Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Yuan Tan's heart trembled, sensing his father's faintly displeased gaze. He was struggling to decide how to respond when Xin Ping, beside him, sensed Yuan Shao's attitude and nudged him gently. Yuan Tan had no choice but to step forward and, with a bow, said, "Father, I believe both of you have a point. However, we shouldn't act hastily regarding Tongguan and Bingzhou right now. Ma Chao has been operating in Xiliang for a long time, establishing a solid foundation. His soldiers are brave, and they occupy the strategically important position of Tongguan. If our army rashly attacks Tongguan and engages Ma Chao head-on, we'll likely be caught in a protracted and arduous battle, resulting in significant losses in both manpower and financial resources. Furthermore, Cao Cao's attitude is ambiguous. If he were to attack us from behind while we're engaged in a fierce battle with Ma Chao, we'd be in imminent danger."

He paused briefly, gathering his thoughts, and continued, "Looking at Bingzhou now, although Gongsun Zan has fled here after his defeat, he certainly won't sit idly by and wait for death. He must have taken precautions. Furthermore, Bingzhou has long been harassed by the Xiongnu, and the situation is complex. If our army were to advance into Bingzhou now, we would not only have to deal with Gongsun Zan's remaining forces, but also with the Xiongnu, facing numerous difficulties. In my humble opinion, it would be wise to hold our troops in place for now and send elite spies to closely monitor the situation in Tongguan and Bingzhou. Meanwhile, our army should vigorously develop its own strength, actively expand its armaments, recruit talents from all over the world, and patiently bide its time. When the time is right, we can then attack Tongguan or advance into Bingzhou, and I believe we will achieve twice the result with half the effort."

After hearing Yuan Tan's analysis, Yuan Shao's anger surged. He slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "What? Has this defeat completely shattered your courage? These are times of great contention, with numerous warlords and neighboring lands engaged in constant diplomatic warfare. Living in this chaotic world is like sailing against the current; if you don't advance, you're either advancing or retreating. And you're talking about holding your troops in place? Has this one defeat shattered your manly resolve?"

Yuan Tan was so frightened by Yuan Shao's sudden rebuke that his face turned pale, his legs went weak, and he fell to his knees with a plop, trembling all over.

At this moment, Yuan Xi's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a hint of contempt, and he said sarcastically, "Brother, I always thought you were very capable, but why are you so timid now? After a few words of analysis, you are so decadent. It's really disappointing."

Yuan Shang echoed this, saying with disdain, "That's right, big brother, your words are truly unbecoming of a man of the Yuan family. How can you achieve great things if you're so timid?"

Yuan Tan watched his two brothers sneer and stab him in the back, his resentment surging like a raging tide. But he knew that his most pressing task was to get past his father. He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and, his mind racing, he said hastily, "Father, I'm not going to stand still and sit on my hands. The situation is complex, and we need to take a long-term approach. Gongsun Du of Liaodong borders Youzhou, and his power should not be underestimated. We can send someone there to test him and see if we can win him over and use him for our own benefit. If he refuses to obey, we can put pressure on him and show him the power of our Yuan family."

Yuan Tan paused, then continued, "As for Cao Cao, his disregard for our old friendship is truly despicable. We should also send envoys to harshly rebuke his unjust actions and gain the moral upper hand. Meanwhile, our army needs to focus on recuperation. The people have been exhausted by these years of campaigning, and the army needs time to regroup. Only when the people live and work in peace and contentment, and the army is strong and robust, can we be more competitive in this chaotic world."

At this time, Tian Feng and Ju Su hurried out to offer advice. Tian Feng bowed and said, "My lord, Master Tan has been away from Hebei for a long time, so his understanding of the current situation is indeed limited. However, his advice is not without reason. The current situation is volatile and unpredictable. Rash action could lead to unexpected consequences. We should proceed with caution."

Ju Su immediately added, "My lord, please calm down. Young Master Tan is deeply concerned about the Yuan family's cause, but he simply failed to grasp the current situation accurately. However, his proposed strategies of winning over Gongsun Du, rebuking Cao Cao, and recuperating are sound strategies for stabilizing the Yuan family's foundation. I hope you will reconsider."

Yuan Shao's anger subsided slightly after hearing what Tian Feng and Ju Su said. His expression remained as gloomy as the sky before a storm. He snorted coldly and said, "Never mind. Since you two gentlemen have spoken on your behalf, I'll spare you this time. When you return, reflect on this. In this world of great conflict, there's no room for cowardice. Do not hesitate any longer. Find the courage you possess as a son of the Yuan family!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tan quickly nodded his approval, slowly rising to his feet with trembling legs. At this moment, he could feel his back drenched in cold sweat, his clothes clinging to his back, making it extremely uncomfortable. He raised his hand and inconspicuously wiped the dense beads of sweat from his forehead.

The relentless sarcasm and backstabbing from the two brothers, just now in public, had caused resentment to grow like wild weeds within Yuan Tan. He clenched his fists, mentally registering the incident, a subtle glint of fierceness flashing in his eyes. In the Yuan family, rife with power struggles, he knew that from this moment on, the superficial harmony between him and the two brothers would vanish, replaced only by hidden rivalry and calculation.

Yuan Xi was quick to notice Yuan Tan's expression. He felt a chill in his heart and subtly moved closer to Yuan Shang. Then, he whispered in Yuan Shang's ear, "Third Brother, look at the eldest brother's eyes. They're filled with resentment. I'm afraid he's holding a grudge against us."

As Yuan Shao's youngest and most favored son, Yuan Shang held a special position within the Yuan family. Yuan Tan, as the eldest legitimate son, enjoyed a natural advantage in the succession according to family tradition. Although Yuan Xi harbored his own ambitions, he was wary of Yuan Tan's status as the eldest legitimate son and hesitated to overtly display his ambitions, maintaining a superficial closeness with Yuan Shang. Previously, Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang, both coveting the position of Crown Prince, had secretly formed an alliance, viewing Yuan Tan as a potential rival, with Yuan Shang as their leader.

After hearing what Yuan Xi said, Yuan Shang just curled his lips indifferently and said to Yuan Xi disapprovingly: "Second brother, what can he do about his resentment? From ancient times to the present, the struggle for the crown prince has been like this. It's either you die or I die. If he has the ability, just come at me. Why should I be afraid of him!" After saying that, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in Yuan Shang's eyes, as if he didn't take Yuan Tan's resentment seriously at all.

The atmosphere at the banquet became increasingly depressing, as if a heavy dark cloud was hanging over everyone's heads.

Yuan Tan forced himself to remain calm, yet his heart was churning like a raging sea. He knew that the current situation was extremely unfavorable to him. If he couldn't quickly reverse the situation, his position within the Yuan family would plummet. He raised his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang. A subtle hint of hatred flashed in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

At this time, Yuan Shao's nephew Gao Gan, who would become friends with Yuan Shang in the future, suddenly stood up and said, "I have heard the opinions of the three gentlemen today. I think what they said is absolutely right. Our army should march forward bravely and not have any intention of retreating. Unlike some people who are only timid and afraid, they may not be able to accomplish anything great." After saying that, he deliberately glanced at Yuan Tan.

Yuan Tan was seething with rage, yet he couldn't bring himself to vent it. Xin Ping, observing this from the side, grew even more anxious. He coughed softly twice, then stood up and said, "Everyone, our army has just suffered a defeat and is still recovering. Our top priority is to stabilize the situation, not to recklessly advance. The eldest son's previous strategy was based on the overall situation and is not inappropriate."

The senior official persisted, saying, "Mr. Xin, you are wrong. If we always play it safe, how can we achieve great things? We, as followers of our lord, must prioritize progress."

The two of them started arguing at the banquet, and everyone's attention was attracted.

Feng Ji sneered and said, "Xin Ping, stop defending Yuan Tan. Everyone can see the current situation clearly. Only by daring to attack can we seize the initiative."

Xu You also echoed: "Exactly. If we keep our troops inactive, won't the world laugh at our Yuan family for being cowardly?"

Tian Feng's face darkened. He stood up and shouted, "Stop your nonsense! Our army faces powerful enemies outside and hidden dangers within. If we don't consolidate our foundation first and rush into battle rashly, we will only end up in an irretrievable situation."

Ju Su also nodded and said, "Brother Tian is absolutely right. My Lord, the current plan should be as the eldest son said, to rest and recuperate first, and then make plans. Don't let a momentary anger ruin the important things."

The reasons behind Yuan Shang's friendship with Gao Gan are complex. Yuan Shao's doting on his youngest son, Yuan Shang, was a well-known fact within the Yuan family. As Yuan Shao's nephew, Gao Gan naturally turned his attention to Yuan Shang, hoping to gain his uncle's attention and appreciation.

Yuan Shang was still young, and in the power struggle, he wielded far less support than the eldest son, Yuan Tan. As the eldest son, Yuan Tan, with this inherent advantage, attracted the tacit support of numerous civil and military officials, as well as prominent families. Gao Gan knew that within the Yuan family's power structure, it was wise to follow Yuan Shao's preferences.

Gao Gan took the initiative to approach Yuan Shang and became quite close to him. For Gao Gan, building a close relationship with Yuan Shang would not only solidify his position within the Yuan family, but also perhaps secure him a role in future power distribution. Yuan Shang, facing the powerful Yuan Tan, was also in urgent need of recruiting other forces to strengthen himself, so Gao Gan's approach was naturally welcomed.

Yuan Shao sat in the main seat, his expression shifting from gloomy to cheerful. He watched the arguing crowd below, his annoyance growing. He knew Tian Feng and Ju Su had a point, but Yuan Tan had been rebuked by him today. If he fully supported Yuan Tan's proposal now, where would his dignity be?

After a long silence, Yuan Shao finally spoke: "Shut up! Let's end today's matter here for now. As for what to do in the future, let me think about it." After that, he flicked his sleeves, stood up and left the table. Seeing this, everyone also stood up and dispersed.

Yuan Tan watched Yuan Shao's departing back, a mixture of emotions welling up in his heart. He knew he had to take action, otherwise, he would be completely at the mercy of the Yuan family's battle for the heir apparent. Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang, meanwhile, chatted quietly nearby, occasionally glancing at Yuan Tan with eyes filled with pride and defiance.

Xin Ping walked up to Yuan Tan and whispered, "Sir, things are not going well today. You must make plans early."

Yuan Tan nodded slightly, with a hint of determination in his eyes: "Don't worry, Mr. Xin, I won't sit and wait for death. Since they are pressing me step by step, I must let them know that I, Yuan Tan, am not someone to be trifled with." After that, he clenched his fists and strode towards his tent. Under the cover of night, his figure looked lonely and determined.

Tian Feng and Ju Su watched Yuan Tan depart, both filled with worry. Ju Su sighed softly, "The internal strife among the Yuan brothers is likely to bring disaster to the Yuan family."

Tian Feng frowned slightly: "Now we can only hope that the lord can see the situation clearly as soon as possible, let the three young masters put aside their prejudices and unite to fight the enemy, otherwise, the Yuan family's hegemony will be shattered." The two looked at each other, both with helpless expressions.