Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1220 Yuan Envoy Returns to Ye, Turning Black into White

Yuan Shao was constantly being maliciously provoked by Yuan Shang and others, who were trying to undermine Yuan Tan. His anger gradually built up.

That day, he unusually came to the military camp. The candlelight crackled, illuminating Yuan Shao's ferocious, angry face. He slammed the military tally on the table and roared, "Issue my order! Gather 50,000 troops and follow me on a personal expedition to Liyang to capture that rebellious son, Yuan Tan!"

The generals under his command looked at each other, none daring to respond. Just a few days ago, they had imprisoned Ju Shou and Tian Feng, and now they were going to attack the eldest son. It seemed that the sky over Hebei was about to collapse.

Just then, a personal guard announced from outside the tent: "My lord, Lords Feng Ji and Xu You have returned from Chang'an, escorted by General Wen Chou, and are already outside the tent."

Yuan Shao was taken aback, then roared, "Let them in!"

As Feng Ji and Xu You stepped into the tent, they immediately knelt down and shouted, "My lord! Wen Chou... he has already been bribed by Ma Chao. He accepted countless bribes in Chang'an and even fraternized with the generals of Xiliang. He is simply a traitor!"

These words were like a bucket of cold water, fueling Yuan Shao's anger even more. He abruptly turned to Wen Chou, who had just entered, and saw that the man was still wearing Xiliang-style armor and had a jewel-encrusted dagger hanging at his waist—a gift from Pang De. His eyes widened immediately: "Wen Chou! What else do you have to say?"

Wen Chou looked bewildered and was about to explain when Feng Ji snatched out a "ledger": "My lord, look, this is a list of the money he received in Chang'an, even the grape wine, a specialty of Xiliang, is recorded on it!"

Inside the tent, Yuan Shang was secretly alarmed. What were they doing causing trouble now? His father had originally intended to send troops to punish his elder brother, but now his attention was completely drawn to Wen Chou. However, his elder brother, Yuan Tan, had just been accused of "colluding with generals." If he pleaded for Wen Chou now, wouldn't he be inviting trouble? He could only watch helplessly, his teeth grinding.

The news quickly reached Yan Liang's ears. He was training his troops at the drill ground when he heard that Wen Chou had just returned to camp and was being questioned. He immediately threw down his spear, bared his arms, and rushed toward the commander's tent, only to be stopped outside by his personal guards.

"Get out of the way! I want to see my lord!" Yan Liang roared like thunder, causing the surrounding armored soldiers to retreat in disarray. But there was no movement inside the tent. Everyone knew that their lord was in a rage, and who dared to provoke him?

Yan Liang paced anxiously outside the tent, his battle robe torn and askew, but he couldn't see his lord.

Because Feng Ji and the others had diverted Yuan Shao's attention, he stopped talking about sending troops and returned to his residence. Yan Liang pleaded everywhere, hoping that civil and military officials would intercede for Wen Chou, but in Ye City today, who would dare to offend their lord? He was repeatedly turned away.

Just as Yan Liang was in a state of utter distress, a man dressed as a scholar quietly approached his residence. It was Yan Xiang, who had defected from Yuan Shu.

"General Yan, don't be hasty." Yan Xiang's voice was extremely low. "If you go to beg now, you will only anger the lord more. You and General Wen are both fierce generals who were promoted by the lord himself. You have followed him through thick and thin for decades. Can this bond be less than a few slanderous words?"

Yan Liang was taken aback: "What do you mean, sir?"

“You don’t need to say anything, just stand in the palace and wait,” Yan Xiang said. “If the lord thinks of our past relationship and sees how anxious you are, he will reconsider. If he truly believes the slander, your pleas will be useless. But in my opinion, the lord is angry about the words ‘colluding with the enemy,’ and may not really be willing to punish his two trusted generals.”

Yan Liang's eyes lit up, and he immediately stopped his confrontation. He stood with his hands on his hips in front of the palace gate, his iron armor gleaming coldly in the sun. He stood there for two hours.

The morning air in Ye City was crisp and chilly, and a thin layer of frost still clung to the stone steps outside the commander's tent. Feng Ji waited anxiously to see Yuan Shao. Ever since he had ruined Yuan Shang's plans because of Wen Chou the day before, he knew he had to find a chance to make amends, otherwise he feared he would have no place to stand in Ye City.

A slightly weary voice came from the council chamber: "Let him in."

Feng Ji quickly straightened his clothes and bowed as he stepped into the hall. Yuan Shao was staring intently at a map, his white hair at his temples particularly noticeable in the candlelight. When he saw Feng Ji enter, he merely glanced at him indifferently and said, "Speak, is there anything else I haven't said about Chang'an?"

"My lord, please calm your anger." Feng Ji knelt on the ground, his voice filled with a cautious, ingratiating tone. "I was confused a few days ago, only thinking about Wen Chou's treason, and forgot to report the situation in Chang'an in detail. In my opinion, Ma Chao... may really be just a pure warrior."

Yuan Shao's eyebrows twitched slightly: "Oh? How do you know?"

“During my time in Chang’an, all I saw were Xiliang generals spending their days practicing swordsmanship and spear fighting on the training ground. At banquets, they either drank heavily or discussed military affairs. Even their discussions had a bandit-like air about them.” Feng Ji deliberately lowered his tone. “Their enthusiasm for Wen Chou, sending him armor and weapons, probably stemmed from genuinely believing Wen Chou to be a good man and wanting to make friends. Warriors are often straightforward and don’t necessarily have any hidden schemes.”

These words were like a fine needle, quietly piercing the taut string of "collusion with the enemy" in Yuan Shao's heart. He was silent for a moment, then tapped his fingertips lightly on the table: "Even so, I have treated Wen Chou well. Do you think I lack some armor and weapons from him? Should he accept them just because someone else gives them to him?" Although his words were stern, his tone was much gentler than the day before.

Feng Ji knew that there was room for maneuver and was about to add a few more words when he saw Xu You exchange a quick glance with him. Xu You then cupped his hands and smiled at Yuan Shao, saying, "My lord, I just came from outside the camp and saw General Yan Liang waiting outside the tent. He said... he wants to see you."

Yuan Shao was taken aback: "Yan Liang? He's been here for a few days?"

The guards standing at the tent entrance hurriedly stepped forward and reported, "My lord, General Yan has been coming every day for the past two days. Today, he was waiting outside before dawn and has been standing there for two hours."

"Foolish!" Yuan Shao slammed his hand on the table, not at Yan Liang, but at his personal guards, "Why didn't you inform them sooner? General Yan is my right-hand man; how could I let him freeze outside?"

The guard was so frightened that he knelt down: "Your subordinate... Your subordinate saw that you were troubled these past few days and dared not disturb you..."

"Alright then." Yuan Shao waved his hand, his tone softening. "Go, invite him in."

A moment later, Yan Liang strode into the hall, his armor still stained with morning frost, his cheeks red from the cold, yet his posture remained upright. He bowed deeply to Yuan Shao, his voice booming, "This humble general Yan Liang greets my lord!"

Looking at him like this, Yuan Shao recalled the years they fought together, and the last bit of anger in his heart completely dissipated. He pointed to the guest seat: "Get up, you're freezing. Have a cup of hot wine to warm yourself up."

Yan Liang did not rise, but remained bowing and said, "If my lord does not spare Wen Chou, I will not rise. Wen Chou has followed my lord for many years, and I know his character best. He may be reckless, but he is absolutely loyal! That reward must have been deliberately offered by the people of Xiliang to win him over. He accepted it in a moment of confusion, and it was definitely not an act of treason!"

Silence fell over the tent. Feng Ji and Xu You exchanged a glance and wisely kept quiet. Yuan Shao looked at Yan Liang's lips, which were purple from the cold, and then thought of Wen Chou's military achievements over the years. Finally, he sighed and said, "Get up. I know about Wen Chou's matter."

Yan Liang suddenly looked up, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "My lord means..."

Yuan Shao remained noncommittal, only saying to his personal guards, "Go and bring Wen Chou here."

The guards responded and left. Before long, Wen Chou was brought in. He had changed out of his bright armor and was now wearing a drab prison uniform. His hair was disheveled, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes. Although he had not suffered any physical pain, the suspicion and distress of the past few days had made this fierce general lose his former brilliance, and he exuded an undisguised sense of dejection.

Upon entering the council hall, he first caught a glimpse of Yan Liang's concerned gaze, a look that warmed his heart, which had been frozen for two days. But when he saw Xu You and Feng Ji, his eyes instantly blazed with anger. He glared at the two men, and if the occasion hadn't been inappropriate, he probably would have already rushed forward to confront them.

"What?" Yuan Shao sat at the head of the table, his gaze sharp as he looked at him. "Judging from your expression, you seem quite dissatisfied?"

Yan Liang, anxiously trying to signal to Wen Chou, moved his lips but dared not utter a sound. Wen Chou understood, took a deep breath, stepped forward, and knelt down with a thud: "This humble general knows his crime, please punish me, my lord."

Yuan Shao snorted coldly: "I will not question your crime of colluding with the enemy. Just talk about those gifts from Xiliang—they sent them, and you accepted them. Do you dare to say that you did not feel even the slightest bit of goodwill towards them?"

These words struck a nerve with Wen Zhongchou. He was by nature straightforward, and recalling his time in Chang'an, the Western Liang generals had been so open and honest with him. Ma Chao, though fierce, was approachable and unpretentious; their frank and honest interactions had truly inspired him. Now, with Yuan Shao pointing it out, he felt a lump in his throat, his face flushed red, and he couldn't utter a single word.

"Hmph, speechless?" Yuan Shao's anger subsided slightly as he looked at him. "Therefore, you should accept my punishment." He paused, softening his tone. "I don't believe you would betray me. Over the years, you and Yan Liang have followed me through thick and thin. Have I treated you less well than those empty courtesies from Xiliang? That's precisely why I'm even angrier—angrier at your foolishness!"

"Sending you two days in jail is to give you time to think things through," Yuan Shao continued. "Firing you half a year's salary is a small punishment to serve as a warning. Do you accept this outcome?"

Wen Chou suddenly looked up at Yuan Shao, his eyes showing shame but also clarity: "This humble general is completely convinced! Thank you, my lord, for sparing my life!"

"Get up," Yuan Shao waved his hand.

Wen Chou thanked the emperor and stood up, his hands hanging down to the side, his spine much straighter than before.

Yuan Shao then turned to Feng Ji: "You just said that Ma Chao is just a warrior? What is the situation in Chang'an?"

Feng Ji hurriedly stepped forward, his face filled with heartache: "My lord, you may not know this, but the people of Xiliang have been suffering from years of war. Recently, Chang'an was hit by a snow disaster, and countless refugees froze and starved to death outside the city. But Ma Chao is busy marrying his concubine and has ordered all the refugees to be driven out of the city, saying that he is afraid of disturbing his wedding!"

"Is this really true?" Yuan Shao's brows furrowed sharply, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. "To disregard the lives of the people for one's own selfish gain—how is this any different from the actions of Jie and Zhou?"

Xu You chimed in, “My lord, you are wise! We both witnessed this with our own eyes, and it is no exaggeration. General Wen Chou was also in Chang'an at the time; you can ask him if you don’t believe me.”

The two men turned to look at Wen Chou, their eyes filled with a hint of coercion. Wen Chou recalled the plight of the refugees outside the city during the snowstorm, and then the commotion of Ma Chao's wedding. His expression shifted several times before he finally spoke in a muffled voice: "...It is true."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao slammed his hand on the table: "This brat is not worth discussing matters with! How can he accomplish anything great with such behavior? It's a shame some people call him a hero of the world, but in my opinion, he's nothing more than a scoundrel who only cares about pleasure and disregards the people's livelihood!"

The atmosphere in the council hall became heavy after these words. Yan Liang and Wen Chou lowered their heads and remained silent. Although they despised Feng Ji and Xu You's framing, they could not deny the fact that the refugees had been driven out. Feng Ji and Xu You, on the other hand, were secretly pleased, knowing that these words had planted a deeper seed of contempt for Ma Chao in their lord's heart.