"Crackling, crackling......"

With a crisp sound, an object of unknown use was torn apart after intimate contact with the ground, leaving only odious shards of pottery and scratches of varying shades on the ground once again.

Even occasionally, some fragments will fly out in a strange arc, and the sharp fragments look extremely terrifying, even if they can't kill people, but if they cut through some of the more fragile parts of the human body, they can cause great damage.

"This is already the first few."

"Who knows, I can't count more than two digits."

The maids hiding in the shadows spoke carefully, their looks were very ordinary, as for those beautiful predecessors, they had brains and now they had become the concubines of the master of the house or were given to the generals under the master of the house, and those silly girls who had no brains and thought that they could be favored by virtue of their beauty and figure had long since lost their knowledge of which grave in the suburbs they had been buried.

Maybe they made some other contribution before they died, but for the owner of the house, it was just a waste use.

So now, only these women who have no outstanding specialties and are cautious can stand here.

Unfortunately, they may not want such a "distinction".

Because the danger factor of this kind of work is too high, the slightest carelessness will be like a certain sister a few days ago, just accidentally spilled a little bit of wine on the body of the guest, and was stabbed to death by the angry master with a sword, and the body was killed on the spot.

They want to escape from here, but they can't escape from here, not to mention the wolf-like soldiers guarding this place, and even if they can escape, where can they escape?

There was a constant rumor among the maids about the famine outside. Many homeless people have to be fed with their children, and women like them, who have fine skin and tender flesh and little fighting power, can only pray for God's gifts if they want not to become the things in the mouths of hungry people.

The sound of broken objects gradually subsided, as if the anger in the hearts of the owner of the house had almost been vented, so the alert maids would quickly trot back to their jobs. Then pretended to be a three-no expression that he had been standing there from just now to now, and he looked at his nose and his nose and his heart.

"You guys, go in and clean up."

Sure enough, it wasn't long before a young and beautiful woman walked in from the outside and commanded them with the same expressionless face.

"Yes." The answer sounded weak, not even warm.

The woman in front of these maids is one of the "lucky ones" mentioned earlier, but it is said that she is the "lucky one". But it is impossible to be so arrogant in front of these maids, because the improvement of status does not substantially improve the safety of life, and the only change may only be that a lot of the work that needs to be done is taken over by others, and there are one or two more maids who used to be at the same level as him. But the life that could have been hiding until the master's anger ended has become a life where you need to face the master's anger and pray that you will not die due to various accidents.

No one knows if he will die because his voice is not sweet and high-pitched when he sleeps at night, or because he is too sweet and high-pitched to cause his master to be angry. In the same way, no one knows if he will be given death because he did not eat elegantly enough when he eats with his master, or if he eats too slowly so that his master thinks that he is dissatisfied with himself and separates.

In contrast, it may have been a good outcome to serve the generals, who were probably mostly vulgar and violent. The situation on the battlefield makes the master's mood always at a low point, and naturally it is impossible to make those generals very happy, but even if they are broken. It also seems better than always being killed for no reason.

At least the former can be predicted, and even if you are lucky enough to escape and be thrown into a cold firewood house, it is not a kind of luck to die, unlike the latter, even if you are not killed, you will not know which day the tense nerves will suddenly break and go crazy.

"Ahh

No, the woman who was still instructing the maid to deal with the endgame just now didn't say a word well. At this time, he was no longer breathing, with a relieved smile on his face, lying on the pottery shards that had not yet been cleaned up, looking a little weirdly poignant.

But the two maids trembled at the woman's death.

In fact, they were not wrong in their guesses, and it didn't take long. The master thought that the woman's smile before death was mocking him, and in a fit of rage, he cut off the heads of two trembling maidens.

It wasn't until the hot blood sprayed on his head, body, and feet that he showed a stunned expression.

As for what he was lamenting, there could be no one other than himself.

Perhaps, even if it is himself, he doesn't know what he is thinking at this time.

In fact, he is not the only one who is so anxious?

Throughout the mansion, and even throughout the city, this sentiment is constantly diffused.

"Yuan Lang, don't think too much, get a good night's sleep. If you continue like this, you won't be able to bear it. ”

It's a pity that even Feng's soft words don't have much effect, Yuan Shu's red eyes are like hungry jackals, full of strong aggression, but in essence they are full of uneasiness and despair.

Yes, hidden under that brutal, violent surface is Yuan Shu's heart, which is already on the verge of collapse.

He no longer knew how to deal with the situation in front of him.

At this time, he had almost lost all his pride and self-confidence.

But the development of the situation did not give him the slightest glimmer of hope, but brought him endless darkness.

Originally, Yuan Shu also had brilliance.

With an outstanding family background, excellent ability, and a very comfortable career that followed, Yuan Shu was once a brilliant son of heaven.

Although he experienced the resentment of losing the position of the leader of the alliance in the battle against Dong, and also experienced the chain reaction caused by Sun Jian's death and had to leave Nanyang and lose Yuzhou, he always looked less confident than Yuan Shao, who was prosperous in Hebei.

But that still doesn't negate his efforts.

For example, a smile and enmity won over Sun Jian, which not only greatly improved his status in the coalition army, but also made him once hold Liu Biao in Jingzhou unable to raise his head, even if he was unfortunately defeated and returned to Yuzhou, he was able to regroup immediately because of the previous period of time to lay a quite solid foundation. It can be said that if it weren't for Sun Jian's slightly strange death, Yuan Shu's appearance would be excellent.

But even if he encountered an unexpected disaster such as Sun Jian's death, Yuan Shu was able to quickly regain his strength, and let go of the young Sun Ce, and the reward of this move was to make Yuan Shu a powerful prince whose sphere of influence spanned Yanyu Xu Yang.

At that time. Li Shushi was just dealing with the Hu people in one acre and three points of land in Jushuo, Yuan Shao was overwhelmed by Yuan Shu's ally Gongsun Zhan, and Cao Cao, a vassal of Yuan Shao who became famous with Sun Jian in the battle against Dong, was beaten by Sun Jian's juniors and lost his armor, and almost lost his confidence to continue to compete for the world.

Tao Qian of Xuzhou seems to be very independent, but in fact, except for the northern part of Xuzhou where Liu Bei is located, Yuan Shu is a little out of reach for a while, and the top and bottom of Xuzhou have been eaten up and disintegrated by Yuan Shu's various strategies. There are also countless Yellow Turban remnants who have become accomplices of Yuan Shu's hegemony under Yuan Shu's offensive, so that Yuan Shu's enemies often have to run around and be tired of coping.

At that time, Yuan Highway was so high-spirited.

It's a pity that since that great drought, Yuan Shu, who didn't know how to sort out the internal affairs and only used expropriation to maintain the balance of fiscal payments, suddenly lost the strength to continue to move forward. Although it is said that even if the prestige is outrageous in the game of a lawn mowing empire, except for the lack of a few titles, it will do more advantages than disadvantages for the unification of the country, but it is obviously impossible to change it to a real society.

After all, Yuan Shu's actions would also touch the vital interests of the vast number of landlords and even some families in the occupied areas.

When Yuan Shu's power was still very strong, the dissatisfaction accumulated by this policy could not erupt on a large scale, but when Yuan Shu showed a little fatigue, this kind of popular support was like a snowball, and Yuan Shu's seemingly extremely large power collapsed in an instant.

Well, what happened in Chenjun is even more proven, even when Yuan Shu looks strong. As long as the foreign forces can give the local forces a certain amount of confidence, they will also go forward and step forward to the front line of confrontation with Yuan Shu.

It can be said that it is because of Yuan Shu's increasingly disappointing mode of rule. The original die-hard loyalists are wavering, and those who are not already determined have begun to plan another way out or simply raise the anti-flag.

But Yuan Shu, whose strength has been greatly damaged, lacks effective sanctions against these people.

Maybe he still had Sun Ce's trump card in his hand at that time, but as I said earlier, Yuan Shu was unwilling and could not use this kind of hole card in terms of face or actual interests, and Liu Xuan, who came to attack in order to use it once, was the common enemy of Yuan Shu and Sun Ce - the latter's cousin and uncle were bullied enough by Liu Xuan in Jiangdong.

So there was an exchange. Sun Ce happily set off for Jiangdong.

It's a pity that the team may be a lot purer because of this, but the lack of combat effectiveness is real.

As a result, it didn't take long for Yuan Shu, who was not strong on the outside and even more dry on the inside, to be hit hard again-I don't know if it was influenced by Li Shushi's expression in Chen County, and for Lujiang County, an area that was also extremely dissatisfied with Yuan Shu's rule. Cao Cao came to do the same once, and even Cao Cao, who had the trump card of the emperor, occupied the highest point in the name of righteousness.

Taking advantage of the fact that Sun Ce was still in Jiangdong, not only needed to attack the city and seize the land, but also had to fight with those heroes who were extremely dissatisfied with him, Cao Cao's troops directly surrounded Shouchun City.

There is an old Lujiang Taishou Liu Xun with Cao Cao, although he was appointed by Yuan Shu, but seeing that Yuan Shu can already be said to be in the waning mountains, Cao Cao is like the rising sun, and there is a good step to go down with the emperor's edict, and the one who surrenders is called a simple - anyway, Cao Cao's condition is that he Liu Xun will continue to serve as the Taishou of Lujiang, and he can also be crowned a marquis and pay homage to the general, which is really excellent.

Besides, everyone in the county turned their backs on Yuan Shu and went to the imperial court, and Liu Xun naturally couldn't go against the tide.

In other words, the whole county of Lujiang can theoretically be said to have surrendered without a fight - in fact, it is like the peaceful liberation of Beiping in another plane of history: Cao Cao's army besieged Shouchun, just like the liberation of Tianjin by the People's Liberation Army in 29 hours. The lobbying of Liu Xun by the powerful of the Lujiang family is like lobbying Fu Zuoyi by the democratic parties. In the end, it can be said that the bloodless opening of the castle can also be said to be logical.

The only thing that is a little different may be that Fu Zuoyi had a fashionable "electric ××" in those years, anyway, the warlords who have experienced the Republic of China have to play like this even if they are just across the street. However, Liu Xun didn't have such a lofty thing in those years, so he could only go to Cao Cao's army camp outside Shouchun City to have a cordial meeting with Cao Cao. Then stay in the army for a while.

Of course, with the relationship between Liu Xun and Cao Cao, this period of time can be regarded as a friend catching up, even though there are many rules in the military camp, but it is actually nothing for Liu Xun to save Zài, and he can continue to go back to be his Taishou after the war.

And in this matter. The only one who felt aggrieved and depressed was naturally Yuan Shu in Shouchun City, who was told about this by Cao Cao's "kindness".

Therefore, Yuan Highway began to lose his temper again, and it was not completely unreasonable.

Although it is said that in the eyes of most of Yuan Shu's subordinates, his own lord is suffering from hysteria, but he is afraid that time is running out.

Of course, for those who are still loyal to Yuan Shu, such as Yang Hong, Yan Xiang, Ji Ling, Zhang Xun and others, they naturally still hope that Yuan Shu can be reinvigorated, at least to point out a clear way for their future.

Whether it is a collective heroism, or the surrender of Kaesong, or some other choice. Anyway, these people are waiting for Yuan Shu's words.

It's just that the main reason why Yuan Shu has not spoken up until now is definitely not that he is really crazy, but because he knows very well what these subordinates who are still loyal until now are thinking in their hearts - they don't want to surrender, but they don't want to be heroic either, so the choice they really want Yuan Shu to make the most is to cross the Yangtze River and go to Jiangdong to attach to Sun Ce.

Some of these people were very clear about the relationship between Yuan Shu and Sun Ce, such as several masterminds. Some don't know, like several generals. But whether they know it or not, they all have great respect for Sun Ce, a young man.

Maybe Yuan Shu went to Sun Ce at this time, and his face was indeed a little unpleasant, but after all, Yuan Shu was the descendant of the Runan Yuan family of the fourth and third dukes, and being able to marry Yuan Shu would definitely improve Sun Ce's status, and it would be beneficial for Sun Ce to stabilize Jiangdong's rule. Therefore, Sun Ce will definitely offer Yuan Shu, his father-in-law, as high as a mascot.

Although such an ending is somewhat cruel to Yuan Shu, it is better than losing his life.

The most important thing is that they, the military generals under Yuan Shu, have nothing to do with Sun Ce, so they can become the humerus ministers of the Sun clan by turning into them. Although they are not as good as the old department left by Sun Jian, they are still stronger and trustworthy than the family in Jiangdong.

"Let's talk about it, now that the Cao army is besieging the city, even if we choose to break through, it will be difficult to leave, let alone rely on others."

After losing his temper a few times and cutting a few innocent concubines and maids, Yuan Shu seemed to have calmed down a lot.

Although this kind of Yuan Shu still made everyone who saw him feel embarrassed - his face was no longer as handsome as it used to be, his sideburns were even more snow-white, and his eyes were full of exhaustion. If it weren't for the fact that Yuan Shu's hands and feet were still neat at this time, and his eyes were not as full of anger as they were a while ago, except for exhaustion, maybe everyone would rather believe that their lord had gone crazy.

Fortunately, the current Yuan Shu can still give his loyal subordinates a little bit of confidence, perhaps insignificant, but extremely important, and the original cultivation has also returned to him-even if he faces a group of faces below with a blank look or a resolute face, he will no longer blow his beard and stare at him.

Maybe Yuan Shu felt that in the face of such a group of subordinates, even losing his temper would be a waste of his body.

Perhaps Yuan Shu's mood at this time was a little more sad than dead.

It's just that it was more or less unexpected for Yuan Shu, as he said the words that seemed to have calmed down a lot, it could be clearly felt that even if the words did not fall, the atmosphere in the conference room immediately became a lot more active, obviously Yuan Shu was rumored to be crazy, but after all, he was still the well-deserved leader of the entire Yuan Shu force, at least when he could appear with a calmer and restrained attitude, everyone's hearts seemed to have regained the backbone.

And it seems that because the situation they are facing is indeed very sinister, everyone has not only sighed and lost their temper together during this time, but also made a certain amount of thinking, although this kind of thinking is more like a drowning person waving his arms aimlessly, not only does not play a big role, but even causes the body to accelerate the loss and lead to drowning.

It's just that I don't know what the reason is, Yuan Shu didn't say much about those obviously nonsense mentions this time, but showed a thoughtful expression from time to time.

This kind of Yuan Shu is too abnormal!

Of course, this kind of Yuan Shu is the Yuan Shu they are willing to follow and have followed.

"I listened to everyone's opinions. It is nothing more than Cao Thief's great power, and he also has His Majesty's edict, so he cannot be defeated. Yang Qingyan pardoned Gongsun Bogui under the advice of the Cao thief, and if we were to be respectful, then the Cao thief would not have pardoned us, because the Cao thief and the slave were finally going to hostility for the sake of this world. I don't want to focus too much on us.

But have you ever thought about it, now that Cao Thief is leading tens of thousands of troops to besiege this Shouchun City, if we ask him to surrender at this time, how will he treat us? Is it a canonical punishment, or is it an open side? That Yanyu Qingxu Zhudi has always been rumored that it is me Yuan Highway who is just someone else who murdered the father of the Cao thief and the moth of the country, will the Cao thief let go of the opportunity of this communiqué for personal revenge. ”

Yuan Shu's words made everyone present immediately silent and looked at each other.

Their boss is right. Even if there is no Cao Song's file between Yuan Shu and Cao Cao - in the eyes of most of Yuan Shu's subordinates, that kind of thing is completely Cao Cao's crime of chasing after the wind and shadows, after all, within the four realms, only Yuan Shu is worthy of that big hat, and even if the others really did it, as long as there is not enough evidence, they will not be put on the table - now Cao Cao's army is pressing the border, and the road is simply smooth, not only Liu Xun sacrificed his land and surrendered. Even if there was occasional resistance in Jiujiang County, it was just a death struggle, and now Shouchun, Yuan Shu's last stronghold, looked even more shaky. In this case. Even if Cao Cao really allowed to surrender because he was worried about his own casualties and the consumption of food and grass, the conditions proposed would have been extremely harsh.

Not to mention what will happen to Yuan Shu, even if they are the core members of Yuan Shu's forces, Yuan Shu, the "accomplice" of the "evil" thief, will definitely be severely punished.

The light ones at least need to start working hard from civilians or small soldiers all the way to the end, and the heavy ones will never be hired in distant villages, and it is not impossible to live a simple knife click. Or should it be said that there is a high probability that something will happen.

Therefore, if you want to surrender with dignity, the first thing is to be able to break the current predicament.

It was only when Cao Cao realized that if he wanted to treat Yuan Shu and his subordinates harshly, he would inevitably break a few big teeth, then Cao Cao was likely to compete with Yuan Shao or Li Shushi in this foreseeable period of time. In order to ensure that he would not suffer too much loss, Cao Cao would be able to treat Yuan Shu and his subordinates in a more gentle manner, at least proposing some relatively lenient conditions, and there would be some room for bargaining between the two sides.

Unfortunately, this kind of thing is easy to say, but it is quite difficult to do.

After all, in the current situation, the initiative of the war obviously does not belong to Yuan Shujun, but is controlled in the hands of Cao Cao's army, maybe the pressure on Cao Cao's side is also not small, but Cao Cao, who has learned Li Shushi to engage in Tuntian very early on, and has more experience, can still support at least in terms of grain and grass for a while after a year of hard work.

Now the only thing Yuan Shujun can rely on may be the weather that people can't grasp.

At least judging from the recent weather, many local villagers believe that this year's rainy season will still come early, and the heavy rain is obviously not good news for Cao Cao's army when they are out on the expedition, because it will mean that the soldiers will have to endure the hard battle in the rain, which will reduce morale, and will also make the transportation of grain and grass more time-consuming, laborious and more costly.

Maybe Cao Cao will choose to withdraw because of the weather, but will this really achieve Yuan Shujun's expected goal?

Apparently impossible.

After all, it was Cao Cao who took the initiative to retreat, in fact, for Cao Cao's army, they could be said to be unscathed, and they also made a net profit from one county, and let the spring sowing of another Jiujiang county suffer from the destruction of Yan zhòng.

There is no need to wait long, it only takes about half a year, and after the autumn harvest, Cao Cao's army can make a comeback.

In other words, relying entirely on the weather cannot be said to quench thirst, but it is by no means a fundamental solution.

Yuan Shu's future path seems to have become bleak. (To be continued......)