Yuan Shao, the father of Fanghua in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 67 Seeing is believing
Yuan Shao was originally a suspicious person. After Yuan Xi fooled him, he began to have doubts about Cao Cao.

He has been slow to mobilize troops to conquer Qingzhou Youzhou, a considerable part of which is to guard against Cao Cao.

The best situation, of course, is to send troops while Cao Cao, Yuan Shu and others are attacking, so that there will be no worries.

After Yuan Xi's prophecy of the Yecheng Rebellion came true, Yuan Shao's view of Yuan Xi also gradually changed. This son, whom he didn't value much in the past, may really have something special!

In the past three years, Yuan Shao is not ignorant of what Yuan Xi has done in Beixincheng. He also understands that only by conquering Youzhou and pacifying the north as soon as possible can he free up his hands to deal with Yuan Shu in Yuzhou in the south.

But Youzhou is not so easy to fight, because the states around Jizhou are not stable now.

In Bingzhou in the west, there are Zhang Yan's black mountain bandits and the southern Huns Shan Yufulo.

In Qingzhou to the east, there is Tian Kai, Kong Rong, who is attached to Gongsun Zan.

Tao Qian from Xuzhou in the southeast was even more of a thorn in the side. He made an alliance with Yuan Shu Gongsun Zan on the surface, but in reality he had his own agenda.

The only allies who can help Yuan Shao now are Cao Cao of Yanzhou and Liu Biao of Jingzhou.

Yuan Shao currently has to rely on Cao Cao in Yanzhou, and only Cao Cao can withstand Yuan Shu in the south and Tao Qian in the east.

So even if what Yuan Xi said is true, Yuan Shao absolutely cannot turn against Cao Cao now.

Before Yuan Shao killed Qu Yi and expelled Lu Bu, there were fewer and fewer people available. Although there was a factor of crossing the river and demolishing the bridge, Bingliang's generals were too difficult to manage, and there were too many variables.

Yuan Shao and Cao Cao are taking very similar paths now, they both rely on blood relatives as the most important confidantes, Cao Cao relies on the Cao family and Xiahou family, and Yuan Shao relies on the third son of the Yuan family and the Gao family of his wife.

Among the three sons of the Yuan family, Yuan Tan led the army alone, Yuan Shang was able to handle the military affairs of Jizhou, and Yuan Xi was the most inconspicuous one.

Hundreds of people defended the city for three years. Although it sounds like a good job, there is nothing outstanding about it.

The reason why Yuan Shao didn't increase his troops was that on the one hand, he couldn't spare a hand. From Jizhou to Beixincheng, several states and counties along the way were not peaceful at all, and it was very difficult to transport troops and food; on the other hand, he wanted Yuan Xi to be soft first.

What the father and son did in Beixincheng was more like anger.

Yuan Shao was also having a headache at the time. If the chaos in Yecheng hadn't happened, Yuan Xi really wouldn't come back, and he would have to be ashamed to call him back?
But now that the father and son finally met, although Yuan Shao didn't say anything on the face, he was somewhat happy in his heart.

So when Yuan Xi proposed a bet, Yuan Shao immediately agreed.

It's just a few thousand soldiers and horses. As a father, can't I afford it?
Yuan Xi was very surprised. He didn't expect Yuan Shao to agree so quickly. One must know that 2000 people are in his hands. With Youzhou, which is rich in horses, salt and iron, as long as there is enough money and food, there will be a qualitative change in one or two years!
Yuan Xi felt that a stone fell heavily in his heart. There was no one, and he could do nothing. When he returned to Yecheng, everything was secondary, and the most important thing was to get soldiers!
He hurriedly thanked him with great joy, and Yuan Shao said with a straight face: "Don't get too complacent too early. If you really win the bet by chance, come to my study and let me test it. If you don't deal with it properly, I won't I will hand over the soldiers and horses to you."

Yuan Xi agreed immediately, but Yuan Shang was anxious.

The father seems to value the second brother very much!
Things are starting to get out of hand!

He lowered his head and rolled his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking.

In the Zhen Mansion in Yecheng, the three brothers and sisters sat facing each other.

After Zhen Rong heard what Zhen Yao said, he was a little angry, "What, then Yuan Xi blatantly brought dozens of concubines back?"

"I thought he was fighting outside, but I didn't expect him to be traveling. I heard that Yuan Zhoumu's two sons are excellent. Why is Yuan Xi so unbearable?"

Zhen Yao was a young man in his 20s, only a few years older than Zhen Rong, and still a little immature. He said, "Although I don't know what those girls do, they were indeed brought back by the Second Master Yuan."

"Mr. Pang Ji asked me to place these women. If it wasn't for this, I wouldn't know about it."

Zhen Rong said angrily to Zhen Mi: "Sister, it's clear that the Yuan family gave us disgrace. We all know that when Yuan Xi comes back, he will come to marry you in all likelihood, but now he's doing something like this!"

Zhen Mi bit her lip, her face turned pale, and said in a low voice, "Maybe there is something else going on."

Zhen Yao sighed: "I really wronged my little sister, now our Zhen family can't help themselves."

"If the second son of Yuan is half as capable as the third son, I won't worry about my younger sister getting married."

"Of the lord's three sons, the third son Yuan is the most talented, but it's a pity that he got married long ago."

Zhen Mi's eyes moved suddenly, and she raised her head: "Mr. Pang Ji and the third son have a good relationship?"

Zhen Yao nodded and said, "Mr. Pang Ji is the most optimistic about the third son."

Zhen Mi said thoughtfully, "Third brother, this is a matter of the Yuan family. It is not appropriate for our Zhen family to intervene. Let us pretend we don't know about it."

"Third brother, don't mention this matter again."

Zhen Yao also came to his senses and said, "My little sister reminded me, I understand."

Sending Zhen Yao away, Zhen Rong saw that Zhen Mi was still thinking about something and was about to comfort her when Zhen Mi suddenly said, "I want to go to Yuan's house."

Zhen Rong was stunned, "You go straight over, what else can you do, fight with that Yuan Xi?"

Zhen Mi shook her head and said, "No, my sister is going in the name of visiting Yuan Xing's sister, and I will pretend to be my sister's maid."

"Since the two families are getting married, sister Yuan Xing will most likely ask Yuan Xi to come and meet her sister."

"Seeing is believing. I want to see his details with my own eyes."

After hearing this, Zhen Rong was dumbfounded and said, "Little sister, you have always been courageous, but this is too whimsical!"

"What if someone finds out?"

"And with your appearance, how do you pretend? How can there be such a beautiful maid?"

After hearing this, Zhen Mi's extremely beautiful face also showed depression, she frowned slightly: "Think of a way to make it look ugly?"

Zhen Rong sighed, "It's not easy to paint your ugly face, why don't you find two plasters to stick it on."

Zhen Mi laughed after hearing this, "That sounds good too."

Seeing Zhen Mi smiling like a flower, Zhen Rong thought to himself that this little girl likes to smile the most, and hoped that after marrying into Yuan's family, she would not be wronged.

It's abominable that Yuan Xi is so careless!

Yuan Xi came out of Yuan Shao's room, feeling much more relaxed.

The situation in these four states is like a mess of threads, it's hard to figure it out.

His only advantage now is that he knows the historical development of later generations, but he can't copy it mechanically. After all, the current situation is completely different from the original one.

He will not fully disclose his cards and purpose to the Yuan family, after all his goal is not exactly the same as the Yuan family.

It is really too much pressure for one person to use the power of the Yuan family without being seen, but he can't find a counselor who can fully talk to him and give him advice.

If Zhuge Liang was five or six years older, he would go to Nanyang to grab him no matter what.

The only person around who could give an idea was Wu Zhao. He was full of thoughts and walked all the way to his room.

Walking to the door, I heard Wu Zhao talking with another woman.

He took a look and said, "Sister, why are you here?"

The woman raised her head, saw Yuan Xi, and complained: "Second Brother, you have been away for so long, do you still remember me?"

(End of this chapter)