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"Hmm? Kong Gongxu… has passed away just like that?" Zhang Miao frowned as he spoke, somewhat unwilling to believe it.
The last time Xu Rong slaughtered the Yingchuan troops by the Ying River, erected a mound of corpses, and boiled Yingchuan Prefect Li Min alive, the news reached Suanzao. Upon hearing it, Kong Zhou, the Inspector of Yu Province, was simultaneously shocked, terrified, furious, and distraught. Combined with his advanced age, he immediately spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted on the spot.
Though Kong Zhou later regained consciousness, his vitality had been severely drained. It was said that after returning to Yingchuan, he fell gravely ill and never recovered. Now, news of his death had arrived.
"Alas! The memories of the past flood my mind, bringing sorrow to my heart. The weight of bygone days burdens my spirit, stirring grief in my soul!" Zhang Miao sighed deeply.
Just yesterday, he had received a message from Grand Tutor Yuan Wei, painstakingly delivered despite the difficulties. Along with updates on the shifting situation in Luoyang came new orders from the Grand Tutor. Yet at such a critical moment, their own faction had lost a key figure—how could one not lament?
Had Kong Zhou still been alive, whether at Suanzao or not, he would have served as a counterbalance to Liu Dai, the Governor of Yan Province. Though the effectiveness of this restraint had diminished after Dong Zhuo's massacre of the Yingchuan troops, Kong Zhou was still a provincial inspector. His words carried weight, and his age and prestige alone ensured that even if Liu Dai was displeased, he would have to listen before finding a way to refute him.
But now, with Kong Zhou's death, the Chenliu faction in Suanzao had effectively lost its voice!
In terms of official rank, Liu Dai, as Governor of Yan Province, held the highest authority, with no one to check his power. Even if Zhang Miao allied with Qiao Mao, the Administrator of Dong Commandery, it would not be enough. No matter how much infighting occurred behind the scenes, the hierarchy of officialdom had to be maintained on the surface—otherwise, what if subordinates started emulating such behavior?
Thus, the previously delicate balance of power in Suanzao had been completely shattered by a single move from Dong Zhuo…
Zhang Chao, standing nearby, said, "Inspector Kong's sudden demise may leave us vulnerable to exploitation by others." Zhang Chao was rather blunt, speaking his mind freely.
"The times have changed. We must proceed with caution," Zhang Miao said, glancing at Zhang Chao before raising his voice to summon his soldiers. "Attendants! Quickly invite Yuanwei, Yuncheng, and Mengde to discuss military affairs!"
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"Hmm? Kong Gongxu… has passed away just like that?" Qiao Mao frowned as he spoke, somewhat unwilling to believe it.
This was trouble.
Qiao Mao knew exactly what kind of man Liu Dai was. When Liu Dai had first arrived in Yan Province to replace him as governor, he had been domineering and arrogant, looking down on everyone. He had completely overturned the policies Qiao Mao had implemented in Yan Province, denouncing them as worthless, and frequently made veiled insults that left Qiao Mao humiliated on multiple occasions.
If not for that, Qiao Mao would never have openly clashed with Liu Dai—he simply could not tolerate it any longer!
"Alas! Kong Gongxu, why could you not have held on a little longer…?" Qiao Mao shook his head and sighed. Kong Zhou, why couldn't you have endured a few more days? Even a little longer would have been better!
When Qiao Mao had received Yuan Shu's letter calling for troops, he had set out for Suanzao, only to encounter Liu Dai's forces along the way. With no other choice, he had merged his army with Liu Dai's and proceeded to Suanzao together. Initially, he had assumed Yuan Shu would also come to Suanzao—with the support of the Yuan family's legitimate heir, what could the Governor of Yan Province do to him? So when he saw Liu Dai putting on airs, he had lost his temper and openly broken relations…
But who could have guessed that Yuan Shu would instead lead his troops south to Wancheng, never coming to Suanzao?
This was extremely awkward.
Fortunately, there had still been Kong Zhou, the Inspector of Yu Province, standing as a shield. No matter how displeased Liu Dai was, he could not easily move against Qiao Mao. But now that this protective barrier had collapsed, Qiao Mao was left exposed under Liu Dai's watchful gaze…
Moreover, the order from Grand Tutor Yuan Wei the previous day—urging the Suanzao forces to advance—was another troublesome matter. If Liu Dai used the pretext of righteousness to send Qiao Mao to his death, how could he possibly evade it?
No, he needed to quickly establish contact with Yuan Shu. Either Yuan Shu could send someone to counterbalance Liu Dai, or Qiao Mao could simply move his forces to Nanyang…
Just then, a subordinate reported that Zhang Miao, the Administrator of Chenliu, had invited him to discuss military affairs. Qiao Mao, eager to gauge the others' attitudes, agreed without hesitation and went straight to Zhang Miao's camp. Upon entering the central command tent, he saw not only Zhang Miao and Zhang Chao but also Bao Xin and Cao Cao…
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"Hmm? Kong Gongxu… has passed away just like that?" Liu Dai frowned as he spoke, somewhat unwilling to believe it.
These past few days had been suffocating for Liu Dai. Though he was the Governor of Yan Province, commanded the largest visible force, and was a member of the imperial clan, he had been thoroughly suppressed by that old man Kong Zhou…
In terms of reputation, Liu Dai could not compare. In terms of scholarly achievement, Kong Zhou was a master. And when it came to factional support, the situation was painfully clear. Thus, despite bearing the title of imperial clansman, Liu Dai had been forced to skulk in his own camp, humiliated.
"Alas! Gongxu, may you rest in peace! Hah! Now let's see how you can stop me!" Liu Dai felt as if the moment of his vindication had finally arrived!
Even when the court had sent an envoy, Liu Dai had feigned illness and remained in his camp to avoid further humiliation. The memory of this still gnawed at him, leaving an unbearable weight in his heart.
But now, things were different. In Suanzao, Liu Dai held the highest rank!
However, the order from Grand Tutor Yuan Wei the previous day was another matter entirely.
This troubled Liu Dai. After all, the reason he had come to Suanzao was to oppose Dong Zhuo. Initially, Liu Dai had assumed that the Xiliang brute, faced with the united opposition of the scholar-officials across the land, would be terrified into surrender. He had never expected to actually face a life-or-death battle.
But judging from Grand Tutor Yuan Wei's message, Dong Zhuo seemed unyielding. It appeared that fighting was inevitable. If they were to engage in battle, they could not afford a repeat of the previous disorganized command structure…
The events of his first arrival in Suanzao had left a deep impression on Liu Dai. Unless he secured full command authority, he had no intention of leading troops into battle. If a clash with Dong Zhuo's forces resulted in a repeat of the earlier chaos, it would not merely be a loss of face—it might cost him his head!
Thus, the most urgent matter was not to march out immediately but to strip these petty upstarts of their military power.
The first target… Liu Dai's gaze turned toward Qiao Mao's camp, his expression darkening ominously…
"Attendants! Summon all the commandery administrators for a council!" Liu Dai barked, stroking his beard before turning and striding to the head of the command tent. With a haughty flick of his sleeves, he seated himself imposingly…