Yi County, Yuan Shao hugged his youngest son Yuan Shang, with a relaxed expression and a smile in his eyebrows. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 info Yuan Shang looked focused, picking his bright red lips with one hand, holding the white jade chess pieces with the other, and staring at the chessboard with two big lacquer-like eyes, without blinking. Guo Tu on the opposite side looked a little nervous, he looked at the chessboard for a while, and looked at Yuan Shang for a while, eager to press Yuan Shang's hand on the chessboard.

Playing chess with Yuan Shang is not simpler than playing chess with Yuan Shao. Guo Tu knew Yuan Shang's status in Yuan Shao's mind too well, of course he refused to win Yuan Shang, but he couldn't lose too easily, in that case, not only Yuan Shang would be unhappy, but even Yuan Shao would think that he was not upright enough.

Alas, is it so easy to be a man of integrity? Guo Tu sighed secretly.

After thinking for a long time, Yuan Shang seemed to finally have an idea, pointed to a point on the chessboard, raised his face and asked Yuan Shao, "Daddy, is this place good?" ”

Yuan Shaojian raised his eyebrows: "This daddy can't tell you, you have to make your own decisions." He pinched Yuan Shang's little face: "Ah Shang is a big child, you have to be like a man, you have your own ideas, and you can't just listen to others." ”

Guo Tu was overjoyed, it was a flaw he deliberately left for Yuan Shang, which was very hidden, but as long as Yuan Shang fell into this place, he could feign defeat and lose the battle if he took a long test. What he is most worried about now is that Yuan Shang will not fall in this place, then he will have to work hard again to be defeated.

"Oh." Yuan Shang didn't understand, hesitated for a moment, "snapped", landed the chess pieces on the chessboard, and then looked at Guo Tu a little nervously. Guo Tu frowned. Another lip smacking, another shaking of the head, and a long time later. Only then did he throw the chess pieces in his hand back into the chess box, and said with some frustration: "Lord, although the young master is young. The chess skills are Jing Zhan, and the minister loses again. ”

Yuan Shang breathed a sigh of relief, clapped his palms and jumped up, turned around and hugged Yuan Shao's neck, jumping and jumping. "Daddy, I won, I won." Yuan Shao laughed and patted Yuan Shang's little buttocks. "Okay, let's go out and have fun, Daddy and Mr. Gongze will talk about something."

Yuan Shang cheered and went out with joy. Yuan Shao said with a smile while picking up the chess pieces from the chessboard: "Gongze, haven't you been too tired lately, Jing Shen is not enough." Can't even win a child? ”

Guo Tu took advantage of the situation and said: "Lord Mingjian, I am indeed a little tired these days. However, seeing that the situation in Luoyang was developing in a direction favorable to the lord, the minister felt refreshed and did not feel tired at all. ”

One mentioned the situation in Luoyang. Yuan Shao was in a good mood. Since the news of Liu Yuanqi's accidental fall off the cliff reached Yi County, Yuan Shao felt that the opportunity had come, and strengthened the collection of Luoyang intelligence, and a large number of scouts from Jing Gan pretended to be various people to infiltrate Luoyang and Jiangling to collect all kinds of news about Liu Xiu and the Son of Heaven, and for a time all kinds of information came like cháo water. Some of these news are true and some are false, good and bad, and they need to be identified by Guo Tu, the intelligence leader, and also analyzed by him, the main general. After all, these news are all inquired about by people, as long as it is a person, it may be wrong, not to mention that Liu Xiu has very clear intelligence officers around him, and it is not easy to get first-hand information if you want to get close to him.

Still, their efforts paid off handsomely. As time passed, the relationship between Liu Xiu and Xiao Tianzi became more and more tense, first Liu Xiu supported the assassination of the states against Situ Fu, and refused to pay more food, which directly led to Xiao Tianzi's plan to personally conquer Jizhou. Then Liu Xiu took the opportunity of raising food and salaries to ask the Son of Heaven for the right to appoint generals to Jizhou, which further intensified the contradiction. They could no longer hide their anger, and only the last fig leaf remained.

With the violent death of the Empress Dowager of Song, the Son of Heaven issued an edict that the princes and kings would mourn the Jingshi, which opened the prelude to their direct confrontation, and at the same time transferred Cao Cāo's men and horses to Gyeonggi, and his intention was already clear. Liu Xiu was-for-tat, he himself was delaying time on the road and was unwilling to enter Luoyang, but the army of Heliang took the opportunity to assemble in Beijing, and his sinister intentions were also self-evident.

Regardless of who wins or loses, it is a good thing for Yuan Shao. There were many civil wars in the imperial court, and Jizhou could get a precious respite, maybe it could also reap some benefits from it, and even reverse the decline and revive the prestige of the Yuan family.

Hope is like a weed, blown by the wind, and grows vigorously.

"It seems that our judgment was a little hasty at the beginning." Yuan Shao said as he re-landed the chess pieces, and the chess pieces fell on the chessboard, like Yuan Shang's children's voice, which made people never get tired of listening to it. "They shouldn't be father and son, otherwise, this is a conspiracy." Yuan Shao couldn't help laughing: "But if it's yin, then who are they trying to plot, is it me?" ”

Guo Tu shook his head and said with a smile: "If it is really a conspiracy against us, it may not be a bit tricky. With their strength, there is no need to make so many tricks and feet, just send troops to attack Jizhou, so why bother to mobilize the people. ”

Yuan Shao snorted: "Even so, I have to guard against it." Liu Xiu's person is very dangerous, and it is difficult to guarantee that he will not use Jizhou to increase his military exploits after usurping the throne, so as to win the hearts of the people. ”

Guo Tu didn't think so, he believed that Yuan Shao said this, just to show that he was not careless. As they discussed, if it is really a yin scheme, this yin plot is inevitably a bit of a trick. If it weren't for Yin Mou, Liu Xiu and Xiao Tianzi would face off near Luoyang, no matter who won the victory in the end, they would have to face opponents with good strength, and it would be impossible for them to deal with Jizhou in a short period of time. But since Yuan Shao said so, of course he also had to make a joke.

"The lord is wise, the art of war is cloudy, first is invincible, and the enemy can be defeated, whether they are plotting or not, we must always be prepared." Guo Tu followed Yuan Shao and said, "Lord, do you want to contact Cao Cāo." Liu Xiu's strength is strong, he may not be an opponent, helping him is also helping ourselves. ”

Yuan Shao was in a good mood and fell very quickly. "You are responsible for this matter, we are still hostile at the moment, and we cannot be talked about. But find someone who is not easy to arouse the suspicion of others to probe his tone. He smiled suddenly, "If he wants, I can help him." Don't forget, the eldest son of the emperor is still in our hands, if Liu Xiu kills the son of heaven, he will be the only bloodline of Emperor Xiaoling. ”

The more Yuan Shao thought about it, the happier he became, raised his eyelids, and looked at Guo Tu with appreciation: "At the beginning, you advocated hiding the emperor's eldest son in Yecheng, and I still had some disapproval, but now it seems that this is a very useful chess move." Justice, you are far-reaching, and you can be of great use. ”

Guo Tu hurriedly said modestly: "That's all the foresight of the lord, I'm just doing my part." ”

"Hehe, I can't imagine that it is an idle move, but now it has become a killer move." He waved his hand, "Send someone to see Cao Apu, don't be too clear, and make a foreshadowing first." The man was as clear as a dog, and as soon as he smelled it, he would chase after him. Speaking of this, Yuan Shao couldn't help laughing, feeling that his description of Cao Cāo was very appropriate, as if Cao Cāo was like a dog shaking its head and tail and was walking towards him.

Seeing Yuan Shao laughing, Guo Tu also laughed twice. Yuan Shao said as he fell: "Although we can't make any big moves for the time being, so as not to arouse their suspicion, we can't watch it in vain. You have to pay attention to the movements of Liu Xiu's subordinates, especially the movements of Bingzhou. I always feel that something is wrong with Zhao Yun rushing to Luoyang at this time, even if he wants to fight with the Son of Heaven, the Bingzhou army should not be out of the defense area, isn't he afraid that I will take the opportunity to attack the state? ”

Guo Tu pondered for a moment: "Don't worry, my lord, I will keep an eye on them." ”

"Well, as soon as Liu Yuanqi dies, the Chu Wangfu withdraws from Luoyang, and the drama Zhicai you arranged in Luoyang will be useless. He doesn't seem to have heard any information back in a while, right? ”

"What the lord said is very true. The main person contacted by Xi Zhicai was Liu Yuanqi, and Liu Xiu may not even know about his existence. Guo Tu said while falling: "Liu Xiu is too careful, I am worried that getting too close will arouse his suspicion, so I have been taking care of Xi Zhi to stay away from him." Now it seems that this was a bit of a mistake. ”

"It's not your responsibility either." Yuan Shao comforted: "Who would have thought that kid would have such a means to kill such a person as Liu Yuanqi." This kid is ruthless enough to bet, and if he can win this time, he will be a formidable opponent in the future. Alas, the Han family has not had such a son of heaven for a long time. ”

"No matter how powerful it is, what's the use, it's not some yin tricks. Although he and Liu Xiu are not father and son, their methods are somewhat similar. Guo Tu said casually: "Those who are close to Zhu are red, and those who are close to ink are black." It seems that Emperor Xiaoling fostered him by Liu Xiu's side, which was still useful, unlike the emperor's eldest son, who was fostered in Shi Zizhu's home, and raised an idiot. ”

Yuan Shao couldn't help but laugh, and said half-jokingly: "Gongzhi, what do you think of my Shang'er?" Why don't I foster him in your house too? ”

Guo Ze was stunned for a moment, his heart was ecstatic, and he was about to agree, but when he saw Yuan Shao's smiling face, he quickly shook his head and said, "Lord, if you say that, you will kill me." My children, which one can compare to the slightest bit of the lord, the young master wants to become a talent, I don't think about it as a second person except for the lord's own fire. ”

Yuan Shao laughed. Guo Tu secretly wiped a cold sweat and laughed along. How can he be smarter than Yuan Shao, even if he is really smarter than him, he can't show it on his face, just now he was almost quick to talk, and he fell into trouble.

Guo Tu was a little flustered for a while, in order to prevent Yuan Shao from continuing to think about this issue, he thought for a while, and then asked, "Lord, do you think we should contact Liu Xiu as well?" ”

"Contact Liu Xiu? Why contact him? ”

Guo Tu said seriously: "Lord, you still don't know about Liu Xiu, he is the kind of person who thinks twice before acting as the master said, he looks ahead and thinks about everything he does, and he is unwilling to do it without full certainty." Now that he wants to fight the Son of Heaven, what is he most worried about? ”

"What is it?" Yuan Shao already understood, but pretended to be puzzled.

"In the whole world, the only one who can make him jealous is, of course, the lord." Guo Tumian said without changing his face: "The lord is on the side, Liu Xiu will definitely not dare to let go of his hands and feet, maybe he will be afraid of things again." If the lord is willing to join hands with him, even if it is only a temporary delay, I think he will not be able to ask for it. ”

Yuan Shao's eyes flashed, he was silent, and after a while, he nodded and said, "That's okay, let's help him once, let him rest assured, and take bigger steps." ”