Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1207: Envoys from All Sides Clash in Secret

The December wind whipped up snowflakes, lashing against the vermilion gates of the Liang Prince's mansion with a mournful sound. In the blink of an eye, it was the twenty-fifth of the twelfth month. As the carriages of Xu You and Feng Ji, two important ministers under Yuan Shao, rolled over the snow in front of the gates, it was announced that the envoys of all the feudal lords had arrived in Chang'an.

As early as the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, Liu Zhang's envoys Wang Lei and Zhang Song had already arrived. Zhang Song carried a secret letter that he had already secretly pledged allegiance to the King of Liang. His heart was filled with turmoil, but after entering the mansion, he noticed something different—the King of Liang did not show any particular favor to Liu Zhang's envoys. Although the banquet was well-ceremonial, it was somewhat distant, no different from how he treated other envoys of various vassal states.

Zhang Song was pondering this in his heart when he received a report late at night that Xu Shu had come to visit. He hurriedly welcomed him into the inner room and dismissed the servants before Xu Shu got straight to the point, speaking in a calm tone: "Mr. Zhang, the King of Liang has ordered that you will have to make do for the time being."

Zhang Song was taken aback, then understood, and cupped his hands, saying, "Please speak, sir. I will obey."

“Yuan Shao is powerful, and with various forces vying for power, this is precisely the time to stabilize him.” Xu Shu sat by the fire, the firelight illuminating his calm profile. “You have long maintained dealings with Yuan Shao’s subordinates, so you must continue to deal with Xu You, Feng Ji, and others as usual, without revealing any sign of closeness to us. If necessary, you can even show some ‘dissatisfaction’ with the King of Liang, making them think that Yizhou is still observing and has not yet decided which side to side to pledge allegiance to.”

Zhang Song stroked his beard, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Sir, are you saying that I should continue to be that pawn to deceive Yuan Shao?"

“Exactly.” Xu Shu nodded. “Yuan Shao is a suspicious man. If he sees you getting along so closely with us, he will definitely become suspicious. Only by making him feel that Yizhou is still within his reach can we lull him into a false sense of security and buy us more time.” He paused and added, “You also need to keep things stable with Liu Zhang, the King of Zhao, and don’t let him notice anything amiss.”

Zhang Song cupped his hands and replied, "I understand. Please convey to the King of Liang that I will certainly not fail in my mission."

Xu Shu then rose, gave a few more instructions on the details, and quietly left under the cover of night. Zhang Song stood by the window, gazing at the plum branches covered in snow in the courtyard, and had already made up his mind. He knew that this silent game had only just begun, and he was in the middle of the game, so that every move he made had to be as prudent as walking on thin ice, in order not to fail the trust placed in him by the King of Liang.

Therefore, when Xu You and Feng Ji arrived at the residence, Zhang Song indeed followed the plan, taking the initiative to greet them. In his conversation, he praised Yuan Shao extensively and expressed his dissatisfaction with the overstepping of authority by the Liang King's residence, appearing as a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty. Xu You, who was already arrogant, lowered his guard somewhat upon seeing Zhang Song's enthusiasm and chatted with him amiably, completely unaware that this seemingly friendly behavior was already part of the Liang King's scheme.

On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, just as dawn broke, scattered red silk ribbons began to flutter in the streets and alleys of Chang'an. The almanac clearly stated "Auspicious day for marriage," and today was the day when Liang King Ma Chao would take Zhang Tianshi's daughters, the Zhang sisters Qi Ying and Fu Bao, as his concubines.

Although it was a concubine's wedding, and didn't require the grand ceremony of welcoming the principal wife Dong Bai, Ma Chao still gave the Celestial Masters sect ample face. His eldest son, Ma Yue, dressed in brocade robes, along with Ma Chao's two brothers, Ma Xiu and Ma Tie, led a procession adorned with red and colorful decorations to Zhang Tianshi's residence in Chang'an to fetch the bride. The sounds of drums and music echoed all the way from the Liang Prince's residence to the Celestial Masters sect's residence. Red carpets were laid out, and colorful silks were wrapped around the trees. Although the ceremony wasn't as grand as when he married Dong Bai, the Celestial Masters sect's deep roots among the people attracted crowds lining the streets, with cheers rising and falling.

"Have you heard? They are Zhang Tianshi's two holy maidens!"

"With the King of Liang marrying them, the Celestial Masters Sect and our Western Liang will be one family from now on!"

"Holding a wedding just before the New Year is an extremely auspicious sign!"

The chatter in the streets and alleys mingled with the music of drums, igniting the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year ahead of time. Children chased after the procession, clutching the candies they had just received, their smiles revealing their missing front teeth. This lively scene added even more joy to the occasion than usual.

However, among the envoys attending the ceremony, Liu Zhang's envoy, Wang Lei, wore a solemn expression, his brows furrowed as he gazed at the festive red. The sorrow in his heart was like a block of ice, impossible to melt—Zhang Lu, the former governor of Hanzhong, had led the Celestial Masters sect to submit to Ma Chao, and now even his two beloved daughters had been married into the Liang King's household. The bond between Hanzhong and Western Liang was now unbreakable.

What about Hanzhong now? The traitor Zhang Ren is holding Hanzhong, continuously besieging Yangping Pass, and the war between Yizhou and Xiliang has never ceased. This group of people was originally ordered to come and offer congratulations, but they were detained by Zhang Ren at Yangping Pass for nearly ten days. If Ma Chao hadn't sent someone to deliver a message, they would probably still be trapped there, missing even this celebratory banquet. Thinking of this, Zhao Lei subconsciously touched the secret letter in his sleeve, feeling its heavy weight, making it hard to breathe.

His worried and troubled appearance was noticed by Zhuge Liang, who was also an envoy standing nearby.

Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan, his gaze sweeping across Wang Lei's face, a knowing glint in his eyes. Wang Lei's anxiety was all too obvious; anyone with eyes could see he was troubled by the war in Yizhou. But why was Xiliang holding such a grand wedding and treating Zhang Lu and his daughter so lavishly? What was their intention? Was it truly to win over the Celestial Masters sect, or to use this wedding to demonstrate to the other warlords that they had "no ambition"? Or perhaps… a deliberate show for Yizhou, forcing Liu Zhang to make even greater concessions?

With a gentle tap of his feather fan on his palm, Zhuge Liang watched the departing wedding procession, a subtle smile playing on his lips. Wang Lei's sorrow was genuine, but the calculations behind the Liang King's marriage were likely far more complex than the red silk ribbons themselves. He thought to himself: It seems I must pay close attention to Zhao Lei's movements these next few days; perhaps I can glean some insight into the Liang King's true intentions from him.

Today, in the banquet hall of the Liang King's mansion, red silk and colorful lanterns reflected each other, creating a joyous atmosphere. Ma Chao, dressed in a brocade robe and with a radiant face, carried a wine cup and moved among the guests, arm in arm with his soldiers. His hearty laughter was so loud that it seemed as if the snow on the beams would fall in a flurry.

"Your Majesty is truly blessed with good fortune today!" a military general exclaimed loudly. "With the arrival of two holy maidens from the Celestial Masters Sect, Western Liang will be even more blessed in the future!"

Ma Chao tilted his head back and downed the wine in his cup, then placed the empty cup on the table and laughed heartily, "What good fortune? It's just adding a couple more mouths to feed! Come, let's drink!" He then snatched a wine jug from a nearby guard and poured wine for everyone, his demeanor deliberately unrestrained, a far cry from his usual composure. Seeing this, the civil and military officials of Xiliang also relaxed their inhibitions and joined in the commotion, filling the banquet hall with the smell of alcohol and a deafening clamor.

This smug look of Ma Chao evoked different thoughts in the eyes of the various envoys. Yang Biao stroked his beard, his brows slightly furrowed, as if lamenting that even heroes cannot resist the charms of beautiful women; Xu You and Feng Ji exchanged a glance, their lips curling into disdain, as if they had already seen through Ma Chao's true nature of being "obsessed with beauty".

Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan, his gaze subtly sweeping across the room. He noticed that Liu Zhang's envoy, Zhang Song, was being pulled aside by Xu You and Feng Ji, the three whispering amongst themselves. Zhang Song's face held a perfectly measured hesitation, occasionally nodding in agreement. Meanwhile, Wang Lei, alone, held his wine cup, gazing absently at the noisy crowd, completely oblivious to the conspiracy unfolding on the other side.

"It seems that the internal structure of Yizhou is not monolithic," Zhuge Liang thought to himself. "Zhang Song is in close contact with Yuan Shao's envoys, yet Wang Lei has shown no reaction... Could it be that Liu Zhang has secretly colluded with Yuan Shao?"

As he was pondering this, he saw Wang Lei get up and leave his seat, heading towards the corridor. He then followed him under the pretext of getting some fresh air.

A biting wind blew under the eaves. Wang Lei was lost in thought, gazing at the remaining snow in the courtyard, when he was startled to see Zhuge Liang approaching.

"Envoy Wang," Zhuge Liang greeted him with a cupped hand and a gentle smile. "It's windy here; why are you alone?"

Wang Lei returned the greeting with a curt bow, saying, "Mr. Zhuge, we have never had any dealings before. Such closeness is probably inappropriate."

"Your Excellency is mistaken," Zhuge Liang said earnestly, gently waving his feather fan. "Your lord Liu Zhang and my lord Liu Bei are both members of the Han imperial family. In terms of seniority, we are originally one family. In times of chaos, kinship is the most precious thing, isn't it?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the hall, and lowered his voice: "In this world today, with warlords vying for power, how many truly still remember the Han dynasty? If danger strikes, those who will genuinely protect us will ultimately be our relatives. Is that what Envoy Zhao thinks?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Lei suddenly chuckled and pointed to Liu Biao, who was sitting at a guest table not far away—he was now a recluse living under someone else's roof, silently drinking his wine. "A relative?" Wang Lei's tone was sarcastic. "Wasn't Liu Biao of Jingzhou and your lord Liu Bei a relative in the past? And what happened? Jingzhou changed hands, and Liu Jing Sheng (Liu Biao's courtesy name) is now just a guest here. Instead of saying these things to me, Mr. Zhuge, why don't you go ask Liu Jingzhou whether relatives are reliable?"

These words were so sharp that even Guan Yu, standing behind Zhuge Liang, couldn't help but widen his eyes and place his hand on the hilt of his sword. Zhuge Liang, however, gently pressed down on his arm and smiled at Zhao Lei, saying, "Envoy Wang, you misunderstand. I don't mean to force a relationship. It's just that in these chaotic times, it's always better to have one more friend than one more enemy. If I have some free time this evening, I would like to pay you a visit and have a good chat with you. Would that be alright?"

Wang Lei sized up Zhuge Liang, noticing his calm expression, but unable to fathom his intentions, he simply said, "We'll see." With that, he turned and went back into the hall.

Zhuge Liang watched his retreating figure, lightly tapping his palm with his feather fan, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes. This Wang Lei may seem stubborn, but he must have worries in his heart. Perhaps a visit tonight could reveal something deeper.

Meanwhile, in the banquet hall, Ma Chao was being surrounded by a group of generals who were plying him with wine, their laughter growing increasingly boisterous. No one noticed that, out of the corner of his eye, he had subtly glanced at the brief exchange that had taken place in the corridor.

In a corner of the banquet hall, Wen Chou sat alone, holding a wine jar, and took a large gulp. Wine dripped from his lips onto his clothes, but he paid no heed, merely squinting as he surveyed the scene around him. Yuan Shao's envoys, Feng Ji and Xu You, were plotting with Zhang Song, leaving the general Wen Chou, who had come to escort him, with nothing to do but drink alone.

Over there, Ma Chao was being forced to sit on a mat by several Xiliang generals, his face flushed from being forced to drink. He kept shouting, "Three more bowls!" The generals laughed and jeered, some tugging at his robe, others snatching his wine bowl, creating a chaotic scene. Such a scene of blurred lines between ruler and subject was unthinkable in Hebei—Yuan Shao, born into a top-tier aristocratic family and later occupying four provinces, now held the title of King of Ji. He always maintained the airs of a prince, and when discussing matters in his tent, both civil and military officials had to stand with their heads bowed, not daring to even breathe loudly, let alone joke around with their arms around each other.