Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1293 Three Refusals and Three Declines: A Fake Performance

As the morning light of the third day of the lunar new year had just begun to spill over the eaves of the Prince of Ji's residence, Yuan Shang summoned Wang Yun to the warm pavilion. The charcoal fire burned brightly, yet it could not dispel the chill in his eyes. "Has His Majesty come to a decision?" He picked up his teacup, his fingertips tapping lightly on the rim, revealing a hint of impatience.

Wang Yun bowed and replied in a very low voice: "Your Majesty... is still hesitant, saying that 'the Han dynasty is not yet over' and is unwilling to abdicate voluntarily."

"Hmph." Yuan Shang slammed his teacup down on the table, spilling most of the tea. "Even now, you're still dreaming!" The gentleness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a fierce glint in his eyes. Shen Pei had just been dismissed, and this puppet emperor dared to be so ungrateful? Did he really think he wouldn't dare to use force?

The air in the warm pavilion instantly froze. Feng Ji and Xu You exchanged a glance and immediately understood the Prince of Ji's thoughts. Xu You stepped forward: "Prince Ji, please calm down. Leave this matter to us. You need not trouble yourself." Feng Ji also bowed and echoed: "Yes, some people will not listen to reason and will have to suffer the consequences. It's time to show them what they're made of."

Yuan Shang waved his hand coldly: "Go. Don't cause any deaths and ruin my reputation."

"We understand," the two replied in unison, then turned and left the warm pavilion, heading straight for Gao Lan and Gao Gan's barracks.

Night fell like a thick, black cloth, shrouding the palace in an impenetrable blanket. Liu Xie stared blankly at a solitary lamp; the abdication edict lying on the table was only partially written, the ink long since dried. Suddenly, the palace doors were flung open with a bang, a gust of cold wind carrying the chill of armor rushing in. Gao Lan and Gao Gan, leading their personal guards, stormed in, their blades gleaming coldly in the dim light.

"What are you doing here?" Liu Xie suddenly stood up, his legs trembling like leaves, and he stammered.

Xu You followed closely behind, a fake smile on his face, and bowed to Liu Xie: "Your Majesty, we have come to advise you to 'follow the will of Heaven and the people.'" He then changed his tone and became sharp: "The world belongs to the virtuous. The Han Dynasty has lasted for four hundred years, but by the time it came to your hands, the warlords were in power and the people were displaced. The word 'virtue' has long since vanished. You are no longer worthy to sit on this dragon throne."

“My two beloved ministers…” Liu Xie clutched the hem of his robe, his voice trembling, “You are also subjects who receive the Han's bounty, how could you…”

"You tyrant!" Feng Ji interrupted sharply, taking a step forward, his spittle almost splashing onto Liu Xie's face. "What Hanlu? We are Yuan family retainers in life and Yuan family ghosts in death! In this world, only my Prince Ji's power reigns supreme. This throne should have been handed over long ago!"

"You...you dare to force me to abdicate?" Liu Xie retreated to the side of the dragon throne, frantically trying to grab the armrest, but found nothing.

"So what if we force him to abdicate?" Gao Gan drew half of his sword with a clang, the blade reflecting Liu Xie's pale face in the lamplight. "If Your Majesty knows what's good for you, hand over the seal of office; otherwise..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the cold glint of the blade was more intimidating than any words.

Liu Xie shuddered in fright, his legs buckled, and he collapsed onto the dragon throne, tears welling up instantly. "I'll... I'll give up, okay?" he choked out, his voice filled with despair. "But... but after I relinquish the throne, can you spare my life?"

Seeing that he had relented, Feng Ji's expression softened slightly, and he feigned concern by bowing: "Your Majesty, rest assured. As long as you obediently abdicate, I will guarantee you the title of Duke of Shanyang before the Prince of Ji, with a fief of ten thousand households, and endless wealth and honor."

Looking at the empty hall and the menacing faces of these former "Han officials," Liu Xie suddenly felt a tightness in his throat, unable to even utter a cry. The four-hundred-year-old Han Dynasty was finally coming to an end in his hands.

"Enough..." He wiped away his tears, his voice hoarse like a broken gong, "When...when will I present the seal?"

"The court assembly will be held on the fifth day of the first lunar month," Feng Ji said decisively. "At that time, Your Majesty is requested to personally present the imperial seal to the Prince of Ji in front of all the officials."

Liu Xie closed his eyes, a single tear sliding down his cheek and into his beard. The wind howled outside the palace, sounding just like the final lament of the Han Dynasty.

The court assembly on the fifth day of the first lunar month was even more bustling than on New Year's Day. Civil and military officials lined up on both sides, the jade belts on their court robes gleaming in the morning light. Everyone's face was filled with barely suppressed anticipation, and their eyes frequently glanced towards the palace gate—today should be the climax of that play.

Dragging footsteps echoed outside the hall, and Liu Xie was helped in by two palace servants. He wasn't wearing his imperial robes, only a plain white robe, his collar askew and his hair unkempt, making him look like a prisoner dragged in. As he stepped onto the steps, he stumbled and nearly fell.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" The ministers knelt and bowed as usual, but their voices were louder than usual, carrying a deliberate enthusiasm.

Liu Xie raised his hand tremblingly: "My...my beloved ministers, please rise..." His gaze swept through the crowd as if searching for a lifeline, finally landing on Wang Yun and Feng Ji, his voice trembling, "Where is...Where is the Prince of Ji?"

Wang Yun stepped forward, adjusted his robes, and spoke in a flat tone as if he were discussing the weather: "Your Majesty, the Prince of Ji has caught a cold today and is resting at home, so he was unable to come."

"This, this..." Liu Xie opened his mouth, words stuck in his throat. Without the main character, how could this abdication drama continue?

“The Prince of Ji has been working so hard for the country that he has fallen seriously ill, which is truly worrying.” Feng Ji took over the conversation, his gaze sweeping over Liu Xie with an undeniable pressure, “As the Son of Heaven, Your Majesty should personally visit him to fulfill the proper etiquette between ruler and subject.”

Liu Xie felt as if his bones had been removed, and could only let the palace servants support him as he followed the court officials to the Prince of Ji's residence. Along the way, the carriages rumbled. He lifted the curtain and looked at the curious gazes of the people on the street, feeling his cheeks burning—this was no visit; it was clearly being forced to complete a pre-written script.

At the gate of the Prince of Ji's residence, officials went to request an audience, but were stopped at the gate by guards: "His Majesty is seriously ill and it is inconvenient for him to receive guests." It wasn't until Liu Xie's carriage stopped that Yuan Shang was "supported by his subordinates" and walked out of the main hall. His black python robe was loosely draped over his body, his face was as pale as paper, and he coughed incessantly.

"Your Majesty..." He managed a weak bow, his body swaying as if he were about to collapse at any moment, "How could I possibly trouble you..."

"Why...why is the Prince of Ji so ill after only two days?" Liu Xie looked at his "weak" appearance and felt a pang of panic. He couldn't help but probe, "How about...we discuss this another day? When you're fully recovered..."

"Your Majesty, stop talking nonsense!" Before the words were finished, Gao Gan could no longer restrain himself. He drew half of his sword with a "whoosh," the cold light pointing directly at Liu Xie. "The Prince of Ji is worried about the affairs of state while he is ill. How can Your Majesty utter such words of negligence?"

Liu Xie shuddered in fright and quickly changed his words, stammering, "No, no... Prince Ji now enjoys the support of the people, I... I am of meager virtue and limited ability, and I wish to abdicate the throne to you, only asking that you treat the people well in the future..."

"What nonsense are you spouting, Your Majesty!" Yuan Shang suddenly looked up, his face flushed red with "excitement," and he coughed violently, clutching his chest. "My Yuan family has held high office for four generations, enjoying the Han dynasty's bounty for generations. How could we possibly commit such a treasonous act? Absolutely not!" He became more and more agitated as he spoke, and suddenly his body went limp, and he "fainted," only to be hurriedly supported by those around him.

The performance was so clumsy it was glaring, yet Liu Xie watched with a heavy heart, cold sweat trickling down his back. Wang Yun stepped forward at the opportune moment, bowing to Liu Xie: "Since Your Majesty has this intention, why not grant it another three days? Wait until the Prince of Ji's condition has improved somewhat before making the request again."

Three days later, Liu Xie, accompanied by his officials, visited again, but Yuan Shang still declined, saying he "dared not defy Heaven and the Han." It wasn't until Feng Ji stepped forward and loudly proclaimed, "Heaven's will cannot be defied, and the people's hearts cannot be betrayed! I request that on the fifteenth day of the first month, a platform for abdication be built south of Ye City, inviting the world to witness, so that Your Majesty may, in accordance with Heaven and the people, complete the grand ceremony of abdication!"

Looking at Yuan Shang's "helpless" eyes and the "eager" gazes of the officials, Liu Xie finally understood that he couldn't escape this charade. Tears slid down his cheeks, dripping onto his clothes and spreading into a small wet patch. He nodded, his voice as soft as a sigh: "As you... as you have suggested..."

A high platform was quickly built in the south of the city, its bluestone surface gleaming coldly in the sunlight. The people watched from afar, discussing amongst themselves, but no one knew whether what was about to unfold on that platform was the end of the four-hundred-year reign of the Han Dynasty or the beginning of another era. And the emperor, dressed in plain clothes, was merely the most pathetic prop in this grand drama.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the sky was clear and the sun shone brightly on the abdication platform south of Ye City, making the bluestone steps scorching hot. On both sides of the platform, civil and military officials stood in rows, their court robes gleaming solemnly in the sunlight, yet unable to conceal the complex emotions in their eyes. Below the platform, the people crowded in layers, some spontaneously drawn by the spectacle, others led there by servants. The murmurs rose like a tide, then gradually subsided with the servants' shouts.

Liu Xie was dressed in a full crown, his dark robes embroidered with the sun, moon, and stars. The heavy tassels of his crown hung before his eyes, obscuring his vision as they swayed, but unable to hide the chill in his heart. He held a jade seal in his hands, its jade warm and smooth, the one carved by Liu Bian himself. Now, however, it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds in his palms. The original Imperial Seal had been lost when Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang, and it had been searched for in vain ever since. Therefore, the one carved by Liu Bian was used in the end. His fingertips were slightly white from the pressure, his knuckles pressing against the patterns on the seal, as if he could feel the heavy inheritance that was not his own.

From afar, the sound of orderly footsteps approached. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Yuan Shang, dressed in the same imperial robes as Liu Xie, black upper garment and crimson lower garment, the twelve imperial symbols clearly visible in the sunlight. Behind him followed civil and military officials from Ji Province, the group approaching slowly. He walked slowly, each step making a steady, resonant sound on the stone steps, as if striking the heartbeats of everyone present.

Liu Xie's gaze passed over the swaying tassels of the imperial crown, watching Yuan Shang ascend the steps one by one. The hem of his imperial robes swayed gently with each step, and with each step, the distance between them shortened. The surrounding murmurs gradually subsided, leaving only the sound of Yuan Shang's footsteps and Zhou Mi's breathing below.

Liu Xie's gaze swept across the faces of the civil and military officials on either side. Those who had once proclaimed themselves "loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty" now either lowered their heads to avoid his gaze or had shifty eyes; not one dared to meet his eyes. The armor of the golden-clad soldiers gleamed coldly in the sunlight, like icy walls that trapped him in the center. A chill surged in his heart, and his vision blurred. He almost lost his balance, and could only clutch the jade seal tightly, his fingertips digging into the jade's texture.

"Lord Lü... Where is Lü Fengxian..." he cried silently in his heart, the majestic figure of Lü Bu flashing through his mind, the arm that had once protected him behind him in the chaos of battle, the last bit of security in his memory. But now, that figure had long since vanished into the dust.