Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Finally, when there were only three of them left in the tent, Sun Ce could no longer suppress his curiosity and confusion, and blurted out impatiently: "Brother, what is going on? This is completely different from what we discussed at the time. The enthusiasm of the Shanyue people towards us is really beyond our imagination!" Ma Chao looked at the anxious Sun Ce, feeling confused and didn't know where to start.

At this point, Lu Su took over and recounted the story in an orderly manner: "When we first arrived in Shanyue, they presented us with numerous challenges, including archery, martial arts competitions, and battles of wits. Fortunately, our generals were highly skilled in martial arts and possessed extraordinary wisdom, which earned them their respect. We thought the peace talks would go smoothly, but who could have predicted that General Ma Chao and his personal guards would fall for the Shanyue's honey trap?"

Sun Ce was stunned, feeling the drama unfold like a roller coaster ride. He looked at Ma Chao, his lips curling up in a smile. Ma Chao, embarrassed by what he said, smiled wryly and explained, "Hey, who could have imagined that after the Shanyue people had already agreed to peace talks, something like this would happen? It really caught us off guard."

Sun Ce couldn't help but burst out laughing. He said, "Hey, brother, this might not be a bad thing. After all, words alone are not enough. With this relationship, you can gain a firmer footing here, and even become the host, feeling as comfortable as if you were at home. This is really eye-opening for me, and I'm secretly amazed." Ma Chao and Lu Su were stunned at first, but then they were also infected by Sun Ce's optimism and laughed along. The atmosphere in the tent instantly became relaxed and cheerful.

The candlelight flickered in the tent. Sun Ce's eyes were bright and he said to Ma Chao with great enthusiasm: "Brother, now that Shanyue has reached a cooperation with us, it means that God is helping us! Let's pretend to be at war with Shanyue, and ask Xu Gong or Wang Lang for reinforcements to paralyze them. Then secretly send an elite force to launch a surprise attack on them. In my opinion, the pacification of Wujun is just around the corner!" After Sun Ce thought about it, he quickly outlined a general strategy to deal with the current situation, and his words were full of confidence and courage.

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao frowned slightly and spoke slowly, "That being said, I'm afraid things aren't that simple." At this point, Lu Su, who had been lost in thought, took over the conversation, "In fact, during the battle, we can create the illusion of a fierce battle. Both sides can pretend to cooperate, feigning defeat, to lure Xu Gong and Wang Lang into sending reinforcements. When the reinforcements arrive and are at a disadvantage, you, Bofu, pretend to be unable to withstand the Shanyue attack, creating the illusion that the Shanyue are about to occupy Wujun. This will surely induce them to send more troops. And while the Shanyue are pressing forward, you, Bofu, will lead the army and attack Xu Gong or Wang Lang from behind. If this plan succeeds, great things can be achieved!"

Sun Ce's eyes suddenly lit up, his excitement evident. He couldn't help but burst into laughter, saying, "Great, great, Zijing, this strategy is indeed more ingenious!" Ma Chao looked at the two excited men and nodded with a smile. Then he changed the subject and said, "The strategic direction is indeed fine, but I think there are still some shortcomings." Lu Su and Sun Ce looked at Ma Chao with confusion. Sun Ce asked, "Brother, do you have a better idea?"

Ma Chao's expression was solemn, his gaze penetrating as he spoke slowly, "As officials appointed by the imperial court, we have completed our campaign against Wu Commandery. Even though the rulers have changed, the local aristocratic families remain deeply entrenched. For the common people, this is merely a change of rulers. If this continues, the Shanyue people will continue to be ostracized and oppressed by these aristocratic families, making it difficult for them to gain a firm foothold in this land."

Ma Chao's expression was solemn. His gaze swept over Sun Ce and Lu Su's faces in turn, and he spoke slowly, "If we openly attack the aristocratic families, it would be tantamount to declaring war on all the aristocratic families in the world. Those aristocratic families have deep roots throughout the Han Dynasty, and their disciples and former officials are spread throughout the government and the country. If they jointly counterattack, we will be doomed and ostracized by all forces."

"But if we change our thinking and let the Shanyue occupy Wujun, the situation would be very different. The Shanyue have long been oppressed by the aristocratic families, and their hatred is deeply buried. For them, revenge on the aristocratic families and annihilation of these oppressors is a natural thing to do, without any psychological burden."

"Once the Shanyue take action, I will, as an official of the imperial court, legitimately launch a campaign against them. During this process, the Shanyue will undoubtedly fight the aristocratic families with all their might, and both sides will inevitably suffer losses. This is the perfect time for us to intervene."

"Bofu, you will lead the troops to defeat the Shanyue. But remember, you must not exterminate them all. You must give them space to survive. Although they are barbarians, they are also Han people. They need a safe place to recuperate. If you do this, the Shanyue will be grateful to you and regard you as their adopted parent."

"On the other hand, the aristocratic families have been severely weakened after being wiped out by the Shanyue. If you take over Wu County, you will be able to completely eliminate these stubborn forces that have long been entrenched here. The people of Wu County will also wholeheartedly support you because you have ended years of conflict and brought peace and prosperity. Only then can the entire Wu County be truly under our control, and future development will be on the right track."

Ma Chao's words caused a brief silence in the tent. Sun Ce and Lu Su were thoughtful, savoring the deep meaning of Ma Chao's words.

After a moment, Lu Su was the first to break the silence, a glint of admiration in his eyes. "Brother, this plan is truly far-sighted. The Shanyue and the aristocratic families have long harbored grievances. If they were to take action, they would indeed have a legitimate reason and no psychological burden. We can exploit this situation to achieve multiple goals."

Sun Ce nodded slightly, a hint of worry on his face. "This plan is brilliant, but what if the Shanyue people slaughter innocent people while they occupy Wujun?"

Ma Chao looked at Sun Ce with a determined gaze and said, "This requires us to communicate with the Shanyue in advance. Shamoke and I have a close friendship. He is a man of integrity and will definitely restrain his people. Moreover, we can secretly dispatch personnel to closely monitor the Shanyue's every move and intervene promptly if we discover any extreme behavior."

Lu Su then added, "After the Shanyue have eliminated the aristocratic families, you, Bofu, will lead your troops to defeat the Shanyue and then grant them a stable land where they can live and work in peace. This way, the Shanyue people will be grateful to you, and the people of Wujun will also sincerely submit to you because you have ended their disputes and brought peace. And after those aristocratic families are eliminated, Wujun will truly be ours."

Sun Ce's frown gradually relaxed, and a confident smile reappeared on his face. "Alright! I'll do as you say, big brother. This matter requires further deliberation. We need to discuss the specific details with Shamoke and other Shanyue leaders as soon as possible to ensure that everything goes smoothly."

Ma Chao patted Sun Ce on the shoulder and said, "My dear brother, this matter is of grave importance. We must not act hastily. We must not only consider the current war situation, but also the long-term stability of Wujun."

Afterwards, the three of them conducted a detailed discussion on every aspect of the plan, from troop deployment to time nodes, from how to communicate and coordinate with the Shanyue people to how to deal with possible emergencies, considering every detail one by one.

After the important matters were discussed, Sun Ce seemed impatient and said to Ma Chao anxiously, "Brother, since we've almost reached an agreement, it can be finalized with just one word from you. Why delay any longer? The sooner we capture Wujun, the sooner we can move on to the next plan." Ma Chao listened, a hint of resignation on his face. He sighed and said, "Hey, you think I don't want to? If it weren't for this relationship with Sally in Shanyue, things would have gone awry. According to the original strategic plan, we could have launched the action immediately after the discussion."

At this time, Lu Su spoke slowly from the side, "Actually, that's not the case. If it weren't for the connection between my lord and Sally, the Shanyue people would never have so easily accepted us as their own. Moreover, if you, Bofu, hadn't come here, how could the Shanyue people be so confident in cooperating with us? They would surely think that if you suddenly attacked them after occupying Wujun, wouldn't their efforts have been in vain, and they would end up with an enemy as powerful as you. Then, they would be in big trouble."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce curled his lips and muttered, "Hey, these people really think a lot." Ma Chao's expression grew serious upon hearing this. He said, "Let's not forget that the Shanyue people have long suffered from the imperial court's heavy taxes and oppression. Therefore, it's only natural that they lack trust in the court. Fortunately, Shamoke is a courageous and righteous man, and he has a strong sense of justice. This is what has led to the current situation. If it were anyone else, I'm afraid the Shanyue problem would not be resolved in the short term."

"However, we must proceed with extreme caution in this operation. While eliminating the influence of the aristocratic families, we must also plan a stable future for the Shanyue. Bofu, you must adopt a more gentle and conciliatory strategy when dealing with them in the future. You must not get angry and make the Shanyue feel unfair and unbalanced. Treating the Shanyue is a long-term strategy that concerns the future stability and prosperity of Wujun."

Sun Ce nodded thoughtfully, the anxious look on his face gradually faded, replaced by calmness and determination, and said: "Don't worry, brother, I've got it in mind. I will weigh the pros and cons of this operation and properly handle the relationship with the Shanyue." Ma Chao looked at Sun Ce, smiled with relief, and patted him on the shoulder. The atmosphere in the tent became solemn and full of hope at this moment.

Sun Ce's face was filled with enthusiasm, his eyes gleaming with eagerness. He declared decisively, "If so, tomorrow I will discuss this matter with the Shanyue leaders. I will speak earnestly and thoroughly analyze the pros and cons. We will finalize all aspects of the cooperation as soon as possible, and I will not let them have any concerns."

Lu Su nodded slightly, his eyes full of deep thought, and then added, "But after discussion, my lord, I'm afraid we'll have to hold a grand wedding for you and your guards first. Think about it, the Shanyue people attach great importance to this marriage. If we don't hold the wedding, they will feel uneasy and may not fully support our plan."

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao couldn't help but hold his forehead, feeling a headache. He smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying helplessly, "These Shanyue people are good in every way—brave, righteous, and loyal—but there's one thing about them: once they make up their minds, they won't look back."