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

Chapter 308 Jia Xu: Fengxiao, please come back soon QAQ
Meeting Yuan Shu's gaze, Jia Xu pretended not to notice, keeping his eyes down and retreating behind Pang Tong, speaking quietly.

"The King of Han is looking at you."

"Shiyuan, if you have a good plan, why not speak up?"

Pang Tong: "Huh???"

Upon hearing this, he looked up and saw the King of Han staring intently at him.

He was already eager to try and show off his skills, so he immediately stepped forward to speak.

"Now the Han dynasty is in decline, the world is in disarray, the nine provinces are sinking, and the Central Plains are in turmoil."

Since last year, Cao Cao has seized control of the emperor, ruled a false dynasty, and waged endless wars.

This resulted in nine out of ten households in the Central Plains being empty, countless people exchanging children to eat, starving corpses littering the roads, and bodies filling the wilderness.

This is truly an unprecedented chaos in history!

The people are suffering from floods and fires, longing for help as they would for rain. Yet the feudal lords of the four directions hold their armies and defend themselves, not a single one of them cares about the safety of the emperor, or wants to save the people from their suffering or save the country from imminent collapse.

In this situation, if there is no one to revive the Han dynasty and save the world, what will become of the common people?

The teacher's family has produced four generations of high-ranking officials, and his virtuous reputation is known throughout the world, with his benevolence spreading far and wide.

Now, I inherit the great cause and ascend the throne, receiving the imperial edict to carry on the legacy of the hundred loyal and devoted Han officials who died for their country.

He should command the four directions to rectify the order of the world.

This is the mandate of Heaven and the will of the people!
At this critical juncture, we should raise the banner of "punishing the traitor Cao and restoring the Han dynasty," issue a proclamation to the world, and gather troops from all over the land.

He sent 100,000 troops from Jingzhou out of Nanyang, and 50,000 troops from Liang and Lu to attack Yanzhou. The teacher personally led 150,000 troops out of Yingchuan, and his army advanced as far as Luoyang.

Where this sword points, Mount Tai will press down; it will uphold the great righteousness of four hundred years and unleash the pent-up anger of millions of people. Then, the loyal and righteous men of the world will respond at the sound of the wind, and the people will welcome the king's army with food and drink.

The teacher, who controls hearts and minds and wields immense power, will inevitably crush all opposition, leaving nothing but ruin. Luoyang will be reduced to dust.

Yuan Shu nodded, "What Shi Yuan said is exactly what I thought. The people of the world are eagerly awaiting our return, but we have abandoned them in the Central Plains to suffer the tyranny of Cao Cao."

How could I bear to do that?

As he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on Jia Xu, and he simply smiled gently at him.

"Wenhe, do you agree?"

Jia Xu: "."

I thought it was true!

When I was just like Kongming and Shiyuan, two young men, fresh out of school, with clear eyes, I answered whatever was asked and said whatever came to mind.
Seeing ghosts is exactly what you want.

If it truly suits your taste, and no one here can refute your Han King's decisiveness, then you can just make the decision directly. Why are you asking me?

Do you really think this Yuan camp is the same as that Yuan camp, like a certain wise ruler who is led by the nose by his ministers, where you give a plan, he comes up with a scheme, and then everyone argues endlessly?

This is Shouchun Palace, the Hall of the King of Han!
With the Emperor's intentions unclear, how can we, his humble subjects, have a place to speak?

Who is this person sitting on the throne before him?

He was the culprit who, after decades of patient planning, overthrew the entire empire in one fell swoop, causing the Han Dynasty to collapse and bringing suffering to the people.

He was recognized by both the Han and Yuan dynasties as the number one scheming and plotting mastermind in the six provinces of Yang, Yu, Jing, Xu, Yan and Si!
When such a ruler comes to us, his subjects, to ask for advice, you must be careful!

Leaving aside distant examples, let's just talk about the Lingyan Pavilion and the Hall of Merit, which are of great importance to the fate of the Han Dynasty for a hundred years. Does the King of Han need to ask us?
Doesn't he always just assign tasks and leave it to us to discuss, refine, and execute?

A ruler who is decisive and wise in governing the world has come to consult us for the first time ever. Isn't that scary?

How young they were! Kongming and Shiyuan were too young; they naively believed that when the King of Han asked for advice, he was genuinely seeking strategies.

What about the collapse of the Han Dynasty, the suffering of the people, and the need to immediately head north to save them?
Why did the Han Dynasty fall apart, and why did the people suffer so much? You, the mastermind behind it all, haven't said a word about it!

Therefore, in Jia Xu's view, for a warlord who personally manipulated the Han Dynasty into its current miserable state, this was a matter of great importance.

Just listen to their talk about saving the people and how they yearn for peace.

This is by no means the reason why he immediately dispatched 300,000 troops to the north.

Logically speaking, Zhuge Liang's strategy of gradually weakening the Han state through years of attrition, and then using the rapid development of the Han state to wear down the Luoyang court before heading north to quell the rebellion, was already very prudent.

So what could have made the King of Han abandon a long-term plan that was so sure of success that it was practically foolproof, and instead choose to continue asking questions?

The answer is obvious: this old schemer has an equally safe, foolproof, and extremely effective plan in mind!

Then the problem is coming!

If a king has already devised a plan, why pretend to be confused and ask his ministers?

This brings us to the role of treacherous officials!

Safe! Absolutely foolproof! And quick results?

How could such a good thing exist in the world?
Since the King of Han has taken all the benefits, there must be someone unlucky enough to suffer the losses.

This old schemer must have figured out how to trick people, but his methods are very dishonorable, so he urgently needs a treacherous minister who can understand the emperor's intentions to tell him his plan.

Jia Xu: "."

King Han, don't look at me like that. I'm an honest man. Do I look like a treacherous minister?
Seeing that unfathomable gaze, which had been smiling at him the whole time.

Jia Xu sighed softly, "Young people are just unreliable. Kongming and Shiyuan, why can't you understand the King of Han's thoughts and share your teacher's burdens?"
Given that the King of Han had already clearly stated that he would head north immediately after the spring planting season, why would he propose a long-term plan that would take ten years to complete?

What a ridiculous idea! All that talk about launching a three-pronged attack from Nanyang, Yingchuan, and Lianglu—where's your wisdom? Where's your brilliant strategy?

Wait, no!

Are they really too young to understand what the King of Han meant, or are they actually too knowledgeable?
Thinking of this, Jia Xu was startled!

Oh no, could I have been tricked by these three masters and disciples?
Did Kongming not know that the King of Han had already announced the imperial edict to march north to the people of Han during his coronation ceremony?

Then why did he come up with a safe strategy that the King of Han would not adopt?

Shi Yuan was blatantly feigning ignorance. If he hadn't been so obvious in his act, and his performance hadn't fallen far short of his normal level, Shi Yuan himself might not have even noticed.

Good, good, good. One above is confused, and two below are pretending to be confused. One old schemer is leading two little schemers. I, Old Jia, have already protected Kongming and Shiyuan in front of me, but I still couldn't escape.

Just as a chill ran down his spine, he heard the sound of a bronze chime, a sound from the clouds that seemed like a sudden clap of thunder.

"Mr. Wenhe, why aren't you saying anything?"

"I'm still waiting for your wise advice!"

Jia Xu: "."

what did I say?
This is outrageous! The three of them, master and disciples, have conspired to scheme against an old man like me. Am I destined to be a treacherous minister of the Han Kingdom from now on?

At this moment, Jia Xu had clearly figured out his current predicament.

The unnamed conspiracy theory has already vividly depicted this: as the number one strategist in the world today, how could the King of Han not resort to intrigue and trickery when he wanted to go north?
But how could the revered leader of the Taiping Cult and the Han King who saved the nation be the mastermind behind the conspiracy theories?

The King of Han is glorious and righteous; all the conspiracies were instigated by his mastermind.

Previously, this task of taking the blame had been perfectly accomplished by a certain celestial being.

But right now, this Star Lord is far away in Youzhou, making it difficult to communicate. So it's no longer plausible that he devised a plan several years in advance and instructed the King of Han to carry it out.

So you've decided to use my old bones for this, right?

In other words, he now had to be able to guess the true plan in the heart of the King of Han, and help him bring it up in a considerate way, thus playing the role of a treacherous minister well.

Otherwise, his days of leisurely drinking tea and slacking off would come to an end. So what is the King of Han's real plan?

As previously indicated, since neither Kongming nor Shiyuan's strategies for attacking Cao Cao were satisfactory, then looking around, one could see the neighboring states of Han.

The answer is only one: Xuzhou!
Why is it absolutely foolproof?
Lü Bu only had a small force; it would be strange if it weren't foolproof to fight him with 300,000 men.

Why is it so effective?
The three provinces of the Han Kingdom were transformed into four provinces in an instant. Can you believe how fast the results were?
If we really march north to attack Luoyang, there are still the eight passes of Luoyang, such formidable passes that block our way.

Conquering Xuzhou from Yuzhou was a smooth and easy journey, allowing them to take whatever they wanted.

This great victory will further solidify the momentum, and the myth of the King of Han's undefeated record will be further enhanced, making his prestige unmatched.

Having thought everything through completely, and knowing there was no escaping it, Jia Xu gave a bitter smile and stepped forward to speak.

“What Shi Yuan said may have some merit.”

However, I have heard that there is a traitor named Lü Bu in Xuzhou, who is rebellious and presumptuous!
He was originally Ding Yuan's adopted son, but he killed his father and joined Dong Zhuo's forces. He later murdered Dong Zhuo and became famous, but he was fickle and unpredictable.

Now, relying on the courage of a common man, he has seized the land of Xuzhou, deceived the emperor, and declared himself King of Qi.

His transgressions and lack of morality, his disloyalty to his ruler and father, and his betrayal of the White Horse Pact are crimes too numerous to mention!

If such traitors and rebellious sons are not eliminated early, the whole country will follow suit, the social order will be destroyed, and the Han Dynasty will have no hope of restoration.

Moreover, although Lü Bu was brave, his subordinates were mostly a motley crew, and Chen Gong's strategies were often not adopted by him.

Zhang Liao and Gao Shun were both renowned generals of their time, possessing the qualities of adopted sons of the King of Han.

Your Majesty can uphold righteousness and punish the rebels, acting on behalf of the emperor to eliminate the disloyal. First, seize their territory for your own use, laying the foundation for restoring the Han dynasty. Then, adopt their generals as your sons, fulfilling your ambition of the Northern Expedition.

This move not only eliminates the traitors and wins the hearts of the people, but also demonstrates the king's righteousness in supporting the Han dynasty. Once Xuzhou is fully captured, we can then raise an army and march north, and our great cause will be accomplished.

However, to Jia Xu's surprise, upon hearing his advice, the King of Han merely looked at him with a half-smile, seemingly dissatisfied.

He spoke calmly, saying:
“Now Lü Bu is related to me by marriage. Although he has declared himself king, he has already paid tribute and become my subject.”

If we raise an army without a just cause to attack a vassal state, we risk losing the hearts and minds of the people.

Moreover, the emperor is trapped and the traitor Cao has seized the country. The priority should be the northern expedition. How can we abandon the emperor and attack the treacherous minister?
"Wenhe, why don't you think about it some more?"

Jia Xu: "."

Screw you, I'll think about it some more!

We have no chemistry!

Never before had Jia Xu so desperately longed for the return of a certain Celestial Star Lord, who was far away in Youzhou.

How exactly did you manage to cooperate so seamlessly with the Prince of Han before? I'm not familiar with the whole thing about being a scapegoat and a treacherous minister!

Despite feeling quite helpless, I have to keep doing this job until someone returns.

First of all, could it be that I guessed wrong? Wasn't the King of Han's goal Xuzhou?
wrong!

The King of Han said to think about it again, rather than to refute it, indicating that Xu was close to the answer, but his solution process was incorrect.

Recalling what the King of Han said, Jia Xu didn't know whether he should be moved or not. Well, he had thoughtfully pointed out where he was wrong.

First, given the kinship ties and the reality of paying tribute, the King of Qi responded to Jiang Gan's edict to the King of Han and presented 200,000 shi of grain. Under such circumstances, attacking a vassal state without cause would risk losing the hearts of the people.

Second, the Northern Expedition is of great righteousness. The emperor is trapped by Cao Cao, and the King of Han prides himself on being a loyal and virtuous ruler of the Han Dynasty. If he does not go north, he will lose his reputation for righteousness.

Clearly, these two points are the main reasons why the King of Han cannot personally lead the campaign against Xu, and also the problems that I, as a treacherous minister, must solve for him.

It is evident that Chen Gongtai of Xuzhou's plan to pay tribute and submit to Lü Bu did, to some extent, protect Xuzhou for a night.

That's why it was only for one night.

Paying tribute and acknowledging Han's submission could tie the hands of the King of Han, but this "scheming and treacherous minister" could do whatever he wanted!
Having been reminded to this extent, it is self-evident that the King of Han's scheming plot is not the real one, but rather a grand plan to revive the Han dynasty.

The northward campaign against Cao Cao was of great righteousness, while Xuzhou was a practical benefit. The main force of the Han army could not attack two places at the same time, and it was also necessary to preserve the reputation of the King of Han for his benevolence in caring for vassal states and vassal states.

Jia Xu lowered his head, bowed respectfully, and said:
“What my king says is absolutely right!”

Rescuing the emperor and restoring the Han dynasty is the greatest righteous cause under heaven.

Now, the three routes of Nanyang, Yingchuan, and Lianglu will advance northward to cross the Han River, thus pacifying the emperor and eliminating the traitors!
Since the State of Qi is a vassal state, it should receive the king's edict and be ordered to go north to jointly punish the Han traitors.

However, Lü Bu was a fickle and unpredictable man who often betrayed his lord, so he had to be wary of him.

In my opinion, my king could lead 150,000 troops, feigning a northward march, but in reality, to spy on the Qi army and lay traps on their path to invade the Han state.

If they commit any rebellious or disloyal acts, we must suppress their disobedience to deter the world!

The king said:

“Fengxian is related to me by marriage and served me with utmost respect.”

The saying goes, "One should trust those one employs." Now that he has not committed any wrongdoing, would one presume to judge him with the mind of a petty person and set a trap beforehand? Wouldn't that be a breach of benevolence and righteousness?

Is "King of Han" used in a questioning tone?
Jia Xu understood immediately!

Then he continued.

“My king treats people with benevolence and righteousness, but they may not treat me with benevolence and righteousness.”

The saying goes, "One should not have the heart to harm others, but one must have the heart to guard against others." Lü Bu has always been fickle and unpredictable, so one must be wary of him.

Moreover, if he were truly loyal and righteous, he would not fall for the ambush.

If there is a hidden ambush within, they must be plotting something sinister!

The King of Han remained silent for a long time before finally seeming to have been persuaded.

The king said, "Excellent."

Jia Xu finally breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

He was exhausted, so exhausted that he now even admired Tianji Xingjun, who used to take the blame for everything.

What does it mean to serve a ruler like serving a tiger? What does it mean to say that a ruler's heart is unfathomable?

I really can't do this job, you need to come back and take over.

On the other hand, Yuan Shu, sitting on the throne, was quite satisfied with Jia Xu's performance today.

Such tasks of discerning the emperor's thoughts and sharing the king's burdens could only be accomplished by Wenhe, a man of experience and skill in self-preservation.

After all, now that I've become king, I'm very different from before.

As a loyal subject of the Han Dynasty, the King of Han who saved the country and the world, and the leader of the Yellow Heaven Peace Sect, I also have an idol image to maintain.

How could the King of Han, a dignified ruler, actively plot and scheme to kill a vassal king who had just paid tribute of 200,000 shi of grain?
Will Lü Bu take the bait?
What a joke! If he weren't so fickle, would he still be Fengxian?

As for Cao Cao?

It can be said that Yuan Shu never considered whether to fight Cao Cao or Lü Bu.

We'll fight one, but we can't just stand by and watch the other one get away with it.

Since that's the case, I'll take them all!

First, they launched a three-pronged attack to intimidate Cao Cao into a defensive posture. Then, they used a trap to kill Lü Bu, seized Xu Province, and finally mobilized the four provinces of Jing, Yang, Yu, and Xu to march north!

At that time, with Shu as the ruler of the South, taking Sili would be a piece of cake.

(End of this chapter)