Chapter 70: All Present

At this point, Guan Yu no longer cared who else had gone with him; all he wanted to know was whether his two sisters-in-law were still in Xuchang. If they had also been taken away, then even if he had the chance in the future, he would have no face to return to Liu Bei’s side.

Guan Yu agreed immediately and stepped down from the carriage. Watching Guan Yu’s hurried departure, Cao Cao waited until he was out of earshot before instructing one of his trusted guards outside the carriage, “Go and tell Cao Hong: when we return to Xuchang, if it turns out that Liu Bei’s two wives are still there, find a way to ensure they die before Guan Yu learns of it, and make sure Guan Yu believes the deed was done by people from Jiangdong.”

When Cao Cao received this news, he spared not a single thought for Liu Bei’s two wives. What he truly wanted to know was how Liu Xie had ended up in Jiangdong. After all, Zhang Hong was a well-known man of Jiangdong, and Cao Cao could hardly believe Zhang Hong was so clever as to whisk Liu Xie away right under Xun Yu’s nose.

Cao Cao suspected there was more to the matter—perhaps a spy in Xuchang, one he had never noticed before, had secretly aided Zhang Hong in this affair. Of course, at this moment, he had not yet considered that Liu Xie himself might have played a part. After all, it had been four or five years; the boy had grown from a young teenager under his watch to a young man of eighteen or nineteen. Cao Cao believed he had a good grasp of the young emperor’s abilities.

For Xuchang and for Cao Cao, this victory only granted a brief respite—nothing more. In his heart, a seed had already been sown: against Jiangdong and Sun Ce, he would make certain they did not come to a good end. Of course, he had almost forgotten that, if not for Sun Ce’s extraordinary luck, he would have already been assassinated in the mountains by the killers Guo Jia had dispatched.

In stark contrast to Cao Cao, who felt no joy at his victory, the people of Jiangdong were jubilant when Liu Xie announced the relocation of the capital and declared a general amnesty. Both the common folk and the officials, civil and military alike, were in high spirits—indeed, even happier than when Sun Ce had first unified Jiangdong.

That day, the news Liu Xie had long awaited finally arrived. The party, including Fu Wan and Liu Bei’s two wives, had at last reached Wu Commandery by carriage. Their arrival brought Liu Xie a profound sense of relief; after all, Fu Wan was one of the few loyal old retainers he could truly trust, and Lady Gan and Lady Mi were crucial to his coming plans.

As for the remaining two concubines, Liu Xie was not particularly interested in them.

But at the very least, Noble Lady Dong was still carrying a child; he could hardly declare that the soul within him was no longer the original Liu Xie, and that the child belonged to the previous spirit, so he could not accept it…

So, after their arrival in Wu Commandery, aside from Fu Wan—who had already been granted an official post and a mansion—the others, regardless of rank or status, were brought directly into the palace by Liu Xie.

Once Liu Bei’s two wives had arrived, Liu Xie immediately summoned Zhang Hong to the palace.

Zhang Hong had, in fact, wagered with Liu Xie several times, but always lost. By their earlier agreement, Zhang Hong should have already been Liu Xie’s man, but since Liu Xie’s last contest with Sun Ce, he had never mentioned it again. Since the emperor remained silent, Zhang Hong was only too happy to let the matter fade.

“Master, now that Liu Bei’s two wives are here, and the soldiers under Cao Cao surely know the outcome of this battle, we can start preparing to welcome Guan Yu.”

“To welcome Guan Yu? Just for Liu Bei’s two wives?”

Although Liu Xie had mentioned this before, now that the women had arrived—and Zhang Hong, seeing they were attractive but by no means extraordinary beauties, could not accept Liu Xie’s earlier claim.

Guan Yu had earned great merit under Cao Cao’s banner by slaying Yan Liang, and his prospects seemed boundless. To leave Cao Cao’s service now would be to destroy his own future.

“Exactly for these two wives, Master. You are right, but you do not truly understand Guan Yu, nor the persuasive powers of that rogue Liu Bei.”

Zhang Hong frowned, pondering the meaning of Liu Xie’s words, then asked again, “If Guan Yu is so loyal to Liu Bei, then by keeping Liu Bei’s wives here, Your Majesty is only inviting trouble for Jiangdong. Guan Yu will never serve our cause.”

“When he is driven to desperation, he will naturally turn to me, the legitimate emperor of Han.”

Zhang Hong still seemed unconvinced, but when Liu Xie smiled with confidence and suggested another wager, Zhang Hong chose to evade the challenge.

Before his enthronement, Liu Xie had lived incognito in this palace; now that he had claimed the throne, it was transformed into the emperor’s own residence. Though Jiangdong’s officials and generals cared little for such things, knowing that Sun Ce remained the true master of Jiangdong, the common folk were fascinated by the emperor and his authority—something they had never been close to in their lifetimes. The once-quiet streets outside the palace bustled with excitement.

The people’s thoughts were simple: as if being closer to imperial power might bring good fortune.

Compared to his days in Xuchang, Liu Xie now enjoyed certain privileges in Wu Commandery; he was no longer confined to the deep palace as before. He could stroll the markets and streets of Wu Commandery as he pleased—so long as he did not don his imperial robes.

In the days since the capital’s relocation, Liu Xie had already taken Fu Shou with him to wander the markets of Wu Commandery several times. Such outings were a novelty they had never experienced in Xuchang. Since becoming Liu Xie’s empress, Fu Shou had not seen truly bustling streets for many years.

Though Wu Commandery still fell short of Luoyang or Xuchang in some respects, it thrilled Fu Shou to no end. Each time she went out, she returned with bags and bundles, buying anything that struck her fancy regardless of price or use.

Of course, no matter how much Sun Ce trusted Liu Xie, he always sent two men to follow them whenever they went out. Whether one called it surveillance or protection hardly mattered—Liu Xie himself was utterly unconcerned.

Ironically, it was always those assigned to follow Liu Xie and Fu Shou who ended up reporting back to Sun Ce, since all the things they purchased were charged to his account. After all, Liu Xie was the emperor, and Sun Ce could hardly refuse payment in public.