Chapter 50: Has the big-eared thief become kin with the Emperor

"Ahem."

Liu Bei coughed once, reminding Cao Cao where his eyes were wandering.

Cao Cao gave a start; he was currently supporting the Empress Dowager!

"Hmm, the skin seems quite nice."

Captain America and Hawkeye were also speechless. Cao Cao was fine in every other respect, but he was just a bit different from ordinary people in this regard!

At this moment, Empress Dowager He also came to her senses and suddenly cried out,

"Bian'er, my imperial son!"

Lu Zhi slapped his thigh,

"It must be Zhang Rang and the others who abducted the Emperor and the Prince of Chenliu and fled the palace!"

Liu Bei shouted,

"Zhang Yide, Zhao Zilong, follow me and pursue them out from the Deyang Hall of the Northern Palace!"

Lu Zhi nodded,

"Let's go, we must rescue the Emperor."

"Understood!"

Liu Bei led his men out of the imperial palace and then out of Luoyang City.

They rode their horses from nightfall until dawn, chasing until they reached the banks of the Yellow River, before finally catching up to Zhang Rang’s party.

Liu Bei let out a great shout,

"Zhang Rang, you and your lot have brought disaster to the country and the people. Today, you still dare to abduct the Emperor? Kill them!"

Zhang Fei kicked his horse’s belly, spurred his mount forward, and with a single thrust of his spear, pierced Zhang Rang to death. The other eunuchs were also executed.

He had wanted to kill these eunuchs for a long time; today, he had finally fulfilled his wish! ===== CHAPTER 99 =====

Liu Bei took two water skins and handed them to the overly terrified Emperor Liu Bian and the Prince of Chenliu, Liu Xie.

"Your Majesty, your subject Liu Bei is late in coming to the rescue; please forgive me!"

Liu Bian drank hurriedly; he had been thirsty all night!

Liu Xie, however, stared at Liu Bei,

"Are you the Liu Liu Xuande who killed Zhang Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao, traveled a thousand miles to deliver your master, and also killed the Xiongnu Xiongnu Chanyu, Yufuluo?"

Liu Bei lowered his head and cupped his hands,

"It is indeed I."

Liu Xie said again,

"Your surname is Liu?"

Liu Bei cupped his hands and said loudly,

"Your Majesty, Prince of Chenliu, your humble subject is a descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan and a great-great-grandson of Emperor Emperor Xiaojing!"

Liu Bian was so startled that his water skin nearly fell to the ground.

Little Liu Xie nodded,

"I didn't expect you to be a kinsman of our Han house. For your meritorious service in protecting the Emperor this time, the Emperor will surely reward you heavily."

Liu Bei looked up, his face already streaming with tears,

"As a subject of the Han, I should naturally do my utmost to protect the Emperor. Because I allowed the Emperor to be abducted by Zhang Rang, I am guilty!"

Zhang Fei said from the side,

"My big brother hasn't stopped moving all night to save the Emperor, and he hasn't even had a drop of water!"

Liu Xie and Liu Bian were so moved by Liu Bei’s sincerity that they were overwhelmed.

"Minister Liu is truly loyal and righteous!"

"With such a loyal subject in our Great Han, why worry about it not flourishing?"

The two had an extremely good impression of Liu Bei!

Liu Bei wiped his face,

"Your Majesty, Prince of Chenliu, my teacher is over fifty, yet he still donned armor to save the Emperor. I am not his equal."

Lu Zhi cupped his hands from the side,

"If not for Liu Xuande just now, Duan Gui would have abducted the Empress Dowager as well."

Lu Zhi returned the favor, providing an assist for Liu Bei.

Liu Bian was startled,

"How is my mother?"

Liu Bei took up the conversation,

"Your Majesty, rest assured, the Empress Dowager is unharmed, only a bit frightened. Commandant of the Garrison Cao Mengde is currently accompanying her."

Liu Bian: "???"

Liu Xie muttered,

"Why is this Cao Cao accompanying the Empress Dowager?"

Their impression of Cao Cao instantly worsened!

The live stream comments exploded,

"The big-eared thief is too cunning!"

"One look down, one look up, and he's already weeping. This acting is invincible."

"Still calling himself a Han subject—you've only been there for how long!"

"Is this him becoming kin with the Emperor?"

"The big-eared thief has heaven-defying luck; he saved the Empress Dowager and then the Emperor!"

"And he even managed to smear Cao Cao while he was at it. The big-eared thief is a fortress!"

"Is he implying the late Emperor was cuckolded?"

"The big-eared thief actually managed to latch onto the little Emperor. I truly admire his vision and luck!"

Liu Bei ordered his soldiers to slaughter chickens and sheep so the little Emperor and the Prince of Chenliu could fill their stomachs first.

The two children ate the food, and their favorability toward Liu Bei increased even more.

Just then,

Dust rose in the west as several thousand cavalrymen arrived, grand and imposing!

Liu Bei shouted,

"Zhao Zilong, Zhang Yide, pay attention! If it is an enemy force, we must fight to the death to ensure the Emperor and the Prince of Chenliu leave safely!"

"Understood!"

The Emperor and the Prince of Chenliu exchanged a look; this Liu Bei was indeed a loyal subject!

The cavalry over there slowly approached.

Zhang Fei roared,

"Who goes there? State your names quickly!"

A fatty even fatter than Zhang Fei stepped down from a war chariot,

"Your subject, Marquis of Ao Township, Inspector of Xiliang, Dong Zhuo, pays respects to the Emperor."

Liu Xie asked curiously,

"You are Dong Zhuo?"

Emperor Liu Bian, however, snorted,

"Dong Zhuo, during the Huang Jin Rebellion, you failed in your campaign, losing men and suffering defeats. Do you know your crime?"

Dong Zhuo’s expression turned sour, but he could only cup his hands,

"Your subject knows his crime!"

His mood instantly soured. He had come over all eager, and the Emperor hadn't even offered a word of praise, instead starting to dig up old accounts. Truly speechless!

Liu Bei shook his head inwardly. This little Emperor had indeed inherited the genes of the He family; his intelligence was lacking. He was handing out his own head!

"With thousands of cavalry opposite, is Liu Bian really not afraid that Dong Zhuo will chop him down?"

The younger Liu Xie said crisply,

"The imperial court has just been newly established; your arrival is timely and a great merit. From now on, make amends for your past faults and behave yourself!"

"As you command!"

Dong Zhuo found that this Prince of Chenliu seemed quite decent and was very much in tune with him!

"Escort the Emperor back to the palace!"

The group headed toward Luoyang in a grand procession.

Dong Zhuo saw another person he disliked very much: Minister Lu Zhi!

He himself had suffered repeated defeats, while Lu Zhi had won repeated victories, slapping his face every single day!

Along the way, Liu Xie and Liu Bian kept grabbing Liu Bei to chat,

"Minister Liu, I heard you married the great talent Cai Yan; your own learning must be very high as well."

Liu Bei cupped his hands,

"Your Majesty, your humble subject studied under Minister Lu; my skills are passable."

Liu Xie smiled,

"You are already very good, defeating the Xiongnu and recently defeating the great Western Xianbei army as well."

Liu Bei hadn't expected the Prince of Chenliu to be so attentive to him!