The Three Kingdoms: The entire Cao Cao camp thought I was weak and frail.

Xun Yu was so angry that his fingertips turned cold. He was about to step forward to argue when a hand gently pressed his finger down.

It is Xun You.

He stepped forward, stood in the center of the tent, his gaze swept over Yuan Shu, and his voice was cold, yet it silenced the commotion inside the tent.

"General Highway is mistaken."

Yuan Shu was basking in his own "foresight" when he was suddenly confronted with a rebuttal. His face darkened: "Xun Gongda, are you also going to speak up for Cao Mengde?"

"I do not speak for anyone, but only for the sake of the world." Xun You spoke slowly, but his words were extremely clear. "If Dong Zhuo takes the emperor hostage and moves the capital to Chang'an, then moves west into Hangu Pass, relying on the natural defenses of Guanzhong, it will be like a dragon returning to the sea or a tiger entering the deep mountains. Our cause of raising an army to punish the traitor will no longer exist, and we will become an army that shoots arrows without aim."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Yuan Shao, who sat at the head of the table. "When Dong Zhuo regroups his troops and has the Emperor in his hands, he will return with a vengeance. We will be scattered and disorganized, each acting independently. At that time, I ask the Alliance Leader, I ask you gentlemen, how will you resist him?"

The feudal lords inside the tent were somewhat swayed by what they were being told, and whispers rose and fell among them.

They may not care about the lives of the people of Luoyang, but they cannot care about their own lives and property.

But the thought of sending his troops to fight the Xiliang army head-on turned that wavering into hesitation.

Yuan Shao frowned, tapped the table, and remained noncommittal.

The meeting ultimately ended in discord.

Back in Cao Cao's tent, Xun Yu paced back and forth in anger.

"These fools are not worth discussing anything with! A bunch of short-sighted idiots who only know how to fight for power and profit!"

Cao Cao's face was also ashen, and he remained silent.

Xun Hao poured him a glass of water, his voice still cold: "Brother, please calm down. Public discussion is useless, as expected. They each have their own ulterior motives; expecting them to be of one mind is like trying to catch fish by climbing a tree."

Seeing that Xun Yu was only focused on being angry and had brushed past Xun Hao's hand holding the water several times, Guo Jia took the water and drank it all in one gulp. His peach blossom eyes curved into a smile. "The feudal lords are all harboring their own ulterior motives. No one will listen to their lumped-together words. If you want a horse to run, you have to hang the grass it wants to eat most in front of it."

He looked at Xun Hao and said, "We should teach according to the student's aptitude and prescribe the right medicine for the illness."

A faint smile appeared on Xun Hao's pale face. He coughed lightly twice and replied, "Brother Fengxiao is right. Since reasoning won't work, let's just talk about interests."

"Yuan Shu is extremely greedy and ambitious. To talk to him about righteousness is like talking to a brick wall. To move him, you must offer him benefits, and even more so, huge benefits that will drive him mad."

"Han Fu, the governor of Ji Province, is weak-willed and timid, most afraid of trouble and isolation. He is not taking action because he is afraid of losing troops and taking risks alone. To persuade him, we must put the pros and cons out in the open and make him understand that inaction is more dangerous than action."

"Tao Qian, the governor of Xuzhou, is known for his benevolence and values ​​his reputation above all else. To win him over, we must start with the word 'benevolence' and link the dispatch of troops to rescue people with his reputation for benevolence."

"Kong Rong, the Prefect of Beihai, was a descendant of Confucius and a literary master of the world. Nothing could move his heart more than the safety of the classics of his ancestors."

When it comes to understanding people's hearts, none of the people present can match Guo Jia.

As for the most crucial alliance leader, Yuan Shao…” Guo Jia paused, then turned his gaze to Xun You, “He is extremely concerned with his reputation and the honor of his family. Brother Gongda is meticulous and eloquent; you are the most suitable person to persuade him.”

In just a few words, a clear strategy has been formed: divide and conquer, defeat them one by one.

Overnight, a new strategy was quickly adopted.

Xun Hao was tasked with persuading Tao Qian, the governor of Xuzhou, who prided himself on benevolence and virtue, by taking advantage of Tao Qian's desire to protect his reputation.

Xun Yu was tasked with persuading Han Fu, the indecisive governor of Ji Province, who was most afraid of being isolated.

Xun You was tasked with dealing with Yuan Shao, the alliance leader who valued face and family honor the most.

The most greedy and unscrupulous governor of Nanyang, Yuan Shu, was entrusted to Guo Jia, who was best at understanding the darker aspects of human nature.

As for Kong Rong, the governor of Beihai, Xun Yu also planned to make a personal trip. This descendant of Confucius had his own unique weakness.

The four men each received their orders and prepared to split up and act separately.

Xun Hao swayed slightly as he stood up. Guo Jia quickly caught him, his brow furrowed, and whispered a complaint in his ear: "Showing off. I'll just make another trip to Tao Qian's place."

The warm breath brushed against his ear, and Xun Hao's heart skipped a beat. He stood firm without showing any emotion, avoiding Guo Jia's support, and whispered, "I'm fine."

Guo Jia looked at Xun Hao's abnormally flushed cheeks and his eyes that were forcing him to stay alert, feeling both angry and pained. He didn't say anything more, but silently walked outside the tent, took a thick fox fur cloak from a guard, and draped it over Xun Hao without saying a word, wrapping him up tightly.

"The wind is strong at night, do you want to get sick again?" His tone was unfriendly, but his movements were gentle.

Xun Yu looked at this scene, opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't say anything, and just shook his head helplessly.

Guo Jia did not go directly to see Yuan Shu. Instead, he secretly met with Yang Hong, Yuan Shu's most trusted advisor, through connections.

The two met in an inconspicuous tent. Guo Jia dismissed the others and asked only one question: "Sir, what do you think is the difference between the new emperor installed by Dong Zhuo and the deposed emperor of the previous dynasty?"

Before Yang Hong could answer, Guo Jia continued, "The difference lies in whether the imperial edict bears the seal that reads 'By the Mandate of Heaven, May Your Reign Be Long and Prosperous.' I've heard that during the chaos of the Ten Attendants' Rebellion, that seal disappeared. Dong Zhuo's deposition and installation of the emperor were nothing but a tree without roots, water without a source. If anyone could find this item among the ruins of Luoyang…"

Guo Jia didn't say anything more, but just looked at the other person meaningfully.

The Imperial Seal of the State?

Why was Dong Zhuo so eager to depose and install emperors? It was precisely to firmly control the emperor in his hands. However, the emperor in his hands did not have the imperial seal, so his position was ultimately illegitimate and lacked legitimacy.

Yang Hong's heart was pounding like a drum, almost bursting out of his chest. He forced himself to remain calm and bowed deeply to Guo Jia: "I have remembered Mr. Guo's words."

Guo Jia smiled, said no more, turned and left gracefully, as if he had only come to chat about everyday matters.

He immediately reported the matter to Yuan Shu.

"My lord!" he lowered his voice, a strange light flashing in his eyes. "Guo Jia's words, though their veracity is unknown, have pointed out one thing! The emperor installed by Dong Zhuo is illegitimate and lacks legitimacy! If we can truly find the Imperial Seal..."

"The Imperial Seal of the State?" Yuan Shu's eyes lit up.

"Exactly!" The strategist lowered his voice and analyzed further, "Why did Liu Yu refuse when Alliance Leader Yuan wanted to enthrone him? It was because he lacked a 'righteous cause' that everyone in the world recognized! If he had the Imperial Seal in hand, enthroneing a new emperor would be perfectly legitimate, and which hero in the world would dare to disobey?"

To install a new emperor?

As Yuan Shu listened, he thought to himself: If I were to obtain this, why would I need to appoint someone else? Couldn't I take that step myself...?