Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The atmosphere in the court grew increasingly tense. Emperor Liu Bian, weary of the endless haggling with Ma Chao, frowned slightly, his expression slightly serious. He finally spoke slowly, "I truly don't understand much about military matters. Moreover, I've always been reluctant to interfere too much in the decisions made by generals on the battlefield. However, Marquis Wei, regarding the enthronement of Empress, I have already granted your wish and appointed Concubine Lu as empress." At this point, the emperor paused, his gaze shone with a hint of meaning. He continued, "But I have a few extremely troublesome matters at the moment. They're truly upsetting me, and I can't sleep or eat. I need your help in resolving my worries and difficulties."

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao's heart skipped a beat. He knew the emperor was finally showing his true colors. Back then, he had coerced the emperor into appointing Lu Wan as empress, a risky move that had put him in a very passive position. Now, it was difficult for him to refuse the emperor's request. After all, he was already at a moral disadvantage, having committed such a heinous act as threatening the emperor. How could he easily get away with it? As long as he wasn't dead set on rebellion, he would have to make some concessions in the court.

Ma Chao's mind raced as he hurried forward, bowed respectfully, and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, please do not worry. Please tell me what is troubling you so much. I will do my best to share your worries."

Upon hearing Ma Chao's statement, the emperor's expression eased slightly. He nodded slightly and said, "My dear minister, your words have relieved some of my anxiety. My dear minister, please listen to me in detail. The world is in chaos now, with the princes fighting for power. Many of them are secretly disloyal to the court. Yuan Shu of Huainan and Yuan Shao of Jizhou are particularly prominent. These two, relying on their prestigious status as three-generation officials, have always disregarded the court."

At this point, the emperor couldn't help but sigh softly, his face filled with worry. He continued, "Recently, a member of the imperial clan, Liu Yao, sent me news that Yuan Shu is entrenched in Huainan and constantly eyeing Yangzhou. His ambitions are obvious, and this is truly a grave concern for me. If we don't deal with this man, how can the Han Dynasty truly be stable and peaceful? Moreover, Liu Yao is a relative of the Han royal family, and Yuan Shu has disregarded their kinship and privately attacked him. This behavior is clearly the utmost disrespect to the imperial court."

The emperor paused briefly, his face flushing faintly as he spoke, his voice growing increasingly angry. He continued, "And then there's Yuan Shao of Jizhou, who is even more audacious. He actually coerced Jizhou Governor Han Fu into handing over the throne to him, thus stealing this vast power. It's truly despicable. Furthermore, he even launched an attack on Youzhou, clearly demonstrating his ruthless ambition. Because of these two men's disrespectful behavior, the princes of Guanzhong have all become alienated from the court. These two are truly the court's greatest headaches and most troublesome individuals right now..."

In the court, Ma Chao bowed with increasing respect and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, if you have any instructions, I will obey them respectfully. Please also clearly state the specific arrangements, so that I can act accordingly and will not slack off in the slightest."

Seeing this, the emperor couldn't help but clap his hands and chuckle, his face radiating with satisfaction. He praised, "Your Excellency, you have such a public-spirited spirit to share the nation's worries. This is truly a blessing for the Han Dynasty. I am extremely delighted." After this, the emperor seemed to consider his words for a moment before slowly speaking, "Look at this, Marquis Wei. Yuan Shu of Huainan, relying on his large army and numerous generals, is wantonly threatening Yangzhou. His actions are truly outrageous. I am considering entrusting you with the task of rescuing Liu Yao, the governor of Yangzhou, from this dire situation and attacking Yuan Shu. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao groaned inwardly, but he didn't dare to refuse outright. He pondered for a moment before cautiously responding, "Your Majesty, Yuan Shu of Huainan does indeed have a large army and commanding generals. Moreover, he made significant contributions during the campaign against Dong Zhuo, and many of his men are skilled warriors. I'm afraid I alone wouldn't be able to defeat him. I wonder if Your Majesty could arrange for other troops to accompany us so we can coordinate and increase our chances of victory."

Upon hearing Ma Chao's words, the emperor's face suddenly turned sorrowful. He said helplessly, "My dear minister, I am well aware of Yuan Shu's immense power. However, the current situation is truly complicated. Yuan Shao of Jizhou is still eyeing Youzhou, and I need to dispatch troops to deal with him. Moreover, the Western Liang army you lead is well-known for its formidable military might and prestige. You alone can easily defeat Yuan Shu."

Ma Chao was unwilling to do so, but he couldn't directly contradict the emperor. He continued, "Your Majesty, please elaborate on your overall plan for the campaign against Yuan Shu so that I can better understand it and make a more comprehensive plan." Seeing Ma Chao's insistence, the emperor nodded and said, "Very well."

After saying this, the emperor's expression straightened and he shouted loudly: "Marquis of Ji Gongsun Zan, and Emperor's uncle Liu Bei." As soon as the words fell, Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei hurriedly responded in unison, stepped out steadily, and stood in the court.

Liu Bian glanced at the two men before slowly speaking, "Yuan Shao of Jizhou is truly an arrogant man. He invaded Youzhou just recently, but thanks to the strenuous resistance of our beloved minister, Gongsun Zan, we were able to repel Yuan Shao's attack. But now, Yuan Shao shows no regard for the nation's difficult times, nor for the court's generosity and leniency towards him. He still shows no respect for the court, and his wicked ambitions are clear as day. Therefore, in our upcoming strategic planning, Yuan Shao must be attacked. We must not allow him to continue his reckless behavior. Marquis of Ji, Gongsun Zan, you command the Youzhou troops and face the threat posed by Yuan Shao directly. You must remain vigilant at all times. And, my uncle, Liu Bei, you will assist the Marquis of Ji in resisting Yuan Shao. We must not let our guard down."

After arranging the affairs between Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei, the emperor cast his gaze towards another part of the court, his eyes like lightning, and asked loudly, "Where is Marquis Wen?"

Lu Bu had been waiting quietly on the side. When he heard the emperor call his name, he hurriedly took a big step forward, his posture as straight as a pine tree, and responded with full energy. He clasped his hands together and saluted respectfully, then stood there with his head held high and chest puffed out, waiting for the emperor's further instructions.

The emperor looked at Lü Bu, his expression still serious, but his eyes were filled with expectation. He slowly spoke, "Marquis Wen, your Bingzhou troops have always been capable and skilled in battle, and their reputation is far-reaching. In the previous confrontation with Yuan Shao, they formed a pincer attack against Yuan Shao together with Ji Hou Gongsun Zan, working in perfect harmony on the battlefield and achieving great military success. Now, after a period of development, Yuan Shao's power has become increasingly powerful, and he commands a large number of soldiers and generals. His strength cannot be underestimated. I'm afraid that Ji Hou Gongsun Zan alone cannot handle him. Therefore, this time, in order to suppress Yuan Shao, you, Wen Hou, must also respond with troops and cooperate in the battle. Only in this way can we increase our chances of victory and completely defeat the traitor Yuan Shao in one fell swoop. You should have no problem with this, Wen Hou?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Bu hurriedly clasped his fists and saluted again, saying with a determined look on his face: "Your Majesty, don't worry. Serving Your Majesty is my duty and there is nothing I can't do. I will lead the Bingzhou troops, go all out, obey Your Majesty's orders, and join you in defeating the traitor Yuan Shao! I will fight bravely on the battlefield and live up to Your Majesty's expectations!" His words were loud and clear, demonstrating his determination and courage.

In the court, after the emperor had given his instructions for the campaign against Yuan Shao in Jizhou, he turned his gaze to Ma Chao and asked calmly, "Marquis Wei, do you think this arrangement is appropriate?"

Ma Chao felt helpless, thinking to himself: The territories these men command border Jizhou, and they've collaborated before, even fighting off Yuan Shao together. This arrangement now simply invites them to repeat their old tactics, joining forces once again, perhaps even shifting from passive defense to active attack. Yet, now it was his turn to lead the Western Liang army against Yuan Shu of Huainan. This clearly meant a long journey deep into Yuan Shu's territory, and the Western Liang army would have to shoulder the sole responsibility of conducting the battle. The difficulties and risks involved were truly considerable, and he felt truly overwhelmed.

But despite his reluctance, Ma Chao did not dare to openly disobey the emperor's order. He could only bow respectfully, force a smile, and say, "Your Majesty is wise and wise. This arrangement is of course very appropriate. I will certainly obey your order."

The emperor, upon hearing Ma Chao's words, showed satisfaction and nodded slightly. "Well, in that case, I will appoint you, Marquis Wei, as the General of the Southern Expedition. From now on, you will single-handedly shoulder the heavy responsibility of opposing Yuan Shu in Huainan. You must give your all, share my worries, and achieve outstanding military exploits for the stability of the Han Dynasty."

Afterwards, the emperor seemed to remember something and continued, "As for the post of the Guardsman on Marquis Wei, let General Zhao Yun be responsible for it." As he spoke, the emperor's eyes swept over everyone in the court, as if trying to gauge their reactions.

When everyone heard the emperor's words, they all bowed in unison, with respectful expressions and said in unison: "Your Majesty is wise." The voice echoed in the hall, sounding quite loud and powerful.

The emperor's face was filled with satisfaction upon seeing this. He slowly swept his gaze over the people in the hall, then nodded slightly and said, "Well. Now that the strategy for conquering the various princes has been finalized, I will no longer inquire about the specific details of the march and battle, the date of the expedition, and so on. These complicated and trivial matters can be left to the care of you all. You are all my loyal ministers, and I believe that you will arrange everything properly and live up to my expectations."

After saying this, the emperor turned his gaze to Xun Yu again, his expression becoming more serious. He shouted loudly, "Where is Lord Xun?" Xun Yu hurriedly stepped out and bowed respectfully. The emperor looked at Xun Yu and said solemnly, "Lord, you are aware that when it comes to marching and fighting, food and supplies are of paramount importance. As the saying goes, 'before the troops move, food and supplies must go first'. This is related to whether the army can successfully march and whether the battle can last. There is no room for carelessness. Therefore, Lord, you must carefully arrange the food and supplies. You must not let the army be distracted by these food and supplies while they are away. Otherwise, the consequences will be disastrous."

Xun Yu, resigned to the emperor's words, bowed once more, acknowledging his agreement. Returning to his position, he pondered, "Where is the ready-made food and supplies for me to deploy?" When has Chang'an ever properly provided these troops with food and supplies? While nominally state troops, aren't they each leading their own troops and procuring their own food and supplies? And yet the emperor is speaking so eloquently now, what will I do if he actually asks for them? This is truly a thorny question.