I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 12: The Tyrant!

"Lu Zhongyi! Lord Liu!"

Chen Yu wore a headscarf and wooden clogs, with a sword hanging at his waist, looking every bit the scholar.

He was covered in dust and looked anxious and hurried, so much so that when he saw Lu Kang and Liu Miao, he forgot all manners and raised his arms to shake theirs.

No...aren't we that close?

Seeing Chen Yu's enthusiasm, Liu Miao immediately became suspicious, but outwardly he appeared excited.

"I have long admired your wisdom and talent! Meeting you today, I can confirm it is indeed remarkable!"

"..."

Lu Kang looked at Liu Miao with admiration.

Just now Liu Miao was asking who Chen Yu was, but now he's heard so much about him?

It seems that Liu Miao truly possessed the qualities of Emperor Gaozu, just as Lu Yi had predicted...

However, while Liu Miao was enthusiastic about Chen Yu, Lu Kang was somewhat unfriendly towards him.

The two had just guessed that Yuan Shu would most likely head towards Huainan.

Therefore, they naturally didn't treat Chen Yu, Yuan Shu's accomplice, with much kindness.

"Gongwei, what brings you here?"

Lu Kang's straightforwardness was so bad that even Liu Miao couldn't stand it, so he quickly pulled Chen Yu over and made him sit down.

“Gongwei looks like he’s come from a long way. Come and have some wine to quench your thirst.”

Liu Miao and Chen Yu were incredibly enthusiastic. If one didn't know better, one might think that the two were old friends, while Chen Yu and Lu Kang seemed to have no connection at all!
Chen Yu sat down, took the wine cup, and instantly vanished it, relieving his bitterness!
"Thank you very much, Magistrate Liu!"

After drinking the wine, Chen Yu's complexion was much more normal than before, and his face was slightly flushed, clearly indicating that he had just realized that he had been impolite.

However, there are priorities, and Chen Yu obviously couldn't worry about much else.

"Lord Liu, Lord Lu, are you aware that Governor Chen Wen and his associates are committing acts of rebellion?"

Why are Chen Wen being dragged into this again?

Liu Miao and Lu Kang exchanged a glance, unaware of what had happened on Chen Wen's side.

"Are you two aware that General Hou is about to arrive in Huainan?"

Chen Yu's sudden mysterious demeanor made the two think that Chen Yu could reveal some secret, but it turned out to be this.
Just as Lu Kang was about to tell Chen Yu that they had deduced the matter, he heard Liu Miao suddenly shout—

"General Hou is actually heading to Huainan!"

"Alas! This is a blessing for the people of Huainan!"

"I wonder when General Hou will arrive in Huainan? I will certainly greet you in person!"

No, Lord Liu, you...

Lu Kang, who was interrupted, was completely shocked.

But Liu Miao was beaming with pride. Who would have thought that just before Chen Yu entered the door, Liu Miao was cursing Yuan Shu for "disregarding the emperor's favor and committing heinous acts"?
Isn't such a contrast a bit too much?

Seeing Liu Miao like this, Chen Yu was even more excited—

"Does Lord Liu also revere the General of the Rear?"

"Of course!"

Liu Miao used the most effusive words of praise—

"General Hou was concerned about the nation's peril and the suffering of the people. He led righteous troops to punish the wicked and tyrannical for the sake of the world. His merits were great and his virtues were great. He can be called unparalleled!"

"Now everyone in the world thinks that it was Yuan Shao of Hebei who formed a coalition and the warlords who made an alliance. But if it weren't for General Hou providing provisions, exhausting his efforts, and strategizing to send Sun Jian to attack Luoyang from Funiu Mountain, how could they have defeated Dong Zhuo and protected the country?"

"It's a pity that General Hou is a man indifferent to fame and fortune, unwilling to compete with Yuan Shao for profit. This led to that maid's son rebelling against the Heavenly Spirits, stealing General Hou's honor—truly a pity!" ...

Lu Kang turned his head away, unable to bear the sight and sound.

At the same time, Lu Kang couldn't help but think to himself, "Even if Emperor Gaozu were to be reborn and see Lord Liu, he would probably think this boy is like me."

Chen Yu's mind was in turmoil upon hearing this, and he unconsciously straightened his chest!
"Exactly! Exactly!"

"Finally, there is someone in this world who can understand the achievements of the General Hou!"

"If the General were here, he would surely consider you a close friend!"

With tears in his eyes, Liu Miao wished he could raise his hands high, sing praises to the general, and express that he could never repay the general's kindness in his lifetime!

"Lord Liu, the General of the Rear is about to head to Huainan. However, Chen Wen, Yuan Yi, Zhou Ang, and others all respect Yuan Shao and want to resist with their troops!"

Chen Yu gritted his teeth, but Liu Miao thought to himself: Isn't this normal?

Yuan Shu is like a locust; who wouldn't be afraid of him?
in contrast.

Someone like Chen Yu, who is so eager to welcome Yuan Shu into Huainan, is truly seriously ill!

Liu Miao said this, but he didn't show it on his face. Instead, he feigned surprise: "There really is such a thing?"

"Ugh!"

Perhaps Liu Miao's performance was too realistic, making Chen Yu truly regard him as one of her own, and she even grabbed Liu Miao's hands and cried out—

"It's no wonder that Yuan Shao bullies others by abusing his power, and his cronies are also sycophants."

"Lord Liu is currently residing in Shu County, so he must already know that Yuan Shao has appointed Zhou Ang as the Prefect of Jiujiang!"

"The governor is still alive! The Han dynasty is still alive! How dare they appoint governors at will! Isn't this treason!"

"..."

Lu Kang couldn't bear to look at him, thinking to himself that he had wasted so many years of his life, and was as naive as a child in front of Liu Miao and Chen Yu!
Leaving aside the fact that Liu Miao was vehemently criticizing Yuan Shu one minute and then deeply in love with him the next, Chen Yu's skillful use of the Spring and Autumn Annals style is truly remarkable!
You only mention Yuan Shao's appointment of Zhou Ang as the governor of Jiujiang, but you don't mention that Yuan Shu once appointed Sun Jian as the governor of Yuzhou, right?
The world is declining, and people's hearts are not as old as they used to be!

Chen Yu has now revealed his true intentions—

"Prefect Liu is the prefect of Jiujiang appointed by the imperial court! He is a true prefect! How can we allow a fraud like Zhou Ang to take charge of Shouchun and assume the duties of a prefect with a salary of two thousand shi?"

"I hope that Prefect Liu and Lu Zhongyi will start an uprising in Lujiang to support General Hou! If so... General Hou will be richly rewarded when he does so!"

If Chen Wen, Zhou Ang, and other Yuan Shao's henchmen unite, they might actually be able to keep Yuan Shu out of Huainan!
Chen Yu was anxious because he knew about this matter. He went to Jiujiang, hoping to use the matter of Liu Miao and Zhou Ang to persuade Liu Miao and Lu Kang to support Yuan Shu!
After understanding the whole story, Lu Kang immediately stared intently at Liu Miao, wanting to know what Liu Miao would do.

From their conversation, Lu Kang already knew that Liu Miao harbored resentment towards Yuan Shu.

Given this, would Liu Miao still choose to cooperate with Yuan Shu?

“Gongwei, I have always respected General Hou and regarded him as a role model. Now that General Hou has encountered villains causing trouble, how can I sit idly by?”

Liu Miao, with an upright demeanor, agreed to the matter almost without hesitation!

"I am willing to lend the general a hand!!!"

Lu Kang looked up at the sky at this moment...

I thought Liu Miao was a genius and a great man.

But today's events have revealed to Lu Kang—

"Liu Zhongshan has the makings of a ruthless hero!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Note 1:

Shu then appointed Jian as the governor of Yu Province, ordering him to lead the troops of Jing and Yu to defeat Dong Zhuo at Yangren. Shu's cousin Shao, seeing that Jian had not yet returned from his campaign against Dong Zhuo and was far away, sent his subordinate Zhou Xin of Kuaiji to seize Yu Province from Jian. Shu was enraged and attacked Zhou Xin, causing him to flee. — *Book of the Later Han*

(End of this chapter)