Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Xiliang raised an army and rushed to Chang'an for revenge. At this time, Zhen Mi and her companions were still on their way to Hanzhong to look for Hua Tuo. The imperial edict had spread to the world, and the news that Ma Chao had rebelled and been executed shocked everyone.

The sound of hooves clattered, dust billowed as Cao Cao led his troops toward Chang'an. Halfway along, a scout arrived, spurring his horse to deliver the imperial edict. Unfolding it, Cao Cao saw the news that Ma Chao had rebelled and was executed. He yanked the reins, and the horse beneath him, in pain, reared its front hooves high, its neigh piercing the air and startling a flock of birds.

A trace of regret crossed Cao Cao's face, and he murmured softly, "Ma Chao, so loyal and brave, was feared by the emperor. His fate is truly a pity." Ma Chao's power was so great, a powerful barrier to the Han Dynasty, but now the imperial court had destroyed it. Cao Cao felt sorry for Ma Chao. He looked into the distance, a wave of sadness welling up in his heart. Could it be that the Han Dynasty has truly run its course? If so, with the world in chaos, why should he be trapped in the shackles of supporting the Han Dynasty? A lofty desire to dominate the world quietly welled up in his heart.

But in the blink of an eye, his brow furrowed tightly again, and layers of worry surged in his heart. Cao Cao knew that if Ma Chao died, Xiliang would surely rebel, and the situation might get out of control.

Seeing this, Guo Jia stepped forward and said respectfully, "My lord, Xiliang will certainly seek revenge. Ma Teng will never let this go." Cao Cao nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the map. He said in a deep voice, "Fengxiao is absolutely right. Ma Chao's death has infuriated the people of Xiliang. How could Ma Teng swallow this?"

Guo Jia went on to analyze, "However, if Wang Yun's plan succeeds and Liu Xie is supported to succeed to the throne, then the dead emperor will have no evidence and his hatred will be wiped out. Besides, Xiliang no longer has Ma Chao as its backbone. As long as we reward them with high positions and generous titles, we will be able to appease them." Cao Cao's eyes moved, and he turned to look at Guo Jia, a hint of thought flashing in his eyes.

Guo Jia continued, "When the Western Liang army approaches the city, the situation will force us to do so. Even if we grant them high positions and noble titles, we won't be infamous. After all, all of this was the previous emperor's doing. He sowed the seeds of disaster, not us. We should take advantage of the situation. This will not only alleviate the immediate crisis but also win over the hearts of the Western Liang people. Why not?"

After hearing this, Cao Cao stroked his beard and laughed. The haze in his heart immediately dissipated a lot. He praised: "Feng Xiao is indeed far-sighted. This plan is brilliant!"

Cao Cao was secretly impressed by Guo Jia's words, but he still had doubts. He asked, "According to Feng Xiao's words, what should we do next?"

Guo Jia's expression was calm, his eyes gleaming with confidence and determination. He spoke methodically, "Since the emperor has acted this way, there's no need for us to rush to Chang'an. For now, we should just hold our ground and wait for the Western Liang troops to arrive. If Wang Yun's plan succeeds, Chang'an will undoubtedly be leaderless and in chaos. We can wait for them to tire themselves out and strike when the situation presents itself. This will achieve twice the result with half the effort, stabilizing Chang'an without antagonizing Western Liang. This is the more appropriate strategy."

Cao Cao's mind suddenly cleared up after hearing this, and he felt Guo Jia's words made sense. He nodded slightly, his eyes full of admiration, "Since that's the case, let's follow Feng Xiao's plan." He then shouted orders, ordering the army to slow down, set up camp, and await any changes in Chang'an. For a moment, the once mighty and dusty marching column gradually slowed down, and the soldiers followed orders methodically.

Yuan Shao sat in the lobby of the Jizhou mansion, his face gloomy as he read the secret report that had arrived. It blatantly announced Ma Chao's execution by the imperial court. For a moment, his expression froze, his eyes wide, as if he were stunned by the news. Then, a burst of unbridled laughter erupted from his chest, his head thrown back to the sky. The laughter echoed throughout the empty hall, shaking the curtains on either side slightly.

"Hahaha, this emperor is so stupid that he actually does such a self-destructive thing! Killing Ma Chao is just seeking death and destroying his own martial arts, isn't it?" Yuan Shao laughed and stood up suddenly, with his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth excitedly in the hall.

"Think about it, everyone. With the crazy backlash from Xiliang, the imperial court is now unable to take care of itself. How long can it last?" Yuan Shao's eyes flashed with an unconcealable greed. While he was happy about Yuan Shu's death, he was also secretly shocked. With Yuan Shu's death, the imperial court was stable, and the situation he barely held on to in the Jizhou battle would be destroyed. If the imperial court transferred Ma Chao and Sun Ce over, he would definitely not be able to resist. Therefore, Ma Chao and Sun Ce became his biggest concerns, and he chose to compromise and seek peace with the imperial court. Now that the emperor is foolish and destroys the Great Wall, there will be a war between the imperial court and Xiliang. Both sides will suffer losses, and the opportunity has come. Yuan Shao seemed to have seen the glorious scene of himself galloping on the battlefield of the Central Plains and dominating the world in one fell swoop.

At this moment, Ju Su, who had been standing by quietly observing, took a step forward with a solemn expression, clasped his hands together, and said respectfully, "My lord, in my opinion, this is a heaven-sent opportunity for an alliance. Xiliang and the imperial court have forged a deep hatred and are determined to seek revenge. If we can seize this opportunity, send people to Xiliang, forge an alliance with them, and jointly fight against the imperial court, we will have powerful external support and achieve our great cause!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao paused, nodded slightly, and a thoughtful expression crossed his face. He gently stroked his chin, his eyes shrewd and calculating, clearly weighing the pros and cons of the alliance in his heart.

As Yuan Shao pondered this, another advisor, Guo Tu, stepped forward and offered his advice, "My lord, the emperor's actions will undoubtedly cause chaos in the court, leaving him preoccupied with his own affairs and unable to spare any time for Ji Province. In my opinion, this is a godsend opportunity. We might as well seize it and attack Gongsun Zan and capture You Province. This will not only expand our territory and strengthen our power, but also establish our prestige among the other princes. This will then give us greater confidence in our alliance with Xiliang or our future struggle for supremacy!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao's eyes gleamed, and he began to waver. He paced slowly again, his mind mulling over the feasibility of pursuing these two goals simultaneously. After a long pause, Yuan Shao paused, gazed at the crowd with determination, and said in a deep voice, "Send personnel to begin preparations for the alliance with Xiliang immediately. Regarding the attack on Gongsun Zan, we must also carefully consider the long-term and quickly formulate a detailed operational strategy. This is a godsend opportunity; we must seize it and achieve great success!" Everyone responded in unison, and the hall suddenly became bustling with activity. Orders were quickly relayed, and everyone in Jizhou began to intensively prepare for these two impending events.

When news of Ma Chao's execution reached Xuzhou, Tao Qian was in his mansion discussing matters with his staff. Upon hearing the news, his tense expression instantly relaxed, and he involuntarily let out a long sigh, his entire body seemingly drained of strength as he slowly leaned back in his chair.

Once, Yuan Shu's power was at its peak, commanding immense power. Despite his control of Xuzhou, Tao Qian felt a constant threat. Yuan Shu's threats forced him to deploy his troops on the border of Wujun to confront Sun Ce. Those days were filled with trepidation throughout Xuzhou. Even though he never engaged Sun Ce directly, the constant pressure of a potential confrontation weighed heavily on his mind.

After barely surviving the threat posed by Yuan Shu, Tao Qian was once again kept awake at night by the unfolding events of the Battle of Yangzhou. Sun Ce and Ma Chao, working hand in hand, had swept through the region with unstoppable force, capturing Yangzhou in one fell swoop. The news of their victory filled Tao Qian with anxiety. He knew Sun Ce was young, valiant, and ambitious. With Yangzhou secured, Xuzhou would become a lucrative prey, vulnerable to attack at any moment.

Now, the news of Ma Chao's sudden death came like a timely rain, quenching the flames of fear within Tao Qian. He pondered, "Sun Ce and Ma Chao were sworn brothers, their bond must have been deep. How could Sun Ce let Ma Chao's unjust death go unpunished? Sun Ce would surely unleash his rage and vengeance on Chang'an. That way, he could breathe a sigh of relief, and Xuzhou would enjoy a temporary peace." At this thought, Tao Qian's tense nerves relaxed completely, a long-lost smile spreading across his face. He lifted his teacup and took a sip, as if he could already see Xuzhou enjoying a peaceful life.

Inside the Jingzhou Governor's Mansion, a tranquil atmosphere reigned, the scent of sandalwood incense lingering in the air. Liu Biao, dressed in a plain robe, sat comfortably in the main seat, his right hand casually flipping through an ancient bamboo scroll, his left gently stroking his beard. Steam still rose from the fragrant tea on the table before him.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried, chaotic footsteps shattered the tranquility. A messenger, sweating profusely and anxious, rushed into the hall, fell to his knees, and held high in his hands an expedited document, tightly sealed with wax.

Liu Biao put down the bamboo slips, glanced at the messenger, and slowly reached out to take the document. Unfolding it, the news of Ma Chao's execution caught his eye. He was startled for a moment, then uttered a soft "Huh?" A complex expression crossed his face, as he was surprised by this sudden turn of events and secretly pondered the direction of the situation.

But as he continued reading, his previously calm expression darkened, and his hand gripping the document unconsciously clenched, his knuckles turning slightly white. The emperor's order was clear and clear. Not only did it emphasize his recent secret occupation of Wancheng, which had no troops stationed there, as a warning, it also demanded that he ensure the defense of Jingzhou and resist Sun Ce with all his might.

"This emperor is so absurd!" Liu Biao slammed the document onto the table and stood up with a bang. With his hands clasped behind his back, he paced rapidly back and forth in the hall, his footsteps heavy, each step seeming to pierce the floorboards with a dull "thump, thump." He knew full well that this so-called order was the emperor's attempt to drag him into the vortex of turmoil and strife, making him a pawn in the court's attempts to balance power. Jingzhou appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, the internal power struggles were complex and entangled. A hasty defense would only exacerbate the conflict and undermine the foundation of his rule. Moreover, Sun Ce, driven by his revenge for Ma Chao, was in high spirits and would undoubtedly attack with great force. A full-scale resistance would not only incur heavy losses but also risk a mutually devastating outcome, with others profiting.

Thinking of this, Liu Biao stopped, his brows knitted into a deep "chuan" shape, and turned to look at his counselor Kuai Yue, who had always remained calm, his eyes full of questions and the urgency of seeking countermeasures: "Yidu, in your opinion, how should we respond to this order?"

Kuai Yue stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and then said calmly, "My lord, this order must not be blindly followed. The situation in Jingzhou is delicate and complex right now. If we rashly launch an all-out defense, it will easily create internal discord and create powerful enemies abroad. In my humble opinion, you can first secretly strengthen border defenses and closely monitor Sun Ce's movements. While appearing to hold your troops in place, you are actually conserving your strength. A battle between Xiliang and the imperial court is inevitable. Once the situation becomes clearer, we can act accordingly. Only in this way can we ensure the stability of Jingzhou in these turbulent times."

After hearing this, Liu Biao's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. He nodded slightly, his expression eased a little, and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes: "Yidu is absolutely right. I'll follow your plan." After that, he sat back in the main seat, picked up the cup of fragrant tea that had long since cooled, took a sip, and tried to regain some of the composure that he had in control of the overall situation in the past.