I continue to be someone who is standing on the outside looking in. Everyone is falling all over themselves to laud Queen Inhyun's Man to the roof, while I see no reason to force myself to finish the first episode. It just didn't grab me. I am who I am, I watch what I watch.
Let's get back to that letter that had Cao Cao and his men looking so concerned. A couple of Dong Zhuo's underlings were able to take over Chang'an, which means they took over the young emperor. Naturally the two had a falling out and it was all out war. The city of Chang'an is a mess. The young emperor was able to sneak out of the city and is heading back to the old capital of Luoyang. He's in poor shape and is requesting all his loyal lords to come to his aid. Cao Cao knows an opportunity when he sees it. He's planning to intercept the young emperor and gain control of the boy himself.
The show's producers have allowed the child emperor to age up to a teenager. Doesn't mean he's any better at being an emperor. He and his ministers make it to Luoyang but remember, it was burned out by Dong Zhuo many episodes ago. The royal palace is just an empty shell and there's no food and water. By the time Cao Cao shows up, the emperor's just grateful for the supplies.
In a symbolic scene, the dirty emperor and his ragged ministers hold court in the blackened ruins of the palace. Everyone pretends it is like the good old days. As tribute Cao Cao gives a tureen of chicken broth which the emperor tearfully gulps down. Cao Cao convinces (re: threatens) the emperor to move the court to a new city. A city that just happens to be deep in Cao Cao's territory.
In a very clever and crafty move, Cao Cao petitions the emperor to bestow titles and lands upon people like Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and Liu Biao. Basically his enemies. Why the benevolence? If these lords accept the decrees, they are in a sense saying they are okay with Cao Cao being in control of the emperor. If they refuse the decrees, then Cao Cao can argue that they are defiant vassals and should be taken out. His frenemies can do nothing but thank the emperor for his gifts.
Cao Cao is back to hungering after Xu Province and comes up with a plan. To Liu Bei, under the guise that it is from the emperor, Cao Cao sends secret orders. Liu Bei is to attack Yuan Shu because Yuan is planning to declare himself emperor. At the same time a message will be sent to Yuan Shu saying Liu Bei has asked for permission to attack Yuan because he claims Yuan is planning to set himself up as emperor. Then after these two wear themselves out in war against each other, Cao Cao will march in.
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