At the county office in Zhuxian, Tao Qian was gulping down his wine, feeling gloomy.
He couldn't understand it.
Why didn't Zhao Yu, Wang Lang, and Mi Zhu agree to his advance when it was such a good opportunity for the five Lords to divide Qing Province?
Couldn't they see that the chaotic era had arrived?
Lords contend for supremacy, each relying on their own abilities.
Although Xu Province's five commanderies were large, they were sparsely populated, with only over 2.8 million people.
Beihai State spanned north to south, separating Qi State to the west from Donglai to the east.
If Beihai could be taken, Donglai would become an isolated island, easily acquired.
Qing Province was prosperous; Beihai State had over 900,000 people, and with Donglai's over 400,000, that would be nearly 1.4 million!
As long as these two commanderies could be annexed, Xu Province's strength would instantly surge by half!
With Zhang Xin absent and Yuan Shao and others attacking en masse, it was such a great opportunity, yet Zhao Yu and the others desperately dissuaded him, so much so that his troops had not even entered Qing Province's border to this day.
"Alas..."
Tao Qian slammed his wine cup heavily onto the table.
"Prefect."
Just then, Biejia Zhao Yu walked in, followed by several clerks carrying a box.
"All the official documents sent from the various commanderies today are here, please take a look, Prefect."
"No hurry to look."
Tao Qian waved his hand, signaling the clerks to set the documents aside, then looked at Zhao Yu.
"Yuanda, you said... this Zhang Xin in Qing Province has been tyrannical, causing the common people to rise in rebellion."
Tao Qian said with a righteous expression, "I patrol this region on behalf of the Son of Heaven. Now that the common people are in distress, why do you not agree to my entering Qing Province to rescue the people from their suffering? "
Zhao Yu rolled his eyes upon hearing this.
Tao Qian had said similar things many times during this period.
Zhao Yu had become somewhat desensitized to it and repeated their reasons for opposition.
Things like righteousness, proper titles, subordinates overcoming superiors, Zhang Xin's combat prowess, and bringing disaster to Xu Province...
After Zhao Yu finished speaking, he quietly looked at Tao Qian.
To be fair, Tao Qian had actually done quite well as the Inspector of Xu Province.
Leaving Qing Province aside, the Ge Pei Yellow Turbans in Yu Province had been raging since the fifth year of Zhongping and had yet to be pacified.
In Yan Province, there were also many Yellow Turbans remnants.
Although most of the Yan Province Yellow Turbans were originally Xu Province Yellow Turbans driven there by Tao Qian.
But compared to the constant Yellow Turbans disturbances in Yan and Yu Provinces, Xu Province was indeed quite peaceful.
Tao Qian was somewhat muddled in certain aspects, but broadly speaking, Xu Province under his rule could be described as living in peace and contentment.
Picking the tallest among the short, among the Governors and Inspectors of these Central Plains states, he was already quite good.
Therefore, Zhao Yu and others did not want him to be killed by Zhang Xin.
What kind of person was Zhang Xin?
A Marquis Xuanwei who had fought his way out with a sword and a spear.
Even Dong Zhuo couldn't defeat him, so Lord, please save your old bones.
If you were killed by Zhang Xin and the imperial court sent another person, and that person couldn't govern Xu Province well, wouldn't it be our Xu Province's prominent families' interests that would suffer?
Normally, after hearing these words from Zhao Yu, Tao Qian would usually let it go.
But today, perhaps due to drinking, Tao Qian's attitude suddenly became firm.
"What is there to fear from that brat Zhang Xin? "
Zhao Yu couldn't be bothered with him.
Having served as Xu Province's Biejia for so long, he had somewhat grasped Tao Qian's character.
Ambitious, yet lacking courage.
He was just talking big while drunk; he'd be fine once he sobered up.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to advance his troops for so long.
Just as Zhao Yu was about to bow and withdraw, a clerk walked in.
"Lord, Biejia, the Marquis Xuanwei's envoy has arrived."
"Oh, the Marquis Xuanwei's envoy is here! "
Tao Qian's eyes instantly cleared, and he clumsily hid the wine and cups.
"Cough, cough... please invite him in."
"Understood."
The clerk bowed and withdrew. Before long, Wang Lang and Mi Zhu accompanied Cui Yan as they entered.
Cui Yan's face was very pale.
Since he had traveled from Pingyuan to Chang'an to deliver the message, and then from Chang'an to Zhuxian.
In little over a month, he had traveled over 4,000 li back and forth.
Although he had specially bathed and changed clothes before meeting Tao Qian to avoid being disrespectful, his fatigued expression remained evident.
"May I ask, what is the purpose of your visit, esteemed envoy? "
Tao Qian sat upright, looking well-behaved.
"By ordernce would be lifted.
Just then, a scout rushed in, looking flustered.
"General, Strategist, the Lord is dead! "