Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 703 Alien Race
Li Ru stepped forward and said respectfully, "Father, calm down. Jia Shisan is really capable of occupying Bingzhou in the gap between various forces. However, he cannot threaten Chang'an for the time being. Now that Yuan Shao and others are fighting him, we can just sit back and reap the benefits." Dong Zhuo snorted coldly after hearing this, "Humph, sit back and reap the benefits? That's easy to say, but if they really succeed in joining forces, destroy Jia Shisan, and become more powerful, what should we do?"

Li Ru smiled and said confidently: "Don't worry, foster father. Yuan Shao, Cao Cao and Gongsun Zan all have their own agenda. I'm afraid this alliance won't last long. We can send people to sow discord among them and make them fight more fiercely. At the same time, we should strengthen the defense of Chang'an and increase our military strength just in case."

Dong Zhuo nodded and his expression eased a little: "Okay, as you say. Pass the order down, strengthen the city defense, recruit new soldiers, and at the same time send Li Su to various princes to sound out their opinions and stir up trouble among them." Li Ru took the order and left. Dong Zhuo looked out the window, thinking to himself: When will this chaotic world be under my control?
With the reactions and actions of various forces, the situation in the world becomes more and more complicated. Jia Shisan is in Bingzhou, the alliance between Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Gongsun Zan, and the attitudes of other princes are all intertwined in this chaotic world, forming an invisible big network, and this network will determine the ownership of the world in the future. In this network, various forces are fighting openly or secretly, fighting for their own interests and ambitions. And the changes caused by Jia Shisan's occupation of Bingzhou will also write a bold and colorful stroke in this chaotic world.

The next morning, when it was still early and a thin layer of fog was still lingering in Chang'an City, Dong Zhuo had already sat down in the hall of the Grand Tutor's Mansion, fidgeting with the jade ruyi in his hand, looking up at the door from time to time, waiting for Li Ru to come. He knew that the situation in the world was changing rapidly, and Jia Shisan's occupation of Bingzhou had become a concern for him. If he didn't find a way to solve it quickly, he was afraid that more trouble would arise in the future.

With a creaky sound, the door of the hall was gently pushed open, and Li Ru walked in with steady steps, bowed his hands, and said respectfully: "Foster father, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Dong Zhuo waved his hands and said anxiously, "Stop talking about those empty formalities. Tell me, you said yesterday that you had a way to deal with Jia Shisan. What is it?"

Li Ru raised his mouth slightly, revealing a confident smile, and said slowly: "Foster father, now Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Gongsun Zan have formed an alliance to deal with Jia Shisan, but they have been unable to defeat him for a long time and have been in a stalemate for a long time. If we want to reap the benefits, we have to find another way. I have thought about it for a long time, and I think we can start with the Xianbei, Wuhuan and Qiang tribes."

Dong Zhuo frowned, his face full of confusion: "Oh? How can these foreign tribes help us? They have always been used to living freely on the northern grasslands. Will they listen to our orders?"

Li Ru stepped forward and patiently explained, "Father, you may not know that the Xianbei, Wuhuan, and Qiang tribes have often fought with each other in the northern grasslands for the fertile pastures in recent years, and their power has risen and fallen. But they all have one thing in common, that is, they have long coveted the wealth of the Central Plains. Bingzhou, which Jia Shisan occupies, borders their territory. Bingzhou has fertile land and a large population. For them, it is a tempting piece of fat meat."

Dong Zhuo's eyes lit up and he became interested: "You mean, we should instigate them to attack Bingzhou and let them fight against Jia Shisan?"

Li Ru nodded and said, "That's right. We just need to send people who are good at speaking and bring rich treasures to the three tribes. Tell the Xianbei that as long as they send troops to attack Bingzhou, they can share a large piece of land in the north of Bingzhou and countless treasures after the war. Promise the Wuhuan that we will help them establish their own sphere of influence in Bingzhou, and they can trade freely in the future. As for the Qiang people, we should explain the reason and move their emotions, telling them that the resources of Bingzhou can make their tribe grow rapidly and no longer be oppressed by other tribes."

Dong Zhuo stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and asked another question: "But what if these three tribes unite and defeat Jia Shisan, become more powerful, and threaten our Chang'an in turn? What should we do?"

Li Ru was well prepared, and said calmly: "Don't worry, father. These three tribes have always been full of conflicts. When we send people to persuade them, we only need to stir up trouble and make them suspicious of each other. For example, we can hint to the Xianbei and Wuhuan that they have ill intentions and want to monopolize Bingzhou; remind the Wuhuan that the Qiang may attack from behind and steal their credit; and make the Qiang think that the Xianbei and Wuhuan will join forces to exclude them. In this way, even if they send troops together, it will be difficult for them to be truly united. Under the constraints of each other, they will not pose too much of a threat to us."

Dong Zhuo laughed loudly after hearing this, slapped his thigh and said, "Great! You are worthy of being my good son-in-law, Dong Zhuo. This is a really great idea! Then who do you think should we send to persuade these three tribes?"

Li Ru thought for a moment and said, "For the Xianbei tribe, we can send Li Su. Li Su is eloquent and good at reading people's expressions. He will definitely be able to persuade the Xianbei leader. For the Wuhuan tribe, Hua Xiong is more suitable. Hua Xiong is very brave and has some reputation in the martial arts world. The Wuhuan tribe advocates the use of force. If he goes, he will be able to calm the situation. As for the Qiang tribe, we can send Jia Xu. Jia Xu is very intelligent and thoughtful. He will definitely be able to persuade the Qiang tribe to send troops with his eloquence."

Dong Zhuo nodded in agreement: "Okay, let's do as you say. Without further ado, let the three of them set off today."

Li Ru continued, "There is one more thing, foster father. While we are sending them to lobby, we must also strengthen our defenses in Chang'an. Although these three tribes will not threaten us in the short term, we must be on guard. We can mobilize some of our troops and set up a defense line around Chang'an, just in case."

Dong Zhuo frowned and said, "Now is the time to use more people. The military force is already tight. If we withdraw more troops to defend Chang'an, what will happen to the front line?"

Li Ru patiently explained: "Father, this is not a conflict. We can arrange some new soldiers and old and weak soldiers to defend around Chang'an. Although these people have weaker combat capabilities, they are still enough to protect the city. And concentrate the elite troops on the front line to continue to deal with Yuan Shao, Cao Cao and others. In this way, we can ensure the safety of Chang'an without affecting the battle on the front line."

Dong Zhuo thought about it and agreed, "Okay, let's do as you say. Send the order down and have Lu Bu organize his troops and be ready to respond to any emergency at any time."

Li Ru reminded him again: "Father, we have to pay attention to public opinion. Send people to spread the news in Chang'an City, saying that Jia Shisan is colluding with foreign tribes and trying to overthrow the Han Dynasty. We unite with the Xianbei, Wuhuan and Qiang tribes to attack him in order to maintain the orthodoxy of the Han Dynasty. This way, we can have a legitimate reason and win the support of the people."

Dong Zhuo laughed and said, "Li Ru, you are so thoughtful. Let's do this. I want to see how Jia Shisan will deal with the attacks from these three foreign tribes!"

After the discussion, Li Ru left the hall to arrange for Li Su, Hua Xiong, and Jia Xu to go on missions to foreign tribes. Dong Zhuo leaned back in his chair with a smug smile on his face, as if he had seen Jia Shisan being defeated by the Xianbei, Wuhuan, and Qiang tribes, while he himself was able to reap the benefits and become the real overlord in this chaotic world.

However, will all this really go as smoothly as Dong Zhuo and Li Ru expected? How will Jia Shisan deal with this sudden crisis in Bingzhou? What choices will the Xianbei, Wuhuan and Qiang make when faced with Dong Zhuo's temptation? The turbulent times are destined to continue to surge, and the fate of various forces will be completely rewritten in these open and covert struggles.

In Chang'an, Dong Zhuo quickly finalized his plan after Li Ru's suggestion and decided to send envoys to the Xianbei, Wuhuan and Qiang tribes to incite them to attack Jia Shisan in Bingzhou. He knew that this was a key game that would determine the rise and fall of his own power and that he could not afford to make any mistakes.

Li Su was ordered to go to the Xianbei tribe. He carefully selected dozens of carts of gold, silver, jewelry, silk and satin, and headed north with a huge caravan. The Xianbei royal court was located deep in the lush grassland. Along the way, Li Su looked at the vast grassland and secretly thought about the strategy to persuade the Xianbei leader. Finally arriving at the royal court, the Xianbei leader Kobineng heard that the Han envoy was coming, and he met Li Su with a group of tribal warriors with a wary look. Li Su smiled and bowed first, then ordered people to show the treasures they brought one by one. Kobineng looked at the dazzling jewels and gorgeous silks, and a trace of greed flashed in his eyes, but he soon regained his vigilance.

"You people of the Han Dynasty never come here for no reason. What on earth are you here for this time?" Kirby asked in a low voice.

Li Su was not in a hurry, and he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, to be honest, there is a rebellious Jia Shisan in the Central Plains. He has occupied Bingzhou and wants to establish himself as king, not taking the emperor of the Han Dynasty seriously. My Grand Tutor Dong Zhuo is dedicated to supporting the Han Dynasty. He learned that Your Majesty is famous and brave on the grassland, so he specially ordered me to come here and beg Your Majesty to send troops to help and jointly defeat Jia Shisan."

Kobe snorted coldly: "Crushing Jia Shisan? What good will it do to us Xianbei?"

Li Su was delighted when he saw this, knowing that there was a chance, and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, if you can defeat Jia Shisan, the land in the north of Bingzhou with the most abundant grass and water will belong to you. There are herds of cattle and sheep, and the warehouses are full of grain, which is enough for the warriors of the Xianbei tribe to live a rich life. Moreover, in the future, when the Xianbei and the Han Dynasty trade, my master will certainly open the door to facilitate it, so that your tribe will have a lot of money."

Kobe was moved. He looked at the elders beside him and discussed in a low voice. After a moment, Kobe said, "This matter is serious. Let me discuss it with the tribesmen and give you a reply in three days."

Although Li Su was a little anxious, he could only wait patiently. During these three days, he kept sending people to give gifts to Ke Bineng's confidants to inquire about the situation within the Xianbei tribe. Finally, on the third day, Ke Bineng summoned him again and agreed to send troops to attack Bingzhou.

At the same time, Hua Xiong also set out on the road to the Wuhuan tribe. The Wuhuan tribe is located in the Liaodong area, where the mountains are undulating and the terrain is complex. Hua Xiong led a team of elite soldiers and, after going through hardships and dangers, finally found the camp of Wuhuan leader Tadun.

Tadun was a burly man with a full beard. He looked at Hua Xiong and his party with disdain in his eyes: "What are you doing here, little soldiers of the Han Dynasty, in the land of Wuhuan?"

Hua Xiong was not angry. He stepped forward and said loudly, "I am Hua Xiong, a general under Dong Zhuo. I came here on the orders of my Grand Tutor to discuss an important matter with the king. There is a villain named Jia Shisan who is committing crimes in Bingzhou and disturbing the Central Plains. My Grand Tutor wants to join hands with the king to get rid of this man."

Tadun laughed loudly: "Just you? My Wuhuan warriors are all over Liaodong, why should I help you Han people?"

Hua Xiong said slowly, "Your Majesty, this Jia Shisan has occupied Bingzhou and blocked the trade route between Wuhuan and the Central Plains. If you can defeat him, you will not only be able to restore trade with the Central Plains, but also establish your own sphere of influence in Bingzhou. From then on, the prestige of Wuhuan will spread throughout the Central Plains. Moreover, my Grand Master has prepared generous gifts. As long as Your Majesty sends troops, these gifts will belong to Your Majesty."

After that, Hua Xiong ordered his soldiers to open the box, which was filled with exquisite weapons and precious medicinal materials. Tadun looked at these gifts with greed in his eyes. He pondered for a moment and said, "Okay, I can send troops, but you Han people, don't play any tricks."

Hua Xiong was overjoyed and said quickly: "Don't worry, Your Majesty. My Grand Master always keeps his word." In this way, Hua Xiong successfully persuaded Tadun.

The process of Jia Xu's trip to the Qiang tribe was full of wits and strategies. The Qiang tribe was distributed in the west of Liangzhou. Jia Xu came to the Qiang territory with a small number of followers. The Qiang leader Agui was a meticulous person, and he was wary of Jia Xu's arrival.

"You people of the Han Dynasty have always looked down on us Qiang people. Why are you suddenly visiting us now?" Agui asked coldly.

Jia Xu smiled and said, "You are wrong, Chief. I came here with sincerity. The Central Plains is in chaos now. A man named Jia Shisan has occupied Bingzhou and is a threat to the Qiang people. If he becomes stronger, he might have ambitions for the Qiang people's territory. My Grand Master Dong Zhuo cares about the people of the world and is also worried about the safety of the Qiang people, so he wants to join forces with the Qiang people to fight against Jia Shisan."

After hearing this, Agui was moved, but still had some doubts: "What benefits can you give to our Qiang people?"

Jia Xu said calmly: "After defeating Jia Shisan, part of Bingzhou's land and resources will belong to the Qiang people. Moreover, my master will help the Qiang people develop production, provide advanced agricultural tools and technology, and let the Qiang people live a better life. At the same time, we will establish friendly relations with the Qiang people and no longer discriminate against them."

Agui pondered for a long time. He knew that after Jia Shisan occupied Bingzhou, he would indeed pose a potential threat to the surrounding tribes. Moreover, the conditions Jia Xu mentioned were very tempting. Finally, he nodded and said, "Okay, I agree to cooperate with you, but if you dare to lie to me, my Qiang warriors will not let you go."

Jia Xu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, he knew that the purpose of this trip had been achieved.

The three envoys successfully persuaded the leaders of the three tribes and returned to Chang'an with their respective promises. When Dong Zhuo heard the news, he was overjoyed: "Good, this time Jia Shisan will suffer. Pass the order and let the troops be prepared. Once the three tribes send out troops, we will cooperate in the rear and capture him in one fell swoop."

However, can this seemingly perfect plan really go as Dong Zhuo wishes? Jia Shisan is no ordinary person in Bingzhou. How will he deal with the attacks of these three foreign tribes? And when the Xianbei, Wuhuan and Qiang tribes really face Jia Shisan's army, will they go all out? The struggle in this chaotic world is becoming more and more intense, and the fate of various forces has become more complicated and confusing in this conspiracy and confrontation.

(End of this chapter)