Chapter 133: Jia Xu's Chaotic Martial Tactics

Yecheng, Imperial Palace.

“Your Majesty, Supervisor of Court Ceremonies and Secretary Guo request an audience.”

Liu Xie was engrossed in reading when he heard Gao Luan’s report, his eyes instantly brightening.

Nearly a month had passed since Yuan Shao personally set out to confront Gongsun Zan.

During this time, Guo Jia and Jia Xu showcased their extraordinary skills, employing ruthless tactics with great effectiveness, yielding results almost daily.

Their visit today likely brought more good news.

“Bring them forth immediately!”

Gao Luan complied and promptly escorted Guo Jia and Jia Xu into the Chamber of Audience.

Liu Xie put down the bamboo scroll, granted them seats, and asked, “Wenhe, Fengxiao, have you brought yet another piece of good news for us?”

Since Yuan Shao’s departure from Yecheng, although Liu Xie still dared not venture outside freely, his constantly tense nerves found unprecedented relief. Mentally, he felt significantly liberated.

“With your leave, Your Majesty, indeed we bring several pieces of good news,” Guo Jia said, unable to hide his delight, his face beaming like a blooming flower.

“The Grand Preceptor Wen dealt a crushing defeat to the Cao forces at Ru’nan, annihilating Xiahou Dun’s elite five-thousand-strong unit! With the need to guard against Yuan Tan’s Qingzhou army, the Cao thief lacks resources to reinforce Yangzhou further.”

“Now, out of Yangzhou’s nine commanderies, five have fallen under the control of the Grand Preceptor Wen and Imperial Uncle. Sun Ce holds only four, making the situation highly favorable!”

“Moreover, Grand Preceptor Wen blinded Xiahou Dun’s eye and nearly took his life!” Guo Jia spoke with palpable excitement. Despite intense fighting among three factions vying for control of Yangzhou, Lu Bu’s valor combined with the formidable trio of Guan, Liu, and Zhang had led to frequent victories. With this latest triumph over the last remaining Cao Army forces, it was indeed a significant milestone.

“Fengxian truly demonstrates exceptional bravery!” Liu Xie exclaimed joyously.

In less than four months, Lu Bu and Liu Bei had already secured five out of the nine commanderies in Yangzhou.

The prowess of these unparalleled warriors continued to grow ever stronger.

Jia Xu gently waved his feather fan, smiling. “With the Cao forces defeated, capturing Lujiang will force Sun Ce back to Jiangdong. Once that happens, with financial support from the Zhen Clan, Yangzhou will be well within Grand Preceptor Wen’s grasp.”

Control of both Yangzhou and Xuzhou would provide a solid foundation. It would enable them to firmly establish themselves amidst the chaos, becoming a dominant regional power.

Guo Jia asked, “Your Majesty, may I inquire when Lady Zhen is expected to return to the palace?”

Zhen Mi had been away from the imperial court for three months without returning yet.

Liu Xie replied, “Previously, the Zhen Clan sent someone to express their apologies, stating that Lady Zhen fell ill upon her return home and requires rest, making it temporarily impossible for her to come back to Yecheng.”

Illnesses were unpredictable, causing Liu Xie considerable concern.

Liu Xie was concerned not only for Zhen Mi’s health but also whether she could persuade her family to support him. Without the backing of the influential Zhen Clan, his path to hegemony would face significant delays. Moreover, he had several lucrative plans that required their involvement.

Suppressing his worries momentarily, Liu Xie inquired about the situation in Yōuzhou.

“How is the current battle between Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan progressing?”

Compared to the conflict in Yangzhou, Liu Xie was more apprehensive about Yōuzhou. If Yuan Shao, as history dictated, seized control of Yōuzhou, wielding four provinces’ power alongside the Emperor’s endorsement, his conquest of the realm would be unstoppable.

Jia Xu responded, “Although Yuan Shao’s assault on Yōuzhou appears formidable, Gongsun Zan has been well-prepared, making it difficult for Yuan Shao to gain significant ground. Currently, both sides remain at a stalemate.”

“With winter approaching soon, if Yuan Shao fails to establish dominance before then, he will have no choice but to halt operations until next spring.”

The northern regions were bitterly cold, especially during winter. Heavy snowfall in deep winter would block roads; soldiers might struggle merely to survive, let alone fight battles. Unless absolutely necessary, no one willingly waged war in such conditions.

“What a pity,” Liu Xie sighed, a hint of regret crossing his face. He fervently hoped to see Yuan Shao suffer a defeat in Yōuzhou, which would curb his rapid expansion.

“Fengxiao, Wenhe, Gongsun Zan must not be defeated. Once you return, devise strategies to help him repel Yuan Shao.”

Jia Xu and Guo Jia immediately grasped Liu Xie’s concerns.

“Your Majesty, Fengxiao and I understand the immense significance of the Yōuzhou conflict. Gongsun Zan cannot fail, at least not until Your Majesty secures control over Jizhou,” said Jia Xu. “However, we currently lack external forces to rely on. After much deliberation, our best opportunity lies in stirring internal strife within Yuan Shao’s ranks.”

Following Jia Xu’s words, Guo Jia added, “Your Majesty, the time to sow discord among Yuan Shao’s ranks has arrived! The second matter I came here to report involves Shen Pei and Xu You.”

“Had Fengxiao and Wenhe secretly incited them, causing their rivalry to escalate?” Liu Xie’s interest piqued upon hearing about these two bitter enemies.

Guo Jia responded, “During this campaign, Yuan Shao took Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and others with him, leaving behind Shen Pei and Xu You. Xu You oversees the army’s logistics, while Shen Pei manages military and administrative affairs in Yecheng on behalf of Yuan Shao.

“Recently, through Wenhe and my strategic manipulation, tensions between Shen Pei and Xu You intensified. Yesterday, Shen Pei arrested Xu You’s son for alleged embezzlement of military funds, awaiting his punishment. Now, their animosity is at boiling point, irreconcilable like fire and water.”

Wow!

Liu Xie’s spirits lifted as he recognized this familiar progression, akin to a well-known recipe. He was intimately acquainted with this scenario and its implications!

Indeed, bitter rivals remained constant through history.

Regardless of how events unfolded, certain anchor points and occurrences were inevitable, just like the escalating conflict between Shen Pei and Xu You!

In historical records, their clash erupted during the Battle of Guandu, approximately one and a half years later, ultimately leading Xu You to defect to Cao Cao.

So now…

“Wenhe, Fengxiao,” Liu Xie thought boldly, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Guo Jia and Jia Xu, “Is it possible to sway Xu You?”

If it were someone like Shen Pei or Tian Feng, Liu Xie wouldn’t have entertained the idea for a moment. But Xu You was different; history made it clear that he betrayed both his lord and close friend, Yuan Shao.

Irrespective of the reasons behind his betrayal, there was potential to turn him!

“Swaying Xu You?” Guo Jia showed hesitation on his face. “Your Majesty, please forgive my candor. While Xu You has conflicts with Shen Pei, he is deeply trusted by Yuan Shao. They grew up together, sharing a strong bond.”

“I believe convincing Xu You to betray Yuan Shao would be quite challenging.”

Xu You differed from Guo Jia and Jia Xu. His loyalty towards Yuan Shao had always been questionable.

Had Liu Xie not appeared, he might have accepted Xun Yu’s offer to defect to Cao Cao.

Similarly, when Jia Xu joined Yuan Shao, it wasn’t with the intention of full allegiance.

But Xu You was different.

Both he and Yuan Shao hailed from Ru’nan, having known each other since childhood.

When Yuan Shao fled to Jizhou years ago, only two individuals accompanied him—one being Xu You.

Now, as key figures who helped establish Yuan Shao’s vast empire, they were considered esteemed veteran ministers.

Would such a person truly betray his master solely due to conflicts with Shen Pei? Guo Jia found this highly unlikely.

“Fengxiao speaks too definitively,” Jia Xu shook his head, holding a contrasting opinion. “Although Xu You has been with Yuan Shao for a long time, he hasn’t received the same level of trust and influence as Ju Shou or Shen Pei; surely, there must be resentment within him.”

“The next step depends on how Yuan Shao handles the corruption case involving Xu You’s son. If Yuan Shao fails to satisfy Xu You, the hidden discontent within him will undoubtedly erupt.”

“Yuan Shao’s complex power structure can broadly be divided into the Ru’nan Faction and the Ji Province Faction. Among them, Guo Tu, Xu You, Xin Ping, Chunyu Qiong, and others belong to the Ru’nan Faction, who have been with Yuan Shao from the beginning. On the other hand, Ju Shou, Shen Pei, Tian Feng, and others hail from Ji Province, forming the Ji Province Faction.”

“Currently, Yuan Shao clearly favors the Ji Province Faction. Regarding this corruption case, I fear he will side with Shen Pei and unfairly blame Xu You.”

“Therefore, Your Majesty, Xu You is not entirely beyond our reach,” concluded Jia Xu.

As an adept strategist, Jia Xu had meticulously studied the relationships among Yuan Shao’s advisors, fully aware of their conflicts and alliances. In his view, if Yuan Shao leaned towards Shen Pei, it would present a golden opportunity to win over Xu You.

With Xu You’s assistance, they could plant a trusted spy deep within Yuan Shao’s inner circle.

Guo Jia sensed there was more to the story behind Jia Xu’s words and asked, “Although Xu You is proud and conceited, how could he allow his son to embezzle rations during a campaign against Gongsun Zan? What hidden circumstances might be at play here?”

Jia Xu wore a cryptic smile. “Xu You wouldn’t condone such corruption by his son, but I orchestrated certain events from behind the scenes.”

Both Guo Jia and Liu Xie were taken aback.

Ah, cunning Jia Wenhe! It seems he was pulling strings all along.

Given Shen Pei’s character, regardless of whether it was Xu You or even Ju Shou’s son involved in corruption, he would have swiftly apprehended them without hesitation.

“In addition, I manipulated the situation further, making Xu You believe that Shen Pei framed his son.”

Jia Xu added one final remark.

“Ah, so that explains it. No wonder Xu You was so incensed; yesterday he nearly drew his sword on Shen Pei.”

It all made sense to Guo Jia now. During their encounter at the official residence, Xu You had faced Shen Pei without any hint of guilt, instead displaying righteous indignation and fury. It turned out he genuinely believed his son was being framed.

“Wenhe, I’m truly impressed!” Guo Jia bowed respectfully towards Jia Xu.

Although Jia Xu spoke casually about his plan, achieving such results required masterful understanding of human psychology and precise control over the situation.

Liu Xie also harbored deep admiration for Jia Xu’s cunning.

After sowing discord, Jia Xu managed to slip away undetected. Regardless of the strategy itself, his ability to protect himself strategically was undoubtedly exceptional.

“Wenhe, your scheme is brilliant! If Yuan Shao imposes lenient punishment, it will surely demoralize the frontline soldiers and create rifts within the Ji Province Faction, particularly with Shen Pei.”

“To maintain morale among the troops and stabilize the Ji Province Faction’s advisors, Yuan Shao won’t concern himself with whether Xu You’s son was truly framed or not; he’ll enforce strict penalties regardless.”

“This will exacerbate Xu You’s resentment to its peak and evoke sympathy from the Ru’nan Faction, fearing they could be next.”

This is what they call killing three birds with one stone! It would intensify the conflict between the Ji Province and Ru’nan Factions, incite Xu You against Yuan Shao, and sow discontent among the Ru’nan Faction towards their leader.

However, the true brilliance wasn’t just devising this scheme; it lay in how Jia Xu could execute it undetected by anyone.

“Your Majesty flatters me. In a few days, I will gradually approach Xu You. As for whether we can ultimately sway him, please await my updates patiently.”

“In that case, Wenhe, your efforts are greatly appreciated.”

Liu Xie’s heart swelled with anticipation. If Xu You could be successfully drawn to his side, Yuan Shao’s power structure would see the emergence of a “Sovereign Faction,” alongside the Ru’nan and Ji Province Factions!

Stepping forward, Guo Jia said, “Your Majesty, the third matter we bring before you today concerns Feng Ji and Guo Tu.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Xie felt a chill run through him. Had Guo Jia and Jia Xu already set Yuan Shao’s advisors against each other so swiftly behind the scenes? At this rate, would Jia Xu eventually ignite chaos among them all?

In Yecheng, at an official residence:

Xu You stormed furiously into the rear hall and slammed a confession letter onto the table, berating Shen Pei, “Shen Zhengnan! What is the meaning of this confession?”

“My son did not embezzle funds—why would he confess guilt? Not only have you framed him with false accusations, but you’ve also coerced his testimony through torture!”

That morning, upon discovering this confession letter among dispatches to the front lines, Xu You had erupted in rage.

Shen Pei expressionlessly wiped away the spittle splattered on his face and calmly replied, “The evidence against your son for embezzlement is irrefutable, and here lies his signed confession. How can you accuse me of framing him or extracting a forced admission? Do not slander others recklessly.”

“Bullshit!” Xu You exploded, abandoning all scholarly decorum as he resorted to vulgar insults. “I investigated thoroughly; every piece of evidence points directly to your frame-up!”

“Enough!” Shen Pei abruptly stood up, sharply rebuking, “Xu Ziyuan! Deep down, you know well whether your son embezzled or not, and our lord will make his own judgment!

“If you claim I framed your son, where is your proof?”

Shen Pei towered over Xu You, standing half a head taller when he rose. In contrast, Xu You, weakened by years of indulgence in wine and pleasure, appeared significantly feeble. His气势 alone fell short compared to Shen Pei’s.

“You—you—!” Xu You seemed to tremble with rage at Shen Pei’s shameless words.

This entire affair had been meticulously orchestrated by Shen Pei; given his cunning, how could he have left any evidence or loopholes?

Seeing Xu You’s state, Shen Pei sneered and produced a letter from within his robes, tossing it onto the table. “Read my lord’s response from four days ago carefully!”

Xu You’s expression shifted as he hastily picked up the letter. Within moments, his eyes widened in disbelief.

With a cold snort, Shen Pei asked, “Clear enough now? My lord stated that with the frontline battles so critical, embezzling provisions is an unforgivable offense. He instructed me to handle it strictly.”

“Now that we have your son’s confession, intercepting this letter would be futile.”

Xu You paled, swaying slightly, and shook his head. “Impossible! I also wrote to my lord. How could he not believe me and trust the word of an outsider like you instead!”

A profound silence engulfed Xu You’s heart, spreading a deep sense of loss throughout him. He had indeed sent a letter to the frontlines, defending his son while exposing Shen Pei’s despicable actions. Yet, there was no reply for an extended period.

He initially assumed that due to the intense warfare, Yuan Shao simply lacked time to respond. Never did he expect such an outcome.

Yuan Shao had replied to Shen Pei but not him.

He trusted an outsider from Jizhou over his close friend.

Shen Pei, unwilling to engage further with Xu You, said curtly, “I have official duties to attend to; do not disturb me here.”

Upon hearing this, Xu You’s heart sank to its lowest depths. With a blank expression, he glanced at Shen Pei, casually tossed the letter aside, and turned to leave.

Watching Xu You depart, Shen Pei shook his head. “In the past, you looked down on us Jizhou natives due to your Ru’nan lineage, but I chose not to hold it against you. However, when your son embezzles military provisions, how can I fail to uphold justice?”

As Xu You emerged from the official residence, his face was pale, muttering disconsolately, “Benchu, why won’t you believe me? How could you not trust me?! Our years-long friendship—does it mean less than your regard for Shen Pei!”

The fate of his son undoubtedly grieved him deeply. But Yuan Shao’s indifference shattered his heart and filled him with despair even more!

They were supposed to be closest of friends!

“Why is Ziyuan standing by the road?” came a slightly familiar voice. Xu You turned to see a carriage that had stopped near him, its curtain lifted to reveal a concerned, plump, fair-faced man - none other than Jia Xu.