Chapter Nine, Upholding the Great Han, Starting with Myself

Liu Xie took off his outer garment, and Fu Shou stepped forward to catch it, but was almost suffocated by the overwhelming smell of sweat that rushed towards him, instinctively covering his mouth and nose.

Fushou further remarked, "In times of chaos, one must employ military force. Your Majesty, do you not wish to study the military strategies of Sun Wu?"

Having barely finished wiping her back, her arms became sore and weak, and her breath grew heavy

"Are you tired?" Liu Xie said softly

Liu Xie further stated, "I have heard that Zhang Ji's son, Zhang Xiu, is a rare warrior of great valor. I wish to appoint him as a General of the Feathered Forest. If he can bring along thirty to fifty cavalrymen to supplement the deficiencies of the Feathered Forest, that would be even better"

Liu Xie pondered for a moment and suddenly said, "You are from Langya, have you ever heard of Yu Ji?"

It is evident that, even as fellow residents of Liangzhou, Huangfu Li does not believe that Zhang Ji can be of use to the court

Liu Xie finished wiping and placed the cloth by the edge of the basin, waving his hand.

"Empress, come and sit here." Liu Xie waved his hand, indicating Fu Shou to sit closer. "I would like to have a word with you."

Please fetch the water

Jia Xu has likely already left Li Jue and is now in Duan Wei's camp

Thus, Li Jue can arrive at any time. He calculated with his fingers again. "Your Majesty should pay attention to Zhang Ji's movements. Li Jue and Guo Si are in the open, which can still be guarded against. Zhang Ji is in the shadows, making him difficult to guard against. If he suddenly appears, it would greatly damage the morale.

Liu Xie, having settled his mind, said: "There are many capable generals in Liangzhou. Although Sanming has passed, we can await those who come. If Zhang Xiu is able to come, I shall employ him. If Zhang Xiu is unable to come, the court is also willing to overlook the past and treat him with courtesy."

You are to go to Shan County to convey my imperial edict. I shall soon visit Shan County, so please ensure that Zhang Ji makes the necessary preparations to receive me

Huangfu Li expressed his viewpoint, believing that Guo Si would definitely pursue them; however, he could not assert whether he would join forces with Li Jue.

Huangfu Li was taken aback for a moment, his expression slightly changed, and after a long while, he let out a deep sigh

Zhang Ji harbors ulterior motives and should not be underestimated. In the event that the two armies engage in battle and Zhang Ji suddenly appears on the battlefield, if one mistakenly believes him to be reinforcements, it is almost certain that he will strike from behind, leading to a devastating defeat.

Can Confucian classics save the nation? It is uncertain! Even if we do not shift all the blame onto Confucian culture as later generations have done, one thing can be confirmed: Confucian culture cannot govern chaos.

Liu Xie immediately summoned Huangfu Li

It is indeed necessary to study military strategy, but now is not the time to read military texts. The notion that one can simply read a military treatise once and achieve victory over the enemy is merely a plot device found in novels; in reality, it is impossible.

Fu Shou's expression changed slightly, and he bent his knees as if to kneel, but was stopped by Liu Xie, who reached out to support him

Rather than reading military treatises, it is more practical to visit various camps and discuss tactical plans with the generals

The palace maids withdrew, and Fushou stood to the side, her expression awkward, tears welling in her eyes

Previously, I did not pursue because Guo Si, Yang Ding, Yang Feng, and others had united their forces to protect the Emperor on his eastward journey, making them quite formidable, and Li Jue was unable to act alone. Now that Guo Si has turned against him, the balance of power has significantly shifted, and Li Jue will not let this golden opportunity slip away.

However, the possibility undoubtedly exists

-

The notion of relying on the Yellow Turbans as the foundation for revitalization must be changed

Fushou stuck out her tongue. "I am usually accustomed to it; I momentarily spoke carelessly, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Liu Xie reached out and gently embraced Fu Shou's shoulders. "Empress, do you believe that the Yellow Turbans are truly the main culprits behind the downfall of the Han Dynasty?"

Liu Xie shook his head

"Clever." Liu Xie smiled

Liu Xie pondered for a moment, yet still shook his head

Liu Xie turned to look at Fu Shou and, seeing her determined expression, couldn't help but smile. Fu Shou had been wearing the empress's splendid attire all day, exhausted to the point of nearly losing her strength, yet she still refused to yield; this perseverance was indeed rare.

Time waits for no one; we must seize the day.

Fu Shou responded softly, turned around and went out to arrange for two palace maids to fetch water and cloth. The maids wet the cloth and were about to clean Liu Xie, but Fu Shou took it over. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing her slender arms, tightly pressed her lips together, and began to clean Liu Xie.

Liu Xie heard clearly, reached out to take it, and cleaned his chest and neck himself

Upon hearing Liu Xie mention Sanming, Huangfu Li could not help but be moved

Fu Shou stood timidly to the side, her face flushed.

Liu Xie glanced at her and hung his outer garment on the nearby clothes rack

Huangfu Li is of medium build, with a slightly dark complexion. Although he is dressed in the attire of a civil official, his demeanor is composed and respectful, reflecting the spirited nature of a military scion.

Liu Xie felt a twitch in his cheek, his emotions were complex, making it difficult to determine whether he felt relief or regret

Liu Xie let out a quiet sigh and said nothing more. Referring to the Yellow Turbans as moth thieves was not just the habit of Fu Shou; it was common in the court. Precisely because of this, they looked down upon Yang Feng, and even more so on Li Jue and Guo Si.

Fu Shou was at a loss. These two answers were the best she could come up with; beyond that, she truly did not know what book Liu Xie wanted to read at this moment.

Thus, the possibility of a collaboration between Li Jue and Guo Si has significantly increased

"Take a guess." Liu Xie suddenly became interested and teased Fu Shou.

The palace maids also stood with pale faces, shrinking back in fear, not daring to even breathe.

Liu Xie solemnly nodded in greeting to Huangfu Li

I shall attend to Your Majesty as you retire for the night

Your Majesty, what book would you like to read? I am at your service with the writing materials

Huangfu Li was taken aback and bowed to accept the order

Reading the "Classic of Filial Piety," it is ultimately just the words of a madman, which even Confucian scholars do not believe.

Huangfu Li cast a deep glance at Liu Xie, performed a deep bow, and turned to leave the tent

However, he will not give Zhang Ji this opportunity; he plans to break out of this encirclement and go directly to Hedong

Fushou was momentarily at a loss. After a while, he forced a smile and said: "Your Majesty wishes to revive the great Han, naturally, one must seek guidance from the classics of the sages. As for which specific classic it is, I am unable to guess."

Huangfu Li shook his head. "The likelihood is quite low." After a pause, he added, "However, if His Majesty were to arrive in Shan County, it would indeed be possible."

Liu Xie looked at Fu Shou in surprise. "Moth thief?"

Liu Xie scrutinized Huangfu Li, his expression grave. "Do you think Zhang Ji will allow Zhang Xiu to come?"

Fu Shou was taken by surprise and cautiously sat down beside Liu Xie. Although he had just been cleaned, Liu Xie still emanated a scent of sweat filled with hormones. Fu Shou's little face turned red, and she shyly lowered her head

Liu Xie pondered for a moment. "You should make a trip to Shan County."

Only Jia Xu can dissuade Li Jue, "Huangfu Li said in conclusion

"Naturally, I have heard of Yu Ji, who is indeed a living immortal." Fushou's灵机 suddenly sparked, and she realized. "Does Your Majesty wish to read the 'Taiping Jing'?"

He pondered for a moment and said with great emotion: "Your Majesty is wise, I understand. I will set off immediately for Shan County. Even if I cannot delay Zhang Ji, I will certainly find a way to convey messages to Your Majesty to guard against unforeseen circumstances"

After listening to Huangfu Li's analysis and combining it with his own memories from two lifetimes, Liu Xie deeply agreed.

Fu Shou was momentarily taken aback, and then quickly wiped away her tears, slightly bowing. "Your Majesty has worked tirelessly for the restoration; how could I dare to speak of burden?"

Huangfu Li was momentarily taken aback, looking at Liu Xie with a puzzled expression

No, I would like to read for a while longer

Liu Xie deeply agreed, feeling a bit bitter in his heart

If you are tired, take a rest; there is no need to force yourself. The road to rejuvenation is long and cannot be accomplished in one go

Huangfu Li was taken aback. "Your Majesty, the Imperial Guard is close to Your Majesty, and it is under Zhang Xiu's command. Is it not..."

Huangfu Gui, the foremost figure of Liangzhou and Sanming, is his grandfather

He is merely another Li Jue or Guo Si

Li Jue is a person who holds grudges. Yang Feng was once a subordinate of Li Jue, but he betrayed him, and Li Jue would never let him off so easily

The "Taiping Jing" is a book prohibited by the court; it is not found in the palace, nor is it circulated among the people. Fu Shou furrowed her brow and pondered for a moment. "I believe, Your Majesty, that rather than reading the 'Taiping Jing', it would be better to read 'Laozi'. It is said that the moth thieves and rice thieves all regard Laozi as their doctrine, with great similarities and minor differences.