“Intention”: War for the Han Frontier sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne

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“Naturally,” Xun Wenruo admitted. “But it is sometimes best to underplay such outcomes to avoid unwanted damage to morale, or at the very least refer to them obliquely. Xuchang is as good a ‘far-off place’ as any for Ma Teng to flee to, and I made no mention of which side of the Han-Yuan conflict that they might-”
“There is no need to convince us of your insight, Uncle,” the adviser Xun Yòu - whose courtesy name was ‘Gongda’ - interrupted. “Guo Fengxiao is being his usual self, I think.”
“If we could have the Qiang tribes with us, that would be perfect,” Cao Cao said sadly. “We’d have Yuan cornered then; the Qiang to the west, Zang Ba’s agitators in Qing to the east, the fickle Xianbei tribes across the northern border and the Han army to the south. Alas, it cannot be so: the Qiang are as fickle as the other tribes and their ‘fee’ for assistance will doubtless be too high to pay. In addition, we have yet to see what Liu Biao and Sun Quan’s feud will lead to, or what meddlesome role Liu Bei will have to play in it. Oh, gentlemen, I cannot say what I would not give to have Liu Bei’s severed head in front of me right now! He is the sharpest thorn in my side, just as so many of you predicted!”
Pah... how so?” Xiahou Dun scoffed. “Yeah, I don’t like him, or his men... especially that wretched, ungrateful bastard Guan Yu... but what can he do? Isn’t Yuan Shao, with his two-hundred-thousand men, the only real threat now, like you said before...?”
“Mister Xiahou, you know as well as we do the adage ‘it is as when one throws an egg against a rock’ when referring to the futility of pitting one force against a vastly superior one, be it due to better trained men, more men or better counsel,” Guo Jia chuckled. “You also know, as we all do from the outcome of the encounter at Guandu, that Yuan Shao, ‘advised’ as he is now by the likes of Guo Tu, Pang Ji and Wenruo’s brother Chen, is little more than the owner of the world’s largest egg.”
Many of the officials laughed at Guo Jia’s dismissive response.

“Such a savage analysis, Fengxiao, that makes a toothless dog of my former friend!” Cao Cao chuckled. “But no, Cousin Yuanrang, Fengxiao’s statement is nonetheless true beyond the short-term. Yuan Shao needs one last push to finish him off, and then he will bother us no more: it is Bei that is now the long-term worry.”
“So intensify the search for Bei and kill him!” Xiahou Dun protested. “He’s only got a little army now, and they lack proper supplies! He-!”
“He endured a year-long famine at Haixi, so resource management will be a particular skill of his now,” Jia Xu suggested. “Further to that, he-”
Don’t talk to me!” Xiahou Dun screamed. “Don’t you dare talk to me, Jia Xu! Cousin Mengde might want you in his court because you’re a shifty snake, but I’ll-!
Enough, Yuanrang!” Cao Cao scolded.
No!” Xiahou Dun retorted. “He killed Dian Wei! He killed Anmin! He killed Ang! His advice killed an emperor!
A short, uncomfortable silence followed.
“...We... we have been through this several times already, Cousin,” Cao Cao replied quietly. “Mister Jia was acting in the best interests of his lord. His advice to Dong Zhuo, his orders to Dong Zhuo’s men, his advice to Zhang Xiu-”

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