Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Carrying a secret order from Yuan Shao, Xu You rode at top speed, exhausted and dusty, to Shouchun. Shouchun, at that moment, was like a lone boat in a raging storm, precariously on the verge of collapse. Yuan Yao, Yan Xiang, Ji Ling, and others, leading the remnants of Yuan Shu's former army, were trapped there, surrounded by powerful enemies. Their hearts were shrouded in a gloomy haze, filled with anxiety.

For the past few days, they have been living in constant fear, unsure of the possibility of being swallowed up by the surrounding forces. Every slight movement has them on edge. They know full well that with their current strength, they are powerless to resist any attack from any powerful enemy.

Just as they were about to fall into despair, Xu You's arrival was like a ray of light shining into the dark abyss. When Yuan Yao and the others learned that Xu You had come on Yuan Shao's orders, they were suddenly filled with an indescribable excitement. Yuan Shao, the powerful lord who controlled Jizhou and other territories, had now taken notice of these isolated soldiers struggling in dire straits.

Yuan Yao's eyes sparkled with surprise and anticipation. He held Xu You's hand tightly, his voice trembling as he said, "Mr. Xu, I never thought my uncle still cared about us. These past few days, we've been walking on thin ice in Shouchun, surrounded by enemies on all sides. Every day feels like a year!"

A rare touch of excitement crossed Yan Xiang's face. He sighed, "Yes, we thought we had been forgotten by the world. I never thought that Lord Yuan would still remember our old friendship and pay attention to us, the remnants of our tribe. I am truly grateful to you."

Ji Ling nodded vigorously, his eyes full of excitement.

However, when Xu You informed everyone of Yuan Shao's plan, mentioning that Shouchun would be ceded to Liu Biao of Jingzhou, their newly ignited hope was quickly replaced by worry. Yuan Yao frowned, his face agonizing. "Mr. Xu, we fully support our uncle's grand plan, but Shouchun is the very foundation of our existence. Without it, where will we, the brothers, go?"

Yan Xiang also echoed with a serious expression: "That's right. Although Lord Yuan's great cause is more important, we soldiers must have a place to stay."

Xu You, having already prepared himself for this, immediately unleashed his deceptive skills. He first displayed a sincere expression, then slowly spoke, "Yuan Yao, Lord Yan, I understand your concerns. But have you ever considered that if Lord Yuan were to achieve hegemony, it would be a monumental feat that would change the world forever? As his closest relative, you, Yuan Yao, would undoubtedly be granted a title of nobility. Shouchun is merely a small county; compared to that future title of nobility, what does it mean? Furthermore, when Lord Yuan succeeds, not only could he grant you Shouchun, but even the entire Jingzhou. Giving up Shouchun now is simply to achieve greater hegemony. It's a wise move!"

Yuan Yao couldn't help but waver after hearing Xu You's words. The allure of the title was too great; it was as if he could already see himself draped in royal robes, enjoying every ounce of splendor. He turned to Yan Xiang, a hint of anticipation in his eyes, and joined Xu You in his persuasion: "Lord Yan, Mr. Xu is absolutely right. Since our uncle has such grand ambitions, if we can lend him a helping hand, future benefits will be inevitable. Giving up Shouchun for now is merely a temporary solution."

Yan Xiang listened to Yuan Yao's words, feeling a sense of helplessness. He knew Yuan Yao had already been persuaded by Xu You, and further persuasion would be futile. Moreover, the remnants of Yuan Shu's army were now weak and alone. If they didn't obey Yuan Shao's orders, they would probably have no chance of survival. After much deliberation, Yan Xiang could only sigh and nod, saying, "Never mind. Since that's the case, then let's just follow your orders."

At this point, Yuan Shao's arrangement, thanks to Xu You's clever persuasion, was barely reached a consensus in Shouchun.

Seeing that Yuan Yao was wavering but still hesitant about giving up Shouchun, Xu You rolled his eyes and offered a new proposal: "Young Master Yuan, the support of Liu Biao of Jingzhou is crucial for this expedition against Cao Cao. But Liu Biao is a suspicious person by nature. If you don't go, how could that man be so easily willing to send troops? Your trip is of great significance. Not only do you represent the forces of Shouchun, but you are also negotiating with your uncle Yuan Shao. This is a privilege not even granted to Yuan Tan, Yuan Xi, and Yuan Shang, your three uncles and cousins, who are Yuan Shao's biological sons! This shows how much Yuan Shao values ​​you, entrusting you with such an important task. You must not let Yuan Shao down!"

Yuan Yao, already unsettled by the prince's allure, now felt even more deeply valued upon hearing Xu You's words, as if he had become a crucial piece in this chaotic chess game. His young face instantly lit up with surprise and excitement, and he immediately agreed, "Mr. Xu, you're absolutely right. Since my uncle values ​​me so highly, I will not let him down. I wish to travel with you to Jingzhou!"

Seeing this, Yan Xiang, standing by, thought to himself, "This isn't good!" He knew Yuan Yao was young and impulsive, with little experience. His trip to Jingzhou was unpredictable. But before he could offer any words of advice, Yuan Yao already looked impatient. Yan Xiang sighed, trying to stop him: "Sir, this matter requires careful consideration! If you rush ahead, what if..."

However, Yuan Yao was so consumed with the excitement of shouldering a heavy responsibility and making a name for himself that he ignored Yan Xiang's advice. He waved his hand, interrupting Yan Xiang, "Don't worry, Lord Yan! Your uncle trusts me so much, I'll do my best. This time, I'll definitely convince Liu Biao to send his troops!"

Yan Xiang looked at Yuan Yao helplessly, his heart pounding with anxiety. After all, Yuan Shu's sudden death had left the devastated Shouchun in the hands of Yuan Yao, barely in his early twenties. The immense pressure he must have endured was self-evident. In these turbulent times, Shouchun was already precarious; Yuan Yao's departure at this moment would undoubtedly further destabilize it. But Yuan Yao was determined, and Yan Xiang could only suppress the thought of dissuading him.

In the end, Yan Xiang had no choice but to remind him helplessly: "My lord, you must be careful on this trip. I will concentrate on preparing the military in Shouchun, waiting to go on the expedition with Liu Biao." Yuan Yao nodded excitedly, turned around and followed Xu You on the journey to Jingzhou to lobby Liu Biao. The young figure, with a bit of childish heroism, seemed to be unafraid of the unknown challenges that were about to face.

At this moment, Liu Biao, the governor of Jingzhou, was in deep trouble and felt helpless that it was easy to invite a god but difficult to send him away.

When the three brothers, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, desperately seeking refuge in Xuzhou, Liu Biao was overjoyed. After all, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were all renowned figures, capable of rivaling the might of Lü Bu. Liu Bei was renowned as a hero, while Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were even more formidable, capable of withstanding thousands of enemies. Such talents were exactly what his Jingzhou needed. When Liu Bei expressed his willingness to join him, Liu Biao was so excited that he barely slept the entire night, as if he saw a glimpse of Jingzhou's immense strength, a hope for its rise amidst the turmoil.

However, Liu Bei's arrival brought him an unexpected and significant problem. Liu Bei had brought the orphan of the previous emperor with him, claiming he was the emperor's bloodline. As the head of the Han royal family, Liu Biao should have supported this son as the heir to the throne, thereby opposing Liu Xie, who had been supported by Cao Cao and accused of illegitimate succession. This placed Liu Biao in a dilemma. He could only feign compliance with Liu Bei while racking his brains for how to handle this difficult situation. Accepting the proposal would undoubtedly offend Cao Cao and bring him endless trouble; refusing to accept it would risk being branded as disloyal to the Han dynasty, and Liu Bei and his allies would not tolerate it.

Meanwhile, Sun Quan in Jiangdong also infuriated Liu Biao. They had made an agreement, but Sun Quan had broken his promise, not only killing Sun Ce but also failing to deliver any of the promised benefits. He had promised to give him territory, but nothing had materialized. He only occasionally sent him food and fodder, which was merely a perfunctory gesture to appease his boredom. Liu Biao was so enraged that he nearly broke ranks with Sun Quan and launched an army to retaliate.

But just at this moment, he suddenly heard news that Ma Chao was still alive. Ma Chao was an incredibly brave and renowned figure in the Western Liang region. Liu Biao knew that Sun Quan had murdered Sun Ce, and Ma Chao was likely to avenge him. If Ma Chao marched eastward, both Jingzhou and Jiangdong would face a grave threat. In desperation, Liu Biao could only temporarily suppress his anger and negotiate with Sun Quan, both sides discussing how to counter Ma Chao.

Fortunately, during this period of more than a year, Ma Chao remained relatively peaceful, showing no signs of dispatching troops, which gave Liu Biao some peace of mind. However, due to the series of events, and the conflicting interests and contradictions among various factions, Liu Biao's life was not easy, and he spent every day in worry and weighing the pros and cons.

On this day, Liu Biao finally squeezed out some free time from the troubles of the past few days. His mood relaxed a little, so he planned to have a chat with a group of famous scholars in Jingzhou to temporarily relax his tense nerves and find a moment of peace in this chaotic world.

Everyone was sitting together, enjoying tea and discussing the Dao, the atmosphere harmonious, when suddenly an attendant hurried in and whispered something in Liu Biao's ear. Liu Biao's brow, which had been relaxed, instantly furrowed again, a look of obvious annoyance crossing his face. It was Liu Bei who requested an audience again.

Liu Biao had been racked by the thought of Liu Bei bringing the late emperor's orphan with him for days, unsure how to respond. Now Liu Bei had returned, and Liu Biao was truly annoyed. He wondered what Liu Bei had in mind. Was he here again to urge him to ascend the throne? But this matter was so complex and complex that it was impossible to make such a hasty decision.

Liu Biao thought for a moment, then waved his hand to his followers and whispered, "Just say that I'm not feeling well and it's really inconvenient for me to meet guests." After that, he closed his eyes slightly and pretended to be tired, hoping that his followers would use this as an excuse to trick Liu Bei away so that he could continue to enjoy this rare time for conversation and temporarily avoid those disturbing disputes.

Before the attendant could leave, another hurried in, knelt on one knee, and urgently reported, "My lord, Yuan Shao of Hebei has sent an envoy, Xu You, requesting an audience!" Liu Biao was startled. His expression, already annoyed by Liu Bei's request, was now filled with curiosity. He wondered, why would Xu You come to see him at this time? Yuan Shao had a vast influence in Hebei, far from Jingzhou. Could he have suddenly sent an envoy to him? Could he be planning something important?

Liu Biao paused for a moment, glanced at the attendant about to dismiss Liu Bei, and raised his hand, signaling, "Wait a moment. You too, wait a moment." He straightened his clothes, his expression becoming serious. "Go ahead and announce that I'll be there to meet him immediately. Once I've met with Yuan Shao's envoy and learned what he intends to do, I'll consider my response to Liu Bei." With that, Liu Biao rose and, surrounded by his attendants, walked towards the reception room. He could only quicken his pace, secretly speculating on Xu You's purpose.