In the first month of the third year of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the heavy snowstorm has passed, and thanks to the efforts of Zhao Xu and Liu Bei, the disaster area has also been rebuilt.

Liu Bei and Zhao Xu also appointed Ma Yan, Zhang Yi, Zhang Nan, and other generals from Jizhou, so that not only the people of Jizhou, but also most of the wealthy families also surrendered.

The snow disaster south of the Yongding River has been controlled, and the casualties among the people are not large. But Jicheng, which is only separated by a river from Zhuojun and other places, is miserable, Yuan Shao died, and the Yuan family and his gang only care about dealing with Yuan Shao's death, and they don't care about the lives of the people at all, and countless people die of starvation and freezing, so many people are forced to leave their hometowns and come to Liu Bei's territory.

Zhao Xu's later generations naturally knew that the Yuan brothers were not in harmony and would definitely compete for the throne, and now a large number of victims in the north of Youzhou poured in, Zhao Xu then ordered Dian Wei to guard Zhuo County, and he went to various places to appease the people and settle the victims, just waiting for the Yuan brothers to fight.

However, it was said that Yuan Shao was dead, and the trial and other presiding over the funeral. Trial, Feng Ji Li Yuan Shang is the general of the Great Sima, leading the Youzhou pastor, hanging filial piety and mourning.

Yuan Tan, Yuan Xi and others were only sad, and after Yuan Shao's burial, they learned that Yuan Shang was the main one for the trial.

Yuan Tan was furious, not angry in his heart, and discussed with Yuan Xi, Guo Tu, and Xin Ping. Yuan Tan said: "My father-in-law died, and I was the main one to judge and match, and I, as the eldest son, could not inherit my father's business; Xianfu was born to his stepmother, and he inherited the lord, and he was really unwilling. How is it good? ”

Yuan Xi was a cowardly person, seeing this situation, he was afraid that his brother would use his sword, and said: "Our brother's brotherhood, brother should not slander people and divide flesh and blood, in order to seek the benefit of one day, it is better to let Xianfu call the shots, save fratricide." ”

Yuan Tan was furious and scolded Yuan Xi, Yuan Xi had always been afraid of his brother, so he only made promises, so he didn't dare to say anything more.

Xin commented: "Yuan Shang, Juan, and every time the two are afraid of competing for the throne, they will plan a plan, and if they don't leave today, they will suffer from it." ”

Yuan Tan said: "What if this happens? Guo Tu said: "We can garrison troops outside the city and watch their movements." A certain person went to inspect it in person. Yuan Tan said, even if he led the army out of the city. Guo Tu then entered Jicheng and met Yuan Shang.

After the ceremony, Yuan Shang asked, "Why didn't my brother come?" ”

Guo Tu said: "The Lord is in the army because he is sick, and he can't see each other, so he hopes that the Lord will forgive me." ”

Yuan Shang knew that Yuan Tan wanted to compete for the position, and Guo Tu's words must be false. said: "I was ordered by my father to make me the master, and crowned the eldest brother as the general and the second brother as the deputy general." Although Zhao Xu was trapped by the snow disaster and retreated to defend himself, he still had to take precautions, so he asked the two brothers to be the front, and I then transferred troops to respond. ”

Guo Tu thought to himself: Wow! This kid wants to borrow a knife to kill someone! At the moment, he said: "Zhao Xu is invincible, both civil and military, although he does not march, we can't help him, if Zhao Xu sneaks attack, no one in our army can discuss a good strategy, it is difficult to fight the enemy, I am willing to beg to judge Zhengnan, Feng Yuantu two people as a supplement." ”

Yuan Shang was shocked, and thought: Okay, you Guo Tu, you are really cunning, you want to dig up the henchmen around me to blackmail. said: "I also want to fight these two people to make suggestions sooner or later, how can they get away?" ”

Guo Tu said: "Then please send one of the two of you, what about it?" Yuan Shang couldn't shirk it, so he had to ask the two to cast lots, and the one who took it went away. Feng Ji was in charge, and Yuan Shang immediately ordered Feng Ji to take the seal and go to Yuan Tan's army with Guo Tu. Feng Ji followed Guo Tu to Yuan Tanjun, and when he saw that Yuan Tan was not sick, he was uneasy and offered a seal.

Yuan Tan was furious when he saw it, and wanted to kill him. Guo Tumi admonished: "Now Zhao Xu is trapped by the snow disaster, I heard that he personally went to the front line to relieve the disaster, and he will not march within a few months, and only stay here to calm Yuan Shang's heart." The lord is now outside the city, but he can only do the matter of inviting the nobles, judging and drinking, discussing the matter of recovering the lost land, and killing him with a knife and axe, and the major event is decided. Yuan Tan followed his plan, so he sent someone to invite Yuan Shang.

Yuan Shang received Yuan Tan's invitation, discussed with the judge, and said: "Yuan Tan held Feng Ji and didn't say anything, and now he invites the lord to go, this must be Guo Tu's plan, if the lord goes, he will be tricked." Now it's better to take advantage of it and attack it. Yuan Shang did as he said, so he put on his horse and ordered 50,000 soldiers in the city to go out of the city.

Yuan Tan saw Yuan Shang leading a large army outside the city, and the governor leaked his feelings, so he immediately put on his horse and went out of the village to confront Yuan Shang.

Yuan Shang saw Yuan Tan and scolded Yuan Tan for being unkind. Yuan Tan also scolded: "The erector killed his father, usurped the title, and now he is here to kill his brother? Saying that, the spear came out, Yuan Shang also waved a double knife to fight, the two clashed, the battle was not ten rounds, Yuan Shang rose up with two knives, the wind sounded, Yuan Tan could not resist, defeated and left, Guo Tu saw that the main defeat returned, and hurriedly ordered the soldiers to release arrows.

Yuan Shang personally braved the rain of arrows and clashed to cover up the killing. Yuan Tan led the defeated army to Bendai County, Yuan Shang was about to retreat, and the trial persuaded him: "If the lord does not take advantage of the victory to pursue, when Yuan Tan recovers, he will definitely kill to take revenge!" Yuan Shang originally wanted to have some brotherly affection, but when he heard the trial match say this, he hated it and chased and killed Yuan Tan.

Yuan Tan discussed with Guo Tu to break through the siege, so that Cen Bi was the vanguard and led the troops out of the city; The two teams faced each other and looked at each other. Yuan Shang swung his knife and went straight to Cen Bi. The two generals fought for fifteen rounds, and Yuan Shang beheaded Cen Bi under the horse. Yuan Tan was frightened, retreated into the city, and held out. Yuan Shang besieged the city on three sides.

Yuan Tan and Guo Tu discussed countermeasures, and Guo Tu said: "The morale of the army in the city is low, and the morale of Yuan Shang's army is high, and it cannot be defeated. Foolishness can send people to surrender to Zhao Xu, so that Zhao Xu leads troops to attack Jicheng, Yuan Shang must be saved, and the general will lead troops to attack, and Yuan Shang can be captured. If Zhao Xu defeats Yuan Shang, I can gather his army to resist Zhao Xu. Zhao Xu spent a lot of food for the snow disaster, not to mention that when he came from afar, the food would not continue, and it would retreat. We can still base ourselves on Youzhou and try to forge ahead. ”

Yuan Tan thought for a moment and said, "This is very good, who can do it?" Guo Tu said: "Xin Ping's brother Xin Bi, the word George." He is a man of words, and he can be commanded. Yuan Tan immediately summoned Xinbi, who had already had the heart to deviate and was glad to come. Yuan Tan Xiushu handed over to Xin Bi, so that 2,000 troops escorted Xin Bi out of the country and rushed to see Zhao Xu.

It is said that after the snow disaster, although it is the beginning of spring, it is still cold and extraordinary. Zhao Xu was the commander-in-chief, after the disaster, he thought about the march, looked at the Yongding River ice began to thaw, and had a plan, remembering that in the later life, he had made a catapult model with his friends, and suddenly remembered that he remembered the manufacturing method. Instructed Zhao Yun, Dian Wei and others to search for craftsmen everywhere and make catapults.

Zhao Xu and Zhao Yun were supervising the manufacture of catapults, and suddenly the soldiers reported: Yuan Tan sent Xin Bi to come.

Zhao Xu exclaimed: "Xinbi? ”

Xinbi, the word George, Yingchuan Yang Zhai people. It first built Wuzhong and moved east from Longxi. Bi followed his brother to follow Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shang attacked his brother Tan in the plains, and Tan envoy made Cao Cao sue for peace.

Seeing Cao Cao's condolences, Cao Cao was happy. Xin Bi assisted the three generations of the Cao family, and even Cao Cao appreciated the rhetoric of Hebei, and he died as the Marquis.

Zhao Xu thought to himself: This Xinbi talent is not ordinary, so I have to take him down.

Zhao Yun was puzzled: "What did Yuan Tan send someone to do, we didn't attack him, he came to provoke us." ”

Zhao Xu said with a smile: "Brother is wrong, I think it is the brothers of the Yuan family who are fighting, and Yuan Tan is here to surrender." Seeing Zhao Yun's expression, Zhao Xu was puzzled, so he said, "Go!" We went to see him and knew what we were coming for. ”

When he arrived at the county government, Xin Bi saw Zhao Xu coming, and hurriedly saluted, Zhao Xu said: "No courtesy." When asked about his intentions, Xin Bi told Yuan Tan what he meant to ask for help and presented a letter.

Zhao Xu finished reading the book and said, "Ben Shuai knows, you go to rest first, and I will reply to you tomorrow." ”

Xin Bi said: "Thank you, General Zhao." Zhao Xu immediately ordered someone to take Xin Bi there, and then gathered civil and military plans.

Guan Yu said: "Yuan Shao is long and young, I think Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang are competing for the position, Yuan Tan is not the enemy, and he has to come and surrender, and he can't be trusted." ”

Gongsun Zan also said: "The general has captured most of Youzhou, it is better to break it in one fell swoop, why help Yuan Tan?" ”

Zhao Xu said: "The words of the three are reasonable. , there is something in the world, but if I don't help Yuan Tan, when Yuan Tan is destroyed, Yuan Shang will lead the northern part of Youzhou, if he unites with the northern Wuhuan, it will be more difficult to break it, if he attacks now, the two Yuan family will definitely unite and defend the business together, and the victory or defeat is unknown. Why don't you take advantage of his brothers to attack each other, and vote for me when he is poor, I will raise troops to get rid of Yuan Shang first, and then watch his changes, and destroy Yuan Tan, Youzhou can be determined. This is an opportunity not to be missed. ”

Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, Gongsun Zan and others suddenly realized, and they all said: "Boxiong (big brother) Tianji, I might as well wait." ”

Zhao Xu invited Xin Bi to drink on the same day, and when he was half-drunk, Zhao Xu asked: "Yuan Tan's surrender, is it true or false?" Yuan Shang really won against Yuan Tan? ”

Xin Bi had already had the intention of surrendering, so he said: "The general will not ask whether it is true or false, and only discuss its potential. Yuan Shao was defeated, the military revolution was exhausted outside, and the ministers were punished internally; The brothers are at odds and are divided into two; Coupled with the famine and famine, the previous snow disaster, the Yuan people's hearts have been lost, and the incompetent Yuan brothers will soon fall apart, and this is the time when the Yuan family will be destroyed. Now the general has occupied half of Jizhou and Youzhou, but he can raise troops to attack Jicheng first, if Yuan Shang does not save it, he will lose his nest; If he is still saved, Yuan Tan will attack him later, and the snipe and clam will fight. Then with the power of the general, hit the rabble, like the autumn wind sweeping away the leaves. What's more, the trouble of the world is greater than the north, and if the north is pacified, then Liu will make the monarch hegemonic. May the general consider. ”

Zhao Xu was overjoyed when he heard this: "I only hate to meet Xin George too late, Xin George is willing to help my lord Liu Bei?" ”

Xin Bi said: "Liu Xuande is a benevolent and loving guest, he has seen the snow disaster before, and he is willing to surrender, hoping that the general will recommend him." ”

Zhao Xu was overjoyed and said: "George can be like this, and a certain person must be recommended." The two of them were overjoyed, Zhao Xu immediately set up a banquet to entertain Xin Bi, first let Xin Bi go back to restore his life, immediately ordered Qi military horses, and ordered craftsmen to step up the manufacture of catapults, scheduled to attack Yuan Shang three days later.