Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Wang Yun paused briefly, looking up into the distance, as if pondering something, and then continued, "Take Ma Chao for example. The Central Plains has been in chaos for so long, with all parties fighting fiercely, but Ma Chao has yet to join in. What does this mean? It means that all parties are wary of him and are afraid of his strength. Yuan Shao now wants to be crowned king. Isn't this an opportunity? Why not go with the flow and agree to his request? That way, Yuan Shao will attract more people's resentment and resistance, which may not be a bad thing for us."

Lü Bu's anxiety eased slightly after hearing Wang Yun's analysis. He rubbed his chin, carefully weighing the pros and cons. After a long moment of contemplation, Lü Bu raised his head, his eyes revealing a hint of determination. "Father-in-law, you're absolutely right. It seems this is the only way. However, Yuan Shao is ambitious, and I'm afraid there will be more trouble in the future."

Wang Yun patted Lu Bu on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry too much, my dear son-in-law. In this chaotic world, all forces are checking and balancing each other. After Yuan Shao is crowned king, he will inevitably become the target of public criticism. We just need to act according to the circumstances and unite with other forces that are dissatisfied with Yuan Shao, and we will be able to deal with him. The most urgent task is to deal with the current situation first and let Yuan Shao withdraw his troops to prevent the people of Xudu from suffering." Lu Bu nodded and agreed with him. He immediately discussed with Wang Yun the specific matters of how to reply to Yuan Shao and let the emperor crown him king.

During this turbulent period, Li Ru in Chang'an remained relentless. He was well aware of the complexities of the situation, and that Xiliang, despite its remote location, was vulnerable to isolation. Consequently, Li Ru meticulously planned a series of seemingly puzzling yet profoundly complex actions.

Li Ru first sought out Zhang Ren and ordered him to gather troops in the Hanzhong area, demonstrating readiness to attack Liu Zhang of Yizhou. Zhang Ren quickly mobilized his troops, setting up camp along the Hanzhong border. Military deployments were underway intensively, and for a time, war clouds gathered over the Hanzhong region.

At the same time, Li Ru secretly sent someone to contact Gongsun Zan, instructing him to launch an attack on Youzhou, emphasizing that the attack must be extremely large-scale. Even if no actual attack was launched, the appearance of such an attack must be created with extreme realism. Gongsun Zan was puzzled by the order, wondering what Li Ru's intentions were, but out of trust in Li Ru's wisdom, he followed through. His soldiers began to move frequently, their tents connected in a continuous line, their flags rustling, and from afar, it looked as if a major battle was imminent.

Everyone was baffled by Li Ru's arrangements and gathered around him, asking the reason. Li Ru's expression was solemn as he slowly explained, "Currently, the Central Plains is a land of warring princes, nearly utterly draining their brains. And yet, the King is far away on the grasslands, not in Xiliang. If we remain inactive and delay intervening in the struggle for supremacy, the crucial information that the King is not in Xiliang will sooner or later be revealed. Once these Central Plains princes notice, if they cease their internal fighting and instead unite to attack Chang'an, how can Chang'an resist with its current military strength and defenses? Therefore, we must give them the illusion that we in Xiliang are actively plotting and participating in this conflict. This will reassure the Central Plains princes, allowing them to continue focusing their attention on each other and ignore us."

After hearing Li Ru's explanation, everyone was deeply impressed and amazed at his wisdom. So, according to Li Ru's arrangements, the actions of both sides began to operate in an orderly manner. Zhang Ren's military deployment in Hanzhong was becoming increasingly sophisticated. He made meticulous preparations for various feints and attacks, and from time to time he would send small forces to harass the border of Yizhou, keeping Liu Zhang in a state of high tension. Gongsun Zan also made the momentum of the attack on Youzhou even greater. Every day, the drums beat and the shouts of killing shook the sky, causing panic among the people in the surrounding areas and successfully attracting the attention of various princes. Li Ru, on the other hand, stayed in Xiliang, closely monitoring the developments of all parties, ready to make further decisions based on the changes in the situation. An invisible game was quietly unfolding.

When Ju Su relayed the news from the front lines that the emperor and Lü Bu had reached a compromise and that the emperor was about to appoint Yuan Shao as King of Ji, the entire Yuan Shao camp felt like it had received a shot in the arm. Meanwhile, Tian Feng brought crucial intelligence—Ma Chao had launched a military operation against Yizhou in Hanzhong.

Upon hearing these two pieces of news, Yuan Shao's heart finally settled, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud. Tian Feng smiled slightly and teased, "My lord, are you overwhelmed by the joy of being crowned king?" Yuan Shao smiled and waved his hand, saying, "That's one reason, of course. Being crowned king is a great joy. But more importantly, two, I finally know what Ma Chao is up to. I'm not afraid of him making a move, but I'm afraid of not knowing what he's up to. Think about it, in just a year or two, we've conquered Qingzhou and Yanzhou. Even if Ma Chao takes Yizhou this time, our power will still be much greater."

Tian Feng nodded in agreement. Yuan Shao then waved his hand and said, "Go, spread the news that I will soon be crowned king. Let the entire army know this good news!"

Soon, news of Yuan Shao's impending enthronement spread throughout the camp, and the soldiers rushed to share the news, their joy overflowing with words. Inside and outside the tents, a scene of jubilation erupted. Soldiers toasted in celebration, as if they had already seen the day when Yuan Shao would dominate the world. The generals gathered together, enthusiastically discussing the grand blueprint for Yuan Shao's power after his enthronement, their words filled with longing and anticipation for the future.

Yuan Shao stood before his tent, watching the bustling scene, his heart awash with pride. He knew that his title of king was only a milestone in his quest for hegemony, and that many more challenges and opportunities awaited him. But at this moment, amidst this joyous atmosphere, he thoroughly savored this hard-earned honor. While he appeared unconcerned about Ma Chao's actions in Yizhou, he was secretly wary, constantly monitoring the situation, fearing that Ma Chao's power would grow and become a threat to him.

Lü Bu successfully obtained the imperial edict from the Emperor, conferring the title of King. Without delay, he immediately selected an eloquent and prestigious envoy and ordered him to carry the edict to Chenliu to hold a ceremony to confer Yuan Shao the title of King. Simultaneously, relevant personnel announced the news of Yuan Shao's impending enthronement to the entire nation, and this event, shocking the entire world, spread to all factions.

Upon learning that Lü Bu had sent envoys to perform the coronation ceremony, Yuan Shao was overjoyed. He felt that his years of hard work and conquest had finally received a symbolic recognition, and that his path to hegemony seemed to have taken another solid step forward. To celebrate this event, Yuan Shao immediately ordered a grand banquet at his Chenliu camp to reward his generals.

Inside the tent, lights blazed brightly, the air filled with the aroma of wine. The generals toasted Yuan Shao, their words filled with admiration and loyalty. Yuan Shao sat at the head of the table, his face flushed, accepting each congratulation and occasionally rising to return the toast. The scene was filled with a lively atmosphere.

However, in this joyful and peaceful atmosphere, a messenger hurriedly rushed in from outside the tent, walked straight to Yuan Shao, knelt on one knee, and breathlessly reported: "My lord, something terrible has happened! News has come from Jizhou: Gongsun Zan is attacking Youzhou!"

This sudden news, like a bolt from the blue, instantly shattered the joyful atmosphere of the banquet. Everyone's smiles froze, and they all turned their gazes to Yuan Shao, awaiting his instructions. Yuan Shao's expression darkened, and his raised glass paused in mid-air, slowly lowering it for a moment. His brow furrowed, lost in thought, he pondered Gongsun Zan's intentions. Was it simply territorial expansion, or was there someone behind this, or perhaps he had sensed something and was seeking to disrupt his plans?

Tian Feng, noticing Yuan Shao's solemn expression, was the first to break the silence, saying, "My Lord, Gongsun Zan's sudden attack on Youzhou is quite strange. We have just received the imperial edict conferring the title of king, and we are now excited. We must not lose our composure. The most urgent task is to ascertain Gongsun Zan's true intentions and troop deployments as soon as possible before making a decisive decision."

Yuan Shao nodded slightly, trying to calm himself. His former dignity was instantly restored, and he burst into laughter. "Gongsun Zan is merely a defeated general of mine, yet now he dares to invade the border of Youzhou. He truly doesn't know how to live or die! How could he know that we have achieved such success in the Central Plains and conquered such a vast territory? He is no more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot, an ant trying to shake a tree! Don't spoil the fun, everyone. Today is the day of my coronation, and we should celebrate with abandon. No need to be reserved, drink to your heart's content!"

The generals' nervousness eased a bit after hearing Yuan Shao's words, and they all responded by raising their glasses again. Laughter and cheers echoed throughout the tent once again.

The banquet, filled with clinking glasses and laughter, continued until the moon reached its zenith. The rich aroma of wine and the lively atmosphere permeated the tent. As the guests gradually dispersed, Yuan Shao's expression changed. He specially invited Tian Feng, Ju Su, Xu You, and Guo Tu—his resourceful counselors—along with Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Zhang He, and Gao Lan, the four pillars of Hebei—to the depths of the tent to discuss the pressing situation.

As soon as Yuan Shao entered the tent, the joy that had graced his face vanished instantly, replaced by a solemn expression. He frowned slightly, glanced around at the group, and spoke, "Everyone, I'm sure you've all noticed that Ma Chao and Gongsun Zan have been secretly colluding since their time in Bingzhou. This time, Gongsun Zan dared to openly launch an attack on Youzhou, and Ma Chao must have been secretly aiding him. Together, these two are a formidable force, and we must not underestimate them."