People in the Three Kingdoms: Starting from Preaching

Chapter 373 Loyal Minister

The fighting was raging beneath the palace wall, while Liu Xie on top of the wall was trembling all over.

He was excited, but also scared.

This moment is the most critical one. Who the soldiers will listen to will determine the direction of the situation.

As far as the soldiers are concerned, they are not absolutely loyal to anyone, and once the emperor steps forward to seize their command, they can easily be shaken.

After all, he was the real Emperor of the Han Dynasty. Even the princes to which they belonged were nominally subjects of this emperor.

But in terms of specific organization, they naturally obeyed their respective officers, and when the officers ordered them to attack the emperor's garrison, they instinctively tended to obey.

In the tug of war between the two positions, Cao Ren's army soon became confused, which also made the battlefield become chaotic.

The two sides in the battle were not in a clear-cut hostile relationship. Many people just stood there at a loss. This strange scene was finally broken by Cao Ren, Guan Yu and Zhou Tai.

Cao Ren immediately organized thousands of personal soldiers who were absolutely loyal to Cao Cao. These soldiers were Cao Cao's earliest team, and most of them were private family soldiers of the Xiahou family and the Cao family. No matter what the situation, they were absolutely of the same mind with the Cao family and would never be shaken by anyone.

Only the conscripted peasant soldiers who are now stunned will be at a loss in the complicated situation.

After Cao Ren organized these thousands of elite soldiers, Guan Yu and Zhou Tai immediately joined their teams. The three of them looked at each other and then charged out of the city.

In the chaotic battlefield, their fierce offensive was simply unstoppable.

In particular, the enraged Guan Yu led an elite team, whose offensive was as strong as a blade, cutting through the chaotic battlefield in one swoop and quickly creating conditions for a breakout.

Although there were many soldiers in the city, they were still in a confused state. Some of them subconsciously followed Guan Yu and his men out, while some stayed in the city motionlessly. On the contrary, not many people stopped Guan Yu and his men. Only the defenders who had been conquered by Liu Xie were blocking them.

However, facing Guan Yu, Cao Ren and other elite generals, the fighting power of these defenders was really stretched. Although they tried hard to keep Cao Ren and others, they were ultimately unable to stop them.

After a fierce battle in the city, Cao Ren, Guan Yu and Zhou Tai each led their troops to the city gate and broke through it to escape.

Seeing this, Liu Xie on the top of the city wall slapped the wall with his hand, then sighed: "It's a pity that I couldn't keep them. I'm afraid that after they escape, they will point their guns at me."

Fu Xie glanced at Liu Xie and shook his head: "This matter is risky. Although Your Majesty has shaken the morale of the army, he cannot immediately control the army. It is too difficult to capture such a powerful general and elite soldiers in one fell swoop."

Liu Xie heard this and could only accept the reality. Then he comforted himself: "But it's not a bad thing if they run away. I can close the door and take in these soldiers. In this way, I can have more than 20,000 troops."

When he said this, Liu Xie's eyes lit up.

Only strength is the real reliance and confidence. Liu Xie was excited about these 20,000 troops in exchange for a risky and crazy move. Although the strength was not that great, it was enough to make him excited.

Fu Xie said: "After they break out, they will definitely besiege the city. I will lead the army to defend the city immediately. As long as I am here, Xuchang will not be lost!"

Liu Xie nodded, then took a deep breath and looked resolute: "I will follow Fu Qing, this is my city, I will live and die with it!"

Fu Xie glanced at Liu Xie and didn't say much, just nodded heavily.

Guan Yu and his men eventually fought their way out of the city. In the chaos, a considerable number of troops followed them out, but more troops remained in the city.

Adding the original 10,000 troops, just as Liu Xie had expected, he finally had more than 20,000 troops in his hands.

Fu Xie quickly organized all the troops in the city into battle formation, and then began to arrange city defense affairs.

Those soldiers who stayed behind, under the watchful eyes of Liu Xie, became part of the army of the Han emperor, and the camp they belonged to before now became their enemy.

After Fu Xie organized the city's defense, Xuchang was indeed surrounded by the outer army.

Although Sun Quan and Liu Bei both fell into Liu Xie's hands, their army did not fall into chaos immediately. After all, the two were only captured and not killed. As long as there was hope of rescuing them, the army would not collapse.

But now Liu Xie was actually hesitant. How to deal with Sun and Liu was a big problem. "What do you think? Should I kill you?"

Looking at the densely packed army under Xuchang, Liu Xie asked without turning his head, and this question made Sun Quan and Liu Bei, who were tied up behind him, shudder.

Liu Bei was able to keep calm. Although he looked grim in the dangerous situation, he was not panicked.

Sun Quan was much more embarrassed. His fear was obvious from his pale face and his body that trembled from time to time. However, he was just a teenager after all, so such a reaction was normal.

"Your Majesty, there is no need to do this. If you want military power, just ask and I will give it to you." Liu Bei sighed and said so.

Liu Xie turned his head and looked at Liu Bei, and just smiled: "Is it really so?"

Liu Bei was silent for a while. "I am sincere and sincere. I will not only submit the troops of Jingzhou to Your Majesty, but also help Your Majesty to gather the troops of the princes, so as to help Your Majesty revive the Han Dynasty and restore the country with all my strength!"

The gate tower was quiet for a moment, and Liu Xie just looked at Liu Bei, but he could only see Liu Bei's calm and peaceful eyes. For a moment, he didn't know whether what Liu Bei said was true or false.

But now he is no longer naive and will no longer hand over the control of his destiny to others.

Without answering Liu Bei, he looked down again, waiting for the army's response.

After a long time, a eunuch came in from outside the city on horseback, and then trotted to Liu Xie's side. Before he opened his mouth to speak, the look of fear on his face made Liu Xie's heart sink.

"What's their attitude? Don't they even listen to me, the emperor?" Liu Xie subconsciously became nervous.

If he could capture Sun and Liu and force the army to submit to him, perhaps he could change his destiny.

He knew that this was difficult, but relying on his status as the Son of Heaven, it might not be completely impossible. After all, no matter what the world was like, it still belonged to the Han Dynasty.

Liu Bei and Sun Quan on the side also paused for breath and stared at the eunuch.

"Your Majesty, they said that Your Majesty is wise and would not do anything to harm loyal officials. Now he must have been bewitched and deceived by the traitors Fu Xie and Fu Wan, so they will help Your Majesty to clear the court."

The eunuch trembled as he spoke, and it was obvious that he understood the meaning of these words.

Sure enough, when Liu Xie heard these words, his face suddenly turned cold, but then he burst into laughter, but his laughter was full of sarcasm.

"What a great way to clear the emperor's side! What a great way to clear the emperor's side! They are all my loyal ministers!"

Unlike Liu Xie's anger, Liu Bei and Sun Quan both breathed a sigh of relief at this time. Fu Wan on the side sighed, and only Fu Xie looked calm as if he had expected it.

After a long time, Liu Xie calmed down, then shook his head and turned away.

After hearing about the "clearing of the imperial court", he realized that his fantasy had been shattered. Although he could still hold on to the city of Xuchang with more than 20,000 soldiers, that was all.

But he didn't understand. Sun Quan and Liu Bei were already in his hands, so why did the civil and military officials outside the city still refuse to listen to him, the emperor? Was he, the emperor, really inferior to Liu Bei and Sun Quan?
"It's useless. Without us, the state and county gentry will assist new heroes to take control of the situation." Liu Bei shook his head, wondering if he was talking to himself or saying something nonsensical.

But Fu Xie and Fu Wan understood this nonsense.

In fact, Liu Bei didn't need to remind them because they knew that the gentry did not really want a powerful emperor to emerge.

The Yellow Turbans must be eliminated, but this does not require the emperor to do so; the gentry can do it themselves.

Just as Liu Bei said, if there was no Liu Bei and Sun Quan, the gentry would find a second Liu Bei and Sun Quan to replace them. They wanted to use Sun Quan and Liu Bei to force the army to submit, which was destined to be just a delusion.

Fu Xie and Fu Wan understood these things very well before they did them, but only Liu Xie needed to experience them again before he could wake up.

Fu Xie did not speak, but looked into the distance, where a large army was marching towards them. It was Cao Cao who had returned.
(End of this chapter)