Chapter 1033: The Path Beneath the Hearts of Men Was Already Destined

For all the Qiang leaders, Xun You’s explanation was initially hard to believe. However, once they began to consider it, they realized that in almost every conflict between the Qiang and the Han, it was never the tribes that had formed treaties with the Han who initiated the disputes.

In fact, in many cases, the tribes that had treaties with the Han would even try to mediate once conflicts arose between other tribes and the Han, only to end up with nothing to show for their efforts.

The tension between the Qiang and the Han was stretched so tightly that any minor disturbance would snap it, inevitably leading to war.

As for why the tribes that had signed treaties with the Han never clashed with them first, the reason was simple: The Han needed these early defectors as examples for others to follow. They would never provoke conflicts with these tribes, ensuring no confrontations occurred.

Of course, these deeper truths weren’t things that Xun You could reveal to the Qiang leaders. His intention was merely to guide them into thinking along the lines he wanted.

With this new understanding, the Qiang leaders began to see past conflicts in a different light. They realized that the Han Empire hadn’t been entirely unreasonable—it was more that the two sides had never clearly communicated.

The Ling Qiang honored the treaties they made with the Han, and the Han reciprocated. But other tribes, unaware of these agreements, continued as they always had. The Han, failing to distinguish between the Ling Qiang and other Qiang tribes, naturally demanded the same compliance from all, and thus conflicts arose.

Xun You’s explanation contained some misdirection, but it held enough truth that, in the short time the Qiang leaders had to think about it, they couldn’t find a better answer.

This revelation united the Qiang leaders in their understanding of the situation. They began to see the way forward more clearly, and the cleverer among them turned their eyes toward Ma Chao, now recognized as their Qiang King.

As Xun You had subtly hinted, each Qiang tribe leader knew that no single tribe could stand equal to the Han. Any treaty they made would only bind their own tribe, not the entire Qiang people.

The problem was that, from the Han Empire’s perspective, a treaty with a single tribe held no significance. What the Han required was a treaty that bound the entire Qiang nation, or at least a majority of the tribes.

Previously, the Qiang tribes had always signed agreements individually, while the Han believed they were dealing with the entire Qiang people. This misunderstanding had led to numerous conflicts—it was like two sides speaking different languages.

No single tribe could represent all the Qiang people. That was the reality of the time. Even the Grand Elder guarding the ancestral land couldn’t speak for the entire Qiang nation—he could only represent his own tribe, no matter how powerful it was. He couldn’t represent all the Qiang.

No independent tribe would let another tribe represent it, as that would imply submission and dependency. Likewise, no tribe would dare to represent others, as that would be seen as a provocation.

The only person who could represent the entire Qiang nation was the Qiang King. Similarly, the only person who could represent the Han Empire was the Han Emperor, or the Chancellor with the imperial authority.

In other words, to forge a treaty for peaceful coexistence between the Qiang and the Han, a treaty based on trust rather than force, it had to be signed by the Qiang King and the Han Emperor.

Although Ma Chao wasn’t particularly bright, by this point, he fully understood the direction of Fa Zheng’s strategy. As the Qiang King, there was no way this treaty could be finalized without him.

Though the Emperor had recently been freed from his captivity, much of the imperial power still lay elsewhere. For Ma Chao, signing such a treaty as the Qiang King would be hugely beneficial to Emperor Liu Xie’s reputation. Though young, Liu Xie would be seen as making policies that benefited the people, paving the way for his future.

Moreover, since the Emperor couldn’t leave Chang’an and time was pressing, Ma Chao’s natural inclination would be to personally visit the Emperor. For a foreign king to come and pay respects so soon after Liu Xie’s ascension would be a tremendous boost to the Han Empire’s prestige.

This opportunity was too good to pass up. Ma Chao, as the foreign king, would not only get fair terms but also raise his own standing. If someone else were sent in his place, they might not secure the same advantages.

More importantly, the current situation was dire. Cao Cao’s forces were overstretched, and fighting on two fronts left him with no room for maneuver. If the Qiang people were to align with the Han Empire at this critical moment, the situation in Yong and Liang provinces would shift from a two-front war to a united front against the enemy. Cao Cao would have no choice but to welcome this development.

“Even now, there are countless loyal Han subjects working tirelessly for the Empire,” Ma Chao thought to himself, believing he had fully grasped Fa Zheng’s plan. He couldn’t help but recall his father’s complex feelings toward the Han Empire. What he had once struggled to understand now became a little clearer.

What Ma Chao didn’t realize was that Fa Zheng’s true goal was to create problems for Cao Cao. Having already learned about Liu Xie’s personality from Liu Ye, Fa Zheng had planned this “gift” for the Emperor.

With such a grand gesture, Liu Xie, who had been suppressing his impulses, would no longer be able to hold back. The previously harmonious relationship between Cao Cao and the Emperor would quickly turn into open conflict.

In Fa Zheng’s view, Liu Xie was bound to lose. And once that happened, no matter how Cao Cao handled the situation, it would create a significant issue—one that would give Liu Bei a pretext and cause unrest among Cao Cao’s own followers.

Even if Cao Cao managed the situation perfectly, for some, it would still be a thorn in their hearts—a wound that, even if they later understood the full truth, would never fully heal.

Fa Zheng had a keen understanding of human nature, yet he also lacked true insight into it. This was the result of the interplay between intelligence, experience, and emotional intelligence. His strategies were rooted in understanding people’s hearts, but they would ultimately be undone by the complexities of those same hearts.

“I imagine many of you still have doubts about my words,” Xun You continued, “But given how many times this situation has repeated itself, surely there’s no harm in trying once more. After all, what if this time things change?” His sarcastic tone was impossible to miss, yet it forced the Qiang leaders to reflect.

Indeed, having already betrayed the Han so many times, what was the harm in doing so once more? They had nothing left to lose. If there was a chance things might change this time, why not take it? If they failed again, they would simply return to the way things had always been.

With this new line of thought, the Qiang leaders looked toward Ma Chao with hope in their eyes. Ma Chao, not wanting to disappoint them, nodded in agreement with the plan. As he looked at the Qiang nobles gathered before him, he couldn’t help but reflect on the significance of this moment. If this plan succeeded, it wouldn’t just elevate Liu Xie’s prestige—it would also solidify Ma Chao’s status as the Qiang King.

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