Brother, stop curling up! You're curling up like the founder of the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 118 Discussing Heroes Over Wine: Liu Bei and Cao Cao Form an Alliance (Seeking updates and monthly votes)
"Mengde, you must not go there lightly!" Chunyu Qiong's eyes were fierce.

This is a private matter, not a public one.
Do you think I, Chunyu Qiong, am stupid?
"No, I have to go!" Cao Cao said in a low voice. "Liu Bei's stance is unclear right now, so we can't offend him easily. Yuan Shao only asked me to monitor Liu Bei, not to be his enemy. I also want to test Liu Bei's intentions. I'll entrust the command of the military camp to you, and Liu Bei will definitely not dare to act recklessly."

Chunyu Qiong frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Alright, you can leave the military tally here. I will personally patrol the camp again tonight. Even if Liu Bei tries to cause trouble, I can deal with it in time."

After the two discussed in hushed tones, Cao Cao laughed to cover it up: "If Liu Yongzhou's disciples are so courageous, how could I, Cao, be a coward? Please inform Liu Yongzhou that I will arrive shortly."

Fa Zheng bowed respectfully, then turned and left.

Although he was only thirteen years old, he behaved perfectly, which made Cao Cao secretly envious.

I never expected that Liu Bei would find such talented people after going to Yongzhou. When will I be able to live as freely as Liu Bei?
After handing the military tally to Chunyu Qiong, Cao Cao gave some instructions to the camp's commander, and then went to the banquet in plain clothes.

If it were a Feast at Hongmen, Cao Cao's impeccable attire would be of no use.

If it weren't for the Feast at Hongmen, Cao Cao's well-dressed appearance would have actually made him seem timid.

"Brother Mengde, since we parted more than ten days ago, I have been wanting to invite you to a banquet. Today, the opportunity has finally come." Liu Bei, also dressed casually, warmly welcomed Cao Cao inside.

A simple pavilion was set up outside the tent, and a stove was placed inside the pavilion, where wine was being steamed. As soon as you approached, the aroma of the wine wafted over.

"There aren't many snacks to go with the wine in the army, so I sent someone to buy some at the market. I hope Brother Mengde won't find them offensive." Liu Bei smiled warmly, as if he were entertaining an old friend.

Cao Cao glanced around and, seeing no soldiers or weapons, immediately felt relieved and asked, "Did Xuande summon me tonight just for drinking?"

"Let's drink and talk business." Liu Bei poured Cao Cao a cup of wine and said, "Brother Mengde, you are certainly more informed than I am at Pingguan Pavilion. Do you know when the General plans to take action to eliminate the eunuchs?"

Cao Cao, feigning ignorance to mask his surprise after drinking, said, "I am merely a lowly military officer; how could I possibly know about important matters in the General's residence? Xuande has asked the wrong person."

"It doesn't matter if you don't know." Liu Bei chuckled, unconcerned. "You're hesitating and wasting time even to execute a eunuch. General, you haven't learned anything from Dou Wu's example. If you make a mistake, you'll end up like Dou Wu."

Cao Cao, unable to fathom Liu Bei's intentions, feigned ignorance and said, "The reason Dou Wu failed was not only due to his poor planning, but more importantly, his improper troop deployment. In his haste, he was instead killed by Zhang Huan, the Protector of the Xiongnu, who was unaware of the truth, leading the border troops."

"Now the General has summoned brave warriors from all directions to the capital. People like Dong Zhuo, Ding Yuan, Wang Kuang, and Qiao Mao have all led their troops into Luoyang to help the General kill the eunuchs. The Eight Camps of the Western Garden, the Five Schools of the Northern Army, the Tiger Guard Camp, the Feathered Forest Army, the City Guard Army, and the Army under the Commander of the Imperial Guards are all under the General's command."

"Zhang Rang and his men only had a few palace attendants armed with weapons guarding the palace gates. How could they possibly withstand the Great General?"

Liu Bei shook his head and sneered: "The late emperor favored eunuchs, granting them titles of nobility or generalships. Some of these eunuchs and their cronies also held important positions in the court and prefectures, making their collusion with the emperor extremely solid."

"Although the Eight Camps of the Western Garden, the Five Schools of the Northern Army, the Tiger Guard Camp, the Feathered Forest Army, the City Guard Army, and the Army under the Commander of the Imperial Guard are nominally under the command of the Grand General, many of them are either related to eunuchs by marriage or have been promoted by eunuchs."

"Take Feng Fang, for example. When he was still the Grand Minister of Agriculture, he colluded with the eunuchs. He entered the Western Garden Army because of the late emperor's favor. Now that the late emperor is dead, and the Grand General wants to kill the eunuchs, how can Brother Mengde know that Feng Fang won't secretly inform on us?"

"For example, the generals summoned by the Grand General, how can Brother Mengde know that these generals do not have ambitions to seize power? Since the task is to eliminate the eunuchs, why must He Jin receive the credit? Furthermore, are Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and others willing to be subordinate to He Jin, a Grand General who came from a butcher background?"

Cao Cao was greatly alarmed upon hearing this.

If it weren't for the fact that few people knew about Yuan Shao's plan, Cao Cao would have suspected that Liu Bei had planted a spy next to Yuan Shao. Otherwise, how could he have such a clear understanding of the situation?
Suppressing his inner surprise, Cao Cao feigned a smile and said, "These are all Xuande's guesses. Does Xuande think that the General will be defeated?"

Liu Bei remained noncommittal, then recalled the past: "Brother Mengde, do you still remember when we first met, I told you that I also understood astronomy and the arts of Yin and Yang?"

Cao Cao suddenly remembered.

At that time, Cao Cao used the matter of Wang Fen to test Liu Bei, but Liu Bei quoted classical texts and made a series of prophetic statements.

On one hand, he criticized the sorcerer Xiang Kai for maliciously spreading the celestial phenomenon that "observing the night sky revealed an unfavorable celestial influence on eunuchs, indicating that the clans of eunuchs and palace attendants would be exterminated." On the other hand, he claimed that "the bright main star signifies the prosperity of the nation. Moreover, eunuchs are Your Majesty's close attendants, Your Majesty's eyes and ears. If the celestial influence is unfavorable to eunuchs, wouldn't that be an implication that the celestial influence is unfavorable to Your Majesty?"

In the year that followed, it was indeed proven true that Liu Bei's words were not only not wiped out, but the eunuchs' power grew stronger and stronger.

For a moment, Cao Cao fell silent, pondering: Could it be that the General will really be defeated?

Seeing Cao Cao deep in thought, Liu Bei continued, "Brother Mengde, do you know why I have remained in the camp since entering Luoyang?"

Before Cao Cao could react, Liu Bei feigned a sigh and said, "The celestial phenomena are unpredictable and beyond human comprehension. Last year, the main star shone brightly, which should have been an omen of national prosperity; however, recently the main star has dimmed while the guest star has shone brightly, which is an omen of great chaos."

“A wise man should emulate a cunning rabbit, seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune. If I were to directly participate in the struggle between the Grand General and the eunuch, I fear I would be in trouble. That is why I have been staying in the camp. It is not because I am unclear about my stance, but because I am avoiding disaster.”

Cao Cao was even more alarmed upon hearing this, and seeing that Liu Bei seemed to be acting seriously and not pretending, doubts arose in his heart again.

“Now that Xuande is already in the game, how can he avoid disaster even if he stays in the camp?” Cao Cao asked tentatively. “If the general wins, the eunuchs will not let Xuande go; if the eunuchs win, the general will not let Xuande go either. Or, as Xuande said, the generals outside the camp and the Yuan brothers are all ambitious. If they gain power, they will not let Xuande go either.”

Liu Bei suddenly composed himself and said, "Brother Mengde, do you still remember that I once told you that after great chaos comes great order? You are a capable minister in times of peace, and you will surely be able to help His Majesty sweep away the treacherous officials and restore the prestige of the Han Dynasty?"

"Whether I can avoid this disaster depends not only on staying in the camp, but also on Brother Mengde's help."

Cao Cao was taken aback by Liu Bei's sudden seriousness and asked in confusion, "What does this have to do with me? Moreover, why does Xuande believe that I will definitely help Xuande?"

"Of course it's related." Liu Bei looked at Cao Cao and said in a serious tone, "When I went to Chang'an, I gave Dong Zhuo the secret edict of the late emperor. I also said that Brother Mengde was selected by the late emperor as the Commandant of the Western Garden Army. The famous scholar Xu Shao once praised Brother Mengde as a capable minister in the monthly evaluation. After Dong Zhuo came to Luoyang, he could recruit Brother Mengde as a confidant."

That damned woman!

Cao Cao rose in shock, cursing inwardly, and exclaimed in astonishment, "You, you, you handed the late emperor's secret edict to Dong Zhuo? No wonder you said earlier that the generals harbored ambitions to seize power! If Dong Zhuo arrives, he will certainly not be content to be subordinate to the Grand General! No, that's not right, Dong Zhuo is not here to help the Grand General, he is here to help the prince seize the throne! Xuande, you have caused me great suffering!"

Only then did Cao Cao understand Liu Bei's true intention in coming to Luoyang.

Ambiguous stance?

Liu Bei's stance was crystal clear!

This guy's here to flip the table!
Whether it was He Jin, Yuan Shao, or the eunuchs, the premise for their struggle was that Liu Bian would become emperor!

Under this premise, whoever annexes the other's forces will gain control of the government and the country.

As a result, Liu Bei gave the secret edict to Dong Zhuo! Admittedly, Liu Bei did have an agreement with He Jin that he would not support Liu Xie after becoming the governor of Yongzhou, but what did it have to do with Liu Bei that Dong Zhuo used the secret edict to support Liu Xie?

Cao Cao finally understood why Liu Bei had come to Luoyang with such confidence.

Now that Jian Shuo is dead, Liu Bei is the only one who has received Liu Hong's secret edict.

If Dong Zhuo wanted to support Liu Xie according to the imperial edict, he had to acknowledge Liu Bei's political status.

If Liu Xie wanted legitimacy and the support of his ministers after ascending the throne, he also had to acknowledge Liu Bei's political status.

eunuch?

He Jin.

The Yuan family?

A new emperor brings a new court; they're all nothing in front of the new ruler!
What shocked Cao Cao even more was that Liu Bei recommended him to Dong Zhuo!

If Cao Cao accepted Dong Zhuo's offer of service, he would become enemies with Yuan Shao and others; if Cao Cao did not accept Dong Zhuo's offer of service, he would surely incur Dong Zhuo's resentment.

Seeing Cao Cao's shock, Liu Bei quietly poured him wine: "Brother Mengde, do you really not want to be a capable minister who can govern a peaceful world? Are you really content to follow Yuan Shao and run errands for him? Now that the opportunity is in front of you, don't you want to seize it?"

"Just imagine, I have two thousand soldiers from Yongzhou, plus your two battalions of the Western Garden Army, and Dong Zhuo will conservatively have at least two thousand men. With six thousand men at our disposal, let's pull off something big! If we cooperate well, it will be enough to help the prince ascend the throne and become emperor."

"This is a meritorious deed of supporting the emperor! Brother Mengde! Aren't you tempted?"

Cao Cao became increasingly horrified as he listened.

Heartbroken?

Cao Cao was extremely tempted!
Who wouldn't want to rise to the top overnight by following in the footsteps of a dragon?
But the price was that Cao Cao had to give up all the connections and relationships he had built up before, and even risk turning against Yuan Shao!

Liu Bei did not urge him, but quietly savored the wine.

The bait has been thrown out; now it's up to Cao Cao to choose whether to bite or flee.

Cao Cao was experiencing a mix of emotions, with two inner voices arguing amongst themselves.

One was arguing not to be fooled by Liu Bei and to firmly follow Yuan Shao, while the other was arguing that he wanted to use his merit to rise to the top.

a long time.

Cao Cao, his eyes red, took a deep breath to calm his inner turmoil and pointed out the crux of the matter: "The merit of following the emperor should be shared by three people. There will inevitably be disputes among the three, which is probably not appropriate."

"Wrong. There are two people." Liu Bei held up two fingers: "What is Dong Zhuo? Does he deserve to enjoy the credit for following the emperor? He will be eliminated sooner or later."

"Among the heroes of the world, only Brother Mengde and I are worthy of praise! We shall share the credit for our service in supporting the emperor."

"I was born into poverty and have suffered all kinds of hardships. I cannot stand the scheming and intrigue in the court. My life's wish is to bring peace to the people and to deter the barbarians and savages from the outside, so that the Han Dynasty can have all nations paying tribute!"

“Brother Mengde is different. Although you are the descendant of a eunuch, you have close ties with the Xiahou and Cao families. You are also knowledgeable about court politics and have a reputation as a capable minister who can govern the world. If you were to take charge of the court and gather the wisdom and strength of the people, and govern with the Way, you would surely be able to sweep away the corrupt officials and restore a bright and clear world to the Han Dynasty!”

"At that time, you will manage the internal affairs, and I will manage the external affairs. Together, we will serve the country and bring peace to the people. Who in the world can stand against us? Who will dare to rebel?"

Liu Bei's words were so passionate and stirring that even Cao Cao, who tried to suppress his inner turmoil, could not hide his surging emotions.

Just then, Xu You, who had been waiting for a long time, came before Cao Cao: "Mengde, do you still recognize your old friends?"

Cao Cao was taken aback and exclaimed, "Ziyuan, what are you doing here?"

Xu You laughed and said, "If Lord Liu wants to seize the credit for supporting the new emperor, how can I not come? When I helped Wang Fen in Ye City, you thought Wang Fen was incapable of succeeding, so you were unwilling to participate. Now the opportunity is right in front of us. We are here to support the new emperor with the late emperor's secret edict. By obeying the emperor's orders, no one in the world will dare to disobey."

"Both of us have worked for Yuan Shao, and we should understand that we can share his hardships, but it is difficult for us to share his wealth. Moreover, if Yuan Shao were to gain power, given the current influence of Yuan Shao's followers throughout the country, he would surely harbor the same ambitions as Wang Mang."

"Even if Yuan Shao were to seize the throne, what then? All the officials in the land are utterly corrupt. Even if Yuan Shao were to ascend the throne, the people would still be living in misery. Given Yuan Shao's cowardice in undertaking great tasks, would he dare to touch the officials of the land?"

"Moreover, if Yuan Shao were to succeed to the throne, the first person to rebel against him would be Yuan Shu. At that time, internal strife within the Yuan family would further destabilize the country. Rather than that, it would be better for us to assist the new emperor and bring peace to the people."

If Liu Bei's words inspired Cao Cao's ambition to advance, then Xu You's words cut off Cao Cao's retreat.

Most importantly: even if Cao Cao was unwilling to participate in the great undertaking, what could he possibly change?

If Cao Cao had not sought the merit of supporting the emperor, the heroes of the land would have been Liu Bei and Dong Zhuo, not Liu Bei and Cao Cao.

a long time.

The hesitation on Cao Cao's face vanished, replaced by determination and ruthlessness: "When shall we make our move?"

Liu Bei laughed loudly: "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Let He Jin and the others fight it out. When chaos breaks out in Luoyang, that will be our time to follow the dragon. I heard that Chunyu Qiong is also in the camp. Brother Mengde, do you need our help?"

Cao Cao shook his head: "Chunyu Qiong is a reckless man and not worth worrying about. If we take action against him now, we will inevitably alert him. When the time is right, I will have my own way of capturing him."

"Good!" Liu Bei poured wine for Cao Cao again, raised his cup in respect, and said, "Brother Mengde, you have great courage! Please!"

After drinking a cup of wine, Cao Cao took his leave.

Seeing Cao Cao's increasingly determined steps, Xu You said in a stern tone: "The Yuan family is powerful, and we need to use their strength to control them. Therefore, we need to use the strategy of two tigers fighting over food. I don't know if Cao Cao can withstand it."

"It's alright." Liu Bei chuckled. "Since ancient times, Guandong has been home to many heroes, and besides, the Yuan clan is not a monolithic entity. The show is about to begin, and we should prepare ourselves. Yongzhou is short of money and grain; I wonder how much money and grain we can get for this merit of supporting the emperor?"

(End of this chapter)