Chapter 59: Borrowing a Topic to Elaborate

  Looking at the empty hut, Liu Bian's anger rose. He turned around and returned to the palace, sat down by himself, and glared at Tang Ying who followed closely behind.

  Tang Ying's face turned pale as a cicada in winter, and under Liu Bian's cold gaze, she subconsciously knelt down.

  "If you had told me earlier, instead of acting on your own, could I have let him leave Luoyang so easily? Even if I couldn't use him, couldn't I have killed him? Now he's escaped, and I'll have one more enemy. Do you know that?"

  "Your Majesty, I was wrong." Tang Ying regretted it too late and wept uncontrollably. She knew Xun Yu's abilities, of course, she also knew that Liu Bian said not a single word was wrong. Xun Yu leaving Luoyang would definitely become a strong enemy for Liu Bian, don't know how much trouble he will bring to Liu Bian. Her self-righteousness may have caused irreparable losses. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but regret it too late. "Your Majesty, I was foolish, please punish me."

  "You are wrong, but not just about this matter." Liu Bian was motionless. "Letting Xun Yu go, I would have only gained another enemy. I already have so many enemies, one more wouldn't make a difference. But you, as the person closest to me, the one I trust the most, yet you deceived me and acted on your own accord. Do you know how bad an influence this will bring upon me?"

  Liu Bian's voice rose, his face stern: "Those people deceived me, didn't believe in my ability, can be said to have ulterior motives, intentionally framed you. If you also do this, how will others view me? If I can't even handle the affairs of the palace properly, who will still believe that I can govern the country well?"

  "You only know that Yuan Shao wants to replace me, do you know that Huangfu Song is a dragon among men? Someone advised him to establish himself independently, but he refused. I believe he is a loyal minister, however, if everyone thinks I am foolish and unbearable, I don't know how long his loyalty can last."

  "Now that Yuan has risen in revolt, the collapse of the Han dynasty is imminent. I don't know if he will change his mind." Liu Bian sighed and took two deep breaths before continuing: "In order to make him believe that the Han dynasty has not yet collapsed, I have to put on a confident appearance every day. Every word must be carefully chosen, neither can say wrong nor show any cowardice..."

  "I walk with my head held high and chest out, I sit up straight. Even when there's no one around, I still maintain a dignified posture, because I don't know which person beside me is a spy or which one has a loose tongue..."

  "In order for people to think I have an imperial aura, no matter how tired I am, I must practice my phoenix-like demeanor. I want to be as majestic as Yuan Yi..."

  "I studied military tactics with Huangfu Song, I didn't dare to relax at all, afraid that Huangfu Song would take me as a useless person, as uncarvable rotten wood, and look down on me..."

  Liu Bian's anger grew as he spoke. He thought about how he had been forcing himself to smile and pretend to be a leader these past few days, and now looking at Tang Ying's self-satisfied expression, he was so angry that all the pent-up rage burst out at once. Being an emperor wasn't easy, every move and word had to be carefully considered, afraid of saying or doing something wrong. If it was just being ridiculed in history books, that would be fine, but what really bothered him was being looked down upon by others.

  Huangfu Song has the fate of a dragon, why didn't he rebel? On one hand, it's because he had the loyalty of a minister. On the other hand, it's because he still had faith in the Great Han. If he thought the Great Han was beyond hope, could he have been so devoted to his duty? The hope for the Great Han rested on his shoulders. If he couldn't make Huangfu Song see the hope, if he couldn't make these generals feel that the Great Han wasn't yet lost, then these people might turn against him at any moment.

  He must hold on, he can't relax for a moment, no matter how desperate he is, he has to be confident.

  Walk with dignity, sit with dignity, even when sleeping, he dare not be careless, fearing that he would reveal his weakness in his sleep talk. In order to grasp the art of war as soon as possible, he studied hard, no matter how bitter it was, he had to memorize the military strategy taught by Huangfu Song. To make himself look like a king, no matter how tired he was, he had to practice Fengyi, making himself look majestic and dignified.

  Wearing a facade for one day is easy, wearing it for two days is also easy, but to keep it up for over ten days without a moment's rest is a tremendous test of endurance. Even if he had received professional training, there were times when he couldn't hold on any longer. Among Huangfu Song, Yan Zhong, Jia Xiang, Zhang Huai, Zhang Liao, and Huangfu Lie, which one was an ordinary person? Pretending to be awesome in front of a group of talented people is really exhausting. He was about to collapse, so he used the excuse of returning to the city to pay respects to the empress dowager to escape that bloody military camp for a night. He wanted to see his relatives, he wanted to see Princess Wannian, and see Tang Xuan. He wanted to hide in the haven of family affection for a while and rest for a moment.

  Who would have thought that Tang Ying would actually give him such a move, and had been hiding it from him for so long.

  "Yingzi, no matter how they hurt me, I don't care, it's just some superficial wounds. No matter how they deceive me, I also don't care, because I never believed them in the first place. But you are different, you are the one I trust most, the one I love most. You treating me like this is like stabbing a knife into my heart."

  Liu Bian's face turned red with anger, his voice and tone both severe: "I am also human, my heart is also made of flesh, I also get tired, I also have times when I can't bear it. I hope you will be a gentle place where I can lick my wounds, not another battlefield for intrigue and struggle. Do you understand? Do you understand?"

  "Your Majesty, I understand, I understand." Tang Ying wailed and wept, kneeling before Liu Bian, embracing his legs, crying out: "I was wrong, I was wrong, I didn't think it through, I acted smart, and ruined Your Majesty's great affair. Please punish me, Your Majesty, I am willing to die a thousand deaths."

  Liu Bian looked at Tang Ying's tear-stained face and let out a long sigh. He also knew that Tang Ying didn't mean to, she just couldn't think of so much. In essence, she was trying to help him share his worries, but ended up making things worse instead. The reason he blew up was partly because he had been holding it in for too long and needed an excuse to vent, and also to teach Tang Ying a lesson so that she wouldn't make the same mistake again.

  Now, Tang Ying has learned her lesson and knows who the real master of this palace is. Her anger has also been vented, so it's time to let things go. Power is the best aphrodisiac. Looking at Tang Ying, who was once strong-willed, kneeling in front of him with tears in her eyes, weak and pitiful, he couldn't help but feel a surge of lust. He stretched out his hand and lifted her chin: "Since you know your mistake, I want to punish you. Will you obey?"

  "Your Majesty has given an order, I will follow it without any disobedience."

  "Alright, since the crime comes from the mouth, it should be redeemed with the mouth." Liu Bian loosened his fingers, straightened his waist, and thrust his angry self in front of Tang Xuan. Tang Xuan looked at the bulge almost touching her nose tip, her face red and ears burning: "This...the mourning period for the empress dowager has not yet passed, Your Majesty..."

  Liu Bian interrupted her and said unequivocally: "In this imperial palace, I have the final say."

  "Yes, Your Majesty." Tang Ying stopped arguing and lifted up Liu Bian's hem, bowing his head.

  ……

  Dong Guan, Cai Yan held a guqin with a burnt tail, sat on the veranda, and gently plucked the strings.

  The sound of the qin is clear and resonant, with a light and quick rhythm, as if a breeze blowing over a stream, the stream singing happily.

  Tsai Yen played with great care, her eyes were distant, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, and she was immersed in the sound of the piano.

  At the corner of the wall, Cai Yong stood with his hands clasped together, his eyes knotted.

  As the music came to an end, Cai Yan withdrew her fingers and softly called out: "Father!"

  Cai Yong hesitated for a moment, walked out from the corner of the wall, and slowly approached Cai Yan's side. He lowered his head, looked at Cai Yan, and then gazed at the zither with burnt tail. He let out a soft sigh: "Ah Yan, you can't save him."

  "Father, I'm heartbroken." Cai Yan's eyes turned red and her voice was nasal: "He... doesn't seem like a bad person, how could he become a violent creature?"

  "This isn't a matter of whether he wants to or not, it's just the nature of dragons is cruel." Cai Yong glanced around and lowered his voice even further: "The evil dragon has already awakened, but he himself doesn't know yet. If we don't take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of him, once he discovers the secret of his dragon form and hatches into a giant dragon, the people of the world will be plunged into water and fire, and countless lives will be lost. Ah Yu, do you want to see him become like that?"

  Cai Yan sobbed, her shoulders shaking up and down, speechless.

  Cai Yong held her in his arms: "Alright, alright, let's not mention it again. Forget this half-page of music score and hide it deep within your heart. Never play it again."