My Three Kingdoms is not right

Liu Xun smiled as he looked at the girl in the sunset: "Since Mengde has formally proposed moving the capital in court today, he must explain the matter to the Empress as soon as possible."

"If we were to suddenly tell my elder sister halfway through the journey, 'We are going to Xuchang, not Luyang,' what would she think? And how would the court officials view Mengde?"

Without waiting for Cao Cao's reply, he continued speaking to himself:

"My elder sister is magnanimous and would not likely harbor any resentment towards Mengde. However, public opinion can be devastating, and slander can destroy even the strongest. Does Mengde not value his own life?"

"Mengde is selfless and considers everything from the perspective of the court." Liu Xun looked into her eyes. "As a member of the imperial family, I naturally have to think about Mengde's interests as well."

Cao Cao remained silent.

She concealed the truth from the emperor and his officials, mainly to lull Yang Feng into a false sense of security, but it also may have been partly due to her intention to lower the court's guard and make the emperor look down on her.

She wasn't actually that "selfless".

But at this moment, under the boy's gaze, I only felt warmth in my heart.

It turns out that all his painstaking efforts were not for any scheming or intrigue, but simply for his own safety.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Cao Cao said, his voice much softer than usual. "If there is another such arrangement in the future, I hope Your Highness will inform me in advance, so that I may not behave improperly in front of Your Majesty."

"Understood." Liu Xun waved his hand with a bright smile. "Mengde is a pillar of the Han Dynasty. If he needs my cooperation in court in the future, I can help him."

After the two said goodbye, Liu Xun turned around, secretly smiling to himself:

Cao Mengde, Cao Mengde, don't even think about being some kind of "treacherous woman in troubled times." I'm going to elevate you, elevate you to be a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty, elevate you to be a model for the world.

Only then will you be willing to contribute to the restoration of the Han Dynasty.

The girl in red behind him had stopped at some point and was looking back at his back, her phoenix eyes filled with a complex expression.

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Huanyuan Pass is one of the "Eight Passes of Luoyang". It is located at the mouth of a ravine between Shaoshi Mountain and Taishi Mountain, which are branches of Songshan Mountain, and guards the vital passage from Luoyang to the southeast.

After exiting this treacherous mountain road with its "twelve bends and near return," the view opens up, revealing the vast and fertile plains of Yingchuan.

Upon arriving here, Cao Cao finally felt relieved and stopped urging them to continue their journey.

Yang Feng was brave but lacked strategy, and by this time he had missed the opportunity to trap them in Luoyang.

The long convoy wound its way along the official road, raising a trail of dust.

Compared to the disarray of the imperial court's escape from Chang'an to Luoyang, this relocation of the capital was far more dignified.

Cao Cao personally led his cavalry to clear the way, while Cao Ren's elite infantry brought up the rear. The emperor's carriage and officials were surrounded by Liu Xun's elite Tiger Warriors.

Although the Imperial Guards had only recently been expanded, their banners fluttered, their order was impeccable, and they possessed a dignified bearing.

Liu Xun rode his horse to the side of the emperor's carriage, his silver armor and green robe making him stand out in the procession.

He dismounted, handed the horse to the guard beside him, and climbed onto the carriage.

The carriage curtain was lifted, revealing Liu Xie's handsome face.

"Ah Xun, come in quickly." Liu Xie beckoned, his eyes full of concern. "It's sunny outside, don't get sunburned."

Liu Xun bent down and climbed into the carriage. The carriage was quite spacious, with soft cushions, and several kinds of snacks and a pot of sweet wine were placed on the table.

Liu Xie picked up a piece of pastry and put it in his mouth: "Try this honey cake, it tastes very good."

Liu Xun opened her mouth and took a bite, nodding repeatedly with her mouth full, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Eat a few more if you like them." Liu Xie pushed the whole plate of pastries in front of him. "Ah Xun has worked so hard. He's at the age where he needs to grow, so he can't be deprived of them."

Liu Xun chuckled, picked up another piece, and slowly ate it.

He has indeed grown taller recently.

Perhaps due to the system's enhancements, he, in his teens, had already reached the height of an adult male in this world.

The sounds of horses' hooves, wheels, and soldiers' footsteps outside the carriage blended together, creating a peculiar rhythm.

Liu Xie looked at him with a gratified smile: "The Imperial Guards are now well-organized and their marching formations are orderly. They are completely different from what they used to be."

"Ah Xun, you've had a tough time these past few days."

Liu Xun shook his head: "It's still a long way off."

"Um?"

"They haven't been training for long and haven't experienced actual combat." Liu Xun put down the pastries in his hand, his expression becoming serious. "They're alright in terms of marching, but it's hard to say whether they can actually fight against Li Jue and Guo Si's Xiliang troops."

He paused, then added, "They are far inferior to Cao Cao's armies, which fought their way out of the bloody battles in Yanzhou."

Liu Xie's smile faltered slightly.

Liu Xun saw it all, but he didn't shut up. There were some things he had to say.

"I know my elder sister is happy for me, but I dare not let her overestimate the Imperial Guard's fighting strength."

He looked directly into Liu Xie's eyes, his tone earnest: "Your Majesty, when you are in court and dealing with those feudal lords, you must have a sense of propriety. We don't have enough resources to confront them head-on."

After entering Yingchuan, the relationship between the imperial court and Cao Cao underwent a subtle change.

The roles of host and guest are different.

While in Luoyang, Liu Xun could act more forcefully, even deliberately using the emperor's authority to put pressure on Cao Cao. But upon arriving in Xuchang, he did not want the court to provoke Cao Cao too much.

Liu Xie was silent for a moment, his eyes dimming slightly, but they quickly brightened again.

"I understand." She reached out and gently ruffled Liu Xun's hair, just like when they were children. "A-Xun, you've done very well."

"When we arrived in Luoyang, the Imperial Guards numbered less than a hundred. Now they number over a thousand, fully armed and disciplined, and their orders are obeyed without question. This is all thanks to you."

Liu Xie's gaze softened as he looked at his younger brother's handsome face, his voice tinged with emotion: "I used to worry that you would be wronged or bullied, but I never imagined that the court would now be protected by a boy like A Xun."

Liu Xun smiled and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your praise."

The siblings smiled at each other.

The atmosphere inside the car relaxed a bit. Liu Xie pursed his lips:

"Ah Xun, you don't need to worry too much. I know what's going on. Just focus on training your troops well, and I'll handle the rest."

Halfway through his sentence, a rapid sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from outside the carriage.

The sound grew louder and louder as it approached.

Liu Xun frowned, lifted the carriage curtain, and looked out. He saw a scout galloping towards them from the rear of the column.

"Report—"

The scout pulled on the reins, dismounted in front of the carriage, and knelt to report: "Your Majesty, Yang Feng's army has appeared in pursuit from behind."

"General Cao has ordered the rear guard to form a defensive formation. Your Majesty, please halt your advance for now. Rest assured and wait for her to defeat the enemy!"

Liu Xun glanced at Liu Xie. The young emperor's face was somewhat pale, but her eyes remained relatively calm.

This has happened far too many times since she ascended the throne at the age of nine.

Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, Li Le, Han Xian, Yang Feng... various warlords took turns taking the stage, seizing the imperial court like spoils of war.

The emperor's dignity was also subjected to humiliation in the repeated struggles.

Hopefully, Cao Cao will be different.