Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Gongsun Zan led his army and, in order to bypass Yuan Shao in Jizhou, had to take a detour through Bingzhou to reach Chang'an. As he traveled, looking at Bingzhou, a territory nominally under Lü Bu's command, Gongsun Zan couldn't help but sneer at Lü Bu.

Lü Bu, though incredibly brave on the battlefield, proved a far cry from his local governance. They set out from Daijun, passed through Yanmen, and continued along the Tu River. These territories, which should have been firmly under Lü Bu's control, were frequently infested with Xiongnu tribes. Gongsun Zan eliminated at least two or three Xiongnu raids in Bingzhou along the way.

During the march, Gongsun Zan struck up a conversation with one of his generals, Yan Gang. Gongsun Zan scoffed, "Though Lü Bu was a renowned figure in Bingzhou, he was nothing more than a reckless warrior, devoted only to fighting in battle. He was a far cry from governing a region. Back when Ding Yuan was in power, Bingzhou defended itself against foreign invaders, keeping the Xiongnu firmly within its borders. Now, all these years after Ding Yuan's death, look at what Lü Bu has done. He's actually allowed the Xiongnu to roam freely in Bingzhou."

Yan Gang echoed, "My lord, you are absolutely right. Lü Bu is brave, but he lacks understanding of domestic affairs. If this continues, Bingzhou will be in turmoil."

Gongsun Zan shook his head slightly, his contempt for Lü Bu growing even deeper. He knew full well that a general who only knew how to conquer but not how to govern would ultimately fail to achieve great things. He, Gongsun Zan, needed to be both valiant and invincible on the battlefield and effective in local governance. Gazing at the road ahead, he vowed to himself that once he had established himself in Chang'an, he would show the world his abilities. He would never be like Lü Bu, who only cared about military battles and ignored everything else.

Gongsun Zan continued, "When we go to Chang'an, we still have to make friends with Lu Bu. This guy only knows how to fight but not how to govern the place, so we should win him over. His Bingzhou is now deserted, so we can encourage him to fight with Yuan Shao. After they both suffer losses, we can first attack Bingzhou and take it for ourselves. By then, Youzhou and Bingzhou will be connected, forming a large-scale contact with Jizhou. With the convenience of horses from Youzhou and Bingzhou, we can attack Jizhou from anywhere. Let's see what Yuan Shao can use to resist then?" After that, Gongsun Zan felt a glimmer of longing in his heart.

Yan Gang followed Gongsun Zan's line of thought and also flattered Gongsun Zan: "My lord, you have a far-sighted vision. How can a warrior like Lu Bu understand that?" Yan Gang's words made Gongsun Zan feel very comfortable, and he couldn't help but reveal a smug smile at the corner of his mouth.

Yan Gang said with some hesitation and trepidation, "My lord, when you went to Chang'an, Mr. Tian Yu repeatedly warned you not to clash with Ma Chao of Xiliang. Although we are the ones going to confront Ma Chao, it's better to compete secretly."

Gongsun Zan snorted coldly: "Humph, this Ma Chao has become a big shot unexpectedly. We finally overthrew the old thief Dong Zhuo, but now the land of Xiliang has been occupied by this Ma Chao." Yan Gang's words gave Gongsun Zan a headache. Gongsun Zan gently stroked his forehead and said: "This Ma Chao is different from Lu Bu. Although Ma Chao suffered defeats in the battle, he beat the foreigners in the war with them. What's more terrifying is that Ma Teng is determined to give up power. There is no barrier between father and son. He only governs Xiliang. Xiliang and Bingzhou, even like our Youzhou, are border areas. But Bingzhou was governed so badly by Lu Bu, while Ma Chao was a different story in Xiliang. In terms of domestic affairs, the government is in order and the people are harmonious. The people live and work in peace and contentment, and they deeply support the Ma family. They treat foreign tribes with ruthless tactics and punish them harshly. Currently, the Eastern Qiang and Western Qiang, the foreign tribes surrounding Xiliang, are under the control of Ma Chao, and other foreign tribes dare not act rashly. The entire northwest is now under Ma'er's control. This is why I had no choice but to lead my troops, abandoning the defense of Youzhou, and come to Xiliang, to Chang'an to confront Ma. If Ma is not contained now, once he truly establishes a foothold in Chang'an, it will be too late for us to regret. The emperor has no military power, and if I don't support him, how can I possibly contend with Ma? Although this master has passed away, he has left behind such a junior brother, who is truly a headache for me."

Seeing Gongsun Zan say this, Yan Gang knew that Gongsun Zan would not underestimate Ma Chao easily. He said, "Then my lord, how should we deal with Ma Chao when we go to Chang'an?"

Gongsun Zan pondered for a moment, a faint smile playing on his lips. He said, "My junior brother is good in every way, but he's a little pedantic. He places too much emphasis on loyalty to the emperor and patriotism. Master has been brainwashing him, so even with Master gone, he won't do anything too outrageous. We won't openly clash with him, but we'll secretly compete with him. We'll just compete with him on the grounds of righteousness. After all, I'm his true senior brother. Now that Master is gone, he still has me as his senior brother, so he'll have to give me some respect."

Yan Gang said admiringly, "My lord, you have a plan in mind. You truly manage your troops on horseback and your people on foot. You are the only one among the princes who possesses such strategic thinking."

Gongsun Zan raised his chin slightly, his eyes gleaming with confidence and determination. He knew that in these turbulent times, only wisdom and courage could achieve great things. This trip to Chang'an would undoubtedly lead to a thrilling clash with Ma Chao. And he, Gongsun Zan, was confident he would prevail.

However, the situation in Chang'an was far more complex than he had imagined. Ma Chao's power in Xiliang was at its peak, and the emperor's position in Chang'an was not as weak as he had imagined. Furthermore, Lü Bu was also present in Chang'an. The intertwining forces created a complex situation. Whether Gongsun Zan could achieve his goals in this chaotic situation remained uncertain. Gongsun Zan continued to underestimate the emperor, Ma Chao, and even Liu Bei.

Meanwhile, Gongsun Zan's army continued its advance toward Chang'an, on the verge of entering Hedong. Across the land, the wind whipped up dust, a tense and uncertain atmosphere permeating the air. Just then, a messenger dispatched by Gongsun Xu hurriedly arrived. His face was covered in dust from the long journey, and despite the winter's chill, his clothes were drenched in sweat. He eagerly showed Gongsun Zan Gongsun Xu's letter. Gongsun Zan frowned slightly and slowly unfolded the letter. As his gaze scanned the contents, his face darkened as if water could drip from it, and anger surged within him like a surging tide.

General Yan Gang noticed something was amiss with Gongsun Zan, and he quickly approached to inquire what was going on. Gongsun Zan gritted his teeth, his voice filled with anger as he spoke, "I never imagined that even after carefully taking a detour through Bingzhou, we were still spotted by Yuan Shao. He dared to attack Fanyang County while we were away."

Yan Gang was horrified, his eyes filled with worry and panic. "Then, my lord, should we rush back to Youzhou to help? Although Chang'an is important, Youzhou is our base. Without Youzhou, we are like a tree without roots, a stream without a source."

Gongsun Zan frowned, lost in deep thought. A fierce internal struggle gripped him. On the one hand, Youzhou was indeed his birthplace, his foundation, where his people, his army, his glory lay. Yet, at this moment, a fierce gambler's mentality surged within him. He knew full well that this was a gamble that hinged on his future. If he chose to return to Youzhou, his plans in Chang'an would be shattered; if he continued on to Chang'an, Youzhou would face enormous risks.

Gongsun Zan remained silent for a long time before finally speaking slowly, "Don't worry. Gongsun Zan has already been defeated by my second brother and Mr. Tian Yu at Rongcheng. For the time being, Yuan Shao won't dare act rashly." His eyes revealed a hint of cunning and determination, as if calculating the odds of winning this gamble. He continued, "Although Yuan Shao has a deep pedigree, he has his concerns. We are allied with Bingzhou, both supporting the emperor. If he rashly attacks Youzhou, he will undoubtedly worry about a joint counterattack from us and Bingzhou. Furthermore, with over a hundred thousand troops stationed outside, how could he dare engage me with all his might?"

After hearing Gongsun Zan's analysis, Yan Gang felt a little more at ease, but he still had doubts. "My lord, should we still return to Chang'an to provide assistance? What did Mr. Tian Yu say?"

Gongsun Zan narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Mr. Tian Yu certainly believes that Youzhou should be prioritized and wants us to return to Youzhou for assistance. But he has also analyzed the current situation. Currently, Bingzhou and we are allies, jointly supporting the Emperor. However, Yuan Shao has long harbored ulterior motives and must fear that we will unite with Bingzhou against him. Therefore, we have a certain advantage if we head to Chang'an now. Moreover, Yuan Shao is not easily defeated. His family is powerful, and a head-on confrontation with him would be unpredictable. However, if Ma Er is not restrained and he gains a foothold in Chang'an, he will control the entire area west of Chang'an to the northwest. Then, we will have no say in the court. Then, what is the point of all my hard work in defeating Dong Zhuo and supporting the Emperor? How can I, Gongsun Zan, be content to be left behind?"

Gongsun Zan's heart burned with a fierce ambition. He longed to become the unrivaled ruler of the world, to control the entire situation. Chang'an was the key to realizing his ambition. He imagined himself in Chang'an, maneuvering with various factions, relying on his wisdom and courage to gradually ascend to the pinnacle of power, becoming the one who dominated the world. He imagined himself, clad in magnificent armor, standing atop a high city wall, overlooking the entire world, admired by the people and obeyed by his ministers.

Yan Gang thought for a moment and said, "Then should we allocate some of our forces to continue strengthening Youzhou's defenses?"

Gongsun Zan pondered for a moment, then decisively declared, "We must not divide our forces. We brought a hundred thousand soldiers with us to intimidate Ma Chao. How can we deter him if we divide our forces and send them back? Ma Chao alone has over forty thousand Western Liang cavalry stationed in Chang'an. We must put pressure on Ma Chao with our forces. My second brother and Mr. Tian Yu are both brave and resourceful men in Youzhou, and they will surely hold their ground. I have faith in their abilities; they will not let me down."

Gongsun Zan knew he was embarking on a risky path. Like a desperate gambler, he was placing all his chips on the battle for Chang'an. He knew he could lose everything if he failed, but he also firmly believed that only by taking this courageous step could he achieve his ambitions.

As the army continued its advance, Gongsun Zan's eyes revealed a resolute determination. He knew the gamble had begun, and he must give it his all, for his ambitions, for his own future, to carve out a niche in this turbulent world. He seemed to glimpse his future self, standing at the pinnacle of power, overlooking the entire world. However, the road ahead was filled with uncertainties, and only time would tell whether he would succeed.