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

Chapter 68 Xuande, this alliance benefits all three parties, why aren't you smiling?
To Jian Yong's disappointment, all the officials lowered their heads and stood with their hands down. As long as Yuan Shu did not ask, they would wait for their lord to make the decision himself, as if they had become accustomed to this.

"Gentlemen, please hear me out."

My lord has received the latest news: the emperor has now fallen into Cao Cao's hands. He holds the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, and his power shakes the land. Even heroes will have no place to use their talents.

The alliance between Yuan and Liu is an inevitable trend. Unity will benefit both sides, while division will harm both. You gentlemen are all wise men of our time. Now that you are advising Lord Yuan, why not speak out for justice and advise him not to act impulsively?

My lord Liu Bei has no intention of being an enemy of Yuan Shao. Regarding the matter of Yu Province, we can draw up a written agreement as proof that on the day Xu Province is recaptured, all the counties of Yu Province will be returned in full.

Silence, wordless silence.

Amidst the mocking, disdainful, or indifferent gazes of his ministers, Jian Yong felt only a profound and utter despair.

Chen Yuanlong ruined me!
In the vast Yuan camp, where are the virtuous men you speak of?

The courtiers: "."

"Advice my foot! Since the lord didn't ask, what happened today must have been within the strategist Fengxiao's expectations. He had already told the lord, and they were used to it."

The strategist "Fengxiao" was a man of foresight and brilliant strategy. Having experienced so many things, no one dared to disobey him, so why would he need to offer any advice?

Sure enough, after only a moment of contemplation, the voice came from the seat.

"From what you just said, the Emperor has already addressed Xuande as Imperial Uncle?"

Yuan Shu's cold gaze, the piercing stares of the assembled officials, the dimly lit tent, and faces displaying a variety of expressions that flickered between light and shadow.

Alone in the center of the large tent, Jian Yong's back was already soaked with sweat. At this moment, how could he not answer? He hurriedly cupped his hands and said yes.

"Fortunately, the Emperor has bestowed upon us the grace to consult our family genealogy and address my lord as Imperial Uncle. My lord is deeply humbled and dares not accept such a title."

"Thinking back to when I first met Xuande at Suanzao, I knew he was no ordinary person, so I humbled myself and became his friend."

Now that my uncle is in dire straits, he has asked to borrow Yuzhou. Although I am reluctant to part with it, considering our long-standing friendship, it is not impossible.

ah? ! !
So this is the Imperial Uncle? Weren't you just calling me a thief with big slaps?
Jian Yong was stunned.

You...you are intimately acquainted with my Lord? How could I not know?
"To humble yourself and submit?" But I heard the Third General say that at the meeting of the eighteen princes, it was you, Yuan Gonglu, who wanted to kick the three of them out on the spot.

Yuan Shu's ministers were used to these changes!
They're here! They're here! That 'big scoundrel' thing just now was clearly what our lord really wanted.

At this moment, the lord's tone of voice is so contradictory and absurd, as if he were a completely different person. If you were to say that what he was about to say was not something that the strategist "Fengxiao" had taught him in advance, who would believe it?

However, Yuan Shu, having integrated the original owner's experiences and memories, could naturally switch his speaking style seamlessly according to the occasion. This was not a dual personality, but rather a need for different attitudes towards different people or things.

Although Jian Yong did not understand the deeper meaning behind Yuan Shu's words, he saw that although there was no wise person to advise him, Yuan Shu's words seemed to suggest that he still wanted to use Yuzhou to maintain the alliance, so he could not help but regain his hope.

Having a favor to ask of Yuan Shu, how could he dare to disobey him? So he went along with it and agreed to the terms.

“What Lord Yuan said is very true. My lord also remembers the old friendship between the eighteen princes at their alliance meeting. The three generals often mention Lord Yuan’s ‘kindness’ to us back then, and we dare not forget it.”

In the past, we fought against Dong Zhuo; today, we attack Cao Cao. How can we betray the friendship we share?
If Lord Yuan were to lend us Yu Province, we would all be eternally grateful, and who among us would not be willing to die for our alliance against Cao Cao?

“Even between brothers, accounts should be settled clearly. My relationship with my uncle is one of affection, but empty words are not enough. Using Yuzhou as a pretext is ultimately inappropriate.”

He kept referring to Liu Bei as "Imperial Uncle," and his words were filled with a smile, as if he truly had a very close relationship with Liu Bei.

"Several hundred thousand bushels of grain and fodder must be delivered within seven days as collateral. Yuzhou will then temporarily lend it to the Imperial Uncle. What do you think, Mr. Jian?"

"Four hundred thousand bushels of grain and fodder?"

Jian Yong had already guessed that Yuan Shu's previous words must have meant to make demands, but he was still stunned when he heard the number.

"Lord Yuan, this quantity is far too much; I'm afraid my lord cannot afford it."

"Sir, what are you saying? This 400,000 bushels of grain is a pledge, not something we are forcing upon you."

When the Imperial Uncle returns to Yuzhou, the grain and provisions shall also be returned in full. The friendship between our two families must not be broken.

As he spoke, his tone suddenly turned cold again, "Or do you think that the entire Yuzhou region is not even worth 400,000 bushels of grain?"
Without this sincerity, the so-called Yuan-Liu alliance is nothing but a joke!

"Sir, have you been deceiving me with clever words all along? Do you really think my sword isn't sharp enough?"

"Mr. Yuan has misunderstood."

This capricious nature and tendency to kill at the drop of a hat made Jian Yong suddenly realize that Yuan Gonglu in front of him was very much in line with his preconceived notions.

When Dong Zhuo asked him if his sword was sharp, he still had some reservations about the Yuan family behind Yuan Shao.

But if Yuan Gonglu, who comes from the Yuan family, were to say that a sword is sharp, he really would kill someone.

Because in this world, there is truly no one who can make the arrogant Yuan Gonglu feel any apprehension.

Sometimes he would greet you with smiles and laughter, but then his murderous intent would turn chilling, leaving Jian Yong drenched in sweat and forced to speak softly and with a forced smile.

"It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't."

"Our lord has just lost Xuzhou and is fleeing to Yuzhou because of a critical shortage of provisions. Where can we possibly find grain to offer as collateral to Lord Yuan?"

"What's so difficult about this?"

Yuan Shu laughed and said:

"Your lord, Liu Xuande, is renowned throughout the land for his benevolence and virtue."

Although we are currently in dire straits and lack food, Yuzhou has grain.

Xuande could first go to Yuzhou and, in the name of the Imperial Uncle, borrow grain. Which noble family wouldn't offer food and drink to gain fame throughout the land?

At that time, I will use the borrowed grain as collateral to borrow from Yuzhou.

When I return to Yuzhou, I will return all the pledged grain, and Liu Huangshu will then return the grain to the Yuzhou aristocratic families.

If this is true, then cooperation will benefit all three parties and ensure peace and tranquility. Liu Bei could obtain the land of Yuzhou empty-handed and establish a temporary base without losing a single soldier or a single bushel of grain. Why not do it?

"The master is advising you on this matter; who wouldn't consider it carefully?"

Jian Yong: ? ? ?

How could you make such a reasonable statement that leaves me speechless?
My lord will borrow grain from the Yuzhou family as collateral for you. You will then lend Yuzhou to my lord. When my lord returns Yuzhou, you will return the grain to my lord, and my lord will then return the grain to the Yuzhou family.

Between entering and leaving, the aristocratic families of Yuzhou gained fame, my lord gained a foothold in Yuzhou without losing a single soldier, and you, Yuan Gonglu, also obtained provisions to supply the needs of the campaign against Cao.

Cooperation benefits all three parties. When the time comes to return the money, it seems that no one has suffered any loss. A world of win-win cooperation has been born. So, in this win-win-win process, who is actually hurt?
Now Jian Yong finally understood why Yuan Shu's ministers didn't offer any advice. If Yuan Shu himself could come up with such seemingly win-win nonsense, why would he need his ministers to advise him?

The question is, will my lord really return Yuzhou? And can you, Yuan Gonglu, really return the grain? How could the powerful families of Yuzhou possibly trust us and lend us the grain?

What kind of close alliance must be built to achieve such a foundation of trust?

Jian Yong now understood why Yuan Shu had changed his address to "Imperial Uncle" earlier, speaking in a tone as if he were as close as brothers with Liu Bei.

This is a direct challenge to him!
Just a moment ago they were as close as family, old friends for years, but now they're changing their tune and saying there's no mutual trust between us in our alliance?

Wasn't Jian Yong really just using clever words to deceive people, genuinely believing that Yuan Gonglu's sword wasn't sharp?

　Thank you to "Silently Slacking Off" for the generous support of 16 monthly tickets! Thank you everyone for your support!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)