Han Xuan seems to have no worries about food and clothing here in Liu Du, but in fact, his every move is monitored by Liu Du, and Han Xuan also has to play the role of a gentleman's son, and he lives in fear every day. It's the end of the year in a blink of an eye, Liu Du and Han Xuan are paying attention to the war in Jizhou, Cao Cao's strategists are like clouds, fierce generals are like rain, and the two brothers Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang are still fighting among themselves, I don't know how long they can last.

Both Han Xuan and Liu Du had to prepare quickly to stabilize their territory, because they knew that there was not much time left for them.

In the spring of the eighth year of Jian'an, Cao Cao attacked Liyang and fought with Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang under Liyang City, and Yuan Tan took the lead in fighting Cao's army as the front.

Yuan Tan knew that the soldiers were not as elite as Cao's soldiers, so he wanted to fight with Cao Cao to boost morale, Yuan Tan sent the general Wang Zhao to fight, and Cao Cao sent Xu Huang to meet the enemy.

The two generals fought less than a few times, and Xu Huang slashed Wang Zhao under the horse with an axe. Cao's army took advantage of the situation to cover up the killing, and Yuan Tan's army was defeated. Yuan Tan collected the defeated army into Liyang City and asked Yuan Shang to allocate troops and horses to him, but Yuan Shang only allocated him more than 5,000 soldiers and horses to help.

Yuan Tan was suspicious of the few soldiers and refused to go out of the city to meet the enemy, before Yuan Tan killed Yuan Shang's henchman Feng Ji, Yuan Shang had long suspected that Yuan Tan had two hearts. Cao Cao took advantage of the suspicion of each other and hurriedly waved his army to attack Liyang City.

The Cao army almost broke through Liyang City, Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan had to abandon Liyang and flee, the Cao army rushed to kill for a while, and Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan led the defeated army back to Yecheng. In the summer and April, Cao Cao's army chased to Yecheng and harvested the wheat in the field.

Cao Cao's generals Liu Yan, Lu Qian and others all proposed to take advantage of the victory to attack Yecheng, Guo Jiajin said: "The Yuan family abolished the elder and the younger, and the brothers competed for power, each of them established a party to assist, and the urgent attack was to save each other, and the slow attack was to fight; It is better to raise troops south to Jingzhou to conquer Liu Biao, in order to wait for the change of the Yuan brothers; It becomes and then hits, and it can be decided in one fell swoop. ”

Cao Cao listened to Guo Jia's words and ordered Jia Xin to be the Taishou to garrison Liyang; Cao Cao led his army back to Xudu and prepared to march to Jingzhou.

Cao Cao heard that Han Xuan was defeated by Liu Du in Liandao and was captured by Liu Dusheng, and said with great joy: "Han Xuan is captured by Liu Du today, and the dragons in Jiangdong have no leader, I want to take this opportunity to take advantage of the army to capture Jiangdong!" ”

Hearing this, Xun Yu hurriedly stepped forward and admonished: "Lord, although Han Xuan was captured, there are still Han Hao and Chen Wu in Jiangdong. If our army arrives, Han Hao will be forced to unite with Liu Biao and Liu Du due to the situation. But after pacifying Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan, it's not too late to take Jiangnan! ”

Cao Cao was still hesitating, and Cheng Yu said: "Liu Du and Han Xuan are both heroes, if they don't get rid of it early today, they will be troubled in the future!" ”

Full of favor said: "Han Hao can be ordered to send his children to the court to be officials, and this can be used as a quality to contain Jiangdong." ”

Cao Cao nodded in agreement, so he ordered someone to send an official document asking Han Hao to send his disciples or nephews to Xudu to be officials. Han Hao convened all the officials for a meeting, and Zhang Zhao, Qin Song and others hesitated.

Han Hao was still having a headache about rescuing Han Xuan, and now he was forced by Cao **, so he led Lu Su to see his mother Du Shi and make the final decision in front of her.

Lu Su said: "In the past, when the state of Chu was sealed in the Zhou Dynasty, the land under its jurisdiction was less than a hundred miles. Later, the successor monarch was able to open up the territory, and then occupied Jing and Yang, and the royal industry continued for more than 900 years. Today, the general inherits the foundation of the Marquis of Chu, owns the land of the nine counties and the people, the soldiers are full of food, and the soldiers obey orders. Going up to the mountains to mine copper ore, refining salt along the coast, the territory is rich, and the people's hearts are stable, so why send protons into the court? As soon as the proton was sent, he had to have a lot of contacts with Cao Cao, which was very close, and had to go when the imperial court ordered a conscription. In this way, it will be made by man, and at most it will be a marquis, with a dozen servants, a few chariots, and a few horses, is it the same as being called a lonely man facing south! Why don't you send protons and wait for the times to change. ”

Du Shi said to Han Hao: "In the past, Xuan'er and the Lu Su brothers were commensurate, and they thought they were humerus. Now what he says will be in harmony with Xuan'er, you can listen to it. ”

Han Hao therefore decided not to send hostages, and it happened that Chen Wu rushed back from Changsha, Chen Wu took the letterhead and said to Han Hao: "General Zhennan, there is news of my eldest brother." ”

After reading the letter, Han Hao said: "Zixin said that Liu Dujin made a truce with Jiangdong, and asked me to preside over the overall situation, persuade the nongsang class, and resume production." And let me take care of my mother and younger siblings...... That's it? ”

Chen Wu had already read the letter, and he already knew that this handwriting was the handwriting of his good brother. That gentleman Han Xuan couldn't write this good hand, but why didn't Han Xuan say it after only a few casual sentences in the letter?

Let's say that Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang learned that Cao Cao had withdrawn his troops, so they celebrated each other. Yuan Tan asked his brother Yuan Shang to increase his troops, update his weapons and armor, and pursue Cao Cao when he retreated. Yuan Shang suspected that Yuan Tan had two hearts, so he refused Yuan Tan's request.

Yuan Tan was angry, and discussed with the strategists Guo Tu and Xin Ping: "I am the eldest son, but I can't inherit my father's business; Shang was born to his stepmother, and he was unwilling to inherit the lord. ”

Guo Tu said: "The lord is outside the city, only to invite the nobleman, judge the wine, and kill him with a knife and axe, and the big thing is decided." ”

Yuan Tan listened to Guo Tu's words, and when Wang Xiu came from Qingzhou, Yuan Tan informed him of this plan. Wang Xiu sighed: "Brothers, the left and right hands are also." Now I fight with another man, and cut off his right hand, and I will win, and I will be victorious. If the husband abandons his brother and does not kiss, who in the world will kiss him? Those who offer slander are separated from their flesh and bones, in order to seek the benefit of one day, and may they not listen to it. ”

Yuan Tan was furious, dismissed Wang Xiu, and sent someone to invite Yuan Shang. Yuan Shang consulted with the judge, and the judge said: "This must be Guo Tu's plan." If the lord goes, he will be tricked; It's better to take advantage of the momentum to attack it. ”

According to the words of the trial, Yuan Shang put on his horse and led 50,000 troops out of the city. Yuan Tan saw that Yuan Shang was bringing the army and knew that the matter was leaking, so he put on his horse and confronted Yuan Shang.

Yuan Shang personally risked arrows and stones, the conflict covered up, Yuan Tan led the defeated army to the plain, and Yuan Shang collected his troops and returned to Yecheng. Yuan Tan and Guo Tu discussed the march again, and ordered Cen Bi to lead the troops to attack. Yuan Shang led his troops out of Jizhou, and the two formations faced each other. Cen Bi came out and scolded; The general Lu Kuang patted the horse and danced the knife to fight Cen Bi.

The two generals fought for more than ten times, and Lu Kuang beheaded Cen Bi under the horse. Yuan Tan's soldiers were defeated again, and they ran back to the plain again, and persuaded Yuan Shang to march into the army and chase them to the plain. Yuan Tan couldn't resist it, and retreated into Plains City to hold on.

Yuan Shang besieged the city on three sides, Yuan Tan consulted with Guo Tu, Guo Tu said: "There is little food in the city today, Yuan Shang's army is sharp, and it is invincible." Foolishness can make people surrender to Cao Cao, so that Cao Cao's generals will attack Jizhou, and Yuan Shang will return to the army to save him. The general led troops to attack in the rear, and Yuan Shang was captured. If Cao breaks the Shang army, I will refuse to exercise his army. Cao Cao's army came from afar, and if the food did not continue, it would retreat. I can still base Jizhou, in order to forge ahead. ”

Yuan Tan listened to Guo Tu's words and asked, "Who can be the envoy?" ”

Guo Tu said: "Xin Ping's younger brother Xin Bi is now the Plains Order. This man is a man of words, and he can be commanded. ”

Yuan Tan immediately summoned Xin Bi to come, and Yuan Tan Xiu wrote a letter ordering Xin Bi to go to Xu Cao Cao in the starry night. Xin Bi then told Cao Cao that Yuan Tan wanted to ask for help and presented the letter. After Cao Cao finished reading the letter, he stayed in Xudu to gather civil and military plans. Man Zhong said: "Yuan Tan was attacked by Yuan Shang very urgently, and he had to come and surrender as a last resort, and he could not be trusted. ”

Cao Cao didn't think so, so he invited Xin Bi to drink and asked him: "Yuan Tan's surrender, is it a real surrender or a fraudulent surrender?" ”

Xin Bi said to Cao Cao: "Ming Gong don't ask about truth and deception, just talk about its potential." The Yuan clan was defeated year after year, the military revolution was exhausted outside, and the ministers were punished internally; Brotherly slander, the kingdom is divided into two; In addition, after years of famine, natural disasters and people are trapped, regardless of the old and young, everyone knows that it will fall apart. This is the time when the sky destroys the Yuan family. Today, the Ming Dynasty raised troops to attack Ye, and if Yuan did not return the rescue, he lost his nest; If he is still saved, Yuan Tan will attack him. With the power of Ming Gong, he hit the tired people, like the wind sweeping the autumn leaves. Without this map, Jingzhou, Jingzhou and the land of Minshun cannot be shaken. The trouble of the Quartet is greater than that of Hebei. Hebei is flat, then the hegemony is successful. May it be clear and detailed. ”

Cao Cao was overjoyed and said: "I hate to meet Xin George late!" ”

Cao Cao then raised a large army to attack Jizhou, and personally led the army to save the plain, and Yuan Shang immediately withdrew the siege and returned to Ye when he heard the news. Yuan Shangbu surrendered Lü Kuang and Gao Xiang to Cao Cao, and Yuan Tan secretly engraved the general's seal to Lü Kuang and Gao Xiang to envelop them. Cao Cao knew that Yuan Tan did not surrender sincerely, so he pretended not to know, and married Yuan Tan's daughter for his concubine Cao Quan, and comforted Yuan Tan.

Cao Cao discussed with Guo Jia and said: "Fang Jin's grain and grass are not received, and it is hard to carry it, so what can I do? ”

Guo Jia said: "It can curb the flow of Qi water into Baigou, connect the Qinghe River, open the grain road, and then march into the army." ”

Cao Cao obeyed Guo Jia's plan to repair Baigou, solved the problem of food supply, and ordered Yuan Tan to guard the plain, lead the army to retreat to Liyang, and seal Lu Kuang and Gao Xiang as the marquis, and follow the army to obey.

(End of chapter)