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

Chapter 325 Bullying you? That's bullying cotton!
"Now may we try to speak about it."

Upon hearing the King of Han's question, Jia Xu, who was subtly protecting everyone in front of him, knew that he had no choice but to answer.

But how can Wei Xu's plan be implemented without Gao Shun suspecting anything?

After a moment's thought, Jia Xu had already made up his mind. He stepped forward and replied:

"Your Majesty has always acted with integrity and uprightness. How can you abandon the right path for the sake of a battle?"

Xu secretly pondered the king's plan, concluding that he would not resort to underhanded schemes, but rather follow the righteous path, using overwhelming force and a calculated, overt strategy to compel Gao Shun to comply even knowing the deception.

"Hmm~~~"

Upon hearing Jia Xu's words, the King of Han wholeheartedly agreed!
"Wenhe truly understands my heart; his thoughts and ideas coincide perfectly with mine!"

However, I, as an observer, am still unaware of the details here.

"You shall tell me the specifics of how to proceed."

Jia Xu: "."

"It is my honor."

Jia Xu responded and then began to explain in detail to everyone.

"Young Master Zhang Liao and General Wei are too familiar with each other in Xuzhou, and he also needs to gather the troops in the city, such as the Trapped Camp. It is impossible for him to act silently. Even if he sneaks into the city, it will be difficult for Gao Shun not to notice him."

Since Gao Shun will inevitably find out, and it is impossible to act secretly, it is better to do it openly.

Xu heard that Chen Yuanlong had discussed a plan with the lord to feign peace in order to appease Gao Shun, but this was not the case.

As long as our army does not march north to attack Cao Cao, Gao Shun will not be at ease. No matter how eloquent Yuan Long is, he will always have doubts.

Therefore, believing and following it is merely wishful thinking.

This shows that as long as there was a glimmer of hope for Xuzhou, he dared not fight our army to the death, because he knew better than anyone that even if we were to perish together, it would be a lose-lose situation.

This is why, even though he knew that seeking peace was unlikely, Gao Shun still believed your words and sent Yuanlong as an envoy to seek peace.

Because Gao Shun was a loyal and righteous man, and Lü Bu was forced by circumstances to entrust Xuzhou and the Trapped Camp to Gao Shun when he went north.

This was the first time in many years that he had trusted Gao Shun so much.

This level of trust that Lü Bu had never shown before, how could someone as loyal and righteous as Gao Shun possibly betray it?

Fighting to the death in battle to avenge the king is as easy as turning one's hand; Gao Shun probably wouldn't be afraid of death.

But he feared betraying Lü Bu's rare trust. What truly terrified him wasn't dying in battle within the city, but rather Lü Bu's return with his army, only to find he had trusted the wrong person and lost even the foundation of his empire.

As Jia Xu spoke, he smiled slightly and looked at Chen Deng.

"Yuanlong clearly saw this point and was very confident in it, which is why he dared to openly propose a peace plan to Gao Shun without worrying that Gao Shun would see through it and reject him."

Because at this moment, with hundreds of thousands of our troops besieging the city, and under Lü Bu's unprecedented trust, even someone as resolute as Gao Shun was filled with fear and anxiety every day.

At this moment, he was like a moth in the long, dark night, unable to see the way forward, and would rush towards any glimmer of light he could see.

That's why you've got Gao Shun figured out, even if he has doubts, even if he knows that seeking peace is as difficult as climbing to heaven.

But they held onto the hope that even if the peace talks failed, the two sides could negotiate and delay for a few days, perhaps until Lü Bu returned.

Taking advantage of his fear of betraying Lü Bu's trust and his lingering hope of preserving Xuzhou, they brazenly entered the Han camp.

Chen Deng's eyes lit up slightly upon hearing this, and he understood Jia Xu's meaning. He met Jia Xu's sinister gaze and realized that he had been too kind.

These people from the Han camp are too wicked. What's wrong with them? They think Gao Shun is easy to bully, and since I bullied him once, they're going to bully him to death?

Sure enough, Jia Xu continued speaking.

"Since Yuanlong can come here openly and honestly, General Wei and Young Master Zhang Liao can naturally go back openly and honestly as well."

Peace talks, of course, involve demanding exorbitant prices and then paying reparations on the spot!
The previous talk of ceding territory and paying reparations is, in my opinion, inappropriate. Now that we have defeated Gao Shun, Xuzhou is already in my possession and can be obtained with ease.

Why should the land of the King of Han be ceded to compensate him for the debt?

This clause can now be dropped, and Gao Shun should be asked to prove the determination and loyalty of the Yuan-Lü alliance.

Since we are to form an alliance to withdraw our troops and jointly punish the traitor Cao, how can Qi expect to reap the benefits without sending troops?

Yuanlong can go back and tell him that it is not impossible for him to withdraw his troops, but we require him to send four hundred elite soldiers and five thousand elite troops to accompany the King of Han north to attack Cao, so as to fulfill his duty as a vassal state and uphold the righteousness of the alliance.

If Gao Shun is willing to personally lead his troops and provide full assistance, the King of Han will personally welcome him with open arms and wait for him with utmost respect.

However, my king is not an unreasonable person. Considering that he is the only general left in Qi, it is not appropriate for him to leave without permission.

He specially dispatched General Wei and Prince Zhang Liao into the city to recruit 400 elite soldiers and 5,000 brave warriors to go north and attack Cao Cao, thus easing his burden.

This is a favor bestowed upon him by the King of Han. Yuanlong should return and earnestly advise General Gao to understand his status as a lowly official from a humble state and not to be ungrateful.

Jia Xu smiled gently, speaking as if the King of Han was so considerate of Gao Shun, and that was why he hadn't directly asked Gao Shun to lead the troops north to attack Cao Cao.

Yet the implications are sharp and deadly, killing without a trace.

Chen Deng: "."

Knew it!
Seeing that Gao Shun was easy to bully, they bullied him even more!
Four hundred elite troops and five thousand infantry? That's too ruthless.

Is this a direct attempt to undermine Xiapi's defenses and remove them from the city?

It's clear that Gao Shun would agree to such outrageous conditions.

What? This is a sham peace negotiation! The King of Han never intended to negotiate? Oh, then it's alright.

If you don't agree, I'll beat you up.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Deng, having grasped the essence of the plan, still had some questions and asked Jia Xu:

"If you follow this plan, you can indeed send Wei Xu and Zhang Liao into the city. Furthermore, because of the terms of the alliance between the elite troops and the vanguard to fight Cao Cao, they can openly contact the vanguard troops and other soldiers in the city."

But what if, pushed too far, Gao Shun, in a fit of rage, harms two generals?

Upon hearing this, Jia Xu merely gave a cold laugh.

He dares not.

As long as our army still intends to negotiate and withdraw its troops, and as long as our army does not attack the city, he will not dare to touch General Wei or Prince Zhang Liao in the slightest.

We are not afraid that he killed General Wei Xu and Prince Zhang Liao, but Gao Shun is afraid of angering the King of Han.

Yuanlong can openly tell Gao Shun when he returns: "Zhang Liao is the eighth adopted son of the King of Han. He is of noble status and cannot be wronged in the slightest."

If he dares to show the slightest negligence or humiliation, the Han army will immediately attack the city, regardless of casualties!

He must have heard of General Liu Xun's great name. Xu had heard that during the Battle of Yingchuan, the King of Han was enraged when his beloved general Liu Xun was framed by a treacherous person. He attacked the city, and the entire army wore mourning clothes and did not care about the casualties.

Despite Xi Zhicai's strategic brilliance, Yue Jin and Xiahou Dun's bravery, and Cao Cao's army's formidable strength, they could not hold out against the imminent danger. The King of Han was willing to pay any price for the death of a beloved general; what less would he care for the life or death of his beloved son?

After General Wei and Prince Zhang Liao entered the city, Gao Shun could decide whether to kill, torture, or imprison them. But could he bear the wrath of the King of Han after doing so?

"Yuanlong, rest assured, as long as we still intend to negotiate and withdraw our troops, even if we use Zhang Liao's son as a hostage as a delaying tactic, we'll have to treat him well and won't dare to act rashly."

As Jia Xu spoke, he gave Chen Deng an understanding smile, "Of course, Gao Shun will also be wary of Wei Xu and Prince Zhang Liao, fearing that they might approach the city gate and coordinate an attack from the inside."

But what does that matter?

Having the two of them in the open will actually attract Gao Shun's attention, making it easier for you to act in secret.

Anyway, you're the one opening the city gates tonight. As long as he doesn't suspect you, what does it matter if Wei Xu and Zhang Liao are suspected of being targeted?
Moreover, Yuanlong is known throughout the world for his wisdom, resourcefulness, eloquence, and persuasiveness. If it weren't for you as an inside agent, Xu would not have dared to carry out this plan.

Alright, I have made the King of Han's intentions clear.

"Yuanlong, I entrust the important affairs of Xuzhou and the life of Prince Zhang Liao to you."

Chen Deng: "."

Why did you entrust it to me?

What do you mean, that Wei Xu and Zhang Liao won't be in any danger after they go?
If I remember correctly, you just said, "We are not afraid that he will kill Wei Xu and Prince Zhang Liao," right?
You told me, didn't you?
Perhaps you already have a contingency plan, that there are ways to fight while alive and ways to be useful when dead?

That's true! Two newly surrendered people. Even if Zhang Liao is the adopted son of the King of Han, he has only surrendered for a few days. Wouldn't it be a pity if he died?

That's absolutely foolproof. Why don't you suggest sending the famous Yuan family's Sun Lang to carry out this mission? It's obvious that if Yuan Ce were to die, the King of Han would be truly heartbroken.

So the scheme succeeded, and it was you, Jia Wenhe—no, it was the King of Han's brilliant plan.

The plan failed because I failed to protect him properly, failed to appease Gao Shun, and ruined the King of Han's great cause.

Isn't this just making things harder for me for no reason?

Didn't the King of Han just ask you for advice? How come my initial idea went from Zhang Liao to Wei Xu, then to the King of Han, and finally to you, Jia Xu, and after going around in your Han camp, the pressure has shifted back to me?
As a result, Zhang Liao and Wei Xu had to risk their lives, the King of Han had to risk losing his adopted son, and I had to risk increasing the difficulty of the plan.

Your plan, proposed by Jia Wenhe, which avoids any personal entanglement, reveals the King of Han's intentions, and the King of Han cannot be wrong.

Therefore, if the plan fails, it must be because I, Chen Yuanlong, have failed in my duties, failed to live up to the trust placed in me, and let down the King of Han.

On his very first day in the Han camp, Chen Deng had a vague feeling that something was wrong. It wasn't like this when he was in Lu Bu's camp or Liu Bei's camp; everyone there was easy to fool.

What's going on with your Han camp? Why has the difficulty level suddenly increased so much?

Leaving aside Chen Deng, after Jia Xu finished explaining the plan, everyone present felt a chill run down their spines and looked up at the King of Han on the main seat with fearful eyes.

So this is what the King of Han meant?

Sending Wei Xu and Zhang Liao, two newly surrendered men, to carry out this plan is a good idea; if they succeed, great. If they fail, I won't feel bad if they die.

With so many precedents of people joining the Han camp, returning to their original camps, and then feigning surrender, switching sides repeatedly, there's no need to worry about them betraying their cause after being sent back, because no one would believe them even if they did.

On the contrary, Zhang Liao's status as an adopted son can serve three purposes: first, it can deter Gao Shun from making rash moves; second, it can be kept as a hostage in the city to demonstrate the sincerity of this peace talks and reassure Gao Shun; and third, it can attract Gao Shun's attention, making it easier for Chen Deng to act secretly.

Fourthly, he's a newly adopted son, so how much affection could there be? Anyway, the King of Han has so many adopted sons, so he probably won't feel sorry for this one if he dies. On the contrary, it can recreate the story of besieging the city in mourning clothes. A desperate army will surely win, and Xuzhou will be swallowed up.

The more they thought about it, the more horrified they became. Was this really the King of Han? Truly ruthless and cold-blooded, a solitary ruler, born to be an emperor!
Facing the fearful and apprehensive gazes of the crowd, Yuan Shu remained silent for a long time.

No, don't look at me like that. This was Jia Xu's treacherous scheme, and it has nothing to do with me!
Yuan Shu coughed lightly and said to him:

"Wenhe, you have misunderstood me deeply."

Even tigers don't eat their cubs. Wen Yuan is my adopted son, whom I love dearly. How can I let him venture deep into the enemy camp and risk such danger?
This plan might cost my beloved son his life; please don't mention it again!

Everyone immediately showed an expression of "we understand." No wonder, no wonder the King of Han made Wenhe speak up and propose this plan. As expected of His Majesty the King of Han, he is simply ingenious.

Everyone immediately agreed wholeheartedly, having no doubt about the King of Han's love for his son. Among them, many well-meaning people secretly gave Zhang Liao meaningful glances.

Zhang Liao understood immediately and stepped forward, bowing deeply in respect.

"Since Liao entered the Han camp, my adoptive father has never abandoned me and has taken me in as his adopted son. His kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain."

I regret that I have not accomplished anything and have failed my adoptive father's high expectations.

Now that I have this opportunity to make a contribution, how could I possibly avoid the limelight out of greed for survival?
My adoptive father loves me deeply, and I am willing to go through fire and water to help my adoptive father and work together to achieve great things, as I have previously vowed.

This is a time when I am ready to go through fire and water, even at the cost of my life. I hope my adoptive father will grant my request; otherwise, I will be unworthy of my oath, and how can Liao be at peace?

"This"

When Zhang Liao brought up the oath he took when he became his adoptive father, Yuan Shu indeed hesitated. Everyone who saw this advised him to continue.

The King of Han could not refuse and had no choice but to agree.

Soon after, Chen Deng led Zhang Liao, Wei Xu, and three hundred Han soldiers into the city.

Deng Xian secretly met with Gao Shun and discussed the peace negotiations between the Han army and other matters.

Gao Shun was furious upon hearing this!

"what?
They want me to hand over four hundred elite soldiers and five thousand brave warriors to the two traitors, Wei Xu and Zhang Liao, to lead them out and follow the Han army north to attack Cao.
This is utterly absurd!

If that's the case, our city's defenses are weak. If they betray our alliance and launch a counterattack on Xiapi, how will we defend it?

He became increasingly angry as he spoke, and couldn't help but rebuke Chen Deng.

"Mr. Chen, I trust and respect you, and that's why I followed your advice and made peace with the Han army."

But how could you possibly agree to such wolfish and ambitious peace terms?
"Completely disregarding the interests of my Qi state, you have instead signed this unequal treaty that humiliates and destroys our national sovereignty. Are you a subject of Qi? Or a subject of Han?"

Unexpectedly, Gao Shun became enraged, and Chen Deng also changed his expression, saying:

"I have devoted all my energy to planning for the state of Qi, yet you have doubted me!"

If you doubt Deng's intentions and fail to recognize a good person, then Deng will abandon this matter. You can go and reason with the hundreds of thousands of Han soldiers outside."

Seeing that Chen Deng was speaking righteously and without any guilt, and that his words seemed to have hidden meaning, Gao Shun temporarily suppressed his anger and hurriedly asked for the reason.

Chen Deng snorted coldly before speaking arrogantly.

"How could you possibly understand such a brilliant strategy?"

The Han army's terms for peace talks now require us to hand over our troops, which we naturally cannot accept.

But I used my silver tongue to trick Zhang Liao and Wei Xu into coming from the Han camp under the pretense of commanding troops.

General Gao, you may not know this, but Wei Xu is alright, but Zhang Liao is now the adopted son of the King of Han, and the King of Han loves him very much.

We only need to use peace talks as a pretext to detain Zhang Liao in the city as a hostage, so that the King of Han will be hesitant to act rashly and will continue to negotiate peace terms with us.

In reality, it was merely a delaying tactic. By stalling for time until the King of Qi returned with his army, these two traitors would face certain death.

Upon hearing this, Gao Shun was astonished, considering him a genius!
(End of this chapter)