Chapter 914: The Imperial Edict

As an unparalleled expert with the blade, Cai Yang was shaken to his core upon seeing the scar on the wall. He had already gauged the thickness and height of Ye City's walls, but the fact that someone could cleave through them with a single strike was beyond belief. Even with the support of an army, this shouldn't be possible!

Xiahou Yuan, too, was visibly shaken. He knew that Guan Yu was terrifyingly powerful, but seeing the mark left by that blade strike caused a shiver to run through his body.

"Is this what a true master of the Central Plains is capable of?" Ma Chao licked his lips. Among those present, only Ma Chao lacked fear when gazing at the sword scar. In fact, he felt a surge of excitement. If someone could achieve this, then Ma Chao believed he could too!

"Indeed, being stuck in the borderlands, unaware of the flourishing Central Plains, I had no idea about the heroes that reside here. Now that I've set foot on this land, I understand. One day, I, Ma Chao, will leave my mark on the Central Plains!"

At this moment, Ma Chao was exhilarated. If before he had been worried about whether even as an expert at the "Inner Energy Projection" level, he could take on the warriors of the Qiang tribes, now, after seeing this blade mark, he was brimming with confidence. It wasn’t that the challenge was impossible—it was simply that he wasn’t strong enough yet.

Silently, Ma Chao resolved to return and immediately start training to improve himself. As for the alliance of the Qiang tribes, he was already preparing to challenge them this year!

"It's not that it's impossible—it's just that I'm not strong enough yet. In Fa Zheng’s eyes, the Qiang tribes may be no more than ants. For a warrior capable of wielding a blade like this, the combined might of the Qiang warriors wouldn’t stand a chance against such power. One day, I will be able to do this too!" Ma Chao vowed to himself.

"Tsk tsk, General Guan’s strike was truly ruthless!" Fa Zheng marveled, though he wasn't too surprised, as Chen Xi had already told him about it.

"Second Brother has become even stronger," Zhang Fei said seriously. Although everyone knew Guan Yu had drawn on the strength of his army for that strike, the lingering aura on the wall was pure, unmistakable. It was a sign that even though the army had aided him, the pressure left on the wall was entirely Guan Yu’s. Such terrifying strength!

"Having slain Yan Liang and Wen Chou, and now shattered a city wall with a single strike, General Guan has reached the peak of his power," Fa Zheng said, urging his horse forward. Ahead, he had already spotted Liu Bei and the others waiting to receive the imperial envoy.

Fa Zheng and Zhang Fei spurred their horses forward, galloping towards Ye City. Showing disdain for the imperial envoy was hardly something worth flaunting.

"Greetings, my lord! Big Brother, I’ve returned!" Fa Zheng and Zhang Fei dismounted and bowed to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei patted their shoulders, first turning to Zhang Fei. "Well done," he said, before turning to Fa Zheng, his eyes filled with even more warmth. "Xiaozhi, what you accomplished in Yuzhou exceeded all my expectations."

"If it weren’t for your guidance, my lord, I would still be serving as a mere county constable in Dongzhou," Fa Zheng replied with a smile.

"Ah, we truly wronged talents like you back then," Liu Bei sighed, placing Fa Zheng by his side. "Stand here. We’ll welcome the imperial envoy first, and then we can discuss everything else."

Fa Zheng suppressed a grimace, feeling the weight of the situation. He resolved to work even harder so as not to disappoint Liu Bei's expectations.

The victory in Huainan had indeed surpassed Liu Bei’s expectations. Fa Zheng had acted with decisive precision, seizing opportunities with a level of timing that had shocked even Liu Bei.

Although Liu Bei had always believed Fa Zheng would grow into an exceptional figure, he hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly.

At Shouchun, Fa Zheng had terrified Yuan Shu’s generals Zhou Yu and Zhuge Jin with mere bluffing, forcing Yuan Shu to back down with just a single army. His subsequent campaign in Xuzhou was even more impressive, pacifying the region in just two days, displaying an almost supernatural grasp of both military and public morale.

In Liu Bei's eyes, Fa Zheng, though young enough to be his son, was already a prime candidate to be entrusted with the kingdom’s future. His early brilliance at such a young age only solidified Liu Bei's belief that Fa Zheng would continue to grow, further increasing Liu Bei’s admiration for him.

Jia Xu glanced casually at Fa Zheng, feeling fortunate that none of the other ministers were particularly concerned about power struggles.

Chen Xi, Jia Xu, Guo Jia, and Li You were indifferent to authority, while Lu Su was known for his kindness. Liu Ye belonged to the imperial family, and Xu Shu, despite his years of studying military strategy, still retained a strong sense of loyalty and brotherhood. With such a team, new entrants naturally understood their place.

"Just behave, the envoy is about to arrive," Guo Jia remarked, glancing at Fa Zheng, who promptly composed himself.

Once Liu Bei’s entourage had prepared everything—sweeping the path, laying down soil, sprinkling water, and offering incense—the imperial envoy, a eunuch, stepped forward.

"Greetings, Lord of Fanyang, Lord of Zhuyie," the eunuch greeted Liu Bei and Chen Xi before reading the imperial edict.

"Greetings to the imperial envoy," Liu Bei and Chen Xi bowed in return. While Liu Bei maintained a calm and respectful demeanor, Chen Xi’s curiosity was evident—this was his first time seeing a eunuch up close.

"Why does Lord Chen wear such a curious expression? Has this servant offended your eyes?" the eunuch’s hoarse voice asked.

"It’s just that you seem familiar," Chen Xi responded, shaking his head.

"To have such words from Lord Chen—I must have appeared before you in my younger years," the eunuch replied, his tone much more deferential than it had been when addressing Fa Zheng earlier.

"Lord Xuande, does the imperial edict present you with any difficulty?" the eunuch then asked, turning to Liu Bei.

"The words of the Emperor, I will always follow. However, my feud with Yuan Tan is one of life and death. While I am willing to cease pursuit, Yuan Tan may not be so quick to relinquish his vengeance," Liu Bei replied calmly. Though his tone was measured, the underlying refusal was clear, something Xiahou Yuan had expected.

"If Yuan Tan agrees to cease his vengeance, will you also stop pursuing him?" Xiahou Yuan stepped forward to ask. Cao Cao had instructed him to stop Liu Bei from continuing his attacks against the Yuan family. Now that Yuan Shao was dead, the focus was on preventing Liu Bei from going after Yuan Tan.

After a long silence, Liu Bei finally spoke. "Since the Emperor has requested it, I am willing to put aside personal grievances for the sake of the people. But if Yuan Tan strikes first, I will be forced to break my word."

"To repay virtue with virtue, and to repay enmity with justice—indeed. The Emperor would not put you in a difficult position. If Yuan Tan strikes first, it would be only right for you to retaliate," Xiahou Yuan nodded. Liu Bei’s response was expected, and the next step would be to convince Yuan Tan. That wouldn’t be difficult.

"Thank the Emperor for his understanding," Liu Bei said, bowing respectfully towards the west, his expression one of complete reverence.

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