Chapter 39: Benchu, You're Truly Great

In the end, Yuan Shao decided against taking action.

One reason was his fear that news of Liu Bei’s assassination would tarnish his reputation. The other was his interest in Pei County.

As a crucial strategic location within Xuzhou, bypassing Pei County would be impossible if he planned to attack the region in the future. Controlling Pei County would effectively place a knife at Xuzhou’s throat.

“My lord, you truly shouldn’t show such womanly compassion,” Tian Feng lamented with deep concern, his face filled with regret. “While Pei County is important, the threat posed by Liu Bei is even greater.”

“By sparing him now, you risk facing grave consequences later!”

Tian Feng sensed profound danger emanating from Liu Bei, not through brute force but potential. From their initial campaign against Dong Zhuo until now, he had observed Liu Bei’s remarkable ability to endure and bide his time, clearly marking him as a formidable contender.

“What do you know? My lord’s decision is genuinely wise!” Immediately after Tian Feng spoke, Guo Tu stepped forward to counter, gazing at Yuan Shao with admiration on his face. “Although Liu Bei deserves death, killing him outright offers us little benefit. Instead, it would unjustly brand us as murderers of Han imperial kin.”

“Keeping him alive and sending him to attack Pei County serves our purpose. If he succeeds, we secure this strategic location; if he fails, it’s merely a loss of five thousand troops. Our main forces can then intervene under the guise of assisting Liu Bei, reclaiming Pei County nonetheless. Plus, with his signed military pledge, we could still execute him without bearing any infamy!”

“No matter how one looks at it, there’s only benefit and no harm! My lord is truly brilliant!” Guo Tu lavished praise upon Yuan Shao.

“Aha! Now I understand as well!” Xu You smacked his head, suddenly enlightened. “Indeed, lending troops to Liu Bei earlier would have yielded us nothing even if Pei County fell. But my lord’s cunning plan today trapped Liu Bei willingly serving as the vanguard. Should he succeed, Pei County will rightfully belong to you, securing both fame and profit!”

“I am deeply impressed by your profound strategy, my lord!” Xu You genuinely admired Yuan Shao, realizing for the first time his lord’s remarkable wisdom.

However, their words left Yuan Shao feeling somewhat bewildered.

His scheme today to test Liu Bei was indeed just that—a simple test. He had never entertained the intricate plans Guo Tu and Xu You were suggesting.

How did this become his grand scheme?

“Ahem…” Yuan Shao cleared his throat and, with a composed expression, said, “Indeed, that was precisely my intention.”

“Everything has unfolded according to my plan thus far.”

“My lord’s wisdom is unparalleled!” echoed Guo Tu, Feng Ji, and Xu You in admiration.

Yuan Shao strove to maintain his indifference, but being praised so highly by his advisors for the first time, especially in matters of strategy, brought a smile he couldn’t suppress.

Tian Feng remained silent, speechless.

Shen Pei mirrored his silence, equally at a loss for words.

Ju Shou shared their reaction, utterly stunned.

Unlike the three fawning advisors, they clearly understood that their lord had agreed to lend troops solely out of greed for Pei County, without any deeper consideration. The shamelessness of such flattery astounded them.

“The one who will ultimately defeat Yuan must be Liu Bei!”

In a mix of anxiety and anger, Tian Feng blurted these words indignantly.

As soon as he spoke, every face in the room changed, and the atmosphere in the Great Hall plummeted to freezing point.

The smile vanished from Yuan Shao’s face, replaced by an ugly expression as he glared at Tian Feng and sneered, “Serving under me must truly be a burden for you, Yuanhao. Why not seek greater opportunities elsewhere? That way, we can avoid perishing together under Liu Bei’s blade!”

With these mocking words, Yuan Shao angrily flicked his sleeves and stormed out of the Great Hall without looking back.

Tian Feng stood silently, his face turning pale.

Guo Tu, Feng Ji, and Xu You shot disdainful looks at Tian Feng, snickering before following Yuan Shao’s departure.

Only Shen Pei and Ju Shou approached him.

“Yuanhao, you shouldn’t have been so impulsive,” Shen Pei sighed.

He understood Tian Feng’s loyalty, but his blunt and confrontational manner was hardly pleasing to their lord.

Ju Shou tried to comfort him, saying, “In truth, letting Liu Bei live now may not cause immediate issues. He cannot possibly capture Pei County. When the time comes, we could still execute him under military law.”

However, Tian Feng stubbornly shook his head and replied, “You don’t understand. Liu Bei carries the reputation of righteousness and is a relative of the Han Dynasty, with fierce generals like Guan Yu and Zhang Fei under his command. If we do not eliminate him today, he will become our lord’s formidable enemy in the future!”

With that, Tian Feng left without another glance.

Only Ju Shou and Shen Pei remained, exchanging glances.

In a corner unnoticed by everyone, Guo Jia observed the scene with cold eyes and silently shook his head. Despite Yuan Shao’s abundance of strategists and fierce generals, greatness would forever elude him.

Liu Xie had a restless night in his palace chambers.

He feared that Yuan Shao might discover he had tipped off Liu, Guan, and Zhang.

“I mustn’t act so impulsively next time.”

Sighing deeply, Liu Xie regretted his decision immensely.

In desperation, he had hoped to gain favor with Liu Bei by alerting him, creating a potential ally for the future. However, he failed to consider the consequences of his actions.

“I truly need a military advisor nearby to strategize with me. Without their wisdom, even knowing the course of history is useless.”

Struggling through the sleepless night, Liu Xie eagerly awaited dawn. As soon as it broke, he rushed to find Zhang He, intending to inquire about Liu Bei’s current situation.

But just as he stepped out of his chambers, he bumped into Guo Jia.

“Where is Your Majesty heading?” Guo Jia, puzzled by Liu Xie’s hurried demeanor, asked.

Liu Xie didn’t hide anything; he recounted the events from the previous night in full detail. Then, he asked, “Fengxiao, were you present last night?”

After listening, Guo Jia wore a somewhat peculiar expression on his face.

Of course Guo Jia had been present last night, equally perplexed by Liu Bei’s unexpected return and subsequent discovery of the only viable solution to break free, securing a narrow chance at survival.

It turned out someone had tipped him off, and that person was none other than Liu Xie himself!

“What’s with that expression? Did something happen to Liu Bei?” Liu Xie’s face showed unease, his heart pounding anxiously.

Guo Jia sighed, composed himself, and replied, “No, thanks to Your Majesty alerting Liu Bei, he likely survived the night. Otherwise, it could have been fatal.”

At the time, although Yuan Shao was conflicted about killing Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, and Guan Yu, all his advisors unanimously agreed on their execution. In the end, it was highly probable that he would have proceeded with the plan.

However, upon learning the situation, Liu Bei returned and negotiated with Yuan Shao using Pei County as leverage, ultimately securing a sliver of hope for survival.

“He didn’t die?” Liu Xie looked astonished, almost disbelieving. Was Yuan Shao truly so magnanimous?

“Benchu, we misjudged you. You…are indeed a great man.”

Guo Jia’s expression turned solemn. “Although Liu Bei survived, Your Majesty’s actions last night were indeed unwise.”

“By instructing Zhang He to send word, there was a risk of angering Yuan Shao and potentially exposing Zhang He’s allegiance to Your Majesty. This could have led to a change in palace guards, leaving Your Majesty completely under house arrest.”

Liu Xie’s face revealed a lingering sense of fear.

As soon as Zhang He left the previous night, he realized his mistake and had been anxious ever since.

Approaching Guo Jia, he held his hands earnestly and said with sincerity, “Fengxiao, it was our oversight. In the future, we must rely heavily on your counsel and strategies.”

Guo Jia nodded gravely and replied, “Whenever Your Majesty commands, I shall exert my utmost effort!”