The strategy to divide Qing Province with a five-pronged assault was not conceived lightly. It was the culmination of long, grueling deliberations between Yuan Shao and his most trusted advisors—Pang Ji, Guo Tu, Xun Chen, and others—men who understood that the game had changed, and not in their favor.
This was no longer the world they once knew.
In the past, Yuan Shao stood tall as a leader among lords, commanding prestige and leverage. Now, he was cornered—pressed down by the relentless rise of Zhang Xin.
The Yellow Turbans in Qing Province had been crushed by Zhang Xin's hand. Gongsun Zan, once a looming threat in You Province, had been reduced to a shadow of his former self, stripped of his foundation and influence. The balance of power had shifted entirely.
Yuan Shao could no longer play the old game—no longer threaten Han Fu with Gongsun Zan to seize Ji Province. That path was closed.
To the west lay Ji Province—untouchable.To the north, You Province—equally out of reach, especially under Liu Yu, whose reputation made any aggression politically suicidal.To strike him would be to condemn oneself in the eyes of all.
So Yuan Shao turned south.
Qing Province.
The only viable battlefield.
And more importantly—the key to survival.
The Three Gains
The plan to invade Qing Province was not merely opportunistic—it was essential. It carried three decisive advantages.
First: Force Zhang Xin to Withdraw
Zhang Xin was carving a path of dominance through the chaos, defeating Dong Zhuo again and again. If he succeeded in reaching Chang'an and restoring Emperor Xian, everything would change.
The era of fragmented warlords would end before it truly began.
With the emperor restored under Zhang Xin's control—especially if he returned to Luoyang—the political landscape would suffocate all ambition. Every direction from Luoyang led to territories controlled by rival lords: Ji, Yan, Yu, Jing—flatlands, vulnerable, exposed.
Zhang Xin could strike any of them at will.
No one would dare rise.
But if Zhang Xin could be pulled away—dragged back to defend Qing Province—then he would lose his chance to control the emperor. The distance between Chang'an and Qing Province was vast—thousands of li.
Too far.
Too slow.
That delay alone would give the warlords something priceless:
Time.
Time to consolidate.Time to grow.Time to prepare for the true struggle.
Second: Seize Wealth
Qing Province was overflowing with riches.
While the coalition armies had drained Ji, Yan, Yu, and Nanyang dry to sustain their campaign against Dong Zhuo, Qing Province had remained untouched—hoarding grain, wealth, and manpower.
Zhang Xin had contributed nothing.
And now he sat atop abundance.
Yuan Shao had long coveted it.
If divided among the warlords, even one commandery would be enough to change his fortunes.
Third: Destroy Zhang Xin
This was the heart of it.
The Qingzhou soldiers—the backbone of Zhang Xin's military—were bound not by loyalty alone, but by family.
Take Qing Province… seize their homes… hold their kin hostage…
And the army would collapse without a fight.
Zhang Xin would be stripped of everything—his land, his strength, his influence.
And then?
He would be vulnerable.
Other warlords—Liu Dai, Zhang Miao, Zhang Chao—would descend like vultures.
If executed perfectly…
Zhang Xin could be erased entirely.
The Persuasion of Han Fu
In Jinan, Xun Chen laid out the plan in meticulous detail before Han Fu.
Every advantage.Every risk.Every opportunity.
Han Fu listened—and his eyes gleamed.
Two commanderies.
From Qing Province.
He already held Ji Province. Add two more fertile commanderies…
Who in the realm could rival him then?
"Would I not stand equal to Duke Huan of Qi?" he thought, his ambition stirring.
On one side—submission.Sending grain to Zhang Xin, bowing to the emperor's shadow.
On the other—expansion.Power. Independence.
The choice was obvious.
And yet…
There was hesitation.
"Zhang Xin fights the traitor at the front," Han Fu said slowly. "And we strike his lands from behind… is this not unjust?"
Xun Chen smiled faintly.
"Unjust?" he echoed.
Then his tone sharpened.
"Zhang Xin is a tyrant. Since taking office, he has slaughtered without restraint—wiping out great families, seizing noble wealth, even stripping land from the common people under false pretenses."
"He has earned the hatred of all."
"This campaign is not treachery—it is justice. A response to the will of the people."
Of course… the "people" he spoke of were not peasants.
They were the powerful clans Zhang Xin had crushed.
And they were eager for revenge.
Han Fu understood.
His doubt faded.
He raised his head, decision made.
"Tell Yuan Shao… I agree."
A Flicker of Hope
With Han Fu's support secured, Yuan Shao's desperate situation finally showed a crack of light.
If Qing Province fell…
If Zhang Xin was driven out…
Everything could change.
Yuan Yi was already aligned with him. Yuan Shu could be maneuvered. Tao Qian might allow passage—even if he didn't commit troops.
Four and a half armies.
Enough.
The remaining commanderies of Qing Province would fall into Yuan Shao's hands.
With wealth and territory secured, he could then turn his gaze back to Ji Province—and Han Fu himself.
Han Fu was weak.
He would not resist.
From ruin… to dominance.
All through one bold strike.
Xun Chen's Dilemma
On the road back, Xun Chen rode in silence, his thoughts heavy.
"I have fulfilled Yuan Shao's trust," he murmured.
But at what cost?
He knew what he had done.
By orchestrating this plan, he had severed any chance of serving Zhang Xin—the one man he truly respected.
Among all the warlords, only a few stood above mediocrity.
Sun Jian—brave, but reckless. A warrior who charged ahead without fear… or caution. Such men burned brightly—but briefly.
Then there was Cao Cao.
Not the strongest. Not the most brilliant in battle.
But steady.
Loyal.
Capable.
Perhaps… a man worth following.
Xun Chen exhaled deeply.
"The board is set," he thought.
"And Zhang Xin…"
"…must be removed."