Chapter 24: The Plan Begins

After the trembling maidservant withdrew, Liu Xie closed the door tightly. At this moment, Lady Gan and Lady Mi were both pale as death. Now, only the three of them—a man and two women—remained in the room, and Liu Xie’s intentions could not have been clearer.

“Your Majesty, please restrain yourself. We are both already Lord Xuande’s wives, and he is the Imperial Uncle. This…violates all propriety and law!” Lady Gan, seeing Liu Xie advancing step by step, was clearly making a final effort to dissuade him, pleading with words while clutching her collar tightly.

Lady Mi, younger than Lady Gan, was already in a state of panic, hiding continually behind her companion. Her posture suggested that if Liu Xie truly meant to harm Lady Gan, she herself might yet escape unscathed.

“I am merely bored and wished to visit my aunts, to reminisce and inquire after the Imperial Uncle. That is why I had the maid stand guard outside. Why are you both so alarmed? What do you take me, the Son of Heaven of Han, for?” After silently observing their awkward performance for a moment, Liu Xie finally sat down, his voice now cool and indifferent.

This was a sharp contrast to his earlier, urgent and suggestive demeanor upon entering. The sudden shift caught Lady Gan and Lady Mi completely off guard—they had no idea what game Liu Xie was playing.

“Your Majesty…your true purpose here is to ask about Xuande?” Lady Gan ventured.

“Precisely. Have you heard why the Imperial Uncle was attacked by the Grand Administrator in Xuzhou? Are you aware of what he did during his time in Xuchang—the matter organized by the General of Chariots and Cavalry?” Liu Xie wasted no time, immediately raising the issue of the blood-stained imperial edict, though he did not name it outright. Instead, he scrutinized their reactions.

“I have heard my brother mention it,” Lady Mi replied. “It seems Xuande was indeed involved with Dong Cheng and the others. But Your Majesty must understand, as the Imperial Uncle and a member of the Liu clan, Xuande’s loyalty is to you—he only wishes to secure the Han dynasty for our family!”

Lady Mi, sister to Mi Fang and Mi Zhu—Liu Bei’s trusted confidants—was herself a lady of refinement. Due to her close relationship with her brothers, she was the most well-informed among Liu Bei’s wives. Yet her disposition was gentle; though she knew much, she rarely spoke of it.

Liu Xie managed a polite smile but, inwardly, he cursed Liu Bei’s virtue and the way even his wives upheld his reputation.

“Of course—I know full well the Imperial Uncle’s devotion. In truth, his move to Xuzhou was part of a larger plan. But tell me, have you ever wondered how General Yun Chang—who can take the head of an enemy general as easily as reaching into a bag—could be captured so simply by the Grand Administrator?”

At Liu Xie’s words, the tension in Lady Gan and Lady Mi melted away. They thought to themselves, “This nephew is one of us after all.”

“Your Majesty, General Yun Chang was captured because he did not want us to fall alone into Cao Cao’s hands and suffer disgrace. Otherwise, he could have escaped. It was because of us that Yun Chang was caught,” Lady Gan said.

They had indeed been with Guan Yu at the time of his capture and understood his motives. If only they had been taken, they would be of little use beyond venting someone’s anger.

“You are mistaken, aunts. Even with you both present, if General Yun Chang wished, he could have spirited you away on horseback. Yet, after arriving in Xuchang, he delivered you to me. Does that not make you wonder?” Liu Xie spoke cryptically, winking at the two lovely women, his meaning clear.

“Do you mean, Your Majesty, that Xuande has a contingency in the matter of the blood-stained edict?” Lady Gan asked.

“Indeed, Aunt, you see it clearly! The Grand Administrator has departed to confront Yuan Shao; this is the perfect moment to set our plan in motion. But within the palace, aside from my consorts, there are few I can trust. What I have spoken to you today, you must tell no one else!”

Lady Gan and Lady Mi now felt as if a door had been opened into light after darkness—a new hope had suddenly dawned. Liu Xie then leaned in close, whispering something into their ears.

From curiosity, the expressions of Liu Bei’s two wives turned to astonishment, then finally to realization.

“So, all of this was planned by Xuande, Yun Chang, and Your Majesty together?” they asked.

“Exactly. On the eve before your arrival, General Yun Chang came to my palace, and we devised our plan. His service in the Grand Administrator’s camp is but a ruse; once you are safe, he can leave at any time.”

What Liu Xie said matched perfectly with their own experiences and what they’d previously learned. They could not doubt him. Liu Bei was indeed a man of deep thought—he had left Xuchang on the pretext of the imperial edict, sensing disaster.

When Liu Xie left their chamber, the two women’s demeanor had changed entirely—they were now bright and hopeful.

After departing from them, Liu Xie went straight to the Empress’s quarters.

“Your Majesty, what did Liu Bei’s wives say?” the Empress asked.

“All went smoothly. They’re just women. For the next few days, do not visit me; stay here and keep watch on them. Make sure they meet no one they shouldn’t. Once we get through this, not only will we be free, but we shall rise even higher!”

In the presence of Empress Fu Shou, Liu Xie’s face was resolute and all pretense was gone. His plan was already in motion; once he had spoken those words to Liu Bei’s wives, there was no turning back. Yet he felt no regret or anxiety—only anticipation for the future and unshakable confidence.