Chapter 14: His Majesty Has Disappeared

“Your Majesty, if you ask me, it would be better to just kill him with a single stroke.”
General Cao Hong, visibly enraged, offered his advice.
“No, we can’t, we can’t kill him.”
“I need the power he still holds, even though, in truth, he hardly holds any power at all.”
“But after all, he is an Emperor.”
Cao Cao was still exceedingly cautious.
“My lord, in my humble opinion, we should kill him.” Even the usually composed Cao Ren now stepped forward in agreement.
“Oh? Even you now think he should be killed?” Cao Cao was puzzled.
Indeed, Cao Ren had always been one of his most reliable and steady generals, seldom acting recklessly.
Yet this time, Cao Cao found himself unable to understand.
“My lord, forgive my bluntness, but as you said, he is still an Emperor.”
“We cannot watch over him in Xuchang every day; we must go out and wage war.”
“When we’re away, the rear is vulnerable. Who can guarantee he won’t act?”
“True, he has neither authority nor ability now.”
“But ultimately, he is the Emperor, and that brings considerable influence.”
“At present, all the power of the court is in your hands.”
“The Emperor spends his days drinking and indulging, and the ministers can’t even see him.”
“In this situation, we could kill him, and he would never again interfere in state affairs.”
“If anyone asks after him, we could simply say the Emperor is drinking.”
“And we don’t need to delay for long, just a year or so.”
“By then, the empire will be ours in all but name.”
“At that point, even if the truth is discovered, what does it matter?”
Cao Ren laid out his so-called method in detail.
Truth be told, Cao Cao began to waver.
Not only because Liu Xie was Emperor, but because if, while they were campaigning, he used his influence in the rear, disaster could strike.
“Is it really necessary to kill him?” Cao Cao hesitated.
Just then, a eunuch hurried into the room.
“Prime Minister, His Majesty summons you to the palace,” the eunuch said cautiously.
“Oh? It’s late—does he not sleep?” Cao Cao glanced at the sky, finding it already deep into the night.
He couldn’t fathom why Liu Xie wanted to see him at such an hour.
After some thought, he entered the palace.

When he arrived, he saw the palace ablaze with lights despite the darkness outside.
The melodious sound of zithers filled the halls.
In the grand hall, Liu Xie watched a dozen palace maidens dance, laughing and drinking.
“Prime Minister Cao has arrived! Come, sit!”
Upon seeing him, Liu Xie greeted him boisterously.
Cao Cao, impatient, glanced around but still took his seat.
“Your Majesty, may I ask why you have summoned me?”
Cao Cao maintained a respectful tone.
“Oh, it’s nothing important. I simply wish to visit my uncle’s house with the Empress.”
“I know Prime Minister Cao worries, so I called you here to discuss it.”
“In a few days, you can send troops to escort me.”
Liu Xie explained his intentions.
But after hearing this, Cao Cao grew displeased.
First, there was revelry in the palace, then wandering the streets, and now he wanted to leave Xuchang altogether.
Cao Cao felt Liu Xie was growing ever more unruly and difficult to control.
Once more, the words of Cao Ren and Cao Hong echoed in his mind.
He now saw that Liu Xie was truly unreliable.
“When does Your Majesty plan to leave?” Cao Cao asked softly.
Liu Xie considered for a moment. “About ten days from now.”
“I’ll inform you when the time comes, don’t worry.”
Liu Xie replied carelessly.
Soon after, Cao Cao departed.
Not long after, Empress Fu Shou approached.
“Your Majesty, if we leave, what will become of the palace maids and eunuchs? If Cao Cao learns they served you, he will not spare them.”
Fu Shou worried about the fate of these servants.
Liu Xie, however, seemed unconcerned.
“Rest assured, the reason I said ten days and not immediately was to give them time to prepare.”
“I will see to their arrangements.”
As he spoke, Liu Xie cast his gaze over the crowd.
In the days that followed, the palace remained tranquil, as if nothing had happened.
Until, one morning a few days later—

A palace maid hurried before Cao Cao.
“Prime Minister, something terrible has happened!”
“His Majesty is missing!”
The maid anxiously reported.
“What?” Hearing this, Cao Cao was instantly furious.
The maid, terrified, fell to her knees.
“Prime Minister, forgive us. We watched day and night, but somehow—”
“This morning, when we went to rouse His Majesty, he was gone from his chambers.”
Her explanation was vague.
Simply put, they had been vigilant, yet Liu Xie had vanished, and no one knew where he had gone.
“Go, bring me the commander of the Imperial Guards!” Cao Cao was now truly frantic.
Soon, the commander appeared before Cao Cao, equally bewildered, unable to explain how Liu Xie had disappeared.
They scoured the palace from top to bottom.
Eventually, they discovered a vast hidden space beneath the wine cellar.
Cao Cao paced within the chamber, his fists clenched tightly.
“Damn it! Damn it!”
“Utterly infuriating!” Cao Cao raged.
He had long suspected something amiss here, and had searched it before, but found nothing.
Now, he had finally uncovered the anomaly.
Seeing the ground littered with weapons and equipment, he knew that training had taken place here for a long time.
Realizing this, Cao Cao was beside himself with anger.
“Go! Pursue him now! Bring him back to me, no matter what!”
“Hmph, if you can bring him back, good; if not, then kill him.”
Cao Cao now truly meant to kill.
He had thought Liu Xie genuinely wished for a simple, ordinary life, as he claimed.
But in reality, he had been deceived.
Liu Xie’s disappearance left Cao Cao more anxious than ever, with a growing sense of foreboding in his heart.