Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 54: Did the officials reach a consensus and Cao Cao tacitly approve? I think not.

"Jiang Ziyi! What exactly do you have to say? Why beat around the bush?"

Facing Xi Zhicai's aggressive gaze, Jiang Gan remained steadfast and fearless, his face displaying loyalty and righteousness.

"Did the gentlemen agree to this decision, and did Cao Cao tacitly approve it? I think not."

Just as Xi Zhicai was about to reprimand him, Jiang Gan took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to him quietly.

"The reason is obvious to the strategist at a glance."

Xi Zhicai gave him a deep look, suppressed his doubts, and opened the letter to examine it.

The essay "Strategy on the Bed" mentioned earlier in the letter is fine, though it is grand in scale and can be seen to be the work of a wise and shrewd person of the time.

However, he had also devised similar strategies for Cao Cao, and his subordinates under Yuan Shao, such as Ju Shou, had also offered them.

Many feudal lords who aspire to rule the world have no shortage of wise and resourceful men under their command, who use such strategies and plans to shape their future.

It is easy to know but difficult to do. The difficulty lies not in offering strategies, but in putting all the ideas into practice and making them come true step by step.

Xi Zhicai's composure while reading "Strategy on the Bed" was suddenly shattered by the last message in the letter.

【.
If things go as expected, after Zhicai's death, Wenruo will surely ask me to take over and devise strategies for Cao Cao.

I should take this opportunity to enter Cao Cao's camp, ostensibly to offer Cao Cao advice, but in reality to devise plans for my lord. By doing so, I can anticipate his every move.

Given Jiang Gan's repeated mentions of "Fengxiao," how could Xi Zhicai not have some suspicions? He gripped the letter tightly with his thin, bony fingers, staring at it intently.

"Ziyi, based on what you haven't said, could it be that this letter was written by Guo Fengxiao?"

"If not, how would Gan know the two characters 'Fengxiao'?"

Jiang Gan gave a wry smile and recounted in detail how he had eavesdropped and stolen the book from Yuan Shu's tent.

"I stole this book under cover of night. It was indeed written by [Fengxiao], without a doubt!"

Although this Fengxiao was a man of great talent, he served Yuan Shao but plotted for Yuan Shu.

Such a disloyal and unrighteous person, even if he came to Cao Cao's camp, his heart would still be with Yuan Shu. How can we trust him so easily?

There are countless wise strategists in the world; I urge the strategist to consider this carefully, and to be extremely cautious in choosing a successor, lest he act rashly.

Upon hearing the details, Xi Zhicai remained silent for a long time.

He kept sending people to review relevant intelligence, pondered for a long time, and muttered to himself.

"As you said, after carefully observing Yuan Gonglu's words and actions over the past year, I also feel that something is amiss."

"What do you think, Military Advisor?"

"In the past year, whether it was heading south to Jiangdong, taking Sun Ce as his adopted son, reforming the military and government, or now commanding the princes of the world to march north to attack us."

At first glance, these events seem unremarkable, but upon closer examination, each and every one of them appears strange.

He coughed and wheezed repeatedly, his handkerchief stained crimson, but his eyes were clear and bright, filled with surprise.

“What Zhou Gongjin said is similar to what I think. Every single thing in this is wrong!”

Of all these things, one person is missing!

If no one had advised him, how could Yuan Gonglu, overjoyed at obtaining the imperial seal, have thought of going to Jiangdong with Sun Ce?

If no one had advised him, Yuan Gonglu would have continued his aggressive military campaigns, causing widespread suffering among the people. How could he have changed his ways and become a benevolent ruler?
If it weren't for someone plotting on Yuan Gonglu's behalf, how could my lord's journey north to welcome the emperor have become known to the whole world and caused so many troubles?
This person was neither Yan Xiang nor Yang Hong, because these people had previously worked under Yuan Gonglu.

If he could undergo such an astonishing transformation, from a mere skeleton in a tomb to a tiger with the might to conquer thousands of miles, why wait until today? Therefore, among the intelligence we have all seen, there must be one person missing, or perhaps there is one more person behind Yuan Gonglu.

It was this man's appearance that led to such a dramatic change in Yuan Shu, catching the entire world completely off guard.

As Xi Zhicai analyzed the situation, he noticed that Jiang Gan seemed to be filled with fear in the oppressive atmosphere, and couldn't help but smile and offer words of comfort.

"It seems that everything started because of this person, otherwise it couldn't be true, as the ignorant villagers on both sides of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers have spread: that Yuan Gonglu has a destiny bestowed upon him."

Therefore, having obtained the Imperial Seal of the State, he became wise and powerful?

"What does the strategist think about the relationship between this man and Guo Jia?"

According to Wenruo, Fengxiao would not do something like being a subject of Yuan Shao but plotting for Yuan Shu.

I was prepared to ask him to take over, and I also conducted an investigation, so he doesn't seem like such an disloyal and unjust person.

But if it wasn't him, how would Yuan Shu have known that we wanted to invite Fengxiao, and thus set a trap for you in advance?

The matter of Fengxiao succeeding me is a closely guarded secret. Apart from the lord who tacitly approves, only Wenruo and I have discussed it.

If this matter wasn't something Fengxiao guessed from Wenruo's letter, could it be that either Wenruo or I betrayed our lord and secretly colluded with Yuan Gonglu?

Xi Zhicai pondered for a long time, but was still deeply puzzled by this. "This matter is very strange, and I can't figure it out no matter how hard I try."

Jiang Gan slammed his hand on the table, stood up abruptly, and looked as if he were the only one capable of doing so.

"Now that things have come to this, why hesitate?"

There are only four people in the world who know about this, so it is impossible for my lord to know.

You and Wenruo, one devising strategies and the other governing, have devoted yourselves wholeheartedly to your cause, which is why our lord has achieved his current success. How could you possibly have any disloyal intentions?

This matter, known only to Heaven, Earth, you, and me, could absolutely not have been something that Guo Jia secretly colluded with Yuan Shu!

He spoke with righteous indignation and stern words, upholding the authority of Cao Cao, displaying a dignified and noble spirit.

"I will report this matter to my lord truthfully, and I will never allow my lord's great cause to be ruined by this [Fengxiao]."

Although Xi Zhicai still felt that there was something strange about the matter, he was speechless in the face of Jiang Ziyi's upright and honest demeanor. He didn't know how to refute him and could only nod slightly to let the matter drop for the time being.

"This matter is not urgent. Our lord is currently on his way north and has not yet returned. Although my days are numbered, I can still hold on for a while. We should think carefully about Guo Jia."

The most important thing right now is to lift the siege of Yangdi and repel Yuan's army.

"Recently, Yuan's army has been launching a very aggressive offensive. General Yuan is truly afraid that we cannot hold out for long. You should carefully discuss with him how we can coordinate an attack from within and without in three days to decisively defeat Yuan's army."

"only."

Watching Jiang Gan's departing figure, Xi Zhicai coughed repeatedly, but the worry between his brows could not be shaken off.

Whether it was the affairs of Guo Jia, Zhou Yu, Sun Ce, Lei Bu, or Chen Lan, he did not believe them based solely on the words of Jiang Gan.

It wasn't that they doubted Jiang Gan's loyalty or thought he would cleverly deceive them, but rather that they worried Jiang Gan might also be deceived.

If he returns from Yuan's camp after being deceived, what good will it do him, even if everything he said is true?
It wasn't until Xi Zhicai retrieved the relevant intelligence materials and carefully compared them with the news brought back by Jiang Gan that he found the facts to be exactly the same as what Zhou Yu, Lei, Chen, and others had said, and only then did he feel somewhat relieved.

Even if it was a deliberate scheme to deceive Jiang Gan, who could have foreseen this event a year in advance and orchestrated all the events mentioned by Zhou Yu, Lei, and Chen beforehand?

Seeing that what they said was all true and without any falsehood, Xi Zhicai thought that the fact that he was able to sow discord in Yuan's camp so smoothly was a gift from heaven that Jiang Ziyi was helping him defeat Yuan.

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(End of this chapter)