Over the past two months and more, Jia Xu's frequent "comforting" of Xu You had not been without its rewards.
He had long since collected or fabricated a pile of evidence of Xu You's resentment toward Yuan Shao.
Next, Guo Jia and Jia Xu spent more than two hours discussing how to bring Xu You into Liu Xie's service.
Every procedure and turn of phrase was worked out with meticulous care, opening Liu Xie's eyes.
Once they finished discussing Xu You, Guo Jia bowed to Liu Xie. "Your Majesty, Yi Province is a land of heavenly abundance, with a thousand miles of fertile fields and a vast population. If Gao Gan leads troops there, he will surely nurture the bandits to bolster his own importance and seize the opportunity to station troops in Yi Province. Given time, Yi Province will certainly fall into Yuan Shao's hands!"
Jia Xu also said solemnly, "Your Majesty, Yi Province must never fall into Yuan Shao's hands."
Guo Jia and Jia Xu could naturally tell that Liu Xie had only decided to send Gao Gan to Yi Province at today's court assembly because Yuan Shao had coerced him. They now had to find a remedy.
Yi Province was simply too important!
Once Yuan Shao took Yi Province from Liu Zhang, even if they later secured Qing, You, Ji, and Bing Provinces, Yuan Shao would still have the resources to rise again!
That would be an enormous lingering threat. They could not leave it be!
Liu Xie nodded. The reason Liu Bei had been able to claim a third of the realm was precisely because of Yi Province.
He saw further than anyone else when it came to Yi Province's importance.
"Though I am constrained by Yuan Shao and cannot prevent Gao Gan from going to