Emperor Xian of Han (Liu Xie) has long been cast in the shadows of history and literature as a helpless puppet, a symbol of imperial decay and impotence. In both Romance of the Three Kingdoms and traditional historiography, he is often portrayed as a passive victim—first under Dong Zhuo, then Cao Cao, and finally…
Chapter 20 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms presents a masterful study in political theater, veiled rebellion, and the fragile legitimacy of imperial authority during the twilight of the Eastern Han dynasty.