Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1099 The King's Transformation: Embracing the World

Li Ru composed himself, but instead of sitting down as instructed, he turned and walked to the large map hanging on the study wall. He lightly tapped the border between Bingzhou and Youzhou with his finger and said in a deep voice, “Your Majesty, you readily ceded Bingzhou to Gongsun Zan, and he must be extremely grateful to you right now. But people’s hearts can change—when he was desperate in Youzhou, you not only gave him a way out but also gifted him Bingzhou, which you had painstakingly conquered. This kindness is as heavy as Mount Tai, and he is naturally grateful. But what about in the future?”

He turned around, his gaze sharp as he looked at Ma Chao: "Although Gongsun Zan has no ambition to dominate, he is not one to be subservient to others. You and he may seem to be equals now, but not all of his old subordinates are truly loyal to Xiliang. If one day someone sows discord between them, or if he himself grows in power and develops other intentions, do we really want to wait until we turn to war and let the people of Bingzhou suffer again?"

Ma Chao frowned slightly: "Does this mean we really have to resort to marriage alliances?"

Li Ru stroked his beard, his tone resolute: "Otherwise what? You should know Gongsun Zan's character—back then, he was willing to charge into battle for Liu Bian and fight to the death against Yuan Shao, wasn't it precisely because he gained the status of 'father-in-law of the emperor' that he felt he had become a member of the imperial family and held the highest position among officials? All he sought in this life was family glory and a stable position."

He stepped forward, lowering his voice, his eyes gleaming: "If you marry Gongsun Rou and give him the title of 'Father-in-law of the King of Liang,' it will be more effective than any reward. This will not only completely lower his guard, but also make his followers see the situation clearly—the Gongsun family and Xiliang are already one, and betraying Xiliang is betraying their own future. In this way, you can truly bind him to your cause, protecting his family and ensuring the stability of Bingzhou. Isn't that a win-win situation?"

"Power is something that is only truly secure when it is firmly in one's own hands." Li Ru tapped his finger heavily on Chang'an on the map. "Your Majesty aspires to rule the world. The more reliable allies you have by your side, the less you will have to worry about the future. Although the Gongsun family's power is not what it used to be, they can still restrain Yuan Shao's remnants in the north. This will greatly benefit your future campaigns in the Central Plains."

Ma Chao fell silent. He stared at Bingzhou on the map, recalling Gongsun Zan's bravery in Youzhou and Gongsun Rou's anxious yet determined gaze at the banquet yesterday. Li Ru's words, though calculating, also hit the nail on the head—in chaotic times, favors might last for a while, but they are not as solid as the bonds of real interests.

Ma Chao nodded, his gaze falling on the Bingzhou region on the map, and said in a deep voice, "If we can truly bind Gongsun Zan to the war effort and ensure the safety of Bingzhou, then this marriage alliance is not out of the question."

He recalled Gongsun Rou's appearance yesterday; though somewhat shy, her beauty was undeniable. Over the years, he had many female companions, but his naiveté was no longer what it once was—in chaotic times, using a marriage alliance to secure stability in a province and gain the Gongsun family's support was a worthwhile deal. Moreover, Gongsun Rou was exceptionally beautiful and far from unattractive; considering all this, there was nothing to be coy about.

Seeing that he had relented, Li Ru nodded inwardly—this King of Liang had truly matured now, understanding how to weigh the pros and cons and no longer acting solely on impulse. Back when he first followed Dong Zhuo, Ma Chao was just a young general who only knew how to charge into battle, but now he could clearly distinguish between personal feelings and the greater cause. This growth was truly astonishing.

“In that case, Your Majesty, please take some time to personally comfort Miss Gongsun, so that she can be at ease,” Li Ru said.

Ma Chao waved his hand and pointed to the Central Plains on the map: "Let's talk about Yunlu and Cao Ang first."

“Exactly.” Li Ru walked to the map and pointed towards Yanzhou. “Your Majesty met Cao Ang once in Chang’an, so you should remember him. That lad is not only skilled in archery and horsemanship, but also has a deep understanding of strategy. Among Cao Cao’s sons, he is the most outstanding one.”

Ma Chao looked at Li Ru with a playful smile on his lips: "Tell me the specific reasons. If it's just these, it's not enough for you, old fox, to personally intervene."

Li Ru chuckled awkwardly, knowing he couldn't hide it from him, so he simply abandoned his previous composure, leaned closer to the map, and pointed to the heart of the Central Plains, saying in detail: "My lord, you are wise. The Central Plains are currently in chaos, seemingly a complete mess, but in reality, only a few people can truly stand the test of time—Yuan Shao is lingering in the north, Lü Bu is fickle in the east, Liu Biao is holding Jingzhou in the south, and there is also Liu Bei who is constantly on the move. Among them, the one we need to be most wary of is Cao Cao."

He tapped his finger heavily on the Yanzhou territory: "When our lord was conquering the grasslands, Cao Cao single-handedly withstood the combined attacks of Yuan Shao, Liu Biao, and Lü Bu, managing to establish a foothold in the cracks. Such a person can only be called a hero. His subordinates, such as Guo Jia and Cheng Yu, are skilled strategists, and Xiahou Dun and Xu Chu are skilled warriors. He has a wealth of civil and military officials. Although he is not as powerful as our lord at the moment, he is far superior to the likes of Liu Bei and Lü Bu."

Ma Chao nodded: "I met Cao Cao in Chang'an many years ago, and he certainly has the bearing of a hero."

“Exactly,” Li Ru continued. “Cao Cao was besieged by the warlords in the Central Plains and suffered a heavy blow from Yuan Shao. Otherwise, with his abilities, he would probably have already become a powerful force in the Central Plains by now. As his eldest son, Cao Ang was both a scholar and a warrior. Everyone in the world has seen how much effort Cao Cao has put into him.”

He then changed the subject: "But through careful investigation, I discovered that Cao Ang held our lord in high esteem. During his last mission to Xiliang, he chatted with me privately and mentioned many times our lord's methods of governing Xiliang—light taxes and levies, water conservancy projects, and treating displaced people well. He said that these were the ways to maintain peace in chaotic times, and he seemed to agree with them."

Ma Chao raised an eyebrow: "Oh? He actually has such insight?"

“Indeed.” A glint of light flashed in Li Ru’s eyes. “Although Cao Ang is Cao Cao’s son, he is more benevolent than his father and values ​​the hearts and minds of the people more. My lord, consider this: if we could arrange a marriage between our families, firstly, it would appease Cao Cao; secondly, since Cao Ang agrees with my lord’s ideals, if one day…”

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Ma Chao, being astute as he was, instantly understood Li Ru's calculations—today's marriage alliance might sow a seed for the future. If Cao Ang were to truly inherit Cao Cao's legacy, this kinship would become the most delicate link between Xiliang and the Central Plains.

“You certainly think long-term,” Ma Chao said, his tone unreadable. “But have you considered that although Cao Ang is Cao Cao’s eldest son, Cao Cao is currently in his prime and has always been ambitious? We will inevitably have a battle sooner or later.”

Li Ru stood with his hands clasped in front of him, a thoughtful expression on his face: "Your Majesty may not know this, but Cao Cao's headaches have become more and more frequent lately. When they flare up, he suffers excruciating pain and often has to put aside state affairs. In my opinion, this may not be a good thing."

Ma Chao frowned slightly: "Oh? What do you mean?"

Ma Chao frowned slightly, his tone stubborn: "That may be true, but if Cao Cao really passes away and Cao Ang succeeds him, he will become a regional warlord, with his territory bordering my Xiliang. It's only a matter of time before we meet on the battlefield. At that time, Yunlu will be caught in the middle, with family ties on her left and marital bonds on her right. How can she not be in a difficult position?"

Li Ru chuckled and shook his head, saying, "My lord still doesn't understand Cao Ang very well. This man is by no means someone who covets power and position. He is a truly sincere gentleman at heart, with his heart full of concern for the common people. He really has little attachment to the word 'power'."

Ma Chao raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued: "Oh? Tell me, what makes him different?"

“My lord, you may not know this,” Li Ru stepped forward, his voice carrying a certain certainty, “Recently, when Cao Ang conquered Xuzhou, his first act was to order the noble families in the city to open their libraries and lend out their books for the people to read and study. You must know that those noble families regard their library collections as the foundation of their livelihood. Cao Ang’s move was undoubtedly an open act of defiance against them, which aroused resentment among the Xuzhou gentry and caused them to criticize the Cao family. But what did he do? He paid no attention to it at all, saying only that ‘only when the people can read and write can they know etiquette and righteousness, and only then can the world be at peace.’ This courage and foresight are not something that ordinary warlords can possess.”

"Is that so?" A hint of surprise flashed in Ma Chao's eyes. "He does have such insight." In chaotic times, aristocratic families monopolize knowledge, and most common people are illiterate. Cao Ang's ability to think of enabling the common people to read is indeed rare.

Seeing his expression of emotion, Li Ru smiled even more deeply: "Therefore, my lord, there is no need to worry. If Cao Cao were to pass away one day and Cao Ang were to succeed him, you would not need to fight him. Just think of the common people and send an envoy to persuade him to surrender. In my opinion, if he truly cares about the people, he will most likely submit to my lord in order to avoid bloodshed."

Ma Chao fell silent. He gazed at the map on the table, the location of Xuzhou glowing faintly in the candlelight. "To let the people read," he thought, "that sounds like something my mentor, Lu Zhi, would say. If Cao Ang truly had this intention, perhaps… there really could be a way to turn things around?"

"You certainly see through him." Ma Chao's tone softened, and he lightly tapped the Xuzhou territory with his fingertip. "But persuading the lords to surrender isn't that easy."

“It would be difficult for ordinary lords, but Cao Ang is different.” Li Ru said firmly, “He can even disregard the dissatisfaction of aristocratic families, just to help the common people learn a few more words. It is clear that in his heart, the common people are far more important than power. If our lord can give him a promise of ‘bringing peace to the world,’ he may very well be tempted.”

Ma Chao didn't refute further, but simply picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. The tea slid down his throat, clearing his muddled thoughts somewhat. In chaotic times, killing is easy, stopping war is difficult. If one could truly conquer the Central Plains without losing a single soldier, that would naturally be the best outcome. But... could Cao Ang really relinquish the readily available power, as Li Ru suggested?

Looking at Ma Chao's furrowed brows in deep thought, Li Ru's smile grew even more composed. As he stroked his beard, his fingertips caressed the tips of the white hairs, conveying a sense of knowing certainty.

“My lord, you still have the world in your heart.” He said softly, his tone revealing a barely perceptible sense of satisfaction. “I am not saying this to ask you to make any immediate decisions, but simply to let you know that in this chaotic world, there is more than one way to go than to fight.”

He looked out the window, where the morning light was casting dappled shadows on the desk through the window frame. "The matter of Cao Ang is an opportunity. Back then, when our lord established schools and reduced taxes in Xiliang, wasn't it all for the sake of enabling the people to live a peaceful life? What Cao Ang is doing in Xuzhou now is actually in line with our lord's thoughts."

"You have the world in your heart, which is why you are so troubled by the bitterness of 'fighting with arms'; and it is precisely because you have the world in your heart that you should understand that the fewer battles there are, the fewer scorched lands there will be, and the more people who understand 'people's livelihood' are on the other side, the greater the possibility of world peace."

He bowed slightly and said sincerely, "My lord may not fully understand my thoughts at the moment, but he will eventually understand in time."

When Ma Chao looked up, most of the melancholy in his eyes had dissipated. He looked at the white hair at Li Ru's temples, "You," Ma Chao sighed softly, his tone tinged with helplessness but without the tension from before, "always calculating more shrewdly than anyone else, yet speaking in such a high-sounding way."

Li Ru smiled, his eyebrows curving into two crescent moons: "My calculations have always revolved around my lord, and around this world."