Chapter 48: The Yuan Clan Flees

  Liu Bian remained silent, his face looking very bad. Was Lu Zhi speaking on behalf of the Yuan family? He wasn't a former official of the Yuan family, but he was a fellow student of Ma Yun's, and Ma Lun, Yuan Wei's wife, was their teacher's sister. Heaven knows if they had an affair in the past.

  Liu Bian sadly discovered that as the emperor, he had very few people he could truly trust. Looking around him, he couldn't find many officials who didn't have any connection with the Yuan family.

  Seeing Liu Bian remain silent, Jia Xu spoke up: "In your opinion, sir, what should be done to resolve the current crisis and take back control of the northern and southern armies from the Yuan brothers?"

  Lu Zhi was speechless for a long time before saying: "Wait until Yuan Shao is dead."

  "Yuan Shao is only in his sixties, which day will he die?" Jia Xu said slowly: "Should Your Majesty learn from Emperor Xiaozhao and make Yuan Shao like Huo Guang? Yuan Shao is not a useless descendant of Huo Guang. Once he stabilizes the position of Da Jiangjun, even Wang Mang cannot match his means."

  "Jia Xuan, this is a case of 'cup and bow, snake and shadow', causing chaos in the imperial court. Once the world splits apart, do you know how many people will die, how much blood will flow? Do you know what chance His Majesty has of winning?" Lu Zhi was furious beyond control, and rushed forward to strike Jia Xuan. Although Jia Xuan's martial arts skills were average, his movements were still quite agile, and he immediately stood up to avoid the attack. Lu Zhi was held back by two guards, unable to reach Jia Xuan, and in a rage, he loudly cursed: "You Western Liang scoundrel, you are a human-faced beast with a heart of night, only bringing about disasters of bloodshed, you..."

  Lu Zhi was clearly not good at verbal sparring and after a couple of sentences, he ran out of words. Enraged, he flung his sleeve and stormed off.

  "Your Majesty, this matter must not be delayed. There are many people in the palace who are attached to Yuan's faction. If word gets out..."

  Jia Xu remained silent, but Liu Bei understood. Things had come to this point, and any further hesitation would be playing with his own life. He immediately consulted with Jia Xu and made specific arrangements. The capture within the city was carried out by Lü Bu, while the Northern Army outside the city was dealt with by Dong Zhuo. Gao Shun led the Bingzhou army to assist in intercepting at the east of the city, so as not to let the Yuan brothers escape.

  The task was arranged properly, but Liu Bian was not at ease. In his two lifetimes as a human being, this was the first time he had made such a major decision. He didn't know if it would be successful, but he knew that Lu Zhi was right - whether or not they succeeded, it would stir up a huge commotion; and if they failed and let the Yuan brothers escape, there would be endless trouble afterwards.

  The imperial edict was written and placed on the desk, but Liu Bian held the seal tightly in his hand and hesitated to stamp it.

  ……

  Yuan Wei leaned on his bed, his face full of illness, his eyes desolate.

  Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu stood in front of the bed, wearing a suit of armor, with a sword at their waist, dressed as if they were about to set out on a long journey.

  In the front yard, dozens of heavily armed knights were waiting to be dispatched, including He Fengji and Qiao Ruo. They looked solemn and tense, with no one speaking a word. Suddenly summoned together, they had no idea what was happening, only following orders to wait here.

  "Uncle, Cao Cao has personally seen Lü Bu and Jia Xu return to the city together. Ding Yuan's corpse is being paraded around the camp, and the provincial army has already been taken over by the Emperor...”Yuan Shao glanced at Yuan Shu and lowered his head: "Our actions have been delayed for too long, and we've been preempted by the Emperor."

  Yuan Shu listened and refuted with an unhappy face: "Didn't you say you sent someone to make contact?"

  "Alright, stop arguing." Yuan Yi waved his hand and sternly shouted: "No matter what, it's always better to be prepared. You brothers leave the city first. Ben Chu goes to Ji Zhou, Gong Dao goes to Yang Zhou. If it's just a false alarm, you can come back later. If..." He paused, not continuing, but instead fixed his gaze quietly on Yuan Shao's face.

  Yuan Shao bowed his head and accepted the order: "Uncle, I understand. But you can't stay in the city, just in case..."

  "Whenever there is a revolution, blood must be shed." Yuan Wei shook his head firmly: "I'm old and can't do anything big. I'll dedicate this bowl of blood to my ancestors and the sages of Confucianism."

  Yuan Shao wept like a fountain. Yuan Shu did not understand, but he understood. He knelt down on the ground, grasping Yuan Wei's hand, and wailed loudly. Yuan Shu shook his head in disapproval and argued loudly: "Uncle, you are being too cautious! Even if the Pingzhou army falls into the Emperor's hands, we still have enough advantages, the Emperor is not necessarily our opponent. Once out of the city, we will be handing over all our advantages, years of hard work will be destroyed in an instant, wouldn't that be a gift to that butcher Cao? What kind of person is Cao Cao, can his words be trusted?"

  "Highway, at this time, how can you still not be awake? Under the overturned nest, where is the intact egg? Are you determined to let my Yuan family be caught in one net?" Yuan Wei was furious and shouted loudly: "If you are reluctant to leave, then leave now and see what the final outcome will be."

  Yuan Shu was scolded for two sentences, didn't dare to retort, lowered his head and muttered two sentences.

  "Hurry, hurry!" Yuan Shao coughed violently and pushed Yuan Shu away: "Don't delay, don't look back. Benchu...". He used all his strength to pinch Yuan Shao's shoulder: "You must work hard."

  Yuan Shao wept and fell on his knees before Yuan Ti's bed, knocking his head three times, then rose and left.

  Moments later, dozens of riders rushed out of the Yuan Mansion in all directions.

  ……

  Hong Chi, Yuan Shao reined in his horse. The spirited white horse let out a long whinny and stood up on its hind legs, its four hooves like nails, standing steadily. It shook its mane, its forelock fluttering.

  In the distance, Cao Cao rode his horse over, took a glance at Yuan Shao's white horse, and then took another glance at the kerchief on Yuan Shao's head. He couldn't help but let out a sigh. At this point, Yuan Shao still looked like a refined scholar, it was really unclear whether he was being confident or just putting on a show.

  "Meng De, will you follow me to Hebei, or..."

  "I returned to my hometown, recruited soldiers and horses, and waited for Ben's command."

  Yuan Shao smiled slightly and said no more. He turned around, pointing with his whip at the city of Luoyang which lay before them like a sleeping tiger: "Soon we will return, and when that time comes, Luoyang will have a new look."

  Cao Cao did not speak, but in his heart he was somewhat unhappy. Yuan Shao was spirited and confident, yet he had forgotten that the several dozen members of the Yuan family were still in the city; once war broke out, these several dozen people would be like fish on a chopping board. Or perhaps the Yuan family had already decided to sacrifice these several dozen lives to the phoenix that was about to descend?

  The phoenix is a auspicious bird, it's a benevolent bird, how can it accept such an offering?

  Cao Cao was somewhat bewildered. He looked towards the distant city of Luoyang, and his heart ached with pain. In that city were not only the old and young of the Yuan family, but also his own family members. His newly taken concubine, Bian Shi, and his second son, Cao Pi, were both in the city, and Bian Shi was pregnant with another child. Ding Chong let him leave her behind, saying it was to avoid startling the snake in the grass, but actually meaning to have her sent to her death.

  Because Ding Chong and his legitimate wife Madam Ding were of the same clan, while Madam Ding disliked Bian Shi.

  The real war has not yet begun, but the private heart of man has already started to play tricks. Cao Cao does not know if this decision is correct or not. Yuan Shao is about to start a new era, but where is my future? Is this future worth exchanging for the lives of the Bian family and two children?

  Cao Cao did not know.

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