In March, the grass grows and the warbler flies, which is a good time of the year.

On this day, a fast horse came straight from Tongguan to Chang'an, and the rider on the horse came from the Chang'an Che Cavalry General's Mansion, and he brought back the latest issue of the "Dahan Times" from Luoyang.

In the Che Cavalry General's Mansion, Yuan Shao's mood was not bad, he had just received the news from Hanzhong that Zhang Lu had abandoned Nanzheng, the administrative office of Hanzhong, because he was defeated by the army, and fled east to Xicheng. When Zhang Lu left, he sealed all the granaries in the treasury, just like in another time and space, and there was no fire to burn it all, just cheap Yan Liang, who lacked grain and grass.

Yuan Shao thought in his heart that in the future, even if the state and Guanzhong were not guaranteed, he could retreat to Hanzhong, rely on the blocking of the Qinling Mountains to resist Liu He's attack, and if the situation changed again, he could also go east to Shangyong to plot the land of Jingchu, or to the south to seek the land of Yizhou. Over the years, Yuan Shao has completely understood that as long as his territory is still next to Liu He, it will be rare to live in peace, and sooner or later he will be eaten away by Liu He.

After Yuan Shao took the decoction, he sat on the couch and asked Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang's two sons some questions about governing the army.

Yuan Shao asked Yuan Xi: "General Yan and Xu Junshi defeated Zhang Lu in Hanzhong, in your opinion, what should I do next?" ”

Yuan Xi thought for a moment and replied cautiously: "Since General Yan has taken the big granary of Hanzhong, my father can then reorganize his troops and horses, attack Li Dao and Guo Yan who are entrenched in Longxi, and take down the three counties of Hanyang, Longxi and Wudu. ”

"Does Xianfu (Yuan Shangzi) also see it that way?" Yuan Shao turned his inquiring gaze to his youngest son, Yuan Shang.

Yuan Shang had secretly bribed the greedy Xu You, so he actually knew the news from Hanzhong earlier than Yuan Shao, and Xu You had mentioned his next step in the secret letter he wrote to him, so Yuan Shang was cheating. He replied confidently: "As a child, the top priority is to send someone to Yizhou to contact Liu Zhang, and explain to Liu Zhang that we have no idea about Yizhou, just because Zhang Lu's Five Bucket Rice Sect in Hanzhong has disrupted the food supply in Guanzhong, and we sent troops to punish Zhang Lu out of self-defense." ”

Yuan Shao was obviously satisfied with his youngest son's answer. He smiled and asked Yuan Shang: "Even if Liu Zhang believes our statement, what if he asks us to return Hanzhong?" ”

Liu Zhang has long been suspicious of Zhang Lu, and killed Zhang Lu's mother and family last year. He also sent Pang Xi and others to attack Zhang Lu, which was broken by Zhang Lu. Zhang Lu's troops were mostly in Badi, so Liu Zhang appointed Pang Xi as the Taishou of Bajun. Zhang Lu was angry, so he counterattacked Ba County, and his relationship with Liu Zhang was on the same page. Now although we occupy the western part of Hanzhong, we have also eliminated the fire in Liu Zhang's heart. As long as my father gives Liu Zhangxiao a stake and lets him see clearly, even if we don't occupy Hanzhong, Li Dao in Longxi and Liu Biao in Jingzhou will do it sooner or later. Then Liu Zhang would not have sent troops to attack us because we occupied Hanzhong. ”

"Then can you tell us the reason why we want to befriend Liu Zhang?" Yuan Shao encouraged his son and said.

"With our current strength, we are unable to wage war against Liu Zhang in Yizhou, and the child believes that our mortal enemy is always Liu He in the north, and Hanzhong is just a retreat reserved for us. Since my father has no plans to attack Yizhou for the time being, he needs to have a good relationship with Liu Zhang in Yizhou, so as not to fight with Liu He, Li Dao and Liu Zhang at the same time, and suffer from the enemy. ”

"Haha, Xianfu's answer is good, deep me!" Yuan Shao praised Yuan Shang in front of his second son Yuan Xi. I don't care about Yuan Xi's feelings at all.

Some people said that the third prince had been diligent in politics recently, and some people said that the third prince often went in and out of the army to mingle with the soldiers......

Just when the hall was full of joy and peace. Suddenly, I heard a soldier shouting outside the door: "General Qiyu, Kuaima has sent the latest issue of the Times!" ”

"Oh, Liu Yu's father and son have made demagogic remarks again?" Yuan Shao looked sarcastic, and ordered: "Xianfu." When you come to read the newspaper today, I want to hear what has happened in Luoyang recently! ”

Yuan Shang got up and went out of the house and took the newspaper from the soldier outside the door. Then he quickly skimmed through it, and then his face changed color. Although Yuan Shang was an embroidered pillow, he still had at least political acumen, and when he saw that the imperial court appointment document did not mention Yuan at all, he was worried that his father would be so angry that he could not eat after hearing the news.

Just when Yuan Shang hesitated, Yuan Shao was heard asking loudly in the house, "Xianfu, what are you doing outside the door?" How to get the newspaper has to be delayed for so long! ”

Yuan Shang was so frightened by his father's shout that he didn't dare to delay any longer, and hurriedly walked in with a newspaper.

"Father, the child suddenly felt an irritation in his throat, so I won't read this newspaper today......" Yuan Shang gave Yuan Shao a look and whispered.

Yuan Xi, who was left out in the cold, was angry at this time, and without waiting for Yuan Shao to speak, he immediately stood up and said, "Since the third brother has an uncomfortable throat, it is better for me to do it for you!" ”

Yuan Shang saw Yuan Xi jump out, and he sneered in his heart, and immediately handed the hot newspaper in his hand into Yuan Xi's hand. "Then ask the second brother to read the newspaper for my father!"

Yuan Xi was not polite, picked up the newspaper and read it aloud.

Dahan Times, No. 34. The headline on the front page reads: "Decision of the Central Committee on the Establishment of Three Prefectures and One City in the Northwest Region" ......"

As Yuan Xi kept reading aloud, the color on Yuan Shao's face became more and more ugly, and when Yuan Xi read that "the selection of officials in these three states and one city has passed the Great Imperial Council, and the emperor and the Taifu seal are sealed, and today they will be announced to the public through the Times, hoping to tell each other", Yuan Shao suddenly raised his head and shouted: "Liu Bo'an, dare to bully me like this!" ”

After Yuan Shao shouted this, his body trembled suddenly, and then red blood spurted out of his mouth, his eyes were closed, and he fell crookedly on the couch.

"Father!"

"Lord!"

"General!"

Suddenly, there was chaos in the hall.

Yuan Xi clutched the troublesome newspaper tightly with both hands, staring blankly at the busy crowd in front of him, his mind blank.

That night, Yuan Shao woke up from a coma, he knew that his time was short, so he sent someone to call all the important subordinates who stayed in Chang'an, and announced in front of everyone that his youngest son Yuan Shang would inherit the business after his death.

After Yuan Shao finished explaining the aftermath, he fell into a coma again. In the second half of the night, Yuan Shao returned to the light, summoned his youngest son Yuan Shang alone, and repeatedly admonished him, and finally shouted in his mouth, "Tancheng Liu, harm my Yuan family!" And then died in agony.

It is said that after Yuan Shao took a breath, his two eyes were still staring, and he seemed to have endless resentment and unwillingness in his heart.

According to Yuan Shao's instructions, Yuan Shang secretly ordered his second brother Yuan Xi to be imprisoned in a dungeon, and then retreated to Hanzhong with soldiers and horses near Chang'an. Yuan Shao was worried that if he was buried in Guanzhong after his death, his opponents would destroy his tomb after calling, and asked Yuan Shang to take his remains with him when he withdrew to Hanzhong, and after arriving in Hanzhong, he would find a beautiful treasure cave in the Qinling Mountains to be buried.

Originally, Yuan Shao also told Yuan Shang to secretly execute Tian Feng, who was in prison, before leaving Chang'an, but Yuan Shang listened to the advice of the people around him and did not do this stupid thing. It was precisely because Yuan Shang let Tian Feng go before leaving, and when he had no way to escape a few years later, Tian Feng said a word for him, and finally saved his life.

Regarding Yuan Shao's death, Yuan Shang could hide Yuan Tan and Gao Gan who were too far away in Jinyang, and he could also hide Li Dao and Guo Yan in Longxi, but he couldn't hide the professionally trained military intelligence agents under Tian Chou. Yuan Shao only lost his breath the night before, and the news spread to Tongguan on the second day, and on the fourth day, it was delivered to Luoyang by water, and on the seventh day, Liu He had already learned the accurate news.

"Alas, Yuan Shao is really aggrieved in this life, the first half of his life is full of clothes and food, the front and back hug, the scenery is infinite, but the second half of his life is repeatedly defeated, and everything is not smooth, and now he only wants Qingqing's life because of a newspaper." Liu He said with some emotion.

"Childe, Yuan Shao has been ill for several years, and now he has suddenly suffered a major blow, and it is no accident that he passed away. As soon as Yuan Shao dies, his sons will inevitably fight among themselves, and the son may wish to watch coldly for a while, and wait until all parties are in trouble, and then come out to clean up the situation. Tian Chou suggested.

Liu He suddenly remembered something, so he asked Tian Chou: "Is Tian Feng still alive?" ”

"The Military Intelligence Department arranged for agents to infiltrate the prison in Chang'an, and if Tian Feng had an accident, there should be information to send. Now that there is no news, it means that Tian Chou has not been killed. ”

"Immediately send a capable person to Chang'an to rescue Tian Feng!" Liu He decisively ordered.

"Shiren, do you want to send a fine saku to Jinyang to release the news of Yuan Shao's death?" Jia Xu suggested.

"Does Mr. Wenhe mean to deliberately startle the snake and urge Yuan Tan and Gao Gan to get out of the state?"

Jia Xu nodded, and then said: "Not only to reveal Yuan Shao's death to the direction of Jinyang, but also to let Lu Fengxian and Huangfu Jianshou in Hedong know." ”

Liu He understood Jia Xu's intentions, nodded and said: "This strategy is feasible, I am now having a headache about how to reply to Hedong, and it is also a good thing to let Yuhu move at this time." ”

Half a month later, Yuan Shang had already entered Hanzhong through the Baoxie Valley Road, and Yuan Tan, who had received the news of his father's death, immediately reacted, and after some conspiracy with Gao Gan and Lu Yi, he made the decision to give in to the Luoyang court. Yuan Tan sent people to Luoyang to meet with the emperor and ministers, and expressed his willingness to hand over Guanzhong on the condition that the imperial court retract its earlier order to appoint Sima Fang as the governor of the state and appoint Yuan Tan as the governor of the state.

Just when Luoyang was still pondering and hesitating, Hedong Lu Bu suddenly jumped out, he led the soldiers and horses that had grown up in Hedong in the past two years and a cadre of old ministers who had never been released went straight to Chang'an, which was empty in defense, and the originally isolated Huangfu Jianshou was not reconciled, and followed Lu Bu to Chang'an.

The bargaining chips that Yuan Tan used as a quid pro quo were suddenly gone, and the imperial court naturally would no longer consider granting him the state pastor, and as Du Ji made a big noise to build Xinzhou Jining in the north of Bingzhou, the rope around the necks of Yuan Tan and Gao Gan became tighter and tighter. (To be continued......)