Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Tian Feng was the first to break the silence. He stroked his beard and said solemnly, "My lord, our army now controls the vast territory of Youzhou, Jizhou, Qingzhou, and Yanzhou, and its power is unprecedentedly strong. However, the current situation is turbulent and the forces of all parties are complicated. We must not act rashly. In the Central Plains, Lü Bu, Cao Cao, Liu Biao, Liu Bei and other princes are constantly fighting, like a pot of boiling water, fighting endlessly. In my opinion, we might as well leave one or two elite divisions, keep them in place, and wait for them to fight each other. When they have mutually resolved, "When our forces are depleted and their vitality is severely damaged, our army can strike with lightning speed, reap the benefits and achieve twice the result with half the effort. However, we must pay close attention to the fact that the alliance between Gongsun Zan and Ma Chao is our army's greatest threat. Gongsun Zan once held great prestige in Youzhou and was deeply loved by the local people. Ma Chao is even more valiant and skilled in battle, and his Xiliang cavalry is feared. If we fail to pay sufficient attention, we could face disaster and a disaster in our own backyard. Therefore, in my opinion, our army's top priority should be to focus our full efforts on resisting the combined forces of Ma Chao and Gongsun Zan."

Guo Tu nodded slightly, then added, "My lord, Lord Tian is absolutely right. The Central Plains princes are already rife with conflicts and complex conflicts of interest. Letting them fight among themselves will distract their attention and prevent them from focusing on the development of our army. If Ma Chao and Gongsun Zan join forces, they will pose a formidable threat to our army. Right now, we must consolidate our defenses, actively gather our forces, and be fully prepared to deal with their combined forces. This is our top priority."

Xu You stroked his chin, his eyes flickering as he offered his own opinion: "My Lord, I believe that while we leave troops behind to observe the situation in the Central Plains, we can also send people to secretly contact other princes and stir up conflicts between them and Ma Chao and Gongsun Zan, further muddying the waters. This way, we can not only weaken their power but also create more opportunities for our army. As for countering the combined forces of Ma Chao and Gongsun Zan, we can also deploy scouts in Jizhou and other places to grasp their movements in advance, so that we can know both ourselves and the enemy."

Ju Su pondered for a moment and said, "While Lord Xu's words make sense, we must proceed with caution when secretly contacting the princes. Any carelessness could expose our military's intentions and cause further trouble. For now, we should prioritize consolidating our own defenses and amassing superior forces. At the same time, we can also divide and disintegrate Gongsun Zan's former subordinates in Youzhou, weakening their influence there and dismantling their alliance from within."

Yan Liang was a straightforward man. He shouted, "Who cares about Ma Chao or Gongsun Zan? I, Yan Liang, am willing to lead my troops and kill them all! Let them know how powerful the men of Jizhou are!"

Wen Chou also echoed: "That's right! I, Wen Chou, am willing to follow my lord and fight the coalition forces to the death. I will make sure they never return!"

Zhang He, on the other hand, was more composed. He said, "My lord, to fight against the coalition forces, we must have a comprehensive strategic plan. I believe we can take advantage of Jizhou's geographical advantages and set up an ambush, luring them deep into our territory, and then regrouping and annihilating them. At the same time, the remaining troops in the Central Plains must remain vigilant to prevent other princes from taking advantage of the chaos to launch a surprise attack."

Gao Lan nodded in agreement with Zhang He and added, "Not only that, we also need to strengthen our ties with the surrounding counties to ensure smooth logistical supply and be fully prepared for war."

Everyone was talking at once, the discussion was in full swing, and the atmosphere in the tent was extremely lively. Yuan Shao listened quietly, nodding slightly, and sometimes lost in thought. After everyone had finished speaking, Yuan Shao slowly said, "Everyone's words have their merits. After some discussion, I believe that we should adopt the strategy proposed by Tian Feng and Guo Tu. Generals Zhang He and Gao Lan will lead a group of elite troops to work with Tian Feng and Mr. Ju Su to strengthen the defenses in Chenliu and Taishan Commanderies. This place is a key point in the Central Plains and its strategic location is extremely important. We must hold it firmly. Keep a close eye on the movements of Lü Bu, Cao Cao, and others, and be prepared for defense in case of any emergency."

Yuan Shao looked at Zhang He and Gao Lan with a determined gaze, and solemnly stated, "Generals, the important task of defending Chenliu and Taishan Commanderies is now entrusted to you. Tian Feng and Ju Su are both resourceful and experienced. You must heed their advice and be vigilant in all matters." Zhang He and Gao Lan clasped their fists and responded in unison, "Rest assured, lord! We will fulfill our mission! We are prepared to defend our line to the death!"

After arranging the defenses on the southern front, Yuan Shao turned his gaze to Yan Liang and Wen Chou and said passionately, "Generals, follow me back to Jizhou immediately. Since Gongsun Zan and Ma Chao have dared to invade our border and challenge our military's authority, we must show them how powerful I, Yuan Shao, am and make them pay a heavy price for their reckless actions!" Yan Liang and Wen Chou, their spirits boiling with passion, shouted in unison, "We are willing to charge into battle for our lord, even to the death! We will defeat the coalition forces!"

Afterwards, Yuan Shao, accompanied by Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Xu You, Guo Tu, and others, rode at top speed towards Jizhou. Along the way, Yuan Shao constantly pondered strategies for dealing with the combined forces of Ma Chao and Gongsun Zan, fully aware that this battle was of grave importance and that a single misstep could jeopardize the entire situation. Meanwhile, Tian Feng, Ju Su, and others who remained in Chenliu and Taishan Commanderies quickly engaged in a rigorous and organized defense deployment.

Yuan Shao's sudden cessation of expansion after his ennoblement rekindled Cao Cao's ambitions. This change rekindled the ambitions of both Cao Cao and Lü Bu. Lü Bu was accelerating his campaign against Runan County, while Cao Cao was engaged in heated discussions within his tent.

Xun You was the first to break the silence. Frowning slightly, he spoke gravely, "My lord, we must not remain confined to Qiao County. The situation in Lu, Pei, and other regions is complex. These border Xuzhou, and Lü Bu's influence remains strong in Xuzhou, and he also controls Xudu. In my opinion, a battle with Lü Bu is inevitable."

Cheng Yu spoke next, his eyes gleaming as he analyzed, "My lord, our army is now adjacent to Xudu, and the situation is quite dire. Lü Bu is fully expanding his forces and launching an offensive against Runan County. If he succeeds, he'll be free to attack us from both sides, and Lu, Pei, and other territories will be difficult to defend. Therefore, I suggest temporarily abandoning the defense of Pei and Lu, and concentrating our forces on attacking Xuzhou and directly eliminating Lü Bu's base. Using Lu as a buffer zone, Lü Bu will surely not give up. If he seizes Lu and Pei, we will capture Xuzhou from him. That way, even if Lü Bu seizes Xudu, Lu, Pei, and Runan, we'll also have Xuzhou. Then, even if Lü Bu faces direct pressure from Yuan Shao, we'll have a buffer zone, preventing him from being attacked from both sides."

Cao Cao sat in the main seat, stroking his beard as he listened quietly to the two men's analysis, lost in thought. Guo Jia then spoke slowly, his expression calm and composed, "Everyone, what Cheng Yu said is indeed reasonable. If our army can successfully capture Xuzhou, even if we cede Pei County and Lu State to Lü Bu, it will allow Lü Bu to directly face Yuan Shao's might, thus relieving considerable pressure on our army. Furthermore, in my opinion, since our army has completely broken off relations with the Yuan family, and the previous battle between the two sides has severely damaged our army, and the current situation is chaotic, we no longer need to worry about the enclave of Shouchun County. We may as well act decisively to capture it."

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's frown relaxed slightly, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes. He knew that Shouchun County was strategically important and strategically located. If he could capture it, he could train his navy right there, greatly enhancing his military might.

However, Cao Cao suddenly seemed to recall something, his expression becoming serious again. He said, "Wait a minute. Xuzhou and Shouchun both border Sun Quan's Jiangdong empire. Sun Quan is no ordinary man, with a wealth of talented personnel under his command, and his power should not be underestimated. If our army rashly attacks Xuzhou and Shouchun, moving troops back and forth, how could Sun Quan sit idly by and allow us to succeed so easily?"

Guo Jia nodded slightly, as if he had anticipated Cao Cao's concerns. He remained calm and unhurried, saying, "My lord, I'm sure you've heard about the situation in Jiangdong. I've also been keeping an eye on Sun Quan's situation in Jiangdong. Sun Quan's rise to power wasn't entirely legitimate, and Zhou Yu, a veteran who had joined Sun Ce in the conquest of Jiangdong and a sworn brother of Sun Ce, has always had a rift with Sun Quan. We can exploit this as an opportunity."

Guo Jia paused, scanning the crowd, and continued, "My lord, we might as well send an envoy to Jiangdong. However, this trip isn't to meet with Sun Quan, but to persuade Zhou Yu to contain Sun Quan from within. As long as Zhou Yu takes action, Sun Quan will be too busy to take action against us. This way, our army can seize Xuzhou and Shouchun."

Cao Cao frowned slightly after hearing this, and said with difficulty, "Although Zhou Yu and Sun Quan are not on good terms, we haven't had much contact with him. Who should we send as an envoy to persuade Zhou Yu to come forward and restrain Sun Quan?"

Upon hearing this, Guo Jia's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile. He said, "My lord, Miss Ma and the eldest son have long been in love, and all that remains is the wedding. Our army and Ma Chao of Xiliang are also almost in-laws. You must be aware that Zhou Yu and Sun Ce were brothers, sworn brothers, and Ma Chao was the elder brother of both Zhou Yu and Sun Ce. Now that Sun Ce is gone, and Zhou Yu has made clear his feud with Sun Quan, Ma Chao must hold a significant influence in Zhou Yu's heart."

Guo Jia's tone grew more emphatic as he spoke. "Therefore, the important task of this mission to Jiangdong to persuade Zhou Yu must fall squarely on the shoulders of the eldest son and Miss Ma. With their status, and their connections to Ma Chao, they will undoubtedly be able to communicate smoothly with Zhou Yu and persuade him to intervene to contain Sun Quan. This will give our army a greater chance of capturing Xuzhou and Shouchun."

Cao Cao listened to Guo Jia's analysis, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes as he weighed the pros and cons of this strategy. He knew that if this were accomplished, it would be a significant opportunity for the development of his power, but it was also fraught with uncertainty. However, the current situation was urgent, and there seemed no better solution. After a long moment of deliberation, Cao Cao slowly raised his head, his gaze firm as he spoke, "Alright, let's follow Fengxiao's plan. This matter is of great importance. We must immediately arrange for Zixiu and Yunlu to prepare for the mission to Jiangdong. We must proceed with extreme caution and avoid any mistakes."