Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

It was late October, and the chill of winter was growing stronger. Ma Chao was leading his cavalry back to Chang'an, his horses' hooves pounding the withered grass, raising clouds of dust. Meanwhile, Wang Yun's messenger, after a long journey, had finally arrived at Yuan Shao's residence.

After receiving Wang Yun's secret letter, Yuan Shao immediately summoned his advisors to discuss the matter. The atmosphere within the tent was heavy. Yuan Shao sat in the main seat, brow furrowed, repeatedly rubbing the secret letter in his hands. He snorted coldly, his face filled with disdain: "Emperor Liu Bian, to act in this way is truly a waste of effort! This suspicion of loyal officials and suppression of meritorious officials truly chills our hearts."

Advisor Tian Feng stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said, "My lord, in my opinion, this matter requires caution. Ma Chao commands a large army and has made remarkable military achievements, yet the emperor now intends to attack him. This move will undoubtedly chill the hearts of all soldiers. Wang Yun's proposal to enthronize Liu Xie as emperor, while seemingly feasible, involves too many uncertainties."

Xu You also chimed in, "Indeed, our army is now powerful, and we should prioritize our own development. If we rashly get involved in this matter, even the slightest mistake could lead to irreparable disaster. Although the emperor's actions are unpopular, we cannot easily get involved in this court dispute."

Yuan Shao nodded slightly, his eyes sweeping across everyone's faces. After a moment's contemplation, he said, "You are all absolutely right. Wang Yun's plan may seem tempting, but it actually carries enormous risks. If we rashly support him and fail, we will not only offend the Emperor but also lose the trust of the other princes."

After a heated discussion, Yuan Shao ultimately decided not to adopt Wang Yun's plan. He told the messenger, "Go back and tell Minister Wang that this matter is of grave importance and requires careful consideration. The timing is not yet ripe, and it is inconvenient to act rashly. Please forgive me."

The messenger had no choice but to say goodbye and leave. Yuan Shao watched the messenger's back as he walked away, thinking to himself: The situation in the world is changing rapidly. The only way to gain a foothold in this chaotic world is to preserve one's strength and wait and see.

Shortly after Yuan Shao rejected Wang Yun, a messenger arrived to Tao Qian. Tao Qian, now a frail old man, his face marked by the vicissitudes of life. Recalling the defeat in Wujun, he felt a sense of helplessness and desolation. His former ambitions had gradually faded with that loss.

The messenger respectfully presented Wang Yun's secret letter. Tao Qian slowly unfolded it, scanning the contents with a calm expression. After reading it, he sighed softly but did not immediately answer.

Tao Shang, the eldest son who was serving beside him, was kind and gentle. Seeing his father's hesitation, he asked softly, "Father, what do you think we should do about this matter that Wang Yun has entrusted to us?"

Tao Qian shook his head and said slowly, "The affairs of the court are extremely complicated. I am now in my twilight years and have no desire to get involved in them. Maintaining peace in Xuzhou is already a great achievement."

Tao Qian was filled with worry when he thought of his second son, Tao Ying, who had been depressed by the defeat in Wujun. The defeat not only decimated the army but also left Tao Ying devastated, a trauma he has not been able to recover from to this day.

Tao Qian said to the messenger, "Go back and tell Minister Wang that I, Tao Qian, am honored by his esteem. However, Xuzhou has been overwhelmed with affairs lately and has been unable to assist. However, if he needs help, I will not sit idly by. As long as it does not involve excessive military forces, some material assistance is acceptable."

The messenger understood Tao Qian's intentions. Although he hadn't received a promise of full support, he couldn't force it, so he took his leave. Tao Qian looked at the messenger's back, feeling a mixture of emotions. He had once cared about the country, longing to make a difference in troubled times, but now, after experiencing so much, he only wanted to defend Xuzhou and protect the people.

After a long journey, Wang Yun's messenger finally arrived in Jingzhou. Aware of the sensitive nature of the mission, the messenger avoided mentioning the plot to murder the emperor. Instead, he explained that the court intended to deal with Ma Chao, and Wang Yun hoped Liu Biao would support him when appropriate.

Upon learning of this, Liu Biao felt a surge of joy. He saw Ma Chao's growing power as a serious threat to the imperial court, and the emperor's fear of him was a well-deserved punishment. He immediately summoned his advisors and generals to discuss the matter.

The counselor Kuai Yue was the first to speak: "My lord, Ma Chao is extremely ambitious and has been expanding his influence across the country. If he is not curbed, he will become a serious threat in the future. The court's proactive intervention is a move that conforms to the times. If we in Jingzhou can assist the court at this time, we will not only demonstrate our loyalty to the Han Dynasty, but also gain merit in the eyes of the emperor."

General Cai Mao also nodded in agreement. "Mr. Kuai is absolutely right. Ma Chao has always been arrogant and domineering. It's time for someone to deal with him. We in Jingzhou are strong and capable, so it's no problem for us to lend a helping hand to the court."

Everyone agreed that dealing with Ma Chao was the right move. Liu Biao listened to their opinions and smiled with satisfaction. "Since everyone agrees, then this is settled. Orders must be passed down to all counties and prefectures in Jingzhou to be prepared and ready to be deployed if the court requires."

However, amidst this chorus of approval, one man remained silent: Yi Ji. After the crowd dispersed, Yi Ji approached Liu Biao alone and spoke with a worried look, "My lord, this matter may seem simple, but we must be on guard. Why has Wang Yun suddenly come to us? The Emperor already has a foolproof plan for dealing with Ma Chao. Why is he resorting to such unnecessary action? Is there some hidden agenda? Moreover, while Jingzhou is now secure, we must not easily become embroiled in the court's disputes, lest we bring disaster upon ourselves."

Liu Biao was slightly taken aback, and Yi Ji's words plunged him into deep thought. He patted Yi Ji on the shoulder and said, "You are right. I will reconsider this matter. We must not act rashly." On the surface, Liu Biao agreed to Wang Yun's request, but deep down, he began to be wary and secretly instructed his subordinates to closely monitor the progress of the matter to prevent any fraud.

The messenger Wang Yun sent to Cao Cao rode at full speed and finally arrived. After receiving the secret letter, Cao Cao immediately summoned Guo Jia and Xun You, and the three of them sat together in a secret room with flickering candlelight.

Cao Cao frowned slightly and passed the letter to the two men to circulate. He said solemnly, "Take a look at what Wang Yun is up to. How should we respond?" Guo Jia took the letter and glanced at it quickly. Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he said excitedly, "My lord, our chance has arrived!"

Cao Cao looked puzzled, looking at Guo Jia with doubt. Guo Jia's lips curled up as he spoke eloquently, "Ma Chao is on the rise. If the Emperor were to deal with him, it would undoubtedly severely weaken Ma Chao's forces. If anything were to happen to Ma Chao in Chang'an, the Western Liang army would be leaderless and would surely collapse. And Sun Ce, Ma Chao's sworn brother, values ​​friendship and loyalty. Upon learning of his brother's distress, he would undoubtedly rise in anger."

"As to whether the emperor has the means to check and balance Sun Ce, it is still unknown at the moment, but Xiliang will definitely not swallow this anger easily. At this time, Wang Yun plans to promote Liu Xie to replace Liu Bian. Not to mention whether this can quell the anger of Ma Chao and Sun Ce, but once the emperor dies, the world will inevitably be in chaos, and the forces of all parties will be reshuffled. The degree of chaos is probably far greater than Ma Chao's chaos." Guo Jia's eyes flashed with wisdom, and he became more and more excited as he spoke.

"Since Wang Yun has made such an arrangement, we should fully support it. If the situation in Chang'an gets out of control and we can't hold it, we will welcome the emperor to us. Then, with the emperor in our hands, we can legitimately use him to command the princes and the entire world. My lord, this is a godsend opportunity. The world situation will surely be rewritten. We must seize this opportunity!"

Cao Cao pondered for a moment, frowned slightly, and asked, "What do you mean by that, Fengxiao?"

Guo Jia's eyes gleamed with brilliance. He took a step forward, gesturing with his hands, and excitedly exclaimed, "My lord, this is the perfect opportunity for us to conquer the world! If the current emperor dies, the new emperor, Liu Xie, will ascend to the throne. His foundation is unstable, and he'll be nothing more than a puppet in Wang Yun's hands, manipulated by the aristocratic families. If we can control the emperor and cooperate with the aristocratic families, we'll have a legitimate reason."

"Looking at the current situation, Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan will inevitably fight to the death for control of the north. Meanwhile, Sun Ce of Jiangdong has become a powerful figure, and he and Liu Biao have a deep hatred. Sun Ce is seeking revenge for his brother Ma Chao, and Liu Biao also has a grudge for his father's murder. The two will undoubtedly turn to swords and decide the outcome."

"By then, the Central Plains will be in chaos. My lord, you hold the throne and hold the prestige. You can then implement the strategy of befriending distant forces and conquering nearby ones. By making friends with distant powers and concentrating your forces to conquer nearby enemies, you can achieve great things. Once our power grows and becomes fully fledged, we will have the capital to dominate the world. Sooner or later, the world will be under your command!"

Cao Cao was stunned for a moment after hearing Guo Jia's analysis, then he threw his head back and laughed, his eyes gleaming with excitement and ambition. He slammed the table heavily, "Brilliant, Fengxiao! Why didn't I think of such a far-reaching idea? With you here, there's no need to worry about the great cause failing!" Then he looked eagerly at Xun You, "Gongda, what do you think?"

Xun You stroked his beard, his expression calm as he spoke slowly, "What Fengxiao said is indeed far-sighted. However, this matter carries considerable risks. We must deal with Wang Yun and be wary of potential detection from various factions. On the one hand, we must quickly reach a tacit understanding with Wang Yun, publicly offering our full support while secretly preparing to welcome the emperor. On the other hand, we must strengthen our military deployment to deal with possible emergencies, such as the reactions of Yuan Shao, Sun Ce, and others."

Guo Jia nodded slightly and added, "Gongda is absolutely right. We can send someone to Chang'an ahead of time to closely monitor the situation and report to us at any time to ensure the smooth implementation of the plan."

Cao Cao took a deep breath, his eyes firm. "Alright, I'll do as you say. Pass the order down, have the soldiers in each camp strengthen their vigilance and be on standby at all times. Write another letter to Wang Yun, be sure to express our full support with sincere words!"

Guo Jia said, "Not only that, we should immediately dispatch troops and prepare to respond. Regardless, if this analysis of the situation is accurate, we can only seize the initiative if we bet correctly. If anything happens in Chang'an, our troops must arrive quickly and seize the emperor first, so that we can seize the initiative."

Cao Cao nodded heavily, believing Guo Jia's words to be reasonable. He knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so he quickly and decisively ordered, "Yuan Rang, Miao Cai, Zi Xiao, and Zi Lian, listen!"

Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, and Cao Hong immediately stepped out of line, stood in a straight line, and responded in unison: "I am here!"

Cao Cao's eyes swept over them one by one. "You must immediately assemble your troops, select the best, and be ready to march at any time. The action must be stealthy and swift. Once we receive the news, advance towards Chang'an at top speed. No mistakes are allowed!"

"As you command!" The four men obeyed, turned, and strode away, quickly disappearing from the tent. Soon, the camp was filled with the sound of hurried horns and the frantic footsteps of soldiers. Cao Cao watched the increasingly busy scene outside the tent, then turned to look at Guo Jia and Xun You, a determined expression on his face. "If this succeeds, it will mark the moment of my rise. With your two assistance, I will surely make the most of this golden opportunity!"