Yuan Shao, the father of Fanghua in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 121 Bargaining
After listening to Cao Cao's words, the counselors and generals were really high-minded, really high-minded.

To say that taking Cao Taigong as a hostage is treason, no matter how thick-skinned Cao Cao is, it is not easy to use it as an excuse.

Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty did similar things. Although Xiang Yu didn't kill Liu Taigong and Lu Zhi in the end, it was really not easy to publicize it.

However, he was the founding emperor after all, and no one dared to publicly criticize him.

Now is the time for the Cao family to accept the nobles from all over the world, and they always have to do things for face.

But to put it another way, say that Juancheng is in danger, and Cao Taigong took his family to take refuge in Yecheng, which is justified!

Cao Cao handed over his family members, Yuan Shao got the hostages he wanted, and both sides took what they needed!

Minggong is brilliant!

Xi Zhicai coughed twice, and said, "Yecheng and Juancheng are only a few hundred miles away. If we agree, Yuan will send people to send money and food, and they will arrive within ten days."

Cao Cao looked around at the generals: "The situation is so difficult, it is really Cao's fault."

"If it wasn't for the moment of life and death, I would be guilty of my own crimes to thank you all."

Everyone was shocked, they got up and left their seats, knelt down and said, "I am incompetent, and I have brought trouble on my lord!"

Cao Cao suddenly stood up, and drew out his sword at his waist with a clang, "The humiliation I waited for today will be repaid a hundred times in the future!"

Everyone shouted at the same time: "Swear to follow Minggong!"

If Yuan Xi was present, he would definitely sigh that no matter what Cao Cao was like, at least his subordinates had a way, which was much more united than Yuan Shao's.

Of course, Cao Cao was not without problems. He ruled the people, a large part of which was power, not benevolence.

Prestige can overwhelm everyone, but it is also easy to backfire, unless it is an extremely trustworthy person, it is easy to make subordinates dissatisfied.

This can be seen in the fact that many gentry generals who took refuge in Cao Cao rebelled one after another.

It stands to reason that Cao Cao also has the reputation of being courteous and virtuous corporals, who value talent rather than virtue, but the rebellion rate of his generals is surprisingly high.

Chen Gong, Zhang Miao, Zhang Chao, Wei Zhong, Bi Zhan, Yu Jin, Zhang Xiu, Guan Yu, Yuan Tan, Gao Gan, Chang Chen... It can be said that they either followed Cao Cao to conquer the world at the beginning, and in the end they either betrayed or resembled Xu. Yau was killed like that.

This shows that Cao Cao's subordinates also had internal fighting, but because Cao Cao's own ability is very strong, they were temporarily suppressed.

However, Yuan Shao adopted benevolence at the beginning, and mainly bought the gentry when he made his fortune. Although he recruited a lot of talents, it also caused his gentry counselors to be domineering and infighting.

When Yuan Shao came to his senses and wanted to imitate Cao Cao's use of power, his gentry had already grown up, and it was too late, so he could only use generals with no background.

In all fairness, both Cao Cao and Yuan Shao are masters with strong personal abilities, which also led to the hidden danger of internal fighting among their subordinates not breaking out until after their deaths.

However, Yuan Shao's luck was even worse. His death was so untimely that the two sons fought each other and the North collapsed.

When Cao Cao died, he was defeated in the Battle of Chibi, the north was in turmoil, Liangzhou rebelled, and the Central Plains was famine. The situation was in jeopardy. Cao Pi once wanted to move the capital.

But before Cao Cao died, Guan Yu, who could seriously threaten Cao Wei, was killed by a surprise attack by Soochow. Liu Bei therefore went to attack Sun Quan.

The situation changed from Shu and Wu resisting Wei to Wei and Wu controlling Shu, and the Shu and Wu countries missed the best window of opportunity to defeat Wei.

On the other hand, Cao Cao had built a vast territory before and left a large number of forces loyal to the Cao family, so he was able to survive the crisis with difficulty.

While Yuan Xi was thinking, he sat in the carriage and looked at the heavy snow falling outside.

Not far from the carriage, Zhao Yun's silver-helmeted white horse is straight and heroic.

After the Battle of Juancheng broke out, Cao Cao agreed to send his family members away, and Yuan Shao sent Yuan Xi to Dongwu Yangcheng in Dongjun.

At first Cao Cao wanted Yuan Xi to go directly to Juancheng, but Yuan Xi had many variables to consider crossing the Yellow River, so in the end he chose Dongwu Yangcheng, which is adjacent to Wei County and only a few hundred miles away from Yecheng.

Anyway, his mission was to bring back Cao Cao's family. As for how Cao Cao's army would take the soldiers, horses, food and grass across the Yellow River, it was not his consideration.

The initiative is on his side. If Cao Cao wants to tamper with his family, he doesn't mind embezzling soldiers, horses and food.

He said to Wu Zhao beside him, "Guess what family members Cao Cao will send here."

Wu Zhao thought for a while and said, "It's definitely impossible for a wife to be a wife and son, and other concubines won't be able to figure it out."

Yuan Xi said with a smile: "The ones sent this time should all be his concubines, concubines, and even adopted sons and daughters. There are very few concubines."

Wu Zhaoqi asked, "The reason? Is it the art of stargazing?"

Yuan Xi laughed and said, "Just based on feeling, Cao Cao is lustful, so he must be reluctant to part with his concubines."

Wu Zhao shook his head and said, "I don't believe he will only send his heirs here."

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "I'll make a bet with you."

A few days later, when Yuan Xi was outside the gate of Dongwuyang City, he led troops into the city because of the ban, and when he heard the family members sent by Cao Cao on the way, he immediately vomited three liters of blood.

He lost.

Cao Cao did not only send his own heirs, he also sent Cao Song and his family.

Yuan Xi thought it was absurd. He had worked so hard to save Cao Song's family in Fei County, but now he wanted to bring him back to Ye City. What did he plan?
His face was a little gloomy, and he said to Jin: "Did Meng Degong deceive me without knowing what's going on?"

Yu Jin was bitter, this time he was the one to take the blame again!
He was enough. Every time Cao Song stared at him, he was full of resentment. He obviously suspected that Cao De was killed by himself.

The key thing is that you really didn't do it yourself!

Yu Jin had no choice but to cup his fists and said, "Sir, please calm down. Please come to the city to talk about the reason."

Yuan Xi said with a smile: "General, you are being polite, it doesn't count if I say it this time."

"I'm just here to assist Mr. Yuan Hao."

Faced with Cao Cao's advisers bargaining, Yuan Xi thought to himself that he was still too tender, so he directly asked Yuan Shao and brought Tian Feng, a big troll, to see how the top advisers negotiated terms with others.

Both sides are personable, talking and talking, pointing out the country while talking and laughing, and deciding the world's major events with every gesture. This kind of scene must be very interesting, right?

With a slap, Tian Feng slammed the table, "Why did the Cao family send you a butcher to kill all the elders in your hometown, you must be very happy?"

Cheng Yu was not angry, and said with a smile: "Yuan Hao is so angry, does he have family members in Dong'e?"

Tian Feng snorted angrily: "If you do such an unrighteous thing, Zhong Deyou will be punished by God carefully, and the whole family will die."

Cheng Yu smiled and said, "I haven't been condemned by God until now, and I'm living a very good life. As for the future, who can say for sure."

"Yuan Hao is so close to me, isn't he afraid that the thunder will strike him and affect him?"

Tian Feng spat on the ground, "If you can only use your tongue, I'm afraid you won't take a single piece of rice away from me."

"Look for yourself, what kind of family members are you sending to Yecheng as hostages, and you don't even want to lose your face?"

Cheng Yu said indifferently: "It's not a hostage, it's Minggong who entrusts Yuanzhou Mudai to protect the family for the sake of the good relationship between the Cao and Yuan families. Minggong is very grateful."

Tian Feng laughed loudly: "Minggong Minggong, you really have the face to say it!"

"I think Puyang is also good. Why didn't Cao Cao give his family to Marquis Wen for protection?"

"Maybe there will be more food in exchange."

Yuan Xi turned his face away, not a single trace of the so-called gentry character in his mind was destroyed.

It turns out that for thousands of years, when bargaining, there is no difference whether it is in the court or in the vegetable market.

Over there, Tian Feng and Cheng Yu were still confronting each other, and it was impossible to tell the winner for a while, so Yuan Xi turned to Yu Jin, who was also bored, and said, "Brother Wen Ze..."

Yu Jin hurriedly said: "Jin is terrified, I don't dare to address you like a young master, just call me Yu Jin."

"Okay, Brother Wen Ze, we had a farewell to Fei County the day before yesterday. I never thought we would meet again."

Yu Jin didn't know that Yuan Xi had started to poach the wall again, so he hurriedly said: "Young master is so heroic, and Jin is so respectful."

This statement is half true and half false, Yu Jin really attaches great importance to Yuan Xi.

Yuan Xi actually didn't know that he was already very famous among the Jiyan clan.

Whether Fei County killed Zhang Kai, retreated Liu Bei, or defeated Tian Kai, Kong Rong and Liu Bei in the third battle of Qingzhou, under the vigorous advocacy of Yuan Tan's family, Yuan Xi's reputation was greatly shaken.

Cao Cao's counselors and generals are all proficient in battle formations. They naturally know the gold content of these battles, and they can see Yuan Ximou's decisiveness and proficiency in battle formations.

Coupled with the information from the Jizhou spy, Yuan Xi, like Tian Feng, is a hardliner who advocates suppressing the Cao family, which makes Cao Cao's family even more jealous.

So when Yu Jin was talking to Yuan Xi, he was already on guard in his heart, lest Yuan Xi would trip him up.

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "Brother Wen Ze, are you doing well with Meng Degong?"

Yu Jin quickly clasped his fists and said, "Duke Ming has shown kindness to Jin, and Jin will never forget it!"

Yuan Xi laughed and said: "That's true. I heard that brother Wen Ze was once under Duke Bao, Prime Minister of Jinbei. It is said that Duke Bao governed the army strictly and his soldiers were polite. I heard that brother Wen Ze also got the essence of his leadership."

Yu Jin hurriedly said: "Young Master, you are wrongly praised, and Jin is ashamed."

Yuan Xi changed the subject: "But Qingzhou soldiers are not easy to control, right?"

"Brother Wen Ze, Meng Degong's side is good, but my Yuan family is also good. If you come to vote, I will give you a high position, how about it?"

Yu Jin almost vomited blood, did you speak like that?
The two sides are negotiating, and dozens of pairs of ears are listening. Are you blatantly causing discord?
He hurriedly said: "Master, you are joking, Jin has no second thoughts about Duke Ming."

Yuan Xi chuckled: "Brother Wen Ze, I like you."

The people on Cao Cao's side are not easy to find, but Yu Jin is quite possible, after all, the other party really betrayed in the end.

At this time, the possibility of rebelling against the ban is very small, but if you don't try it, who knows?

Yuan Xi was a very weak person. He decided to do the opposite. If he couldn't do it in private, he would dig hard. If Yu Jin was really excluded because of this, then his goal would be achieved.

Yu Jin is not a stupid person either, when he saw Yuan Xi grinning and soliciting, he knew something was wrong, and he couldn't stop the other party's mouth.

Over there, Tian Feng and Cheng Yu were still spitting and spitting passionately, and here Yuan Xi and Yu Jin were also back and forth.

One is aggressive, one is petty flattering, one is deliberately undermining the wall, one is desperately obstructing and resisting, one is full of bitterness and no one complains.

A friendly and ordinary day, so passed.

(End of this chapter)