During the fifth to tenth year of Jian'an in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 200-205), the Central Plains showed a fragile balance after the Battle of Guandu. Cao Cao coerced the emperor to command the princes, established his capital in Xuchang, and controlled the core areas of Sili, Yu, Yan, and Xuzhou. On the surface, he promoted the farming system to stabilize people's livelihood. In fact, the power meridians in the dark of the court were intertwined like a spider's web. Sun Quan in the south of the Yangtze River seized control of the southeast, Liu Biao defended Jingzhou, Ma Teng and Han Sui in Xiliang rebelled and annexed, and Liu Bei was gathering strength in Xinye - this was an era where boundaries were clearly defined on the surface, but in fact spies were operating carefully day and night.
The geographical pattern presents a triple mirror image: under the golden palace and green tiles of the Xuchang Imperial City, culverts connect the ministers' residences criss-cross; in the military fortress of the Prime Minister's Mansion in Yecheng, there is only a wall between the armory and the secret meeting room; among the ruins of the old capital of Luoyang, the secret passage system left over from the previous dynasty has become the bloodline of the conspiracy network. The social structure was divided into three streams: the gentry represented by Xun, Chen, and Sima controlled the interpretation of classics, Guo Ming and other poor counselors relied on their power and wisdom to climb the ladder, while the refugees and soldiers were floating like grass. Every angle of obeisance in court etiquette, every postal route through which military reports are delivered, and every adjustment in banquet seating may contain hidden murderous intentions or signals of alliance.
