Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

There was another round of discussion in the meeting room. Ju Su smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Tian Feng has already analyzed it. Ma Chao will not easily mobilize troops anytime soon. Besides, how can the alliance between the princes be so unbreakable? In my opinion, if Cao Cao falls into trouble, the people in Chang'an might be happy to see him defeated and may not help him."

Yuan Shao's eyes lit up after hearing Ju Su's words, believing the plan to be brilliant. He paced back and forth in the hall, pondering the details. After a moment, he said, "Ju Su's words are very much in line with my opinion. However, the selection of these two envoys must be very careful. They must be both eloquent and loyal and reliable, so they can shoulder this important responsibility."

Tian Feng said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. Envoys going to Jingzhou must be well-informed about the aristocratic families of Jingzhou and eloquent in order to persuade Liu Biao to cooperate with us. As for envoys going to Lü Bu, besides being eloquent, they must also know how to please Lü Bu and make him willing to serve us."

Guo Tu bowed and said, "My lord, I recommend Xu You to go to Jingzhou. Xu You is a man of great resourcefulness and has some knowledge of the aristocratic families of Jingzhou. He will surely be able to fulfill this mission."

Feng Ji said, "As for the envoy to Lü Bu, I think Shen Pei is the most suitable. He is loyal and thoughtful, and will surely be able to skillfully stir up trouble between Lü Bu and Cao Cao."

Yuan Shao pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright, I'll do as you say. Xu You and Shen Pei, listen to my orders. I'm ordering you two to serve as envoys to Jingzhou and Lü Bu, and you must complete your mission. If you succeed, I will reward you handsomely."

Xu You and Shen Pei hurried out, knelt on one knee, and said in unison: "We will obey the orders of our lord and will not fail in our mission!"

Yuan Shao looked at the two men, his eyes filled with anticipation, and said, "Alright, prepare to depart immediately. The rest of you must not slack off either. Continue to train your troops and gather supplies. Once the time is right, we will march south and defeat Cao Cao in one fell swoop!"

With the strategy in place, Yuan Shao's anxiety eased somewhat. Reflecting on the recent past, ever since Yuan Tan's defeat, capture, and subsequent exchange, the harmony within Ye City had been shaken. Yuan Tan's reputation had been severely damaged by this incident. While he still had loyal civil officials like Xin Ping and numerous military commanders, some scheming individuals were secretly placing their bets on Yuan Shao's favored third son, Yuan Shang. Yuan Xi, in turn, seized the opportunity to woo supporters and expand his influence.

On the surface, the three sons maintained a facade of brotherly harmony, but in reality, they were secretly competing with each other, refusing to yield. Yuan Shao could not fail to notice the open and covert infighting among his sons, but he doted on Yuan Shang too much to intervene. Yuan Shao, perhaps with his own calculations, wanted to test Yuan Tan's ability to recover and regain his confidence amidst this difficult situation. However, even with this in mind, the infighting among his sons left Yuan Shao feeling irritated.

Now that the strategy had been finalized, Yuan Shao addressed the group, "Now that the strategy has been finalized, you all should proceed with your orders and implement all matters as quickly as possible. Xu You and Shen Pei, you two must immediately prepare for your mission. Act with utmost caution and achieve your goal as soon as possible. The rest of you, generals, intensify your military training and the preparation of food and fodder. Do not slack off in the slightest."

Everyone accepted the order in unison and dispersed, each going about their business. After Xu You and Shen Pei returned to their tent, they immediately began preparing the necessary documents, gifts, and other items for the mission, carefully considering how to address Liu Biao and Lü Bu when they met.

Yuan Shao had just rubbed his dizzy head and was about to return to his room to rest when an attendant arrived to report that Tian Feng and Ju Su had come together to request an audience. Yuan Shao ordered them to be received in his study. It was mid-July, and the weather was unbearably hot. Yuan Shao had already stripped off his heavy outer garments, leaving only a thin undershirt, wiping away the sweat with a wet towel. As he saw the two men enter, he continued wiping his hands while saying, "Gentlemen, haven't we just formulated our strategy? Is there anything else you would like to discuss?" This gesture might seem rude, but in reality, it was an attempt to build closer ties with the two men. After all, he was quite pleased with the strategies they had offered him today, and his frustration had dissipated considerably.

After the two men entered, Ju Su was the first to speak: "My lord, there were so many people talking just now that I couldn't finish my speech." Yuan Shao waved his hand and said, "Well, you can continue. There are no outsiders here at the moment."

Ju Su bowed slightly and said, "My lord, let's just talk about Liu Biao. He's short-sighted and lacks a long-term perspective. If we simply try to sow discord with him without offering him tangible benefits, I'm afraid it will be difficult to persuade him. He won't easily antagonize Cao Cao for our sake."

Yuan Shao thought for a moment and asked, "Then, sir, what do you think we should do?"

Ju Su continued, "After General Yuan Shu's defeat, Yuan Yao and Yan Xiang expressed their willingness to surrender the Shouchun County to you, my lord. But consider this, my lord. Shouchun is separated from us by Cao Cao's territory, making it difficult for us to collect local taxes and effectively govern it. In my opinion, when we persuade Liu Biao to send troops, we should promise him that if he agrees to join us in the fight against Cao Cao, we will cede Shouchun to him after we defeat him. Furthermore, generals like Yan Xiang and Ji Ling from Shouchun could also accompany him. With such tangible benefits, I believe Liu Biao will surely be tempted. Otherwise, given his cautious nature, he probably wouldn't dare to confront Cao Cao head-on."

After hearing this, Yuan Shao nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "Sir, this plan is indeed something that can impress Liu Biao. However, although Shouchun is currently difficult for us to manage, it is still a piece of lucrative meat. If we really give it to Liu Biao, wouldn't it be a pity?"

Tian Feng then spoke up, "My lord, our top priority now is to defeat Cao Cao. Liu Biao controls Jingzhou and his power should not be underestimated. If we can gain his assistance, our chances of victory will greatly increase. Shouchun is like chicken ribs to us right now—a pity to discard, but tasteless to eat. But to Liu Biao, it's a real temptation. Trading a territory we struggle to control for Liu Biao's military assistance is a wise move. Once Cao Cao is defeated, the world situation will undoubtedly change dramatically. Then, my lord, your ambitions will be complete, and there will be no need to worry about finding more territory."

After hearing what Tian Feng said, Yuan Shao suddenly understood. He said, "You two are absolutely right. Let's follow your plan. When Xu You goes to persuade Liu Biao, have him go back to Shouchun and tell them to fully cooperate with Liu Biao in the military expedition."

Ju Su nodded in agreement, then said, "My lord, I need your personal instructions regarding Shen Pei's visit to Lü Bu." Ju Su's words were a testament to the discord among Yuan Shao's advisors. Xu You and Shen Pei, though both talented, were also quite conceited. Advisors should have collaborated, but instead they were secretly competing against each other, unwilling to yield. Ju Su and Tian Feng worried that if they approached Shen Pei directly, his arrogance might prevent him from accepting their suggestions.

Yuan Shao was slightly taken aback by Ju Su's words, then said, "Is there such a way for Shen Pei to persuade Lü Bu? I hadn't thought about it in detail."

Ju Su bowed and said, "My lord, Lü Bu is merely a reckless man, acting on impulse. The true mastermind behind the scenes, weighing the pros and cons, is actually Wang Yun. During the reign of Emperor Ling, Wang Yun held the position of Minister of Education. Later, when Dong Zhuo arbitrarily deposed and enthroned the emperor, and the late Emperor Liu Bian succeeded him, he remained firmly in the position. However, the late Emperor vigorously promoted talented individuals from humble backgrounds, and these veteran officials were gradually sidelined. Wang Yun must have been filled with resentment, which is why he instigated Lü Bu to cooperate with Cao Cao when he welcomed the new emperor. My lord, do you remember that Wang Yun also wrote to invite you to welcome the new emperor? This clearly shows his greed for power. Wang Yun must have first approached you, but you disdained to cooperate with him, so he chose Cao Cao, the eunuch of his family. In terms of reputation, you, with your family of three generations of officials, naturally surpass Cao Cao. Wang Yun must have been inclined to cooperate with us. The unpleasantness between Cao Cao and Lü Bu after welcoming the new emperor is sufficient proof that Wang Yun did not obtain the real power he desired from Cao Cao.

Yuan Shao listened, nodded thoughtfully, and said, "In your opinion, what should we do?"

Ju Su continued, "Your Majesty, please send another letter, clearly expressing your approval and respect for Wang Yun, and promising him that if he cooperates with our plan, you will only grant him the title of Grand General, but will also promote him to the position of Grand Tutor. A power-hungry man like Wang Yun, if he receives such a promise from you, will surely do everything in his power to persuade Lü Bu to cooperate with us. Furthermore, you could also promise them that if we succeed in defeating Cao Cao, we will only take Qingzhou and Yanzhou, leaving Yuzhou to Lü Bu and the Emperor Liu Xie. This way, Wang Yun and Lü Bu will be able to use the Emperor to control the other princes. I'm sure they'll be tempted."

Yuan Shao stroked his beard and laughed, saying, "Brilliant, brilliant! Sir, this plan strikes directly at the vital point. If I can use Wang Yun and Lü Bu, Cao Cao will be attacked from both sides and will undoubtedly be defeated!"

Yuan Shao immediately prepared to summon Xu You and Shen Pei to give them further instructions. Upon hearing this, Tian Feng and Ju Su both stood up and prepared to leave. Yuan Shao was stunned and asked, "Why are you two in such a hurry to leave?"

Tian Feng said respectfully, "My lord, Xu You and Shen Pei are both men of wisdom and strategy. With just a little guidance from you, they will surely understand the key points. But if we were here, they would think it was our idea. Given their temperaments, they would surely resist, which would be detrimental to our cooperation."

Yuan Shao suddenly understood and nodded, saying, "I am truly fortunate that you two gentlemen have such wisdom and are not greedy for credit. In that case, you two gentlemen may return home and rest. I will host a banquet tonight, and you two gentlemen may return. This will be a farewell banquet for Xu You and Shen Pei, and also a reward for your contributions."

Tian Feng and Ju Su took their leave. Yuan Shao then summoned Xu You and Shen Pei, and explained in detail what Tian Feng and Ju Su had just instructed them to do. He also wrote two letters on the spot, one to Wang Yun and the other to Liu Biao.

After hearing Yuan Shao's explanation, Xu You and Shen Pei couldn't help but ask, "Who came up with such a brilliant plan?"

Yuan Shao remembered Tian Feng and Ju Su's instructions and said, "Of course, after careful consideration, I feel it is necessary to explain it to you in detail."

When the two heard this, they immediately praised Yuan Shao, saying flattering words like "My lord is wise, this plan will surely be a great success", and then gladly accepted the task.

Xu You carefully put away the letter to Liu Biao and said, "Don't worry, my lord. I will go to Jingzhou and fulfill my mission. I will persuade Liu Biao to send troops to help us."

Shen Pei also hid the letter to Wang Yun and vowed, "My lord, I will have Lü Bu and Wang Yun cooperate with us to catch Cao Cao off guard."

Yuan Shao looked at the two men, nodded with satisfaction, and said, "Well, you two have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders, so don't take it lightly. If you can successfully complete your mission, you will be handsomely rewarded upon your return."

Xu You and Shen Pei thanked him again, then said goodbye and left, each going back to prepare the things they needed for the mission.