Some things are difficult to repair once they are broken, just like the trust between Cao and Liu. Chang'an burned not only Cao Liu's more than 60,000 troops, but also the intimate relationship between the two sides.

Cao Cao, who was defeated and returned, would never spit out Tongguan, a battleground for soldiers, so Liu Bei responded to Cao Cao's westward advance this time with heavy losses and nothing, it was completely a loss to his wife and soldiers, how could the relationship between the two sides still be as harmonious as before?

Although the dark tide of Cao and Liu was turbulent and-for-tat before, at least they didn't tear their faces much on the surface, so there was this Cao and Liu coalition army. And now this fragile alliance has once again fallen below freezing because of this campaign led by Cao Cao. It's no problem to unite in the face of Yuan Shu's attack, but if you want to join forces to suppress Yuan Shu, it is basically impossible for both sides.

This also means that Yuan Shu will not only be hindered by anyone during this period of time, as long as Cao Cao fails to unify the Central Plains, Yuan Shu can attack Xiliang at any time without scruples. Under such circumstances, why did Yuan Shu need to care about Han Sui's feelings anymore? Without Cao Liu, what can Han Sui and Ma Teng be combined?

Xiliang's background is already shallow, coupled with the toss of Dong Zhuo, Han Sui and others, Ma Teng and Han Sui combined are only a little more than 100,000 troops, which is already the limit. Yuan Shu, who had 300,000 armor soldiers and a population of more than 20 million, would be able to kill Xiliang before Cao Cao unified the Central Plains even if he didn't care about the cost. The gap between the two sides is too great to be changed by the defeat of a few battles.

Yuan Shu and Ma Teng's responses soon became known to Han Sui, and Han Sui completely extinguished the last bit of luck in his heart, and he had no way out.

"Yan Xing, you lead 30,000 iron horsemen to go out of the city with a certain person to fight!" Han Sui gritted his teeth.

Yan Xing frowned slightly: "Lord, what about Jincheng?" If the 30,000 iron cavalry are taken away, there will only be more than 5,000 soldiers left in the city, and once Yuan Shu divides his troops to attack, Jincheng will not be able to defend it at all! ”

"I can't care so much about it. Our troops are insufficient, and the Xiliang soldiers can only exert their maximum combat power in the field, and the stubborn defense of Jincheng is completely waiting for death, and only by facing it head-on can we have a chance to win. Han Sui said directly: "I have made up my mind, you go quickly to rectify the soldiers and horses, and set off tomorrow!" ”

"No!" Yan Xing was worried in his heart, but he still responded.

......

Huangshui, a river near Jincheng County, is a tributary of the Yellow River.

Winter has come, Liangzhou has already drifted a light snow, on the bank of the Huangshui River, a large camp is here, silent. The tall gate was tightly closed, and countless Yuanzi banners with yellow characters on a black background on the camp were flying in the cold wind. Behind the long fence, tens of thousands of soldiers were waiting for them, and their sharp weapons shone brightly in the sunlight.

Yuan Shu's army marched along the banks of the Huangshui River and was stationed here. A group of about 300 soldiers came to the Huangshui River with all kinds of ice-digging tools, fishing nets, and ropes and began their fishing work skillfully.

Fishing under the glacier in winter is not uncommon in Koto, and these soldiers are all experts in it. During the march, if you can collect more food, you can collect more, and Yuan Shu now has a problem with the supply of grain and grass, so he naturally pays more attention to this. What's more, in the middle of winter, there is a hot and fragrant fish soup in the dry and hard grains? Although many soldiers and soldiers of Yuan have already eaten fish and meat in Jiangdong until they want to vomit, they really need a bowl of fish soup to warm up their bodies in the middle of winter.

In Yuan Shu's big tent, the two leading soldiers brought in a large pot of delicious and fragrant fish soup and placed it on the central charcoal stove. took out a delicately made pottery bowl, scooped a large spoonful of fish soup, and then handed it to the table in front of Yuan Shu.

Looking at the fish soup in the bowl that was as thick as milk, Yuan Shu had no appetite: "It's been a few days in a row, it's all fish soup, and I'm tired of drinking it." This Han Sui is really bad at home, he moved all the surrounding tribes, and he didn't even leave us a single cow or sheep, and it was difficult to drink a bowl of fresh sheep soup. It's really uncomfortable to count nine in the middle of winter. ”

Beside Yuan Shu, Guo Jia couldn't help but sneeze and nodded in agreement: "That's right, on this cold day, Jia Zhen can't stand it, and he doesn't even have a maid to accompany him." Hurry up and destroy Han Sui, and we will go back. ”

However, opposite Guo Jia, Jia Xu didn't say anything at all, and threw himself into the bowl of fish soup that had just been presented in front of him. He carefully picked up the clay bowl and drank it in small sips, but the speed was extremely fast, but in a moment the bowl of fish soup had bottomed out. However, Jia Xu did not waste anything, stretched out his tongue and licked the wall of the bowl carefully, without any gentlemanly demeanor.

If others were to see this scene, no one would have thought that this fat man, who was the same as the reincarnation of a starving ghost, would be a poisoner who single-handedly controlled the burning of Luoyang and wiped out Cao Liu's army of more than 60,000.

"Wenhe, you're really obsessed with food!" Yuan Shu couldn't help but sigh lightly when he saw Jia Xu so "cheap".

Jia Xu carefully licked the fish soup in the pottery bowl in front of him, then breathed a sigh of relief, turned his head to look at Yuan Shu, and said slightly apologetically: "I'm sorry, lord." I got used to it in the early years. ”

Yuan Shu also knew Jia Xu's past, and put the fish soup in front of Jia Xu casually, and sighed slightly: "It's not easy for the people of Xiliang!" I'm afraid that many people in Xiliang are as obsessed with food as Wenhe! ”

Jia Xu looked at the few drops of fish soup that had been sprinkled on the ground when Yuan Shu handed it over, and hurriedly took it carefully and held it in his hand.

"Indeed, the biggest problem in Xiliang is the problem of food. This is the place where the Han Dynasty is most short of food, and nine out of ten of the dead people are starving to death, and in the most difficult period, nearly half of the people are on the verge of starving to death at any time. ”

Jia Xu, who was born in Xiliang, knows nothing more about this place. It is adjacent to the two major grain-producing areas, but Xiliang has always been trapped by grain. For the Han Dynasty, this is a bottomless pit that swallows soldiers, salaries, and food. The Han Dynasty had intended to give up Xiliang three times, and this place was completely a burden to the Han Dynasty, and the burden was too great.

"The last thing that a certain commander lacks is food." Yuan Shu said softly: "After eliminating Han Sui, the management of Xiliang will also be on the agenda. It's time for this most chaotic region of the Han Dynasty to calm down. ”

Jia Xu nodded lightly and said, "The lord is virtuous!" A certain thanked the lord for the people of Xiliang! ”

Yuan Shu waved his hand: "Forget it, don't fix these imaginary things, you still think about who will be assigned to manage Xiliang after you take Xiliang!" The situation in Xiliang is so chaotic, if you don't send a suitable person, it may be difficult to solve it in a short time. ”

Jia Xu smiled slightly: "Lord, Xiliang still needs Xiliang people!" ”

Yuan Shu said in surprise: "You mean, you are willing to stay?" So what do I do? ”

The corners of Jia Xu's mouth twitched, and his father-in-law really regarded himself as a personal "maid". But this is also good, which shows the importance of himself in the heart of the lord. Jia Xu thought half speechless and half happy.

"Naturally not! Xu is busy with affairs and is really unable to manage Xiliang, but he is not the only Xiliang person under the command of the lord. ”

Yuan Shu went through the strategists under his command in his mind, and said with a slight hesitation: "You mean, Fa Zheng? ”

"Not bad!"

"But he's still young, and he's young and vigorous, so it's a little inappropriate!" Yuan Shu hesitated. He didn't doubt Fazheng's ability, after all, this person was talented and intelligent, and he had studied under Tian Feng for so many years, and it was more than enough to govern a Liangzhou. But that doesn't mean everyone else sees it the same way. A boy who is not a weak crown is a big official, and many people under his command will definitely have opinions.

"If the lord feels that Fa Zheng is not stable enough, why don't you let Yang Xiu and Zhuge Jin work with him to manage Xiliang." Jia Xu was prepared.