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

Chapter 340 How could Xiu not know what the Prime Minister was thinking?

In the dimly lit secret room, after the laughter subsided, Cao Cao composed himself and coldly looked at the people below.

"Having said so much, what good plan does Dezu have? Please speak frankly."

Yang Xiu bowed with his hands clasped and said:
"According to the latest intelligence, Yuan Shu is attacking Xuzhou under the pretext that Lü Bu assassinated his adopted son."

After the Battle of Huanyuan Pass, when news of Lü Bu resurfaced, he claimed to be acting on the orders of the King of Han and had invaded the borders of Yanzhou.

"what?
"You cowardly rat, how dare you bully me?"

Cao Cao was truly shocked by Lü Bu's bewildering behavior.

I've never seen anyone like you. After Yuan Shu invaded Xuzhou and seized my base, instead of turning back to resist Yuan Shu, you obeyed Yuan Shu's orders to attack me.
What do you mean?
You pick the softest persimmon to squeeze. You can't beat Yuan Shu, so you come to attack me, right?
"Prime Minister, please calm down."

Lu Bu was a man who bullied the weak and feared the strong, was fickle, opportunistic, and cowardly.

Now that Yuan Shu has mobilized the entire nation to attack Qi, how dare we withstand his might?
This behavior is not surprising.

Yang Xiu spoke casually, praising Cao Cao.

"We have to thank the Prime Minister for his foresight in notifying Luoyang in advance to arrange the defense of Yanzhou."

Only then was Liu Bei promptly dispatched to Yanzhou to block Lü Bu's advance and ensure the safety of Luoyang.

Cao Cao was speechless for a moment. He had previously suspected that Lü Bu was feigning an alliance with Yuan Shao because of Xiahou Yuan's defeat, which was why he made this arrangement.

Unexpectedly, this accidental action actually prevented Lü Bu from turning against them.

But Liu Bei?

When he learned that Liu Bei had been sent to Yanzhou to resist Lü Bu, he frowned slightly, wondering if Xun Yu had done it on purpose and had other plans.

After all, even the Xiahou brothers, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan, had already defected to Yuan, so he really dared not trust the people around him anymore.

But then he thought that in Luoyang, apart from Liu Bei, there seemed to be no one who could resist Lü Bu, so he gave up.

Yang Xiu, seeing his ever-changing expression, quickly advised him:
"How could I not know what the Prime Minister is thinking?"

In reality, to prevent Liu Bei from harboring ulterior motives and seizing Yan Province to establish himself as emperor, Xun Yu specifically appointed Che Zhou as his deputy general to oversee the army, thus preventing Liu Bei from developing disloyal intentions and causing future trouble.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's expression softened slightly.

“Wenruo’s arrangements will be thorough and complete. With him in charge of the rear, Cao Cao has nothing to worry about.”

"But Che Zhou is dead!"
"Prime Minister, can you guess the cause of his death? And do you know how Liu Bei explained it?"

As Yang Xiu was speaking, he suddenly noticed that Cao Cao's expression had turned gloomy, and the murderous intent in his eyes was directed at him.

Fang realized that he had gone too far in showing off and had displeased Cao Cao, so he dared not keep him in suspense any longer and hurriedly recounted how Che Zhou suspected Liu Bei of colluding with Yuan Shao, and how Liu Bei retaliated by killing Che Zhou.

".
That's exactly right. According to Liu Bei, it was all Yuan Shu's conspiracy that caused him and Che Zhou to turn against each other and kill one another.

"He farted!"

Having received the intelligence Yang Xiu had mentioned earlier, and knowing that Yuan Shu was currently leading his main army to attack Qi, how could he possibly use a scheme to help Lü Bu?

Whether it's Che Zhou or Liu Bei, continuing to wear down Lü Bu in Yan Province is in Yuan Shu's interest. Otherwise, if Lü Bu easily occupies Yan Province and establishes the Qi Kingdom, what benefit would it bring him?
However, after Yang Xiu finished explaining all the information here, he brought up the point to this stage.

Having grasped the current situation, Cao Cao's eyes flashed with a mixture of light and shadow as he looked at Yang Xiu and tentatively asked a question.

"What Dezu means is that since Liu Bei did the first day of the month, we can do the fifteenth!"

"No, we don't need to do anything."

Meeting Cao Cao's surprised gaze, Yang Xiu nodded and smiled.

"Prime Minister, in this world, even if someone as far-sighted as Yuan Shu plans, once he does something, there will always be clues."

Even after ten or twenty years, Yuan Shu's schemes to overthrow the Han Dynasty have been exposed one by one and made known to the world.

Only things you've never done before won't give you away.

Unlike Liu Bei's key target Che Zhou, he needed to use Yuan Shu's name to carry out internal strife, even though he thought he had done it flawlessly and that no one knew about it.

But when news of Yuan Shu's invasion of Xuzhou arrived, who didn't know his true intentions and plans?
Falsely accusing and framing fellow soldiers, plotting to harm them, ruining a lifetime of reputation for benevolence—is this not laughable?

The Prime Minister is different!
There's no need for us to deliberately arrange things between Lü Bu and Liu Bei; framing Yuan Shu is exactly what Yuan Shu wanted to achieve.

Without the Prime Minister taking any action, Yuan Shu will guide the situation so that Liu Bei and Lü Bu can fight each other without restraint in Yanzhou, causing them to weaken each other.

If Liu Bei were to unfortunately die at the hands of Lü Bu, then the whole affair would have been orchestrated by Yuan Shu, with Lü Bu carrying out the attack, and would have had absolutely nothing to do with the Prime Minister, because we did nothing.”

Cao Cao remained silent for a long time before finally speaking in a deep thought.

"You mean you want me to sit idly by and watch the chaos in Yanzhou unfold, waiting for Liu and Lü to decide the victor?"

Yang Xiu raised his deeply bowed face, the flickering candlelight casting an uncertain glow on it.

"There's nothing we can do anyway, is there?"
If Yuan Shu intended for Liu Bei and Lü Bu to fight each other and weaken each other, then after conquering Xuzhou, his next step would inevitably be to pass through Huanyuan Pass.

With the current strength of the troops at Huanyuan Pass, it is not enough to defend the city, Luoyang is already extremely vulnerable, and the troops in the north that are resisting Yuan Shao should not be moved lightly.

We no longer have the ability to influence the situation in Yanzhou, so why not focus on the current battle and watch Liu and Lü fight each other, without having time to launch a counterattack on Luoyang?

A decisive battle at Huanyuan, followed by a seated observation of the outcome in Yanzhou, would be a welcome outcome for both you and Yuan Shu.

Even if Lü Bu wins too quickly and continues to attack the undefended Luoyang, it would be detrimental to the Prime Minister, but Liu Bei would not do so.

We should not blame Liu Bei for what happened in Yanzhou, but we should even ask Luoyang to provide Liu Bei with as much logistical support as possible so that he can delay Lü Bu for a longer period of time.

Moreover, the Prime Minister is currently showing complete trust in Liu Bei and full support for him. If Liu Bei dies in the future, it will be considered a crime committed in battle, and Guan Yu will have even less reason to doubt you, his benefactor who so strongly supports his elder brother.”

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao frowned, sensing that something was amiss.

No, weren't we secretly plotting how to kill Liu Bei at the beginning? How did it turn out that I have to strongly support him in the end?

Although it's unclear where things went wrong, the logic of the whole affair, guided step by step by Yang Xiu, has taken several detours, seemingly not only deviating from the original trajectory but also growing wildly in the opposite direction.

"Is Emperor Dezu speaking in jest?"

I wanted to kill Liu Bei but could not. Now he has betrayed me under the pretense of Yuan Shu, killed my beloved general, and seized my Yan Province. Not only can I not blame him, but I must also give him my full support.
They say they watched Liu Bei die at the hands of Lü Bu and was part of Yuan Shu's schemes, but what if Liu Bei hadn't died?
If he defeats Lü Bu, seizes all of Yan Province, and then launches a counterattack on Luoyang to abduct the emperor, wouldn't that put the emperor in danger and plunge the country into chaos?

Even if I were to win at Huanyuan Pass and stop Yuan Shu, what good would it do? It would only benefit Liu Bei!

"Prime Minister, what are you joking about!"

Yang Xiu was filled with fear and hurriedly tried to explain.

"What virtue or ability does Liu Bei possess that makes him capable of defeating Lü Bu?"
Lü Bu, with the full strength of the nation and tens of thousands of troops, led his elite forces that had dominated the world for over a decade. With his escape route cut off, he came with his back to the river.

People say: "Among men, Lü Bu; among horses, Red Hare; without Ji Ling, who can rival him?"

His martial prowess was second only to Ji Ling in the world. The Prime Minister had personally witnessed his unstoppable military might during the attack on Yanzhou.

His writing style is reminiscent of Chen Gong. Perhaps no one understands Gongtai's talent better than the Prime Minister.

What did Liu Bei have?
Having just lost their true commander Che Zhou, the 20,000-strong Xiyuan New Army, unable to return home, were no match for Lü Bu's tens of thousands of elite troops who had lost their homeland and were cut off from their return journey.

Although Zhang Fei was brave, Guan Yu was not present. He alone could not withstand Lü Bu for more than a hundred rounds. This was evident to all the lords at Hulao Pass.

His writings are no better than those of Mi Heng, a cynical and eccentric madman, merely a romantic scholar. Who would have known that he could be a match for Chen Gongtai in commanding troops and fighting battles?

Their army, their martial prowess, and their literary skills are all inferior to Lü Bu's; with these three factors, defeat is inevitable.

What is there for the Prime Minister to worry about?

After Yang Xiu finished speaking, he saw that Cao Cao's expression had softened and he had fallen into deep thought, so he quickly seized the opportunity to speak.

"The Prime Minister should think this through carefully."

Since Liu Bei is no match for Lü Bu, our current concern is not whether Liu Bei will die at Lü Bu's hands, but when he will die.

If he dies too quickly, Lü Bu will advance his troops to attack Luoyang, causing the emperor to lose his position, and the overall situation will collapse, and there will be no more chances of anything else.

On the contrary, if Liu Bei could persist and try to buy us time, even until you, Prime Minister, can decide the outcome of the battle with Yuan Shu at Huanyuan Pass.

At that time, all we need to do is gradually reduce the supply from Luoyang to Yanzhou at the right time, until the supplies are exhausted.

Once Liu Bei runs out of supplies and dies at the hands of Lü Bu, the Prime Minister can then return to Yanzhou with the momentum of his great victory over Yuan Shu, avenge Guan Yu, and win his heart. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
While Liu Bei was delaying Lü Bu, it was impossible for Liu Bei to launch a counterattack on Luoyang.

Because Lü Bu was right behind him, if he were to launch a counterattack on Luoyang, Lü Bu would come to attack from both sides. Not only would Liu Bei be defeated and killed, but the emperor of Luoyang would also be trapped under Lü Bu's military might.

A man of great principle like Liu Bei would never do such a thing!

If that's the case, why can't the Prime Minister rest easy and be carefree? Why not do it?

Cao Cao: "."

It has to be said that this made so much sense that he couldn't refute it.

So after all that discussion about how to kill Liu Bei, the best course of action we came up with was actually to wholeheartedly support Liu Bei—this ridiculous conclusion?
Yes, Cao Cao now truly felt like he had seen a ghost.

Such an outrageous answer, yet the entire reasoning process is correct.

In the dim candlelight, Cao Cao's gaze toward Yang Xiu grew increasingly suspicious. Suddenly, the images of Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan floated into his mind, lingering there.

After a long while, he spoke softly, abruptly probing the question.

“I have heard that Dezu is Yuan Shu’s nephew. Now that Yuan’s army is about to arrive, is it possible that he is offering this plan to Yuan Shu?”

Yang Xiu's face turned ashen, and he looked up at Cao Cao blankly.

"Why does the Prime Minister say such a thing?"

Xiu's words came from the bottom of his heart, sincerely intended for the Prime Minister's great cause. My Yang family has been loyal and virtuous for generations; how could we possibly have any connection with that traitorous Han collaborator?

Yang Xiu's bewilderment at this moment was portrayed as genuine.

Because he was genuinely confused.

Damn it, I am clearly a man of the Emperor, wholeheartedly devoted to the Han Dynasty. I offered this plan to help Liu Bei and the Emperor find a way to survive. What does it have to do with Yuan Shu?
After all, although the Yang family had enjoyed the Han dynasty's bounty for generations, there was only so much they could do. In the face of powerful ministers like Dong Zhuo, Li Jue, Guo Si, and even Cao Cao, they had already done their best to preserve their family business and ensure its continuation.

This strategy was offered after all the emperor's cronies, including Dong Cheng, Liu Biao, and Liu Yao, had been killed by Cao Cao, leaving only Liu Xuande.

This was Liu's last hope, which is why he offered this plan in hopes of a glimmer of hope.

If, unfortunately, Prime Minister, you are defeated and die at the hands of Yuan Shu, we will be counting on Liu Bei to turn the tide, defeat Lü Bu, and rescue the Emperor.

But what does this thing have to do with the Han King?
Don't slander our loyalty so easily!

Just because I am Yuan Shu's nephew, does that mean I am a traitor to the Han dynasty?
Your nephew, Prime Minister, is still striving to become the adopted son of the King of Han, yet you haven't disciplined him.

Besides, even if we really did achieve communication with the Han people, can we really call that communication with the Han people?
This is called enduring hardship and biding one's time to plot a rebellion!
When Cao Cao saw that Cao Cao's bewildered expression in the face of the sudden probing did not seem fake, but rather that he looked wronged and dared not speak out, Cao Cao gave up.

He chuckled and said, "It was just a joke, Dezu, don't take it to heart."

As for the matter of Yanzhou, we will proceed as you suggested. Right now, our priority is the decisive battle against Yuan Gonglu at Huanyuan Pass. If we win this battle, neither Lü Bu nor Liu Bei will be a threat.

If we lose this battle, the tide will be turned, and we will no longer need to worry about Lü Bu and Liu Bei.

Yang Xiu hurriedly bowed and said:
"The Prime Minister is wise."

Now that we know that Yuan Shu's main force is attacking Xuzhou, the Yuan army outside Huanyuan Pass is no more than 60,000 strong.

In contrast, the Prime Minister rushed to the rescue and arrived here first, with all 100,000 troops already assembled. This is the perfect opportunity for us to divide and conquer, and decisively defeat Yuan's army.

Cao Cao also knew that this was an unprecedented opportunity; otherwise, once Yuan Shu finished conquering Xuzhou and brought his main force, gathering two or three hundred thousand troops outside the pass, it would be even more difficult to fight him.

He then nodded and said, "Good."

"Yun Chang just promised me that he would kill several of Yuan's generals to avenge me. This is the perfect time for him to make his mark."

After the two agreed on everything, Yang Xiu bowed and took his leave. Watching his departing figure, Cao Cao's eyes held a strange and unpredictable look.

Yuan Shu's nephew!

Even Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan were in cahoots with Yuan Shao. Can such people really be trusted?
What Cao Cao feared even more was that Yang Xiu could read his mind, which he worried might become a future problem. He thought he would try to find an opportunity to test him again.

However, upon careful consideration of Liu Bei's matter, he realized that, as Yang Xiu had said, Luoyang, currently empty and the Central Plains, the most important place in the country, was in turmoil, and there was really no force left to interfere with Yanzhou.

For now, we should give Liu Bei our full support. This will not only earn us favor with Guan Yu, but also allow us to use Liu Bei to delay Lü Bu for a while longer, thus ensuring the safety of Luoyang. It's a good thing overall.

As for Yuan's army outside Huanyuan Pass...

With a troop strength gap of 100,000 to 60,000, this is almost the only battlefield where he can suppress Yuan's army in terms of troop strength in a short period of time.

This can be seen as Yuan Shu's sudden change of course to attack Xuzhou, which only created a weakness.

If we miss this opportunity, it will only be more difficult for our forces to resist Yuan Shu's army in the future.

However, thinking of all the conspiracy theories about Yuan Shu in his mind, Cao Cao couldn't help but feel a chill.

Given Yuan Shu's abilities and his past schemes and plans, would he really expose such an obvious flaw to himself?

On the other side, Yang Xiu breathed a sigh of relief as he emerged from the dark room and saw the bright sunlight again.

Only when a cool breeze blew did he realize that the back of his clothes was already soaked with cold sweat.

Yuan Shu's nephew?

Thinking back to Cao Cao's undisguised murderous intent when he mentioned the Xiahou brothers' collusion with Yuan Shao not long ago, he felt even more chilled.

From now on, I'm afraid Cao Cao will suspect and distrust me even more. Uncle, you've really ruined my life.

(End of this chapter)