Cao Shuo led his army into the North Sea.

After the army was stationed, there was no further movement.

Fleeing into the plains, Yuan Tan prepared his troops and horses, preparing to deal with the approaching Cao Shuo army.

In the battle of Cangting, the vitality of the Yuan family was greatly damaged, and even the soldiers under Yuan Tan suffered huge losses.

Sending people around to collect the Yuan army that escaped in the Battle of Luocangting, several days passed, but it also allowed Yuan Tan to prepare an army of more than 10,000 people.

The antechamber of the plain government.

Yuan Tan sat at the top, and Xin Ping and Xin Bi sat beside him.

On the opposite side of Yuan Tan, Guo Tu stood with a bow.

"Why is Guo Gong here?" Staring at Guo Tu, Yuan Tan asked, "Is everything okay in Yecheng?" ”

"Back to the eldest son." Guo Tu said: "Yuan Gong was captured by Cao Zirong, and two days after the second prince returned to Yecheng, he returned to Youzhou with his headquarters and horses......

"I'm not asking about Xianyi." Yuan Tan interrupted him: "I just wanted to ask how Xianfu is now?" ”

"The third prince returned to Yecheng and arrested some people...... Guo Tu lowered his head and said: "They were all once close to the eldest son, if I hadn't escaped quickly, I would have been arrested by the third prince." ”

"What are those people going to do?" Yuan Tan's brows furrowed slightly.

"I don't know." Guo Tu said: "I found that the wind was not in the right direction, so I left Yecheng. ”

slapped on the table, Yuan Tan said with a blue face: "My father was taken by Cao Zirong, Xianfu didn't think about how to save my father from him, but wantonly arrested his own people, what is the reason?" ”

"The eldest son still has to be careful." Guo Tu said: "The third prince may have some actions. ”

"Action?" Yuan Tan asked, "What can he do?" ”

"Yuan Gong fell into the hands of Cao Zirong, and now Yecheng is the third prince, does the eldest prince think that he will not do something secretly?" Guo Tu said: "According to the order of the eldest and youngest, Yuan Gong is not here, and all affairs in Hebei should be presided over by the eldest son." ”

"I'll go to Yecheng." Frowning, Yuan Tan suddenly burst out.

Xin Bi hurriedly got up and said, "Childe must not go to Yecheng. ”

"Why?" Yuan Tan asked, "Is it difficult to watch Xianfu mess around like this?" ”

"The third prince is doing this in Yecheng, can't the prince see what he wants?" Xin Bi said: "He just wants to take advantage of Yuan Gong's absence to hold Hebei in his hands." Now Yecheng is full of people from the third son, and when the son goes back, he will bring more soldiers and horses, and the two sides will definitely fight. If there are fewer soldiers and horses, they will definitely be killed by the third son. ”

Looking at Xin Bi, Yuan Tan's face was even worse than before.

He thought about it for a long time and didn't speak.

Xin Ping also said on the side: "Childe, in my opinion, you should not be an enemy of Cao Zirong at this time, let alone return to Yecheng. ”

"What do you mean......" Yuan Tan asked Xin Ping.

"Yuan Gong was captured by Cao Zirong, as long as Gongzi sent someone to inform Cao Zirong and ask him to promise to go and see Yuan Gong." Xin Ping said: "If Gongzi can persuade Cao Zirong not to use troops in Qingzhou, he still has the strength to compete with the third son." If Cao Zirong continues to move forward, it won't be long before Qingzhou falls into his hands. Even the foundation is gone, what does the son use to compete with the third prince for Hebei? ”

"You mean to make me surrender to Cao Zirong?" Yuan Tan asked.

"It's not to surrender to Cao Zirong, it's to surrender to Cao Cao." Xin Ping said: "Of course, surrender is fake, the key is that the son needs a respite. Now there are not many available soldiers under the command of the prince, there are Cao family father and son in the south, and there are three sons in the north, and the situation is very embarrassing. ”

Xin Ping's analysis is exactly what Yuan Tan is worried about.

can make him surrender to the Cao family, but he really refuses to do that in his heart.

Hebei originally belonged to the Yuan family, and once he surrendered to the Cao family, it was undoubtedly that he had recognized that Hebei belonged to Cao Cao.

After thinking for a moment, Yuan Tan said: "You still have to think about surrendering to the Cao family, and you can do it first by sending someone to see Cao Zirong." ”

Looking at Guo Tu, Yuan Tan said: "Guo Gong, you and Cao Zirong were kind to each other at the beginning, let you go to Beihai, dare or don't you dare?" ”

"For the sake of the Yuan family, what don't you dare." Guo Tu used to be good at shooting horses, which was also refreshing, and he agreed.

"My father was captured by Cao Zirong, and I always felt unstable in my heart." Yuan Tan said: "If I can see my father, I also ask Guo Gong to ask him what to do in Hebei." If you don't see him, at least you have to know how safe he is now. ”

"Don't worry, eldest son." Guo Tuying said to Yuan Tan: "This matter is not too late, I will leave for Beihai." ”

Guo Tu retreated, and Yuan Tan asked Xin Ping and Xin Bi: "According to you, Guo Tu goes to Beihai, will Cao Zirong agree to let him go to see his father." ”

"I think it will." Xin Bi said: "Cao Zirong is more like Cao Cao in many ways, and he is more treacherous than Cao Cao. Since the battle of Wancheng back then, he has been able to gather so many talented people around him, which is nothing more than knowing how to buy people's hearts. To buy people's hearts and to make a generous appearance, Miss married Cao Zirong, and it is said that she gave birth to a son for him a few days ago. With Cao Zirong's temperament, he shouldn't treat Yuan Gong like this. ”

Yuan Tan nodded and didn't ask any more.

Cao Shuo went to Hebei twice, but he didn't have much contact.

On the contrary, Yuan Shang and others had more contact with him.

He knows far less about Cao Shuo than Yuan Shang and the people he has come into contact with.

"Although Guo Tu went to Beihai, Cao Zirong may still wave his troops at any time." Yuan Tan said: "We can't relax our vigilance these days, and we also ask the two of you to prepare our soldiers and horses more carefully to deal with possible battles at any time." ”

Xin Ping and Xin Bi stood up and responded with their fists clenched.

After the two left, Yuan Tan's face became even more ugly.

In the first battle of Cangting, there were nearly 20,000 people under his command, and Yuan Shao brought 70,000 people.

Even then, in the face of Cao Shuo's army, Yuan's army still had no strength to fight.

There were only more than 10,000 people in Pingyuan City, and in the face of the Cao army, which was far outnumbered by them, Yuan Tan had no chance of winning at all.

Perhaps the only way to survive is to surrender to the Cao family, send Hebei out, and survive under the protection of the Cao family......

Thinking of this, Yuan Tan slowly closed his eyes.

After a long time, he sighed leisurely.

Yuan Tan sent Guo Tu to Beihai, and Xu Shu escorted the grain and grass into Beihai City.

As soon as he entered the city, Cai Ji ran over to him.

"Xu Gong." Cai Ji bowed.

He is the person next to Cao Shuo, and of course Xu Shu will not hold it up.

After returning the salute to Cai Ji, Xu Shu asked, "Why is Captain Cai here?" ”

"Childe specially asked me to wait for Gong Xu here." Cai Ji said: "Please also ask Xu Gong to move and go with me to see Gongzi." ”

"Captain Lao Cai leads the way." Xu Shu arched his hand.

(End of chapter)