Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The New Year's festivities faded quietly, and February arrived in the blink of an eye. Yuan Shu's army no longer worried about rations, thanks to a shipment of fodder from Liu Biao of Jingzhou. Faced with the threat of Sun Ce's siege outside the city, Yuan Shu's army felt less anxious. Several fierce battles erupted, each resulting in casualties and a close call.

As a guest soldier, Taishi Ci shone brightly in Sun Ce's camp. His exceptional riding skills and archery prowess, coupled with his fearless bravery in every charge, intimidated Yuan Shu's forces. His presence added considerable deterrence to Sun Ce's forces, bringing the battle for Yuzhang County to a stalemate. Thanks to Yan Xiang's renewed trust in Yuan Shu, his strategies helped Yuan Shu's forces regain the strength to maneuver on the battlefield, freeing them from the perils they had previously faced.

However, Yuan Shu found it difficult to rest and enjoy this temporary peace. Over the past few days, a series of urgent reports from Lujiang weighed heavily on him, like a heavy cloud, making him feel suffocated. Zhang Xun's army had suffered a crushing defeat in a clash with Ma Chao in Runan County. Ma Chao, with his cavalry advancing with unstoppable force, had successfully captured Runan County and was now advancing towards Lujiang. Meanwhile, Zhou Yu's army was also making a fierce offensive in Jiujiang County, capturing three or four cities in a short period of time.

Yuan Shu paced back and forth in the tent, his face etched with anxiety and irritation. He slammed his fist on the table and roared, "How could Ma Chao and Zhou Yu be so difficult to deal with? Zhang Xun is useless, having surrendered Runan County. Now Lujiang is in imminent danger, and Jiujiang County is also in jeopardy. What should we do?" The counselors in the tent looked at each other, daring not to speak. Yuan Shu glanced at the crowd, hoping someone would step forward to address his concerns, but everyone kept their heads down and remained silent. The atmosphere in the tent was oppressive and suffocating.

The atmosphere in the tent was so gloomy it felt like water could be squeezed out of it. Yuan Shu's gaze swept across everyone's faces, filled with anxiety and expectation, but all he received was dead silence. Yang Hong, his eyes lowered, stood quietly by, secretly thanking himself for not rushing in. He had been in frequent, clandestine contact with Lei Bo and Li Feng during this period. The three of them had reached a tacit understanding, intent on establishing a rivalry with Yan Xiang within Yuan Shu's camp. Naturally, at this crucial moment, where efforts could easily go unrewarded, Yang Hong was reluctant to speak, and even subtly signaled Lei Bo and Li Feng to remain silent with his eyes.

Lei Bo and Li Feng understood, but they dared not speak freely. Recalling last year's repeated reprimands from Yuan Shu over the grain issue, they were filled with resentment and grievance. Without that, they wouldn't have formed a secret alliance with Yang Hong. At this moment, the two men lowered their heads slightly, trying to be less conspicuous, pretending to be lost in thought, but in reality, their minds were in turmoil, unable to think of any solution.

Yuan Shu looked at the silence of the civil and military officials in the tent, sighed helplessly, and cast an expectant gaze at Yan Xiang. He spoke carefully, "Mr. Yan, you have always been a man of exceptional wisdom. The situation in the world is so critical now. Do you have any good ideas to help me break the impasse?"

Yan Xiang gathered his thoughts and said solemnly, "My lord, the situation in Yuzhang is currently at a stalemate. Sun Ce of Jiangdong is steadily advancing here, and it will be difficult to find a loophole for the time being. He is clearly determined to gain a share of Yuzhang. We are both deadlocked, but the rear base is already in danger. If we don't send reinforcements in time, it will endanger your foundation. In my opinion, it is better to leave a general in Yuzhang to confront Sun Ce. The most urgent task is to rescue Lujiang and Jiujiang counties as soon as possible. This is the key to strengthening the foundation and pursuing our great cause. I hope my lord will make a decision soon."

Yuan Shu frowned, worried, "Now that so many civil and military officers have gathered here, they are all helpless against Sun Ce. What if the remaining generals are unable to defeat Sun Ce? What will we do then?"

Yan Xiang patiently explained, "Send a general to garrison the area, while also first resolving internal conflicts and ensuring the integrity of our home territory. Even if we capture all of Yuzhang, what good will that do? If Jiujiang or Lujiang are lost, ties with Shouchun will be severed, and that would truly damage our foundation." At this point, Yan Xiang gritted his teeth, unconcerned about whether he might anger Yuan Shu, and bluntly declared, "My lord, even if we do lose Yuzhang County, it doesn't matter. As long as we repel Ma Chao, the situation will be completely different."

Yuan Shu was lost in thought for a moment, then humbly asked, "Sir, please explain why you are so determined to defeat Ma Chao, even at the cost of sacrificing Yuzhang?"

Yan Xiang quickly walked over to the map, pointed at the mountains, rivers, and cities, and explained, "My lord, please look! Ma Chao has now occupied Runan County and is pressing on Lujiang. His momentum is unstoppable. If he continues to advance, once Lujiang is captured and Shouchun is threatened, we will be caught in a desperate situation, attacked from both sides. And while Sun Ce may be entangled in Yuzhang, his base is in Jiangdong, making it difficult for him to inflict a fatal blow on our core areas. As long as we concentrate our forces to repel Ma Chao and stabilize our rear, we will be free to reorganize the overall situation and then deal with Sun Ce. On the other hand, if we continue to stalemate with Sun Ce in Yuzhang and ignore the threat from Ma Chao, once our rear falls, we will have no chance of recovery."

Yuan Shu stared at the map, his eyes filled with struggle and unwillingness. He muttered, "We finally took Yuzhang, and now it's so hard to give it up like this. I really don't want to give it up."

Yan Xiang stepped forward and bowed, explaining, "My lord, to be honest, Yuzhang is now like chicken ribs to us. Although we've captured it, Sun Ce of Jiangdong is eyeing it covetously, tightly tying down our main force and preventing them from returning to the rear. Furthermore, since Liu Biao dared to accept Liu Yao, he must also be coveting Yuzhang. We're currently facing a fierce battle with Ma Chao, and the war in Jiujiang is tense. A continued stalemate in Yuzhang will only harm us."

He paused briefly, noticing a slight softening in Yuan Shu's expression, and continued, "Moreover, considering the broader situation, my lord, consider this: the only two who can rival the emperor are you and Yuan Shao of Jizhou. Both of you are from the Yuan family, three dukes in four generations, the foremost among the feudal lords. The aristocratic families are watching closely. Ma Chao has now come to attack you under the emperor's command. Only by repelling him can you earn the recognition and support of the aristocratic families. Otherwise, once victory is decided on the battlefield in Jizhou, you will lose prestige to Yuan Shao among the aristocratic families. After all, you and Yuan Shao are brothers of the same surname and clan. If the aristocratic families ally with either of you, they are serving the Yuan family, and there's nothing wrong with that. But if you can't even repel Ma Chao, your strength and prestige will be greatly diminished in the eyes of the aristocratic families."

Yan Xiang analyzed the situation incessantly, from Ma Chao's fierce offensive to Zhou Yu's relentless pressure in Jiujiang. Each and every one of them was an imminent crisis, but Yuan Shu just frowned, unmoved, his eyes full of hesitation and entanglement.

Until Yan Xiang changed the subject and mentioned Yuan Shao: "My lord, if we fail to repel Ma Chao now, once Yuan Shao wins a decisive victory on the battlefield of Jizhou, the noble families will regard him as the leader of the Yuan family. Then, you will be completely surpassed by him. As a fellow scion of the Yuan family, are you willing to be inferior to him?"

These words struck Yuan Shu like a thunderbolt. His drooping eyelids suddenly lifted, a sharp glint flashing in them, and his aura shifted. He had been slumped in his chair, but now he sprang to his feet, fists clenched, a vein bulging slightly on his forehead. He shouted, "Humph, Yuan Shao and I may be brothers, but I'm determined to conquer this world! How could I be outdone by him? So what about Ma Chao? So what about Zhou Yu? Pass the word down! Adjust your forces immediately and repel Ma Chao with all your might!" With that, he strode over to the map and stared intently at the marker representing Ma Chao's army, as if to pierce through it.

Yan Xiang stood aside, watching Yuan Shu's spirits rise to the occasion. Outwardly calm, he felt a surge of relief. As Yuan Shu's advisor, he knew his master's temperament all too well. The delicate rivalry between Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao was the key to his control. The two brothers, though blood-related, harbored their own agendas, secretly competing against each other. If they had put aside their differences and joined forces, the world would have been reshaped long ago. However, this wasn't what he had hoped for, and it was beyond his control.

As Yuan Shu's advisor, Yan Xiang naturally devoted himself to Yuan Shu's plans. In the current situation, a continued stalemate in Yuzhang County was pointless. Only by returning to support the rear and repelling Ma Chao's invasion could they establish sufficient prestige among the aristocratic families and attract more talented individuals. The gains and losses of a few territories should not be a hindrance at this critical juncture. In Yan Xiang's opinion, they should have avoided lingering in Yuzhang County last year. They should have decisively marched to Runan County and defeated Ma Chao in one fell swoop, thus preventing the current situation, which has led to Runan's fall and the precarious situation in Lujiang County.

Now that their goal had been achieved and Yuan Shu had resolved to return to support them, Yan Xiang began to formulate his subsequent strategic plans. He knew that every step forward was crucial; the slightest misstep could lead to Yuan Shu's demise.

Yan Xiang looked at the map in the tent, pondered for a moment, and then offered his advice to Yuan Shu, "My lord, I think we should have General Ji Ling stay here to guard Yuzhang. General Ji Ling is a steady and capable commander, and he holds a high reputation within the army. With him in charge, he will surely stabilize the situation in Yuzhang and resist Sun Ce's attacks."

Yuan Shu frowned at Yan Xiang's proposal and paced back and forth in his tent, weighing his options. After a while, he stopped and said firmly, "Ji Ling cannot stay here. Ma Chao is brave and skilled in battle, and his strategy is exceptional. The battle in Runan is extremely dangerous. Without Ji Ling, a capable general, to lead the charge, I cannot rest assured." Yan Xiang nodded slightly. Although he felt that Ji Ling would be more suitable to guard Yuzhang, he understood Yuan Shu's concerns and said no more.

At this moment, Yang Hong, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly realized that this was a good opportunity to suppress Yan Xiang's forces and place his own men in his place. He quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "My lord, you are wise! Since General Ji Ling has such an important responsibility, why not let Generals Lei Bo and Li Feng stay and guard Yuzhang Commandery? These two generals have served you for many years, are loyal and devoted, and are also experienced on the battlefield. They will surely live up to your trust and stop Sun Ce's attack."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu raised his eyebrows slightly and cast his gaze towards Lei Bo and Li Feng. Surprised and delighted, Lei Bo and Li Feng quickly stepped out of the group, knelt on one knee, and declared in unison, "We are willing to serve our lord with all our might and swear to defend Yuzhang County to the death!" Yuan Shu observed the two men, feeling a sense of relief at their resolute expressions. He turned to Yan Xiang and asked, "Mr. Yan, what do you think?"