After being hit by Wei Yan’s arrow, Cao Cao withdraws in haste. Chased by Ma Chao’s ambushes, he flees day and night and only feels safe on reaching Jingzhao. Liu Bei sends Liu Feng and Meng Da to take the commanderies of Shangyong as well, settles the people and richly rewards the army.
Among the commanders the wish grows to raise Liu Bei to emperor. Not daring to say it to him directly, they speak to Kongming first, and Kongming says his own mind is already made up. He comes before Liu Bei with Fa Zheng and others. Cao Cao has seized power and the people have no master. My lord’s humanity and righteousness are known under heaven, and now you hold both the eastern and western lands. Follow the will of heaven and men, take the imperial throne, set the names right and strike the traitor of the state.
Liu Bei is greatly startled. The Military Adviser is wrong. I am of the Han imperial clan, but I am a subject. To do such a thing would be to betray the Han.