Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Soon, Wang Jie followed the eunuch to the emperor's study. The room was quiet and solemn. The emperor stood by the window with his back to the door, seemingly gazing at the scenery outside. Wang Jie gathered his thoughts, then tiptoed forward, bowed respectfully, and said, "Your Majesty, I, Wang Jie, have been summoned. What are your instructions?"

The emperor slowly turned around and looked at Wang Jie with a deep gaze. His face was expressionless, but his eyes revealed a sense of trust and expectation. He raised his hand slightly, motioning Wang Jie to stand, and then said, "Wang Jie, just now in the court, I know you have many doubts in your heart. It's not just you, I feel something is wrong."

Wang Jie felt a warm feeling in his heart. He had never expected the emperor to care so much about his thoughts. He quickly bowed again and said, "Your Majesty is wise. I do have many questions in my mind. I hope Your Majesty can help me clear them up."

The emperor nodded slightly, walked to the desk, sat down, and motioned Wang Jie to sit down as well. Then he slowly spoke, "Wang Jie, I too have doubts. Zhang Hong's words are full of loopholes and untrue. But just now in the court, I saw him wink at me, and there seemed to be something hidden in his eyes. It seems this matter is not simple, and he must have something he is not comfortable speaking about in front of everyone in the court. So I summoned you here. When Zhang Hong arrives, we will interrogate him together to find out what is going on with Sun Ce of Jiangdong."

Wang Jie suddenly realized what had happened, secretly regretting his impulsiveness in court, having failed to notice Zhang Hong's subtle gesture. He quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise and thoughtful, and I hadn't noticed such a detail. It seems the situation in Jiangdong is indeed complex, and Sun Ce's influence in Jiangdong is growing. If there is indeed something hidden, Your Majesty must handle it with caution."

The emperor nodded slightly, a trace of worry on his face. "Yes, the world is in chaos right now, and all forces are ready to make a move. Sun Ce's occupation of Jiangdong would be a blessing if he could be used by the court. However, if he harbors rebellious intentions, it would be a grave threat to the court. I must be cautious in my response."

As he was speaking, a eunuch's voice came from outside the door, announcing, "Your Majesty, Lord Zhang Hong has arrived."

The emperor and Wang Jie exchanged a glance. The emperor sat up slightly straighter and said in a deep voice, "Send him in."

A moment later, Zhang Hong walked into the study with steady steps. Seeing the emperor and Wang Jie, he bowed with great respect, "Your Majesty, may you be well. May Lord Wang be well."

The emperor raised his hand slightly, motioning Zhang Hong to stand. He fixed him with a fixed gaze and said, "Zhang Hong, you have concealed something in this court. Today, Lord Wang and I are here. Tell me everything about the Jiangdong situation, especially Sun Ce's true intentions, without reservation. If I say even a single lie, don't blame me for being rude."

Zhang Hong said, "Your Majesty, it's not that I intentionally concealed the truth in the court. I simply didn't know Ma Chao had spies in the court, so I didn't dare to speak the truth easily."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor and Wang Jie were both startled, their faces filled with disbelief. The Emperor leaned forward slightly and asked anxiously, "Why? What's the connection between this and Ma Chao?"

Zhang Hong took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, I wonder if you are aware that Ma Chao and Sun Ce are sworn brothers. Sun Ce's occupation of Wujun this time was indeed aided by Ma Chao. Ma Chao first managed to subjugate the rebellious Shanyue forces and use them for his own purposes. Then, he instructed the Shanyue to deliberately attack Xu Gong. After Xu Gong was defeated, Ma Chao and Sun Ce secretly orchestrated the elimination of the local aristocratic families within Xu Gong's territory. Even the subsequent battle with Wang Lang, while seemingly a Shanyue rebellion, was actually a pretext, orchestrated by Ma Chao and Sun Ce."

These words reverberated like thunder in the silent study. The emperor and Wang Jie stared wide-eyed, faces filled with shock. The emperor's hands unconsciously clenched around the edge of the table. It took him a long moment to recover, and he muttered, "I never imagined Ma Chao and Sun Ce would have such a plan. These two, working together, are a force to be reckoned with."

Wang Jie also came to his senses, frowning. He said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, Ma Chao is a fierce general from Xiliang, and his cavalry is brave and skilled in battle. Sun Ce has occupied Jiangdong, and his foundation is gradually becoming stable. If these two join forces, if they show rebellious intentions, it will be a huge threat to the court. We must make plans early."

The emperor nodded slightly, his gaze deep into the distance, lost in thought. After a moment, he slowly spoke, "Zhang Hong, tell me, your master, Sun Ce, what are his intentions? Is he joining forces with Ma Chao to serve the court, or do they have other ambitions?"

Zhang Hong's face was filled with excitement. He knelt heavily on the ground with a thud, his eyes filled with eagerness and sincerity. He shouted, "Your Majesty, please allow me to explain! My clan, along with those remaining aristocratic families in Wu Commandery, once controlled by Wang Lang, have always been Han officials and loyal to the court. How could we have colluded with Ma Chao, Sun Ce, and the others? It is simply that Sun Ce's power is too great, and he has absolute control over Jiangdong. For our own protection, we have been forced to play along."

He paused, his emotions growing more intense, his body trembling slightly. "We remain loyal to the imperial court, and we are forced to come here at this risk. If it weren't for the fact that we, the aristocratic families, have temporarily negotiated with him and feigned obedience, we would have been killed and mortally wounded! Your Majesty, I hope you will understand our difficulties!"

The emperor listened to Zhang Hong's earnest words, his expression softening slightly, a thoughtful look flickering in his eyes. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze resting on Zhang Hong, and spoke slowly, "I understand your difficult situation. In these troubled times, you feel helpless. But as a Han minister, you have the court at heart. You must consider it in your future actions."

The emperor raised his hand slightly, motioning Zhang Hong to stand. A gentle expression crossed his face as he continued, "Rest assured, I will not easily punish a loyal person. Go back and tell your clan and other noble families that as long as you remain true to your principles, the court will not treat you unfairly in the future. If you have the opportunity to contribute to the court, you must do your utmost and do not disappoint me."

Zhang Hong quickly bowed in thanks and slowly stood up, a touch of emotion welling up in his eyes. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace! I will convey your words to everyone. We will remember your teachings and serve the court loyally in the future, even if it means death!"

The emperor rubbed his temples, his face slightly tired, and said with a headache: "Sun Ce's power is now enormous. If he is not checked and controlled, he will soon become a serious threat to the court."

Zhang Hong quickly knelt and said respectfully and firmly, "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. We have been secretly planning this for a long time. Sun Ce is currently so powerful that a forceful attack is not a good strategy. Therefore, we have decided to play along with him for now. We will arrange for the sons of noble families to feign loyalty and gradually infiltrate his sphere of influence. When the time is right, when he lets his guard down and slacks off, we will surely strike him with a thundering blow, eradicating this treacherous villain for the court and ensuring the stability of the Han Dynasty."

A glint flashed in the emperor's eyes, and he nodded slightly, his tone filled with a hint of relief. "Very good, very good. I am deeply comforted by your comprehensive plan. You are so loyal to the country, you are truly loyal ministers and generals of the Han Dynasty. When this is accomplished, I will definitely reward you handsomely, and I will never go back on my word. However, I want to know, since you have such a plan, how can the court cooperate with you now?"

Zhang Hong raised his head, looked earnestly at the emperor, and said, "Your Majesty, I have come here as an envoy on behalf of Sun Ce. Your Majesty must continue to bestow upon him the rewards he deserves. This will, on the one hand, prevent Sun Ce from becoming discontent and raising suspicions about us; on the other hand, it will also encourage Sun Ce to become arrogant. When he becomes complacent and loses his guard, that will be the perfect time for us to strike. We will surely strike with one blow and crush his forces in one fell swoop."

The emperor nodded slightly, a thoughtful look in his eyes. After a moment, he slowly said, "You are right. Regarding the reward, I will discuss with my ministers and give Sun Ce a seemingly generous official position and reward that is within the control of the court. However, you must be extremely cautious in this infiltration and not reveal any clues, so as not to alert the enemy."

Zhang Hong kowtowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. We will proceed with caution. The young men from the noble families we have sent are all loyal, intelligent, and astute. They will surely live up to your Majesty's trust."

The emperor nodded with satisfaction and waved his hand, saying, "You may withdraw for now. Return and make preparations in secret. Report any progress to me promptly."

Zhang Hong bowed again and slowly left the room. After he left, the emperor leaned back in his chair, his eyes deep, as he pondered the complex situation and the upcoming battle with Sun Ce...

Wang Jie stood by and hesitated for a moment before trying to speak: "Your Majesty, these Ma Chao and Sun Ce..."

The emperor interjected, a fierce look on his face: "Ma Chao and Sun Ce have already shown signs of rebellion. Sooner or later, they must be dealt with!" His brow furrowed, his eyes filled with worry. He sighed, "However, the two Yuans, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, are still opposing the court. The forces involved are complex and intertwined, so we can't touch them just yet. Any rash action could only lead to even greater chaos."

Wang Jie nodded slightly and continued, "These aristocratic families of Jiangdong and Wujun have been quite loyal and righteous in this incident."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor sneered, his tone filled with disdain. "What loyalty? They're nothing but opportunists! They're cowards, unable to uphold their integrity. Seeing Sun Ce's power, they succumbed to the enemy. Now, seeing the situation has changed slightly, they're trying to gain some benefits from me. Humph, if I'm unable to eliminate Sun Ce, they will still be his loyal lackeys. These aristocratic families, relying on their family power, have their own troops and connections in various places. Sooner or later, I will have to deal with them completely. Aren't Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu the representatives of these aristocratic families? They ostensibly respect the court, but in reality, they have ulterior motives and act independently."

Wang Jie's heart surged when he heard the emperor's words, which revealed such a clear vision of the future. He fell to his knees and said passionately, "I am willing to go through fire and water for your majesty's grand ambitions. I will not hesitate to die! Your majesty is a man of great talent and vision. You will surely sweep away the haze of this troubled time and restore the Han Dynasty's glory!"

The emperor nodded slightly, his expression easing slightly. He looked at Wang Jie and said, "Wang Jie, you must remember everything that happened today. When I execute Sun Ce and Ma Chao in the future, you must present this evidence as supporting evidence. Otherwise, given Ma Chao's hypocritical nature and his fondness for associating with famous people, I'm afraid many people will plead for him. With this solid evidence, I can punish them with just cause and prevent future trouble."

Wang Jie kowtowed heavily and replied, "I obey your command! I will carefully preserve these incriminating evidence and will never betray your majesty's trust!"