Chapter 155: Gongsun Du of Liaodong

Cao Cao was busy exploiting the various internal conflicts among Qing, You, and Bing provinces, making them consume each other much like the ancient strategists of the Vertical and Horizontal alliances.

Befriending one faction while striking down another, pulling strings mutually—it was a truly brilliant strategy.

Meanwhile, Cao Peng chose this very moment to take the two daughters of the Zhen family as his concubines, and subsequently rebuilt the Zhen family household.

With Cao Peng's assistance, reviving the Zhen family proved to be a remarkably easy task.

Although they had suffered a devastating decline, under Cao Peng's patronage, the Zhen family was rising rapidly once more.

Disengaging himself entirely from military affairs, Cao Peng focused his energy on commerce.

When his Erguotou liquor business expanded into Ji Province, he utilized the Zhen family's trade network to amass a massive fortune.

Both Zhen Mi and Zhen Jiang were intelligent women. Under Cao Peng's guidance, they mastered numerous business strategies.

Riding the wave of the Zhen family's resurgence, these two women also became Cao Peng's veritable cash cows, and his personal wealth was multiplying at an astonishing pace.

Just as Cao Peng was making a fortune, Yuan Tan and Liu Bei made their way into Liaodong.

This time, despite suffering a complete and utter defeat, Yuan Tan still harbored a burning desire to fight his way back.

Prompted by Liu Bei's suggestion, he decided to travel to Liaodong to seek support from Gongsun Du.

At the same time, he planned to ally with the Wuhuan tribes, recalling the great favors his late father had once bestowed upon them.

He knew the nature of these people all too well: as long as he offered them heavy profits, they would undoubtedly dispatch troops to aid him.

Yuan Tan and Liu Bei hoped to lean on the Wuhuan people to help them stage a comeback.

Pointing toward a distant deep valley, Yuan Tan said, "Xuande, right ahead is Gongsun Du's stronghold. Let us hope he will extend his help to us this time."

"My lord is a dragon among men; this defeat is merely a temporary misfortune," Liu Bei consoled him.

Lost in these thoughts, Yuan Tan glanced back at his entourage.

To his dismay, only a few dozen men remained following him.

The grand ambition and high spirits he possessed in the past contrasted sharply with the bleak desolation of the present.

Watching Liu Bei and Yuan Tan converse in such a manner, Zhang Fei, walking at the rear, shook his head vigorously.

He grew increasingly doubtful of the purpose in following Liu Bei.

Gripped by a heavy sense of frustration, he could only resort to drinking wine to vent his growing dissatisfaction.

Night was about to fall, but fortunately, after pressing onward hurriedly, they finally entered Gongsun Du's city.

Gongsun Du showed Yuan Tan the utmost respect, personally arranging a banquet to host him.

The table was laden with fine wines and delicacies, accompanied by numerous beautiful women holding pipa lutes in their arms.

Amidst the feasting, Liu Bei and Yuan Tan were in high spirits.

Even Zhang Fei was almost swept up in the festive atmosphere.

There was simply no helping it; who could have imagined that Gongsun Du was such a hedonistic man?

The banquet he arranged featured fair-skinned, enchanting beauties whose charms could steal a man's soul.

Liu Bei temporarily cast aside the sorrow of losing Guan Huang and the frustration of his endless failures.

At any rate, he decided he deserved to indulge in some pleasure for the moment.

Observing Liu Bei's drunken state, Gongsun Du felt a twinge of disgust.

He had long since heard that Liu Bei had become a figure of notorious infamy.

However, since Liu Bei had arrived in the company of Yuan Tan, and they were now in the territory of Liaodong, he chose to temporarily feign ignorance of Liu Bei's dark and scandalous history.

Just as the revelry was at its height, a military officer hurried to Gongsun Du's side and whispered something into his ear.

Gongsun Du rose to his feet, cupped his hands in a salute, and said, "I have some military matters to attend to. Please excuse me for a moment. Enjoy yourselves, gentlemen!"

"Please go ahead, General."

After leaving the banquet hall, Gongsun Du followed the officer to a secluded tent.

It turned out that an emissary from Cao Cao's camp had arrived.

Upon laying eyes on the visitor, Gongsun Du immediately sensed an extraordinary aura about him.

He had heard that Cao Peng, Cao Cao's own nephew, commanded a formidable elite force known as the Brocade Guard.

It was entirely possible that this man hailed from that very unit.

"May I ask what brings your honored emissary here?" Gongsun Du asked the Brocade Guard agent with a cordial demeanor.

Unexpectedly, the man produced a handwritten letter and handed it to the warlord.

Driven by curiosity, Gongsun Du promptly unfolded the letter. As his eyes scanned the contents, his brow slowly furrowed.

"Does Lord Cao expect me to bind Yuan Tan and send him over?"

"Please convey this message back for me: Young Master Yuan Tan is my friend, and his father Yuan Shao showed me great kindness. It is not fitting for me to act in such a manner."

For Gongsun Du to maintain such polite language was already a testament to his restraint. The letter he had just read contained remarkably arrogant phrasing from Cao Cao.

In Gongsun Du's eyes, this fellow Cao Mengde was already treating him like a subordinate, barking orders at will.

On what grounds?

Cao Cao had not even fully secured his footing across the four northern provinces, yet he already dared to cast his ambitions upon Liaodong!

Hearing this response, the Brocade Guard calmly reached into his sleeve, drew out a drafted imperial edict, and presented it to Gongsun Du.

Intrigued, Gongsun Du took the edict.

When he unrolled it and read the contents, his expression shifted drastically in utter shock.

"This..."

The text detailed how Cao Cao had petitioned the Emperor on his behalf, seeking to officially confer upon him the title of Marquis of Liaodong.

Gongsun Du had long styled himself the Marquis of Liaodong on his own authority, but he had never received recognition from the imperial court.

Now, however, this edict came directly from the court itself—which explained the profound astonishment it caused him.

Gongsun Du did not rush to celebrate.

He knew full well that he and Cao Cao had no prior friendship. Why would Cao Cao go out of his way to secure such an honor for him?

As the saying goes, those who offer courtesies for no reason harbor either treachery or theft.

He immediately began to suspect Cao Cao's true motives.

The Brocade Guard spoke evenly, "The Prime Minister stated that as long as the Marquis of Liaodong captures Yuan Tan, it will be a monumental service rendered to the imperial court. Otherwise, you shall be branded as harboring a rebel!"

With a troubled expression, Gongsun Du muttered, "Might I be allowed a moment for consideration?"

The agent replied, "Take all the time you need, Marquis."

Weighing the situation from all sides, he realized that Cao Cao annexing all of Yuan Shao's territories was merely a matter of time.

This was certainly not the moment to lock horns with him.

If he continued to harbor Yuan Tan, the young man would undoubtedly become a burning hot potato in his hands.

Better yet to surrender Yuan Tan and use the opportunity to ingratiate himself with Cao Cao.

That way, Cao Cao would be left with no pretext to dispatch troops against Liaodong.

"Very well. Return and inform the Prime Minister that I shall seize the first opportunity to capture Yuan Tan and have him escorted under guard to Ji Province."

...

When Gongsun Du returned to the banquet hall, Liu Bei was the first to notice that the host's expression had subtly changed.

Liu Bei nudged Yuan Tan with his hand, signaling him to observe Gongsun Du's countenance.

Puzzled, Yuan Tan picked up a cup of wine and said, "Marquis of Liaodong, I propose this toast to you!"

"Please..."

Seeing that Gongsun Du was completely absent-minded even while drinking, Yuan Tan asked, "Marquis, why do you appear so unsettled? Has something happened?"

Hearing this inquiry, Gongsun Du felt that he could no longer keep up the pretense.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

Besides, even if he didn't make a move, Cao Cao would never let Yuan Tan go anyway.

A cold glint flashed in Gongsun Du's eyes as he swept his gaze across Yuan Tan.

Yuan Tan instantly felt a chill of foreboding, though he remained entirely unaware of what had transpired.

Then, Gongsun Du's stern voice rang out like thunder: "Guards! Seize Yuan Tan and Liu Bei!"

Upon hearing the command, soldiers stationed outside swarmed into the hall with drawn sabers.