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

Chapter 214 A High-Ranking Official Who Can Be Bending and Stretching: Liu Bei, a Powerful Dragon, Suppresses a Local Snake (5th Update)
Yuan Xi's words stunned Gao Gan on the spot, and the question, "Could it be that you also want to compete for the heir?" sent chills down Gao Gan's spine.

The atmosphere had reached this point, and Gao Gan also noticed something amiss: Liu Bei and Yuan Xi were in cahoots, deliberately trying to suppress my prestige.

However, Gao Gan, who always held himself in high esteem, was not intimidated by Yuan Xi. He sneered and replied, "I am the legitimate son of the Gao family of Chenliu. I have the right to inherit the Gao family business. Why would I covet the General's business? As for Yuan Xianyi, you are just a son of a concubine. Do you also want to compete for the heir?"

The high-ranking official emphasized the word "illegitimate son," implying: You were born to a maid, so don't take yourself too seriously.

Yuan Xi was already dissatisfied with Yuan Shao's favoritism, and now that Gao Gan emphasized his status as a son of a concubine, his heart was instantly filled with jealousy and resentment.

Just as he was about to blurt out, "I insist on vying for the heir, what are you going to do about it?", Liu Bei stopped him, saying, "Governor Yuan, there's no need to argue about this. Immediately write a memorial to the General, accusing Gao Gan, the Governor of Bing Province, of disobeying orders and arbitrarily ordering Huchuquan to lead the Hu people south to cause trouble, so that the people of Hedong all mistakenly believe that the General is in cahoots with the Hu people. If the General insists on using Gao Gan, we will return to You Province."

Gao Gan's expression changed again, and he was so angry that he could hardly speak.

"General Zuo, Governor Yuan, it's all a misunderstanding. Let's talk things out. Why do this?" Xun Chen spoke up again to smooth things over, his face beaming with a smile.

Liu Bei turned to Xun Chen, showing no courtesy to this outstanding member of the Xun family: "I wonder what brilliant insights Xun Zhizhong has?"

Xun Chen glanced at Gao Gan, who was still trembling, and carefully chose his words: "At present, Hu Chuquan has already gone south along the Fen River. Even if we want to recall him, it will not be possible in a short time. Why don't you and Governor Yuan enter the city first and discuss it again tomorrow?"

"Hahaha—" Before he could finish speaking, Pang Tong's laughter suddenly rang out: "I thought that Xun Yu of Yingchuan had the talent of a king's advisor, and his brother Xun Chen should also be a wise and outstanding man. I never expected that he would be so foolish."

Xun Chen's smile vanished abruptly. He looked towards the voice and bowed respectfully, asking, "May I ask how you are addressed?"

Pang Tong returned the greeting and said, "I am Pang Tong, Pang Shiyuan, a native of Xiangyang, and I am the General of the Army under the Left General!"

Xun Chen pondered silently for a moment, not recognizing Pang Tong, and then asked, "Why do you say I'm foolish?"

Pang Tong sneered, "The barbarians have always been fond of plundering. General Zuo ordered you to immediately send back Huchuquan and his men to surrender and plead guilty, in order to prevent the people of Hedong from suffering at the hands of the barbarian invaders. Yet you advise General Zuo to discuss this again tomorrow. Do you intend to sit idly by and watch the barbarians harm the people of Hedong and regard us as your enemies? If so, the sons of Hedong, remembering the shame of their fathers and brothers being killed, will surely fight to the death and have no intention of surrendering. With this foolish plan, are you helping the General or Cao Cao? You and Xun Yu are brothers. Could it be that you have long harbored the intention to defect to Cao Cao and are deliberately obstructing General Zuo?"

Xun Chen was even more astonished.

Liu Bei's words were already quite aggressive, but Pang Tong's were even more aggressive, directly linking Xun Chen's "discuss it again tomorrow" with his "intention to surrender to Cao Cao"!
Judging from this situation, if Xun Chen insists on discussing it again tomorrow, Liu Bei will not hesitate to arrest Xun Chen as Cao Cao's inside man; if Xun Chen does not object, Gao Gan's prestige will be in jeopardy again.

"Youruo! Stop arguing with him!" Gao Gan forcibly calmed his anger and coldly glanced at Liu Bei and Yuan Xi: "If you want to write a memorial to the General, go ahead and write it. Do you really think I'm afraid?"

Liu Bei beckoned and immediately ordered: "General Yan, General Wen, seize Gao Gan and quickly take over the troops in Shangdang; Governor Yuan, quickly write a memorial to the General-in-Chief, stating directly: 'If the General-in-Chief believes that Governor Gao is capable of raiding Guanzhong, then Governor Gao shall be the commander, and I shall return to Youzhou; if the General-in-Chief believes that I am capable, then I shall be the commander, and Governor Gao shall be transferred elsewhere. If both of us are commanders, discord will surely arise, ruining the General-in-Chief's great undertaking.'"

When Gao Gan saw that Yan Liang and Wen Chou actually obeyed Liu Bei's military orders, he drew his sword and shouted angrily, "Yan Liang and Wen Chou, whose generals are you? How dare you betray the Great General?"

Before he could finish speaking, Yan Liang knocked the sword from Gao Gan's hand, then pinned it down by Yan Liang and Wen Chou's hands. Yan Liang's voice finally reached Gao Gan's ears: "What I hate most is your kind of sowing discord. We are the General's subordinates, and we obey his orders! If you don't understand warfare, don't argue with the Left General. We don't want to suffer defeat and lose our lives because of you!"

Wen Chou secretly sneered in his heart: Dong Wuyang almost lost his life again after listening to Young Master Shang's bad orders. If he comes to Bingzhou and listens to Gao Gan's bad orders again, he may not be so lucky every time.

When the high-ranking official was captured, Xun Chen was immediately dumbfounded: Is this for real?
Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng, who were behind the high-ranking officials, were even more stunned. In a short while, Shangdang changed hands.
Should we rescue Governor Gao, or not?
Before the two could come up with a solution, Liu Bei's shout arrived: "Are Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng here?"

Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng both shuddered and hurriedly stepped forward to reply, "Your subordinate is here."

Liu Bei took out a bamboo slip, wrote four characters on it: "Come see me," and threw it at Xia Zhao: "Xia Zhao, listen to my order! Take this warrant and go to the Fen River immediately. Tell Hu Chuquan to send his troops back immediately, bind themselves, and come see me! If you dare to disobey, you will be executed without mercy!"

Looking at the four unquestionable words on the bamboo slip, Xia Zhao felt a chill run down his spine. He dared not refute them, nor did he dare to ask the higher-ups for instructions. He hurriedly accepted the order and left.

Liu Bei then turned to Deng Sheng, took a bamboo slip, and wrote four characters on it: "Act as you see fit." He then ordered, "Deng Sheng, listen to my command! Take this order and go to Taiyuan immediately. Tell Zhang Yan that Hu Chuquan has angered me, and grant him permission to act as he sees fit!"

Deng Sheng's body trembled immediately: "Zhang, Zhang Yan?"

Liu Bei raised his voice: "Don't you recognize Zhang Yan, or do you not know where Zhang Yan is?"

Deng Sheng felt his hair stand on end and hurriedly replied, "This humble general will certainly not fail in his mission!"

He was even more terrified: Zhang Yan, the Black Mountain bandit who had recently struck fear into the hearts of the Hu people in Taiyuan, was actually obeying the orders of the Left General.
Gao Gan was also shocked and shouted, "Liu Bei, how dare you colluded with the Black Mountain bandits?"

Liu Bei ignored Gao Gan and turned directly to Yuan Xi, saying, "Young Master Xi, add another line to the General's memorial: Gao Gan has slandered General Zhang Yan, the General Who Pacifies the North, as a traitor."

Yuan Xi sneered and nodded, writing it down on the memorial.

Seeing Liu Bei and Yuan Xi's coordinated attack, completely unconcerned about his reaction, Gao Gan felt a sudden pang of panic: If the General wanted to control Liu Bei, he certainly wouldn't allow him to return to Youzhou. After receiving the memorial, he would most likely order me to obey Liu Bei's commands. Wouldn't I then have to endure another scolding from the General? A true man can bend and stretch.
Thinking of this, Gao Gan's expression suddenly changed, and he shouted, "General Zuo, this is a misunderstanding. What I said just now was all a joke!"

"Oh—" Liu Bei also changed his expression to a smile and turned to Yuan Xi: "Since it was just a joke, then it is indeed a misunderstanding. Governor Yuan, what do you think?"

Yuan Xi nodded in agreement: "General Zuo is right. I also think it's a misunderstanding."

Looking at the flexible and adaptable Gao Gan, and the quick-witted Liu Bei and Yuan Xi, Xun Chen couldn't help but sway.
　Update 5 is here!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)