The candles crackled and hissed, casting flickering, uneven shadows across the vast oak table that dominated the center of the room. The setting was an ancient fortress, long forgotten and nestled deep within the hills of Liangzhou, chosen precisely for its seclusion and discretion. Within its weathered walls, on this particular night, no allies gathered—only men bound by a shared enemy.
Yuan Guo surveyed the room with an inscrutable expression. Before him sat the four patriarchs, each representing one of the families that had, for generations, wielded power from the shadows, controlling the empire in ways unseen by the common eye. To his right sat An Lu, reclining in his seat with the ease of a man accustomed to command. There was no trust in that room—only suspicion and a cold, calculating pragmatism.
The elderly patriarch of the Chen family, his face etched with deep wrinkles and his gaze as sharp as a blade, was the first to break the silence.
—I find it difficult to place my trust in a man who once dedicated his life to unwavering loyalty to the emperor. If you truly desired Luo Wen's downfall, why did you not destroy him when he was still your disciple?—
Yuan Guo did not flinch. He remained composed, his posture steady, in no rush to respond. His eyes swept across the face of the old nobleman, then moved to the other patriarchs, each of whom bore the same skepticism in their eyes. These were seasoned wolves, men who could discern truth from deception and who knew when a man hid a dagger behind his back.
—Because at that time, Luo Wen was still a man of principles,— he replied, his voice firm and unwavering. —But power has a cruel way of twisting the hearts of men. By the time I realized what he had become, he already held the capital in his grasp.—
The patriarch of the Wei family, a slender man with the hands of a scribe and the eyes of a serpent, let out a mocking sigh.
—And what guarantees do we have that you will not change your mind again if we succeed in overthrowing him? You serve the emperor, and the emperor remains under Luo Wen's control. How do we know you will not restore him to the throne once this is all over?—
An Lu slammed his fist on the table, his patience wearing thin.
—If that is your aim, then we will become your enemies the day after victory.—
Yuan Guo exhaled slowly. He had anticipated this line of questioning. The men in this room were not concerned with the fate of the empire; they were concerned with their own power.
—Our differences in opinion regarding how to treat the emperor do not interfere with our alliance against Luo Wen,— he said, his tone calm, like that of a man who had seen countless wars. —Luo Wen has not only turned the emperor into his puppet but has also transformed the empire into his personal playground.—
He allowed his words to settle before continuing.
—My purpose has always been to preserve order, to prevent the empire from falling into the hands of a single man. Luo Wen is systematically eliminating the feudal lords one by one, consolidating power in a way none of you ever could. If we allow him to continue, it will not be long before there is no one left to challenge him.—
The patriarchs exchanged glances. They could not argue with that. Each of them had once held significant influence and power, but none had ever achieved the level of absolute control that Luo Wen was now building.
—Then let us speak of war,— interjected An Lu, leaning forward. —Because if we wish to overthrow Luo Wen, we must act before he finishes consolidating his dominion.—
The youngest of the four patriarchs, Zhao, raised an eyebrow.
—It will not be easy. The capital is a fortress, and Luo Wen commands the empire's finest troops.—
—And that is precisely why we will not attack directly,— replied Yuan Guo, sliding a map across the table. —We will dismantle his empire from within. Luo Wen believes he has absolute control over the feudal lords. We will use false messengers and bribes to sow doubt among them. If we can turn some against him, we will weaken his structure before striking. If we concentrate all our forces in one place, Luo Wen will crush us. But if we strike at multiple points across the empire simultaneously, we will force him to divide his troops. An Lu will attack from the south, the Four Families from the east, and my loyalists from the west. Luo Wen believes the capital is entirely his, but not all the bureaucrats and military officials within the court are fully on his side. I have contacts within the city who can disrupt his movements, delay his orders, and cut off his flow of information. When his control structure is weakened and his armies scattered, we will make our final advance on the capital. By then, Luo Wen will stand alone.—
The Wei patriarch let out a dry laugh.
—It sounds like an ambitious plan. And what if we fail?—
Yuan Guo met his gaze without blinking.
—If we fail, we will be the last to fall.—
Silence filled the room. None of those present were willing to accept such a fate.
Finally, An Lu smiled.
—It's a dangerous plan… but it's the best we have.—
The four patriarchs nodded slowly, each with their own reasons for agreeing. They did not trust Yuan Guo, but they trusted even less the idea of allowing Luo Wen to continue amassing power.
—Then it is settled,— said Yuan Guo, his voice calm yet resolute. —We will bring down the man who has betrayed us all.—
The decision for war had been made. Now, all that remained was to execute it.