Chapter 330 The Collapse of the Coalition (1/2)

Chapter 330 – The Collapse of the Coalition

The banquet got noisier when they began voicing their inner thoughts. Most of the warlords were under the pressure of Tong's military might, so they took this chance to expose everything that they could find fault about Tong.

Even the people that did not participate in this banquet were brought out to the discussion.

”Have you notice? Gongsun Zan and Kong Rong withdrew their men since yesterday.”

”Is this connect to Zhang Tong?”

”Gongsun Zan and Zhang Tong are disciples under the same master! They are conspiring together, or else why did Gongsun Zan retreated!?”

”Lord Liu, you are also under Lord Lu Zhi's guidance. Do you know any of this?”

Liu Bei grinned. It was his time to manipulate these clueless minor lords.

”From what I know, both of them are close. Zhang Tong always sent weaponry and supplies to Gongsun Zan while Gongsun Zan sent back their warhorses to Julu. You can tell that if their relationship isn't that good, they won't trade their weapons or strategic resources like this!”

”What about Kong Rong?”

Kong Zhou grimaced. As someone with the same surname, he did not like this minor warlord who directly succeeded the bloodline of Kong Zi, the Confucian.

With a bias opinion, Kong Zhou lashed out, ”That bastard Kong Rong has sent someone to contact Zhang Tong long ago! I believe Zhang Tong has already bought him to his side since his territory locates on the Northern Province. His Beihei City is a strategic foothold to gather troops before they can travel southward toward the Xu Province of Lord Tao Qian. It's obvious that Zhang Tong plans to strike Lord Tao Qian's territory next once he unified the north!”

Hearing that his territory might be Tong's target, Tao Qian's face paled. However, as an elite politician, he knew that everyone was led astray from their logical thinking.

In Tao Qian's point of view, Tong was not a warmongering person that waged war left and right without reason. His political scheme on the day of their first gathering, the day that Tong revealed the existence of the Empress and Liu Xie, was the evidence that Tong wanted to unify this country with a peaceful method.

Thus, Tao Qian shook his head, ”I'm fine even if Zhang Tong wants to march into my territory. I'm more worried about the Sun Clan and the Cao Clan. Both of them also possesses one or more immortals, right? They also didn't participate in our gathering. Don't you think that they can also be the culprit?”

Tao Qian diverted the topic to delay the unnecessary conflict between Tong and everyone here. Once the banquet ended, he planned to withdraw his troops back to his territories as well.

Yuan Shao noticed how Tao Qian wanted to change the subject. He leaned back and whispered to Tian Feng.

”Send someone to kill Tao Qian and blame it on Zhang Tong.”

”Are you sure? They are our ally right now.”

”We need a territory to reestablish our home base. If Zhang Tong were really the culprit, he would have ordered his troops to occupy Pingyuan by now. I think we're without a place to call home after this coalition ended.”

”I see. I'll let Wen Chou taking care of this.”

…

The banquet ended when the sun rose.

All minor lords like Kong Zhou, Zhang Miao, and Qiao Mao had a suspicion on Cao Cao's Pu Jing and Sun Jian's forces. However, they did not stop doubting Zhang Tong.

Meanwhile, Liu Bei was sure that Tong was the one who killed Jiang Man. He did not really hate Tong for it. Instead, he was grateful.

But the happiest man in this banquet was Yuan Shao. Thanked to the commotion, he could break away from this coalition. Moreover, he found a good reason to kill He Xing, Liu Xie, Tao Qian, Kong Rong, and Tong.

After this banquet, a new coalition had been formed. It was the Anti-Zhang Tong Alliance with Yuan Shao as the ring leader.

Although everyone was confident about their plan and their preparation to ambush Tong Army, their movement did not escape the eyes of Cao Cao.

Spies of Cao Cao rushed to their camp and reported their finding.

Cao Cao listened to the report with interest while Pu Jing had a deep frown on his face.

Pu Jing had a cringed expression, ”This doesn't make sense. If Zhang Tong was really the culprit of Jiang Man's death, he could have done it in secret.”

Cao Cao chuckled, ”I thought so as well. I think Zhang Tong is their scapegoat this time. The real poisoner mastermind can even be Yuan Shao himself. He's the one that can reap the most profit in this chaos, right?”

”I still don't see how Yuan Shao can benefit from framing Zhang Tong.”

”He does. Well, if I were Yuan Shao, I'll frame Tao Qian, Gongsun Zan, Kong Rong, and even myself, so the Yuan forces can steal the central plain from all lords here. Once he gets everything, he can either form an alliance with Xiongnu to attack Zhang Tong together as the next part of the plan.”

”I can understand about framing Gongsun Zan and Kong Rong. But why Tao Qian? Is he their ally?”

”Tao Qian is an old fox. He will definitely see through those uncanny slanders, and Yuan Shao will sense that he's a threat and want him dead. Well, Tao Qian was a ruler without an heir, so Yuan Shao can also see this old coot's territory as a slice of juicy meat.”

Pu Jing was amazed by how Cao Cao came up with such a deduction. Although he did not know what really happened inside the banquet, his instinct told him that Cao Cao might be very accurate.

”So, what's next Mengde? If it's as you said, do you have a plan?”

”Isn't this your job!? Damn it, Putin. You've made me revealing my thought for a while. It's time for you to use your brain for a change!”

Pu Jing clicked his tongue and snapped his fingers in an acknowledgment that he was busted.

”Oh well, let's go back to Xuchang and prepare ourselves for easy expansion.”

”Hmm? Explain!”

Pu Jing glanced at Cheng Yu, who kept his mouth shut from the beginning.

For the courtesy and manner to the seniors, Pu Jing gestured Cheng Yu to go first. Thus, Cheng Yu stepped forward.

”I have the same idea as Lord Pu Jing. This coalition against Xiongnu will collapse soon, and Yuan Shao's new alliance will move against Zhang Tong. We should get out of the way and use our precious times to prepare for our expansion.”

Pu Jing added, ”When their fight is over, I think all minor lords and Tao Qian's forces will be so weak that our forces and move into their cities with ease. We can also steal their empty cities right now, but they might break off Yuan Shao's alliance and come back to bite us in the back. Your choice, Mengde.”

”That's it?”

”Yup, that's it.”

”I thought your idea will be brilliantly ingenious. In the end, it's just waiting to prey on the weak.”

”Do you prefer to fight strong armies instead? Let's attack Puyang, Chenliu, Qiao, and Shouchun, then? We can control both Yan and Yu Province before the end of the year easily, but we'll fight strong enemies that you like.”

”FOOk you. I'm not that stupid!”