Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1210 Zhuge Liang's Night Visit to Persuade Wang Lei

Wang Lei ordered the man to be brought in, and there came Zhuge Liang with his attendants, gently waving his feather fan and smiling warmly. He was taken aback. This man had inexplicably struck up a conversation at the banquet, and now he was visiting late at night. The two had no close relationship, and this warm greeting was really unusual.

Although he was displeased, he didn't show it on his face. Wang Lei stepped aside to let him in, his tone indifferent: "Master Kongming, what brings you here so late at night?"

Zhuge Liang entered the inner room, his gaze sweeping over the teacups on the table that had not yet been cleared, and said with a smile, "I apologize for my unauthorized visit tonight, Your Majesty."

Wang Lei gestured for him to sit down, and seeing that the servants were still standing to the side, he waved his hand and said, "You may all leave."

After the servants had all left, leaving only the two of them in the room, Wang Lei looked up at Zhuge Liang and said, "Sir, if you have something to say, please speak frankly."

Zhuge Liang put away his feather fan, tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, and got straight to the point: "My lord, I will speak frankly. The whole world knows that Xiliang and Yizhou fought at Yangping Pass. The enmity between Ma Chao and Liu Zhang is even longer-standing; it is no exaggeration to say that they are sworn enemies."

He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sharp and piercing: "However, at today's banquet, I saw Mr. Zhang Song interacting very closely with Yuan Shao's envoy. Although Mr. Wang was not involved, he seemed quite concerned. In my humble opinion, Yizhou may have secretly made contact with Hebei, right?"

"You—" Wang Lei looked up abruptly, his face drained of color. He never expected that a mere glance at the banquet would be seen through by Zhuge Liang. His heart pounded, but he forced himself to remain calm, picking up his teacup to conceal his panic: "Mr. Zhuge, you jest. As envoys from various states, exchanging a few pleasantries at the banquet is merely a matter of etiquette. How could this be considered 'contact'?"

Zhuge Liang looked at his tense profile, his smile undiminished, but a hint of understanding appearing in his eyes: "Your Majesty need not be nervous. I have not come today to inquire about this matter. It is just that in chaotic times, alliances among lords are common, but..."

He paused, his tone meaningful: "Yuan Shao is an ambitious man, and he's always been good at using one enemy to devour another. If Yizhou really joins forces with him, it's like we're trying to keep one enemy at the front door, only to have another wolf come in through the back."

Wang Lei's fingers tightened suddenly around the teacup, the rim digging white into his knuckles. Zhuge Liang's words struck at the heart of his long-standing worry—Yuan Shao's aid was hardly free. But the predicament at Yangping Pass was intractable, and his lord was grasping at straws in desperation…

He took a deep breath, looked up at Zhuge Liang, and said in a colder tone, "What is the meaning behind your words, sir?"

Zhuge Liang smiled slightly and waved his feather fan again: "There's no particular reason. It's just that my lord Liu Bei and Liu Zhang are both members of the Han imperial family, and seeing the difficult situation in Yizhou, he can't help but worry. You, sir, are an important minister under Liu Zhang, and you must know better than anyone else that relying on others is ultimately not as reliable as relying on oneself."

The candlelight in the room flickered, illuminating the faces of the two people, each lost in their own thoughts.

Wang Lei met Zhuge Liang's gaze, which seemed to see right through people, and asked with a scrutinizing tone, "Then what is the meaning of Mr. Zhuge's words?"

Zhuge Liang bowed slightly, his expression growing more solemn: "Now that the Han Dynasty is in decline and the imperial relatives are scattered, those who truly wish to protect the Han Dynasty and cheer for it are, upon closer examination, only my lord Liu Bei and your lord Liu Zhang remain. As fellow members of the Han imperial family, you should help each other and work together to restore the Han Dynasty." He paused, his gaze sweeping across the night outside the tent. "Among the warlords of the land, Ma Chao and Yuan Shao are the most powerful. If your lord attempts to ally with Yuan Shao to resist Ma Chao, forgive my bluntness, but this is unwise. You lack the strength to annex Ma Chao; such an action is tantamount to seeking help from a tiger. It would be far better to ally with my lord and join forces to resist this powerful enemy; that would be the best course of action."

A mocking smile appeared on Wang Lei's face as he sneered, "Back then, Liu Bei was desperate and Liu Biao took him in. But where is Liu Biao now? How dare I invite such a 'wolf' for my lord?"

Zhuge Liang's eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward: "Your Majesty, you may not know this, but the grudge between my lord and Liu Biao is not as simple as it seems on the surface. You may not have heard the details."

Wang Lei raised an eyebrow, his tone softening slightly: "Oh? Is there some hidden story behind this?"

Zhuge Liang nodded solemnly: "There is indeed a hidden story. The events of that year involved a great deal of people and could not be explained in a few words, but my lord has always been grateful to Liu Biao and has never had the slightest intention to harm him."

Wang Lei remained silent for a moment, then said, "I would like to hear the details."

Zhuge Liang stood in the hall, his sleeves slightly fluttering, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable power: "This matter must be recounted from the year of the rebellion in Chang'an—"

His gaze swept across the hall below, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table, as if recalling that turbulent era: "Back then, Ma Chao led the Xiliang cavalry to besiege Chang'an. The city was about to fall when the late emperor suddenly passed away. Before his death, he held my lord's hand and left a will, ordering him to support the young emperor with the heart of the Duke of Zhou and to defend the last bloodline of the Han dynasty."

"At that time, Chang'an was ablaze with flames. Lü Bu had secretly colluded with the deposed Emperor Liu Xie, sharpening his sword and eyeing the young emperor's life. My lord was entrusted with a mission in a time of crisis. He led the late emperor's orphan and the remnants of his army out through a secret passage, heading east, only wanting to preserve this last remaining heir of the Han dynasty."

He paused, his tone turning colder: "Hearing that Liu Biao was a member of the Han imperial family and held Jingzhou, my lord took the young prince to seek refuge with him, thinking that since they were of the same clan, they could find a place to stay. When Liu Biao first met him, he was very enthusiastic, patting his chest and promising to 'protect the bloodline of the Han imperial family.' But in the end, he used the excuse of 'lack of food and supplies' to force my lord to lead his troops to fight against his dissidents."

"My lord, concerned for the safety of the young emperor, gritted his teeth and agreed. He led his elite warriors on a campaign, clearing away the threats around Jingzhou for Liu Biao. Although my lord was vigilant, he never expected that someone of the same Han imperial family could be so ruthless—"

Zhuge Liang's voice deepened, carrying suppressed anger: "That year, he was ordered to attack Cao Cao. In the midst of the fierce battle, Liu Biao took advantage of her absence and secretly sent someone to poison the young emperor's medicine. By the time my lord returned, the young emperor was already beyond saving..." He paused, as if to calm himself down.

"Later, my lord led his troops back to Jingzhou, and Liu Biao's hypocritical mask was torn off. In that battle, Jingzhou was filled with blood, but not a single civilian was harmed—this was my lord's bottom line."

At this point, he looked up at Wang Lei, his gaze sharp as a blade: "Sir, if you question my lord's character, you might as well consider this: This year, when Ma Chao passed through Xiangyang, my lord knew he was a fierce tiger from Xiliang, yet he remembered that Ma Chao had once helped the Han Dynasty quell the rebellion and allowed him to pass through, and even strictly ordered his generals not to provoke him. If he were truly a wolf in sheep's clothing, why would he leave him such leeway?"

"As for the authenticity of the late emperor's orphan," Zhuge Liang's voice suddenly deepened, his gaze sharp as he stared directly at Wang Lei, "Your Excellency might want to consider this carefully: When Chang'an fell, the late emperor's body was barely cold, so why was it Lü Bu who supported the current emperor Liu Xie and went to Xuchang with Cao Cao to ascend the throne? If there truly is a legitimate orphan alive, would it be their place to overstep their bounds and handle this?"

He stepped forward, his robe sleeves billowing in the wind: "My lord was originally appointed as the imperial uncle by the late emperor and was entrusted with the heavy responsibility of raising the young emperor. Why did he flee Chang'an in such a hurry? If Lü Bu had not secretly colluded with Liu Xie to poison the young emperor, why would he have abandoned the foundation he had built up over the years and fled to the ends of the earth with his remaining troops?"

"These details are all interconnected; where can they be faked?" Zhuge Liang's voice was firm and resolute. "Lu Bu has always been driven by profit. If he didn't hold the card of 'Liu Xie's legitimacy' to gain Cao Cao's protection, why would he go to such lengths to support a puppet? And Cao Cao's willingness to move the capital to Xuchang for Liu Xie is, frankly speaking, nothing more than wanting to use the name of 'Son of Heaven' to control the feudal lords—isn't the sordidness behind this clear enough?"

Wang Lei's expression grew increasingly grave, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of the desk. Zhuge Liang's words were like an awl, piercing the doubts he had been deliberately avoiding. Indeed, the details of the chaos in Chang'an back then were already shrouded in mystery, and now, dissected in this way, they revealed traces of conspiracy everywhere.

“That being said…” He took a deep breath, looked up at Zhuge Liang, and said with a realistic consideration in his tone, “But what real benefits would my lord gain if he were to join forces with your lord? Yizhou is currently preoccupied with the Battle of Yangping Pass and is already stretched thin. It really cannot withstand any more changes.”

Zhuge Liang seemed to have anticipated this question. He smiled slightly, walked slowly to the map hanging on the wall, and drew a heavy line on the border of Jing and Yi provinces: "My lord, please look—among the warlords of the world today, those who can truly shake the overall situation are none other than Yuan Shao and Ma Chao. Yuan Shao occupies Hebei, with a strong army and horses, and is eyeing us covetously; Ma Chao controls the Xiliang cavalry, and is rampant in Guanzhong, with an unstoppable momentum. Both of them are the greatest threats to the Han Dynasty."

He then changed the subject, his finger lightly tapping on the map of Jingzhou and Yizhou: "But if our two sides join forces, controlling Jingzhou and Yizhou as our base, we can form a pincer movement. Jingzhou guards the Yangtze and Han rivers, while Yizhou possesses the fertile lands of the land. We can advance northwards, directly threatening the Central Plains; or retreat and defend our positions, serving as mutual shields. In this way, which hero in the world would dare to underestimate us?"

"At that time," Zhuge Liang's voice suddenly rose, filled with awe-inspiring pride, "we can then raise the banner of 'restoring the Han Dynasty,' using Jing and Yi as our base, and rally the loyal and righteous men of the land to jointly defend the Central Plains. Yuan Shao is strong, but he is prone to suspicion; Ma Chao is brave, but he lacks strategy. As long as we are of one mind, what is there to worry about in not being able to restore order to the world?"

He turned to Wang Lei, his gaze intense: "If Yizhou can get Jingzhou's help, the siege of Yangping Pass can be resolved; if my lord can get Yizhou's assistance, he can break out of the current stalemate and truly form a force to rival Yuan and Ma. This is a win-win situation—not only for our respective territories, but also for the 'Han Dynasty' to truly see the light of day again."

Wang Lei gazed at the circled territory of Jing and Yi on the map, then at the glint in Zhuge Liang's eyes, and the scales in his heart began to sway violently. He knew that what Zhuge Liang said was true, and that an alliance was indeed a good strategy to break the deadlock, but how could years of vigilance and suspicion be completely dispelled in a single day?

“This matter… is of utmost importance.” Wang Lei’s voice was somewhat strained. “I need to report back to my lord and make a decision.”

Zhuge Liang smiled and nodded: "Of course. But you might as well think about it carefully: In this chaotic world, who else but my lord can stand shoulder to shoulder with you and truly value the Han Dynasty? Yuan Shao is just trying to use Yizhou to restrain Ma Chao, and Ma Chao regards the Han Dynasty as nothing. Only by protecting each other as fellow clansmen can we achieve long-term stability."

The night breeze blew through the windowpanes, the candlelight flickered, casting long shadows of the two men. Wang Lei gazed at the connected land on the map, and for the first time, a thought arose in his mind: perhaps, he really should try to believe just this once.

Seeing that the doubts between Wang Lei's brows were gradually easing and a hint of wavering was hidden deep in his eyes, Zhuge Liang knew that the time was right. He smiled slightly, raised his hand to straighten his sleeves, and said calmly, "It is late at night, and I dare not disturb Your Majesty's rest any longer. What I said just now was only from the bottom of my heart, and I hope Your Majesty will think it over."

Having said that, he bowed to Wang Lei with his hands clasped in a smooth and graceful manner, conveying a sense of ease and respect: "My lord's reputation for benevolence is known throughout the world. If we can truly join hands, we will treat each other with utmost sincerity and without the slightest falsehood. Farewell."