My Three Kingdoms is not right

Five hundred li north of Xudu lies Yecheng.

Inside the spacious council chamber, bronze goose-foot lamps were neatly arranged along both sides of the walls, illuminating the room as bright as day.

Yuan Shao sat in the main seat, his oval face full of self-satisfaction.

At this time, she controlled four prefectures in Hebei, with well-trained troops and ample provisions, and her generals and advisors were numerous and fierce.

Looking across the world, there isn't even one opponent that can rival it.

Her registrar, Geng Bao, had just presented a very timely memorial to the throne in public.

"My lord!" Geng Bao's voice echoed in the hall, "I observed the celestial phenomena last night, and the red virtue has waned, the yellow family should rise. My lord is a descendant of the Yellow Emperor, in accordance with Heaven and the people, and should inherit the great throne!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

"This..." Yuan Shao's voice held a perfectly timed hesitation, "What do you all think?"

Her gaze swept over everyone in the hall, and she saw that Ju Shou was the first to stand up.

"My lord! Geng Bao's words are utterly wrong!"

Yuan Shao remained expressionless: "Oh?"

"Although there are currently several powerful women ruling over their own territories, the Emperor still reigns, and the Han Dynasty has not perished." Ju Shou stood tall, glaring at Geng Bao, and said, "The Yuan family has held high office for four generations, receiving the Han's favor for generations. Geng Bao's words have placed you in a position of disloyalty and injustice; his intentions are treacherous!"

Overwhelmed by her imposing manner, Geng Bao hurriedly explained, "The fate of the Han dynasty is sealed; this is the will of Heaven. Why should you (Ju Shou's courtesy name) blame me?"

"Furthermore, in the past, King Zhou of Shang was tyrannical, and the Zhou dynasty replaced him; the Qin dynasty was cruel, and the Han dynasty replaced him. This is the natural order, a universal principle throughout history. Now, our lord's name is known throughout the land, and his virtue is praised by all. He is in accordance with Heaven and the people; what is wrong with replacing the Han dynasty?"

"How dare you, you shameless woman, try to argue!" Tian Feng shouted.

He then looked at Yuan Shao: "Geng Bao spreads heresies and deceives the people, flattering and currying favor! If Your Excellency listens to his words, you will surely be despised by the people of the world, and the hearts of the people of Hebei will also be scattered!"

"When Yuan Shu declared himself emperor, he was deserted by all. Learning from this example, how can you, my lord, repeat the same mistake?"

Yuan Shao looked around and asked, "Do all of you think so?"

She was met with silence.

The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly oppressive.

Geng Bao knelt on the ground, his forehead already beaded with cold sweat.

Yuan Shao looked at her and suddenly sighed.

"Geng Bao is spreading heresy and harboring treacherous intentions." Her voice was very calm. "Take him out and execute him."

"My lord! My lord, spare my life!" Geng Bao raised his head in terror. "Your subject is utterly loyal..."

"Drag it down."

The armored soldiers rushed in and dragged Geng Bao out.

Yuan Shao picked up the wine cup on the table and slowly took a sip:

"Cao Cao killed Sui Gu and seized Hanoi, thus openly becoming our enemy. What do you all think we should do?"

The atmosphere in the hall finally relaxed a bit.

The first opening of the fitting:

"Cao Cao's army numbered only tens of thousands, and the Central Plains were devastated, with enemies on all sides. He was not worth fearing at all."

"Our four prefectures in Hebei have well-trained troops and ample provisions, surpassing Cao Cao's strength tenfold. With your divine martial prowess, my lord, to overcome the powerful forces of Hebei and defeat Cao Cao would be as easy as turning one's hand!"

She became increasingly agitated as she spoke: "This is a divinely ordained opportunity; Your Excellency must make a swift decision!"

However, Tian Feng's cold voice interrupted her: "Zheng Nan's words are incorrect!"

"Although our army has defeated Gongsun, our soldiers are exhausted and our supplies are depleted from years of fighting. Although Ji Province is rich, it also needs to recuperate and rebuild."

"Moreover, Cao Cao's troops are well-trained and his generals are brave, far superior to Gongsun Zan's. If a hasty southern expedition is launched, the outcome is uncertain!"

Shen Pei, dissatisfied, questioned, "According to you, we should just ignore Cao Cao's forceful occupation of Hexi?"

Tian Feng did not answer her, but instead faced Yuan Shao and bowed, saying, "I believe that we should send elite troops to cultivate land and accumulate grain, forge alliances with Liu Biao and Sun Quan externally, and strengthen our military preparedness internally. Only after three to five years, when our strength is sufficient, should we then attempt to conquer Xuchang. This would be the most foolproof strategy!"

Upon hearing this, many ministers in the hall nodded in agreement.

Hebei had been ravaged by war for years, and although it had been pacified by Yuan Shao, it had not yet been able to recuperate and consolidate its strength. What Tian Feng said was exactly what they were thinking.

However, Guo Tu immediately retorted, "Although Hebei is exhausted, where in the world is not in a worse state? With your current strength and the soldiers' eagerness to fight, it would be better to complete the great task as soon as possible before discussing recuperation."

"Moreover, Cao Cao is adept at using surprise attacks, and his expansion has been rapid in the past two years. If we allow him to continue developing, I'm afraid he will be difficult to control in the future!"

"To refuse a gift from Heaven is to suffer the consequences! I implore Your Excellency to see this clearly!"

Yuan Shao frowned.

Guo Tu is right.

Cao Cao did indeed expand too quickly.

From Yanzhou to Yuzhou, from Yuzhou to Xuzhou, and now she has taken Hanoi—if given another three to five years, who knows how far she will go.

But Tian Feng's words are not without merit.

Hebei has been engaged in continuous warfare and certainly needs to recuperate. Given Hebei's population and geographical advantages, time is clearly on its side.

She was hesitating when Ju Shou stepped forward.

"My lord," Ju Shou's voice was calm and composed, "I have a plan that can guarantee a victory over Cao Cao."

Yuan Shao's eyes lit up: "Please speak, sir."

Ju Shou walked into the hall and confidently began to speak:

"First, envoys were sent to cultivate agriculture and leisure; then, troops were stationed in Liyang, and gradually the Henan region was established."

"The first step: We should first send an envoy to present the victory to the Emperor. If this is not possible, then we should report that Cao Cao is blocking our path. In this way, you will occupy the moral high ground and have a legitimate reason to launch your campaign."

"The second step: advance and garrison Liyang, and gradually establish a presence in Henan. Liyang is a key crossing point on the Yellow River, only a few hundred miles from Xuchang. By stationing a large army here, they can cross the Yellow River at any time to launch a southern expedition, thus putting continuous pressure on Cao Cao."

"The third step: to build more boats and repair more weapons. Hebei has many horses, but not enough boats. If we can build a strong navy, we will have a better chance of winning the battle to cross the river in the future."

"Fourth step: Dispatch elite cavalry to raid their borders. This will keep them restless, allowing us to take advantage of their ease. If this continues for three years, Cao Cao's army will be exhausted, and you, my lord, can then secure the empire!"

After Ju Shou finished speaking, Tian Feng was the first to agree: "Your strategy, seeking progress while maintaining stability, is the most foolproof approach!"

Cui Yan nodded in agreement, saying, "I second that. Cao Cao cannot withstand prolonged attrition. As long as Your Excellency proceeds steadily and surely, you will surely be able to conquer the Central Plains within three years!"

Yuan Shao extended his right hand, signaling for everyone to be quiet.

"What you all say makes sense." Her voice was calm and unhurried. "This matter is of great importance; allow me to consider it further. Let's disperse for today."

The group exchanged glances, stood up, bowed, and filed out.

-----------------

The night is deep.

Yuan Shao sat alone behind his desk, rubbing his temples, a hint of weariness appearing on his delicate oval face.

Tian Feng and Ju Shou are right.

The four prefectures of Hebei had just been pacified, and although Gongsun Zan had been defeated, the region between You and Ji had suffered years of war, leaving the people impoverished and in dire need of time to recover. The soldiers, who had fought for years, also longed for a respite.

If we follow Ju Shou's strategy and proceed steadily, Cao Cao will surely be exhausted in three to five years, given the wealth of Hebei.

We are confident that we can then march south again.

However, the arguments of Guo Tu, Shen Pei, and others are not entirely wrong.

After Cao Cao flattered the emperor, his prestige and territory rapidly increased in a short period of time. He was no longer the Cao Aman who relied on the emperor's whims.

She felt a deep sense of dread towards this childhood confidante.