Han Ji

Liu Bei's hand rested on the table, his knuckles turning white.

"Wenhe, you said you wouldn't save them because the cost would be too high. But what if I insist on saving them?"

Jia Xu thought for a moment. "If you insist on rescuing him, then we can only try to negotiate with Yuan Shao first. If that fails, we'll think of another way."

Liu Bei said, "Alright. Let's talk first. Write a letter to Yuan Shao and ask him to withdraw his troops."

That evening, Liu Bei sat in his study writing a letter. Xun Yu ground the ink, and Jian Yong stood beside him, holding a notebook. Several candles were lit, illuminating the study brightly. Peach blossoms from outside were blown in by the wind, falling onto the desk and the letter paper.

Liu Bei picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write on the paper. His handwriting was average, neither particularly good nor bad. But he wrote very carefully, stroke by stroke, without rushing.

"Brother Benchu, I, Liu Bei, bow my head in respect. More than ten years have passed since we parted in Luoyang. You are in Hebei, and I am in Guanzhong, each guarding our own territory, without exchanging news. Now I hear that you are besieging Yijing, and Gongsun Zan is trapped in an isolated city, running out of food and reinforcements. I have a friendship with Gongsun Zan from our school days, and I cannot bear to see him die a violent death. I hope you will consider the dignity of the court and the justice of the world, cease hostilities, and share Youzhou with Gongsun Zan. If you are willing to cease hostilities, I am willing to act as a peacemaker and send an envoy to Yecheng to discuss peace in person. If you are unwilling, I have nothing more to say. But I have one thing to tell you: Gongsun Zan is like a cornered beast, fighting even when cornered. Even with your army of 100,000, you may not be able to escape unscathed. When two tigers fight, one will surely be injured. Why don't you take a step back, spare Gongsun Zan's life, and also preserve your own dignity?"

After writing the last character, he put down the pen, blew on the ink, and handed it to Xun Yu.

"Wenruo, take a look. What do you think?"

Xun Yu took the letter and read it. "My lord, it's written too bluntly. Yuan Shao is a man who cares most about his reputation. If you say he might not be able to escape unscathed, he'll definitely be unhappy to read that."

Liu Bei said, "If I'm unhappy, then I'm unhappy. I was already unhappy when he killed Gongsun Zan. If I'm too polite, he'll think I'm afraid of him."

Xun Yu thought for a moment. "Then let's not change it. Whatever you write, my lord, we'll send you."

The letter was written, sealed with lacquer, and stamped with the seal. Liu Bei instructed Qian Zhao to send a clever messenger on a fast horse to deliver it to Ye City.

The messenger traveled for seven days and arrived in Ye City.

Ye City was large, with high city walls. They were made of blue bricks, and flags bearing the character "Ye" hung above the city gate towers. Guards at the city gates conducted searches, and everyone entering or leaving had to be searched. The messenger handed over his calling card; the guard glanced at it and ran inside to report. After quite a while, someone came out and led him inside.

Yuan Shao's governor's mansion was located in the city center, with five courtyards in total, ornately decorated and magnificent. Two stone lions, each taller than a person, stood guard at the entrance. The steps were made of spotless white marble. The messenger followed the guide through the mansion gate, through the front and middle courtyards, and arrived at the main hall.

Yuan Shao sat in the hall, dressed in a brocade robe, without a crown, his hair neatly combed. He was in his forties, tall, with a square face and a long beard, sitting in the main seat, holding a bowl of wine in his hand. Ju Shou, Tian Feng, Shen Pei, and Feng Ji sat on either side. Guo Tu stood behind.

The messenger knelt down, holding the letter in both hands. "Lord Yuan, General Liu Bei has sent a letter."

Yuan Shao put down his wine bowl, took the letter, and opened it.

He read it once, and his expression changed. He read it again, and his expression turned even uglier. He slammed the letter on the table.

"Who is Liu Bei to dare interfere in the affairs of Hebei?"

Ju Shou stood up, picked up the letter, read it once, and put it down. "My lord," he said, "although Liu Bei's words in the letter were impolite, his status is what it is. He is the Grand General and the Imperial Uncle, representing the court. If you ignore his letter to mediate, the people of the world will say that you are disrespectful to the court."

Yuan Shao snorted. "The court? The court is in his hands. Whatever he writes, Emperor Xian approves. He tells me to stop the war, and I'm supposed to stop? I won't."

Tian Feng, standing nearby, said, "My lord, Gongsun Zan can't hold out much longer. Yijing is out of food, and half of the soldiers have starved to death. If we attack for another month, we will surely fall. Why should my lord care about Liu Bei's letter? Once we take Yijing and kill Gongsun Zan, what can Liu Bei do? Does he dare to attack my lord? He has 50,000 troops, while we have 150,000. He can't win."

Yuan Shao thought for a moment. "You're right. Ignore him."

He tore the letter up and threw it on the ground. The scraps of paper scattered across the hall, covering the floor.

"Go back and tell Liu Bei that my affairs are none of his business. If he interferes again, we'll take him down with us."

The messenger knelt on the ground, head bowed, too afraid to move. A few scraps of paper fell in front of him; he glanced at them, then lowered his head again.

Yuan Shao said, "Aren't you going to get lost?"

The messenger kowtowed, got up, and ran off. He ran out of the governor's mansion, out of Ye City, mounted his horse, and rode back. After seven days, he returned to Chang'an.

Liu Bei read the messenger's message but remained silent. He stood by the window, gazing outside. Most of the peach blossoms had fallen, carpeting the ground with pink petals, which were scattered by the wind.

"Yuan Shao. Did he really say that?"

The messenger said, "Yes. He said that Gongsun Zan's affairs are none of our business, my lord. He also said that if our lord meddles in other people's business, he will beat our lord as well."

Liu Bei remained silent for a long time.

"He'll hit me too. How could he say that?"

Xun Yu, standing to the side, said, "My lord, Yuan Shao is stubborn and self-willed. He thinks he is invincible. He won't listen to your advice. Only through war will he listen."

Liu Bei remained silent.

He returned to his desk, sat down, picked up the draft of the letter, and read it through. Gongsun Zan's handwriting was still imprinted in his mind.

"Issue the order. Send another envoy to Ye City. This time, send Jian Yong. He will speak with him in person."

When Jian Yong arrived in Chang'an from Xuchang, it was already the end of March. The peach blossoms had all fallen, and tender green leaves had sprouted on the trees. He had ridden a donkey for several days, and his backside was chafed raw. When he arrived at the General's Mansion, he limped in, carrying an account book in his hand.

"Big brother, you were looking for me?"

Liu Bei said, "Xianhe, go to Ye City and see Yuan Shao. Tell him in person to stop your troops."

Jian Yong was taken aback. "Brother, what? Yuan Shao has a terrible temper. What if he turns on me and kills me?"

Liu Bei said, "He won't kill you. You are an envoy, and killing an envoy is inauspicious. If he dares to kill you, I will fight him."

Jian Yong thought for a moment. "Okay. I'll go. But I have one condition."

Liu Bei asked, "What are the conditions?"

Jian Yong said, "Bring me a copy of the imperial edict. With the edict in my hand, Yuan Shao will not dare to touch me."

Liu Bei turned to look at Xun Yu. "Wenruo, write the imperial edict."

Xun Yu spread out the yellow silk and picked up his brush to write. The edict was written in a very formal style, stating that Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan were both important officials of the court and should not attack each other. It hoped that Yuan Shao would cease his military operations and share Youzhou with Gongsun Zan. If he did not comply, the court would treat him as an insubordination.

The edict was written and stamped with the imperial seal. Liu Bei handed the edict to Jian Yong.

"Xianhe, when you arrive in Ye City, first show Yuan Shao the imperial edict, then speak to him. If he still doesn't listen, then come back. Don't argue with him."

Jian Yong tucked the imperial edict into his sleeve. "Don't worry, elder brother. I know what's important."