Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Gongsun Du of Liaodong decided to temporarily follow Yuan Shao's lead. The Liaodong strategy had been achieved. On Cao Cao's side, Yuan Shao once again dispatched his key advisor, Guo Tu, as an envoy. Guo Tu was a man of exceptional intelligence and talent, though he had a rather radical approach. Before departing, he discussed all matters with Yuan Shao.

After receiving the order, Guo Tu respectfully addressed Yuan Shao, "Rest assured, my lord. I will fulfill my mission on this mission. If Cao Cao is willing to cooperate and join our army in the attack on Chang'an, that would be best. However, if Cao Cao is reckless and unwilling to cooperate, I will return immediately. General Wen Chou's troops outside Hangu Pass will then follow my lead and attack Luoyang directly. This will not only teach Cao Cao a severe lesson, but also expand our army's sphere of influence, further strengthening our position in the future struggle for world domination."

Yuan Shao nodded in satisfaction, patted Guo Tu on the shoulder, and said, "Gongze (Guo Tu's courtesy name), I've always known you to be resourceful and decisive. This mission is of great importance, bearing on the well-being of our Yuan family. You must not take it lightly. Cao Cao is a cunning man. When dealing with him, you must be cautious and act according to circumstances."

Guo Tu bowed and replied, "My lord, I will bear your instructions in mind. I will adapt to the circumstances and seek the greatest benefit for you."

With his mission in hand, Guo Tu, accompanied by a team of elite followers, set out for Cao Cao's camp. Along the way, Guo Tu pondered various strategies for negotiating with Cao Cao. He knew the mission was arduous and Cao Cao was no pushover, but with his own wisdom, he was confident he could accomplish his mission and contribute to Yuan Shao's hegemony. Meanwhile, outside Hangu Pass, Wen Chou led a 100,000-man army, ready to attack at any moment, awaiting Guo Tu's message.

After receiving the order, Guo Tu carefully selected a group of followers and, carrying Yuan Shao's mission, marched towards Xudu in a mighty procession. A few days later, the group arrived in Xudu.

Guo Tu straightened his attire and, with a certain amount of confidence and pride, entered the lobby of Cao Cao's residence in Xudu, guided by Cao Cao's subordinates. Inside, Cao Cao sat firmly in the main seat, his face calm and his gaze penetrating. Flanking him were Guo Jia, Xun You, and other wise counselors, each with a calm expression that radiated a subtle wisdom and composure.

Guo Tu stepped forward and bowed slightly. Though smiling, his words carried an undeniable aura: "General Cao, my lord, Yuan Shao, reigns supreme in Hebei and now intends to capture Chang'an to pacify the empire. I've heard that Ma Chao, commanding an army in Xiliang, poses a threat to the Han. Remembering the friendship between General Cao and the Yuan family, my lord has sent me here to invite you to join us in the fight against Ma Chao. This is a move in accordance with Heaven's will. Not only will we eliminate this treacherous villain, but it will also earn you two generals a reputation for loyalty and righteousness before the world. I urge General Cao not to miss this opportunity."

Cao Cao narrowed his eyes slightly, not replying immediately. Guo Jia chuckled, stepped forward, and, with a bow, said, "Mr. Guo, you are mistaken. Ma Chao has just quelled the rebellion of the foreign tribes in Xiliang, protecting the territory and the people. He has truly served the country with outstanding service. To rashly launch an attack now would be groundless and would likely draw widespread criticism. Furthermore, Xiliang's terrain is complex, and Ma Chao has established a strong foundation over his many years of management. A rash attack would be highly uncertain, and would be unwise."

Guo Tu frowned and retorted, "Hmph, Ma Chao is nothing more than a usurper, no different from Dong Zhuo of Xiliang in the past. If we don't eliminate him now while he's still young, wouldn't we be nurturing a tiger to cause trouble? Once he becomes powerful, I'm afraid no one in the world will be able to control him. General Cao, if you don't take action now, you will regret it later."

Xun You also stepped forward, his expression calm but his words sharp. "Mr. Guo, that being said, the current situation is extremely complex. Ma Chao may have ambitions, but he has just suppressed a rebellion, and the military and civilians of Xiliang are united and morale is high. If our army were to engage him now, we would be in for a difficult battle. Moreover, while General Cao's power is considerable, it is by no means an absolute advantage over Ma Chao and Yuan Shao. If we rashly accept Yuan Shao's invitation to join us in attacking Chang'an, we would likely end up with more trouble than gain."

Guo Tu was furious, but he suppressed his anger. He said, "General Cao, are you willing to miss this golden opportunity to achieve hegemony? Do you want to watch Lord Yuan Shao achieve great things alone while General Cao is branded as a coward?"

Cao Cao smiled faintly and spoke slowly, "Mr. Guo, it's not that I'm unwilling to send troops, but simply that the time is not right. Ma Chao has just helped the court quell a foreign invasion; attacking him now would be illogical. I, Cao Cao, have always taken it as my duty to uphold the Han Dynasty, and naturally, I must act in accordance with the will of the people. Yuan Shao and Ma Chao are already enemies, so I can do nothing to help."

Guo Tu heard the evasion in Cao Cao's words, and knew in his heart that it would be difficult to reach an agreement today. He could not help but snorted coldly: "Since General Cao is so concerned, then I will not say anything more. I just hope that General Cao will not regret your decision today." After that, he flicked his sleeves and left.

After Guo Tu angrily left Xudu, he headed straight for Hangu Pass without stopping. As an envoy of Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, while reluctant to confront such a formidable force, was also unwilling to make things difficult for him. Therefore, Guo Tu was able to reach Hangu Pass safely and reunite with Wen Chou.

Yuan Shao had already given Guo Tu his orders when he sent him on a diplomatic mission to Cao Cao: if Cao Cao refused to form an alliance, Guo Tu was to cooperate with Wen Chou in attacking Hangu Pass and thereby threaten Luoyang. Sure enough, soon after Guo Tu arrived, news of Hangu Pass being heavily surrounded by Yuan forces spread like wildfire to Xudu.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao quickly dispatched his generals, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan, with elite troops to Hangu Pass to meet the enemy. He also hurriedly summoned his advisors to discuss countermeasures. Cao Cao knew full well that Yuan Shao was using coercion to coerce him into a military operation. If he delayed, he would likely be the first to engage Yuan Shao in battle.

As everyone expressed their opinions, Guo Jia, with a relaxed expression, as if he had already made up his mind, spoke slowly, "My lord, Yuan Shao's actions are nothing more than a scheme to kill with a borrowed knife. He intends to use us as the vanguard to fight Ma Chao to the death, while he sits back and reaps the benefits. In my opinion, my lord, you should send an envoy to Chang'an as soon as possible. Ma Chao is undoubtedly powerful now, but he will surely suffer heavy losses in suppressing this foreign rebellion. He probably does not want to see us ally with Yuan Shao and jointly attack Chang'an. If we want to fight against this behemoth Yuan Shao, we must at least get Chang'an to contribute."

Cao Cao nodded slightly, but a conflicted look crossed his face. "Ma Chao hasn't returned to Chang'an yet, so the future is unpredictable. I've always felt that both Yuan Shao and Ma Chao would be formidable rivals in my quest for world domination. But Yuan Shao and I still have some old friendship, so we're closer. If that's not possible, I'm thinking, why not join forces with Yuan Shao to defeat Ma Chao first, pin him down in Guanzhong, or even force him back to Xiliang, to eliminate any future trouble?"

Xun You, upon seeing this, stepped forward and respectfully asked, "My lord, what are you thinking? Although Ma Chao suffered some losses during this campaign against the foreign tribes, the might of the Western Liang cavalry has always struck fear in armies across the land. Those ten thousand Western Liang cavalry, charging into battle, could easily disrupt the ranks of tens of thousands. Furthermore, Ma Chao himself is incredibly brave and renowned for his military exploits; he's no ordinary warrior. If we rashly ally with Yuan Shao to attack Ma Chao, the consequences are numerous. I urge you to reconsider."

Cao Cao fell into deep thought, and the tent became quiet for a moment. Everyone was waiting for Cao Cao's decision, and the atmosphere was so solemn that it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it.

Seeing Cao Cao's hesitation, Guo Jia offered another piece of advice: "My lord, in my opinion, we should first establish a friendly relationship with Ma Chao. You see, after Yuan Shao annexed Youzhou and secured the surrender of Gongsun Du from Liaodong, his ambitions have only grown. He's already showing signs of dominating those who obey him and perishing those who disobey him. Ma Chao, on the other hand, has just fought off a foreign invasion, suffering heavy losses, and his strength has yet to recover."

Guo Jia paused, then looked at Cao Cao intently, continuing, "If, my lord, you join forces with Yuan Shao and truly defeat Ma Chao, driving him back to Xiliang or even annihilating him, then Ma Chao would be fine. At worst, he could retreat to Xiliang to recuperate. But, my lord, have you ever considered that once Yuan Shao defeats Ma Chao and captures Chang'an, his next target will undoubtedly be us?"

Cao Cao's brow furrowed, lost in thought. Seeing this, Guo Jia struck while the iron was hot: "We and Ma Chao are in different regions. Your lordship occupies the Central Plains. While the land is fertile and the population is large, we lack war horses. Ma Chao, on the other hand, occupies the northwest, which is rich in war horses. If we want to challenge Ma Chao, we must first defeat Yuan Shao, occupy Hebei, and obtain the war horses. Only then will we have enough strength to compete with him. Therefore, the best strategy right now is to join forces with Ma Chao to fight Yuan Shao together."

Cao Cao paced slowly, weighing the pros and cons. He knew Guo Jia was right. Yuan Shao's expansion posed a significant threat to him. If he didn't curb it, he would be in danger. While Ma Chao was a potential rival, he could now serve as a counterweight to Yuan Shao.

After pondering for a long time, Cao Cao finally stopped and said with a firm gaze, "Fengxiao's words are like a revelation. I will follow your suggestion and send someone to Chang'an. However, who would be the most suitable person to send? Fengxiao, can you give me some advice?"

Guo Jia's expression was serious as he spoke slowly, "This alliance with Ma Chao is of vital importance. After all, Chang'an had just defeated Yuan Tan's 50,000-man army at the end of last year, and morale is high. Ma Chao and his men could have sat back and watched the conflict between Yuan Shao and us, and whether to help or not was uncertain. Our alliance this time is tantamount to getting something for nothing, so we must send someone of great importance, preferably a relative, to demonstrate our sincerity and determination."

Cao Cao nodded slightly, then turned his gaze towards the clan members and generals in the hall and said loudly, "Everyone, who can help me relieve my worries and go to Chang'an as an envoy?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Cao Ren stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said loudly, "My lord, Cao Ren is willing to go!" Cao Cao subconsciously stroked his beard. As Cao Ren's most important general, it would be more appropriate for him to send him to Chang'an. However, Guo Jia shook his head slightly and said, "My lord, if we send a general from our army, it will show our respect, but it will seem too forceful and not sincere enough."

Cao Cao couldn't help but frown and asked, "Then according to Fengxiao's opinion, what should we do?"

Guo Jia's gaze slowly shifted to Cao Ang standing beside him. Seeing Guo Jia's gaze on him, Cao Ang's heart moved, realizing that Guo Jia might be interested in him. So he stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Father, I am willing to share your worries and go to Chang'an to discuss the alliance."