned.

After calming himself down, Liu Bei frowned and let out a long sigh:
“Sir, you are mistaken. Although I am a member of the Han imperial family, the emperor is still alive, and I will always be a subject.”

"If he were to ascend to the throne and declare himself king, it would be an act of rebellion against the Han!"

Li Yi immediately retorted:
"Your words are incorrect."

"In the past, Emperor Gaozu established the White Horse Alliance. Anyone who was not of the Liu family and became king was attacked by the whole world."

“Your Excellency is not only of the Liu family, but also a descendant of the Han dynasty. This does not violate the oath of Emperor Gaozu.”

"Now that the world is in disarray, heroes are rising up, each dominating their own territory."

“Those talented and virtuous people from all over the world who are willing to risk their lives to serve their superiors all desire to climb the social ladder and establish their own fame.”

"Now that our lord is avoiding suspicion and upholding righteousness, I fear he will lose the people's trust."

"I hope my lord will consider this carefully."

The implication is that, Lao Liu, your territory is getting bigger and bigger, and your subordinates' achievements are accumulating more and more.

If you don't declare yourself king soon, you won't be able to appoint anyone to your position.

Besides, everyone is hoping you become king so they can "climb the social ladder and achieve great things."

So Lao Liu, you shouldn't just be thinking about yourself when you become king; you should also think about your subordinates.

"This is a petition signed by the court officials urging the emperor to ascend the throne."

“Yi revised the manuscript seven times, and Kongming personally proofread it. A total of forty-one people co-signed it.”

Yesterday, Li Yi brought in several more people to sign the petition, all of whom were important officials in Liu's camp.

"I have heard that the Mandate of Heaven will eventually be fulfilled, and divine artifacts cannot remain unused for long."

"The Han dynasty is now in decline, and treacherous heroes have seized power."

"Your Excellency, as a descendant of the imperial family, commands heroes and seeks to bring peace to the nation."

"Your actions today are truly the foundation for the restoration of the Han Dynasty."

"I hope Your Excellency will prioritize the well-being of the nation and the common people."

"To ascend the throne will let the people know that the Han dynasty's ancestral rites have not been interrupted, and let treacherous heroes know that the Mandate of Heaven has been fulfilled."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yi swayed and knocked over a cup on the table and chair.

Upon hearing the clinking of the cups, everyone immediately knelt on the ground and shouted:

"Please grant my lord the title of King, so that he may receive the Mandate of Heaven."

Liu Bei understood that everyone had come prepared.

He simply shook his head, refusing everyone's kindness.

“I am of meager virtue and limited wisdom, and you want me to usurp the throne? I would never dare.”

"You may discuss a longer-term strategy."

Seeing that Liu Bei refused again, Li Yi was not without a backup plan.

He merely gave Zhang Fei, who was kneeling on the ground to the side, a wink. Zhang Fei immediately understood, stood up, and loudly proclaimed:

"All the brothers are hoping that you will become king, but you have repeatedly declined. Aren't you afraid of breaking their hearts?"

"Moreover, people of different surnames all desire to be kings."

"Besides, my elder brother belongs to the Han Dynasty's sect!"

"Let alone being promoted to a royal title, what's wrong with calling him emperor!"

Upon hearing this, many of the officials' expressions changed drastically.

He thought to himself, "Only Zhang Fei would dare to say such things in public."

No wonder Li Yi brought him along.

Undoubtedly, upon hearing Zhang Fei's words, Liu Bei flew into a rage and shouted angrily:

"...Yide, in front of all the ministers."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Zhang Fei then dared not speak further.

Liu Bei stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

After a long stalemate, Liu Bei finally sighed and slowly said:
"I appreciate your kind intentions."

"But becoming king is a major event, and with the emperor still alive, heroes are rising up everywhere."

"We only possess enough land to occupy five states; how dare we rashly request a royal title at this time?"

"This matter will be discussed later; it is rare for all of you to be gathered here."

"Let us enjoy ourselves for three days. After three days, you may all return to your respective prefectures and counties."

Liu Bei ultimately refused everyone's urging to take the throne.

It wasn't that he was afraid, but rather that he simply felt it wasn't the right time.

Throughout the entire Eastern Han Dynasty, apart from the princes and their descendants, no one was ever singled out and granted the title of king.

Liu Bei was unwilling to set a precedent and take the risk.

Liu Bei then took his leave of the others and ordered the cook to prepare a banquet.

Upon seeing this, the officials all went to Li Yi and asked him what they should do.

Li Yi hesitated for a moment, then said:

"I have my own plan, and I hope you gentlemen will not doubt it."

So everyone went to the banquet to drink, and the matter of becoming king was no longer mentioned during the meal.

When the wine was half-drunk,
Li Yi suddenly clutched his chest, cried out, and fainted to the ground.

Everyone was shocked and quickly rescued him.

Liu Bei was also so surprised that he stood up from his seat and looked past the crowd at Li Yi.

He then ordered Hua Tuo to come and treat him.

When Hua Tuo arrived, he immediately took Li Yi's pulse.

Liu Bei, his face pale and as if he had lost his parents, asked:

"...Dr. Hua, how is he... how is he?"

Hua Tuo pondered for a long time before saying:
"General, please do not doubt. Marquis Tan has simply overworked himself and injured his health."

"I will prepare two doses of herbal medicine for Lord Tan to take."

"Then you will recover completely."

Liu Bei was relieved and rewarded Hua Tuo handsomely. He then ordered Zhao Yun to help Li Yi back to his room to rest.

"...Ziyu collapsed from exhaustion, all because of the troubles of preparing for the battle."

"Now that you are not here, I have no heart to drink."

"Gentlemen, you may now withdraw."

Liu Bei waved his hand, his mind preoccupied with Li Yi, showing little interest in the fine wine and game at the banquet.

Seeing this, everyone had no choice but to take their leave.

The young apprentice quickly prepared the medicine, which Liu Bei personally prepared and took.

After preparing the medicine, she went to Li Yi's room and fed it to him.

Li Yi had already woken up. Seeing Liu Bei enter, he said:
"This matter can be left to the servants; why should my lord trouble himself with it?"

Liu Bei sighed deeply:
"It is my fault that you have gone to such lengths, sir!"

Then she noticed that Li Yi had dark circles under his eyes and looked exhausted, and she burst into tears.

"When we first met in Tan County years ago, you smiled and said, 'I am willing to relieve you of the fatigue of riding.'"

"Who would have thought that this would cause you to become so emaciated!" (choking back tears)

"It is truly heartbreaking."

Li Yi then took Liu Bei's hand and said:

"My lord wept upon seeing my saddle sores, and I grieved upon witnessing the regeneration of flesh on my lord's thigh!"

"But is this the time to shed tears?"

"There is still one thing that I am deeply concerned about."

"If my lord cannot agree, I will not rest in peace even in death."

Liu Bei was greatly alarmed and hurriedly said:
"...Sir, please don't speak like that. It is said that a man should be established by the age of thirty."

"Mr. Jin is in his prime, and this is the time for him to make his mark and achieve great things."

"How dare you speak such insane and utterly absurd words?"

Li Yinai, supporting himself on the bed, forced himself to get up despite his illness.

Liu Bei quickly reached out to help him, saying, "Sir, please be careful."

Li Yi grasped Liu Bei's hand tightly and said, with tears streaming down his face:

"Observing the tripartite balance of power across the world—"

"Your Excellency, based in Xuzhou, controls Qing and Ji provinces; you cross the East China Sea and control Yan and Dai provinces."

"Cao Cao held Yanzhou hostage to covet the territory of Yu, and used the king's order to threaten the capital of Chen."

"In these extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken!"

Li Yi then got down to business, earnestly analyzing the current situation for Liu Bei.

"I dare not lie. It was indeed Yi who acted on his own initiative and, together with the ministers, advised the lord to be granted the title of king."

"This is not for my personal gain, but for the sake of our army!"

"Although the emperor is currently in Chen, his decrees do not leave the palace. If Your Excellency were to declare yourself king, you could establish a 'second central government of the Han dynasty,' so that the world would know that the Han lineage has not been extinguished."

"This is one advantage."

"Currently, Cao Cao controls Guanzhong and is eyeing Hanzhong, and has long coveted the imperial power."

“Even if our lord does not claim the title of king, Cao Cao will surely ascend to the throne.”

"Wouldn't this only increase the enemy's power and diminish the king's authority?"

"Once the title of king is issued, the people of the Central Plains will know where the legitimate dynasty lies."

"These are the two benefits."

Let's not worry about the details for now, let's just put the label on Cao Cao first.

If you, Liu Bei, don't declare yourself king, Cao Cao will sooner or later.

Even a eunuch's descendant became a king, how can you, a member of the Han imperial family, be beaten to it by a eunuch?

"Now that we have just acquired Ji Province and pacified Liaodong, a large number of former officials and meritorious generals need to be appeased by princes."

"This is a plan to secure Hebei."

"These are the three benefits."

"If there are three benefits, then there are three things that cannot be refused."

Changing the subject, Li Yi began to analyze the disadvantages of not declaring himself king at this time for Liu Bei.

"Now the Han dynasty has collapsed, and the nine provinces are in disarray."

"Although you, my lord, possess the strength of Xu and Qing and control the wealth of Ji Province, your rank and title are only General of Chariots and Cavalry."

The newly surrendered soldiers of Ji Province whispered among themselves, "If we are not granted titles and ranks, what is the point of our bloody battles?"

“The soldiers’ resentment is a problem.”

After becoming king, one can rightfully bestow titles upon one's subordinates.

It has a remarkable effect on appeasing meritorious soldiers and boosting the morale of rank-and-file soldiers.

"The people of Hebei who remained there offered food and drink, all hoping for the return of the Han dynasty's banners and drums."

"Now that Your Excellency is humble and has withdrawn, I fear that the people will lament the decline of the Han Dynasty and that the hearts of the people will gradually scatter."

These are the two drawbacks.

“Yi once observed the celestial phenomena at night and saw a cluster of stars gathering in the east. This indicates that the mandate of heaven is in the east, which corresponds to Xuzhou.”

"If my lord does not accept the title of king, I fear it would go against the will of Heaven."

"These are the three drawbacks!"

Despite his illness, Li Yi analyzed the three advantages and three disadvantages for Liu Bei.

Upon seeing this, Liu Bei sighed:
"If this is your idea, sir, I am willing to ascend the throne."

"We should discuss this matter again after Mr. Xu has recovered from his illness."

After saying this, Li Yi suddenly sat up in bed.

"……good!"

"Since the lord agrees, we should immediately choose an auspicious time to bestow upon him the title of king."

Liu Bei was taken aback and stared at Li Yi in disbelief.

"...Sir, are you not sick?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than several people emerged from behind the screen.

These include Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Zhuge Liang, and others.

They all burst into laughter. "Brother, we heard it clearly just now."

"You have already promised the master, so don't go back on your word."

"...You, you're all here!"

Liu Bei felt ashamed when he saw that everyone had been hiding behind the screen.

Guan Yu stepped forward and draped the royal robe over Liu Bei, while Zhang Fei handed the royal seal to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei then realized that everything had been part of Li Yi's plan from the very beginning.

What surprised him even more was that Li Yi and his group had already made preparations to this extent.

If he still doesn't accept, he'll be ungrateful.

"...Alas, you lot have really caused me great suffering!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Bei reached out and took the royal seal.

Everyone was overjoyed and surrounded Liu Bei, shouting, "Your Majesty!"

He then praised Li Yi's brilliant plan, and Li Yi apologized to Liu Bei, saying:
"...If I were not forced to, I would not have used feigned illness to persuade you to ascend the throne."

"Sir, you meant well. I sincerely believe that your discussion of the three advantages and three disadvantages is a profound and insightful statement."

Liu Bei didn't blame Li Yi; he was content just to see that Li Yi was alright.

Li Yi then joked:

"Wasn't the banquet canceled earlier because Yi was ill?"

"Now that Yi is free of trouble, why not have the banquet held again?"

Zhang Fei laughed loudly, "Good, good, good! My brother refused to agree to this matter just now, so I, Old Zhang, couldn't even enjoy my drink!"

Everyone laughed, and the room was filled with long-lost joyful laughter.

……

The following day, Liu Bei officially announced that he would become king.

Originally, he planned to submit a memorial to the emperor first, but Li Yi strongly advised Liu Bei against it.

First declare yourself king, then submit a memorial to the emperor.

The main strategy is to act first and report later.

Whether or not the emperor presented the petition, he couldn't stop Liu Bei from becoming king.

But the emperor was closer to Cao Cao, and he did not want Cao Cao to know about this too early.

Liu Bei followed his advice and immediately ordered people to begin preparations for declaring himself king.

An altar was built near Xu County, covering an area of ​​nine li in circumference, distributed in five directions, with flags and ceremonial guards set up in each direction.

However, before becoming king, there is one important thing that needs to be decided.

That is, if Liu Bei were to declare himself king, what title should he have?

First of all, he certainly cannot be called the King of Hanzhong as he was in history.

After all, Lao Liu didn't have Hanzhong under his control.

The selection of a king is usually based on geographical location as a priority.

Then come political factors and the legacy of history.

For example, Cao Cao called himself King of Wei because his province was located in Wei Commandery.

Logically speaking, Liu Bei's capital was located in Xiapi.

Xiapi was both the place where Liu Bei started his career and his political center.

Therefore, Liu Bei could be called the King of Xiapi.

However, Liu Bei already had the prefectures and counties of Xu, Ji, Qing, Yang, and You under his control.

Simply calling him the King of Xiapi would seem too narrow-minded.

It was difficult to unify other states and counties.

Therefore, it is necessary to have a broad perspective, while also considering the actual areas controlled by Liu Bei and the historical legacy.

There are only two real options.

One was the King of Qi, and the other was the King of Chu.

The King of Qi is definitely the best choice.

Because Liu Bei's core territory consisted of Xuzhou, Qingzhou, and Jizhou, which were the main areas of Liu Bei's territory.

This region largely overlaps with the territory of the State of Qi.

The capital of Qi, Linzi, was located in Qingzhou, with Xuzhou to its south and Jizhou to its north.

This is a geographical consideration.

Then came the political symbolism of being called the King of Qi.

Qi was the first major state enfeoffed during the Zhou Dynasty, and being called the King of Qi allowed one to proclaim "respecting the king and repelling the barbarians".

This is to further demonstrate its political legitimacy.

Meanwhile, Qi has been the economic and cultural center of China since the Spring and Autumn Period.

The reforms of Guan Zhong and the Jixia Academy both originated from the state of Qi.

The King of Qi could use his historical influence to attract scholars from all over the world to submit to him.

Besides the King of Qi,

The next best option is the King of Chu.

When he was called the King of Chu, his focus shifted more towards Yangzhou and Yuzhou.

However, neither of these places were Liu Bei's core territories, so they were certainly inferior to those of the King of Qi.

In addition to the two options mentioned above,
You can also create your own title, such as the King of Dongping, which means "to pacify the East".

However, such titles lack historical foundation and are the worst choice.

In conclusion, the King of Qi was the best choice.

After finalizing the title of the king

Next up is the much-anticipated "traditional program".

First, auspicious omens appeared from the sky.

A meteor once fell at night east of Xuzhou city, and the sorcerer said:

"This imperial star has shifted its position, and it should appear in the east of the Han Dynasty."

The people of Xuzhou were all astonished upon hearing this.

Perhaps a fisherman fishing in Guangling caught a "red carp".

The back features a pattern resembling the "Hanxing" (Han Dynasty's Rise)!
People at the time were all amazed when they heard about it.

Shortly after the auspicious omen appeared, public opinion began to stir.

Then, a scene of tens of thousands of people petitioning appeared in Xuzhou.

Thousands of elders from Xuzhou knelt before the gates of the Xiapi prefectural government office, shouting:

"General Liu, in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people, may you be granted the title of King!"

These elders were absolutely "voluntary and spontaneous," and they all knelt and bowed before the prefectural government gate.

They said that if General Liu did not agree, they would kneel there forever and die.

In the end, Liu Bei had no choice but to personally come out to appease the people, saying that the will of the people could not be defied, and agreed to his ascension to the title of King of Qi.

In the first month of spring in 204 AD.

Liu Bei ascended the altar, which was inscribed with seal script.

"King Qi received the mandate, and the Han dynasty prospered once more."

The officials all lined up in order.

Li Yi and Guan Yu invited Liu Bei to ascend the altar.

After receiving the crown, seal, and ribbon, he sat facing south and received the congratulations from civil and military officials, becoming the King of Qi.

Li Yi presented the "King Qi's Seal" on a golden platter.

The jade is bluish-green, with a dragon-shaped knob.

The bottom is engraved with the eight characters "Inheriting the Han and continuing the Qi, forever guarding the eastern land".

Following the Zhou rites, Zhuge Liang presented the king with a nine-tasseled crown.

Lu Su recited a prayer from the side:
"The king should pacify Qi to continue the glory of the Han dynasty!"

With the crown and regalia in place, the assembled officials prostrated themselves in worship.
"Long live the King of Qi!"

After receiving the congratulations and salutations, Liu Bei took the sword of the King of Qi and swore an oath to Heaven:
"I am now the King of Qi, not for wealth and honor, but to punish traitors and bring peace to the people!"

"When the world is in turmoil, treacherous heroes rise like eagles."

"I will lead the people of Qi and Lu to restore the lands of my Han dynasty!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the three armies rallied, and the war drums shook the heavens.

Including civil and military officials, as well as the surrounding soldiers, they all shouted in unison:

"May the Han dynasty be restored, and may the King of Qi live a thousand years!"

"May the Han dynasty be restored, and may the King of Qi live a thousand years!"

"..."

Its sound shook the world and resounded through the heavens.

……

The Book of the Later Han Dynasty records:

"He was appointed as the King of Qi, a member of the royal family, and possessed the wealth of Qi and Ji. He accepted the advice of Yi and Liang and was given the title of 'King of Qi'."

"Even before he became the supreme ruler, the world trembled wherever his banners pointed."

The commentary states: Liu Bei's claim to the title of King of Qi was not an act of usurpation, but a matter of expediency.

"At that time, the Han dynasty was in decline, Cao Cao held military power and became powerful, and Sun Quan ruled over a region."

"If there is no kingship to govern, what will the people rely on? What will the soldiers hope for?"

"This is what is meant by thoroughly understanding the meaning of the Spring and Autumn Annals and thus gaining the right to govern the country."

……

After Liu Bei became the King of Qi, he formally appointed his eldest son Liu Shan as the Crown Prince.

At that time, Liu Shan was born to his legitimate wife, Yuan Ying, and was the eldest son of the legitimate wife.

Madam Yuan dreamt one night of swallowing the Big Dipper, and then became pregnant.

Therefore, he named his son Liu Dou, with the courtesy name Shengzhi.

However, since Liu Bei had already declared himself king, Liu Dou was his only son and also the crown prince.

Therefore, Liu Bei ordered Liu Dou to be renamed Liu Shan, with the character "Shan" to reflect the king's intention.

He changed his name to Gongsi.

With the crown prince chosen,
Liu Bei appointed Li Yi as Chancellor, making him the head of all officials and in charge of all military and political affairs of the country.

He was granted a sword and shoes to wear in the palace, and was praised and worshipped without being named.

……

Zhuge Liang was appointed Military Advisor General and concurrently served as Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.

He was granted the authority to advise on military and state secrets and to establish special privileges for his subordinates.

He was granted the title of Marquis of Langya, with a fief of one thousand households.

……

Lu Su was appointed Grand Tutor, given the authority to oversee military and political affairs in Huainan, and put in charge of diplomatic affairs in the south.

He was granted the title of Marquis of Dongcheng, with a fief of three thousand households.

……

Xun You was appointed Grand Master of Ceremonies and granted the title of Marquis of Yingyin, with a fief of two thousand households.

……

Guan Yu was appointed General of the Vanguard, granted the authority to command troops, and led the campaign on behalf of the King.

Supervise the military affairs of Qingzhou.

The fief of the Marquis of Hanshou was increased by one thousand households.

……

Zhang Fei was appointed Right General, granted the authority to command troops, and appointed Governor of Xu Province.

Xu Jian led his "Tiger Step Battalion," commanding 3,000 private soldiers.

The fief of the Marquis of Xinting was increased by one thousand households.

……

Zhao Yun was the General of the Right Army, in charge of the Imperial Guards.

He was granted the title of Marquis of Yongchang, with a fief of three thousand households.

He was also granted a set of silver armor and ten white horses.

……

Chen Dao was appointed as the Commander of the Central Army and granted the title of Marquis of Anleting.

Tian Yu was appointed General Who Crosses the Liao River, overseeing military affairs in Youzhou, and granted the title of Marquis of Yuyang.

The remaining individuals will be granted titles based on their merits.

After Liu Bei became the King of Qi, he wrote a memorial and sent someone to deliver it to the Emperor in Chendu.

The book says:

Your subject bows twice and respectfully reports to Your Majesty:

“I am a distant relative of the Han dynasty, and I am dull-witted and have no talent or virtue to speak of.”

"But today the world is in disarray, treacherous heroes have seized power, Cao Cao has coerced the emperor, and Sun Quan has usurped the throne in Jiangdong."

"This led to the collapse of the nation and the suffering of the people."

"Although I am mediocre, I am mindful of the hardships Emperor Gaozu faced in establishing the dynasty and the difficulties Emperor Guangwu faced in restoring it."

"We have no choice but to exert our meager strength to uphold the Han dynasty."

"Thanks to Your Majesty's divine might and the soldiers' bravery, I have been able to occupy the three provinces of Qing, Xu, and Ji, and temporarily bring peace to the people."

"However, Cao Cao coveted the Central Plains, Sun Quan looked towards Jiangnan with a wolf's eye, and Liu Biao and Liu Zhang both harbored rebellious intentions."

“If I do not establish a proper title, I fear that the soldiers will be without a leader and the people will be without support.”

"Therefore, I have dared to accept the title of King of Qi in Xu County. This is not an act of usurpation, but a move to appease the people."

"Although I am called a king, I still regard Your Majesty as the common ruler of the world."

"The administration of Qi shall be based on the Han system; the seal of the King of Qi shall be bestowed by Your Majesty."

"If I am fortunate enough to receive the Emperor's grace, I am willing to go to Chendu in person to apologize to the Emperor!"

"Your Majesty's wise judgment, your humble servant bows in trepidation!"

—Respectfully submitted by Qi Wang Wang Chen Bei.

It wasn't until Liu Bei wrote this memorial that his political talent was truly revealed.

He first emphasized that being called the King of Qi was only a temporary expedient, and that the emperor was still the legitimate ruler.

This avoided being accused of "usurpation" by Cao Cao and secured a moral advantage.

Although the above form has been submitted, it is not yet ready for approval.

This move was merely to announce to the world that Liu Bei was not establishing himself as emperor, but rather "suppressing the chaos in place of the Han dynasty."

The memorial was quickly sent back to the Chen capital court.

After reading the memorial, Emperor Liu Xie was greatly alarmed and said to his ministers:

"General Liu has actually declared himself king?!"

Although he had expected it, Liu Xie still felt a strange mix of emotions when he heard the news.

Very uncomfortable!

Liu Xie was at a loss and immediately asked his brother-in-law Dong Cheng what to do.

Dong Cheng stepped forward, holding his tablet, and said:

"At present, Liu Bei is a powerful figure in the east, and has the merit of destroying Yuan Shao and suppressing the rebellion."

"He is a member of the Han imperial family. Since he has already served on horseback, it would be appropriate to confer upon him the title of King of Qi."

"Your Majesty may send someone to offer congratulations and pay homage, so as to demonstrate Your Majesty's wisdom."

Liu Xie was taken aback, unsure of Dong Cheng's intentions, but he still agreed.

After the court session, he hurriedly found Dong Cheng and asked him what he meant by what had happened in court.

Dong Cheng said in a low voice:
"The court is full of Liu Bei's eyes and ears, so I dare not speak recklessly."

Liu Xie then said:

"So, what does the Imperial Brother-in-Law mean...?"

"Immediately inform Cao Cao of this matter. At present, the only one in the world who can rival Liu Bei is Cao Cao."

"If these two fight each other, there may be a chance to turn the tide."

Liu Xie followed his advice and secretly sent someone to inform Cao Cao in Yingchuan about Liu Bei's claim to the title of King of Qi.

Not long after,

When Cao Cao heard in Xuchang that Liu Bei had declared himself King of Qi, he was furious.
"--what!"

"You little mat weaver, how dare you speak like this!"

"Do you consider me nothing? I swear to destroy you!"

Cao Cao was furious, thinking to himself that it was no wonder Pang Tong had agreed so readily when they went to Bingzhou.

It turns out that Liu Bei had preemptively declared himself king.

Now the whole world knows that Cao Cao and Liu Bei will be vying for supremacy.

Liu Bei had a higher rank and status than him.

Unfortunately, Cao Cao couldn't say anything about it.

After all, he was a member of the imperial clan, so it was reasonable for him to become king.

"Send the order to raise an army immediately."

"I will fight that big-eared scoundrel to the death!"

……

(End of this chapter)