Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

In the Golden Palace, the Emperor sat upon the Dragon Throne, flanked by courtiers standing respectfully. Seeing the Emperor's cooperation with the peace talks, their hearts settled. After all, the Emperor's willingness to accept the peace talks clearly demonstrated his willingness to spare the aristocratic families. Even Yuan Shao, who openly challenged the court, had been temporarily tolerated by the Emperor. Since the forces behind these ministers hadn't openly challenged the court, it seemed the Emperor would not pursue the matter. As the courtiers secretly celebrated and breathed a sigh of relief, who could have anticipated the startling words of Xin Ping, Yuan Shao's envoy?

After receiving the emperor's promise, Xin Ping didn't rise. Instead, he knelt again, hands raised high, and bowed respectfully, "Your Majesty, my lord Yuan Shao has a request. I hope Your Majesty will grant it." With these words, the hearts of the entire court rose to their throats. Everyone wondered, "Xin Ping, please don't be ungrateful." Now that Yuan Shu was dead, Ma Chao and Sun Ce were on the rise. If the emperor truly transferred these two powerful generals to Yuan Shao's enemies, Yuan Shao's downfall would be a matter of time. If that were to happen, the situation would be dire.

The atmosphere was so heavy it felt like it could wring water out of it. Wang Jie could no longer suppress his fury. His face flushed, his eyes wide, and he roared, "Xin Ping, don't be so ungrateful! His Majesty has already graciously agreed to peace talks, yet you keep making unreasonable demands. Do you really think you can ignore the law and not fear death?" Wang Jie's voice echoed throughout the empty hall, ringing in everyone's ears and making everyone present feel the rage that threatened to burst forth.

However, Xin Ping pretended not to hear, not even glancing in Wang Jie's direction, as if Wang Jie's rebuke were merely insignificant noise. He waved his hand calmly, his face composed, and said, "No problem." Then, raising his head slightly, he gazed at the emperor and said respectfully, "Your Majesty is so magnanimous. Please allow me to finish what I have to say. My lord Yuan Shao has a request, and as long as it's not excessive, I hope Your Majesty will kindly grant it." Xin Ping's tone was neither humble nor arrogant. Although he was asking, there was a subtle sense of implacability.

The emperor's brow furrowed slightly, a barely perceptible sternness flashing in his eyes, but he nodded gently, motioning Xin Ping to continue. Seeing this, Xin Ping clasped his hands together, arched them upward, and, after a profound salute, said, "My lord, Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shu, were brothers of the same blood. It is truly heartbreaking that Yuan Shu has been tragically murdered by Ma Chao of Xiliang. His wife and children are still in Shouchun, and their situation is dire. I implore Your Majesty to issue a decree to Ma Chao, sparing their lives and leaving them a chance to live. Furthermore, I hope Your Majesty will grant permission to retain Shouchun, to be guarded by Yuan Shu's family. After all, Yuan Shu was once an official appointed by the imperial court, yet Ma Chao's arbitrary execution is truly outrageous. My lord, Yuan Shao, cannot bear to see the Yuan family's bloodline cut short."

Hearing Xin Ping's words, Wang Jie was so angry that he sneered, his face full of sarcasm, and asked loudly: "Now you say that Yuan Shu is an official appointed by the court? When he openly opposed the court, where did you put the court?" Wang Jie's questioning was reasonable and well-founded, which made many ministers nod secretly, thinking that what Wang Jie said was very true.

The emperor quickly raised his hand and waved it, stopping Wang Jie from asking further questions. His face still maintained dignity and peace, and he slowly said: "Okay, I agree. I have shown enough sincerity. I hope you can also keep your word and stop opposing the court. Don't let me down. You should put the people of the world first and maintain the peace of this country." The emperor's words were loud and clear, showing the emperor's magnanimity, but also with a hint of warning. The hall fell silent for a while.

Upon hearing the emperor's agreement, Xin Ping's face was instantly overwhelmed with gratitude. He prostrated himself repeatedly, offering countless thanks, his voice trembling with emotion. "Your Majesty's generosity and kindness are truly a great blessing to the Yuan family. My lord, Yuan Shao, will surely remember your majesty's kindness."

The emperor remained calm, nodded slightly, and spoke calmly, "Since Yuan Shu has been brought to justice, I will no longer pursue the issue of his family. As of now, there has been no report from Marquis Wei, but we can discuss rewards after that. If there are no other important matters, please withdraw."

Seeing the emperor's handling of the matter and hearing his arrangements, the court officials all nodded in agreement. Xin Zhong and the other ministers heaved a sigh of relief at the emperor's ability to handle the matter so well. Their tense nerves finally relaxed, and they respectfully withdrew one by one, filing out.

However, Wang Jie stood frozen in place, his face filled with confusion and resentment. At this moment, the emperor quietly beckoned to the eunuch. The eunuch understood, quickly walked over to Wang Jie, and whispered the emperor's message. Wang Jie pondered for a moment, then followed the eunuch.

As soon as he entered the emperor's study, Wang Jie could no longer suppress his confusion and anxiety, blurting out, "Your Majesty, given the current favorable situation, our army's morale is high, and our advantages are evident, why should we negotiate peace with Yuan Benchu? It is truly puzzling."

The emperor looked at Wang Jie, who was wholeheartedly concerned about the great cause of the country. Although he felt helpless, he still patiently explained to him. "What else can we do if we don't make peace with Yuan Benchu?" The emperor's voice was low and steady, and his eyes gazed deeply into the distance, as if he was pondering the overall situation of the world.

Wang Jie couldn't help but interrupt and said anxiously: "Now we can dispatch Ma Chao and Sun Ce, starting from Xuzhou and other places, to attack Jizhou from both sides. In this way, Yuan Shao's defeat is only a matter of time. Why should Your Majesty compromise and make peace with Yuan Shao?" His face was full of anxiety, his hands clenched unconsciously, and his eyes were full of confusion about the emperor's decision.

The emperor shook his head slightly, with a look of disappointment in his eyes, but he said patiently: "You still don't have a long-term vision. Yuan Shu is dead. If we defeat Yuan Shao in one fell swoop at this time, the aristocratic families will completely realize my determination to weaken the power of the aristocratic families. This is one reason. Although they dare not openly confront the court, they will definitely try their best to stir up trouble in secret. By then, there will be no peace inside and outside the court, and the country will fall into chaos again." The emperor paused slightly, picked up the teacup and took a sip, calming down his emotions.

"Secondly," the emperor continued, his expression becoming increasingly solemn, "don't you see the current situation clearly? Gongsun Zan dominates Youzhou, Sun Ce in Jiangdong is separatist, and Ma Chao in Xiliang is independent. They all pretend to obey the court but secretly disobey it, and completely ignore my will. If Gongsun Zan, Ma Chao, and Sun Ce are allowed to accomplish this unprecedented feat, their prestige will soar and their power will be overwhelming. Wouldn't they become as difficult to control as Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao? I have to consider the long-term stability of this country." The emperor spoke earnestly, his eyes fixed on Wang Jie, hoping that he could understand his good intentions.

The emperor's words struck Wang Jie like a hammer, plunging him into deep thought. It took a long moment for Wang Jie to regain consciousness. He was filled with fear, his voice trembling slightly. "Then, Your Majesty, what should we do now?" He looked at the emperor, his eyes filled with eagerness and anticipation, desperate for an answer that would resolve the current complex situation.

The emperor couldn't help but smile as he observed Wang Jie's expression. This smile revealed a confident and composed expression. "This is why I want to keep Yuan Shu's family." The emperor spoke slowly, his voice steady and powerful, each word carrying a reassuring force. "By keeping Yuan Shao, I can keep him and Gongsun Zan in check, allowing them to fight each other. This way, they won't have time to cause too much trouble for the court. As for Ma Chao and Sun Ce, I have a good plan for dealing with them. You can rest assured and watch how I will revive the Han Dynasty and restore the glory of our great Han Dynasty." The emperor spoke mysteriously, his eyes gleaming with wisdom.

Wang Jie saw the emperor's confidence, and though he remained apprehensive, he understood that since he spoke so evasively, he must have a thorough plan. Since the emperor's words were cryptic, he didn't want to question him further. So, Wang Jie bowed respectfully, and with a mixture of worry and anticipation, he slowly withdrew. He silently prayed that the emperor's plan would be successfully implemented, that the Han Dynasty could soon escape its predicament and return to its former peace and prosperity.

A few days later, the battle report meticulously compiled by Ma Chao and Lu Su finally arrived at Chang'an at top speed. The atmosphere in the court was solemn and enthusiastic. The emperor, after carefully examining the report, was filled with a look of satisfaction, and he immediately began to lavishly praise Ma Chao and Sun Ce for their achievements.

However, the emperor made no mention of Ma Chao's unauthorized execution of Yuan Shu and Sun Ce's beheading of Liu Yao. Furthermore, the emperor announced on the spot that they would be rewarded: Ma Chao was given the title of General of the Cavalry, with an additional county added to his fiefdom; Sun Ce was given the title of General of the Front, with an additional county added to his fiefdom; and even Zhou Yu was given the title of Marquis of Shu, with his fiefdom directly in his hometown.

When the court officials heard the emperor's decision, an uproar erupted. Grand Marshal Yang Biao was the first to step forward. His white hair was gleaming, his expression solemn, his graying beard trembling slightly with emotion. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, although Ma Chao and Sun Ce have made military achievements, they have arbitrarily killed officials appointed by the imperial court, a crime of great disrespect. Instead of punishing them, they have been generously rewarded, even adding an additional county to their fiefs. This is truly inappropriate. I fear that others will emulate their reckless behavior. Where is the rule of the court?"

Immediately afterwards, Prime Minister Wang Yun also stepped forward and added worriedly: "Your Majesty, only by clearly distinguishing between rewards and punishments can you convince the people. Now that Ma Chao and Sun Ce have done this, if you do not punish them but instead reward them heavily, people all over the world may misunderstand your Majesty's attitude towards social order and laws. Zhou Yu was just a member of Sun Ce's army, but he was also made a marquis and his fief was even granted to his hometown. Such a reward is too generous and it may be difficult to convince the people. If this continues, the majesty of the court will be damaged, and things may not go smoothly in the future." For a while, there was a lot of discussion in the hall, and many court officials nodded in agreement. Everyone felt that the emperor's reward was indeed too generous.

The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his expression calm. After the voices of the courtiers gradually died down, he slowly spoke: "My two beloved ministers, I am well aware of your concerns. However, in these turbulent times, Ma Chao and Sun Ce have repeatedly achieved remarkable feats on the battlefield, expanding the territory of our Han Dynasty and are truly pillars of the nation. Although they killed Yuan Shu and Liu Yao without prior permission, their pacification of Yangzhou is truly a great achievement. How can I be stingy with my reward?"