Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Inside Yuan Shang's residence, the candlelight flickered, casting shifting shadows on his face. Feng Ji stood respectfully to his side, his eyes constantly glancing at the Third Young Master who was about to ascend to the pinnacle of power.

"Father's illness... I'm afraid he won't make it through." Yuan Shang's voice carried a hint of barely suppressed excitement, but even more so, anxiety. He abruptly stood up and paced a few steps in the hall. "Once the news gets out, how can my eldest brother in Qingzhou and my second brother in Youzhou stand idly by? They will definitely seize the opportunity to cause trouble. What should we do?"

Feng Ji stepped forward, a fawning smile plastered on his face: "Young Master, do not worry. This is a golden opportunity, and we must seize this chance to conquer Hebei in one fell swoop!" He leaned closer and lowered his voice, "The most urgent task is to block news from Ye City and strictly investigate all messengers. We must not let the eldest and second young masters know the truth about our lord's critical illness. Every day we delay, we will have a better chance of winning."

A glint of light flashed in Yuan Shang's eyes: "Continue."

"Secondly," Feng Ji said, counting on his fingers with increasing certainty, "Immediately issue a secret order to Yan Liang and Wen Chou of Youzhou to cease fire immediately and lead their troops back to Ye City. These two generals are brave and skilled in battle, and their troops are all elite. With them, plus General Gao Lan's troops, it is enough to stabilize the situation in the capital region."

He paused, then continued, "As for General Zhang He, he has always been dutiful and impartial. As long as you, young master, can successfully take over Ye City and control the central government, he will certainly not go against the tide. The second young master, Yuan Xi, is cowardly by nature. Seeing Yan Liang and Wen Chou return with their troops, he will certainly not dare to act rashly. Only the eldest young master, Yuan Tan, may have disloyal intentions, but Qingzhou's troops and provisions are far inferior to those of Ye City. Even if he wanted to rebel, how could he be a match for you, young master?"

Yuan Shang nodded repeatedly, his previous anxiety gradually dissipating, replaced by a determined spirit. He slammed his hand on the table: "Good! We'll follow your plan, sir!"

Immediately, he issued a secret order:

— He ordered the city gate captains to strictly guard the four gates of Ye City, and to stop all messengers from entering or leaving without his personal written order;

— He dispatched trusted confidants on fast horses to Youzhou, ordering Yan Liang and Wen Chou to immediately cease hostilities and lead the main force back to Yecheng overnight, without making a sound along the way;

— He summoned Gao Lan to his residence, entrusted him with the responsibility of defending the capital, and promised him a high-ranking official position and generous salary.

A series of orders were issued from Yuan Shang's residence, like an invisible net, quietly tightening. Feng Ji stood aside, watching Yuan Shang's spirited appearance, a smug smile curling at the corner of his mouth. Assisting the new ruler in ascending the throne, he, as the strategist, would naturally rise in rank and become a founding hero of the new dynasty.

The night outside the hall grew ever darker, as if it would swallow the entire city of Ye. Yuan Shang walked to the window, gazing in the direction of the Prince's residence, his eyes gleaming with an air of unwavering determination. His father's terminal illness, for him, was a stepping stone to the pinnacle of power. He knew that the next few days would be crucial in determining the fate of Hebei, and he would not fail.

The city gates of Ye City suddenly tightened their defenses, and the checks on those coming and going became much stricter. Inside the mansions of powerful families, those with inside information had already sensed something unusual. Most of these families, who had managed to establish themselves in Ji Province, were opportunists. Seeing Yuan Shang's growing power, they had already secretly pledged their allegiance. Although they sensed the oppressive atmosphere, they all remained still and pretended not to know anything, so no chaos broke out in the city.

Only Ju Yi, upon receiving the transfer order at the mansion, slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly.

"Hand over the Vanguard Battalion? Assist Gao Lan in holding Ye City?" He gripped the military order, his brow furrowed. The Vanguard Battalion was an elite force he had personally trained. It was this very unit that had crushed Gongsun Zan's White Horse Cavalry in the Battle of Jieqiao, establishing his position in the Hebei army. Now, he was being asked to hand over the troops without any apparent reason; there must be something fishy going on.

"Go, prepare the horses! I need to see the lord!" Ju Yi said in a deep voice.

The guards went for a long time but returned empty-handed, looking troubled: "General, the palace gate guards said... the lord is seriously ill and will not see any officials."

Ju Yi's heart sank, and a chill crept up his spine. Without further hesitation, he ordered the vanguard to advance and headed straight for the Prince of Ji's residence. Upon arriving at the gate, he was indeed stopped by the guards, the leading captain being one of Gao Lan's subordinates.

"General Ju, please return. Our lord is not receiving guests." The captain bowed, but his tone was firm and unquestionable.

Ju Yi's eyes widened, and his sword clattered as it was drawn from its sheath: "If our lord is truly gravely ill, he needs a skilled physician! What are you plotting to block our way?" He swung his sword, cleaving through the array of spears blocking their path. "Brothers of the Vanguard Camp, follow me and charge in!"

The guards behind him were all battle-hardened elites. They charged and fought their way through the side gate and broke into the depths of the palace.

Inside the room, Yuan Shao lay on his sickbed, his face ashen and his breath faint. Seeing Ju Yi burst in, bloodied, a glimmer of clarity flashed in his cloudy eyes as he struggled to sit up: "Ju Yi...you've come..."

"My lord!" Ju Yi knelt before the bed and reported the unusual events and strange orders in the city. "Gao Lan closed the city gates and forcibly demanded my military power. Someone must be trying to take advantage of this to cause trouble!"

Yuan Shao trembled violently upon hearing this, and began to cough up a bloodcurdling cough: "Issue...Issue my order to summon all officials to the palace..."

After a while, the eunuch reported that the Prince's mansion was heavily guarded and had already been surrounded, so they could not get out at all.

"The government orders... can't leave this palace anymore..." The light in Yuan Shao's eyes gradually dimmed. He grasped Ju Yi's hand, his voice weak, "How many men in the Vanguard Camp... are still under your control?"

"A total of three thousand men are waiting for orders in the manor!"

"Defend...defend this palace..." Yuan Shao gasped for breath, "Send the secret letter out...to...to Tan'er, to Xi'er..."

With tears in his eyes, Ju Yi agreed and turned to arrange the defenses. But Yuan Shang had already laid a tight net, and the Prince's mansion was completely surrounded by Gao Lan's troops, so tightly that not even a bird could fly out. Ju Yi led his few personal guards to defend the mansion to the death, using arrows and rolling logs, but they were like turtles trapped in a jar, unable to escape.

Gao Lan stood atop the city wall, listening to the sounds of battle within, his brow furrowed. Yuan Shang had promised him the position of General of Chariots and Cavalry and bestowed upon him a thousand pieces of gold; he wasn't unmoved, but he also knew that Yuan Shao was on his last legs, and if he didn't submit to Yuan Shang now, he would surely face retribution later. He gripped the sword at his waist, but ultimately did not order a full-scale attack. Instead, he commanded, "Surround this place completely; do not allow anyone to enter or leave."

The candlelight in the inner room flickered, illuminating Yuan Shao's despairing face. He gazed at the patterns on the tent ceiling, recalling his triumphant spirit during the campaign against Dong Zhuo, and the prosperity of the four provinces of Hebei. In the end, he deeply regretted his past actions. But now, it was all too late.

In the military camp of Youzhou, Yan Liang, Wen Chou, and the supervising officer Shen Pei were all taken aback when they received the order to withdraw troops issued by Yuan Shang in the name of Yuan Shao. For two years, they had been locked in a stalemate with the Xiliang army on the border of Bingzhou, engaging in constant battles, large and small, yet making almost no progress except for wasting supplies. Now, with the sudden order to withdraw, although the reason was unknown, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. This seemingly endless tug-of-war finally had a way to end.

Wen Chou stroked the hilt of his sword, a hint of relief on his face. "We should have retreated long ago. Staying here has worn down the brothers' fighting spirit."

Yan Liang nodded, "Since we're here, let's make the best of it. Pack our things and we'll break camp tomorrow." They all knew that Yuan Shao was usually healthy, and although he occasionally felt tired, they never thought that their lord was on his last legs. They just took it as a routine strategic adjustment.

Although Shen Pei felt the matter was sudden, he didn't think much of it. It was normal for Yuan Shang to be stationed in Ye City and to pass on government orders. He only instructed his soldiers to be on guard along the way and not to let their guard down.

The army marched south and arrived at Ye City half a month later. The camp outside the city was already prepared, and the officials sent by Yuan Shang politely led the main force there to settle in, saying only, "Our lord, understanding the army's hardships after two years of fighting, has prepared a military camp for the army to rest outside the city." Yan Liang, Wen Chou, and Shen Pei, though suspicious, didn't think much of it and, with only a few dozen personal guards, followed the guide into the city.

As soon as they arrived at the city gate, they saw Yuan Shang, dressed in a brocade robe, standing on the city wall, followed by generals such as Gao Lan. He was all smiles and bowing, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, gentlemen. My father is seriously ill and unable to leave the city, so he specially ordered me to come and greet you."

"The lord is seriously ill?" Shen Pei's heart sank suddenly. Only then did he realize that something was wrong. The order to withdraw the troops did not mention anything about the lord's poor health. Why did this come out as soon as they arrived in Ye City?

Yan Liang and Wen Chou were also stunned. Just as they were about to ask for details, the city gate suddenly creaked shut, and a large number of armored soldiers poured out from the surrounding alleys, instantly surrounding their personal guards.

"Third Young Master, what is the meaning of this?" Yan Liang shouted angrily, his hand on his sword.

Yuan Shang stood on the city wall, his smile fading, but his tone remained gentle: "My father is seriously ill, and there is a risk of unforeseen events. I would like to invite the three of you into the city for a discussion. Once the situation has stabilized, I will allow you to return to your camp."

Shen Pei, being astute as he was, understood perfectly well. He stared at Gao Lan atop the city wall, then at the menacing soldiers around him, his face deathly pale: "You...you blocked the news, ordered us to return, all for..."

“Your Excellency is wise,” Yuan Shang interrupted him. “Hebei cannot be in chaos. My father’s legacy must be protected by someone.”

Yan Liang's eyes widened, his knuckles white as he gripped the hilt of his sword, while Wen Chou's hair and beard stood on end as he stood protectively in front of Shen Pei, glaring angrily at Yuan Shang on the city wall: "Third Prince! We have fought alongside our lord for many years, how can we obey your arbitrary orders! Where is our lord? We demand to see him!"

Yuan Shang narrowed his eyes, a cold smirk playing on his lips: "Father is seriously ill and resting quietly in the manor. How dare you all make a ruckus? Do you intend to disobey orders?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the surrounding ambush soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, the scraping sound of their armor plates piercing the air, and a murderous aura instantly filled the air. The guards behind Yan Liang and Wen Chou also drew their swords, and the two sides were on the verge of bloodshed at the first command.

"Young Master, please calm down." Feng Ji quietly emerged from the shadows and whispered in Yuan Shang's ear, "Yan Liang and Wen Chou are veteran generals of Hebei, and most of their soldiers are their former subordinates. There are hundreds of thousands of troops outside the camp. If we move against them here, it may cause a mutiny."

He paused, a calculating glint in his eyes: "Don't they want to see the lord? Perfect, there are still Ju Yi and his gang causing trouble in the Prince of Ji's residence. Why not invite these three in as well, and let them keep Ju Yi company?"

"Trapped them?" Yuan Shang raised an eyebrow.

“Exactly.” Feng Ji’s smile deepened. “We will only send heavy troops to guard the Prince’s residence and cut off its internal and external communications. After the Lord passes away, the young master will succeed to the throne as the legitimate heir, which will be perfectly legitimate. At that time, they will be isolated and helpless, and even if they are dissatisfied, they will not be able to cause any trouble. As for the army outside the camp, they will be leaderless. We only need to send a few trusted men to appease them and offer some benefits, and they will naturally submit to the young master.”

The ferocity in Yuan Shang's eyes gradually dissipated. He looked at Yan Liang and the other two men below the city, who were furious, and slowly nodded: "What you say is true, sir."