Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 733: All Planning
Yuan Shao's eyes widened with anger, he paced back and forth, gritting his teeth and said, "Humph! How can I not be angry? Jia Changsheng usually pretends to be benevolent and righteous, but he shows such a face at the critical moment. Now we are being attacked from three sides by Gongsun Zan, Lu Bu and Cao Cao. We are busy with our own affairs, so how can we care about what he does in Yangzhou!"

Guo Tu also stepped forward and said, "My lord, we are now in a tight battle with Gongsun Zan, Lu Bu, and Cao Cao, and it is indeed difficult to spare troops to deal with Jia Changsheng. But we can write a letter to Sun Quan, telling him about Jia Changsheng's ambitions and asking him to hold on to Yangzhou. At the same time, we can also hint to Sun Quan that if Yangzhou falls into the hands of Jia Changsheng, Sun Quan will have no place to stand, and if we can solve the current predicament, we will definitely help him take back Yangzhou. In this way, we may be able to use Sun Quan's hand to contain Jia Changsheng."

Yuan Shao pondered for a moment and said, "What Guo Gongze said makes sense. Sun Quan will definitely not sit idly by while Jia Changsheng expands in Yangzhou. But Sun Quan is a thoughtful person and may not trust us easily."

Feng Ji stepped forward and said, "My Lord, we can promise Sun Quan some benefits, such as sharing the land that Jia Changsheng gained in Yangzhou with him after the war, or supporting him in other ways. In addition, we can also send people to create some trouble on the border between Jingzhou and Yangzhou to disrupt Jia Changsheng's rear and prevent him from attacking Yangzhou with all his strength."

Yuan Shao nodded slightly and said, "Okay, let's follow your plan. Shen Zhengnan, you write a letter to Sun Quan immediately, and be sincere in your words, so that he understands the truth that the lips and teeth are cold. Feng Yuantu, you arrange some people to create some small-scale conflicts on the border of Jingzhou. There is no need to start a war, but you must make Jia Changsheng hesitate."

Shen Pei and Feng Ji responded in unison: "Don't worry, my lord. We will definitely take care of this matter."

Yuan Shao turned to Yan Liang and Wen Chou and said, "General Yan, General Wen, the situation is critical now. You two must hold the line and not let the coalition forces of Gongsun Zan, Lu Bu and Cao Cao break through. As long as we can hold out for this period of time, the situation may turn around."

Yan Liang and Wen Chou clasped their fists and accepted the order: "Don't worry, my lord. We are willing to die for our country and will not let the enemy advance even a single step!"

Yuan Shao looked at the raging beacon fire outside the tent, sighed and said, "I never thought that after half a lifetime of success, I would end up in such a predicament. Jia Changsheng, this villain, took advantage of my misfortune. If I have the chance one day, I will never let him go!"

Shen Pei said, "My lord, although the current situation is difficult, we have a strong foundation in Jizhou and our soldiers are willing to sacrifice their lives. As long as we respond properly, we will be able to resolve the crisis. Now it is also a good move to unite with Sun Quan to contain Jia Changsheng."

Yuan Shao nodded slightly and said, "I hope Sun Quan can understand the pros and cons and join hands with us to deal with Jia Changsheng. If so, it won't be too late to settle accounts with Jia Changsheng after we have dealt with the enemy in front of us."

At this time, shouts of killing rose again outside the tent, and Gongsun Zan's cavalry began a new round of attacks. Yuan Shao looked solemn and said to everyone: "The enemy has started to attack again. Everyone should do their job and hold their positions!" Everyone took the order and rushed to their respective posts. Yuan Shao also walked out of the tent and personally supervised the battle. A fierce battle started again in front of Yuan Shao's formation, and the expansion of Jia Changsheng in Yangzhou and the checks and balances of various forces continued to unfold in this turbulent time.

Under the difficult situation of being besieged by Gongsun Zan, Lu Bu and Cao Cao, Yuan Shao learned that Jia Changsheng took the opportunity to capture cities in Yangzhou and his power was gradually growing, and he was very worried. He knew that if he was not curbed, Jia Changsheng would become a powerful force that could not be ignored after gaining a foothold in Yangzhou. After careful consideration, Yuan Shao decided to make peace with Cao Cao and deal with Jia Changsheng together first.

Yuan Shao summoned Shen Pei and said solemnly, "Zhengnan, Jia Changsheng is now expanding rapidly in Yangzhou, and his power cannot be underestimated. If we allow him to develop, we will all face disaster. You should quickly write a letter to Cao Cao, and be sincere in your words, indicating that I am willing to temporarily cease fire with him and jointly resist Jia Changsheng's intentions."

Shen Pei received the order and immediately wrote down his letter. In the letter, Yuan Shao earnestly stated the current situation, emphasized the threat posed by Jia Changsheng's rise in Yangzhou to all parties, and proposed that Cao Cao and himself put aside their differences for the time being and work together. After resolving Jia Changsheng's issue, they would discuss their affairs again. After writing, Shen Pei presented the letter to Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao carefully reviewed it, nodded his approval, and then sent a trusted messenger to deliver it to Cao Cao's camp at full speed.

The messenger traveled day and night and finally arrived at Cao Cao's tent. Cao Cao was discussing war with his advisers Guo Jia, Xun Yu, etc. When he heard that Yuan Shao's messenger wanted to see him, he was surprised and ordered someone to see him. The messenger entered the tent and respectfully presented the letter. Cao Cao unfolded the letter, read it carefully, and frowned slightly.

Guo Jia saw that Cao Cao looked strange, so he asked, "My Lord, what did Yuan Shao write in the letter?"

Cao Cao handed the letter to Guo Jia and said, "Yuan Shao proposed a temporary truce with us so that we can deal with Jia Changsheng together. He said that Jia Changsheng's power in Yangzhou is growing, and if it is not contained, it may become a big problem. After dealing with Jia Changsheng, he will discuss other matters with us."

After reading the letter, Guo Jia pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, Yuan Shao's proposal seems to be for the common interests, but there may be other calculations. However, Jia Changsheng's development in Yangzhou does pose a threat to us. If he occupies Yangzhou, his strength will increase greatly, and he will definitely become our rival in the future."

Xun Yu also nodded and said, "Feng Xiao is right. We are currently in a standoff with Yuan Shao, and both sides have suffered heavy losses. If we can temporarily cease fire with Yuan Shao and jointly deal with Jia Changsheng, it may be an opportunity. But we need to act cautiously to prevent Yuan Shao from setting an ambush."

Cao Cao paced and thought, and said: "I also know that Jia Changsheng should not be underestimated. But Yuan Shao is ambitious and hard to trust. Cooperating with him is like trying to get the skin of a tiger. But Jia Changsheng's expansion in Yangzhou does force us to take action."

Xun You said: "My Lord, we can agree to Yuan Shao's proposal on the surface and reach a temporary truce with him. At the same time, we should secretly strengthen our vigilance to prevent Yuan Shao from breaking his promise. In dealing with Jia Changsheng, we can cooperate with Yuan Shao to send troops, but we must maintain independent operations and avoid over-reliance on Yuan Shao."

Cao Cao's eyes lit up and he said, "Gongda's plan is brilliant. We must use our cooperation with Yuan Shao to curb Jia Changsheng's development, while also guarding against Yuan Shao's calculations."

So Cao Cao said to Yuan Shao's messenger: "Go back and tell Yuan Shao that I, Cao Cao, agree to a temporary truce with him and jointly deal with Jia Changsheng. But both sides must clearly define their respective responsibilities and scope of action and must not plot against each other."

The messenger took the order and left. Cao Cao immediately summoned all his generals to arrange a response. He said to Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan: "Yuan Rang, Miao Cai, you two will lead an army and cooperate with Yuan Shao's army, but you must always be vigilant. If Yuan Shao's army makes any unusual moves, report immediately."

Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan responded in unison: "We will obey the Lord's orders!"

Cao Cao then said to Guo Jia: "Fengxiao, you will go with the army and advise Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan to ensure the safety and interests of our army in this operation."

Guo Jia clasped his fists and said, "Don't worry, my lord. Jiading will live up to your trust."

On the other side, Yuan Shao received a reply from Cao Cao agreeing to a truce, and felt relieved. He said to Shen Pei: "Cao Cao agreed, it seems that he also knows the threat of Jia Changsheng. But Cao Cao is treacherous, we have to be on guard. Tell Yan Liang and Wen Chou not to take it lightly when cooperating with Cao's army." Shen Pei said: "Don't worry, my lord, I will convey it immediately. But how should we act in cooperation with Cao Cao this time?"

Yuan Shao thought for a moment and said, "We and Cao Cao will put pressure on Jia Changsheng from two directions. Cao Cao will come from the north, and we will come from the northwest, forcing Jia Changsheng to be attacked from both sides. At the same time, we can send someone to contact Sun Quan and tell him about our plan with Cao Cao, and ask him to cooperate from within Yangzhou to create trouble for Jia Changsheng."

Shen Pei nodded and immediately went to arrange the relevant matters.

Soon, the armies of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao began to mobilize. Yuan Shao sent Yan Liang and Wen Chou to lead an army of 30,000 to approach Jia Changsheng's sphere of influence in Yangzhou. Cao Cao ordered Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan to lead an army of 20,000 to respond to the army of Yan Liang and Wen Chou. Guo Jia went on the expedition with Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan, keeping an eye on the changes in the situation.

In Yangzhou, Jia Changsheng learned that Yuan Shao and Cao Cao might join forces to deal with him, so he summoned Xu Shu, Huang Zhong, Zhao Yun and others to discuss countermeasures.

Jia Changsheng said: "Everyone, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao want to temporarily cease fighting and fight us together. It seems that our actions in Yangzhou have aroused their fear."

Xu Shu said: "My lord, although Yuan Shao and Cao Cao have joined forces, the contradictions between them have not been resolved. They must have doubts in their hearts and it is difficult for them to truly work together. We can use this to divide them. At the same time, strengthen the city defenses, consolidate the occupied cities, and prepare to meet the enemy."

Huang Zhong said loudly: "My lord, I am willing to lead an army and take the initiative to attack and give the enemy a warning!"

Jia Changsheng smiled and said, "Han Sheng is brave, but we should not attack rashly at this time. We should wait for the enemy to tire out, observe their movements, and look for loopholes. Zilong, you should strengthen patrols and pay close attention to the enemy's every move. Don't slack off at all."

Zhao Yun replied: "Don't worry, my lord. I will not let the enemy take advantage of this opportunity."

Jia Changsheng said to Xu Shu again: "Yuanzhi, you send people to spread rumors to disrupt the morale of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao's troops and make them suspicious of each other. At the same time, we can also try to contact Sun Quan secretly to see if we can reach some kind of tacit understanding with him to jointly deal with Yuan Shao and Cao Cao."

Xu Shu said, "My Lord, this is a brilliant plan. I will do it right away."

A complex game between Jia Changsheng, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao quietly unfolds in Yangzhou. All parties are plotting for their own interests. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao seem to be working together, but in fact they have their own plans. Jia Changsheng, with his wisdom and courage, is ready to meet this severe challenge, trying to continue to consolidate and expand his power in this turbulent world. Who will win in this game? The situation becomes more complicated and confusing.

After receiving the order, Xu Shu knew the importance of this mission. He quickly selected a group of more than 20 soldiers who were smart, eloquent, and familiar with the military situation of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao. When these soldiers were brought to Xu Shu, they were all in high spirits, with determination in their eyes.

Xu Shu looked at them and said seriously, "Everyone, our army is now facing the threat of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao joining forces. The lord ordered us to use strategies to divide them. And you will undertake a crucial task - spreading rumors and disrupting the enemy's morale. This is not only related to the safety of our army, but also to whether we can gain a foothold in Yangzhou. Do you have confidence?"

Everyone shouted in unison: "We are willing to serve the general and will not fail in our mission!"

Xu Shu nodded slightly and said, "Very good. Next, I will tell you the plan in detail. Although Yuan Shao and Cao Cao have joined forces on the surface, they have long been suspicious of each other. We must take advantage of this and create distrust between them. You will divide into several groups and go to the vicinity of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao's camps respectively."

Xu Shu picked up the map, pointed to several places on it and said, "Look, here, here, and here are the only ways for Yuan Shao's army to transport food and grass, and they are also the supply points that the soldiers often go to. Several of your groups will disguise themselves as ordinary people or small vendors and move around in these places. Spread rumors that Cao Cao is secretly exchanging letters with General Jia and is preparing to betray Yuan Shao at a critical moment, and cooperate with our army to seize Yuan Shao's food and grass."

Then, he pointed to another place and said, "These teams will go to the vicinity of Cao Cao's camp. Cao Cao is suspicious by nature, so you spread rumors that Yuan Shao is cooperating with him on the surface, but in fact he has secretly colluded with Gongsun Zan and Lu Bu, and plans to wait until Cao Cao and us are both defeated, and then join forces with Gongsun Zan and Lu Bu to eliminate Cao Cao in one fell swoop."

Xu Shu looked at everyone with a sharp gaze and continued, "When spreading the news, be careful with your words. Don't be too straightforward, pretend to reveal it casually, so that the people who hear it will think it is a secret but reliable news. Also, try to let people of different identities hear it, so that the news can spread faster among the enemy army."

Everyone listened carefully, remembering every word of Xu Shu. Xu Shu emphasized again: "This operation is full of dangers, you must be careful. If you find that there is a danger of being exposed, evacuate immediately. Our goal is to disrupt the enemy, and we must not lose the big picture because of the small."

After the arrangements were completed, the teams set out quickly. They dressed up in disguise and brought carefully prepared props to blend into the crowd. Some teams heading to the vicinity of Yuan Shao's army pretended to be tea vendors and set up stalls near the grain transfer point. Whenever Yuan Shao's soldiers came to drink water and rest, they pretended to chat and intentionally or unintentionally mentioned the collusion between Cao Cao and Jia Changsheng.

"Hey, have you heard? Something seems to be wrong with Cao Cao recently." said a soldier who looked like a merchant.

A soldier next to him said, "What's wrong? Don't talk nonsense. Lord Yuan and Lord Cao are now working together to deal with Jia Changsheng."

The vendor lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "I heard that someone saw Cao Cao's messenger secretly running to Jia Changsheng's camp. Maybe Cao Cao is planning to betray Lord Yuan and plot against us together with Jia Changsheng."

(End of this chapter)