Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

In early June, the heat intensified. On the border between Jingzhou and Jiangdong, Liu Biao's army stood in battle formation, flags clashing in the sweltering wind, spears and halberds gleaming with a cold gleam. But Liu Biao knew that internal constraints and the battle at Wancheng left him unable to confront Sun Ce head-on, and he could only maintain a standoff. Meanwhile, in Yuzhang County, Sun Ce, through meticulous deployment and reassurance, had finally stabilized the situation in his newly conquered territory, calming the people and allowing him to regroup his forces.

In the meeting hall of Yuzhang County, the atmosphere was lively. Sun Ce sat upright in the main seat. He was wearing light armor and no cloak. His collar was slightly open, revealing his strong neck. A few strands of hair soaked with sweat stuck to his cheeks, making his eyes look as sharp as a falcon, revealing an unquestionable majesty and courage.

His gaze, as if tangible, swept over the familiar, resolute faces of his men. Some of these brave generals were battle-hardened, scarred; others were in their prime, their eyes filled with a desire to achieve great things. Seeing everyone present, Sun Ce folded his hands, leaned forward slightly, and spoke in a steady, powerful voice, yet with an uncontrollable passion: "Everyone, now that Yuzhang has been pacified, our Jiangdong foundation is solid, and our strength has reached a new level. But right now, my brother Ma Chao is locked in a bitter battle with Yuan Shu in Lujiang. Yuan Shu comes from an aristocratic family, with three generations of officials serving as ministers. He commands a vast army and ample food and fodder. My brother Ma Chao is struggling single-handedly, holding the line, and the pressure is immense. Now, the two sides are at a stalemate, and the situation is extremely tense. We share Ma Chao's common destiny, and if we don't act now, when will we? I intend to mobilize our troops immediately and send them from Yuzhang to support my brother Ma Chao in attacking Yuan Shu. What do you all think?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Sun Ben stood up. His expression was solemn, his brows slightly furrowed, and his eyes were filled with worry. "Bofu, what you say is certainly reasonable. We have a deep friendship with General Ma Chao, and we should help him. However, Yuzhang has just been pacified, and much remains to be done. The people are not yet fully convinced, and many matters need to be properly handled. Furthermore, Liu Biao has his troops stationed on the river bank, facing us across the river, and he is eyeing us with eagerness. He is a shrewd and calculating man. Even if he appears to be holding his ground, we must not let our guard down. If we are not careful, we could be attacked from both sides."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile. He waved his hand gently, his expression filled with heroism and uninhibitedness. "Shubi, Liu Biao is nothing more than a decadent old man. If he truly had the resolve and courage to fight us, why would he just cower and deploy his troops on the other side of the river, putting on a show? If he dared to initiate a fight, my Jiangdong navy would make sure he never returned! He's hesitant to act rashly because he's wary of our military's strength, hoping to intimidate us. But he's miscalculated!"

Sun Ben nodded slightly, but still worried, insisting, "That being said, it's always wise to be cautious. Yuzhang is a newly acquired territory in Jiangdong, and its strategic location is crucial. We must carefully plan its defenses and arrange all matters properly so that we can dispatch our troops to support General Ma Chao without any worries."

Sun Ce's expression was solemn, his eyes gleaming with brilliance. After scanning the crowd, he said in a firm tone, "Shubi is absolutely right. We must consider the overall situation of Jiangdong's great cause." Then, raising his voice, he announced, "Generals Xue Zong and Quan Cong, listen to my orders!"

Upon hearing this, the two men immediately strode out of the line, their postures erect, and responded in unison: "The last one is here!"

"I order the two of you to lead 10,000 troops to Chaisang immediately. After arriving, you must train the troops and make full preparations for the navy. You must strictly guard the river defense and be vigilant of Liu Biao's every move on the other side. You must not slack off in the slightest!" Sun Ce spoke decisively, and every word he said was powerful.

Xue Zong and Quan Cong looked at each other, their eyes full of determination. They saluted with fists and responded loudly: "I obey your orders! We will live up to your trust!" After that, the two turned around and retreated with steady and powerful steps, exuding the competence and courage of a soldier.

After arranging this matter, Sun Ce looked at Sun Ben again, his tone softening slightly. "Brother, you have always been thoughtful, calm and reliable. I will entrust the safety of Yuzhang to you with confidence. Lü Meng and Lü Dai are both rare generals. I will keep them here to assist you in defending Yuzhang."

Sun Ben stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Rest assured, my lord! I will do my utmost to defend Yuzhang and never let the enemy take a single step closer!" Lü Meng and Lü Dai followed suit, knelt on one knee, and declared in unison, "We are willing to obey General Sun's orders and will sacrifice our lives for him."

Sun Ce nodded in satisfaction, his eyes overflowing with trust and expectation. He said loudly, "Excellent! With you here, I can feel much more at ease when I'm away on the expedition." He then turned his gaze to the wise and calm Gu Yong and said in a gentle voice, "Yuan Tan, now that we're about to dispatch our troops, I have one more thing to trouble you with."

Gu Yong stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said with a focused look: "My lord, please give me your orders. I will do my best."

Sun Ce nodded slightly, his expression solemn. "I kindly request that you promptly issue a manifesto against Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu's wicked ambitions have disrupted the imperial government, causing chaos and suffering for the people. We are raising an army, firstly, to support the imperial court, eliminate rebellion, and restore the dignity of the Han Dynasty; and secondly, to support my brother Ma Chao in our joint fight against Yuan Shu. In this manifesto, we must expose all of Yuan Shu's evil deeds and proclaim the righteousness of our Jiangdong military campaign to the world, so that the people and those with lofty ideals everywhere can understand our resolve and unite against this enemy."

Gu Yong understood and calmly replied, "Don't worry, my lord. I will write a letter with my eloquent pen, letting the people of the world see Yuan Shu's true face and win the reputation of righteousness for our army's expedition."

After making arrangements, Sun Ce turned and glanced at the remaining generals, his posture erect and his spirit high. "Generals! Yuan Shu's ambitions are causing chaos in Jiangdong. My brother Ma Chao is currently locked in a bitter battle with him in Lujiang. Now is the time for us Jiangdong men to make great achievements, to bring peace to the people, and to promote the development of Jiangdong! All the remaining generals, follow me to mobilize our troops and march up the Gan River to attack Yuan Shu's stronghold. Let's defeat him together! Let him know that the men of Jiangdong cannot be bullied!"

As soon as these words landed, it was like a spark being thrown onto dry wood, instantly igniting the generals' blood. They all clasped their fists and shouted, "We will follow our lord into battle, even to the bitter end!" The voices were unified and resounding, carrying an unstoppable momentum that shook the beams of the conference hall. The generals' eyes blazed with passion, some rubbing their hands in anticipation, others gripping their swords, eager to rush to the battlefield and fight for the glory of Jiangdong.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the conference hall was heated, military orders were conveyed and tasks were deployed in an orderly manner, and a major war was about to break out.

With a single stroke of Gu Yong's pen, the manifesto against Yuan Shu spread like an arrow, swiftly spreading throughout the land. The manifesto vividly exposed Yuan Shu's defiance of the imperial court and his devastation of the people, causing an outcry across the land. The people, filled with righteous indignation, denounced Yuan Shu's perverse actions. Upstanding individuals across the land also began to reassess the situation and condemned Yuan Shu's actions.

Meanwhile, Sun Ce released Huang Zu and Kuai Liang back to Jingzhou. The people of Jingzhou were already deeply concerned about Sun Ce, and this news spread like wildfire, sending his fame surging. On the battlefield, Sun Ce demonstrated exceptional strategy and command, successfully capturing Yuzhang. At the negotiating table, he displayed shrewdness and decisiveness, maneuvering with Yi Ji and ultimately securing an exchange. These stories spread like wildfire among the people, leaving them in awe of the young general's talent and courage.

However, as his fame spread, negative rumors also quietly spread. Some claimed Sun Ce was ruthless in his campaigns, the most controversial being his unauthorized killing of a member of the Han royal family. This news instantly ignited public opinion. Though the Han dynasty was in decline, it still held legitimacy in the eyes of many, and Sun Ce's actions were considered treasonous. The aristocratic families were particularly displeased. In court and in private, they denounced Sun Ce, believing his actions to be a blatant provocation against the Han dynasty and a disruption of the delicate balance of power. This infamy hung like a dark cloud over Sun Ce, bringing him both praise and widespread criticism.

On the battlefields of Jizhou, the cries of battle were ear-piercing, and the thick smoke of gunpowder filled the air like a thick haze, enveloping the entire world. Yuan Shao's army was being forced back step by step by the combined forces of Gongsun Zan, Liu Bei, and Lü Bu. Within his tent, Yuan Shao's brow furrowed, his face etched with anxiety and exhaustion. He paced restlessly, the ground beneath his feet cratering underfoot, each step weighing heavily on his frustration.

A messenger rushed into the tent in a panic, dropped to his knees with a thud, and held a letter high in his hands. Yuan Shao snatched it away, unfolding it and glancing at it. A strange smile of satisfaction slowly emerged on his previously gloomy face, a smile that seemed particularly abrupt in the tense and oppressive atmosphere.

"Hmph, that fellow Gonglu has also suffered from the war!" Yuan Shao sneered, with a hint of gloating in his laughter, and said to Tian Feng, Guo Tu, Feng Ji and others beside him, "He has been fussing all day long, now he will have something to do. It will save him from being idle all day!"

Guo Tu quickly smiled and agreed: "My lord, you are absolutely right. Yuan Shu overestimated his own abilities and ended up like this. It's all his own fault!" His fawning look made him look like a pug wagging its tail for mercy.

Feng Jize remained silent, just lowered his head slightly, with a barely perceptible worry flashing in his eyes. He knew in his heart that the Yuan brothers were of the same roots, but now they were in such a situation, which was not a good thing.

Upon hearing Yuan Shao's words, Tian Feng frowned, his heart filled with disappointment and resignation. He stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said, "My lord, although Yuan Gonglu has acted in many inappropriate ways, he is still a member of the Yuan family. He is now besieged by Ma Chao, Zhou Yu, and Sun Ce, and his situation is dire. If our army could lend a hand and lend him a helping hand now, then, with our brothers united in the future, we wouldn't have to fear the emperor's tactics or worry about failing to achieve our great cause. But now, my lord..." Tian Feng didn't finish his words, but the implication was clear to everyone.

However, Yuan Shao waved his hand impatiently and interrupted Tian Feng: "Yuan Hao, you don't understand! Yuan Shu always thinks highly of himself, and never takes me, his brother, seriously. Now that he is in trouble, it is his retribution!" Yuan Shao's eyes revealed a hint of indifference and determination, as if the person in front of him was not his younger brother, but an insignificant stranger.

Tian Feng tried to persuade him again, but Yuan Shao had already turned away, ignoring him. He could only sigh inwardly and step aside. A brief silence fell in the tent, broken only by the faint sounds of fighting outside.