Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

Chapter 106: The Royal Palace’s etiquette

Chapter 106: The Royal Palace’s etiquette

Evening, Luoyang South Market.

Before the crowd had even dispersed, the taverns along the street had already turned on their lights.

Cao Cao was not wearing his official robes, but was accompanied by two inspectors. He stood under a tea stall opposite a paper and ink shop, watching a clerk in blue robes hurriedly emerge from the alleyway.

The man walked slowly, but kept reaching up to touch his sleeve.

It's as if they're afraid something inside will fall out.

Cao Cao knew he had found the right person after just one glance.

"Take it down."

As soon as he finished speaking, the two people beside him had already wrapped up the bag on either side.

The clerk in blue was taken aback at first, then turned and ran. But before he could take three steps, someone grabbed the back of his neck and slammed him against the wall, letting out a muffled groan of pain.

A small piece of cut scrap paper fell out from the sleeve:

————Western Liang governs Western Liang————

Cao Cao squatted down, picked up the piece of paper, and shook it.

"Why are you running?"

The clerk's face turned pale, but he stubbornly insisted, "I—I don't know what Commander Wei is talking about—"

'

Cao Cao didn't waste any words with him. He raised his hand and shoved half of the piece of paper back into the man's mouth, his voice extremely low: "You don't know?"

"Then I'll help you think of something."

"Where did this paper come from? Who told you to cut it? Who told you to deliver it? Where was it delivered to? Where were the words changed?"

Think carefully before you speak.

"Don't say I won't give you a chance to speak later."

After saying this, Cao Cao didn't wait for his reply and simply waved his hand.

The inspectors dragged him directly into the back alley.

The alley wasn't deep, and at the end was an abandoned well. Once it got dark, even passersby didn't bother to glance inside.

Half an hour later.

The clerk's face was as white as a sheet, and there was blood at the corner of his mouth.

Cao Cao leaned against the wall, slowly wiping his fingers.

"I'll ask you one last time."

"Who wrote that memorial first?"

The clerk kept his eyes closed and his jaw clenched tightly.

Cao Cao looked at him for a while, then suddenly laughed.

"You think you can live if you don't talk?"

"Do you believe that the person who made you hand over this paper had no intention of letting you live past tonight?"

The clerk suddenly opened his eyes, his breathing becoming erratic.

Cao Cao looked at him, his tone still unhurried: "You're just a gofer."

"The errand runners are the most pitiful. The higher-ups eat the meat, and you take the blame; if things go well, no one remembers you, but if things fail, you're the first to die."

O

"The Crown Prince's Palace is currently investigating."

"You still have one life to sell."

The alley was quiet for a long time.

So long that only the occasional laughter and curses from the distant tavern could be heard.

at last.

The clerk's throat bobbed, as if he were swallowing his last breath, before he spoke in a hoarse voice: "That memorial—wasn't it to send Dong Zhuo to Liangzhou—?"

Cao Cao's eyes suddenly narrowed.

The clerk looked up, his face covered in cold sweat, his voice weak but clear: "—The goal is to send Dong Zhuo—from Liangzhou—into the court."

The next day, just past dawn, the sound of carriages and horses could be heard outside the Prince of Chenliu's residence.

There was no grand display, nor any pomp and circumstance befitting a prince's procession; there was only a blue-curtained carriage, followed by a dozen or so people.

From the outside, it looked ordinary, but those who truly knew their stuff could tell that not all those accompanying the carriage were eunuchs from the Eastern Palace.

There were people from the patrol office inside.

The steward at the gate of the Prince's residence saw him from afar and his heart tightened at first. But when he recognized the figure at the front, he hurriedly went to greet him and bowed: "Your Highness the Crown Prince—"

—

Liu Bian got out of the carriage with a gentle expression, carrying a small food box in his hand. On the other side, an eunuch was holding two newly bound books. He really looked like an elder brother visiting his younger brother.

He hummed in agreement, his gaze lingering for a moment on the door plaque: "How has Xie'er been these past two days?"

The steward hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, the Prince of Chenliu is doing well. Yesterday, he was still thinking about the bamboo horse Your Highness sent a few days ago, saying that he would personally go to the Eastern Palace to express his gratitude another day."

Liu Bian smiled.

"He's still young, why thank me?"

"I just happened to have some free time today, so I came to see him."

After saying that, he went inside.

The steward stepped aside to make way, but beads of sweat were already forming on his forehead.

Because he saw that the people behind the Crown Prince had all followed him in when he entered.

"Your Highness, this..."

Liu Bian didn't even turn his head: "We're all on the same side, it's alright."

The steward's throat tightened, but he dared not say anything more and followed with his head down.

The inner courtyard of the Prince's Mansion was filled with a subtle scholarly atmosphere.

Liu Xie was practicing calligraphy at a small table. Despite his young age, he sat very upright and held the pen carefully. Hearing the noise outside, he was startled at first, but when he looked up and saw Liu Bian, his eyes lit up.

"Brother!"

He stopped writing, threw down his pen, jumped off the mat, and ran outside.

The young eunuch serving beside him was startled and rushed to help, but Liu Bian had already reached out and caught him steadily.

"Slow down."

Liu Xie looked up at him, his eyes full of joy: "Brother, what brings you here?"

"Of course I came to see you."

Liu Bian patted his head and handed him the food box: "Didn't you say a few days ago that the sweet pastries in the palace were too greasy, and the flatbreads from that shop in the East Market were too hard? I had someone make some softer ones, so I brought them here for you to try."

Liu Xie exclaimed "Ah!" and his eyes brightened even more.

"And this too."

Liu Bian gestured to the person next to him to hand over the book.

"You're reading Han Feizi too early. Start with Shuoyuan and the Classic of Filial Piety. They're short and the stories are easy to understand."

Liu Xie took the food box first, beaming with joy. But upon hearing about Han Feizi, Shuoyuan, and the Classic of Filial Piety, his face instantly fell: "Brother, next time just bring the food!"

Liu Bian laughed and scolded, then lightly tapped his head: "You'll understand later that there are golden houses in books."

O

Liu Xie rubbed his head: "Brother, from which book does the saying 'There are houses of gold in books' come?"

Liu Bian was taken aback—this… he just blurted it out. He quickly changed the subject: “Xie’er, come and try the sweet shortbread I brought.”

After saying that, he ignored Liu Xie's reply and stuffed a sweet shortbread into his mouth.

The steward, who had been rushing behind, saw this scene and felt a sense of relief.

The Crown Prince acted as if he had just come to visit his younger brother. He sat with Liu Xie for a while, asked him about his daily life these past few days, inquired about the progress of his teacher's instruction, and asked him to bring out the characters he had just written so he could see them.

The paper had the character "礼" (li, meaning etiquette) written on it.

The handwriting of a young child is naturally not very good, but every stroke is written with care.

Liu Bian looked at it for a moment and praised, "This calligraphy is quite good."

Liu Xie immediately became somewhat smug, pursing his lips and curving his eyes.

"That's what the gentleman said too."

"Then keep practicing."

Liu Bian put down the paper and said gently, "Etiquette is not something to be written down and read; it is something to be used to establish oneself. You will be a king in the future, so first learn to observe etiquette so that others will respect you."

Liu Xie nodded, seemingly confused but very seriously.

"I've got it, brother."

Liu Bian grunted in acknowledgment, and when his gaze shifted from his face to the servants beside him, it had already subtly faded.

Speaking of this etiquette...

Since some people are unwilling to keep their word.

Today, he will set up the ceremony for this royal residence.