Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Time slipped quietly, and ten days flew by. After much deliberation, the emperor instructed the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to carefully select an auspicious date for enthroning Lu Wan as empress. Following the emperor's subtle hints, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory, after careful calculation, determined the two auspicious dates: the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month and the 6th day of the twelfth lunar month. Upon hearing this, the emperor felt a sense of relief and quickly informed Ma Chao of this momentous decision.

However, Ma Chao didn't particularly care. In his mind, as long as the emperor could enthrone Lu Wan as empress, he would have done something for Wan'er. This would bring some comfort to his heart, lessening his distress. In the face of absolute power, Ma Chao had no fear of the emperor's backstabbing. After all, the over 40,000 brave Xiliang cavalry outside the city were enough to exert immense pressure on the entire city of Chang'an, making those within dare not easily disobey his will.

In reality, considering Chang'an's current strength, the 40,000 Western Liang cavalrymen wouldn't truly threaten the emperor's safety, nor would they create such a profound sense of oppression. After all, Lü Bu, the Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei brothers in Bingzhou, along with Zhao Zilong, were too powerful a general or a force to be easily defeated by Ma Chao's 40,000-plus Western Liang cavalrymen. However, Ma Chao relied on the 300,000 cavalrymen of the northwest region. Ma Chao's sphere of influence was now far more than just Western Liang; the entire northwest region served as his solid backing.

Seeing that Ma Chao had no objections, the emperor was secretly delighted, believing his strategy had succeeded. Because Ma Chao was now beyond the emperor's control through sheer force. Ma Chao had already demonstrated such a formidable presence within the court, shocking the emperor. The various forces within the court were no longer sufficient to suppress Ma Chao, and it was only thanks to Ma Chao's deep friendship with Lu Zhi and Lu Wan that he was able to maintain some restraint.

The emperor deliberately postponed the enthronement date because the Lunar New Year was approaching. He had already, intentionally or unintentionally, passed on the news of Lu Wan's enthronement to Gongsun Zan through Consort Gongsun. Given Gongsun Zan's deep regard for the position of empress and the importance of being the most prominent relative of the imperial family, he would never let it go. Furthermore, Gongsun Zan was also Lu Zhi's apprentice. Let the senior and junior brothers fight each other; only in this way could the emperor skillfully balance the power of all parties in the court.

Upon receiving the news of Lu Wan's appointment as empress, Gongsun Zan was instantly enraged. He felt his rights had been severely violated, and his anger burned fiercely. Even though Lu Wan was Lu Zhi's daughter, Lu Zhi was already deceased. For years, Gongsun Zan had meticulously planned, eagerly hoping his daughter would ascend to the throne, become the mother of a nation, and bring his family's glory to its peak. However, this long-cherished wish had yet to be fulfilled, leaving him with a simmering anger. Now, to be beaten to the throne by a newcomer like Lu Wan, how could Gongsun Zan not be furious?

Upon receiving the news, Gongsun Zan immediately summoned his younger brothers, Gongsun Yue and Tian Yu, to discuss the matter. His expression was solemn, filled with anxiety and determination. He planned to have Gongsun Yue retain only 30,000 to 40,000 elite troops, as a precaution against any further trouble from Yuan Shao of Jizhou. After all, Yuan Shao was constantly eyeing the situation and could attack at any moment. He himself was preparing to lead 100,000 troops from Youzhou and march towards Chang'an. He was determined to disrupt this plan and fight for his daughter's accession to the throne. Even if the road ahead was difficult and dangerous, he would not back down.

Gongsun Yue said very cautiously: "Brother, let's not talk about our old relationship. Even if we lead the army to Chang'an in a hurry, it will basically be the end of the year. Not to mention whether Yuan Shao will start a war again during this period, it is not so easy to go to Chang'an City. The emperor has just accepted Lu Bu's surrender and has Lu Bu's service. Although Lu Bu's Bingzhou army helped us last time, they are not of the same kind as us, and Bingzhou is also strong in men and horses. Besides, Xuande is probably more inclined to the court and is not of the same mind as us. Also, why does the emperor insist on conferring Lu Wan now? This is what Ma Chao insisted on. Who is Ma Chao? Brother, have you really never considered it?" Gongsun Yue's words were full of worry. He knew that the risk of this trip was huge.

Gongsun Zan was a little embarrassed and annoyed at this time, and said angrily: "So what if it's Ma Chao? When I was leading troops outside, he guarded the border for the country and protected the country and the people. He is just a new junior brother of the master. Do you think I should be afraid of him now?" Gongsun Zan's eyes were burning with anger, and his self-esteem would not allow him to retreat.

Tian Yu hurriedly bowed and said, "My lord, this is a different time. Ma Chao is now dominating the northwest and has defeated the foreign tribes. His strength cannot be underestimated, and we must not take it lightly. If you want to go to Chang'an, you must plan carefully and not act rashly." Tian Yu's words were full of rationality and worry. He was well aware of the importance and danger of this operation.

Gongsun Zan still couldn't suppress the anger and anxiety in his heart, and shouted: "Plan? How can we plan? Now Ma Chao is using his powerful military force to threaten Your Majesty, forcing Your Majesty to make such concessions. If I don't go to support Your Majesty, won't Ma Chao be the only one who can abuse his power in the court. Dong Zhuo was born in Xiliang, and Ma Chao was appreciated by Dong Zhuo back then. Although he is my junior brother, I think he does have the potential of Dong Zhuo." Gongsun Zan's words were full of anger and worry. He was deeply dissatisfied with Ma Chao's behavior, and at the same time he was worried that the situation in the court would be controlled by Ma Chao.

Tian Yu felt somewhat helpless and said, "My lord, do you really think that His Majesty is so simple that he can be manipulated and controlled by us?" Tian Yu's words revealed his concern for Gongsun Zan. He knew very well that the emperor was not an easy person to control, and Gongsun Zan's actions might bring about unexpected consequences.

Gongsun Yue also said: "Brother, think carefully, what was our strength before? What major gains have we made in these years?" Gongsun Yue's words were full of questions. He hoped that Gongsun Zan could think calmly and not act blindly.

Gongsun Zan said unhappily: "What are you talking about? I was just a governor in the past, but now I am the governor of Youzhou, and I own the entire Youzhou. I have hundreds of thousands of soldiers under my command. Aren't these our achievements over the years?" Gongsun Zan was proud of his achievements. He believed that his hard work and dedication over the years had been rewarded.

Gongsun Yue was rebuked by Gongsun Zan, but he still tried to argue, "Brother, having said that, look at the princes in the world who fought against Dong Zhuo. Which one of them didn't have high official positions and generous salaries? Compared with them, are we really that outstanding? And think about it, what did the emperor have when he fought against Dong Zhuo? And what is the situation now? Think about it more. The emperor had no soldiers or generals before. He only had the identity of the emperor and relied on the unremitting support of my Youzhou army. But now, the emperor owns Chang'an and Jingzi, and has the three brothers Liu, Guan and Zhang under his command. Look at this battle of Youji. Zhao Zilong, this guy, has no attachment to Youzhou at all, and has basically been won over by the emperor. There are also Ma Chao of Xiliang and Lu Bu of Bingzhou, two of the world's top generals. What is my Youzhou in the eyes of the emperor now?" Gongsun Yue's words were full of concern for Gongsun Zan and analysis of the current situation. He hoped that Gongsun Zan could recognize his situation and not act blindly.

Gongsun Zan said unhappily: "The emperor is intelligent, benevolent and wise. It is with our support that he has created such a great situation." Gongsun Zan was full of respect for the emperor. He believed that the emperor was a wise and benevolent monarch, and his support was worthy.

Tian Yu also went on earnestly, "My lord, when the emperor only relied on us for support in the past, how did he treat us? What kind of promises did he make to you? How have you treated the emperor? Not only did we help him lay such a foundation, we also returned the capital to Chang'an, and for his career, we did not hesitate to turn against the Yuan brothers, and even left half of the troops when we fought against Dong Zhuo, so that he could revitalize Chang'an. Although there have been rewards over the years, most of them are empty positions. And at that time, there was talk of conferring the young lady as queen, but nothing happened. If not, if the status had been determined long ago, why bother asking you to go to so much trouble now?" Tian Yu's words were full of helplessness and worry. He hoped that Gongsun Zan could see the situation clearly and not act blindly.

Tian Yu's words did surprise Gongsun Zan. After reflecting on it, these were indeed the case. But Gongsun Zan was unwilling to give up this identity and this opportunity. If he did not fight for it, Lu Wan would take away the title of queen. If she gave birth to a prince, wouldn't it be too late to fight for it then? Gongsun Zan said: "Forget it, you are right. I will be careful in my heart. But I have made up my mind. I must fight for the position of queen this time. If I don't fight now, wouldn't it be too late to argue after the canonization? If the queen gives birth to a prince first, then all our plans for these years will be in vain?" Gongsun Zan's words were full of firmness and determination. He was unwilling to give up this opportunity, even if the road ahead was difficult.

Gongsun Xu and Tian Yu pleaded with him, but Gongsun Zan remained unmoved. He only retained 30,000 troops to defend against foreign invaders and Yuan Shao in Jizhou, and he led the rest of his troops to Chang'an. Gongsun Xu and Tian Yu were deeply frustrated by Gongsun Zan's decision. They knew Gongsun Zan's character; once he made a decision, it was difficult to change it. They could only pray that the operation would go smoothly and not lead to any major disaster.

How could such a large-scale march escape Yuan Shao's attention? Gongsun Zan was now undoubtedly Yuan Shao's most formidable rival. Upon learning the news gathered by his spies, Yuan Shao was momentarily unsure. He hurriedly summoned his advisors to consult on countermeasures. After all, Yuan Shao had just experienced the Battle of You-Ji that year, only to be caught off guard by the sudden intervention of the Bingzhou army. Not only had he gained no advantage, but he had also suffered heavy casualties and was left utterly devastated. Therefore, Yuan Shao hesitated to act rashly. He knew Gongsun Zan's strength was formidable, and he himself had just recovered from the battle. A rash move at this point would likely lead to another difficult situation, or even more serious consequences. Yuan Shao sat in the main seat, a solemn expression on his face, awaiting his advisors' advice, his heart filled with anxiety and uneasiness.