Volume 1: Kyoto Wind and Cloud Chapter 67: The Grand General's Mansion - Yuan Shao's Scheme

  He Jin's General's Mansion in Luoyang.

  Dong Zhuo stood before General He Jin, seemingly trembling with fear, but this was just an act to deceive others. In reality, he had a good relationship with General He Jin. On the other side of Dong Zhuo stood a young man with a rather handsome appearance. The young man spoke to General He Jin with a face full of indignation: "General, Liu Shao is too overbearing, not putting you in his eyes at all. Dong Taigong is your trusted advisor, but he scolds and beats as he pleases. This beating of dogs still depends on the master!"

  "Alas! Liu Zhang's power is great, and he is also favored by Your Majesty and the Empress. I cannot possibly oppose my sister and nephew, can I?" He Jin's face was filled with indignation, yet he looked extremely embarrassed. However, Dong Zhuo's face turned iron-blue. It wasn't because Liu Zhang had scolded him, but rather because Yuan Shao's words were too harsh. How could Dong Zhuo be treated like a dog by He Jin?

  Actually, Yuan Shao did not want to be an enemy of Liu Zhang. The great loss he suffered a few years ago was still remembered in his heart, but the Yuan family would not allow others to provoke them. In Yuan Shao's view, even if they were relatives of the Han imperial family, they were nothing more than newborn babies in front of the historically renowned Yuan family. Liu Zhang was just an ant!

  "General, it's not like that!" Yuan Shao saw He Jin shirking responsibility and continued to persuade him: "Now Liu Zhang's power is not great, it's just right to eliminate him. If we wait until his strength is enough to threaten us, everything will be too late! Today he has no strength, but dares to bully Dong Taishou, if one day he holds the power. General, your position will be in danger."

  "He...," He Jin hesitated, knowing that Liu Hong's attitude towards him and Liu Zhang was completely different. If Liu Zhang really had the ability, replacing him would only be a matter of time. But Liu Zhang was also supported by He Lingsi, and He Jin couldn't bear to ruin his own sister's reputation. After thinking for a moment, He Jin shook his head and said: "Ben Chu! As for this Liu Zhang, I'm at a loss. If you have any ideas, speak up!"

  "Hmm..." Yuan Shao was only here to stir up trouble, if he had a way to capture Liu Zhang, he would have taken action long ago, why wait until now? However, He Jin asked him, and he couldn't not answer. After thinking for a moment, Yuan Shao smiled and said: "General, I heard that Liu Zhang built an army camp on Mount Mang, which is quite shocking. Why don't we think of a way to seize that camp?"

  "How to seize?" He Jin was somewhat moved, for a solid camp, as long as it is the general, he will not refuse.

  Yuan Shao smiled slyly and said, "I heard that Your Majesty has given 20,000 troops to Liu Zhang for training. But Liu Zhang's training method seems to be just running around and standing in formation. If this can produce elite soldiers, then there would be no mobs in the world! Why don't we find someone to provoke Liu Zhang and apply to Your Majesty to send a strong army to defeat Liu Zhang's troops? When that happens, Liu Zhang will lose his military power, and with only one state governor, Liu Yan, what can he do?"

  "Good!" He Jin clapped his hands and said: "However, who will be sent by the provocateur?"

  Yuan Shao knew that due to Empress He's relationship, He Jin would never send someone to provoke Liu Zhang, so the person who provokes him must be from the Yuan family. Moreover, everyone in Luoyang knows that Liu Zhang and the Yuan family are not on good terms, only if the Yuan family sends someone can the play be performed convincingly. Yuan Shao smiled: "General, my Yuan family also has a few generals in the army, why don't we find one to provoke Liu Zhang, and we can take advantage of the situation to make our move. What do you think?"

  "How to take advantage of the situation?" He Jin was originally a butcher, he hated it when others said half and left half, because he couldn't guess what the other person was thinking. However, people from noble families would never reveal their thoughts completely. Besides, Yuan Shao wanted He Jin and Liu Zhang to fight each other to mutual exhaustion, how could they be frank with each other? Nevertheless, He Jin's question still needed an answer.

  Yuan Shao smiled and said, "In my Yuan family's army, there is a great general named Feng Fang. This man has exceptional martial arts skills. Let him go provoke Liu Zhang, it's just right! However, I'm worried that the Imperial Guard lacks training and isn't a match for Liu Zhang!"

  "Who in the world has a stronger army than the Western Liang Iron Cavalry?" Dong Zhuo was originally from Western Liang, and when he first rose up in arms, he recruited a large number of Western Liang people as his troops. Although Dong Zhuo was the Governor of Hedong, his soldiers were basically all elite troops from Western Liang, and among them, there were no less than 20,000 Iron Cavalrymen under his command!

  He Jin glanced at Dong Zhuo with some displeasure in his heart, not wanting his subordinates to oppose Liu Zhang. Now that Dong Zhuo had jumped out, He Jin couldn't refuse either. Yuan Shao knew of Dong Zhuo's abilities and naturally wouldn't let him change his mind, so he immediately smiled and said: "If we have the assistance of General Dong, our chances of victory will be greatly increased!"

  "What's the meaning of this?" Although Dong Zhuo was a military general, he wasn't stupid. From observing He Jin's expression, he found that He Jin seemed to not want him involved in this matter. However, since the words were already spoken, it was too late to take them back. Dong Zhuo hoped to find a weakness in Yuan Shao's plan to extricate himself from this affair.

  Yuan Shao did not answer Dong Zhuo's question, but instead smiled and asked: "I wonder what Commander Dong thinks of the imperial court's Feathered Forest Army?"

  "The Imperial Guard? They're nothing but trash!" Dong Zhuo, as a military general, naturally had his pride. His Xiliang army had gone through hundreds of battles big and small, and could be said to have been forged in the fires of war. The Imperial Guard's old soldiers were simply not worthy of Dong Zhuo's attention.

  Yuan Shao asked again, "Liu Zhang has been in the capital for only three months, and those troops have also been under his command for only three months. When he was at Xiyuan, Liu Zhang merely had his soldiers stand at attention, march in formation, and run; if they violated military discipline, he wouldn't even give them a light punishment. Does Governor Dong think that this is the way to train strong troops?"

  "This certainly can't produce a strong army!" Not only was Dong Zhuo surprised, but He Jin also found it unbelievable. He Jin asked: "If what you say is true, how did Liu Zhang win against the Wuhuan people?"

  "Great General, in the name of Liu Yan, send your generals to establish a great merit and hang it on Liu Zhang's head. Is this difficult?" Yuan Shao smiled: "I heard that Yan Yan and Huang Zhong are both talents of great generals. Otherwise, why would Liu Yan go all the way to dig them up from Jingzhou and Yizhou?"

  "You're saying that Liu Yan let Huang Zhong and Yan Yan defeat the Wuhuan, then attributed the merit to Liu Zhang?" He Jin laughed loudly: "Impossible! Huang Zhong and Yan Yan aren't fools, there's no benefit in doing so!"

  "Of course!" Yuan Shao said seriously: "Even if Yan Yan and Huang Zhong make achievements, most of the credit will go to Liu Yan's head. They don't have any background, suddenly promoted, more trouble. Hanging the achievement on Liu Zhang's head can get benefits and owe Liu Yan a favor. Look at Huang Xu, Huang Zhong's son, now he is already a school lieutenant, and Huang Zhong has also become a Guannei Marquis. It's just that Yan Yan didn't get any benefit, maybe we can try to win him over!"

  "Hmm..." He Jin was shocked, this Yuan Benchu is quite ruthless. Just now he was still plotting against Liu Zhang, and now he wants to win over the great general in Liu Zhang's hands. It seems that the hatred between the Yuan family and Liu Zhang is not small. But the more it is like this, the less He Jin wants to get involved.

  "Let's talk about that later, first let's talk about how to deal with Liu Chao!" Dong Zhuo didn't want to bother with how Liu Chao would make amends, he just wanted to get out of this matter, or teach Liu Chao a lesson. After all, Dong Zhuo wasn't a good person either, and Liu Chao had publicly humiliated him on the street, so he was holding a grudge in his heart.

  Yuan Shao smiled and said, "Don't worry, Governor Dong. It's actually easy to deal with Liu Zhang. The Emperor has him training troops, we just need to defeat his army, and the next bet is on! Without military power or a camp, Liu Zhang can only stay in Luoyang as a hostage. Who let him win that one battle? The Emperor will definitely not let him return to Youzhou!"

  Dong Zhuo sneered: "Liu Zhang isn't a fool, how could he be deceived?"

  Yuan Shao said with a sneer, "Young people can't help but be arrogant. Besides, since it's a challenge, let's make a big deal out of it. As long as Your Majesty asks about it, my uncle and the general will propose to see the military skills of Crown Prince Hou. If we want to test his military skills, naturally we need to find a team of soldiers to spar with him. Let's use Dong Taishou's Xiliang army, and Liu Zhang will be in trouble! Before the sparring match, let's make a bet with Liu Zhang again. With Your Majesty as witness, Liu Zhang won't be able to renege on it!"

  "Aren't you afraid of being counterproductive?" Dong Zhuo laughed and said, "There is a 14 or 15-year-old youth under Liu Zhang's command, holding a strange long spear. With just one move, he shattered the weapon of my first great general."

  "That's because General Dong is underestimating the enemy!" Yuan Shao laughed and said, "I really don't believe that a little kid can withstand the first great general under General Dong's command. Moreover, we are competing in troops, not dueling generals!"

  "What if..." Dong Zhuo opened his mouth, but his behavior made Yuan Shao somewhat disdainful. Being so hesitant and indecisive, what great things can he accomplish?

  "Dong Taishou, you're not afraid, are you?" Yuan Shao was worried that Dong Zhuo wouldn't fall for it, so he used a very clumsy provocation method.

  "Afraid?! I've killed my way from Xiliang to Hedong, and you think I'd be afraid of a little punk like you who can't even grow a decent beard?! You tell me what to do, and I'll do it!" Dong Zhuo suddenly jumped up. Although he had some brains, he couldn't escape the nature of a military general.

  Yuan Shao smiled slyly, but He Jin shook his head in distress. In fact, He Jin was also in a difficult position, as the Yuan family were his allies and Dong Zhuo was his friend, and he didn't want to offend either side. However, he failed to see that although the Yuan family were his allies, they were far less reliable than Dong Zhuo, who was a true friend. In history, He Jin made the same mistake, being too trusting of the Yuan family!

  Yuan Shao left, Dong Zhuo also left, He Jin was a bit idle. The plan to deal with Liu Zhang only needs He Jin's cooperation, and the rest will be handled by the Yuan family. However, He Jin is a little worried, he thinks Liu Zhang won't be so simple! But neither Dong Zhuo nor Yuan Shao would believe his intuition.

  To avoid making a big mistake, He Jin gritted his teeth and took the token to enter the palace to see Empress He. Empress He was also surprised to hear that He Jin had come to visit. Since He Lingyu and Liu Hong began to drift apart, He Jin relied on the aristocratic families, and He Lingyu's contact with He Jin became much less frequent. If it wasn't for something important, He Jin would never have entered the palace. After thinking carefully, He Lingyu ordered the small yellow gate to bring He Jin in.

  Thanks for the reward from ☆Silver Sky☆ brother!