The three troublemakers rudely squeezed into the crowd, drawing angry rebukes from the crowd. However, they were shameless and ignored the people's scolding, continuing to push forward.
Seeing the commotion caused by the Xiahou brothers, Yuan Shao smiled and shook his head helplessly.
Then Yuan Shao turned to look at his younger brother Yuan Shu, only to find that Yuan Shu was also standing there staring intently at him, his eyes full of resentment.
The two brothers looked at each other. Yuan Shao glanced at Yuan Shu with a complicated expression. When he was in the Imperial Guard, he had heard that his younger brother often visited his mother.
Although Yuan Shao had left the Yuan family without his own mother's knowledge because of Yuan Shu's mother, Lady Cui, he harbored no hatred or resentment towards his younger brother.
"Let's go...!"
Yuan Shao gave Yuan Shu a meaningful look, then left with a few men.
"One day, I will definitely surpass you...!"
Watching Yuan Shao's departing figure, Yuan Shu clenched his right fist, his resolve to join the Imperial Guard strengthened.
"Phew~, finally squeezed in, there were just too many people...! If it weren't for Zhongkang, we really wouldn't have been able to handle them...!"
Having squeezed his way to the very front, Xiahou Dun looked at the palace gate of Nangong not far away and couldn't help but let out a deep breath.
"Yeah...! I was almost exhausted!" Xiahou Yuan was also panting heavily.
Just as the two were leaning on their knees, panting with their heads down, several figures came to their side.
"You guys were the ones who made that commotion just now...?"
"That's...you don't even know who we are...!"
Xiahou Dun looked arrogant, and as he spoke, he turned his head to look at the newcomer. Before he could finish speaking, he swallowed his words.
"Big...brother!"
Upon noticing Cao Cao glaring at him with a cold expression, Xiahou Dun swallowed hard, while Xiahou Yuan shrank back and moved a step behind Xiahou Dun.
"Elder brother, no... it wasn't us, it was Zhongkang...! We squeezed in with Zhongkang...!"
Xiahou Yuan meekly hid behind Xiahou Dun, and pointed to Xu Chu, who looked bewildered, beside him.
After glancing at Xu Chu, Cao Cao immediately berated the Xiahou brothers:
"Zhongkang? Zhongkang is an honest man. Even if he squeezed his way in, it was you who instigated him. Now you're trying to shirk responsibility...!"
"Brother...we know we were wrong, please don't be angry...!"
Seeing that Cao Cao seemed about to get angry, the Xiahou brothers were startled and quickly lowered their heads to admit their mistake. Perhaps it was out of deep-seated awe that they were not afraid of their father's whip or our sticks, but they were terrified of Cao Cao's anger.
"Hmph~, today is an important day when His Majesty summoned a group of young people. I'll remember this beating for now and deal with you later...!"
Cao Cao merely snorted coldly, then warned the two men before turning and leaving.
"Phew~ Big brother is getting more and more terrifying!"
Watching Cao Cao's departing figure, Xiahou Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, still feeling a lingering fear. Cao Cao's cold expression had truly terrified him. Xiahou Dun nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of shared experience.
As afternoon approached, all the young people in Luoyang who heard the news rushed to the square outside the South Palace.
The square, which could originally accommodate more than 30,000 people, was now packed with young students.
The outer perimeter was filled with people from Luoyang who had come to watch after hearing the news. They formed a dense crowd, three or four deep. Having lived in Luoyang for so long, this was the first time they had ever witnessed such a spectacle.
However... thanks to the efforts of the Imperial Guards and the Feathered Forest Army, the scene, though crowded, was orderly. Everyone stood there quietly, looking up at the gate tower above the Southern Palace.
"Your Majesty, it's almost time. Nearly 30,000 people have already gathered outside the Southern Palace..."
"Okay! Let's go!"
Upon hearing Song Dian's report, Liu Hong smiled and then led a group of guards toward the South Palace, with Chen Fan, Xi Zhicai, and others following closely behind.
Before long, everyone followed Liu Hong to the palace gate.
"They're here...!"
The sharp-eyed Xiahou Dun spotted the emperor in his line of sight at a glance and exclaimed softly.
Outside the Southern Palace, the crowd gathered in front also noticed the emperor, dressed in imperial robes, slowly walking towards them.
For a moment, everyone was filled with excitement and looked at Liu Hong with eager eyes.
The ministers following behind Liu Hong were utterly shocked when they saw the dense crowd outside the palace.
Liu Hong, who was walking in front, smiled and then stretched out his hand to wave to the young man outside the palace.
"Long live the Emperor!!"
Seeing the emperor wave to them, the crowd in front was incredibly excited and burst into cheers.
Those who heard the commotion behind them knew that the emperor had arrived, so they joined the people in front in shouting.
"Long live the Emperor!!!"
In just a moment, the shouts of more than 30,000 young people rose in waves.
In this atmosphere of fervent excitement, even the tens of thousands of onlookers couldn't help but join in the cheering.
The shouts of nearly 100,000 people were incredibly powerful, and the sound spread throughout Luoyang in an instant.
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