Secrets of Three Kingdoms (三国机密 / San Guo Ji Mi)

I already have the emperor's secret belt decree.

Cao Cao can no longer claim to act upon the emperor's decree.

That's good enough.

We shouldn't let our morale be affected because of an envoy and a spy.

Behead him.

Master!

The envoy of the imperial family represents the emperor.

You mustn't kill him!

It matters not.

If you really wish to kill me, I have only one request to make.

Have Pan Yang carry out the execution.

Do you know Pan Yang?

I wouldn't dare.

Why not?

Do you know him?

He's the emperor of Great Han!

What?

The emperor?

The emperor came out here?

Summon Wang Yue over!

What did you say?

Grand Commandant.

Do you find my belt decree handy?

How would you know that he's the emperor after a brief meeting?

I've really underestimated you.

You are quite bold indeed.

You even dare to impersonate the emperor!

Grand Commandant Yuan.

When Dong Zhuo was going to abolish my brother from Luoyang Palace

you argued with him over it.

I still remember your demeanor then.

After 12 years

Grand Commandant Yuan has forgotten me completely?

The emperor...

It turns out... that you're now working for Yuan Shao.

Is he really the emperor?

He nearly died by my hands.

He is the emperor.

Greetings, Your Majesty!

Greetings, Your Majesty!

Your subject, Yuan Shao, greets Your Majesty.

I deserve to die for offending Your Majesty.

Do rise.

Untie him quickly!

Yes!

Your Majesty.

May I see Princess Consort Tang now?

Your Majesty, as you wish.

This emperor...

There's more to him than meets the eye.

An emperor who walks right into our snare...

Interesting.

Your Majesty!

Sister Tang...

You've suffered.

Your Majesty, why did you come to Yuan Shao's camp alone?

You even exposed your identity!

I had to save my neck.

Where are the empress and Sima Yi?

The empress has returned to the capital.

Sima Yi has escorted Cao Pi to Cao Cao's military base.

He's gone to Cao Cao's military base?

Sister Tang, you needn't worry.

Cao Pi is indebted to him for saving his life.

He'll be much safer in Cao Cao's camp.

I'll rescue you from here and bring you to Zhong Da as soon as possible.

Your Majesty, what are your plans?

Before I got here

I thought I could collaborate with Yuan Shao to defeat Cao Cao.

However, since I got here

I realized that Yuan Shao is far more arrogant than I thought.

It's the same with his strategists.

Guo Jia was right about him in every aspect.

Yuan Shao never has been a loyal subject of the imperial family.

Therefore, the late emperor had never fled from the capital

to seek refuge with Yuan Shao.

I can now understand how difficult it was for my brother

to keep both Yuan Shao and Cao Cao in balance.

What if the outcome of the battle upsets the balance?

Your Majesty, how will you choose between them?

In fact...

Your Majesty can take your own path.

You don't have to go along with what the late emperor

Grand Commandant Yang, and the empress had planned.

Zhong Da told me that true cowardice isn't being weak or compassionate.

It's losing track of one's own principles and goals.

I already chose my path right from the beginning.

My goal isn't just to take out Cao Cao.

Your Majesty will have to get away from here as soon as possible.

If you stay, you'll only become Yuan Shao's hostage.

He'll drag you to the battlefield.

He isn't capable of that yet.

Now that the emperor really is here

it's actually quite troublesome.

Master.

The emperor is a very useful weapon.

Isn't Cao Cao unbridled in his attacks

because he claims to act upon the emperor's decree?

Cao Cao is the descendant of a eunuch.

He definitely has to rely on the emperor.

My family served as one of the Three Excellencies over four reigns.

Why would I need to command the feudal lords in the name of the emperor?

Now that he's here

am I to ask him for his approval or not when I give commands to the others?

Or should I do as Pang Ji said and send him to the front line?

If so, Cao Cao wouldn't dare to launch an attack on us.

It can't do any good to Master's reputation

if you drag the emperor to the front line.

If we back him into a corner

and he reprimands you at the front line, won't that be helping Cao Cao instead?

What should we do then?

It's troublesome to keep him here.

But we can't kill him either.

It isn't that we can't kill him.

Master.

It's just not the right time to do so.

This emperor happens to come in handy at this time.

Tell me...

How does he come in handy?

The emperor isn't of much use to you, but Cao Cao can't do without him.

Master, aren't you worried that Cao Cao's army isn't taking action?

Now that we have the emperor

Cao Cao will have to take action even if he doesn't want to.

Does that mean I won't have to pretend to surrender to Cao Cao?

What is it?

You aren't willing to go over to him?

However, Cao Cao might not believe us.

There are but a few people who have met the emperor.

Therefore, we'll need the help of Mister Zi Yuan all the more.

What does that mean?

First of all, when you go over to Cao Cao

you have to tell him that our rations are stocked in Wuchao.

Second, you have to inform them that the emperor is here with General Yuan.

Make sure that many more people are informed of this matter.

Good!

This is great!

If Cao Cao finds out that the emperor is alive and well here with me

he's sure to sit on pins and needles.

However, I can't stop worrying that this young emperor has more tricks

up his sleeves for certain.

Mister Zi Yuan.

I remember that the emperor tried to reach out to you in Ye City.

I wonder what that was for?

I don't know.

He only sent his attendant to send a message.

I didn't get to meet His Majesty.

Master, I think we'll have to send Mister Zi Yuan

to figure out the emperor.

Your subject, Xu You, greets Your Majesty.

Do rise.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

You've finally come to see me.

Your Majesty knew that I'd come?

You knew that without my assistance

your trip to Cao Cao's camp would be a one-way journey.

How is that so?

Cao Cao is suspicious by nature.

Guo Jia has unparalleled wisdom.

Anyone who brings them false information is essentially seeking his own doom.

It's no wonder that Mister Fei is so frightened of Your Majesty.

However, Cao Cao is already at his wit's end with the shortage of rations.

Someone who is backed into the corner would often believe

in matters that he normally doesn't.

What will be a desperate situation for you?

Would you lie to yourself

and believe that you can survive this trip to Cao Cao's camp?

All that Mister Fei cares about is his competition against Guo Jia.

He cares not for anyone's life.

Sir, you're a smart man.

Could you not tell?

Indeed.

My family...

He has my family.

Why... why would I say this to you?

The outcome of the Battle of Guandu is obvious.

It's only a matter of time before Duke Yuan defeats Cao Cao.

Are you willing to be the one to turn the tables?

This...

The Battle of Guandu will play a huge role in deciding the future.

This battle will surely go down in history.

Would you rather be just another anonymous soul killed in this battle

or a hero who turned the situation around?

Tell Cao Cao... where Yuan Shao's rations are truly hidden.

Your... Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, you... you wish to assist Cao Cao?

No.

I'm just helping myself.

I'm also helping the imperial family and the entire nation

so that less blood will be spilled.

Your Majesty is actually already...

disappointed in Duke Yuan.

I don't dare to stay here much longer.

I ask to leave now.

This meeting with me will serve as the amulet for your trip to Cao Cao's camp.

And...

take this letter with you.

I almost forgot.

Duke Yuan sent me here to see Your Majesty

to find out why you wished to see me in Ye City.

I had wanted to get the list of Cao Cao's subordinates