The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 241 The era of the rivalry between the two Yuan brothers is over; now it is the time for the Qi and Wei to contend for supremacy.
However, at the urging of Li Yi and others, Liu Bei officially declared himself king and established the state of Qi.

Following the example of Duke Huan of Qi, they adopted the approach of "honoring the king and repelling the barbarians," raising the banner of "serving the emperor to punish the disobedient."

They still honored Emperor Liu Xie of Han and claimed they would punish the rebellious lords in various regions on his behalf.

The news quickly reached Cao Cao in Yingchuan.

Cao Cao was furious and declared that he would mobilize all the troops of Yan and Yu to fight Liu Bei to the death.

All the generals were startled, and the officers and scholars, led by Xun Yu, stepped forward to persuade Cao Cao to stop.

"...My lord, please quell your fury. In the current situation, war would be perilous!"

Cao Cao was taken aback, took a deep breath, and calmed himself down.

The country is in turmoil, and heroes are rising up everywhere, but the disparity in strength between the powerful and the weak is now enormous.

At present, Liu Bei is the most powerful warlord in the land.
It possessed the population of Xu, Qing and Ji provinces, and also had several other provinces as its vassals.

He was known as having a million armored soldiers and was at the height of his power.

Cao Cao was second.

Although his territory was about the same size as Liu Bei's, he had far less fertile land.

Although they managed to develop their strength significantly while Liu Bei was concentrating all his resources on conquering Liaodong, they were still far behind.

Apart from Cao Cao and Liu Bei,
Liu Biao of Jingzhou was the third most powerful warlord in the land.

Sun Quan of Jiangdong doesn't even rank in the top five.

Because he had one hand castrated, his territory was far smaller than it had been in history.

Even if he has historical territories,

In terms of territory, military strength, and food supplies, Liu Biao was superior to Sun Quan.

It can be said that until the day before Liu Biao died, Jingzhou was the undisputed hegemon of the south.

Apart from Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Liu Biao.

Those with any real strength were Liu Zhang of Yizhou, Zhang Lu of Hanzhong, Han Sui of Liangzhou, and Sun Quan of Jiangdong.

These were the only people who were able to remain on the sidelines during the struggle for supremacy between Cao Cao and Liu Bei, without being swayed by "power."

it means,
Cao Cao and Liu Bei couldn't simply send a proclamation to subdue them; they needed to exert some pressure, or even launch a direct military attack, to win them over.

Xun Yu adjusting his hat for Cao Cao's analysis:

“There are three problems with attacking Liu at this time.”

"Now that Liu is strong and we are weak, if you rashly attack him, it may damage our military morale, which is a problem."

"Liu Biao has always been wary of you, my lord. If you take advantage of our two armies' attack on each other and launch a surprise attack on Xu, then our army will be unable to defend both ends."

"These are the two problems!"

"Liu Bei used the pretext of 'preserving the Han dynasty' to gain the support of many scholars and common people."

"If Your Excellency launches a forceful attack, you will only solidify your reputation as a 'traitor to the Han,' causing the people to lose their hearts!"

"These are the three problems!"

"These three problems exist, and I hope Your Excellency will carefully consider them!"

Xun Yu tried his best to persuade Cao Cao to stay, arguing that this was definitely not the best time to start a war with Liu Bei.

First of all, you can't beat them in terms of raw strength.

Moreover, if a real fight breaks out, Liu Biao, the third most powerful warlord, could very well try to ambush you from behind.

It should be noted that Cao Cao's capital, Yingchuan, was right next to Jingzhou.

On the other hand, what about Liu Bei?
Xuzhou was originally a strategically important place, but under Li Yi's leadership...

To the north, Qing and Ji provinces form its wings, while to the west, Lu and Pei provinces act as a buffer.

To the south lies the Huainan region as a defensive line, and to the east, the East China Sea serves as an economic development belt.

It can be said that, strategically speaking, Cao Cao was already inferior to his opponent.

Cao Cao asked himself, if he were really asked to fight Liu Bei one-on-one...

I may be at a disadvantage, but I will certainly not be completely powerless to fight back.

But what if a third or even a fourth party gets involved and disrupts things?

Cao Cao would definitely be exhausted and end up suffering a crushing defeat.

In terms of military strength and strategic depth, Cao Cao was clearly inferior to Liu Bei.

From the perspective of proper title and righteousness,

Although Liu Bei's claim to the throne was an overstepping of his authority, he was still a member of the Han imperial family and was even recognized by the young emperor in the family genealogy.

All the civil and military officials were watching, and Cao Cao was also present at the time.

Even if it isn't, it already is.

In addition, his prestige soared after he recovered the four prefectures of Liaodong.

To know,
Liaodong had gradually fallen out of control since the Yongchu era of Emperor An of Han.

By the time of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, it had become a mere shell of its former self.

In other words, Liu Bei helped the Han Dynasty recover territory that had been lost for nearly 120 years.

Liu Bei's reputation had reached an unprecedented height, and many ordinary people believed that Xuande Gong was the destined person to restore the Han Dynasty.

Therefore, Liu Bei's act of declaring himself king did not cause much of a stir.

No one seemed to find anything wrong with it.

Thinking of this, Cao Cao couldn't help but sigh.

He was initially gloating when he saw Liu Bei exhausting all his resources to conquer Liaodong.

He thought it was understandable to launch a campaign against the Wuhuan, after all, it was necessary to stabilize the north.

But they insisted on going to unnecessary trouble, wasting money and supplies, and venturing deep into Liaodong to attack Gongsun Du.

That would be pure idiocy.

It's a completely thankless and unprofitable business that doesn't even generate income.

But only now did Cao Cao realize that he had been short-sighted.

So it turns out that Liu Bei's recapture of the four commanderies of Liaodong was a "patriotic trending topic" he bought for himself.

Now everyone knows that Liu Bei is a hero of the Han Dynasty.

"...Gentlemen, I was just joking."

After venting his emotions, Cao Cao quickly regained his composure.

"The matter of attacking Liu still requires a strategy and should be carefully considered."

Cao Cao was just that kind of person; he would speak out loud about any dissatisfaction he had, and that made him feel better.

Liu Bei, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was a man who did not show his emotions and did not like to display his feelings too much.

Cao Cao sat down again and took a sip of tea.

He gently stroked the teacup with his palm, seemingly lost in thought.

After a long while, he slowly turned his gaze to Xun Yu and asked meaningfully:
“…Wenruo, please analyze this for me.”

"Liu Bei has now proclaimed himself King of Qi. How should I respond?"

Xun Yu stroked his beard, frowned, and pondered:

"Although Liu Bei was powerful, his army was exhausted from his previous campaign against Gongsun Du."

"They could not hastily advance westward."

Xun Yu astutely pointed out the problems currently facing Liu Bei's camp.

Although Liu Bei is now the most powerful warlord, his wars have been almost non-stop in recent years.

He did it even more frequently than Cao Cao, who was fond of martial arts and warfare.

Therefore, Liu Bei also needed to rest and recuperate to restore the country's strength.

Therefore, the time he spent resting was Cao Cao's opportunity, or rather, the time given to him to prepare.

"...The only option is to hold firm and wait for the situation to change, and build deep trenches and high walls."

"The best strategy is to exhaust Liu Bei's army."

In recent years, Cao Cao has also been working hard to develop his territory.

On the one hand, he purged the remaining Yellow Turban rebels in Yan and Yu provinces, and on the other hand, he ordered Zao Zhi to expand the scale of military farming in Huaibei.

Repair irrigation canals to irrigate farmland.

The victory at the Battle of Guandu, in particular, liberated the productive forces of Yuzhou.

This allowed Cao Cao to catch his breath and focus on internal affairs for four years after the war.

However, facing the powerful Liu Bei, Xun Yu still advised Cao Cao to adopt a defensive strategy and wait for the right moment to attack.

You absolutely must not rush it.

"It would be no easy task for my family alone to subdue Liu Bei."

"Only by uniting the weak and attacking the strong together can we break the deadlock."

"This concerns the affairs of Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu."

Xun Yu then cited the example of the various warlords uniting to attack Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao.

Although the Cao and Liu families were the main instigators, other warlords did participate as well.

Now that Liu Bei has become the most powerful warlord, anyone with even a little ambition would surely ally with Cao Cao to resist Liu Bei.

"The Jing and Wu families may be able to help me."

"It would be better to send an envoy to establish friendly relations with Liu Biao and promise to share Yu Province with him."

"Then he sent men to lure Sun Quan into attacking Guangling, causing Liu Bei to divide his forces."

Xun Yu proposed two potential allies of Cao Cao: Liu Biao and Sun Quan.

In particular, Liu Biao was right behind Cao Cao, making him a target that Cao Cao needed to win over no matter what.

Since Cao Cao and Liu Bei could previously form the Cao-Liu alliance to fight against Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu.

Why couldn't Cao Cao and Liu Biao form an alliance to fight against Liu Bei?
This is also an alliance between Cao Cao and Liu Bei.

Given Liu Biao's ambition, one wonders how he felt when he saw Liu Bei actually putting his ambitions into action, having longed to become King Wen of Zhou.

As for Sun Quan, he was indeed a ruler who maintained the status quo.

They are good at defending the territory, but not good at making progress.

Logically speaking, the time when Henan and Hebei were at war was when Sun Quan had the best chance to rise to power.

It can be traced from the outbreak of the Battle of Guandu to the end of Liu Bei's campaign against Liaodong.

Four whole years

Sun Quan failed to conquer Jingzhou, let alone make any further advances.

Only Zhou Yu helped Sun Quan suppress Shi Xie of Jiaozhou and the local Yue people, which salvaged some of his reputation.

However, it was precisely because of this that Cao Cao felt he had an even greater chance of winning Sun Quan over.

Of course, all of the above are just ideas.

Whether it will be successful in practice remains to be seen.

After all, plans can't keep up with changes.

Cao Cao had no intention of entrusting his fate to others; when it really came down to it, he relied on himself.

Before engaging in a full-scale war with Liu Bei, rapidly expanding one's own strength is the best strategy.

Cao Cao saw one problem very clearly.

That is, Liu Bei became powerful because of the assistance of Li Yi and others.
Based in Xuzhou, they expanded outwards.

Liu Bei has basically reached the limit of his expansion.

Those that should be incorporated into the core have been incorporated, and those that should be taken over have also been taken over.

This is the source of Liu Bei's confidence in declaring himself King of Qi.

But Cao Cao had not yet expanded to its limit.

Right now, there is a territory.

It is worth Cao Cao's effort to acquire it, and he has a good chance of succeeding, in order to strengthen his own power.

When Cao Cao pointed to the map, everyone's eyes turned to it.

Ultimately, it fell on Zhang Lu of Hanzhong.

"Yizhou is a land of abundance, which is how Emperor Gaozu established his imperial career."

"Zhang Lu is currently in the north, and Liu Zhang is weak and incompetent. We should first pacify Zhang Lu and then take Hanzhong."

"Then Liu Zhang surrendered in order to conquer Sichuan."

Cao Cao's thinking was also very clear.

When faced with someone like Liu Biao, who is powerful and difficult to conquer, and whose geographical location is important, making him a suitable ally, one should try one's best to befriend him.

As for forces like Liu Zhang and Zhang Lu, who were right behind him, they were completely unable to help him restrain Liu Bei.

It would be better to annex it and expand one's own strength.

Cao Cao was particularly envious of the wealth of Yizhou.

But the road to Shu is more difficult than ascending to heaven.

Cao Cao also knew that Sichuan was a tough nut to crack.

Given enough time, Cao Cao was confident he could defeat Liu Zhang and take over Sichuan.

But time waits for no one.

Liu Bei would definitely start a war with him before he entered Sichuan.

Therefore, the best target at present is Hanzhong.

Hanzhong is nearby.

Moreover, with its large population and high grain production, it is truly a blessed place.

"...Wenruo's plan is excellent, and I understand it clearly."

"You may go down now and go to Runan to urge the supply of grain for me."

Cao Cao patted Xun Yu on the shoulder, praising his talent and then sent him out to supervise the grain supply.

Xun Yu accepted the order and withdrew.

After Cao Cao dismissed Xun Yu, his gaze swept over everyone, then he slammed his fist on the table and roared:

"Gentlemen! Liu Bei is nothing but a weaver of mats, yet he dares to usurp the title of King of Qi."

“I have received a decree from the Emperor to serve as Prime Minister and manage the affairs of the court.”

"If we sit idly by and do nothing, wouldn't we be allowing chaos to descend upon the world?"

Everyone was taken aback when they saw Cao Cao's fury.

He thought to himself, "Didn't Cao Cao calm down just now?"

Why are you suddenly getting angry again?

Everyone held their breath and dared not speak.

Only Guo Jia coughed twice, stepped forward, and bowed:

"Prime Minister, please calm down. Liu Bei has presumptuously declared himself king, revealing his disloyal intentions."

"Your Excellency is a pillar of the court. If you remain in the position of Prime Minister, your reputation and authority will not be recognized. How can you maintain checks and balances on your position?"

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this.

He thought to himself that the position of prime minister was already the highest position a subject could attain.

Judging from Guo Jia's words, it seems that the Prime Minister is not enough for Cao Cao.

Where will he ascend to next?

Guo Jia's next words immediately made everyone realize the truth.

"I earnestly request that Your Excellency be promoted to the rank of Duke Wei!"

hiss……

Everyone gasped when they heard this.

What's going on with the secret passage lately?
Liu Bei had just declared himself king, and Cao Cao was about to declare himself a duke?

However, Liu Bei's claim to the throne did not violate the oath made by Emperor Gaozu on the white horse.

If Cao Cao wanted to be called a duke, he would have to restore the ducal system.

The last person to be restored to the title of Duke of Anhan was Wang Mang!

Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

Let's wait and see how Guo Jia and Cao Cao react.

Guo Jia methodically analyzed the situation for Cao Cao:

"...Jia believes that there are three benefits to being promoted to Duke of Wei at this time."

"Firstly, it serves to establish a clear name and deter the enemy."

"Liu Bei uses the title of king to mislead the masses; Your Excellency should act as the Duke of Wei."

"Then the court's prestige and power will be restored, and the world will know that the Han dynasty still has a pillar of strength."

Guo Jia's first reason was similar to that of Liu Bei's camp.

Everyone says it's for the sake of restoring the Han Dynasty, and accusing the other side of being a traitor.

After all, the scholars of the Eastern Han Dynasty recognized the Han Dynasty as belonging to Liu Xiu, not Liu Bang.

Those who were granted the title of king were all descendants of Liu Xiu; Liu Bei is breaking the rules.

But Liu Bei was also able to firmly maintain his "Liu surname".

Wasn't Liu Xiu a descendant of Liu Bang?

No one can be king without the surname Liu, and my surname is Liu.

Then there's nothing wrong with me, Liu Bei, declaring myself king.

In a word,

If the rules are in your favor, emphasize the rules. If the facts are in your favor, emphasize the facts.

Whoever controls the discourse wins.

"...This year, Xiahou Yuan is stationed in Guanzhong, Cao Ren is guarding Runan, and Yu Jin is training the navy."

"The generals are each stationed in their respective regions, and the Wei family needs to coordinate their efforts."

"Without establishing a government, one cannot independently wage war; this is the second advantage of unifying all armies."

Guo Jia continued speaking.

"Now Yuzhou has been recovered, and Hebei has been newly returned."

"Promoting Your Excellency to a higher rank demonstrates the court's high regard for meritorious officials."

"They see that Liu Bei has gained power and profit. If Your Excellency does not further honor and respect him, I fear that people's hearts will gradually scatter."

"This is to secure the land and strengthen the foundation, which has three benefits."

Cao Cao's camp also faced the issue of rewards for those who achieved great merit.

After Liu Bei declared himself king, he appointed his subordinates as prime ministers and generals of the four directions.

Who wouldn't be envious after seeing this?

After Guo Jia finished analyzing the benefits of Cao Cao being called a duke, everyone's attention turned to Cao Cao.

See how he reacts.

as predicted,

Cao Cao, facing a dilemma, put his hands behind his back, frowned, and sighed:
“Although Fengxiao’s words are good, my ancestors have been paid by the Han dynasty for generations.”

"How can you be so arrogant and undermine the Han system?"

Learning to read between the lines of your superiors is an essential skill for every new employee.

Seeing Cao Cao's reaction, everyone immediately understood what they had to do.

Cheng Yu spoke first:
"Prime Minister!"

"When Huo Guang was regent, he was also treated with special courtesy."

"Liu Bei is now rampant; extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures!"

Xiahou slammed his fist on the table and said loudly:
"Brother, please do not refuse. With your outstanding achievements, you deserve a promotion long ago!"

Zhao Yan even prostrated himself on the ground and shouted:
"Please consider the well-being of the state and grant me the title of Duke of Wei."

Cao Cao was cornered and slumped down in dejection.
"Gentlemen...do you all wish to lead me into injustice?"

"If Cao Cao were to receive the throne today, the historian's pen would be as sharp as a knife in the future..."

His voice trailed off, almost as if he were choking up.

Cao Hong suddenly stepped forward, his armor clanging loudly:
"Prime Minister! I am a rough man."

"We only know that when Liu Bei became king, we never thought about how history's pen could be like a knife!"

Everyone offered words of encouragement, when suddenly a servant rushed inside:
"Report! Liu Biao of Jingzhou has sent an envoy with gifts to congratulate... congratulate Liu Bei on becoming king!"

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

Cao Cao slowly turned around, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and asked:
"Who else is congratulating Liu Bei?"

"...Among them are Sun Quan of Jiangdong, Yuan Yin, the Prefect of Danyang, Hua Xin, the Prefect of Luling, and Taishi Ci, the Prefect of Yuzhang."

"Jiao Chu, Governor of Youzhou, and Yan Rou, Protector of the Wuhuan."

"Liu Ye, Protector of Goguryeo, and Zhang Xiu, Northern Garrison Commander."

“Ma Chao, Governor of Bing Province; Guo Gong, Inspector of Yu Province; and Liu Chong, Prince of Chen.”

"...Oh right! And, and the Emperor, the Emperor also sent people to congratulate Liu Bei on becoming king."

what! ?

Cao Cao's expression changed drastically.

Looking at this list of congratulatory names, you'd think it was just a menu.

Although most of these people were originally Liu Bei's men.

However, Liu Biao and Sun Quan also sent people to offer their congratulations, which was a very dangerous signal for Cao Cao.

"Well done... well done Liu Jingsheng! Well done Sun Zhongmou!"

Cao Cao suddenly looked up and laughed loudly:

"Did you all hear that?"

"The lords of the land already regard me as a coward!"

Upon seeing this, Guo Jia hurriedly gestured for everyone to kneel down and shouted:
"For the sake of the nation, Prime Minister, please promote me to the rank of Duke of Wei!"

Cao Cao closed his eyes and after a long while slowly said:
"Since you all insist on inviting me... alas, I shall comply."

Behind the screen, a historian paused, hesitated for a long time, and finally wrote:
"The ministers earnestly requested that you accept the order."

Having decided to declare himself Duke of Wei, Cao Cao then proclaimed:
"...Kong Zhang".

As soon as he finished speaking, the historian who had picked up his pen stepped forward.

"Prime Minister, I am here!"

Upon closer inspection, it was Chen Lin.

After Yuan Shao's downfall, like Yuan Shu, a large portion of his political legacy was divided between Cao Cao and Liu Bei.

However, due to Liu Bei's marriage ties with the Yuan family, most of Yuan's former officials submitted to Liu Bei.

Cao Cao only obtained a very small number.

Chen Lin is considered to be of above-average ability among those who have joined our ranks.

Cao Cao admired Chen Lin's literary talent and appointed him as his chief scribe.

"You shall immediately draft a memorial for me, regarding my promotion to the rank of Duke of Wei, and I shall present it to the Emperor."

"...as you command."

Soon, Chen Lin drafted a memorial for Cao Cao and handed it to Cao Cao for review.

Cao Cao made minor revisions and then sent it to the imperial court in Chendu.

Because Yingchuan is adjacent to Chen, the envoy arrived in no time.

Upon reviewing the document, Liu Xie noted that it briefly stated:
"Your Majesty, I am filled with trepidation and humility. I bow my head twice and respectfully report this to Your Majesty—"

"I was originally a dull and foolish man from Qiao County, but I was fortunate enough to be selected by the late emperor and entrusted with a trusted responsibility."

"Since Dong Zhuo seized power, I have wielded my three-foot sword to defend the country and bring peace to the people, and I have never dared to slacken in the slightest."

"The country is not at peace now, and there are many troubles in all directions. I have no choice but to risk my life to plead my case."

"Firstly, to establish proper names and titles in order to secure the nation."

"Liu Bei declared himself king because of his distant kinship, which has disrupted the established order. If I were to remain in the position of prime minister, how could I uphold the moral order?"

"Secondly, to deter disobedience and thus consolidate the imperial foundation."

“Sun Quan occupied Jiangdong, and Liu Biao controlled Jingchu; both were observing the majesty of the imperial court.”

"Only a duke can truly intimidate treacherous villains."

"Thirdly, reward the soldiers to encourage their loyalty and courage."

"The year before last, Ji Province was pacified; last year, Guanzhong was pacified."

"The generals have made great contributions and should be rewarded accordingly."

"Your Majesty, I request that you grant me the title of Duke of Wei and allow me to establish my own government in Ye City."

"Your Majesty, I will continue to hold the position of Chancellor and assist you."

"The annual tribute will remain the same, to be paid to the imperial court."

"Your Majesty, please consider this carefully."

—This is a report respectfully submitted by Chancellor Cao.

After reading the memorial, Liu Xie was greatly alarmed and said in a trembling voice:
"...Cao Aiqing has ultimately betrayed me!"

Since Liu Bei declared himself king, Liu Xie still held some hope for Cao Cao.

This was mainly because Cao Cao did indeed have the merit of welcoming the emperor, and also because it was a case of "two ministers serving the emperor".

Therefore, Cao Cao was not as domineering as he was in history, and Liu Xie naturally did not have much resistance to him.

However, when he saw Cao Cao's memorial requesting to be promoted to Duke of Wei...

Liu Xie's last glimmer of hope was finally shattered.

It turns out that, from beginning to end, he was just a pawn in the hands of the various lords.

Cao Cao and Liu Bei were like two mountains, pressing down heavily on Liu Xie.

No matter how hard Liu Xie tried, he couldn't move it.

"……call."

Liu Xie took a deep breath and then smiled:
"Prelude!"

“Minister Cao has rendered meritorious service to the country and the state, and should be granted the title of Duke of Wei.”

"He is permitted to establish his own government in Ye City and establish the State of Wei."

A duke is entitled to establish his own state and government.

Therefore, although a duke is not comparable to a king, in the Han Dynasty, a duke was still considered extremely rebellious.

In less than a month, the neighbor on the left became known as "Gong" (公), and the neighbor on the right became known as "Wang" (王).

You can then imagine what Liu Xie must have been feeling at that moment.

However, Liu Xie still agreed to Cao Cao's request.

He ordered the Imperial Censor Xi Lu to go to Yingchuan with imperial credentials to appoint Cao Cao as a duke.

After court, he ordered a craftsman to make him a Luban lock.

Wear it around your neck.

He refused to take it off, whether eating or sleeping.

Everyone assumed that Liu Xie's mind was no longer on state affairs and that he only wanted to have fun.

But only a few people know this.

Luban Lock, also known as Mo Nai He.

His Majesty has resigned himself to his fate!
……

Yingchuan, Xu County, Cao Prefecture.

The candlelight flickered as Cao Cao sat alone at his desk, his fingertips lightly tapping the newly cast seal of the Duke of Wei, then he chuckled softly.
"...Liu Bei...thank you for this east wind."

He raised his cup in a gesture of respect, the wine reflecting the cold glint in his eyes:

"I want to see—"

"It's because your banner as 'King Qi' is so resounding..."

"My sword, 'I am ordered to punish the rebels,' is still the sharpest!"

At this moment, there was a knock on the door.

A servant reported that Guo Jia was requesting an audience.

Cao Cao ordered him to enter, and Guo Jia walked into the room carrying a scroll.

He bowed to Cao Cao and said:
"...Lord Wei, this is the draft plan for establishing the state."

"Please take a look, Your Excellency."

Cao Cao took the bamboo scroll and quickly scanned it.

The establishment of the State of Wei undoubtedly meant setting up the state in Wei Commandery of Ji Province.

But this would make Wei Commandery too small.

Therefore, Cao Cao decided to transfer all the counties of Hanoi, Dongjun, Zhao, Changshan, and Shangdang to Wei.

In this way, the territory of the State of Wei appears to be very large on the map.

Some people ask, what's the point of doing this?

Its purpose was that, as long as it was within the territory of Wei, Cao Cao was the absolute emperor there.

The land and people of Wei were all Cao Cao's private property.

Then you ask about the area outside of Wei?

The answer, of course, is to "return" to Liu Xie, since all under heaven belongs to the Han people.

The same applies to Liu Bei.

When Liu Bei established the State of Qi, he also needed to carve out the territories of Qingzhou, Jizhou, and Xuzhou separately to establish the State of Qi.

Within the state of Qi, Liu Bei was the absolute local emperor.

Outside of the State of Qi, the territory should nominally belong to "Liu Xie".

Of course, this is only in name.

However, one advantage of establishing a new state is that Cao Cao and Liu Bei no longer need to go through formalities.

A fiefdom is considered private property, and the Cao and Liu families could inherit it.

But outside the kingdom, there's still a formality to go through.

Just because you've become stronger doesn't mean you can wear the words "I'm a traitor" on your face all the time.

But to say that Liu Xie had absolutely no power would be an exaggeration.

For example, Wang Yi, the governor of Hedong, once took his official seal and went to Xuchang to see Liu Xie.

Liu Xie then appointed him as the Grand Minister of Agriculture, one of the Nine Ministers, a position Liu Xie himself appointed.

Although Liu Xie was a puppet, he didn't have much real power.

However, they still have the power to appoint and dismiss some nominal positions.

After expanding the Wei Kingdom, Cao Cao's next step was to move the capital to Ye City.

This is a major decision.

Yingchuan is a good place, but its strategic depth is too poor.

He was directly under Liu Biao's thumb; if they were to fight Liu Bei in the future, Liu Biao might turn against him.

Won't his crystal explode immediately?
Therefore, Cao Cao moved the capital to Hebei solely for strategic reasons.

Not to mention Ye City, Yuan Shao's former capital, which was rich in resources and extremely wealthy.

This is one of them.

The second consideration is even more weighty.

That is, Cao Cao wanted to get rid of the Yingchuan scholar group.

This is why he sent Xun Yu away during the day.

Indeed, Xun Yu helped him assemble a team of civil officials.

However, Cao Cao was also severely constrained by this team.

As the major shareholder, Xun Yu could basically attack wherever he wanted.

This was advantageous to Cao Cao in the early stages of starting his business.

However, in the later stages, it became increasingly of a hindrance to Cao Cao.

After defeating Yuan Shao, Cao Cao also realized a truth.

His group can't be called Yu; it has to be called Wei!
Yu refers to Henan, and Wei refers to Hebei.

One word difference makes a world of difference.

Over the years, he finally understood why his brother Benchu ​​had taken Xun Chen and Guo Tu to Hebei to start a business.

Having served four generations of high-ranking officials, the family education they received was truly exceptional.

The problem that others could figure out from the beginning, Cao Cao only just realized now.

Why did the gentry of Yanzhou rebel back then?
Cao Cao, along with Xun Yu, Guo Jia, and other people from Yu Province, settled in Yan Province, where they lived, ate, and used the resources of Yan Province.

Then, all the aristocratic sons who were given important positions were people from Yuzhou recommended by Xun Yu.

Can the gentry of Yanzhou be happy about that?

As a governor, he couldn't even treat everyone equally.

Wouldn't the locals welcome in a new warlord?
Therefore, Cao Cao's strength began to increase dramatically after he moved the capital to Yingchuan.

Because he used the gentry from Yuzhou, he directly maxed out the loyalty of these gentry.

They helped them annex land, monopolize resources, and provide soldiers and food supplies.

However, Cao Cao discovered that his over-reliance on these aristocratic families meant that power was likely to slip away.

He himself could become a puppet of the local gentry.

Look at Liu Biao, he's constantly suspicious of the four powerful families of Jingzhou as they fight each other.

In the end, they even stopped trusting their own son!

Therefore, moving the political center north was Cao Cao's first step in breaking free from the control of the Yingchuan group.

He wanted to support the gentry of Hebei to counterbalance the gentry of Henan.

That's right,

In the end, Cao Cao lived out the life of Yuan Shao.

He was finally able to understand Yuan Shao's predicament.

"...Has Wenruo returned?"

Cao Cao took a deep breath, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

"...He just returned yesterday, and your father—"

Guo Jia hesitated, seemingly wanting to speak but then remained silent, a rare occurrence for him.

Outside the Cao residence,
Xun Yu held the memorial he was about to present, but it was never handed over; under the moonlight, it turned into a sigh.

……

(End of this chapter)