Chapter 108: So This Was the Rebellion

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Yuan Shu understood clearly—it all boiled down to waiting for the right price.
Yuan Shao put forward more, so the Mandate of Heaven belonged to Yuan Shao. If Yuan Shu offered more, then the Mandate of Heaven would be his.
As for why Cao Cao didn’t mention others?
It wasn’t that Yuan Shu was arrogant; others simply weren’t qualified.
What does the Yuan family represent?
Their household staff or disciples among the people of the realm, enemies from all directions either match them or serve them.
If one were to find another noble family capable of rivaling the Yuan clan?
Looking across the thirteen provinces of Later Han, only the Yang family of Hongnong could be considered somewhat comparable.
“Mengde doesn’t know, but Shu has already made an agreement with Zining. Should he obtain the jade seal, he will offer two copper mines, one salt field, ten thousand hectares of fertile land, and ten cartloads each of fine jade and gold as capital in exchange.”
Cao Cao rose deliberately, walked to Yuan Shu’s side, and gently patted his shoulder.
He said, “If Gonglu talks like this, it’s no fun. The young son-in-law is inexperienced and doesn’t understand the value of the Mandate of Heaven; such jesting cannot be taken seriously. Very well, since there is no sincerity, I will ask Yuan Benchu again.”
“Wait!”
Yuan Shu hurriedly called out to Cao Cao, “Mengde means the jade seal matter—this illegitimate son doesn’t know about it?”
Cao Cao spoke earnestly, “Gonglu is also Zining’s father-in-law. If there were anything good, naturally he would know first. Not to mention Yuan Benchu, besides these three in this room, no one else knows.”
Yuan Shu was torn.
Purely from a transactional standpoint, the first to set a price loses out, the latter gains advantage.
But nothing is absolute.
The matter of the imperial jade seal is of great importance; if the news spreads, it will bring disaster. Naturally, the fewer who know, the better.
Just like now.
If he lost the bid to Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shao obtained the jade seal, he could leak the news secretly, making it public knowledge.
At that moment, even if Yuan Shao were to lose his mind, unless he declared himself emperor on the spot, he would dare not claim the jade seal as his own.
But he was different.
If he won the bid, apart from Cao Cao and Chen Cong, no one else would know the jade seal was in his hands.
He could grow his power quietly while plotting in secret.
When the time came, he could hold the Mandate of Heaven and ascend the throne as emperor!
“Speak plainly, what does Mengde want?”
“The previous agreement stands, plus ten thousand sets of armor, and three hundred thousand hu of grain.”
Chen Cong was somewhat puzzled.
Ten thousand sets of armor and three hundred thousand hu of grain didn’t sound like much.
With those ten cartloads of gold and jade, how much grain couldn’t be bought?

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Still, he prudently said no more.
Unexpectedly, this was it.
This truly troubled Yuan Shu for quite some time, hesitating for nearly the length of half an incense stick before reluctantly agreeing, “It’s settled then.”
Cao Cao smiled, “And the marriage agreement between the two families?”
Yuan Shu cast a sour glance at Chen Cong and declared resolutely, “No backing out.”
“Good!”
With the agreement made, the two clasped hands to seal the alliance.
Yuan Shu even brought silk cloth to wrap the jade seal repeatedly before distractedly leaving the secret chamber.
Only after his figure completely disappeared did Chen Cong ask in confusion, “Father-in-law, are ten thousand sets of armor and three hundred thousand hu of grain a lot? Yuan Mishu can’t be that stingy, can he?”
Cao Cao stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the vast darkness with a hint of melancholy—the imperial jade seal... had ultimately slipped past him.
“Both much, and not much.”
Chen Cong immediately rolled his eyes and said grumpily, “I’ve been laboring hard to plan for the jade seal, and father-in-law you’re teasing me now, it’s no fun.”
Cao Cao shook his head, dismissing strange thoughts, then steadied his mind and asked, “Tell me, do the warlords have grain?”
Chen Cong thought for a moment, “If you exclude what’s stored with Yuan Mishu, then no, they don’t.”
“Let me ask you again, where is the grain in Sili territory?”
“Most of it has been extorted by Dong Zhuo and transported to Guanzhong.”
“Do the common people have grain?”
“When war breaks out, the grain in the hands of the people is taken by the local warlords. Even if there is some, it’s probably not much.”
Cao Cao smiled, “I have.”
“Huh?”
Cao Cao continued, “It’s April now, and the soonest grain won’t ripen for four months. Others have no grain but I do. With ten thousand sets of armor, I can raise ten thousand fine soldiers at once. I am the General Who Conquers the West; it is my duty to campaign against traitors.”
Chen Cong stroked his chin, “Campaign against traitors? Father-in-law, you’re not thinking of pursuing Dong Zhuo, are you?”
In Chen Cong’s impression, Cao Cao’s first great defeat was during the pursuit of Dong Zhuo, where at the Battle of Xingyang, he was soundly beaten by Xu Rong and only survived thanks to Cao Hong’s horse.
Cao Cao rolled his eyes in exasperation.
“Luoyang, the wealthiest place, is still intact. What use is chasing Dong Zhuo now? Just wait.”
...
At first, Chen Cong didn’t understand why Cao Cao said “Just wait.”
But the very next day explosive news arrived: Yuan Shu withdrew his troops without permission, taking half of the allied forces’ grain with him.
And that was not all.

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With Dong Zhuo retreating to Guanzhong, external pressure disappeared, and the eighteen town warlords began to bicker among themselves.
First, the Prefect of Dong Commandery, Qiao Mao, fell into conflict with the Inspector of Yanzhou, Liu Dai. The two clashed openly in the street. Poor Qiao Mao, a warlord of one commandery and a contributor to the anti-Dong Zhuo cause, was slain by Liu Dai before Yuan Shao could officially appoint him on behalf of Heaven.
Then the Inspector of Yuzhou, Kong Zhou, fell ill and died. Yuan Shao appointed Zhou Ang as Inspector of Yuzhou, but when Sun Jian declared himself Governor of Yuzhou, Yuan Shao refused and Sun Jian returned to Jiangdong to regroup.
Moreover, Yuan Shao openly and covertly pressured Han Fu, the dignified Inspector of Jizhou, who was so frightened he fled overnight...
Such incidents happened frequently.
Adding to the chaos, the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou wreaked havoc in Yanzhou. Liu Dai, Zhang Miao, Yuan Yi, and Bao Xin all withdrew. Yu Jin followed Bao Xin back to the Jibei state, while Dian Wei abandoned Zhang Miao to join Cao Cao.
Yuan Shao anxiously returned to Jizhou to deal with Han Fu but was unwilling to give up the wealth of Sili. He hastily appointed Wang Kuang as the Sili Colonel and led his army back.
Naturally, Yuan Shao harbored ill intentions.
Amid the collapse of the eighteen town warlords, Wang Kuang’s troops suffered the greatest losses when attacked by Li Jue.
Yuan Shao appointed him Sili Colonel, essentially reserving a position in advance. Once Jizhou and its commanderies stabilized, he would take care of Wang Kuang and seize control of Sili.
However,
While Yuan Shao’s plans were sharp, Cao Cao did not withdraw his army. Rejecting Yuan Shao’s appointed Inspector of Bingzhou, he continued to station troops in Luoyang under the pretext of “conquering the west and suppressing rebels.”
What frightened Wang Kuang even more was that although Yuan Shu had withdrawn, the troubles did not cease.
Carriages of grain and armor were transported through Runan, passing through Yingchuan to Sili Luoyang, the Cao army’s main camp!
Wealthy, well-stocked with grain and armor, with a reputation that spread throughout the land, and generals of great renown under his command.
While Cao Cao openly recruited soldiers in Luoyang, Wang Kuang was still struggling to wait for the autumn harvest...
When Cao Cao’s recruits completed training, Wang Kuang was still forcibly conscripting laborers...
When Cao Cao’s new troops began suppressing local bandits, Wang Kuang was still worrying about provisions for his new soldiers...
In mid-April of the same year, the Yingchuan Xun family uncle and nephew defected to Cao Cao, who, through Xun Yu’s recommendation, gained talents like Xi Zhong and Cheng Yu.
Looking back,
Chen Cong resumed his old ways and became a local tyrant on the streets of Luoyang once more.
Every day he swaggered atop a tall horse, flaunting his power, but this time his victims were targeted.
The last one to suffer so badly was the Grand Tutor Wang Yun...
Only then did Chen Cong realize who the true rebels were.
It could be the western warlord Dong Zhuo...
Of course,
It could also be the Sili Colonel who refused to supply grain and provisions to the anti-bandit righteous armies... Wang Kuang!