Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Inside the tent, the flickering candlelight illuminated Yuan Shu's face, brimming with impatience. He waved his hand casually, curling his lips in disdain, "Liu Yao is now fleeing like a stray dog, with no soldiers or generals by his side. What kind of trouble can he possibly cause? He's barely surviving, so how can he be a serious threat to us? Mr. Yan, stop your alarmist rhetoric!"

Yan Xiang's brow furrowed slightly, a hint of worry flickering in his deep eyes. He lowered his head slightly, lost in a brief moment of contemplation, as if weighing his words. After a moment, he raised his head, his expression solemn and resolute, and said, "My lord, although this is true, we must not take it lightly. Our army is currently facing a food shortage, and Liu Yao has fled to Jingzhou. The pros and cons of this matter must be carefully considered."

Yuan Shu's expression darkened instantly, and before Yan Xiang could finish, he interrupted rudely, "Mr. Yan, you keep talking about the food shortage. Don't I know the difficult situation our army is in? Don't bother me with this annoying matter anymore. It's really upsetting!"

However, Yan Xiang was undeterred by Yuan Shu's wrath. He remained upright, his gaze steady, and his tone neither humble nor arrogant. "My lord, it is precisely because our army is short of food that we must make this move. Now that Liu Yao has fled to Liu Biao, who is a relative of the Han Dynasty and a man of his character, he will surely take him in out of consideration for their friendship. We can use this as an excuse to pressure Liu Biao to hand over Liu Yao. However, given Liu Biao's temperament, he will definitely not hand him over easily out of consideration for his feelings. This way, we have an excuse to demand that Liu Biao provide food and fodder for our army."

Yuan Shu listened to Yan Xiang's analysis and nodded slightly, a thoughtful look in his eyes. He felt that this plan did make some sense. However, he also knew that Liu Biao was no ordinary man and would not fall for his trick so easily. His doubts remained. He suppressed his irritation and said, "Mr. Yan's words make sense, but Liu Biao is so cunning and calculating. How could he willingly provide us with food and fodder to help us out of this predicament? I'm afraid it's not that simple."

Yan Xiang was delighted to see Yuan Shu's attitude soften, and he quickly struck while the iron was hot. "My lord, this situation is not hopeless. We simply need to select an eloquent and resourceful man to Jingzhou to put pressure on Liu Biao. Liu Biao doesn't know the true situation of our army; all he knows is a partial account he heard from Liu Yao. And my lord, your family is distinguished, with three generations of officials serving as ministers throughout the land. Your reputation is so high that Liu Biao would never dare to offend you lightly. Furthermore, when we fought against Dong Zhuo, Liu Biao mostly held his troops inactive, waiting to see the outcome. This shows he isn't truly loyal to the Han Dynasty and has his own calculations. If we plan well, we might even be able to forge an alliance with him and achieve our common goal."

Yuan Shu listened quietly, his impatience long gone, replaced by a piercing gaze and a slight smile. He nodded slightly and praised, "Sir, your vision is profound and insightful! So, do you have anyone who can take on this important mission and go to Jingzhou?"

Yan Xiang was slightly startled, a hint of hesitation showing on his face. He shook his head slightly and sighed, "At the moment, it seems that we haven't found a suitable candidate yet. This matter is of great importance, so we need to choose carefully."

Yuan Shu's eyes flickered as he stared at Yan Xiang, a hint of a smile on his face. "Since this strategy is yours, sir, and such a brilliant idea, I doubt the others in the army will fully grasp and implement it. How about asking you to personally go to Jingzhou?"

Yan Xiang was surprised by Yuan Shu's request and was slightly startled, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He paused for a moment, then said, "My lord, if I can help you with your worries, I'll have no problem making this trip. However, there are so many important military matters to attend to, and I'm afraid something might be overlooked without my presence..."

Yuan Shu smiled and waved his hand, saying soothingly, "Rest assured, sir. I will discuss and handle military affairs with the other generals. If you can successfully persuade Liu Biao and resolve our army's urgent needs, you will have achieved an unparalleled feat. I hope you will not refuse."

Yan Xiang was torn. Yuan Shu's words seemed like a heavy responsibility, but in reality, he found it difficult to refuse. After all, he had proposed this strategy, and he hadn't yet recommended a suitable candidate to carry it out. If he refused now, it would be difficult to convince the people. Moreover, given the army's current food shortage, if he couldn't successfully persuade Liu Biao to agree to provide food and fodder, or even form an alliance with him, the army would be trapped here, and its future would be bleak. After much deliberation, Yan Xiang gritted his teeth, bowed his head, and accepted the order, saying, "Since my lord has placed such trust in me, I will do my utmost to live up to your trust."

Yuan Shu nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction on his face. He said, "Since that's the case, sir, there's no time to lose. I'll arrange a team of elite soldiers to escort you to Liu Biao's place. I hope you'll leave soon and return soon. I'll be waiting for good news in the army."

Yan Xiang turned to leave, but then stopped and addressed Yuan Shu again, "My lord, Yuzhang still has a chance of being defended. If I can successfully bring back food and fodder this time, with Yuzhang's advantageous location, we can continue our plans and achieve great things. However, if this mission fails and food and fodder remain scarce, Yuzhang will likely be difficult to hold. For the sake of the greater good, abandoning it is not a bad option."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu's impatience resurfaced, and he frowned slightly, feeling rather displeased with Yan Xiang's words. However, remembering Yan Xiang's impending journey to Jingzhou, where he would shoulder a heavy responsibility, he suppressed his anger. He simply nodded slightly and said, somewhat perfunctorily, "I understand. I will act accordingly, sir."

Seeing Yuan Shu's attitude, Yan Xiang felt a sense of worry, but he couldn't say anything more. Still, he was worried, and remembering the threat posed by Sun Ce in Jiangdong, he warned again, "My lord, Sun Ce in Jiangdong has been elusive. He's young and ambitious, and a real threat to our army. I urge you to be extremely vigilant and not take him lightly."

When Yuan Shu heard Sun Ce's name, a trace of disdain crossed his face. He waved his hand irritably and said, "Mr. Yan, why worry so much all the time? Sun Ce is just a brat. Even if he has some skills, how much can he stir up? I command a powerful army and many talented generals and loyal ministers. Why should I be afraid of him? Mr. Yan, please focus on your mission to Jingzhou."

Seeing Yuan Shu's stubbornness, Yan Xiang sighed, realizing that further talk was pointless. He nodded helplessly, then, with deep worry, bowed and excused himself, turning and leaving the tent. The night deepened, the cold wind howled. Yan Xiang gazed at the distant tents and the faint silhouettes of the soldiers, silently praying that the journey would be successful, otherwise the army's situation would become even more difficult...

The next morning, the sky was barely light, and a light morning mist filled the military camp. Yan Xiang was already dressed and ready for battle. He wore a simple robe, a black cloak, and a delicate sword hung at his waist. His expression was solemn yet slightly worried. He slowly walked out of the tent, unconsciously pausing, his gaze subconsciously directed towards Yuan Shu's tent, hoping to see his lord, Yuan Shu, and receive some encouragement and support from him.

However, he stood there for a long time, yet there was no sign of Yuan Shu. Yan Xiang couldn't help but feel a faint sense of loss, and he sighed to himself. His lord, once courteous and ambitious, had now become so headstrong, irritable, and often dismissive of his advice. He had devoted all his energy to his lord's cause, only to be met with such indifference. How could he not feel sad?

Ji Ling, who had come to see him off, keenly noticed the flash of dejection in Yan Xiang's eyes. He took a slight step forward, clasped his fists, and said, "Mr. Yan, perhaps the lord was overwhelmed with military affairs yesterday, unable to sleep for several nights, and exhausted, so he was unable to see him off today. You are also aware that the affairs of Yuzhang are complicated and have troubled the lord day and night for the past few months, and his words are inevitably a little anxious. You are a wise, open-minded, and magnanimous man, and I believe you will understand the lord's painstaking efforts."

Yan Xiang nodded slightly, sighed softly, and said: "Alas, as a minister, I should not make rash comments on the Lord's actions. But the current situation is so turbulent that it really makes me worried and uneasy." After that, he stretched out his hand to hold Ji Ling's arm, and said sincerely: "General Ji Ling, the Lord now relies heavily on you. As the first general of our army, you are a master of martial arts and a brave man. I am leaving this time, and I hope you will spend more time in the barracks. That Sun Ce of Jiangdong has been so far. "His whereabouts are mysterious and he hasn't appeared yet. In my opinion, he will not sit idly by and will sooner or later engage in a fierce battle with our army. His sworn brothers Ma Chao and Zhou Yu are already at odds with our army and are already engaged in a war. How can Sun Ce stay out of it? But now, our lord is quite dismissive of Ma Chao and completely ignores him. I am deeply worried. General Ji Ling, if Sun Ce's army attacks, I hope you will persuade our lord to remain calm and not act rashly, lest he fall into the enemy's trap."

Ji Ling looked at Yan Xiang, whose face was filled with worry, and was deeply moved. He nodded solemnly, clasped his fists again, and said, "Sir, don't worry. With Ji Ling here, I will definitely not let you make such a big mistake. I hope you take good care of yourself on your journey. I am looking forward to your early return from the military camp. Then we can have a drink together and discuss major plans."

Yan Xiang gripped Ji Ling's hand tightly and patted her shoulder heavily, each of those pats seeming to carry all his hopes and instructions. Then, he turned and left, his steps firm yet tinged with resignation, as he slowly walked towards Jingzhou, his figure gradually fading into the morning mist...

After bidding farewell to Yan Xiang, Ji Ling, still mindful of Yan Xiang's last words and hoping to find a way to ease the strained relationship between Yuan Shu and Yan Xiang, headed for Yuan Shu's tent. Inside, candlelight flickered, and Yuan Shu sat at his desk, his brow furrowed, seemingly lost in thought.

Hearing footsteps, Yuan Shu looked up, a trace of fatigue in his eyes. He asked, "Ji Ling, has Mr. Yan Xiang left?" Ji Ling quickly clasped his fists and replied respectfully, "Yes, my lord. Mr. Yan Xiang carefully packed his luggage early this morning and set off with his escort. Before leaving, he gave us many instructions regarding military affairs and was truly loyal to us, my lord."

Yuan Shu simply uttered a noncommittal "hmm," his eyes devoid of any emotion. Ji Ling was just about to seize the opportunity to offer a few words, urging Yuan Shu to understand Yan Xiang's good intentions and ease the tension between them, when his advisor Yang Hong rushed into the tent in a panic, shouting, "My Lord! My Lord! What a blessing! This is a godsend!"