Yuan Shao, the father of Fanghua in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 507 Unable to Decide
In the sky outside Haixi City, a light rain suddenly fell. The farmers rushed out of the thatched huts, raised their heads in surprise, and laughed happily at the sky.

Spring rain is as expensive as oil. Since the winter, the field has not rained. It is almost the time of spring plowing, and it is already quite dry.

Now that the long drought is met with rain, the originally dry land has regained its vitality, and people have poured into the fields to sow the seeds.

The warm spring day turned slightly colder, a ray of cool wind swept across the fields, blowing into Haixi City, came to the window of the small building, and got in, but it still couldn't blow away the warmth in the small building.

Yuan Xi greeted the coolness that came with a little rain, and looked up at the sky that was still covered with clouds, thinking of how many people like him were looking at the sky at this time, how many of them were there? Someone you know well?
History has undergone an irreversible deviation. From the beginning to the outcome of the Battle of Xuzhou, Yuan Xi can no longer predict and control it. Even his life was once on the verge of life and death.

This made him a little depressed, but at the same time, what made him happy was that his subordinates almost all made the fastest response at the same time, and they saved the situation with all their efforts to turn the tide.

After all, as the lord, there is still a big gap between myself and Cao Cao, so I can only rely on them to go on.

The biggest gain of this battle is that Yuan Xi finally used his own safety to win an excuse for Jizhou. How should he decide?

In Yecheng, Yuan Shang knelt and sat in front of Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shao read the secret letter from Yuan Xi Xuzhou for a long time, but did not speak for a long time.

The next few counselors also had solemn faces, deliberating their words in their hearts.

Without him, because the conflict in Xuzhou far exceeded the limit that Yuan could accept, and it was close to civil strife.

Liu Bei had already taken refuge in the Yuan family, although Jizhou did not support him much, and Liu Bei also often obeyed and violated Jizhou's orders.

For example, a few days ago when Jizhou asked him to send troops to Dongwuyang to besiege Zang Hong, Liu Bei kept finding various reasons to shirk it. Finally, Yuan Xi came forward and persuaded Zang Hong to surrender. When the matter came to an end, Liu Bei never sent troops.

Although the counselors in Jizhou knew that what they did was not kind, Zang Hong had a good reputation in the world, and anyone who participated in the siege of him would end up with an unjust reputation, so Liu Bei cherished his wings and delayed sending troops. It's human nature.

However, it is an indisputable fact that Liu Bei evaded Yuan's order and evaded it. Some advisers also suggested to find ways to restrict Liu Bei so that he would not become the second Cao Cao.

The counselors of the Yuan family always sang against each other. Some people wanted to suppress Liu Bei, but there were bound to be others who opposed it. They said that if they did something against Liu Bei, it would damage Yuan's reputation of benevolence and righteousness, and the gain would outweigh the loss.

In the end, the two sides quarreled for a long time, but they didn't come to a conclusion, so they had to put the matter on hold for the time being.

I never thought that Jizhou was only limited to verbal arguments for various unstable factors, but Cao Cao had already made actions that everyone could not predict at all!

This not only violated a taboo, but also touched Yuan's bottom line. No matter how dishonest Liu Bei was, he was also attached to Yuan.

And the situation got out of control later. Cao Jun not only completely defeated Liu Bei, but also brazenly attacked the Youzhou Army stationed in Xuzhou!
After the first battle, both sides suffered heavy casualties, but their subsequent statements were extremely vague.

Cao Cao sent an urgent letter to Yuan Shao, saying that he had a personal enmity with Liu Bei, and now that he captured Xiapi in Pengcheng, he was just revenge for his past.

As for the several battles that broke out in Xuzhou, Cao Cao explained that he thought it was Liu Bei's soldiers, but he didn't know anything else.

Everyone knew this obvious lie, and Yuan Shao sneered in his heart, because the letter Yuan Xi sent at almost the same time made it very clear that Cao Cao's dispatch of troops this time was aimed at Yuan Xi's Guangling, and even Yuan Xi. I!

Moreover, Yuan Xi also said in the letter that in Donghai County, Cao Jun pretended to be a Taishan thief to fish in troubled waters, intending to plant Yuan Tan and drive a wedge between the Yuan family's children. Obviously, Cao Cao was already publicly declaring war on the Yuan family!

The letter also said that after the battle with Yuan Xi, Cao Cao's vitality was seriously injured, and now the number of available soldiers has been greatly reduced, and it is a good time to cut him off!

Therefore, Yuan Xi suggested that Yuan Shao immediately use the power of the four states to send troops south to Yanzhou to attack Cao Cao!

This idea was so radical that among Yuan Shao's advisers, except for Tian Feng who agreed, the others more or less disagreed.

The obvious reason is that the teacher came out of nowhere. After all, Cao Cao is still an ally of Yuan Shao.

Although Yuan Xi's letter said that Cao Cao's actions were tantamount to rebellion, but these were all one-sided words. If he wanted to publicly crusade against Cao Cao, he needed a more high-sounding reason.Moreover, even if troops were to be sent, they would not be mobilized within a few months. Jizhou had been recuperating since the battle of Yijing, where Gongsun Zan was defeated, and fought the Battle of Black Mountain just after recovering.

With Yuan Shang's investment regardless of human life, although Heishan was captured, the losses of the Jizhou army were also quite heavy. According to the estimates of the counselors, Jizhou would not be able to return to the level before the Battle of Yijing in less than two or three years.

Now the Jizhou Army seems to be strong, but in fact, it has lost a lot of food and armaments. After all, in the several battles in Montenegro, too much military food and soldiers were wasted. Knowing that Jizhou can't immediately launch a big war

Therefore, Yuan Xi's current demand for an all-out attack on Cao Cao is considered by most counselors to be a blind and reckless move. With insufficient troops and food supplies, crossing the Yellow River to attack Cao Cao's hinterland is really not a safe strategy.

Yuan Shang thought about it for a while, expressed everyone's concerns, and finally said: "Now that spring plowing is approaching, it is really not a good time. Xianyi was too impulsive this time. This battle can be completely avoided."

Everyone thought that this was a scene talk. According to the fierce tiger's temper, he was beaten to his base camp. Do you really expect him to swallow his anger?

Xun Chen stroked his beard and said: "Although Cao Cao made a mistake in the attack, he now occupies Xia Pi and is able to resist Yuan Shu. Why not use him to attack Yuan Shu. After both sides suffer losses, then force him to withdraw from Xia Pi." Pi?"

As soon as these words came out, a counselor immediately agreed, and Shen Pei also said: "Master Xianyi's idea is indeed too risky. Crossing the Yellow River to attack Yanzhou, it is extremely difficult to guarantee the food route. If it fails, it will be difficult to survive. Retreat, if the main force is greatly damaged at that time, the offensive and defensive momentum will be different."

"Now that the envoy occupies four states, Cao Cao's total is only two states. Time is on our side. The most urgent task is to restore strength as soon as possible. There is absolutely no need to give up our advantages and take risks."

"And if you don't prepare well and send troops on your own, it will ruin the good situation."

Tian Feng sneered and mocked: "Jizhou is not ready, so is Cao Cao ready?"

"Now that Cao Cao is stationing troops in Pi, it is the time when the rear is weak and empty. If Jizhou goes straight down to Taishan County, and then to Pengcheng, it will cut off his retreat!"

"If he stabilizes himself in Xiapi and opens the passage between Yuzhou and Yanzhou, he will be able to recruit soldiers in the two prefectures and recover his vitality soon. If he fights again at that time, it will cost several times the price."

"I would like to ask everyone here, is it really more cost-effective to start a war than it is now?"

Everyone was silent, because they all knew that, unlike Yuan's policy in Jizhou, the conscription under Cao Cao's rule was just to pull people away without considering the follow-up development at all.

If you win the battle, you will have more land and food, and if you lose, you will have nothing. Of course, all the conscripts will die, so there is no need to worry about it.

Under this style of play, although there are many dead, the expansion is also fast. In just a few years, Cao Cao has occupied most of Yanzhou and Sili, as well as a part of Yuzhou and Xuzhou. The expansion of power is too fast, and it has far surpassed Jizhou. The expectations of the counselors at the beginning!

So when Tian Feng mentioned this matter, everyone couldn't refute it for a while.

Tian Feng took the opportunity to say: "After Cao Cao welcomed the emperor, he began to control the emperor's court, and all the decrees he issued were planned by him alone, but now Jizhou can't intervene. It means that he uses the name of the emperor to suppress us. If things go on like this, We will only be more passive!"

Xu You, who had already returned, rolled his eyes a few times and said, "Yuan Hao's words are wrong."

"Now Cao Cao is dealing with Yuan Gonglu. This is the real enemy of Jizhou."

"If you turn your face at this time, I'm afraid the world will blame Yuan's injustice."

Tian Feng became angry and said angrily: "Why, Yuan Jiujiu is also a member of the Yuan family. The two Yuans are fighting over family affairs. Now in order to calm down the family affairs, do they want to indulge the wanton outsiders?"

"Is it important to eliminate foreign aggression, or to calm Yuan's internal disputes?"

As soon as these words came out, Xu You secretly rejoiced, Tian Feng couldn't stand the provocation, so he really hit the trick.

Needless to say, of course it is important to settle down first. After all, brothers have to divide the family property!
Sure enough, Yuan Shao coughed and said: "My child is sick, and I have no thoughts. I will go back and think about it before making a decision. Let's do it like this today."

(End of this chapter)