After a short rest, he ordered Guo Yuan and Gao Ran to continue to lead the troops in pursuit, not giving Yuan Tan a chance to breathe.

Yuan Tan previously captured more than ten cities, all recaptured, all the way to the Mingqi River, Xin Bi heard the news, from the Gaotang Dynasty to transfer troops to guard the Mingqi River crossing, Yuan Tan into the Gaotang, this to stop the defeat, but the 40,000 army, this way to surrender, fleeing, to the Gaotang, has been less than 5,000.

"How is it now?" Gao Tang Bureau, Yuan Tan looked at Guo Tu and Xin Bi with a blank face, Xin Ping resisted Han Meng in the Bohai Sea, but he was defeated here, this defeat directly wiped out half of Yuan Tan's accumulated family wealth, and left these soldiers and horses, even if Xin Ping was withdrawn, I am afraid that he would not even be able to hold the plain.

"Don't worry, lord!" Guo Tu's face was a little pale, he had traveled more than 100 miles all the way, and he had no chance to rest at all, plus he was defeated in this battle, he knew better than Yuan Tan that the current situation was irreparable, but if he really surrendered, Yuan Tan might be fine, but these people, I'm afraid it's not just as simple as being kicked out of Jizhou, and a bad one is the end of the family.

Therefore, even if we lose, we must not let others slaughter us, we must find a way, find a way to stabilize the current situation, and then think of countermeasures.

Forcibly calming himself down, Guo Tu pondered: "For today's plan, we should first hold the key points, and at the same time order people to gather the rout, gather here, and then send some people to negotiate peace with the third prince." ”

"At this moment, how can the third brother be willing to negotiate peace?" Yuan Tan smiled bitterly and said that if it was a pre-war peace talk, it might be of some use, but now after this defeat, Yuan Tan knows very well that even if he is willing to negotiate peace, his third brother may not be willing, and the best result is probably only to be taken back to Yecheng and be a rich idler, if the third brother is ruthless, I am afraid that it will be difficult to save his life.

"I don't want to negotiate peace, but I just stabilize the third prince first, so that I can wait for the opportunity to mobilize troops and horses." Guo Tu said a little miserably.

"Why do I have extra soldiers and horses at this time?" Yuan Tan said bitterly when he heard this, this time he sent troops, his soldiers and horses have basically been mobilized, the main force followed him straight to Yecheng, Xin Ping led a group of soldiers and horses north to stop Han Meng's army, who would have thought that his main force would be defeated by Yuan Shang so quickly, how could he have extra troops at this time?

"There always is." Guo Tu pondered: "The county guards of each county are assembled, and there are some numbers, and if you ask some wealthy families to help, you can also pull up a group and bring horses." ”

Yuan Tan frowned, even if these people were gathered, but such hastily assembled men and horses, untrained, let alone on the battlefield, such a group of rabble, how to fight against the elite division of Jizhou, he is a person who knows soldiers, how can he not know the difference, I am afraid that when the time comes, I will only lose even worse if I fight again.

"Don't worry, my lord, I'll be on the defensive, and I can support it for a while." Guo Tu smiled bitterly, he had heard that Yuan Tan had the intention of surrendering, but at this moment, Yuan Tan may have a way to live, but if they surrender with them, I am afraid there will be no way to live.

"Alas, then there is a labor rule." Yuan Tan sighed and saluted Guo Tu.

"Don't worry, the lord is fighting for his life, and he will help the lord block the enemy army below! At least keep the plains open! Guo Tu said solemnly.

Yuan Tan nodded: "In this case, I'll go and rest for a while, if you have a clever plan, tell me as soon as possible!" ”

fled one after another, Yuan Tan basically didn't rest much along the way, and now he is already exhausted, and he must rest before he has the energy to continue fighting.

"My lord, go." Guo Tu nodded and sent Yuan Tan to the back hall to rest.

It wasn't until Yuan Tan left that Guo Tu sat down weakly on the ground.

"Don't worry, I'll order someone to order the counties to gather troops." Xin Bi said to Guo Tu.

"Those are just a rabble, how can they be of great use?" Guo Tu shook his head, although he didn't know anything about military affairs, how could he not know the gap between the rabble and the elite, even if it was mobilized, it would not be of much use, and it was even better not to adjust.

"That's just ......" Xin Bi looked at Guo Tu with a puzzled expression, since it was useless, why did he use this to persuade Yuan Tan just now.

"Didn't George see that the lord had the intention of surrendering?" Guo Tu smiled bitterly: "If the lord surrenders, he may be able to survive, but you and I am afraid that Yuan Shang will not be tolerated, and even the clansmen will be implicated, if you don't stabilize the lord first, you and I may have the worry of our lives and the disaster of annihilation!" ”

"How can this be?" Xin Bi frowned and thought when he heard this, now that the situation in Yuan Tan was clear, it was impossible for the remaining troops to stop Yuan Shang's army.

"Let's stabilize the lord first, and then think about countermeasures." Guo Tu sighed, he is also mentally exhausted now, Yuan Tan is a military general, his body is strong, and he still feels exhausted, he is not as physically fit as Yuan Tan, he has long been exhausted, he was still strong before, and now that Yuan Tan is gone, the whole person is a little empty.

At that moment, he said goodbye to Simbi and went to find a place to rest, and this sleep lasted until late at night, when he was awakened by a knock on the door.

"Who?" In the dead of night, Guo Tu shook his head, the knock on the door still did not stop, and he frowned and asked.

"Rules, get up quickly, there is something important to discuss!" Outside the door, Simbi's voice was heard.

Guo Tu frowned, got up and put on his robe, opened the door, looked at Xin Bi with an eager face, and frowned: "Why can't we talk about it tomorrow?" ”

Even if Yuan Shang's army is killed, but it is blocked by the Mingqi River, it will not be able to kill it for a while.

"Ziyuan is here." Simpi said in a deep voice.

"Who?" Guo Tu was stunned, followed by the pajamas that disappeared in an instant, and looked at Xin Bidao.

"Xu You, Xu Ziyuan!" Simbi repeated.

Guo Tu frowned slightly, and after thinking for a moment, he nodded and said, "Go, go see him!" ”

Soon, the two came to the main hall, and saw Xu You kneeling on the couch, tasting wine, while looking through the bamboo slips, and when they saw the two coming in, they didn't get up, just smiled slightly.

Guo Tu knelt opposite Xu You, frowned, and said: "Ziyuan has the courage to defect to Cao Cao, and now he dares to appear in Jizhou, do you think that there is no sword in our army?" ”

"When old friends see each other, they have already verbally threatened, which is not the way of hospitality." Xu You was not afraid, and looked at Guo Tudao with a smile.

"Do you think I don't dare?" Guo Tu snorted coldly.

"I don't dare." Xu Yu said leisurely: "It's just that the eldest prince has been defeated by this defeat, and it has been difficult to defeat Yuan Shang, and the plain has fallen, and the eldest prince may still be lucky, but the ministers who are assisted by Ran'er are afraid of their lives, and the public is not thinking about self-preservation at this time, but he wants to threaten me with his life, which is really not a wise move." ”

Guo Tu snorted coldly: "Zi is far away, why didn't he come to mock us and others?" ”

"Definitely." Xu You smiled and shook his head: "You and I have known each other after all, and you really don't want to see your old friend end up dead, so I came to save you." ”

"Oh?" Guo Tu looked at Xu You and said, "Let me guess, Ziyuan is trying to lure Cao Gong's troops into the Qinghe River and let me wait to surrender to Cao Gong?" ”

"It's not a surrender." Xu You shook his head and sighed: "The so-called good birds choose trees to perch, virtuous ministers choose the lord to serve, and the prince thinks that the eldest prince is the master?" ”

"The lord is brave and heroic, how can he not be the master?" Guo Tu snorted coldly.

"Brave and unscrupulous, can you also be called the master? That Cao Gong is brave and strategic, isn't he a wise monarch through the ages? Xu You laughed and said: "Besides, I haven't seen its bravery, put it in chaos today, brave generals come out in large numbers, not to mention that Nanyang Lu Bu is brave all over the world, just say that this Jizhou, first there are Yan Liang, Wen Chou, and now Han Meng, Zhang He, Gao Ran and others, if you talk about bravery, I am afraid that it is far beyond the eldest son, such bravery, if you are the master, I am afraid it is quite insufficient." ”

Guo Tu was a little helpless when he heard this, he didn't think it before, but in this war, he panicked as soon as there was a change, he was really not a person who made a big deal, looking at Xu You, Guo Tu said in a deep voice: "That Ziyuan means ......"

"Please persuade the eldest prince to surrender to Cao Gong, and let go of the ferry, so that our army can cross the river and enter from the plain, and the Cao Guild will help the eldest prince defeat the third prince." Xu You said with a smile.

"Ziyuan thinks that the eldest prince will agree?" Guo Tu looked at Xu You with a strange gaze, Yuan Tan just has no brains, and it is better to vote for Yuan Shang than for Cao Cao, right? After all, in the final analysis, this is an internal matter of Jizhou or the Yuan family, and it is impossible to let Cao Cao in.

"That's why we need the help of the public, this surrender is only the final result, but when I talk to the eldest prince, I naturally can't say that." Xu You said with a smile: "As long as the prince convinces the eldest prince to let our army enter Jizhou from the plains, after the matter is completed, all three of them can be ranked as the ninth secretary in the court and can be knighted." ”

Guo Tu frowned when he heard this, looked at Xu You, and sneered: "Ziyuan's betrayal of the lord is a clean betrayal. ”

"I have not been indebted to him." Xu You said indifferently, he didn't want to mention this matter more, and it was still a stain after saying it.

Seeing that Xu You's face sank, Guo Tu no longer mentioned this matter, frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "How many soldiers and horses can Gong Cao send?" ”

"Qingzhou has now gathered 30,000 troops by the two generals Lu Qian and Zang Ba, who can cross the river at any time, in addition, 40,000 soldiers and horses have also gathered in the Dongjun area, and only when the plain is successfully attacked, the soldiers and horses of Dongjun will cross the river and attack." Xu You said in a deep voice: "Public rule, the situation in Jizhou has been irreparable since you persuaded the eldest prince to fight for power, and today, even if the eldest prince surrendered to the third prince, it is difficult to prevent our army from crossing the river, not to mention that Chen Mo has also gathered heavy troops in Hanoi at this time, this time is different from the last time, the two sons have just fought against each other, and they are powerless to fight against the two princes, and the defeat has been decided." ”

Guo Tu was just silent.

Xu Yu said: "Now if the eldest prince is willing to vote for Cao Gong, not to mention anything else, after Jizhou is pacified, at least the title can be preserved, and even he can enter the court as an official, but if he votes for the third prince, not to mention that Jizhou will be broken in the future, can he get all his lives, even if he can, how can the prince and Zhongzhi deal with themselves?" Don't forget what happened at the beginning, maybe there was a mistake in the next, but how the Jizhou scholars treated me at that time, and how he would deal with the two of them in the future, I have to think clearly. ”

"Then why didn't I vote for the Marquis of Changling?" Guo Tu snorted coldly.

"The matter of the minutes of the three studies, the public should be clear, if you vote for that Chen Mo, I am afraid that in the future, we and other scholars will have no place to stand!" Xu You sneered.

Guo Tu sighed: "I can help you convince the lord, but you need to ensure that the lord will be rich in the future." ”

"Of course!" Xu Yu said solemnly.

"After dawn, come with me to see the lord."