Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Xun Yu was deeply influenced by Confucian orthodoxy and firmly upheld the principle of ruler-ruler, subject-subject. In his view, the emperor represented the orthodoxy of the Han Dynasty and the core of world order. Even if the emperor occasionally made mistakes, it was the ministers' responsibility to compensate and assist him, rather than harbor rebellious tendencies.

Ma Chao's actions of threatening the emperor severely challenged Xun Yu's belief in the orthodox order of the emperor's supremacy and the orderly relationship between the ruler and his subjects. Xun Yu considered this an act of treason, undermining the dignity and foundation of the Han Dynasty. This naturally struck him as extremely inappropriate, and it further strengthened his resolve to uphold the Han Dynasty's orthodoxy and support it through appropriate means.

Xun Yu watched Ma Chao's departing figure, a trace of guilt welling up in his heart. He knew that Ma Chao had always treated him well, that he was a generous and righteous man, and that his heart was entirely devoted to the Han Dynasty and the people of the world.

Whenever Xun Yu recalled Ma Chao's respect and support for him in Xiliang, he felt a sense of indignation at having to force Ma Chao to leave because of the food shortage. Furthermore, Xun Yu harbored deep discontent with the emperor's actions. He felt that the emperor's decision to allow everyone to demand food without considering the actual food shortage was unfair to his subjects. Furthermore, the emperor's previous actions had indeed hurt Ma Chao.

Ma Chao, despite his sincere loyalty, solely concerned for the stability of the Han Dynasty and the well-being of the people, was targeted by the Emperor, wronged for no reason, and forced to make concessions. Xun Yu sighed inwardly, regretting his own inability to change the situation. He could only silently hope that in the future he would have the opportunity to repay Ma Chao's kindness, so that Ma Chao's loyalty to the Han Dynasty and the people would not be damaged by these helpless events.

When Xun Yu saw that Ma Chao gave up asking for food so casually, the tension in his heart suddenly relaxed a little. He couldn't help but let out a long sigh, his face full of relief.

He quickly turned his gaze towards the still-arguing Lü Bu and Gongsun Zan, cleared his throat, and spoke in a high voice, "General Lü, General Gongsun, please be quiet for a moment and listen to what Xun Yu has to say. As you all saw just now, General Ma is fully aware of the court's current difficulties and the shortage of food and fodder. Although he himself has many needs for his own expedition, he has been able to sympathize with us and generously forgo our request for food and fodder. Such magnanimity and righteousness are truly admirable."

As Xun Yu spoke, he observed the changes in the two men's expressions. Gongsun Zan was already angry with Ma Chao because of some previous incidents. Seeing Ma Chao's attitude, he felt that if he continued to fight hard, he would appear petty and narrow-minded, and his face suddenly became a little embarrassed. He snorted softly and said in a muffled voice, "Hmph, forget it, you don't want the horse anymore, and I don't want to get entangled. But Xun Yu, I don't ask for much either. I just ask that you be fair and give me and General Lu some food and fodder. Don't be so partial and make us feel disappointed."

Lü Bu, listening from the sidelines, saw that Gongsun Zan had withdrawn from the "battlefield" for food and fodder. Without an opponent, he suddenly felt that this struggle had lost its meaning. Scratching his head, he said nonchalantly, "Well, since Gongsun Zan isn't taking it anymore, there's no point in me continuing. Well, Lord Xun, then, let's do as General Gongsun says. Just give us a share, and don't let us two brothers suffer too much." With that, he folded his arms across his chest and stood aside, silent.

Upon seeing this, Xun Yu was secretly glad and nodded repeatedly in response: "Don't worry, Generals. I will do my best to be fair and properly arrange the food and grass matters, and I will not let you down." Although he said this, he was still worried in his heart. How should the limited food and grass be distributed to truly satisfy everyone? However, at the moment, he could only stabilize these two people first.

At this moment, only Liu Bei stood before Xun Yu with a bitter expression on his face, his brow furrowed tightly as if a heavy burden weighed on his heart, unable to relax. The two men stood facing each other, both with solemn expressions. Faced with the current complex and thorny situation, they were completely unsure of how to make the decision, feeling as if they were in a vast fog, unable to find a direction forward.

Xun Yu, hands clasped behind his back, paced back and forth. Though his footsteps were light, they carried a hint of anxiety and helplessness. He gazed at Liu Bei, hesitant to speak for a long time before finally pausing. He took a deep breath and slowly spoke to Liu Bei, proposing, "Lord Xuande, this situation is truly daunting. Even if you and I rack our brains here, we're unlikely to find a perfect solution. In my opinion, why not go to the Emperor immediately and present all the disputes and difficulties to His Majesty? Perhaps we can find a solution from him." Liu Bei raised his head slightly, his eyes filled with fatigue and bewilderment. He sighed softly and nodded silently. There was truly no other way out in this situation. He and Xun Yu hurriedly adjusted their clothes and hurried towards the Emperor's location.

Upon meeting the emperor, Xun Yu bowed respectfully, then stood and detailed the disputes surrounding the distribution of grain and fodder, including the respective attitudes of Gongsun Zan, Lü Bu, and Ma Chao, as well as the conflicts between them and Liu Bei over the issue. The emperor sat quietly on the dragon throne, his face as calm as water, but his eyes held an elusive depth. After Xun Yu finished his report, the emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and then spoke slowly, "Hmph, why bother with such trivial matters? There's no need to worry about the attitudes of Gongsun Zan, Lu Bu, and Ma Chao. The most urgent task is to replenish the emperor's uncle's food and fodder. Then, we can use the threat of morality and justice to force those three to send troops. This will not only solve Liu Bei's urgent need, but also make those three obedient and serve the court. Isn't that a good thing?"

Upon hearing this, Xun Yu's heart skipped a beat. He felt a chill run through his spine, a chill rising from his feet to his chest. He pondered to himself that while the emperor's words might seem light and simple, as if they could instantly resolve the current food and fodder dispute, they were actually quite biased. This approach completely disregarded the feelings and opinions of Gongsun Zan, Lü Bu, and Ma Chao, simply forcing them to send troops with such harsh and somewhat unfair means. They would surely resent this. This could lead to future resentment and conflict, a poor strategy in this already precarious, complex situation. Xun Yu frowned slightly, sighing that the emperor's actions were ill-advised. He focused too much on seemingly clever manipulation of the situation, while neglecting the more crucial concerns of public opinion and overall stability. How could this truly be governing the empire and rallying its forces?

Liu Bei, standing beside him, also looked troubled. His already bitter face now shone with a deep sense of helplessness and embarrassment. He knew that while this move would temporarily relieve his army's shortage of food and fodder, it would also put him in an awkward position of opposition with the other three. How would he cope in the future amidst the turbulent warring warlords? Moreover, forcing others to send troops on the pretext of morality and justice was not an upright act. How could he, who always prided himself on his benevolence, accept such a move with a clear conscience? Liu Bei sighed inwardly, feeling that the emperor's actions were truly unrighteous and entirely lacked the demeanor and responsibility expected of royalty. At such a critical moment, he should have handled all matters fairly and impartially, leading everyone to support the Han Dynasty and stabilize the world. Yet, he acted in this way, a truly disappointing act.

Just like this, the emperor's words were like a heavy stone, weighing heavily on the hearts of Xun Yu and Liu Bei, making them both feel uneasy, full of worries about the current situation and many criticisms of the emperor's actions.

The emperor sat on his throne, oblivious to the turmoil in Xun Yu and Liu Bei's hearts, continuing to chat and laugh. He considered his previous remarks about forcing the princes to send troops through moral principles to be nothing more than insignificant matters, completely unaware that his words had stirred up a storm in Xun Yu and Liu Bei's hearts.

Xun Yu and Liu Bei exchanged glances, each seeing a sense of helplessness and discomfort in the other's eyes. The atmosphere in the court was strangely strange, and they felt uneasy, their presence growing increasingly uncomfortable. Without further ado, they hurriedly bowed to the emperor and departed. Their retreating figures revealed a sense of panic, as if they were eager to escape this place of turmoil and confusion.

After Xun Yu and Liu Bei hurriedly took their leave from the emperor, they walked out of the hall in silence. When they reached a more secluded place, they stopped and looked at each other with serious expressions. Then they started the following conversation.

Xun Yuxian sighed heavily, his face filled with resignation as he said, "Lord Xuande, what happened today is neither what we wished for. The Emperor's actions may seem to have easily resolved the food and fodder crisis, but they have also planted many hidden dangers. Alas."

Liu Bei frowned, shook his head slightly, and sighed, "Master Xun is absolutely right. This approach is truly biased. Using moral principles to pressure those generals to send troops—how can such tactics be justified? I, Liu Bei, have always upheld benevolence. Acting like this, I wonder how I will face General Gongsun and the others in the future. It truly makes me uneasy."

Xun Yu frowned and said with a look of worry, "Yes, Lord Xuande. Not to mention that Generals Gongsun, Lu, and Ma will undoubtedly be dissatisfied, and future rifts are inevitable. The situation in the world is already turbulent, and all forces must unite to have a chance of turning the tide. However, the emperor's actions will only exacerbate conflicts and will not benefit the stability of the Han Dynasty."

Liu Bei nodded gently, his eyes filled with worry. "Master Xun, I understand this very well. But what should we do now? While the issue of food and fodder has been temporarily resolved, I'm afraid that subsequent troubles will ensue."

Xun Yu paced back and forth, pondering for a moment before saying, "Lord Xuande, we can only take things one step at a time. You and I will arrange the food and fodder according to the emperor's wishes. As for those generals, we can only hope that they will consider the overall situation. The emperor should give them more advice on this. This is definitely not the behavior of a wise leader."

Liu Bei's face was bitter, and he smiled wryly, saying, "This is the only way. I hope today's events won't lead to further chaos in the world. We must pay close attention to the movements of all parties. If anything unexpected happens, we can respond quickly. The emperor is intelligent, but he enjoys manipulating people. We can't let him continue like this, or something bad will happen sooner or later."

Xun Yu stopped and looked at Liu Bei. He said solemnly, "Lord Xuande is right. The responsibility we shoulder is not light. We must not take it lightly."

After saying that, the two of them sighed again, and then each of them left slowly with a heart full of worry and helplessness. Their backs seemed even heavier under the light and shadow of this chaotic world.