Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1284 Yuan Shao's Death and Yuan Shang's Succession

Two days later, the cold wind of Ye City, carrying snowflakes, howled as it swept over the palace walls, and the smell of medicine in the governor's mansion of Ji Province was finally replaced by a heavy sorrow—Yuan Shao had passed away.

This once most dazzling jewel on the stage of the late Han Dynasty, a powerful ruler who once surpassed all other warlords, ultimately could not survive the winter and breathed his last on his sickbed. His life was magnificent: as a youth, he was a cockfighting and horse racing enthusiast in Luoyang, yet he could rally heroes from all over the land with a single call to arms; during the coalition against Dong Zhuo, he was the leader of the alliance, and even the emperor could not catch his eye; possessing the four provinces of Ji, Qing, You, and Bing, commanding a million armored soldiers, and having countless strategists, he was the most promising figure to contend for the throne.

Ultimately, however, his ambitions came to an end.

In the days leading up to his death, he often murmured in his delirium, sometimes cursing Yuan Shu as "a withered bone in a tomb," and sometimes lamenting his own "misjudgment of character." He had fought with his half-brother for half his life, from the open and covert struggles in Luoyang to the power struggles across the land, always striving to outdo him until his death. But in the end, he discovered that his three sons had also followed the same path of fratricide.

On his deathbed, he gazed at the patterns on the tent ceiling, and before his eyes seemed to appear the figure of Yuan Tan preparing his troops in Qingzhou, the restless look of Yuan Xi in Youzhou, and Yuan Shang's eyes, which concealed a sharp edge. He knew that with his death, this vast empire in Hebei would likely become a battlefield of fratricide. The so-called ambition to conquer the world, the so-called eternal legacy of the Yuan family, would ultimately become nothing but fleeting smoke.

With his departure, he took not only his unfinished empire, but also the deep-seated resentment in his heart—resentment at being defeated by fate, and even more resentment at watching everything he had created about to be destroyed by the people closest to him.

When the news spread, the city of Ye was draped in white mourning, with white banners fluttering in the cold wind. The sounds of grief throughout the city drowned out the snow. Yuan Shang, in his capacity as heir apparent, presided over the funeral rites. Dressed in coarse hemp mourning clothes, he knelt before the coffin with a sorrowful expression, even breaking down in tears several times. But if one looked closely, one could see a hint of relief hidden deep in his eyes—the ease of finally assuming power after enduring a long night.

No one expected that before Yuan Shao's body was even cold, a series of unexpected events would occur. The next day, under the secret planning of Wang Yun and Feng Ji, an imperial edict from the palace broke the solemnity of the funeral: Emperor Liu Xie was "invited" out of the palace to personally read out the edict, appointing Yuan Shang as the King of Ji, in charge of the military and political affairs of the four provinces of Ji, You, Qing, and Yan.

The imperial decree came unexpectedly. Veteran generals like Yan Liang and Wen Chou stood below the steps, their fists clenched so tightly they cracked, but they dared not utter a sound. Even Zhang He and Gao Lan, who had just returned from Yanzhou, could only lower their heads when they saw the royal robe with its dragon pattern just beginning to appear on the steps—Yuan Shang had already gained the emperor's "approval" and held the military tally; to launch an attack now would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.

Thus, before Yuan Shao's funeral could be formally held, Yuan Shang had already completed his succession ceremony before the late emperor's spirit. The white of the mourning hall and the black of the royal robes overlapped, creating a solemn atmosphere that was somewhat absurd.

The day after his accession, Yuan Shang immediately mobilized his troops: he ordered Yan Liang and Wen Chou to lead 30,000 elite troops north to Youzhou, carrying not only Yuan Shao's "last will" but also emphasizing the legitimacy of his own title as King of Ji. Ostensibly, he was "assisting" Yuan Xi in stabilizing Youzhou, but in reality, he wanted to completely seize Yuan Shao's military power. On the other hand, he sent Zhang He and Gao Lan with 20,000 troops to garrison the border of Qingzhou, also carrying "last will," ordering Yuan Tan to immediately return to Yecheng for the funeral. This was ostensibly for the funeral, but in reality, it was a form of house arrest.

The air in Hebei froze instantly upon receiving the two military orders. Yan Liang gazed at the northern sky, recalling Yuan Shao's dying words, "Do not make things difficult for your elder brother," and felt a mix of emotions. Zhang He reined in his horse, watching the dust rising from the direction of Qingzhou, and felt that the Yuan family's sword would ultimately be used against their own people.

Meanwhile, Yuan Xi, far away in Youzhou, was drinking when he received the news. His wine cup crashed to the ground and shattered. Yuan Tan, in Qingzhou, slammed his fist on the table in his military tent and roared at the messenger, "What is Yuan Shang?! Does he even deserve to be called the King of Ji?!"

The snowstorm still blanketed the land of Hebei, and Yuan Shao's coffin remained in the palace. The fratricidal strife he had feared most in life had begun its bloody curtain call even before his body was cold. Yuan Shang stood on the high platform of the Ji Province Prince's Palace, gazing at the army poised for battle outside the city. A cold, hard smile curled at the corner of his lips. What he wanted was never just the title of Prince of Ji, but the entire Yuan family's empire, even if it meant shedding the blood of his brothers.

After Yan Liang and Wen Chou arrived in Youzhou, they immediately met with Yuan Xi. After dismissing their attendants, Yan Liang said in a deep voice, "Second Young Master, the King of Ji has just been enthroned, and the situation in Hebei is not stable. Ma Chao of Bingzhou is eyeing us covetously. If we clash with the King of Ji at this time, it will only give outsiders an opportunity to take advantage of us. In my humble opinion, it is better to obey the King of Ji's orders for the time being and plan for the future later."

Wen Chou chimed in, "Yes, Second Young Master. If you insist on not complying, the Prince of Ji will send my brothers and me with a large army. When we meet in battle, it will be the people of Youzhou who suffer. Moreover... your return to Ye City may not be a disaster, but if you remain here in a stalemate, you will surely bring trouble upon yourself."

Yuan Xi sat in the hall, his fingers unconsciously stroking the edge of the table, his face pale. He knew that Yan Liang and Wen Chou were right, but the thought of Yuan Shang's ruthless nature filled him with fear, and he was afraid that he would be placed under house arrest after returning home. He hesitated to give in.

Just as the stalemate was at hand, Shen Pei stepped forward and said to Yuan Xi, "Second Young Master, I have a plan. You can hand over the seal of the Governor of Youzhou and your military power to show your submission, but on the grounds of 'being seriously ill,' stay temporarily in the Youzhou City Lord's Mansion and do not need to go to Ye City."

He turned to Yan Liang and Wen Chou and continued, “The two generals can report back to the Prince of Ji that the border of Youzhou is adjacent to Bingzhou. Recently, we have discovered unusual movements of the Bingzhou troops, and we need to leave a large force to guard against them. Although the two young masters have resigned, they are still in Youzhou to stabilize the people’s hearts. This will not only put the Prince of Ji at ease, but also ensure the safety of the two young masters.”

Upon hearing this, a hint of relenting flashed in Yuan Xi's eyes. Although he was reluctant to relinquish his military power, if it could secure his temporary safety, it was better than immediately breaking ties with Yuan Shang. He remained silent for a long while before finally nodding: "Then we will follow Shen Gong's plan."

The following day, Yuan Xi handed over the seal of the Governor of Youzhou and the military tally to Yan Liang, then secluded himself in the city lord's mansion, claiming to be seriously ill. Yan Liang and Wen Chou then reported back to Ye City, detailing that "the border of Youzhou is unstable and requires heavy troops to defend Bingzhou," and adding that "the two young masters have already submitted to the emperor and wish to resign their posts and recuperate, and will not go to Ye City for the time being." Seeing that Yuan Xi had relinquished real power and that Yan Liang and Wen Chou were there to keep order, Yuan Shang figured that he couldn't cause any major trouble, so he didn't pursue the matter further, only ordering the two to strictly guard the border and stabilize Youzhou.

The matter in Youzhou was temporarily resolved, but Yuan Tan of Qingzhou was on tenterhooks. Zhang He and Gao Lan's troops had been stationed on the border for days, and supplies were being delivered steadily, clearly indicating a tense standoff. Yuan Tan, furious in his tent, swept the bamboo slips on the table to the floor: "That scoundrel Guo Tu actually betrayed us in the face of battle! And that brat Yuan Shang dares to force me?!"

He originally intended to muster his troops to fight against Ye City, but was firmly stopped by the brothers Xin Ping and Xin Pi. Xin Ping advised, "My lord, please calm down! Now Zhang He and Gao Lan are at the city gates. Although our army is brave, we may not be able to win. Moreover, once the battle begins, Cao Ang will surely take the opportunity to betray us, and Qingzhou will be in danger!"

Xin Pi also said, "At this time, we can only show weakness and must not confront him head-on. What the King of Ji wants is for you to bow down, so it is better to go along with him first and then look for a turning point."

Yuan Tan, panting heavily, his eyes filled with resentment, knew the two men were telling the truth. Seeing this, Xin Ping stepped forward: "I have two plans that might lift the siege of Qingzhou. First, quickly inform Cao Cao of our lord's passing and the emptiness of Yanzhou. Zhang He and Gao Lan, the garrison commanders of Yanzhou, will be eager to return to defend upon hearing this news, relieving the border pressure. Second, send an envoy to Ye to pledge allegiance to the King of Ji, stating our willingness to relinquish military power in Qingzhou, requesting only to remain in Qingzhou and never go to Ye again. In this way, Yuan Shang will have no excuse to launch an attack, and you, my lord, can remain safe for the time being."

Yuan Tan closed his eyes, his fists clenched until they turned white. After a long while, he opened his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "Then we will follow your plan."

Several days later, Cao Cao indeed received a secret report from Yuan Tan, learning that Yan Province was undefended. He immediately dispatched Cao Ren with an army for a surprise attack. Zhang He and Gao Lan were greatly alarmed upon hearing the news. They abandoned their siege of Qing Province and hurriedly returned to relieve Yan Province. The military troubles on the border of Qing Province were temporarily relieved, but Yuan Tan looked at the empty border and felt a chill in his heart. In the end, he still bowed to his third brother who had taken everything from him.

Meanwhile, Yuan Shang in Ye City was standing before Yuan Shao's coffin when he received news of Yuan Tan's submission. A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips as he said to Feng Ji beside him, "My elder brother is quite sensible. But... does he think he can live in peace like this?"

Yuan Tan and Yuan Xi both used illness as an excuse to refuse to return to Ye City. Although Yuan Tan harbored rebellious intentions, he had already sent an envoy to deliver a letter of allegiance, thus temporarily remaining compliant. Yuan Xi was even more straightforward, handing over his seal of office as governor of Youzhou and all his military power, only requesting to remain in Youzhou as a wealthy and idle person, and no longer concerning himself with military and political affairs.

In Yanzhou, Cao Cao seized the opportunity to invade. After Zhang He and Gao Lan returned to defend, they became entangled with Cao Cao's army, which temporarily tied down Yuan Shang's attention, making it difficult for him to take action against Qingzhou and Youzhou. This situation suited Yuan Shang's wishes perfectly. At least on the surface, the power transition in Hebei had been completed smoothly, and he had finally secured his title as the King of Ji.

After settling matters both inside and outside the palace, Yuan Shang officially began the funeral for Yuan Shao. The mourning hall was set up in the main hall of the Ji Province Governor's Mansion, with white banners hanging from the gate all the way to the street, and messengers from all directions came in an endless stream to offer their condolences. Yuan Shang, dressed in mourning clothes, observed the mourning ceremony before the coffin every day. His demeanor was measured and his responses were appropriate, which earned him nods of approval from many veteran officials. Although this third young master was ruthless, he did indeed possess some ability to manage the overall situation.

The funeral lasted for more than a month, and by the time everything settled down, it was already the end of the year. The cold wind gradually subsided, and the streets of Ye City began to have a hint of the New Year's atmosphere, but the white banners in front of every household had not yet been taken down, adding a touch of solemn desolation.

The war in Yanzhou reached a stalemate, with both sides repeatedly locked in a tug-of-war around Chenliu County. Zhang He and Gao Lan returned to reinforce in time, preventing Cao Cao from further encroaching on Yanzhou, but they ultimately failed to hold Chenliu City. Cao Cao personally led generals such as Cao Ren, Li Dian, and Yue Jin in a fierce attack for half a month, finally seizing control of this gateway to Yanzhou, effectively driving a hard nail into Yuan Shang's territory.

Zhang He retreated to Yongqiu, west of Chenliu Commandery, while Gao Lan stationed troops at Jiyin, forming a stalemate with Cao Cao's army in Chenliu City. Arrows rained down daily, and the battle cries could be heard for miles around. Yuan Shang repeatedly tried to send reinforcements, but Feng Ji stopped him, saying, "King Ji, while the situation in Yanzhou is urgent, we must be even more vigilant in Qingzhou. If Yuan Tan takes advantage of the chaos, our army will be attacked from both sides, and the consequences will be unimaginable."

Yuan Shang agreed. He immediately issued an order, commanding the brothers Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang to lead 20,000 troops to garrison Jinan County under the pretext of "assisting in the defense of Qingzhou".

When the order was delivered to Qingzhou, Yuan Tan was discussing matters with Xin Ping in his military tent. Upon seeing the document, he slammed his fist on the table, shouting, "That Yuan Shang! My father's body is barely cold, and he's already eager to seize my Qingzhou!" But Yuan Tan could only grit his teeth and accept it. After Yuan Xi relinquished his military power, Yuan Shang already controlled three provinces, making him someone Yuan Tan could no longer contend with.