binnovel Chapter 735: Wang Yun's Plan to Divide Ma Chao's Forces
Chapter 735: Wang Yun's Plan to Divide Ma Chao's Forces
As Wang Yun and Lü Bu exited the palace, Wang Yun, unable to contain his excitement, hurried his steps, practically trotting back to the mansion with Lü Bu. Once inside, he dragged Lü Bu straight to the secret room. Inside, candlelight flickered. Wang Yun's face was filled with excitement, a strange light flickering in his eyes. He said to Lü Bu, "Fengxian, our chance has arrived!"
Lü Bu was still a little slow to react. He looked at Wang Yun with a bewildered expression, his eyes full of confusion: "Sir, what opportunity are you talking about?"
Wang Yun leaned closer to Lü Bu and lowered his voice, saying, "The emperor is ruthless and heartless, always annihilating the noble families. We've already agreed to have Liu Xie take his place. Now, he's actually taking action against Ma Chao. He's simply digging his own grave."
"You also know that people like Ma Chao and Sun Ce are ruthless to the aristocratic families. This is the emperor's fatal weakness. He is afraid of Ma Chao's power today, but he doesn't know that he has been walking into a desperate situation step by step. Let's act according to his strategy. After he gets rid of Ma Chao, he will have to face the wrath of Xiliang." Wang Yun became more and more excited as he spoke, waving his hands in the air, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.
"When the time comes, Liu Xie will take action and make the emperor die suddenly. In this way, it will pave the way for Liu Xie to succeed to the throne and also be an explanation to Ma Chao. Even if Xiliang refuses to give in, we will take the new emperor to another place and find a relative of the Han Dynasty to ascend the throne. What's wrong with giving Chang'an to them? We hold the power to establish the emperor, so why should we be afraid of not having a foothold?" A hint of viciousness flashed in Wang Yun's eyes, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a smile of determination.
Lü Bu felt a little uneasy as he listened to Wang Yun's plan. However, seeing Wang Yun's confident expression, he couldn't resist. He could only nod slightly and said, "I will follow your arrangements, sir. However, this matter is of great importance and requires careful consideration. We must not make any mistakes."
Wang Yun fell into deep thought, the more he thought about it, the more complicated the situation seemed. If they were to enthronize Liu Xie, they couldn't just act rashly with Lü Bu. If the new emperor didn't receive the approval of Ma Chao and the other princes, then everything would be lost.
After much deliberation, he concluded that the most urgent task was to contact the aristocratic families. These families had deep roots, extensive connections, and immense influence. If they could gain their support, the new emperor's ascension to the throne would be much more legitimate. Among the many factions, Wang Yun naturally thought of Yuan Shao.
Yuan Shao came from a prominent family, his "four generations of three officials" background giving him immense prestige among the aristocratic families. He commanded a vast corps of advisors and a powerful army, making him a formidable force among the vassal states. Wang Yun reasoned that if he could win Yuan Shao over to his side, with the new emperor at his disposal and Yuan Shao's influence, they would have the confidence to respond even if Ma Chao, targeted by the emperor, were to suffer any consequences.
Moreover, Ma Chao's death would inevitably lead to a reshuffle of power, leaving Yuan Shao as the key figure balancing the various factions and stabilizing the situation. As long as Yuan Shao gave his approval to Liu Xie's enthronement, the other princes would likely follow suit. Even if there was discontent in Xiliang, it wouldn't cause much trouble. Thinking of this, Wang Yun couldn't help but feel secretly pleased, feeling he had made a brilliant move, as if he could already see a future where Liu Xie ascended the throne and he himself held sway over the government.
The more Wang Yun thought about it, the more he felt this plan was feasible. Without further ado, he summoned a trusted messenger and solemnly handed him a secret letter, repeatedly instructing him to ensure its safe and secret delivery to Yuan Shao. The letter, cryptically yet clearly, mentioned the emperor's plans for Ma Chao and their intention to enthronize Liu Xie as emperor. It earnestly expressed the hope that Yuan Shao would lend a helping hand at this critical moment and contribute to the cause.
Even after the messenger left, Wang Yun's heart was still pounding. He paced back and forth in his room, filled with an unshakable uneasiness. He knew that the plan to support Liu Xie as emperor was of grave importance; any misstep would mean disaster. Yuan Shao's support alone was not enough to reassure him.
After a long moment of deep contemplation, Wang Yun gritted his teeth, quickly walked to the table, picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and wrote several more secret letters. In his letter to Cao Cao, he spoke earnestly, mentioning the Han Dynasty's current predicament and exposing the emperor's plot against Ma Chao. He emphasized Cao Cao's long-standing ambition to support the Han Dynasty and hoped that he would help the new emperor ascend the throne and create a peaceful and prosperous era.
In his letter to Tao Qian, Wang Yun used hometown feelings as the starting point, mentioning that they were all in the same Han Dynasty and that they would be in dire straits if one died. The new emperor's ascension to the throne was a move to restore order. He hoped that Tao Qian would support him for the sake of the Han Dynasty and would not treat him unfairly in the future.
As for the secret letter to Liu Biao, Wang Yun showed his full respect, saying that Liu Biao was a man of high moral character and prestige in Jingzhou. If he could get his support, the new emperor would have a solid backing when he ascended the throne, and the revival of the Han Dynasty would be just around the corner. He pleaded with Liu Biao to contribute to the future of the Han Dynasty.
After writing, Wang Yun carefully sealed the envelope and summoned three highly reliable messengers, repeatedly instructing them to personally deliver the letter to Cao Cao, Tao Qian, and Liu Biao, away from the eyes and ears of others. Without missing a beat, Wang Yun believed that every bit of support meant a better chance of success. Only by gathering support from all parties could the plan for the new emperor's ascension to the throne proceed smoothly, avoiding the desperate situation of being isolated and helpless after the success of the plan.
In the following days, undercurrents surged in Chang'an City, and various forces quietly checked and balanced each other. Wang Yun and others anxiously awaited the response from Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Tao Qian, and Liu Biao; and Ma Chao, who was far away in Wancheng, finally received the emperor's order to return to the court.
Ma Chao looked at the imperial edict in his hands, his expression calm, gently stroking the scroll, yet a wave of emotion surged within him. Xu Shu stood nearby, his expression grave, hesitant to speak. He knew the current situation was drastically different from Jia Xu's original plan. Jia Xu had intended to let Ma Chao suffer a setback on the battlefield of Yangzhou, even at the cost of a few soldiers, so as to arouse Ma Chao's disillusionment with the imperial court and encourage him to return to Xiliang and establish his own hegemony. However, the reality was that Ma Chao, despite his illustrious military achievements, was now about to return to the imperial court. Xu Shu felt helpless, yet he knew he couldn't fully disclose Jia Xu's plan at this moment.
After hesitating for a moment, Xu Shu stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and spoke earnestly with a look of concern, "My lord, although our army achieved a great victory in the Battle of Yangzhou, bringing us great prestige, the price our soldiers paid was too heavy. Countless have been killed and wounded on the battlefield, and even more have been injured. Furthermore, the land of Xiliang has long been ravaged by war, and the situation has been turbulent. If we all return to Chang'an to report, and then await the Emperor's instructions and request permission to return to Xiliang to fight the alien tribes, the round trip would likely take a considerable amount of time, which would be extremely detrimental to the war in Xiliang."
These words plunged Ma Chao into deep thought. His thoughts drifted back to before the Yangzhou expedition, when he'd heard the war in Xiliang was tense. Now, so much time had passed, and he wondered how much worse the situation had become. Ma Chao frowned, sighed softly, and said slowly, "You're absolutely right. The situation in Xiliang is not optimistic. If we really return to Chang'an first and then return to Xiliang, it will indeed delay us too much. However, after this great victory, if we don't return to the court and lead our troops directly back to Xiliang, I'm afraid His Majesty will be dissatisfied and suspicious."
After a brief pause, Xu Shu continued his advice, "My Lord, the war remains stalemated, and our soldiers in Yangzhou have suffered heavy casualties. I suggest that we allocate a portion of our troops to escort the wounded and the ashes of the fallen back to Xiliang. General Zhang Xiu also wishes to return home, so we can send them together via Hanzhong. My Lord, you can lead the remaining troops back to the court to report. This way, we can appease His Majesty, alleviate Xiliang's urgent needs, and avoid His Majesty's suspicions."
Upon hearing this, Ma Chao gazed toward the distant Western Liang, his eyes filled with worry and concern. He weighed the pros and cons, ultimately unable to let go of the war situation and the people of Western Liang. After a long silence, he made up his mind and said in a deep voice, "Since that is the case, Mr. Xu Shu, Ma Dai, and Zhang Ren, the three of you will return to Western Liang with Zhang Xiu first. Be sure to protect the wounded and the ashes of the fallen, and ensure that everything is properly settled. I will personally lead 20,000 cavalry back to Chang'an to report to the Emperor."
Xu Shu took the order, his expression stern, and he bowed, saying, "Don't worry, my lord. We will do our best to escort and ensure that the wounded and the ashes of the fallen soldiers arrive safely in Xiliang. We will also pay close attention to the affairs of Xiliang and inform you at any time." Ma Dai and Zhang Ren also responded in unison, vowing to live up to their trust.
Ma Chao looked at his three capable subordinates, his heart filled with trust. He then instructed them, "Be careful along the way. If you encounter obstacles, do not fight them head-on. Your safety is your top priority. After returning to Xiliang, assist the local garrison in securing the defenses. Do not act rashly."
After the three men withdrew, Ma Chao began arranging the deployment of the army. He selected an elite escort force, equipped it with ample provisions and medical supplies, and personally visited the wounded camp to boost their morale: "Everyone, rest assured and recover. Upon returning to Xiliang, you will be well taken care of. I, Ma Chao, will remember your bravery, and the Han Dynasty will not forget it either." The wounded soldiers struggled to their feet, their eyes filled with gratitude and respect, and they shouted the general's name.
A few days later, Xu Shu, Ma Dai, Zhang Ren, and Zhang Xiu's troops set out first. Ma Chao led 20,000 cavalrymen toward Chang'an. Along the way, Ma Chao's thoughts raced. He wondered how the emperor would treat him before him, and he worried about the war in Xiliang. His uneasiness grew stronger.
As night fell during the march, Ma Chao emerged from his tent alone, gazing at the star-filled sky, though he had no desire to admire it. He knew full well that Emperor Liu Bian's thoughts were unpredictable, and his growing power would inevitably arouse suspicion. Whether this return to the court would be a blessing or a curse was uncertain. With this thought, Ma Chao's hand unconsciously tightened around the sword at his waist, a look of determination in his eyes.
At this moment, Zhang Liao approached Ma Chao and whispered, "General, the night is late and the dew is heavy. You should rest early." Ma Chao turned around and looked at his long-time confidant with a wry smile. "Wenyuan, what do you think we should do now that he returns to the court?" Zhang Liao pondered for a moment, then bowed and said, "General, you have distinguished military achievements and are deeply loyal to the court. Even if the emperor has doubts, he will surely not act rashly. We must proceed with caution. If anything should happen, we will follow you to the death."
Ma Chao patted Zhang Liao's shoulder, feeling somewhat comforted. "I, Ma Chao, am fortunate to have your help. However, the war in Xiliang is urgent, and I'm trapped in the midst of this court strife. I cannot bear it." Zhang Liao's eyes were firm. "General, rest assured. Mr. Xu and his men will definitely stabilize the situation in Xiliang. Once you've dealt with the affairs of the court, we'll return to Xiliang together and wipe out the alien tribes."
Ma Chao nodded slightly, turned and looked towards Chang'an, and secretly vowed: No matter how many difficulties and obstacles there are in the court, he must escape safely, return to Xiliang, and protect that land and its people.