Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 234 This kind of peerless villain, has he gone mad and boarded your pirate ship?
"Prime Minister, you are overthinking it."

After Xun You explained the cause and effect, Jia Xu, though he had other plans in mind, remained calm and respectfully bowed, recounting the three main reasons he had previously used to persuade Zhang Xiu to submit to the court.

".
General Zhang believed these three points.

Furthermore, Yuan Shu's envoy had already been scolded and driven away by us. General Zhang deeply offended Lord Yuan and was in constant fear. If he does not surrender to Lord Cao now, what other way out is there?

Given these circumstances, it's not surprising that General Zhang chose to submit to the imperial court after his surrender.

Because these were all true events, not a single word Jia Xu uttered was a lie.

After careful consideration, the men in Cao Cao's camp also found it reasonable, and they did not show any suspicion on the surface.

Moreover, even if they became suspicious and investigated, Jia Xu was not afraid at all, because what he said was all true.

As expected, Cao Cao laughed heartily at this.

"Is it adding flowers to brocade or providing charcoal in the snow? Mr. Jia is indeed a loyal and righteous man with his heart set on the imperial court."

"Rest assured, sir. After our safe return from this journey, I will certainly submit a memorial to the Emperor, requesting that you be appointed to the Ministry of Personnel to govern the country and ensure your talents are not wasted."

However, Jia Xu seemed unconcerned about the benefits and future promised by Cao Cao, only humbly saying:

"Without talent or virtue, and having accomplished nothing, how dare I accept such favor?"
Xu was lazy by nature and dared not aspire to high office or rank; being a wealthy old man and enjoying his later years was enough for him.

"Sir, you are joking."

A subtle glint flashed in Cao Cao's eyes. What did that mean? Was he lazy? Unwilling to work for him?
Besides, with your great talent and the great achievement of persuading Zhang Xiu to surrender, you can become a wealthy man when you return to Luoyang.
This is no longer a question of whether or not one should exert effort. Compare this to Yuan Shu's frequent bestowals of the rank of General of the Fourth Expedition upon surrendered officials and generals, and the favor shown to him at the Golden Terrace in Shouchun.

If I only become a wealthy man for you, who will come to surrender to me in the future? They will all surrender to Yuan Shu.

If he truly only wanted to be a wealthy man, why did he advise Zhang Xiu in the first place? Perhaps his desire to be wealthy was a pretense, and his real intention was to use this as leverage to negotiate terms!

Did they think the requirements for the Secretariat were too low and didn't want it? It's also because the core positions in the Secretariat, such as the Minister of the Secretariat and the Vice Minister of the Secretariat, are definitely held by veterans of Xun Yu's faction, and they wouldn't make a move lightly.

As a newly surrendered official, even if he entered the Ministry of Personnel, he would not be able to enter the core of power, so as expected, he did not take a liking to him!

Cao Cao frowned slightly, thinking he had figured out Jia Xu's thoughts, and thus agreed.

"A great man who possesses the talent to save the world and bring peace to the country but does not contribute to the country is no different from rotten wood and decaying grass."
"This matter is not urgent. Once we return to Luoyang, the Emperor will make his decision. With your talent, even if you do not attain the position of one of the Three Dukes, you should still hold a high position among the Nine Ministers."

Jia Xu: "."

You... I... I genuinely want to be a rich man!!!

However, now that Cao Cao had said so much, he couldn't say anything more.

Having cleared up the misunderstanding about Zhang Xiu's unwarranted surrender, Jia Xu, with his abilities, was naturally adept at handling all situations.

Everyone knew that he had long intended to surrender, and once he returned to Luoyang and was assigned a position, he would be one of Cao Cao's own people, so they were not on guard.

As a result, Xun You, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ang, Cao Anmin, and other members of Cao Cao's camp quickly exchanged information with him and had a very pleasant conversation.

Cao Cao simply watched this scene with a quiet smile. This action was also a way to help Jia Xu get acquainted with the people in Cao Cao's camp, so that he could integrate as soon as possible.

However, what the people in Cao's camp didn't know was that Jia Xu had come today on the orders of General Zhang Xiu. With ulterior motives, he only revealed ordinary information, which did not attract everyone's attention.

However, the news he received from Cao Cao's camp shocked Jia Xu to the core. To be honest, before he stepped into this place, he never imagined that he would hear such explosive news today.

The sheer explosive nature of this news was so shocking that he wished he could plug his ears and gouge out his eyes, pretending that he had never been here.

General Zhang Xiu, you have truly ruined my life! How could I have believed your lies and come to Cao Cao's camp to carry out that so-called plan? Now that I've heard these secrets, it's too late for regrets.

Seeing that Jia Xu's gaze was blank and he seemed to be lost in thought, Cao Anmin continued to talk incessantly, analyzing the situation for him.

"Why doesn't Mr. Jia say anything? I suppose he is also horrified by this secret? When I first heard my uncle analyze this matter, I felt a chill run down my spine and was terrified. It took me a long time to recover."

I don't know why, but when I first heard about it, I was terrified.

But when Cao Anmin revealed these secrets, he saw that Jia Xu, just like himself before, was stunned and staring blankly into space.

Suddenly he was no longer afraid, and even spoke with great enthusiasm and conviction, as if he had been there before.

"Sir, you are unaware of this!"

In fact, the rebellion of the Ten Attendants was secretly plotted by Yuan Gonglu.

Taking advantage of his position as the imperial guard, he had an affair with Empress He and engaged in debauchery in the palace. The Ten Attendants were his henchmen, and all the civil and military officials in the court were former officials of the Yuan family, serving as his protectors!

The so-called "Disaster of the Partisan Prohibitions" was nothing more than a self-directed and self-acted scheme to deceive the world, causing the emperor's authority to crumble and marking the beginning of the Han Dynasty's loss of righteousness!

"What? How could this happen?"

Yuan Gonglu? How is that possible!

Jia Xu was shocked!

"You might not believe me if I told you!"

Yuan Gonglu was actually a master strategist who was extremely well hidden. He preferred to show weakness to his enemies and pretend to be weak in order to take advantage of them. He was an extremely treacherous person!
then"

Seeing Jia Xu's doubt and disbelief, Cao Anmin continued to explain to him the increasingly refined and perfected conspiracy theory about Yuan Shu that everyone had been discussing over the past few days.

Examples cited include the Yellow Turban Rebellion, where Zhang Jiao was merely a mouthpiece for Yuan Shu, and the coalition of eighteen warlords against Dong Zhuo, where Yuan Shao was simply a shield for Dong Zhuo.

Each and every one of these matters was clearly organized and well-founded. After all, given the current peaceful and prosperous state of Huainan, even if Zhang Jiao were to be resurrected and stand before Yuan Shu, he would not dare to call himself a great and virtuous teacher.

After initial doubt and disbelief, even Jia Xu was swayed by this almost impeccable conspiracy theory about Yuan Shu.

Doubt about Yuan Shu, understand Yuan Shu, and agree with Yuan Shu.
Hiss~ Jia Xu suddenly gasped. He seemed to know who was behind the scheme that had forced him to follow Zhang Xiu's orders and come here to set up the plan, with the phrase "Please test Cao Cao" leaving him powerless to fight back.

If Yuan Shu is indeed such a monstrous talent, capable of wreaking havoc on the Han Dynasty and turning the world upside down, then my being suppressed by his scheme makes the whole thing seem plausible from beginning to end.

Furthermore, Cao Cao, seated at the head of the table, remained silent about these conspiracy theories surrounding Yuan Shu, seemingly tacitly acquiescing to them.

According to Cao Anmin, Cao Cao was the one who first revealed the truth about Yuan Shu!
It should be noted that after the entire Yuan family was wiped out in Luoyang, the people in the nine provinces of the Han Dynasty who knew Yuan Shu's past best and were closest to him were the ones who understood Yuan Shu's past the most.

Aside from Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu's half-brother, there is Cao Cao, who grew up with the two Yuan brothers since childhood!
When Jia Xu heard this conspiracy theory about Yuan Shu, he compared it with his own experience and the drastic change in Yuan Shu in the current situation. He felt that this matter could not be false and believed it without a doubt.

Upon confirming the veracity of Yuan Shu's conspiracy theory, Jia Xu felt a sudden pang of panic. It's all over!

Knowing so many secrets, how could Lord Yuan tolerate me?

Good, good, no wonder Cao Cao didn't say a word about Cao Anmin's actions and seemed to tacitly agree. It turns out he wanted to use this to drag me into the mess and pull me onto your doomed pirate ship.
How could a person be so wicked? Cao Cao, you are utterly malicious and vicious.

Previously, Jia Xu was loyal to the imperial court and thought Yuan Shu was nothing more than a rebel.

With the warlords vying for supremacy, it's uncertain whether Yuan Shu can truly achieve great things. Moreover, even if he does, he still needs the central court to govern the country for him. As long as Jia Xu stays in the court and holds a minor official position, he can protect himself without worry.

But what about now? In the conspiracy theories about Yuan Shu, Yuan Shu began to manipulate the world like a puppet on a string after the disaster of the Party Prohibitions, causing the people to suffer in dire straits and causing the Han Dynasty to lose its righteousness in the world.

Then, through Zhang Jiao's influence, he spread his teachings throughout the land, carrying the desire for peace, shaking the royal court, and causing the nine provinces to fall into disintegration among the feudal lords.

Then, he used the eunuchs to eliminate He Jin, to avenge He Jin by eliminating the eunuchs, and to punish Yuan Shao for carrying out Dong Zhuo's crime of entering the capital. From then on, the central government of the Han Dynasty was shaken, and the emperor's orders could not be carried out throughout the land. He then united the eighteen warlords to march into Luoyang, demonstrating the decline of the Han Dynasty and causing the hearts of the people of the nine provinces to be scattered!
Finally, he conquered the Sun family, obtained the imperial seal, attacked Liu Yao, repelled Cao Cao, defeated Liu Bei, and swallowed Liu Biao, step by step leading to the situation where he controlled the three provinces of Yang, Yu, and Jing, had all the land south of the Yangtze River, and possessed one-third of the world, enough to make him a ruler who could rule from the south.

For decades, he maintained the facade of a spoiled playboy, a truly ruthless man who, through his own efforts, plotted for decades to seize the throne and ultimately destroy the thirteen provinces of the Han Dynasty!

Now you're telling me that our opponent is such a monstrous dragon amidst chaos?
Two hundred years ago, Wang Mang endured for decades and laid a trap, and in one fell swoop he established a new dynasty, which caused the Han dynasty to fall apart.

Two hundred years have passed, and the Han Dynasty has produced another Wang Mang. Where is Emperor Guangwu now?
If it weren't for Emperor Shizu's ability to quell the chaos, who could possibly defeat such a ruthless and cunning man?

To be honest, Jia Xu is already thinking of running away, mainly because he has just experienced the power of the "Please test Cao Cao" strategy.

This plan alone wouldn't have proven anything, but when Cao Cao's camp gave him a vivid and well-reasoned analysis of Yuan Shu's conspiracy, how could he not be afraid?
Actually, it's not entirely the fault of the people in Cao Cao's camp. After all, they didn't know that Jia Xu was so eager to join them, only to get a sinecure in the imperial court and survive.

Seeing Jia Xu's letter proposing surrender and his proactive efforts to persuade Zhang Xiu to submit, I thought he was truly a loyal and righteous man devoted to the Han Dynasty.

Moreover, Jia Xu had a precedent. During the Li-Guo Rebellion, the emperor narrowly escaped death, but fortunately, Jia Xu hid in Li-Guo's camp and plotted a rebellion.

The emperor was able to protect himself on several occasions thanks to his advice.

Later, the emperor was able to successfully escape from Li Guo's clutches and return to Luoyang, largely thanks to Jia Xu's efforts.

How could you say that such a person is not a loyal and virtuous man of the Han Dynasty?

At this moment, their recounting of Yuan Shu's numerous crimes against the Han Dynasty was also an attempt to curry favor with Jia Xu, a loyal and virtuous man of the Han Dynasty, and to garner his sympathy for Yuan Shu.

This is why Jia Xu was unaware of the deep misunderstanding the people in Cao Cao's camp had of him; otherwise:

Jia Xu: You're talking about the Li-Guo Rebellion? Don't even mention it, those two scoundrels almost got me killed.

I was the chief strategist of Li and Guo at the time. If the emperor had really died at their hands, how could I be alive today?

Jia Xu: You said the emperor returned east? I was terrified at the time. Li Jue asked me to help him devise a plan to fight Guo Si, and Guo Si asked me to devise a plan to beat Li Jue. The great city of Chang'an was in chaos, and there was hardly a place for Jia Xu to stand.

If I hadn't escaped with the emperor, I would have almost lost my life.

However, at this moment, Jia Xu was indeed acting in this way. Although he was terrified that Yuan Shu could overthrow the Han Dynasty with his own strength, he was filled with the desire to survive.

They couldn't show it outwardly, since it was difficult to tell others that they had defected to the imperial court to survive.

To make the performance convincing, he had no choice but to present himself as a true "loyal and virtuous man of the Han Dynasty" in front of everyone, joining Cao Cao's men in denouncing Yuan Shu's evil deeds.

Finally, seeing that it was almost time, Jia Xu said he was taking his leave.

Cao Cao's camp naturally had no objection to his comrade-in-arms, who had just stood in the same trench with everyone and vehemently denounced Yuan Shu for wreaking havoc on the world.

Before leaving, Jia Xu said to Cao Cao:

"When it came time to reward the three armies, General Zhang had already given orders to hold a grand banquet in the city to help Cao Cao's soldiers restore their morale and fighting spirit."

The defense of Wancheng will remain under the responsibility of our army for the time being, and will be handed over after the banquet. Lord Cao need not worry.”

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's gaze narrowed slightly, and he gave Jia Xu a deep look, but he did not lash out, only saying a few words.

"General Zhang is very kind. I will report all matters here to the Emperor. Once we return to Luoyang, there will be rewards and honors. I will not disappoint you."

Jia Xu nodded, then revealed his true purpose for coming, and chuckled:
"General Zhang has long admired Cao Cao's name and is fortunate to have met him. He has dared to prepare some simple food at his residence tonight and invites the Prime Minister to grace him with his presence and listen attentively to discuss the specific matters concerning the surrender of the counties of Nanyang. All matters will be agreed upon."

Cao Cao suddenly smiled, nodded, and replied:

"General Zhang's kindness is something I could never have asked for."

Tonight I will certainly keep my appointment to discuss state affairs and enjoy the scenery together.

There was nothing that could be done. Since Jia Xu had said that Zhang Xiu would discuss the details of surrender at the banquet tonight, he was implying that he wanted to force Cao Cao to go.

After all, Zhang Xiu has already surrendered. If you refuse to go to a meal to discuss the details, Zhang Xiu might start to have all sorts of wild thoughts.
If they actually surrender, they'll be forced to rebel.

Having achieved his goal, Jia Xu bowed and withdrew.

"Xu takes his leave."

Watching Jia Xu's departing figure, Cao Cao's eyes were unfathomable, and he asked Xun You about it.

"Gongda, how much of what this man said do you think is true, and how much is false? Has Zhang Xiu truly surrendered, or is he feigning surrender?"

Xun You pondered for a moment, then replied with a light laugh.

"Is it surrender or deception? Let's find out at the banquet tonight."

When soldiers come, we will block them; when water comes, we will dam it. It's all just a trap.

Now that we have entered the city, our forces outnumber Zhang Xiu's by two to one. If we have taken precautions beforehand, Zhang Xiu will have no choice but to surrender.

Cao Cao understood his meaning and immediately gave instructions to everyone.

"Pass down the order: be wary of the food and drink Zhang Xiu sends. The entire army shall pretend to be feasting tonight. If Zhang Xiu's army makes any unusual moves, immediately move in to their aid."

Finally, he looked at Dian Wei and asked:
"Evil come!"
"Tonight, lead eight hundred elite soldiers, clad in armor and armed with weapons. Will they serve as my Fan Kuai, protecting me as I escape this Hongmen Pass?"

"During the banquet, if Zhang Xiu dares to make any move within five steps, I, Dian, will instantly take his head with my flying halberd!"
My lord, do not worry!

(End of this chapter)