Chapter 70: The World

Yuan Shao had no choice but to withdraw his troops.

Even though his heart burned with resentment, the pressure from Jizhou ultimately forced him to suppress all his anger.

Gongsun Zan's offensive was fierce; within just over a month, he had captured several cities in Jizhou.

His White Horse Elite were unstoppable, unmatched in assault and slaughter.

With Yuan Shao himself absent from Jizhou, its defenders could not hold back the advance.

Even Gongsun Zan openly declared he would appoint one of his generals as Governor of Jizhou.

This left Yuan Shao no choice but to retreat.

Outside Línzī City.

Yuan Shao sat astride his horse, staring intently at the towering city gate, his brow furrowed, and said in a low voice:

"One day, when I return, I, Yuan Shao, will level this place and wash away today's humiliation!"

Yes, for him, this defeat was an unbearable disgrace.

What did it matter that he had seized two commanderies?

He had launched this campaign with great fanfare, even securing an imperial edict denouncing Lu Zhi, all to win a glorious victory and impress the realm.

But now, clearly, he had failed.

"Lord."

Hearing this, Qu Yi, Yan Liang, Wen Chou, and other generals also felt bitter, wanting to stay and fight Lu Zhi.

Especially Qu Yi, who had been steadily pushed back by Guan Yu and felt his honor utterly shattered, the shame clinging to his heart.

But before anyone could speak, Yuan Shao raised his hand to cut them off, his expression solemn: "No more words."

"This disgrace is mine, my fault—none of yours."

Yuan Shao swept his gaze over them and said firmly, "In this campaign, all of you brothers have Achieved Great Merit. When we return to Jizhou and drive back Gongsun Zan, you shall be richly rewarded!"

How can a leader not shoulder blame?

Yuan Shao had always borne such responsibility; the more dire the situation, the clearer his mind became.

The officers and soldiers, upon hearing this, were deeply moved.

Yuan Shao felt no lingering attachment—he immediately led his army away.

Inside Línzī City.

Gu Yi watched the retreating army of Yuan Shao, his battle spirit soaring, and said: "Lord Lu, why not pursue Yuan Shao now?"

But Lu Zhi shook his head and sighed softly: "Our army has suffered heavy losses. If we rashly pursue, and fall into Yuan Shao's ambush, we may lose more than we gain."

"Wait a while."

"When Yuan Shao's army has fully withdrawn, that will be our moment to counterattack."

If Liu Bei's forces were still here, he might have chosen to press the attack, for Liu Bei's generals could hold off Yuan Shao's top commanders.

But now it was different.

The more critical the moment, the less one must act impulsively.

What he was doing now was coordinating with Gongsun Zan's offensive, stretching Yuan Shao's battle lines thin.

Jizhou's strength was indeed formidable.

It could support Yuan Shao fighting on two fronts.

But if he suffered several decisive defeats, Jizhou would turn against Yuan Shao.

The clans supporting him needed to see clear gains.

If they gained nothing, and their own safety was threatened by Gongsun Zan,

then his claim as Lord of Jizhou would truly be at an end.

Lu Zhi understood this perfectly.

After some thought, he summoned another man and ordered him to immediately send messengers to Bingzhou, inviting Ding Yuan to join forces against Yuan Shao.

With the combined strength of You, Qing, and Bing.

To jointly attack Yuan Shao.

Seize this chance to destroy Yuan Shao once and for all!

Yuan Shao was indeed a master of fighting against the odds.

Even now, with the situation so dire, he still refused to abandon Pingyuan and Jinan commanderies.

These were the victories he could not afford to lose.

Otherwise, the Jizhou clans would surely grow discontent.

Everyone needed to see tangible benefits.

Moreover, after months of fighting Lu Zhi, he knew exactly how strong Lu Zhi was now.

For him, Lu Zhi was not the greatest threat.

As long as he could hold back Gongsun Zan's advance, Lu Zhi would collapse on his own.

Thus, he left Gao Lan and Zhang He in command of twenty thousand elite troops to guard the two commanderies and deter Lu Zhi.

And he himself immediately returned to Jizhou.

Jizhou's deep reserves gave Yuan Shao great confidence.

——Han Xing Year 3, seventh month.

After returning to Jizhou, Yuan Shao immediately began his deployment.

He first ordered Shen Pei and Yan Liang to station the main force at Yijing, building a defense line along the Yi River and Juma River.

He also erected beacon towers widely along the route from Zhuo Commandery to Zhongshan, placing crossbow posts every ten li.

He intended to use this to block Gongsun Zan's most elite White Horse Elite.

Moreover, he set his sights on Zhang Yan of the Heishan Army.

Zhang Yan is currently allied with Gong Sunzan.

But for a force like the Heishan Army, which is little more than bandits, sufficient profit can sway the situation.

He sent messengers to meet Zhang Yan.

He promised him that he would never launch troops to attack his main camp.

He granted him gold, silver, and jewels, and tacitly permitted him to conquer Bingzhou.

And he again submitted a memorial to the court, appointing Cao Cao as General Who Subdues the East, hoping to stir conflict between Cao Cao and Lu Zhi, and to make Cao Cao keep a close watch on Liu Bei.

The generals under Liu Bei left a deep impression on Yuan Shao.

As long as Liu Bei cannot find an opportunity to act.

Then Lu Zhi's attempt to retake the two commanderies would become exceedingly difficult.

Most crucially, the title of "Righteous Cause" is now under his control.

Though the Han court now exists only in name, it is like a centipede—dead but not yet stiff.

This thing called "Righteous Cause."

To many, it may seem useless, yet it still greatly aids the morale of soldiers.

Most crucially—the remnants of Liu Yu's lineage have all fled to Jizhou.

This gives Yuan Shao many more opportunities!

He simultaneously prepared his three armies and, in the name of the court, proclaimed Gong Sunzan's crimes.

—Murdering imperial clansmen, rebellion!

He ordered all regional lords to launch a campaign against Gong Sunzan.

This so-called imperial edict would obviously be ignored by all.

But this move still disrupted Lu Zhi's plans, causing Ding Yuan, who had intended to join the fight, to hesitate once more.

This is the limitation of the age.

Though Ding Yuan was of humble origins, his primary loyalty remained to the Han.

Previously, he wished to return and aid Gu Xi precisely because he knew aiding Gu Xi meant aiding the Han.

But now, with an explicit imperial decree in place,

he could not help but hesitate.

There was no way around it—the charge that Gong Sunzan murdered imperial clansmen was undeniable.

Whether the remnants of Liu Yu or his son Liu He, after fleeing to Jizhou, had fully publicized the matter.

For a man like Ding Yuan, this was a devastating weapon.

Bingzhou.

Lu Bu, face dark with resentment, asked Ding Yuan: "Father, why are you so hesitant?"

"If Father truly wishes to attack Jizhou, your son will surely clear all enemies and destroy Yuan Shao."

"My son, do not rush," Ding Yuan sighed deeply, waving his hand. "Gong Sunzan's murder of imperial clansmen is indeed a proven crime."

"If we attack Jizhou at this moment, are we not joining him in his wickedness?"

Saying this, he sighed again, his expression torn.

"So Father intends to attack Gong Sunzan?" Lu Bu spoke without hesitation. "If Father has this intention, your son can also break the enemy."

"I have long heard that Gong Sunzan's White Horse Elite are unmatched in battle."

"I wish to see whether these White Horse Elite can withstand my Heaven-Tearing Halberd."

Lu Bu's battle spirit surged.

But Ding Yuan shook his head again: "Absolutely not."

"To attack Gong Sunzan would mean aligning ourselves with Yuan Shao and his ilk."

"Right now, rumors swirl across the land."

"The Yuan clan and the great families have aided Liu Dai to ascend the throne—how could I join them in their corruption?"

Hearing this, Lu Bu's face darkened with clear displeasure: "Father, what exactly are you aiming for?"

"Aiming for what?" Ding Yuan sighed helplessly. "I am a minister of the Han—I must uphold the Han."

As he spoke, Ding Yuan himself seemed to sense his own hesitation, his expression growing ever more complex.

This is the limitation of the age.

Men like Ding Yuan.

In the original history, they would risk their lives for the sake of "loyalty," directly confronting Dong Zhuo after he had stormed the capital.

But now, it is this same so-called "loyalty"

that has plunged him into an impossible dilemma.

This is the limitation of the age.

Not everyone can be like the Gu Shizi, possessing a highly flexible moral compass.

Lu Bu looked at Ding Yuan, his eyes filled with growing disappointment and resentment.

To pass up such an opportunity?

Whether aiding Yuan Shao or attacking him—

in Lu Bu's eyes, this was a divine opportunity.

They were all pigs and dogs.

With my valor, I could easily earn glory—why hesitate?

He had intended to say more.

But seeing Ding Yuan's complex expression, he felt a deep unease in his heart, sighed wearily, and walked out directly.

This news could never be kept secret.

Even Yuan Shao had not anticipated that this idle move of his would yield such a brilliant result.

He had originally only intended to divide and weaken Gongsun Zan's internal ranks.

Yet he never expected such a brilliant outcome.

Inside the great tent.

Yuan Shao swept his gaze over the assembly and burst into loud laughter, declaring in a clear, ringing voice: "The tide of the world now favors us—what do we have to fear?"

"With this campaign, once we crush Gongsun Zan."

"We can march straight on Youzhou."

"Yanzhou is already in our hands."

"Then, with the combined strength of You, Jizhou, and Yanzhou, we shall seize Bing and Qing provinces."

"At that point, we shall hold nearly half the empire—how could our great cause fail?"

Until this moment, Yuan Shao no longer concealed his ambition.

He intended to retrace the path of the former Emperor Guangwu, and ultimately unify all under heaven.

"My lord is wise!"

At these words, the assembly was filled with excitement, and they all bowed deeply to Yuan Shao.

Who could not be moved?

Painting a grand vision for one's subordinates.

Since ancient times, this has always been an effective tactic.

"Issue my order!"

Yuan Shao rose slowly, his gaze sharp as a hawk, sweeping over the assembly, his voice resolute and powerful: "Prepare the entire army—I shall lead the charge against Gongsun Zan myself!"

"Yes!" The civil and military officials responded in unison, their voices thunderous.

Instantly, the morale of Yuan Shao's troops surged.

The situation changed in an instant!

Gongsun Zan's position became immediately dire.

His invasion of Jizhou had indeed been too hasty.

Liu Yu's prestige in Youzhou was far from insignificant.

Yuan Shao's maneuver had already stirred growing discontent among those in Youzhou who resented Gongsun Zan, undermining him.

Had the battlefront remained favorable, it might have been tolerable.

But now, Gongsun Zan's campaign in Jizhou was also faltering.

Problems had already emerged here.

There was no choice—Gongsun Zan's strongest force was the White Horse Elite, an elite cavalry unit.

Cavalry is inherently unsuited for sieges and territorial conquest.

By the time Yuan Shao returned to Jizhou, he had already stabilized its situation.

Now, with the situation shifting abruptly,

Gongsun Zan's position grew even more desperate.

But could he withdraw his troops?

Clearly not.

This attack on Yuan Shao had already sealed his enmity with Yuan Shao.

If he failed to destroy Yuan Shao now,

and allowed Yuan Shao to fully recover and drag him into a prolonged war of attrition, it would be a fatal blow to Youzhou, already situated on the frontier.

Moreover, any retreat would drastically diminish his prestige.

Unrest would surely erupt in Youzhou.

Would Yuan Shao give him time to quell the rebellion?

Gongsun Zan was brave, but not a fool.

He understood perfectly well that he must fight Yuan Shao, no matter what!

If he succeeded, all obstacles would crumble.

He could seize direct control of Jizhou, ally with Lu Zhi, Liu Bei, and Ding Yuan, and consolidate power with the combined strength of three provinces.

The balance of offense and defense would then shift.

Gongsun Zan was no coward.

Once he recognized this, he made up his mind.

Who said he was certain to fall into Yuan Shao's hands?

Zhongshan State.

In his camp, Gongsun Zan scanned his generals and shouted loudly: "My officers!"

"That villain Yuan Shao dares to collude with powerful clans, depose the rightful Emperor, and install a false emperor on the throne!"

"This is an act of treason!"

"We are all Han ministers, long nourished by Han grace—we once followed Lord Gu in quelling rebellion—how can we tolerate such rebels dominating a region?"

His voice rang loud and powerful.

His officers and soldiers did not hesitate—they raised their arms and roared in unison:

"Kill!!!"

"KILL!!!"

"KILL!!!"

Gongsun Zan's battle spirit blazed; as the crowd's shouts subsided slightly, he shouted again: "My comrades!"

"Master Lu is now mobilizing troops in Qingzhou."

"All we need do is hold Yuan's elite forces in Zhongshan."

"In no time, the enemy army will collapse on its own."

"They say Jizhou's land is fertile, a gift from heaven—when that time comes, our brothers can bring our families out of the bitter cold of Youzhou!"

His officers were almost all men from Youzhou.

They naturally longed for a province like Jizhou, with its rich soil.

True to form, as soon as he spoke these words.

The entire army's morale surged again; shouts rose like thunder, shaking heaven and earth.

Both sides began deploying around all of Zhongshan.

Although Gongsun Zan was loudly proclaiming Yuan Shao as a bandit.

But compared to Yuan Shao, who held the weight of "great momentum."

Gongsun Zan's influence was still insufficient.

After all, he had truly killed Liu Yu, a Han imperial clansman—this fact, backed by Liu Yu's heirs' testimony, was undeniable.

This advantage in momentum made Yuan Shao seem all the more formidable.

News spread continuously.

Every shift in Jizhou drew the attention of all warlords under heaven.

Langya Commandery.

"I intend to abandon Langya and march to Qingzhou to aid Master Lu!"

Liu Bei's gaze was resolute as he swept the hall, speaking with firm clarity.

At these words.

Everyone present was stunned.

Abandon Langya?

"My Lord!" Chen Bo and the other Langya magnates immediately rose, their voices anxious: "This cannot be!"

"If My Lord abandons Langya."

"If we succeed, fine—but if we fail, where shall we base ourselves tomorrow?"

Because of Liu Bei's reputation.

These magnates had given him great support, hoping he would protect their safety.

If Liu Bei abandoned Langya Commandery.

What would become of them?

Drag their families along with Liu Bei?

Then their final foundation would be gone.

Not follow Liu Bei?

Never mind what Cao Cao might do to them once he seized Langya.

Even if he did not target them.

Their status would plummet drastically.

Cao Cao's strength is no small matter.

Among the clans of Yanzhou, how could these Xu Province magnates ever hope for a place of their own?

"How can a true man not find home anywhere?"

Before Liu Bei could speak, Guan Yu, standing at the head of the generals, roared sharply, his tone solemn: "Brother's move is for the great righteousness of all under heaven!"

"What good is holding onto Langya?"

"Can you protect one region—and all under heaven?"

His tone was calm, yet carried an inexplicable power.

"Well said!"

Zhang Fei's booming voice joined in: "If Brother makes this decision, I volunteer as vanguard!"

"Good!"

Liu Bei nodded, fully approving: "Issue my order: prepare the entire army. Abandon Langya and advance to Qingzhou."

Perhaps because Liu Bei was at the height of his vigor.

Such a casual abandonment of a commandery.

He showed not the slightest hesitation.

Hearing this, Chen Bo and the local magnates were dumbfounded.

They stared at Liu Bei, unsure what to do next.

"My lords."

Liu Bei now turned to them, earnestly saying: "You may decide for yourselves—I will not force you."

"If you trust me, Liu Bei, come with me."

"When we restore the Han, I will surely petition the court to record your Merit."

From start to finish, Liu Bei's tone remained firm.

The expressions of the crowd grew ever more complex.

In truth, they were quite satisfied with Liu Bei as their commandery governor.

Liu Bei truly could keep them safe.

But if you asked them to abandon everything, to stake the lives and fortunes of their entire clans to follow Liu Bei into danger—how could they possibly agree?

Liu Bei did not press the matter.

He merely wrote a letter and sent someone to deliver it to Cao Cao.

From the fighting up to now, he had already sensed that Cao Cao was not going all-out to aid Yuan.

If that were not the case,

how could Cao Cao, with the strength of an entire province, fail to break through his single commandery?

Liu Bei wanted to try winning Cao Cao over.

He did not believe Cao Cao wished to see Yuan Shao dominate the entire north.

He was willing to trade the Langya lands, letting Cao Cao attack Yuan Shao again from Qingzhou.

Such was Liu Bei's boldness of spirit.

The message sped straight toward Cao's camp, and Liu Bei also began mustering his forces throughout all of Langya.

But what happened next exceeded everyone's expectations.

When the people of Langya heard that Liu Bei meant to abandon Langya and head for Qingzhou, every one of them wept bitterly.

The entire area outside the governor's seat was occupied by common folk.

All of them had come to urge Liu Bei to stay.

"Lord Xuande, if you leave today, how shall we people of Langya survive?"

"How can you abandon your people and flee, plunging the common folk back into misery!"

"If Lord Xuande truly must leave, we are willing to follow."

Their wailing rose to the heavens.

Liu Bei had not expected the people to be so attached to him.

Looking at those haggard faces, his eyes too could not help but redden.

"What virtue or merit have I, that you all should support me so?"

He sighed deeply, cupped his hands toward the crowd, and said, "If the realm finds peace, I shall never betray the people."

"But now that the hour has come, how could I cast the Han dynasty aside?"

"If you fellow villagers wish to come along,"

"I am willing to travel with you all to Qingzhou; should danger come, I shall shield you with my very life!"

His resolve could not be shaken, yet neither would he betray the people!

This scene truly startled everyone.

March to war with the common folk in tow?

How much would that slow the army's pace?

If Cao Cao came attacking, how could they possibly escape?

Many wished to counsel Liu Bei to calm down, but Liu Bei's attitude remained utterly firm, without the slightest waver.

In light of this, who could stop him?

The news gradually spread.

When Cao Cao learned of this, he too was greatly astonished.

"Big Brother."

Cao Ren's eyes gleamed as he requested orders: "Liu Bei dares to march with the people—his army's pace must surely slow."

"Why not send out a force of elite cavalry to cut Liu Bei down?"

"Even if there are obstacles, our army can still smash the enemy—this chance must not be missed!"

Hearing this, the officers and soldiers were all filled with fighting spirit, rolling up their sleeves and rubbing their palms.

But Cao Cao slowly shook his head, his expression grave, and said, "No. Even if this succeeds, the road ahead of us will be full of obstacles."

Liu Bei had guessed right.

He truly did not want Yuan Shao to dominate the north.

If that came to pass, then by then he really would have no choice but to submit to Yuan Shao.

Hearing this, Cao Ren's brow furrowed slightly. He cupped his hands and asked, "Big Brother's meaning—is it not that you wish to aid Liu to destroy Yuan?"

"What's the rush?"

Cao Cao smiled faintly, glanced around at the others, and said unhurriedly, "Now that the great trend is yet undecided, why must we hurry to make a choice?"

"While the heroes war with one another, so long as we do not recklessly enter the fray, we can hold a position from which we cannot lose."

"For now, pay no heed to Liu Bei; send men to swiftly take Langya, and quietly await the turn of events."

Hearing this, the others all nodded at once.

The news kept spreading.

At this moment, the entire Jizhou battlefield seemed to become the center of the realm.

And at such a time,

a rumor gradually began to spread across every corner of the realm.

"The Imperial Seal has been lost; the present Son of Heaven no longer enjoys Heaven's mandate—he is a false emperor put forth by the great clans such as Yuan Shao."

This rumor spread with terrifying speed.

In the blink of an eye, it had spread to every corner of the realm.

In this age, prophecy and superstition were the most unsolvable force of all.

Especially with the current chaotic political situation, this rumor that the Mandate of Heaven had departed was further intensified.

For a time, the Nine Provinces were shaken with horror.

——————

In the third year of Han's Revival, Governor Gong Sun Zan of Youzhou defeated Liu Yu in Jicheng, then raised his troops and marched south, pointing his blade toward Jizhou.

At that time, Yuan Shao was fighting Governor Lu Zhi of Qingzhou at Linzi; upon hearing that Zan had captured several cities, he abandoned the siege of Qingzhou and raced home day and night.

Lu Zhi seized the opportunity to raise his army from Linzi, aiming to reclaim Pingyuan and Jinan commanderies, and sent envoys to ally with Ding Yuan of Bingzhou, seeking to form a three-sided encirclement.

The people and officials of Jizhou were terrified, all believing the Yuan clan's downfall was imminent.

Yuan Shao then forged an edict from the Son of Heaven, denouncing Zan's crimes: "Gong Sun, Marquis of Jicheng, has long enjoyed Han's sustenance, yet dares to massacre the imperial clan and slay the imperial bloodline—unforgivable by heaven and earth!"

He further issued proclamations to all provinces and commanderies, declaring, "Zan falsely claims to uphold great righteousness, yet is in truth a traitor to Han." Ding Yuan, upon receiving the edict, hesitated, stationing his troops at Jinyang, and dared not advance eastward.

Yuan Shao then dispatched his generals Gao Lan and Zhang He with thirty thousand elite troops to hold Pingyuan and Jinan, digging deep moats and raising high walls to resist Lu Zhi;

secretly ordering Governor Cao of Yanzhou to station troops at Langya to block Liu Bei's northern reinforcement, gradually securing Jizhou.

At that time, Governor Liu Bei of Langya, upon hearing the situation in Jizhou, wished to abandon his command and rush to aid.

The officials and commoners, upon hearing this, the elderly carrying children crawled to the governor's gate, weeping: "Since Your Excellency took charge here, bandits have been silenced, the old and young have found peace. If you now abandon us like grass and weeds, we would rather die beside you on the road than endure jackals and wolves again occupying Langya!"

Bei, seeing this, was deeply moved, tears streaming down his face, yet his resolve remained unchanged: "The war in Qingzhou is dire—it concerns the very safety of Han's state."

Though I am stationed in Langya, I am still a minister of Han—how could I stand idly by while others perish?

Moreover, I have long cherished the ambition to restore the Han court; now is the time.

Yet I cannot bear to abandon you—I wish to travel with you all to Qingzhou; should danger arise, Bei will die to protect you!"

The people, hearing this, were moved by his benevolence, and promptly packed their belongings, willing to follow Bei together.

——《Records of Heroes in the Late Han: Yuan Shao and Liu Bei》

(End of Chapter)