The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 201 Xu You plots for self-preservation and personal gain; Zhuge Liang turns the tables on him (2nd update)
Unable to fathom Zhuge Liang's intentions, Xu You could only force a slightly stiff smile and raise his wine cup to give Zhuge Liang a few perfunctory responses.

The banquet seemed to end in merriment.

After everyone else had left, Yuan Shao kept Xu You behind and they exchanged information about Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang's reactions.

a long time.

The hall fell silent. Yuan Shao stroked his short beard slowly, then sighed deeply: "It's not that Cao Cao is deliberately praising Liu Bei as a hero. With Liu Bei's abilities, if he had a foundation, among all the heroes in the world today, I'm afraid only Cao Cao and I could rival him."

Changing the subject, a glimmer of hope ignited in Yuan Shao's eyes: "I only hope that Xianfu can seize the opportunity, establish outstanding achievements, and not disappoint me."

Yuan Shao enunciated the last few words with exceptional clarity.

Upon hearing that Yuan Shao still favored Yuan Shang as his successor, Xu You felt a sudden chill, and the words of advice he was about to say instantly stuck in his throat.

Subconsciously, Xu You thought of Zhuge Liang's saying, "In chaotic times, having more friends means having more ways out," and a complex look, barely perceptible, flashed across his eyes.

Xu You swallowed back the words that were about to come to his lips, and when he spoke again, he changed the subject: "Liu Bei agreed too readily. General, you must think it over carefully. I think you should carefully consider the appointment and removal of officials in the seven counties of Youzhou."

Xu You lowered his head slightly, avoiding Yuan Shao's sharp gaze.

"Oh?" Yuan Shao frowned.

During his northward journey to Zhongshan, Yuan Shao's appointments and removals of the chancellors of Changshan and Zhongshan were intended to weaken Liu Bei. Similarly, his plan to send Liu Bei to harass Guanzhong also included the intention of taking the opportunity to appoint and remove officials from the seven counties of Youzhou to weaken Liu Bei.

At this moment, Xu You felt it was inappropriate, which aroused Yuan Shao's suspicion: "Ziyuan, do you have other concerns about what you're saying?"

Xu You's eyes narrowed sharply as he raised his head to meet Yuan Shao's gaze. His tone was grave: "Liu Bei appears gentle and humble, but he is actually cunning and shrewd, adept at using retreat as a means of advancement, and skilled at placing himself on the moral high ground. When the General ordered him to govern Youzhou as governor, he pacified the six counties of Youzhou; when ordered to recruit and train new soldiers, he meticulously trained a strong army; when ordered to quell the Black Mountain bandits, he wiped them out in one fell swoop; when ordered to relinquish military power, he handed it over without hesitation. Now, when the General orders him to mobilize the troops of Youzhou to harass Guanzhong, he agrees so readily, without any intention of shirking responsibility!"

After a pause, Xu You lowered his voice: "Under such circumstances, if the General were to forcibly interfere in the personnel affairs of the seven counties of Youzhou, it would only arouse Liu Bei's suspicion and fear. Last time, because Shen Pei arrested my family members without authorization, I was in a fit of anger and defected to Cao Cao, which led to the General's defeat at Guandu. I really do not want to see such heart-wrenching regret repeated!"

At this point, Xu You's tone became slightly agitated, and his eyes revealed what appeared to be genuine "lingering fear and self-blame."

Seeing that Yuan Shao's expression remained unchanged, Xu You composed himself and continued, "Since Liu Bei has left his entire family in Zhuojun, I imagine he wouldn't dare betray you and join Cao Cao. In my opinion, you should show him leniency and reward the officials in Youzhou who have been appointed by Liu Bei with plenty of money and valuables. This will not only demonstrate your magnanimity but also appease Liu Bei and the officials in Youzhou. Even if Liu Bei later harbors rebellious intentions, some of the officials in Youzhou who have received your favor will surely remain loyal to you!"

Xu You's analysis was clear and logical, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages. He also drew lessons from his own painful experience, subtly revealing his current stance: as long as Yuan Shao remained determined to make Yuan Shang his heir, Xu You did not want Liu Bei's escape route to be completely cut off.

As Zhuge Liang said: "The world is unpredictable, and the universe is ever-changing. No one can foresee whether there will be any unexpected events tomorrow."

Even if Xu You doesn't betray Yuan and join Liu again like he did before, he still needs to leave himself a way out!

After all, Yuan Shang genuinely wanted to kill Xu You! Xu You's preferred outcome was that Yuan Tan would win against Yuan Shang and become his heir. In this way, Xu You could help Yuan Tan eliminate Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and others, ultimately achieving great merit and becoming the most powerful minister in the Great Zhong Dynasty, second only to the emperor! The Xu family of Nanyang could then become four generations of high-ranking officials!
Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao fell silent again.

For Yuan Shao, Liu Bei was both a threat and could not be easily eliminated.

Especially with the internal affairs still unresolved and Yuan Shang yet to become the heir as he wished, Yuan Shao was even less willing to easily provoke a conflict with Liu Bei.

If Liu Bei were to betray the army like Xu You, even if Yuan Shao were to appeal to his sense of morality, he could not be certain how many county officials, scholars, and common people would respond to Liu Bei.

The risk is too great; Yuan Shao must consider it carefully.

After a long time.

Yuan Shao's doubts vanished, replaced by a calm and icy expression: "Ziyuan is right. Cao Cao is currently very powerful, and I do need to rely on Liu Bei to restrain him. Therefore, I should treat the officials Liu Bei left behind well."

After a pause, Yuan Shao's tone suddenly turned stern, carrying an undeniable air of ruthlessness: "Once Xianfu has achieved great military exploits, and I formally appoint him as my heir, the situation in Hebei will be settled. If Liu Bei is sensible and willingly submits to Xianfu, then so be it; but if he still refuses to yield..."

Yuan Shao narrowed his eyes slightly, a cruel and cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth: "Hmph, it's nothing more than destroying another Gongsun Zan from Youzhou!"

However, these words did not frighten Liu Bei, who had already gone far away; instead, they pierced Xu You's heart like a sharp, icy blade.

Xu You's body stiffened slightly, almost imperceptibly, his fingertips instantly turning icy cold. A deeper worry and chill swept over him: If Yuan Shang becomes the heir, how will I stand? Benchu, do you truly not understand, or are you pretending not to?

And on the other side.

Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang rode side by side, while Guan Yu led his guards closely behind.

After recounting the raid on Guanzhong, Liu Bei's eyes showed worry, and his tone became low: "With the talents of Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan, even if I raid Guanzhong to tie down Cao Cao's forces, we still won't be able to take Yanzhou and Xuzhou. On the contrary, we might even be counterattacked by Cao Cao crossing the river. However, Yuan Shao just made an undeniable statement, clearly indicating that he had this intention all along. How should I deal with this now?"

In contrast to Liu Bei's worries, Zhuge Liang's eyes sparkled with joy. With a gentle wave of his feather fan, Zhuge Liang's kind words struck Liu Bei's heart: "This is the opportunity for you to gain momentum, General. Why should you worry?"

"Hmm?" Liu Bei turned his head in surprise: "What do you mean by that, strategist?"

Zhuge Liang paused his fan, his eyes gleaming, a smile playing on his lips: "Yuan Shao is right. The external threats to Youzhou have been quelled, and the remnants of the Wuhuan are no longer a threat. If your elite troops and generals remain in Youzhou, wouldn't that be a waste? Changshan has acquired so much wealth and resources; how can it remain under someone else's rule for long, merely benefiting Yuan Shang? Now that Yuan Shao has ordered you to harass Guanzhong, you can use this opportunity to legitimately move the elite troops of Youzhou for training, and further transform the wealth gained from Changshan into military supplies and provisions."

　Update 2 is here!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)