My Three Kingdoms is not right

Cheng Yu looked at Cao Cao, who had closed his eyes and stopped speaking, and gritted his teeth as he said, "I never expected that Her Highness would act so recklessly and without regard for the consequences... It's completely different from her usual self."

Zhong Yao frowned: "Your Highness is still a young man. It's understandable that he might not think things through when he's emotional. There's nothing to criticize about it."

Everyone was speechless.

A man's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.

It's understandable that someone might act irrationally in a moment of excitement.

Cheng Yu spread his hands and said, "His Highness didn't negotiate with Man Boning, nor did he come to the Sikong Mansion to see the Lord. Instead, he directly used the Imperial Guards to arrest people. All our contingency plans have failed. So what should we do now?"

Xun Yu looked at Cao Cao: "Otherwise, I'll go and persuade His Highness."

"If I were to intervene, he would surely listen to some of what I say. It's crucial to stabilize the situation before things spiral out of control."

Cao Cao, who had been silent all along, finally opened his eyes.

There was no anger on her pretty face.

He simply waved his hand and sighed softly, "It seems we all misjudged His Highness."

"He has always been too friendly, too kind, and too considerate," Cao Cao's gaze swept over everyone in the hall, "making us all forget that he is the master of the three thousand imperial guards, a valiant general who dared to fight Lü Bu, and the contemporary Li Guang who could kill two birds with one stone."

The advisors exchanged glances and bowed deeply, pleading guilty: "We have failed in our planning; please punish us, Your Majesty."

Cao Cao shook his head, a faint, bitter smile appearing on his lips: "It's not your fault. To be honest, I'm the one who drove him to this point."

She transferred Liu Bei away from Xuchang, and Liu Xun said nothing.

Liu Xun did not stop Zhong Ji and others from their positions as captains in the Northern Army and from replacing them with his cronies.

She used the Dong Cheng case to purge officials in the court who were dissatisfied with her, and Liu Xun only vouched for some of them.

I mistook his forbearance and tolerance for weakness and concession.

After a moment of hesitation, Cheng Yu couldn't help but speak up: "My lord, things have come to this point, there's no turning back."

"The capital of Xuchang is shaken, and the whole world knows it. If we let this go, our lord's prestige will be greatly damaged. We will lose control of the court and Xuchang."

"Besides, we can't really let the Emperor treat Man Boning as a traitor, can we?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xun You interjected, "Zhongde is right. Now that Liu Bei has handed over the city's defenses and the Northern Army is under our control, we can send Generals Cao Ren and Cao Hong's troops into the city."

"Although the three thousand Imperial Guards are well-trained, they are no match for us. With a large army in command, His Highness will not act so recklessly. If we continue to talk, we will have room to maneuver."

Cao Cao gently shook his head: "There's no need for that."

She stood up and walked to the window: "You're overthinking it. There's no need to overreact."

"I understand him." She turned around, her tone calm: "His Highness is exceptionally intelligent and devoted to the nation; he is by no means an ordinary, willful, and unreasonable man."

"He will know when to stop and stop in time."

Xun Yu frowned slightly: "Does Your Excellency mean we should do nothing?"

Cao Cao nodded: "Let's wait and see. His Highness will come to me to negotiate. At worst, I'll make a concession."

"Your Highness is well aware that I am the royal family's best and only collaborator."

The strategists all nodded in agreement.

Looking back on the princess's past, it certainly fits Cao Cao's judgment.

But just then, hurried footsteps sounded again from under the eaves.

Sima Lang returned, his steps even more hurried than before.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, news has arrived from Xuchang: Her Highness the Princess has led the Imperial Guards to surround the Court of Justice!"

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Liu Xun leading the Imperial Guards to drive away the Northern Army could be considered part of his duty.

The Tiger Guards and Feathered Guards were responsible for the security of the palace.

Even the arrest of Man Chong, from a legal perspective, is a matter of differing opinions and could be subject to litigation.

If Liu Xun could lead troops to surround the Court of Justice, it would mean that he was no longer on the defensive, but taking the initiative to attack.

And it completely broke away from the rules of the imperial court.

Just moments ago, Cao Cao had judged that Liu Xun would know when to stop and would wait for him to negotiate...

Ignoring Cao Cao's displeasure, Cheng Yu leaned down and said, "My lord, just in case, let's do as Xun Gongda suggested and move troops into the city."

Cao Cao remained silent for a long time before finally nodding.

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The Imperial Guards had completely surrounded the Court of Justice.

As one of the Nine Ministers, the officials in charge of his office knelt on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.

To be fair, it wasn't that they lacked backbone. Xu Qiu, the Court of Justice appointed by the imperial court, had been detained by Yuan Shu, so much so that this important judicial department was like an orphan, and was very unpopular in Xuchang.

This situation was exactly what Cao Cao wanted. She used it as an excuse to let the inexperienced Man Chong take over the power of the Court of Justice and monopolize the judicial power of the court.

Right now, with the princess standing in the courtyard having already tied up their acting commander, Man Chong, who would dare to risk their lives and bare their teeth at this moment...

"Your Highness, the prisoner has been brought here." Zuo Ping, the Minister of Justice, came before Liu Xun and bowed.

Behind her was the instigator of the current Xudu storm, General Dong Cheng, along with his accomplices Wang Zifu and Wu Shuo.

Dong Cheng's hair was disheveled and his face was ashen, clearly indicating that he had been tortured in the Imperial Prison.

Wang Zifu and Wu Shuo were trembling so badly they were practically dragged out.

Liu Xun looked at them and said only two words: "Take them away."

Outside the Tingwei prison, a large crowd had already gathered.

Man Chong stormed the palace to arrest the eunuchs, but was captured on the spot by Liu Xun. This incident had already spread throughout Xuchang.

These days, Man Chong is using the Dong Cheng case to purge the court, causing alarm among the officials every day, which has long been a source of public resentment and anger.

Court officials and ministers, having received the news, rushed from all directions, especially the relatives and friends of those officials arrested by Man Chong. They stood on the perimeter to observe. The common people crowded even further away, craning their necks to get a better look. The Imperial Guards stood in formation on the outer perimeter, holding halberds, maintaining order.

Liu Xun walked to the outside of the Court of Justice, where there was a blue stone base about half a person's height, which was the place where official documents and proclamations were usually read aloud.

He turned around to face the gazes directed at him.

"Bring it up."

Dong Cheng was brought before the stone foundation.

Prince Fu knelt three steps behind her.

Wu Shuo lay limp on the ground, his face ashen, clearly having guessed his fate.

Liu Xun took out the imperial edict from his sleeve:

"I have heard that treacherous ministers and villains who disrupt the country and harm the people shall be executed without mercy."

When the officials and common people who were watching saw the imperial edict being proclaimed, they all knelt on the ground in complete silence.

Liu Xun's clear voice carried far and wide.

"General Dong Cheng forged an imperial edict, colluded with his cronies, and plotted to murder a high-ranking official and kidnap the emperor. His crimes are unforgivable."

"General Wang Zifu and Consultant Wu Shuo have joined the rebels and plotted treason."

……

Dong Cheng tried to struggle and shout, but his mouth had already been stuffed with bamboo strips and his head was tied with a rope, so he could only make muffled "woo-woo" sounds.

"According to Han law, treason is a heinous crime and punishable by execution in the marketplace."

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(On such a holiday, I'm writing while sick, and there's still no data. I feel a bit silly...)

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Dragon Boat Festival!