Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The farce finally ended. Despite the resentment and resentment within everyone, a temporary calm had returned. Yuan Shao, seemingly unimpressed by the emperor's presence, continued to dominate the crowd, organizing the discussion on what to do next. However, no one had a good plan for the time being.

Cao Cao, reflecting on the recent farce, seemed to grasp a clue in his mind. After a moment of contemplation, he addressed the other princes, "Master, I have a plan. Please take a look and see if it is feasible." Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao immediately looked up and said in surprise, "Meng De, what's your plan? Tell us quickly."

Cao Cao began to analyze the situation in detail, "Now that Wen Tai has suffered a defeat in Xingyang and this incident has occurred, we can fully exploit this opportunity. First, we will arrange for some soldiers to feign quarrels and fights within the camp to create even greater chaos. Meanwhile, we will have others spread the news outside that the internal strife within our alliance has spiraled out of control. Next, we will have Sun Jian lead some of his troops in a feigned, angry retreat, signaling their intention to break away from the alliance, and deliberately create a massive display. Then, we will secretly gather our elite forces and set up ambushes at suitable locations nearby. This way, Dong Zhuo will undoubtedly believe we are truly in turmoil. The garrison commanders at Hulao Pass, as well as Li Jue and Guo Si, will undoubtedly be reluctant to let Lü Bu take all the credit. They will most likely send troops out, attempting to seize this opportunity to gain military merit or profit. If they do, our pre-ambushed elite troops will immediately attack, catching them by surprise and decisively defeating the Western Liang army."

Yuan Shao thought this plan was feasible, as there was no better plan at the moment. He then turned to the generals for advice. None of the generals had any good ideas, so they all chimed in, agreeing unanimously.

Thus, a seemingly chaotic spectacle unfolded. Inside the camp, Yuan Shu's trusted associates and Sun Jian's subordinates feigned a heated argument, which escalated into a scuffle. Pots and pans were banged and clanged, and the entire camp was in turmoil. Outside, some assigned soldiers exaggerated rumors of an impending clash within the alliance, and the rumor spread like a whirlwind.

Sun Jian, with a furious look on his face, personally led a group of soldiers and horses, marching out of the camp in a rage, constantly cursing Yuan Shu and threatening to break off a complete break with him. His soldiers also joined in the commotion, shouting and yelling, raising dust and creating a spectacular scene.

The camps of the other lords also began to grow restless. Some joined in the commotion, while others ran about bewilderedly. The entire alliance army seemed to be in turmoil. Some tents were overturned, some supplies were thrown around, and the chaotic scene made it seem as if the alliance was on the verge of collapse.

Amidst this clamor and chaos, Yuan Shao and other key figures were methodically orchestrating the deployment of their ambush troops. Their elite troops quietly advanced to their designated location, waiting for Dong Zhuo's forces to take the bait. Upon hearing this news, Dong Zhuo's forces began to waver, and the atmosphere at Hulao Pass grew tense and delicate. A decisive battle was about to unfold.

At Hulao Pass, Li Jue, Guo Si and other close associates of Dong Zhuo were feeling anxious. A few days ago, Dong Zhuo had sent a messenger hurriedly to bring him a letter of reprimand.

In the letter, Dong Zhuo expressed his great dissatisfaction with their exclusion of Lü Bu and sternly ordered them to correct their behavior immediately. At the same time, Dong Zhuo also mentioned Xu Rong's brilliant victory over Sun Jian in Xingyang, contrasting it with their behavior and denouncing their inaction and infighting.

Li Jue, Guo Si, and other former subordinates passed the letter around, their faces grim. They knew Dong Zhuo's temper well, and even though it was merely a reprimand delivered by messenger, its power was undiminished. Thinking of Dong Zhuo's wrath and Xu Rong's military exploits, they felt a surge of anxiety, their earlier thoughts firmly suppressed. They knew clearly that everything they had now was a gift from Dong Zhuo, and they could not go against his wishes, or the consequences would be disastrous. Faced with this commanding message, they could only grit their teeth, secretly resolving to feign dedication and temporarily suppress their hidden agendas. However, their inner turmoil remained unsettled, as they worried about the future and their changing position in Dong Zhuo's heart.

At this moment, they observed from afar that there seemed to be some commotion in the coalition camp, so they hurriedly sent someone to investigate. Afterwards, the soldier reported that Sun Jian was furious because of his defeat in Xingyang and was causing chaos in the coalition camp, even engaging in a fierce fight with Yuan Shu. The coalition camp was now in chaos.

Li Jue, Guo Si, and other generals were secretly delighted after hearing this. They were just worrying about how to explain this to Prime Minister Dong, when they realized the coalition forces had already lost their composure. Li Jue said to Guo Si, "This is a godsend opportunity. If we can defeat the coalition forces, the Prime Minister will certainly forgive us for all the consequences." Zhang Ji also hurriedly said to Guo Si, "That's right, that's right. If we can seize this rare opportunity, our elite troops can seize this opportunity and fight their way out while they are in turmoil. We will surely succeed."

Guo Si, however, remained hesitant. After all, he was a cautious man, unsure if there was some conspiracy involved. Duan Wei stepped forward and said, "We can show goodwill to Lü Bu, apologize, and invite him to join us in the battle. We're not afraid of sharing the credit. As long as we demonstrate our harmonious coexistence and seize this opportunity for a great victory, Prime Minister Dong will definitely not hold us accountable." Guo Si considered this, as he had indeed received a letter from Prime Minister Dong mentioning Xu Rong's crushing defeat on Sun Jian, resulting in heavy losses for Sun Jian. Under such circumstances, civil unrest was not out of the question. So, he agreed and arranged for an envoy to contact Lü Bu.

Li Jue and Guo Si hurriedly dispatched trusted envoys to Lü Bu's location. When the messenger arrived, Lü Bu's face was extremely grim, so gloomy it seemed as if water could drip out. He was filled with resentment and helplessness. He was once a formidable general, yet he was trapped in such an embarrassing situation under the siege of the coalition forces. The coalition forces had been tightly blocking the entrance to his city, and even retreating to Hulao Pass was a luxury.

Lü Bu initially seemed extremely unhappy with Li Jue and Guo Si's proposal, remaining silent and sullen. He still harbored much resentment and resentment towards these people, having previously been grieving over their exclusion and schemes against him.

However, some within Lü Bu's army had also noticed the commotion in the coalition camp. Zhang Liao and Gao Shun exchanged a glance, then approached Lü Bu. Zhang Liao solemnly advised, "General, the situation is critical now. We must not act rashly. We must prioritize the greater good and obey Prime Minister Dong's orders. A war is imminent. If we lack internal unity, how can we face the enemy?" Gao Shun quickly added, "Yes, General, let's put aside personal grudges for now. Prime Minister Dong's cause is paramount. If we can seize this opportunity to achieve victory, perhaps everything will turn around. We cannot let personal emotions derail the Prime Minister's mission."

Lü Bu listened to their pleas, his face still gloomy, but his heart began to waver. He pondered for a long time, recalling Dong Zhuo's favor and respect for him, and considering his current difficult situation. Finally, he gritted his teeth, sighed deeply, and said, "Never mind, never mind. I'll do as you say." So, Lü Bu reluctantly agreed to join forces with Li Jue, Guo Si, and the others, hoping only to find a way out of this chaotic situation and quickly overcome his current difficulties.

The messenger galloped to Li Jue, Guo Si, and the others with the news of Lü Bu's agreement to dispatch troops. Upon hearing this news, everyone's faces lit up with joy, their eyes gleaming with excitement and anticipation. As if they saw the dawn of victory just around the corner, they eagerly sprang into action.

Li Jue, his face agitated, waved his hand, and shouted, "Quickly mobilize the army!" Guo Si's face was also filled with anxiety, and he quickly issued various orders. For a moment, the barracks was noisy, and the soldiers hurriedly prepared weapons and equipment.

As orders were issued one after another, the army quickly assembled. The heavy gate slowly rose with a dull sound, and the towering gate of Hulao Pass slowly opened.