Chapter 43

Chapter 677: The Guanxi Army to Hanguan, the Guandong Army to Shangshan! (3)

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Jin Yilu devised a plan to reconnect with both Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang. Of course, this was a strategy to sow discord between them.

Yuan Xi’s eyes widened as soon as he heard Jin Yilu’s plan.

"Master, after hearing your words, I can't help but speak my mind."

"If you follow my advice, you will gain a great advantage."

"Then, when should we start?"

"Act immediately. Time is not on our side."

Yuan Xi tilted his head.

"Wouldn't it look strange if I went to see him now? It’s uncertain whether he will even meet me... As you know, my elder brother doesn’t have good feelings towards me. Lady Yu feels the same..."

Jin Yilu clasped his hands together and bowed to Yuan Xi.

"Scholar Gong, you must take the initiative. If I were to go and meet him, it would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it?"

"You have a point. Ah! There’s nothing easy about this."

"Fortunately, Lord Yuan returned yesterday, and a council meeting is being held today. Before the meeting starts, you should go and wait for Scholar Gong, but not in the main hall..."

"I understand. But how can I meet Lady Yu? It’s impossible to do so."

As Yuan Xi said, meeting Lady Yu was ten times more difficult than meeting Yuan Tan. It was risky to approach her, as there were other people watching.

But what was there to worry about? With Jin Yilu around...

"I will meet Lady Yu."

"Even if you do, I’m still concerned about the eyes of others."

"Don’t worry. I am a merchant, so I can pretend to discuss supply matters with the Guandong Army."

Yuan Xi firmly grasped Jin Yilu’s hand.

"Without you, Master, I wouldn’t know what to do. You are the only one I can rely on. I will surely repay you for this."

"Scholar Gong is the only one worthy of inheriting Lord Yuan’s authority. Only if Scholar Gong becomes the successor will the realm be at peace. I seek no personal gain, only the peace of the realm."

Jin Yilu said these insincere words and bowed deeply to Yuan Xi. With his head bowed, Jin Yilu silently laughed.

'Everything you gain will be offered to General Yu. You must gain as much as possible, shouldn’t you?'

* * *

Yuan Shao convened a council meeting in the main hall of Yiyang City.

Although it was still early, Yuan Xi was already pacing near the main hall, following Jin Yilu’s advice.

Yuan Xi felt he had made the right decision. His elder brother, Yuan Tan, had arrived early to discuss strategies with the military advisors.

Accompanied by several county magistrates, Yuan Tan ignored Yuan Xi’s gaze and continued on his way. Yuan Xi quickly followed him.

"Brother, can we talk for a moment?"

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Just a moment, it’s really important."

But Yuan Tan ignored Yuan Xi’s words. Yuan Xi, daringly, grabbed his brother’s collar. Yuan Tan’s cold gaze pierced Yuan Xi.

"Do you want your wrist cut off?"

"Brother, just a moment. Please give me a chance."

"If it’s not important, what can I do?"

"I’ll stake my life on it."

Yuan Tan snorted.

"Hmph! What use do I have for your life?"

"Brother, if you listen to me and find my words useless, just say one word. I’ll drink poison and die at night."

Only then did Yuan Tan nod to his guards, who stepped back. Yuan Tan led Yuan Xi to a quiet place.

"Speak, but I won’t listen for long."

"Yes, Brother. Have you heard that I opposed the Hanguan Army’s expedition?"

"Fool. Didn’t Lady Yu turn her back on you because of that?"

"Brother, that’s not the point. Be honest, are you really planning to pass the authority to the youngest?"

Yuan Tan glared at Yuan Xi but neither confirmed nor denied it, suspecting that Yuan Xi knew something.

"Brother, don’t treat me like a fool. Aren’t you hoping that the Hanguan Army and Lü Bu’s forces will fight and weaken each other?"

"Is that all you came to say, risking your life? Fool."

Yuan Xi shook his head vigorously.

"Brother, that’s not the point."

"Then what is the point? Are you threatening to tell Father about what you know?"

"No, I would never do that. I hope you, who are in a similar position, inherit the authority. If you favor me, I can live in obscurity, but if I inherit the authority, I will be executed immediately after the ceremony."

"Have you realized that now?"

Yuan Tan had a soft spot for Yuan Xi over Yuan Shang.

Yuan Shang, being of noble blood, would likely erase the names of his two elder brothers from the family register once he became the successor.

If Yuan Tan became the successor, not only would he be safe, but Yuan Xi would also have a place in the family register.

The two of them, both outcasts, understood each other’s pain.

"Didn’t you send assassins first? I only sought shelter under Lady Yu to survive. Why did you try to kill me?"

"It’s natural to eliminate easy targets before a major battle. But the situation has changed. You’ve allied with General Sun, haven’t you?"

Yuan Xi nodded and changed the subject.

"We can discuss that later. Now, about your alliance with Lady Yu. You made a mistake. Think about it. Could Lady Yu not know what I know?"

Yuan Xi grabbed Yuan Tan’s arm and shook it.

"Brother, snap out of it. There’s a limit to underestimating your opponent."

Yuan Tan forcefully pushed Yuan Xi’s hand away and grabbed his collar.

"Lady Yu knows, of course. How can you avoid losses when fighting Lü Bu? Even General Gao Lan’s elite troops were decimated. How can the Hanguan Army take Lü Bu’s territory without losses?"

Initially, Yuan Tan and Lady Yu allied because it was beneficial for both. The Hanguan King had long sought a pretext for an expedition. He knew there would be losses in fighting Lü Bu.

From Yuan Tan’s perspective, if the Hanguan Army’s strength diminished, it would be easier to plot against Yuan Shang.

Despite being enemies, their interests aligned, leading to their alliance.

But Yuan Xi had Jin Yilu, a secret weapon. The time had come to use the information Jin Yilu had provided.

"How can you know one thing and not the other? You haven’t seen Lady Yu’s true intentions yet."

"Is there something I haven’t seen?"

"Of course. Do you know what Father has in his hands?"

* * *

Yuan Tan tilted his head, unable to guess.

"I don’t understand why you’re acting this way."

"Proof that your supporter, Mr. You Zhihui of the Luoyi Merchant Guild, informed Lü Bu about the Hanguan Army’s attack."

"That’s impossible. Mr. You would never do that to me. He may not be a gentleman, but he is a man of honor. How could he do such a thing?"

"Of course not. But there is proof. Don’t you see what this means? You are trapped in Lady Yu’s scheme."

Jin Yilu was once again using Yuan Xi to drive a wedge between Yuan Tan and Lady Yu.

"Lady Yu’s counterintelligence... Ah! ‘Xi,’ if it weren’t for you, I would have been in great trouble. I didn’t know you cared so much for me. How did you find out about this?"

"Father often calls me. Yesterday... no, almost every day, I met with Father."

While speaking, Yuan Xi noticed a strong hint of jealousy in Yuan Tan’s gaze.

"I know you are favored by Father."

"Being favored by Father is actually a burden, given my current situation. Anyway, I overheard a conversation between Mr. Guo Gongze and Father."

Yuan Xi shook his head.

"I didn’t know Lady Yu was plotting such schemes. As soon as I found out, I waited to tell you."

Ding! Ding!

The sound of the bell announced the start of the council meeting. Yuan Tan patted Yuan Xi’s back and nodded in gratitude before heading to the main hall.

Contrary to Yuan Xi’s expectations, the council decided to send the Hanguan Army on the expedition. Yuan Tan was confused, recalling Yuan Xi’s words.

From the current situation, it seemed Lady Yu had achieved her goals.

The Hanguan Army was set to march west into Lü Bu’s territory, and Jin Yilu had informed Lü Bu’s forces.

It took some time for the news to reach Bingzhou from Yiyang City in Ji Province, as there were no swift messengers.

In Bingzhou, the news was relayed to Shangshan and Zhongtian through swift messengers. However, Cao Wan was already on his way back to Shangshan.

He was returning with Cao Qinglong and his troops. Cao Yun had left for Liangzhou to escort Chaoxian, but Cao Qinglong had returned with him.

"Shameless, to target Shangshan? I will make you realize how foolish it is to try to take Shangshan by force. Yuan Shao, you scoundrel!"

Cao Wan was unusually agitated