The defeat of Guandu was a major blow that Yuan Shao had never had in his life, even worse than his defeat by Guo Jia in Guanzhong, and the defeat in Guanzhong, Yuan Shao could find many reasons to comfort himself, including Cao Ying's cold arrow in the back, the geographical location of Guanzhong, and the gap in strength was not too big in the decisive battle.

But in the battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao almost completely defeated Cao Ying's hands in all aspects, strategy, art of war, human strategy, and even Xu You, a person who Yuan Shao had known since childhood, betrayed!

The apostasy in front of the open jaw and the high view of the battle, Yan Liangwo died in the battle formation, and his advisers admonished him against his southward and finally said so much.

The mental blow was extremely heavy, and Yuan Shao fled back to Hebei and fell ill for 20 months, vomiting blood and dying.

"Yuan Benchu has the power of the gate valve that was run by his ancestors for four generations."

Guo Jia's expression was as usual, and after Yuan Shao was defeated, he was doomed to today's end.

This kind of news has a great impact on Xu Shu and others, and the fall of a prince who has attracted the attention of the world cannot be viewed calmly after all.

After Yuan Shao's death, the camp under his command was divided into two factions, the faction of Feng Ji and the trial faction supported Yuan Shang, and the faction of Guo Tu and Xin Ping supported Yuan Tan. Yuan Shang inherited Yuan Shao's official position, the general, the pastor of Jizhou, and the governor of Ji Qingyou and the military of the four states. Yuan Tan was not to be outdone, and also proclaimed himself a general of the chariot cavalry. ”

In the past, the three sons of the Yuan family were fighting, but after Yuan Shao returned to heaven, only two sons would be supported by his ministers.

The eldest son, Yuan Tan, is the eldest brother, and it is normal for someone to support him.

The youngest son, Yuan Shang, is Yuan Shao's favorite son, and he is more likely to uphold Yuan Shao's legacy if he has support.

Yuan Xi, who was sandwiched in the middle, was the least valued one, he wanted to pull up the banner, he had neither a name nor a heart, so he naturally lost in the battle for the son.

None of his subordinates suggested that Guo Jia go to Hebei or the Central Plains at this time.

After Cao Ying reorganized the army, he must have guarded against Guo Jia, Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang, who had just ascended to the throne, formed an offensive and defensive alliance at this time, Yuan Tan led the army to Liyang to guard against Cao Ying, and Yuan Shang stayed in Yecheng, at this time, the two brothers were very sensitive, who would fight them, who would rob their territory, they would fight to the end with whom.

The best time to send troops is to ease this tense moment in the early stage, and after the two brothers think that there is no external threat, they will start a civil war, at that time, it is the best time to be taken advantage of, and Guo Jia and Cao Ying, Cao Ying is obviously more advantageous than Guo Jia.

After the Battle of Guandu, Guo Jia was mentally prepared to face the situation of Cao Ying's unification of the north of the Yangtze River in Kwantung.

And Guo Jia can't be idle, he wants to subdue the northwest and unify Kansai, and then recuperate and work hard, and after the new generation of troops is trained and formed, he will compete with Cao Ying.

This year was not a quiet year for the northwest, first there was a major drought, and then a locust plague, and the impact of Guanzhong was relatively light, but it will inevitably have a lot of impact than the harvest of previous years.

At this time, Zhang took the trouble to explain the important surname of building water conservancy in Guo Jia's ear, and it seemed that even the heavens were using Tianwei to support his previous proposal.

It's not that Guo Jia doesn't understand the important surname here, but he can't use all the budget under his rule to invest in Guanzhong, and other places have to be comprehensive, how can it be so easy?

Guo Jia planned to mobilize some grain and grass from Hanzhong to Guanzhong in case natural disasters affect the harvest in the coming year.

Fa Zheng stepped into the hall and arched his hand towards Guo Jia and said: "Lord, Ma Chao sent Pang De to come, and news came at the same time as Meng Da in Fufeng, it seems that Han Sui also sent his subordinate Liang Xing to come, Pang De has entered Chang'an, Liang Xing has just passed Fufeng, and it is expected to arrive in Chang'an in a day." ”

With his hands on the low table, Guo Jia asked, "Xiaozhi, you said that both of them sent people to Chang'an, what is the purpose?" ”

Fa Zheng blurted out: "Borrow grain." ”

The drought and locust plague in the northwest are much more serious than in Guanzhong, although the autumn harvest is coming, but the harvest in the northwest is definitely not optimistic, Han Sui and Ma Chao sent people to Chang'an at this time, Fa Zheng didn't have to think about it to know the answer.

"Well, then when Pang De comes, you call Zhang Ji to me by the way, he is in charge of the grain in the Guanzhong Treasury, and he should know these accounts best."

After Guo Jia finished speaking, he continued to bow his head and devote himself to official business.

After a while, Pang De came to meet Guo Jia.

It has been nearly two years since the last separation, Pound is in the prime of life, and he looks a lot calmer and more mature than before.

"Envoy, there is something to ask for in the future, this year's harvest of my lord's territory is expected to be less than 30% of previous years, with this harvest alone, many people under the rule are afraid of starving to death, please envoy to help and borrow food from my lord to tide over this difficulty."

Pound bowed down, extremely sincere, not only for Ma Chao, but also for the people who were in danger of starving to death.

He has always been a person who can't say beautiful things about the scene, and he has been straightforward and straight to the point in the face of Guo Jia several times, Guo Jia likes this kind of dialogue very much, take a step back, in fact, Pound has no confidence to bargain with Guo Jia verbally, after all, he is asking for help on behalf of Ma Chao.

"Ling Ming, can I think about this matter for a while?"

Guo Jia didn't say yes, but his attitude was still as gentle as ever.

Perhaps it was the impression of Guo Jialei's resoluteness in the past that penetrated into Pang De's heart, and when he heard Guo Jia's words this time, his first feeling was that Guo Jia politely refused.

"Envoy, the 200,000 people under my rule are in danger of life and death......"

Pang De's expression changed greatly, the reasonable Guo Jia in his heart would not shirk him in an official tone, but at this time, he had no room to think about it deeply.

Guo Jia smiled lightly and pressed his hand at him, telling him to calm down.

"Ling Ming, I know everything you said, but you should let me calculate my family first, right? This year's harvest in Guanzhong is also much lower than in previous years, if I can't protect myself, how can I be generous? ”

When Pang De heard this, he breathed a sigh of relief, Guo Jia was right to do this.

Guo Jia is not a person who will slap a swollen face and become fat, even if he wants to lend food to Ma Chao, he must do what he can, and will not deliberately show his strength and capital because of his status and identity today.

Not long after Pound arrived, Zhang Ji walked in.

"De Rong, you came just in time, let me introduce you, this is Pang De Pang Lingming, a fierce general under Xiliang Jinma Chao, Ling Ming, this one is Zhang Ji Zhang Derong, and he is a good housekeeper in my Guanzhong."

Guo Jia smiled and introduced the two to each other, and then asked Zhang Ji: "De Rong, Ling Ming's visit this time is to borrow grain for Ma Mengqi's territory to survive the famine after the autumn, I want to ask how much grain is still stored in Guanzhong?" How much can be squeezed out to support Meng Qi? ”

Pound looked sideways at Zhang Ji, full of anticipation, hoping that Zhang Ji could say a word that would reassure him.

It's a pity that Zhang Ji shook his head slightly with a heavy face, and said in a deep voice: "Don't hide it from the lord, if Guanzhong is not supported by the grain and grass that the lord brought in for the east of the country two years ago, I am afraid that Guanzhong will also fall into a famine after the autumn. ”

"Humph! De Jong, there are really businessmen who dare to make huge profits at this time, you keep all eyes on me, I don't mind killing the rich and helping the poor. ”

Guo Jia's face was a little gloomy, the forest is big, there are all kinds of birds, there must be restless people in the Yizhou Chamber of Commerce, and there are people who want to get rich overnight, but the people who really don't know the current affairs are definitely the marginal families in the Chamber of Commerce, like the Zhang family of Shu County, the Zhen family, the family that really dominates the Chamber of Commerce, has long seen the way of the world clearly, who to do it against, and don't work against the ruler who dominates the power of life and death.

Pang De looked anxious on the side, he couldn't care what the wealthy and powerful under Guo Jia wanted to do, and he didn't have the heart to explore, he only cared about whether Guo Jia could pull Ma Chao at this critical juncture.

"Envoy, can you really just stand by and watch?"

Pang De actually had a malicious idea in his heart, thinking that Guo Jia might be acting with Zhang, and he refused to borrow food in such a helpless way, so as not to cause a rift in the relationship between the two families because of this incident.

Guo Jia's anger quickly disappeared from his face, and he raised a smile at Pang De again, and said: "Ling Ming rest assured, there is no surplus grain to lend you in Guanzhong, and I will mobilize grain and grass from Hanzhong to give it to you, but this may have to delay for a while." ”

Pang De was stunned, looked at Guo Jia in a daze, and suddenly felt a sense of shame in his heart.

Once again, I spent the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain!

After getting Guo Jia's personal guarantee, Pang De first retired to live at the post station in the city, and after Guo Jia dispatched the grain and grass, he would send someone to escort the grain and grass back to Xiliang with him.

After Pang De left, Guo Jia tilted his head and looked at Zhang Ji with a somewhat surprised expression.

"De Jong, who taught you that?"

There is grain in the pass, and even if there are merchants in the city to raise the price of grain, it must be a trivial matter, if it is really not a big impact, Guo Jia will not know.

Zhang Ji was also stunned, but asked Guo Jia: "Didn't the lord ask Lord Fa to tell me what I said?" ”

Hehehe

Guo Jia chuckled and said, "Don't be spoiled by him." ”

Before the evening, Guo Jia went to the Chang'an military camp for a turn, because it was Guo Ye's turn to rest in the camp headquarters these two days, Guo Jia also took him home by the way.

On the way home, Guo Ye, who was wearing a pawn uniform, followed Guo Jia, and suddenly, he raised his head and looked at Guo Jia suspiciously, because Guo Jia was looking at him.

"Ye'er, the northwest is about to face a famine, Ma Chao and Han Sui both sent people to borrow grain, do you say to borrow it for your father or not?"

Guo Ye pondered for a while and replied, "It's okay to borrow it or not." ”

Guo Jia pressed one hand on his shoulder, and continued to walk forward with a little smile on his face.

"Oh? For the Father's sake, I wish to hear about it. ”

Guo Ye clarified his thoughts and opened his mouth and said: "Borrowing grain is a grace, but you can get married to two families and be safe with each other." If you don't borrow it, you can sit back and wait for the two families to run out of food and gradually die out. ”

The upturned arc of the corners of his mouth became larger and larger, and Guo Jia did not take Guo Ye's words and continued to speak.

For him, the opportunity to attack the northwest has actually appeared, as long as he does not lend food to Ma Chao and Han Sui at this time, then it is only a matter of time before the two heroes in the northwest are destroyed, even if the two families come together to loot Guanzhong, Guo Jia can also force them to a dead end as long as they hold them back.

However, Guo Jia still decided to lend grain to Ma Chao and Han Sui.

(To be continued)