The Three Kingdoms: General Yu She, reincarnated a hundred times.

……

"We also divided our forces, with seventeen vassal lords heading to Hulao Pass, using 50,000 men to pretend to be 300,000!"

They planted flags everywhere and made many cooking fires, pretending to launch a major attack on Hulao Pass and fight to the death, thus creating a diversion to hold back Dong Zhuo's main force.

In reality, we transferred all our elite troops to Sishui Pass, and our 300,000-strong army spared no expense to fully support Sun Wentai.

With Wen Tai's military prowess, taking advantage of Li Jue and Guo Si's lack of preparedness, a swift and unexpected attack would surely lead to the capture of the city in one fell swoop!

Once Sishui Pass is breached, the supply lines between Luoyang and Hulao Pass can be directly cut off.

Dong Zhuo and his main force of over 100,000 men will be completely trapped inside Hulao Pass, besieged in an isolated city, and cut off from food supplies. They will collapse without a fight.

If this is the case, then by capturing Luoyang, welcoming back the Emperor, and restoring the Han Dynasty, the great cause can be accomplished!

"The names of you gentlemen and Cao Cao are worthy of being recorded in history!"

Cao Cao's words were deafening!

However, all the feudal lords remained silent.

When it came to eliminating Dong Zhuo and restoring the Han Dynasty, they all shouted loudly, clamoring for "loyalty and righteousness!"

But when it came to sending troops to attack the city and fight Dong's army head-on, they all fell silent.

"Three hundred thousand is far too much. If we entrust such a force entirely to Sun Jian, and he fails, won't we all be easy prey?"

"Furthermore, all the troops are in Sun Jian's hands. If he harbors disloyal intentions, betrays the alliance, and becomes a second Dong Zhuo after eliminating him, who will be able to govern him in the future? Wouldn't the Han Dynasty perish at our hands?"

"What if Sun Jian only orders our troops to attack the city and deplete their resources, while he preserves his own strength? What then?"

"This is inappropriate, this is inappropriate!"

"Let's discuss it again, let's discuss it again!"

……

Cao Cao hurriedly reassured them, "Gentlemen, do not worry. The troops are only temporarily under the command of Wen Tai; in reality, they are still under the command of your trusted generals and officers. How could anything change?"

Everyone shook their heads, but Han Fu spoke up, "Actually, Mengde's plan is not impossible."

"Han can transfer troops to Sishui, but Han himself must go with them. I will supervise Wentai as the alliance's military supervisor, ensuring everyone's safety."

Han Fu's words immediately caused a huge uproar, with everyone saying, "Why should you go? We can mobilize troops, but only if I'm sent too."

"How many soldiers do you have under your command? I'll take over!"

"Gongsun Bogui, can't your White Horse Cavalry attack the city? No matter how strong their fighting force is, what's the use of sending them over?"

My elite troops from Danyang are each capable of taking on ten men. Gentlemen, please refrain from arguing; let me handle this matter.

"Prefect Tao, you are already quite old, how can you move around so lightly? You should take care of your health. Let the younger ones do it."

……

Cao Cao was stunned by the scene of the warlords fighting each other to the death.

He wanted to stop them, but was powerless to do so, and could only mutter, "If you all go, how will Hulao Pass attract Dong Zhuo? If none of the other lords go, won't Dong Zhuo become suspicious?"

"Isn't there still the alliance leader?"

"Mengde, you and the alliance leader raise our great banner here, and you will be with us, the lords."

"Just keep setting up more diversionary troops to hold off the traitor Dong, and we will definitely do everything in our power to capture Sishui Pass."

……

How could Cao Cao not feel sorrow as he listened to these heart-wrenching words?

How could he not understand? These feudal lords were afraid that Sun Jian would recklessly deplete their troops in the siege and weaken their strength, so they had to keep a close watch on things themselves.

Secondly, he was even more worried that Sun Jian would break through Sishui Pass in one fell swoop and head straight for Luoyang to rescue the emperor.

Wouldn't this merit of protecting the emperor and his ambition to seize control of the court be entirely at Sun Jian's expense?

How could they not fight?

As for Hulao Pass, how could they possibly avoid defeat when they faced Dong Zhuo's 150,000-strong main force from Xiliang with only 50,000 feint troops?

Basically, whenever Dong Zhuo saw through their schemes, those who remained would be in deep trouble.

Anyone can go to Hulao Pass if they want; they're not going there anyway. Wherever their army is, that's where their people are.

However, the reason why Cao Cao kept all seventeen warlords at Hulao Pass was not only to create a false impression and mislead Dong Zhuo.

He couldn't stay with this group of people; wherever they gathered, nothing could be accomplished.

If Sun Jian were the only one at Sishui Pass, commanding an army of 300,000 men, Cao Cao was certain that he could capture Sishui in a very short time and cut off Dong Zhuo's retreat.

But if we let these feudal lords go with us, wouldn't that just be another place for drinking and merrymaking?

……

"These are the lords of my great Han Dynasty? The loyal ministers who uphold the Han Dynasty?"

Cao Cao looked up at Yuan Shao, his childhood friend, his ally, and his greatest supporter in restoring the Han Dynasty, with almost despair.

Then he heard Yuan Shao angrily rebuke the other warlords, "Enough! You've completely ruined Mengde's plans, how long are you going to keep fighting?"

Although the feudal lords quieted down, they all stared intently at Yuan Shao.

Although Yuan Shao was the leader of the coalition against Dong Zhuo, it was clear that none of the warlords would allow themselves to be manipulated by him once their own interests were involved.

Therefore, since the alliance at Suanzao, apart from Hua Xiong taking the initiative to attack, the allied forces of the feudal lords have remained stagnant and made no progress.

Eighteen people, eighteen wills, eighteen lords, eighteen orders, yet each of them only obeys their own lord, each acting independently and for their own selfish gain.

Therefore, unless something can satisfy the interests of everyone present, or cause no loss to anyone, nothing can be accomplished here except for feasting, drinking, and shouting to eliminate the thief.

Does Yuan Shao not want to defeat Dong Zhuo and eliminate the traitor? As the leader of the alliance, would he want to remain stagnant here and be ridiculed by the world?

In this godforsaken place, on the surface there are eighteen people forming an alliance, but in private they can form dozens of different interest groups based on local factions, family ties, in-laws, protégés, grudges, and so on. Each person has multiple identities in these groups, and their stance can waver at any time.

Any plan that is proposed will be agreed to on one side and opposed on the other, with each side hindering the other, going back and forth, and in the end, none of them will be approved.

These eighteen people are just sitting here, idling around anyway. What else can they do besides having a banquet?

Therefore, he was destined to disappoint Cao Cao this time.

None of the warlords wanted Sun Jian to achieve such a tremendous feat, including Yuan Shao himself.

……

Meeting the intense gazes of the feudal lords, Yuan Shao smiled and addressed them:

"What Mengde said is very true, and what the gentlemen said is also reasonable."

There's no need for further argument. Since this plan has failed, let Mengde devise another one.

Men, prepare the wine and feast!

"If we discuss this further, we can surely come up with a plan that benefits everyone."

The feudal lords all nodded and said, "Excellent."

Although Yuan Shao's words did not benefit them, they also did not cause any loss to anyone, so they readily agreed to pass them.

As for the strategy just now, was it more conducive to attacking Dong?

Nobody cares.

"Think of another plan?"

Cao Cao smiled bitterly, "Alright, I'll think of another one."

But it is obvious how difficult it is to come up with a plan that can get all seventeen people present to agree and satisfy everyone.

……