After the peaceful liberation of Liyang, with the two small cities of Fuling and Quanjiao near Liyang sent to the table at the same time, the whole county of Jiujiang County in Yangzhou divided during the Eastern Han Dynasty, and it is also the most elite grain production area and population settlement in the entire Huainan, finally all fell into the clutches of Deputy Director Tao, and the forces of Xiao Yuan Sangong in Huainan were all expelled to the territory of Lujiang County, and the counties of Anfeng, Anfeng and Yangquan in the north of Lujiang were also successively broken or occupied by the Xuzhou division led by Zang Ba, Song Xian, Qin Yi and Xie Yan. He also compressed the sphere of influence of the little Yuan Sangong to the south of the Lujiang River, and hoped that the Great Yuan Sangong would come forward to mediate the war and force the Xuzhou army to return the captured Huainan land and cities.

When Xiao Yuan Sangong was still dreaming about this, Deputy Director Tao, who had moved to Liyang City, finally received good news from Da Yuan Sangong's side - in view of Cao Laoda's use. In order to rob Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, the Third Duke of Yuan urgently needed the support of the Xuzhou army to coerce Boss Cao to hand over Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, so he was very smart and wise to refuse the request of the Huainan envoy Shu Shao to plead with him to come forward to coerce the Xuzhou army to return the land and city of Huainan, and decided to continue to maintain neutrality in the Huainan war, and not to support or deter any of them by force!

Da Yuan Sangong is not stupid, knowing that at this time, forcing Deputy Director Tao to return the land and city of Huainan to Xiao Yuan Sangong will not only lose Xuzhou's support in the relocation of the capital of the Son of Heaven, but also force Deputy Director Tao to Boss Cao's side - with Deputy Director Tao and Boss Cao's same cheeky and black-hearted bad surnames, they will definitely abandon their previous suspicions and hook up together in embarrassment!

Of course, it's not entirely good news, although the Great Yuan Sangong refused to force the Xuzhou army to return the land and city of Huainan, but since the half-brother lowered his head and begged bitterly, the Great Yuan Sangong could not say nothing at all, and if the Xuzhou army was too strong, it would definitely not be in line with the strategic interests of the Great Yuan Sangong, so the Great Yuan Sangong listened to the advice of the strategists Guo Tu and Xun Chen, and decided to send an envoy to the south on his behalf to persuade and promote the Tao and Yuan families to start armistice negotiations. Let the Tao and Yuan families end the Huainan war by means of negotiation.

The purpose of the Great Yuan Sangong's decision to promote the armistice negotiations between Xuzhou and Huainan was threefold, one was to expand his prestige and influence, and the second was to reap practical benefits from it-that is, the legendary jade seal, and the third was to properly care for his good half-brother and appropriately limit the expansion of the strength of the unworthy son-in-law, so as not to make the unworthy son-in-law difficult to control in the future.

Everyone has their own interests and plans, after Yuan Sangong finalized this resolution, Yuan Sangong's two good sons Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang also immediately saw the opportunity to make profits, so Yuan Tan immediately recommended his confidant Xin Ping to serve as this mediation envoy, Yuan Shang did not hesitate to push his cronies Feng Ji in front of Yuan Sangong, and once volunteered to be the mediator himself. But fortunately, Da Yuan Sangong finally made a more wise decision this time, and decided to send Xu You, who has the most neutral position under his command, to the south to serve as this mediation envoy, and did not choose the hardcore anti-Tao faction or the hardcore pro-Tao faction under his command - this is also the point that Deputy Director Tao is most dissatisfied with the old man, if the mediator sent by Da Yuan Sangong is a member of Yuan Shang's party, then Deputy Director Tao will definitely be able to knock Xiao Yuan Sangong's bamboo pole at the negotiation table so that even his pants have to be sent to the pawnshop!

At the same time that Deputy Director Tao received this important news, Chen Deng sent an urgent report from the rear, saying that Xu You had arrived in Pengcheng through Yanzhou, and it would not take a few days to arrive at the Huainan front line to meet Tao Ying, so Tao Ying did not dare to slack off, and immediately convened a group of strategists to discuss countermeasures, discussing whether to accept the mediation of the eldest Yuan Sangong and start armistice negotiations with the younger Yuan Sangong, and what is the bottom limit of the terms of the armistice negotiations?

"My lord, Su believes that he should accept Yuan Benchu's mediation and start armistice negotiations with Yuan Shu." When it came time to decide on the strategic choice, the cool-headed Lu Su finally had a chance to show his strengths, and rushed to be the first to say: "There are two reasons for this: First, judging from the current situation, our army must also maintain a good relationship with Yuan Shaojun in order to deter Cao Ying and Gongsun Zan and ensure the safety of the northern front of Xuzhou, and cannot rudely refuse the armistice negotiations proposed by Yuan Shao; The second is that our army cannot completely eradicate Yuan Shu at present, and Liu Miao is sitting in Jiangdong in vain. Therefore, in Su's opinion, our army should accept Yuan Shao's mediation and negotiate a truce with Yuan Shu. ”

"That's what I mean, too." Tao Ying nodded, and said thoughtfully: "Although our army now has the ability and opportunity to completely wipe out Yuan Shu north of the Yangtze River, our army's current surface strength is too weak, and we are not ready to take the entire Jiangdong in one fell swoop. I just don't know what happens under the public opinion, but what is the better view? ”

After that, Tao Ying looked around at everyone present, waiting for everyone to express their opinions, and Jia Xu and Chen Ying nodded together, both agreeing with Tao Ying's decision, Yang Hong Yang Changshi, who defected from the side of Yuan Sangong from a young age, was unexpectedly a little dissenting, and said with a hesitant expression: "My lord, according to the opinion of my subordinates, the things taken from the negotiation field are not stable in the field, and if it is through negotiation to make Yuan Shu Pifu submit, let Yuan Shu Pifu voluntarily withdraw across the Yangtze River- The countless gold, silver and jewels that Yuan Shupifu brought to Shucheng from Shouchun were all lost, so according to his subordinates' opinion, it was better to continue to attack by force. ”

Tao Ying smiled ambiguously, and everyone in Xuzhou who was present also smiled ambiguously, Yang Changshi, who had recently made a lot of money in the aftermath of the war, rarely blushed, and quickly explained: "The lord, the military advisor, Mr. Wenhe, I don't say such things because I am responsible for the seizure and collection of the spoils of war, the key is that I know Yuan Shupifu too well, with his surname of dying to save face, I am afraid it is unlikely that he will accept the armistice negotiations, let alone promise to cede the two counties of Lujiang and Jiujiang during the negotiations, so I think that The lord should not pin all his hopes on the negotiation field, and it is better to be prepared to use force. ”

"Mr. Zhongming's words are very good, and the lord should be prepared with both hands." Liu Ye, who had just joined Tao Ying's lackey camp, also said cautiously: "Before, Yuan Shu begged Yuan Shao for mercy and begged Yuan Shao to mediate the Huainan War, and his biggest purpose was not to seek an armistice negotiation, but to hope that Yuan Shao would come forward to suppress our army and force our army to return all the captured Huainan land and cities. Now although Yuan Shao sent Xu Yu to make the southern transfer stop, he refused to come forward for Yuan Shu to force our army to return the land, just wanted the Huainan war to end in a negotiated truce, Yuan Shu was greatly disappointed, I am afraid it is not so easy to agree to negotiate a truce with our army. ”

Speaking of this, Liu Ye added, "And even if Yuan Shu Pifu is willing to sit down and negotiate, I am afraid that he will put forward all kinds of unreasonable conditions in the negotiation, and he will never just agree to hand over the two counties of Jiujiang and Lujiang, so the lord had better be prepared with both hands, it is best to get Lujiang by negotiation, if not, it must not be abandoned, and when it is necessary to end the war in Huainan by force, he will not be caught off guard and temporarily dispatch troops." ”

"Mr. Zhong Ming's words this time are indeed very reasonable, and Mr. Ziyang's analysis is also very reasonable, our army must not pin all its hopes on negotiations, and must be prepared with both hands." Tao Ying nodded, and after a little calculation, Tao Ying decided: "Let's do it, our army will continue to march to the Lujiang River as originally planned, while the troops are under the city of Shucheng, and at the same time, during the march and the use of troops, we will start armistice negotiations with Yuan Shupifu, and we will talk while fighting, and use both grace and power to force him Yuan Shupifu to submit, even if the negotiation fails, you can also use force to expel Yuan Shupifu across the river." ”

"Lord, while fighting and talking, can Xu You sent by Yuan Shao agree?" Lu Su reminded: "Before the Han Dynasty Taifu Ma said that the edict mediated the Panhe War between Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zhan, Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zhan's two armies first ceased the war and then negotiated, and after demarcating the territory, they each withdrew their troops, and the lord now wants to negotiate with Yuan Shu while fighting with him, I'm afraid Xu You won't agree, right?" And even if Xu Yu agrees, Yuan Shupifu will definitely not agree, and maybe he will use this as an excuse to refuse Yuan Shao's mediation, and put all the blame on our army, so that Yuan Shao feels that the lord is not respectful enough for his father-in-law. ”

"It's easy to do." Tao Ying's tone was understated, and he turned to Yang Hong next to him and ordered: "Mr. Zhongming, you will bring some people to Shouchun tomorrow, and go north to meet Xu Yu on my behalf, and be as respectful as possible to him, you can use the gold, silver and jewelry in Shouchun's inventory at will, and strive to buy him for me, let him speak for us on behalf of Yuan Shao in the negotiations, and let him accept the negotiation conditions on behalf of Yuan Shao that we will talk while fighting." ”

"Will this work? Can you use bribery to buy Yuan Shaojun's important minister Xu You? ”

Lu Su and Chen Ying and the others expressed deep suspicions together, and they were so worried about Tao Ying, but Deputy Director Tao and Yang Changshi replied in unison: "Absolutely no problem, I already know Xu You's temper, one loves money and the other loves face, the most greedy is it, it's easy to buy him!" ”

After saying in unison, Deputy Director Tao and Yang Changshi looked at each other in surprise, and then laughed happily together, one praised Mr. Zhongming as my confidant, and the other made a big fuss, praising the lord for his insight into people's hearts and being good at grasping the weaknesses of people's surnames, but Jia Xu, Lu Su, Chen Ying and others muttered together in their stomachs: "No wonder it smells so similar, it's really a raccoon dog!" ”

"One more thing." After a little calculation, Tao Ying told Yang Changshi again: "Mr. Zhongming, during the period of contact with Xu You, you have to try to let Xu You know that I want Yuan Shu's life very much, and I want to kill Yuan Shu's puppet on the battlefield north of the Yangtze River, and solve the problem of Xuzhou's southern front once and for all, understand?" ”

"Understood." Yang Changshi nodded vigorously, and said with a smile: "It's like selling vegetables on the vegetable market, if you don't ask for a higher price, how can you sell vegetables at a high price?" Rest assured, my lord, this matter is on your subordinates! ”

……………………

In response to the mediation of the Great Yuan Sangong finalized the countermeasures of fighting and talking, Yang Hong Changshi took a team to the north the next day to respectfully greet the envoy of the Great Yuan Sangong, Tao Ying did not delay here, and Liu Xuan hurriedly finalized the alliance to continue to join forces to kill the little Yuan Sangong, Tao Ying left an army to guard Liyang, and soon led the main force of Xuzhou to set off westward, and slaughtered the southern part of the Lujiang River where the little Yuan Sangong was entrenched, to end the Huainan War that had lasted for several months.

Because considering that it was necessary to use force to expel Xiao Yuan Sangong across the river, Tao Ying led the Xuzhou army to the west to conquer the Lujiang River this time, and did not take the shortcut road of Xiang'an and Linhu, but chose to give up the near and far, and led the main force to return to the division of Hefei first, and then take the official road south to the Lujiang River, and the troops were under the city of Shuxian. For Tao Ying's decision to waste time and military food, the generals in Xuzhou were puzzled, and they came to Tao Ying to ask for advice, Tao Ying replied very frankly: "Can't take the road of Xiang'an and Linhu, because the two cities of Linhu and Xiang'an are stuck on the road of Yuan Shupi Sheng Jingfu retreating to the mouth of the Yangtze River, if these two cities are taken, Yuan Shu Pifu has no way to retreat and will fight to the death with us, and Liu Xiang is cheap in vain, so we can only return to Hefei first, and then attack Shucheng from the front, forcing Yuan Shupifu to retreat across the Yangtze River." ”

Detour to Hefei and then go south to Lujiang, there is an unexpected gain for Deputy Director Tao, that is, Sun Shangxiang, who is already sick in Hefei City, is clamoring to go south with Tao Ying - the little girl was left in the Xuzhou army as a hostage by the black-hearted second brother, and just after a little bit of initial crampedness and restraint, she immediately revealed the essence of her future tigress, not only did she make a lot of trouble in the yard where she was under house arrest for three days, but she also ate more than anyone else, so that Deputy Director Tao couldn't help but ask distressedly, " When you volunteered to be a hostage, didn't you say you ate very little? Eat a pound of roasted venison plus eight yellow finches in one meal, which is also called eating less? ”

"Because I'm bored, I have to eat to relieve my boredom." Sun Shangxiang replied confidently, and pulled Tao Ying's sleeve and begged, "Tao Yuanjun, you can take me to Lujiang with me, I won't be bored when I go outside, and I won't eat much." Also, I will go to Lujiang with you, and on the way, I can also make tea and water for you, make beds and quilts to take care of you. ”

"It's okay to make the bed and fold the quilt, it's getting colder, and it's okay if you don't let me warm the bed and cover your feet." Of course, Deputy Director Tao would not fall for a little girl, and asked suspiciously: "You are pestering to go to Lujiang, do you want to escape?" ”

"I'm a seven-year-old girl, how can I run?" Sun Shangxiang cried out for injustice, and wiped the corners of her eyes and said very aggrievedly: "I also want my mother and brother to them, but how can I run away as a little girl?" Not to mention anything else, I can't even cross the Yangtze River without an adult with me. Seeing Xiao Luoli's aggrieved and cute appearance, Deputy Director Tao, who respects the old and loves the young, was soft-hearted, and finally agreed to take Xiao Luoli south to Lujiang, in exchange for Xiao Luoli's cheers and applause and innocent smile.

It took six days to return to Hefei, after replenishing the grain and grass in Hefei, the Xuzhou army went south to the Lujiang River again, and walked for five days, when it was less than sixty miles away from the Shucheng that Xiao Yuan Sangong was trapped in, Yang Changshi, who went to meet Xu You, sent a fast horse to send the news, saying that he had successfully met Xu You, and everything was going well at present, Xu You had already accepted the bribe of the Xuzhou army with a smile, and the reserve price that Xu You should know had been let him know, and he could lead Xu You south to meet Tao Ying. In addition, Yang Changshi also sent soldiers to Tao Ying to send a person with a special identity - Shi Shushao, the commander of the Huainan army sent by the little Yuan Sangong to beg for mercy and help from the big Yuan Sangong.

After being brought to Tao Ying's face, Shu Shao never said a word, no matter how Tao Ying lured, he refused to say a word, let alone promised to be an inside line for the Xuzhou Army like his predecessor Yang Hong Changshi, Tao Ying had no choice but to pretend to shout: "It doesn't matter if you don't speak, you also know the attitude of my father-in-law, I don't bother to talk to you, go back and tell Yuan Shupifu that if he is still a man, he has to look like a man, and he would rather die standing than live on his knees, Send troops to fight me to the death as soon as possible! Go to Shucheng, take my father-in-law's reply back, and let Yuan Shupifu cry! ”

Shu Shao still didn't speak, just bowed his hand to Tao Ying, then turned around and strode away, walking towards Shucheng in the south with his head held high. However, not long after sending away Shu Shao, Deputy Director Tao regretted his indiscriminate deception, and the Xuzhou army lurked in Shu County, and sent an urgent military situation - Jingzhou Liu Biao didn't know what the considerations were, so he agreed to Yuan Shu's request for help, and sent his son Liu Pan and Huang She, the son of the general Huang Zu, to lead an army of 20,000 down the river to reinforce Xiao Yuan Sangong, and has now arrived in Zongyang, Yuan Shu deliberately made the news public in order to boost the morale of the defenders. So now Lujiang City is already full of jubilation, and at the same time, Xuzhou Xizuo has also been able to know this confidential military information.

"Liu Biaopifu, did you take the wrong medicine?!" Hearing this news, Deputy Director Tao, who was originally only one step away from seizing the entire territory of Huainan, was suddenly a little angry, and roared directly on the war horse, "We in Xuzhou and you Jingzhou have no grievances, and there is no enmity in the near future, you actually sent troops to save Yuan Shupifu, and you want to turn your face and start a war with us, I recruited you to provoke you?!" ”

"Hee-hee." There was a young happy and coquettish voice behind his ears, Deputy Director Tao looked back angrily, but saw that it was Sun Shangxiang Xiao Luoli poking her head out of the carriage and snickering, seeing Tao Ying looking at herself with an angry face, Sun Shangxiang Xiao Luoli spit out her ruddy tongue, and quickly retracted the carriage, Deputy Director Tao couldn't help but be even more annoyed in her heart, "This ghost girl, shouldn't it be that I wish I would lose the battle in Lujiang?" ”

"Second brother! Second brother! A new cheer came, and Deputy Director Tao's stunned cousin Tao Ji rushed back to the horse and asked happily: "Second brother, listen to your tone just now, did Liu Biaopifu send reinforcements to save Lujiang?" Really? ”

"What ears do you have? Can you hear it from so far away? Tao Ying asked angrily, and said even more angrily: "Really, Liu Biao's old puppet thinks he is tired of being alive, and sent 20,000 troops to save Yuan Shu, and he has now arrived in Zongyang." ”

"Great!" Tao Ji's cheers almost didn't make Deputy Director Tao angry, and then Tao Ji hurriedly rubbed his hands and said with a hippie smile: "Second brother, Shucheng is far away from the Yangtze River, if Liu Biaopifu's reinforcements want to save Shucheng, they must take the land route, how about letting the junior brother lead the gentleman's army to meet the battle?" Jingzhou is far away from Xuzhou, and we don't know anything about the tactics of our Junzi Army, it is a great opportunity for the Junzi Army of the younger brother to show its might, and several generals under the command of the younger brother, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Lu Bu, can also come in handy again. ”

Tao Ji's words reminded Tao Ying, and Tao Ying suddenly remembered a major event, that is, the terrain of Shucheng is very unfavorable to Liu Biao's reinforcements, it is very far away from the Yangtze River, and there are no navigable rivers around it, which is not only suitable for the Junzi Army to fight, but also can give full play to the infantry and cavalry advantages of the Xuzhou army, and face the group of water monkeys under Liu Biao's command in the land battle! Thinking of this, Tao Ying did not hesitate, and immediately nodded and said, "Okay, you take the Junzi Army ...... first." ”

"Wait!" Jia Lao Poison next to him suddenly opened his mouth to stop it, and said to Tao Ying: "Lord, wait, this matter needs to be carefully discussed, and you must not make a decision lightly." ”

"Why?" Tao Ying asked rhetorically.

"Jingzhou is located in the upper reaches of the Jiujiang and Lujiang rivers, and it is very easy to send troops to attack the Jiujiang and Lujiang rivers from the waterway." Jia Lao Poison patiently explained: "Our army currently has no surface power on the Yangtze River, and Jiujiang and Lujiang are very far away from the rear of Xuzhou, so it is quite inconvenient to reinforce, so I think that before our army has a firm foothold in Huainan, it is best for the lord to properly handle the relationship between our army and Liu Biao, and must not form a mortal enemy, forcing our army to invest a lot of troops and material resources in Huainan to disperse the more critical forces on the northern front." ”

Tao Ying nodded slowly, and said with annoyance: "I also blame me for being a big man at the time, thinking that Mrs. Yuan Shupi was extremely poor, and it was impossible for Liu Biao to send troops to help him, and he did not send an envoy to contact Liu Biao before sending troops to attack Huainan to win his support or neutrality, otherwise, things would not have come to this point." ”

"Lord, it's useless to be upset." Jia Lao Poison shook his head, and then said thoughtfully: "According to my opinion, it is best for the lord to send a messenger to Zongyang first, get in touch with Liu Biao's reinforcements first, and grasp the true purpose of their troops to rescue Yuan Shu before making plans." There is a very strange thing, that Liu Biao is just a dog guarding the door, so dare to send troops to help Yuan Shu resist our army? ”

"I'm curious about that, too." Tao Ying pinched his smooth chin and groaned, "Although Liu Biao and Yuan Shu have not fought directly, the relationship has not been very good, why did they send troops to rescue Yuan Shu?" ”

……………………

Tao Ying and Jia Lao Poison on the way south to Shucheng suspicious analysis of Liu Biao's real intentions, at the same time on the north bank of the Zongyang ferry, in the camp of Liu Biao's reinforcements, the generals of the army of the commander Liu Pan and the deputy marshal Huang Shot also gathered outside the commander's tent, the reason is that after Liu Pan and Huang Shot led the land and water army to Zongyang, regardless of the repeated pleas of Xiao Yuan Sangong, they have been standing still for four consecutive days, not allowing the water division to continue down the river, to meet with the Huainan Navy Division at the mouth of the water, and refuse to send horse infantry north to reinforce Shucheng, At the same time, the envoy of Xiao Yuan Sangong repeatedly warned that the Xuzhou army was rapidly approaching Shucheng, and Liu Pan and several wise generals under Huang Jie's tent were worried about delaying the fighter, so they naturally ran to Liu Pan and Huang Jian to inquire about the situation.

"Don't rush? What's the hurry? Faced with the questions of the generals under his command, the main generals Liu Pan and Huang Jian were both smiling and refused to explain the reason, but just ordered: "Wait patiently, anyway, our military supplies and grass are all provided by the Huainan army, and the wine and meat to reward the soldiers are also Yuan Shu's pockets, so that you are not satisfied with enough food and drink?" Be patient and wait, when it's time to send troops, you will naturally be sent out. ”

"But the major general, our army's horse infantry is not as elite as the navy, if we don't go to Shucheng as soon as possible to reinforce, when the Xuzhou thief army is surrounded on all sides, it will be difficult for our army to reinforce again." A general surnamed Huang, who is good at using arrows under Liu Pan's command, reminded.

"Hansheng doesn't need to be anxious, I have my own plans for this matter." Liu Pan smiled and continued to play tricks.

"Have a plan?" A young general with a fierce expression on his face sneered and said, "I'm afraid that the two major generals don't have that guts, right?" led the army to rescue but did not move, except for the reinforcement of the camp every day, nothing else was allowed to be done, and the stuffiness made people suffocated. ”

"Gan Ning, what did you just say?" Huang shot the tips of his ears, and suddenly said angrily: "You are a water thief on the river, and you dare to speak wildly if you are included in you if the lord does not abandon it?" ”

"I'm talking nonsense?!"

Hearing such a noise, a Jingzhou military commander outside the Chinese military camp who was not even qualified to enter the Chinese army camp shook his head, turned around and left with a gloomy face, and the accompanying soldiers of the team next to him hurriedly asked: "Boss, why don't you wait for the news of the troops?" ”

"Wait for the news of the!" Na Du Bo said angrily: "You fools, you can't even see this? Liu Biao Lao'er didn't have the courage to start a war with the Xuzhou thief army, he sent troops to Lujiang and deliberately stationed troops in Zongyang, but he just wanted to wait and see the situation and pick a bargain! Old puffer, old thing with no eggs! ”

"Shhhh

"Scared of a ball when you hear it?! I, Wei Yan, don't want to sell my life to him for a long time! ”

(To be continued)