Chương 338: Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu quarrel

Yuan Shu's face flushed red and then paled from the retort. After a long pause, he finally managed to stammer, "I... I am the eldest son of the Yuan family! This position of alliance leader should belong to me!"

Yuan Shao sneered, "I think all you're good for is being born into the right family!"

"You..." Yuan Shu trembled with rage, pointing at Yuan Shao, "How dare you insult me!"

"So what if I insulted you?" Yuan Shao retorted directly.

"Ask everyone here, are they here because of my reputation, because of my courage to fight Dong Zhuo, or because of your pretentious attitude of hiding in the back?"

Just as the two were about to roll up their sleeves and start fighting, Cao Cao quickly rushed forward, blocking their path and waving his hands repeatedly, saying:

"Oh dear! Primordial! Highway! Calm down! Calm down!"

He held down the two men on either side, his face all smiles, and said, "We're all family, blood is thicker than water, don't let this ruin our harmony! Our mortal enemy is Dong Zhuo, not one of our own! Let's talk this out and consider the bigger picture!"

Yuan Shu, having nowhere else to vent his anger, turned his rage on Cao Cao.

He squinted, rolled his eyes, and said in a sarcastic tone:

"Cao Mengde! You have no right to speak here! You, the descendant of a eunuch, dare to interfere in the affairs of the Yuan family? Get out of my way!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's face instantly darkened.

He clenched his fists, his face ashen, and stared at Yuan Shu for a long while.

The tent fell silent again, and everyone looked at Cao Cao, waiting to see how he would react.

Cao Cao took a deep breath and finally managed to suppress his anger.

He stepped aside, his face cold, and remained silent.

At this point, the feudal lords below also came up to persuade him.

Kong Rong stroked his beard and said slowly, "Gonglu, please calm down. The important task of defeating Dong Zhuo is the priority now. Yuan Shao's prestige is well-established, and all the other warlords are convinced of his authority. You should prioritize the overall situation."

Zhang Miao chimed in, "Yes, Gonglu, Benchu's reputation is widespread. With him as our leader, our team can truly unite its members. You, on the other hand..."

Yuan Shu glanced around the tent, and not a single person was on his side.

He immediately deflated.

He knew that if he continued to make a scene, he would only lose face, so he could only angrily flick his sleeves, glare fiercely at Yuan Shao, and sit back in his seat.

He kept muttering to himself, "Fine, you all side with him. I want to see what kind of trouble this illegitimate son can cause now that he's the leader!"

Seeing that the turmoil had subsided, the various warlords rose again, cupped their hands in greeting to Yuan Shao, and said:

"We urge Yuan Shao to assume the position of leader and lead us in our campaign against Dong Zhuo!"

"Please, Benjamin, assume the position of Alliance Leader!"

......

Yuan Shao feigned a sigh, feigning reluctance, and bowed to the crowd, saying:

"I, Yuan Benchu, am truly unworthy of such high regard from you all."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and said, "Very well, since you all trust me, I won't refuse! But..."

His expression turned serious, and his voice suddenly became stern as he said, "Let me make this clear from the start! Now that I've taken on this leadership role, there is only military law in the army, no personal favors! From now on, no matter who it is, even someone from my Yuan family, anyone who disobeys orders will be dealt with according to military law, without any leniency!"

All the lords in the tent shouted in unison:

"We will obey the Alliance Leader's orders without question!"

They immediately had an altar built and an auspicious day chosen.

Three days later, a high altar stood outside Suanzao City.

The altar is three stories high, and on it are placed incense tables, sacrificial offerings, and jade and silk.

Colorful flags fluttered in the wind, and the armies of the nineteen warlords were arrayed below the altar, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Yuan Shao, dressed in military attire and with a sword at his waist, ascended the high platform surrounded by his generals.

He faced the direction of Luoyang, burned incense to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, and swore an oath of blood.

"Heaven and Earth, our ancestors!"

His voice was loud and clear, echoing throughout the entire army:

"The traitor Dong Zhuo has deceived Heaven and Earth... He has defiled the palace and slaughtered countless lives! I, Yuan Shao, leading nineteen warlords, have received a secret edict from the Emperor to raise an army of righteous men, vowing to sweep away the villain and restore the Han Dynasty!"

"All of us who are allied with one heart and one mind shall do our utmost to fulfill our duties as subjects, and shall never waver in our resolve! May anyone who breaks this alliance be condemned to death and leave no descendants!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the three armies shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens and the earth.

Yuan Shao officially assumed the position of leader of the nineteen warlord alliance.

......

After taking the position of leader of the alliance, Yuan Shao immediately began to distribute fiefs and make arrangements.

He sat upright in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and said in a deep voice:

"General Yuan Shu, heed my command!"

Yuan Shu, who was still sulking, immediately stood up when he heard his name called and stiffened his neck, replying, "Yes!"

Yuan Shao looked at him, his face expressionless, but his voice left no room for argument:

"Nanyang is prosperous and has ample provisions. You are hereby appointed to oversee the entire army's provisions and to ensure the supply of provisions to all troops, leaving no shortage whatsoever! Anyone who disobeys this order will be executed!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu's eyes lit up instantly.

forage?

What about the army's food supplies?

This is their lifeline! The food supplies for hundreds of thousands of troops, piled up like mountains every day, are all in our hands. That's like holding the nineteen armies by the throat!

His anger vanished instantly.

He immediately cupped his hands in greeting and said in a loud voice, "As you command, Alliance Leader!"

Yuan Shao nodded and continued:

"Sun Jian, Prefect of Changsha, heed my command!"

Sun Jian, the Tiger of Jiangdong, stood up abruptly and said in a booming voice, "Your subordinate is here!"

"I hereby appoint you as the vanguard, leading your troops to seize Sishui Pass and breach the gates of Luoyang!"

Sun Jian's eyes widened, and he clasped his hands in a fist salute, shouting, "This humble general obeys! I will surely slay the garrison commander of Sishui Pass and present him to you!"

Yuan Shao nodded in satisfaction and said:

"Cao Cao, Commandant of the Valiant Cavalry, heed my command!"

Cao Cao stepped forward, cupped his hands, and awaited orders.

Yuan Shao looked at him and said in a gentler tone:

"I hereby appoint you as General of Valiant Might, to advise on military strategy, to inspect the various camps, and to provide support to the troops from all directions."

Cao Cao bowed and said, "I obey the alliance leader's order."

Yuan Shao also made arrangements for the remaining warlords one by one: Zhu Jun guarded Hanoi to secure the rear; Kong Zhou and Liu Dai stationed troops at Suanzao to support the vanguard.

Wang Kuang stationed troops at Heyangjin to contain Dong Zhuo's flank; Tao Qian, Ma Teng, Han Sui, Zhang Yang, and others each guarded the passes and awaited orders.

As for Liu Bei, Yuan Shao glanced at him, frowned, and casually said, "Liu Bei will temporarily serve under Mengde," and sent him away.

Liu Bei was taken aback for a moment, but still bowed and said, "As you command, Alliance Leader."

With the arrangements made, all the feudal lords in the tent accepted the orders.

...

After the banquet ended, Liu Bei returned to his own tent with Fang Yue and Wang Shuang.

As soon as he entered, Wang Shuang couldn't hold back any longer and whispered to Liu Bei:

"Brother, look at those two surnamed Yuan. They were arguing like two nouveau riche fighting over manure at the village entrance! They want to be the leader of the alliance against Dong? I think you'd be a better candidate!"

Liu Bei quickly glared at him and scolded in a low voice, "Stop talking nonsense!"

Wang Shuang shrank back, but still muttered defiantly, "That's just how it is..."

Fang Yue chimed in, "Brother, that Yuan Shu is really ruthless, revealing someone's dirty secrets in front of so many people. Yuan Shao's face was as black as the bottom of a pot."