Chapter 118: Traveling to Jiaozhou in Person

Cao Cao was nearly driven to madness upon hearing that Liu Xie had declared himself Emperor. In his eyes, Liu Xie was a timid, subservient man, and it was inconceivable that he could possess such influence today, let alone continue to hold the title of Emperor. To this day, Cao Cao’s impression of Liu Xie remained frozen in the time they spent together in the palace at Xuchang. Back then, everything had been subject to his command; he had felt that the Emperor, the Han Dynasty, and even the various warlords across the land were all firmly within his grasp. However, following Liu Xie’s escape, he began to feel that many things were drifting beyond his control. Now that Liu Xie had declared himself Emperor once more, he swore to drag him down.

"Men, prepare the troops! I intend to annihilate that Liu Xie!" A furious Cao Cao immediately prepared to issue the order.

"My Lord, you must not!" Zhuge Liang hurried forward to intervene.

"Must not? Why not? Do you think I am inferior to him now?" Cao Cao scoffed. "We have spent the past year developing our strength. In terms of territory, troops, and provisions, we are no less powerful than him." On this point, Cao Cao remained highly confident. Indeed, while Liu Xie had been progressing over the last year, so too had Cao Cao and the others, allowing the previously defeated Cao army to recover its strength.

"My Lord, that is not what I meant. It is simply that our greatest threat at present is Yuan Shao," Zhuge Liang reasoned. "Yuan Shao has already struck at us several times. If we focus all our energy on Liu Xie, we are likely to find ourselves under pressure from both Yuan Shao and Liu Xie simultaneously."

Cao Cao slowly calmed down; after all, he was a man of intellect. Anger was one thing, but his reason remained intact. "Very well, let them frolic for a few more days. We shall resolve our matters with Yuan Shao as quickly as possible," Cao Cao decided, resolving to accelerate the campaign against his northern rival.

In the imperial palace at Xiangyang, Jing Province, the morning court session was underway. Officials stepped forward one after another to report on the state of their respective jurisdictions.

"Your Majesty, over the past year, both Cao Cao and Yuan Shao have developed with astonishing speed," reported Zhang Xiu. "Recent scouts report that Gongsun Zan of Liaodong has been eliminated by Yuan Shao, and all his troops and territory have fallen into the latter's hands. Cao Cao has also annexed Yang Province and Qing Province during this year, amassing great power. Furthermore, Sun Ce in Jiangdong is also expanding his influence; it is said he has already set his sights on Jiao Province."

"Sun Ce... Jiao Province..." Liu Xie breathed in deeply, lost in thought. "It seems we must take action."

"Your Majesty, Jiao Province lies to the south of our Jing Province. The Inspector of Jiao Province, Shi Xie, is a man of sound judgment. In my view, if Sun Ce attacks, he is very likely to surrender," Zhuge Liang suggested.

Liu Xie nodded slightly. He knew of Shi Xie, though not in great detail, as the man had little presence in the history of the Three Kingdoms. Yet, the Jiao Province he held was a territory of considerable value. Historically, Shi Xie had chosen to surrender to the forces of Jiangdong without a struggle. It was understandable, as he lacked powerful generals or strategists to withstand a force like Sun Ce’s. Nevertheless, Shi Xie was an effective administrator with significant influence throughout Jiao Province.

"Tell me, then," Liu Xie asked, looking to his advisors, "how should we go about securing Shi Xie and Jiao Province?"

The officials looked at one another until Lu Bu stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I propose we dispatch troops and take Jiao Province in one fell swoop. I am willing to serve as the vanguard!" he declared aggressively.

Liu Xie smiled and shook his head. "Regarding Jiao Province, we should avoid force if possible. Shi Xie commands great prestige there. Besides, Fengxian, do not forget—you are now the Marshal of the Cavalry. A Marshal should not be acting as a vanguard." Lu Bu laughed in embarrassment, having momentarily forgotten his status.

"Your Majesty, does this mean you intend to secure Jiao Province through diplomatic submission?" Zhuge Liang asked.

Liu Xie nodded. "Exactly. Jiao Province lies to our south. If Sun Ce seizes it, our position will become precarious. But if we obtain it, we will effectively control the entire southwest of the empire. I need someone to act as an envoy and negotiate with Shi Xie."

Zhuge Liang was the first to volunteer, followed quickly by Liu Bei and several others. Seeing this, Liu Xie took a deep breath. "Actually, I believe I should go myself."

The court was filled with alarm. "Your Majesty, you are the Son of Heaven! You cannot risk such a long journey!" they urged.

Liu Xie smiled calmly. "I appreciate your concern, but Jiao Province is vital to us. I intend to meet Shi Xie in person. As for the distance, it is of no consequence. Do you think that because I have ascended the throne, I am meant to sit in the palace and seek pleasure? The world is not yet unified; I cannot afford such luxury. It is decided: Zhuge Liang and I shall go. As for troops, we shall take none. I will bring only the Wolf Shadow Guards, with Zhao Yun and Gao Shun accompanying us."

"But Your Majesty," Liu Bei said anxiously, "the Wolf Shadow Guards number only seven hundred. If something were to happen..."

Though the unit had once been eight hundred strong, losses from the battle for Xuchang had reduced their numbers. Yet, to Liu Xie, these seven hundred men were worth far more than a hundred-thousand-strong army. After all, over the past year, he had trained them personally.