Han family achievements

Chapter 524 Plot
Inside the big tent, there were only Yuan Shao, Guo Tu, Feng Ji, Zhang He, Gao Gan and others, and the atmosphere was quite lively.

Yuan Shao raised his glass frequently and drank with Guo Tu, praising his mission.

Although others had doubts about Liu Biao's decision to send troops, they did not say anything.

As long as Liu Biao sends troops, the two armies will be stronger and weaker, Yuan Shao will be more powerful, and Shi Xie will inevitably be terrified.

A group of people drank and talked happily in the big tent.

In the eyes of all of them, conquering Nanhai County was just around the corner.

They drank for an unknown amount of time. When everyone was about to give up, several maids helped Yuan Shao to leave. Before leaving, Yuan Shao turned around and said loudly, "Keep drinking. You must have a good time today!"

As soon as Yuan Shao left, no one dared to have fun. They packed up, exchanged greetings, and left the tent one after another.

"Military advisor, the lord invites you." When Guo Tu was about to leave, a minor official came over quietly and whispered in front of Guo Tu.

Guo Tu sobered up immediately, straightened his clothes, and followed the clerk to Yuan Shao's bedroom.

Yuan Shao was no longer drunk. When he saw Guo Tu, he hurriedly went forward and pulled him to sit down, saying, "Gong Ze, come and sit down!"

Guo Tu was wondering what was going on. He pretended to be flattered and bowed repeatedly before sitting down opposite Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao did not speak immediately, but took a sip of strong tea with a serious expression, as if he was thinking or organizing his words.

Guo Tu resisted the influence of alcohol and waited patiently.

After a while, Yuan Shao looked at him and said, "Gong Ze, I received news that the court is vigorously rectifying the administration of officials. More than half of the officials in Luoyang City have been arrested by the Censorate and put in the Tianlao."

Guo Tu also heard the news and was suspicious. He said, "I have heard the news in Changsha. The court is in disarray and has lost the support of the people. Isn't this a godsend for Lord Yuan? The court is in disarray. Lord Yuan should first take Jiaozhi and then plan for Jingzhou. Wait and see which way the court will go!"

Yuan Shao lowered his head, looked thoughtful, nodded, and fell silent again.

Guo Tu suddenly thought of something and asked in surprise, "Mr. Yuan, you want to lead your troops north?"

Yuan Shao was startled, looked up at Guo Tu, and said, "Gong Ze, how do you know what I am thinking?"

Guo Tu immediately said, "Lord Yuan, you must not do that! Now is the golden opportunity for you to take Jiaozhi and look north to Jingzhou. Once you miss it, you will never have it again! As long as you take Jiaozhi, half of Jiangdong will be in your hands. Liu Biao is a pedantic and incompetent person. He is timid and cowardly. There is no need to worry about him. When Lord Yuan conquers Jiaozhi, he can sweep Jingzhou with the power of a great victory. By then, half of the country will be in your hands! By then, no matter what the court is like, Lord Yuan can compete with it and great things can be accomplished!"

Yuan Shao nodded, but hesitated to speak.

This "road map" was discussed by him, many advisers and generals, and the attack on Jiaozhi was also the implementation of this strategy.

Seeing that Yuan Shao still refused to speak, Guo Tu became anxious and asked, "Mr. Yuan, do you have any other concerns?"

Yuan Shao looked at Guo Tu and said slowly, "To be honest, someone has contacted me and has also contacted many governors and county governors under the rule of the court. Now that the court is cleaning up the bureaucracy, I don't know how many people are in a state of panic. I have received six secret letters asking me to send troops to plan a big event."

Guo Tu was stunned again and again. He had never expected this to happen and could not help but fall into deep thought.

The court's move to rectify the administration of officials was indeed fierce. Half of the officials, both big and small, in Luoyang city were arrested. It was normal for local officials to be terrified by such a force.

Guo Tu knew very well what kind of people these local people were. Once the imperial court conducted a thorough investigation, it would not be excessive to execute all nine generations of their clan if more than half of them were killed.

It is not surprising that they were so frightened that they resorted to desperation and rebelled.

If there are enough rebels, and Luoyang City is in chaos, there is a chance to go north.

Guo Tu calmed down in an instant and said in a deep voice: "Mr. Yuan, please continue to attack Jiaozhi!"

Yuan Shao looked puzzled and said, "Please enlighten me."

Guo Tu thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Yuan, the imperial court has hundreds of thousands of soldiers and the people's hearts are gradually united. It is not something that can be planned in a short time. Even if rebellions are raging everywhere, it will be difficult to shake the foundation of the imperial court in a short period of time. This is great news for Mr. Yuan. At this time, Mr. Yuan can take Jiaozhi, or even Jingzhou. By then, no matter who wins or loses between the imperial court and those rebels, they can reap the benefits!"

Yuan Shao nodded, still thinking, and said: "What you said is consistent with Feng Ji, Yuan Huan, Ji Ling, Zhang He and others. However, I am worried that by the time I take Jiaozhi and Jingzhou, the north will have changed drastically. By then, it may be difficult to intervene if you want to plot again."

Guo Tu suddenly realized something and asked cautiously, "Mr. Yuan, the people who participated in the rebellion... their strength should not be underestimated?"

Yuan Shao looked at his expression, smiled slightly, and said, "You have misunderstood. Those people are just cowards, brave but not wise. But you must not forget that the Han Dynasty is about to end, and there are countless people with disloyalty. Some people are hiding in the dark, waiting for the opportunity."

Guo Tu was secretly shocked, knowing that Yuan Shao was afraid of some people or some one. He thought quickly and tried his best to persuade him: "Mr. Yuan, if you go north, once there is a disadvantage, the whole world will surely attack you. Shi Xie of Jiaozhi, Liu Biao of Jingzhou, Sun Ce of Wujun, and Liu Bei of Yuzhou will all attack you at the first opportunity. Going north at this time is definitely not the best strategy. Please continue to implement the plan, take Jiaozhi, and wait and see which way the wind blows!"

Seeing Guo Tu still said this, Yuan Shao sighed inwardly and nodded silently.

Guo Tu knew Yuan Shao's ambitions and consoled him, "Mr. Yuan, the imperial court is courting its own destruction. This clean-up of the bureaucracy is forcing the whole country to revolt. With Mr. Yuan's reputation, you will own the three states of Yang, Jiao, and Jing. In the future, the world will belong to you. There is no need to rush north. You can take your time."

Yuan Shao had no choice but to agree, but then, his eyes turned cold and he said, "Sun Ce has not put in any effort and has repeatedly asked for money and food. I have tolerated it again and again, but I can no longer tolerate it!"

Guo Tu didn't care about Sun Ce and said, "Mr. Yuan, since Liu Biao has already sent out his troops, Sun Ce is dispensable. I will arrange some assassins to pretend to be barbarians and assassinate him to eliminate future troubles!"

Yuan Shao nodded with satisfaction and laughed, "Good. As long as Sun Ce dies, I will have nothing to worry about!"

Liu Biao sent out his troops and it was just around the corner to capture Nanhai County. As long as he killed Sun Ce, swallowed up his troops and took Wu County, the whole of Jiangdong would be in sight!
When Yuan Shao thought of this, he suddenly became heroic and no longer cared about what was happening in the north.

Guo Tu felt relieved when he saw that he had appeased Yuan Shao.

If Yuan Shao insists on sending troops north, it would be a huge mistake and they will be doomed.

The next morning, Yuan Shao personally inspected the troops and the barracks.

With Liu Biao's military assistance, Yuan Shao gained confidence and prepared to capture Nanhai County in one fell swoop.

But he was not in a hurry. Although Liu Biao had sent troops, it would take some time for them to arrive.

Yuan Shao rode his horse and inspected the area. When he reached the end, he looked towards the southwest, which was where Sun Ce stationed his troops.

Sun Ce came at the invitation, but he did not join forces with Yuan Shao, but acted independently.

"What did Sun Ce say?" After dismounting and entering the military camp, Yuan Shao asked Yuan Huan with a dissatisfied voice.

Yuan Huan immediately said, "My lord, Marquis Wucheng said that he would cooperate with you to attack the south gate of Nanhai County."

Yuan Shao sneered and said, "Or is it just for show?"

Yuan Huan knew that Yuan Shao was dissatisfied with Sun Ce, so he quickly said, "My lord, the Marquis of Wucheng is no longer the same as he was before. As long as he is here, even if he doesn't really send troops, it will be enough to strengthen our momentum. We must not make enemies with him right now."

Yuan Shao snorted and strode back to the camp.

Yuan Huan did not dare to persuade Yuan Shao for fear of angering him, so he could only accompany him carefully and observe his mood. In Sun Ce's camp, Sun Ce and Cheng Pu and others were drinking, without any serious look before the battle.

After an unknown amount of time, Cheng Pu said, "Lord Sun, I think we can go now."

Sun Ce held the wine glass in his hand, looked towards Yuan Shao's camp, and said, "I also feel something is wrong. Yuan Shao is not in a hurry to attack the city. Is he waiting for food and grass?"

Cheng Pu shook his head, looking a little uneasy, and said, "I suspect Yuan Shao is planning something else. I see that the army is well-organized and sharpening their swords, and it seems that they are fully confident of marching south to Nanhai County."

Sun Ce was a little curious and said with a smile: "We have been fighting for almost a year and still can't defeat it. Now there is suddenly a way?"

Cheng Pu looked at Sun Ce and said, "Lord Sun, do not underestimate Yuan Shao. Moreover, we have gained enough. Now returning to Wujun may be a good opportunity to plan for Danyang or even Kuaiji!"

Sun Ce shook his head and said, "Didn't you see Ju Yi's army camp? They are watching us. If we make any rash moves, they will definitely attack us immediately."

Cheng Pu immediately said in a deep voice: "Then we have to leave. Once Yuan Shao conquers Nanhai County, we will be the first ones to be dealt with!"

Sun Ce's expression changed, he reached for the spear beside him and said, "Tell me, if I launch a surprise attack at night, can I defeat Yuan Shao?"

Cheng Pu was shocked and said, "Absolutely not! Lord Sun, as long as Yuan Shao is alive, Wujun will be alive. Once Yuan Shao is destroyed, the court will never tolerate Lord Sun!"

Seeing his big reaction, Sun Ce couldn't help but smile and said, "It's just a joke, no need to be nervous."

Cheng Pu then slowly relaxed and said, "Lord Sun, let's go at night and do something to cover it up, enough to deceive Ju Yi."

Sun Ce didn't care whether to leave or not. If he wanted to leave, Yuan Shao couldn't stop him. He glanced at Cheng Pu and said bluntly, "Sir, you know everything about Luoyang. What do you think?"

Cheng Pu said: "I still say the same thing, don't act rashly, the time is not right yet!"

Sun Ce looked out of the tent silently, feeling hesitant.

Such a big thing happened in Luoyang City, and people all over the world are in turmoil. Isn't this a good time?
However, Sun Ce also understood that he was only the Marquis of Wucheng and only had a small Wu County, so it was not his turn to show his ambition.

The matter of Luoyang City was a godsend opportunity for Yuan Shao, Liu Biao, Liu Zhang and others, right?

What will they do?
……

While Yuan Shao was reorganizing his troops and boosting morale, the Nanhai County was under tremendous pressure.

In the city of Nanhai County, the total number of soldiers and civilians does not exceed 50,000, and there are only more than 10,000 people who can defend the city. It is already the limit for them to hold out until now.

Originally, they thought that Yuan Shao should have withdrawn his troops last year, but they never expected that Yuan Shao survived the entire winter and would not give up until he took over Nanhai County.

Shi Wu, the governor of Nanhai County, stood on the top of the city wall and looked at the neatly-organized reinforcements. He had a steely expression, sword in hand, and said nothing.

Everyone in the city was looking at him in silence.

As the younger brother of Shi Xie and one of the four brothers of the Shi family, each of them held a prefecture governorship. Of the nine counties in Jiaozhi, the Shi family occupied four, and the other counties were also under the control of the Shi family.

However, facing Yuan Shao's powerful offensive, the Shi family could only hold out in Nanhai County despite all their efforts and could not defeat him.

Yuan Shao was determined not to give up until he conquered Jiaozhi, and this put great pressure on the nine counties of Jiaozhi.

Shi Wu knew the situation in Jiaozhi: the area was vast and sparsely populated, with little food and few soldiers. If Yuan Shao continued to attack, it would only be a matter of time before Nanhai County fell.

Not only is the journey from Jiaozhi or other counties to Nanhai County a long one, but most of the roads have been blocked by Yuan Shao - Nanhai County is already an isolated city!
Shi Wu looked back and saw that the soldiers in the city were all in ragged clothes, with pale faces and thin bodies, without any fighting spirit at all.

Shi Wu withdrew his gaze, facing the chilly spring breeze, and looked quietly in the direction of Yuan’s army camp.

Yuan Shao organized his troops, which took two days.

For two days, Yuan Shao did not attack the city, but the news that Liu Biao had sent troops and Cai Mao was leading an army of 50,000 had spread throughout Nanhai County.

For a time, the morale of Yuan Shao’s army camp soared, and they shouted to attack Nanhai County.

Yuan Shao gathered all his generals in front of the army, killed the deer to show his determination, and shouted to all the generals and soldiers, "Tomorrow we will attack the city, and we will not stop until we conquer Nanhai!"

"I will not stop until I conquer the South China Sea!"

"I will not stop until I conquer the South China Sea!"

"I will not stop until I conquer the South China Sea!"

Countless soldiers, waving their weapons, roared to the sky, and were filled with murderous aura.

That night, Yuan Shao held a banquet in the big tent. He was calm and confident, made loud promises, and planned for the future with his advisers and generals.

The whole tent was filled with an atmosphere of unity and solidarity.

"Lord!"

Suddenly, a messenger ran in, knelt on one knee and said, "The west gate of Nanhai County is open, and they are escaping!"

Yuan Shao opened his eyes, stood up suddenly, drew his sword and shouted: "Attack the city immediately and pursue!"

"Here!"

Ju Yi, Zhang He, Gao Gan and others stepped out at the same time and responded loudly.

In Yuan Shao's camp, lights suddenly lit up like a dragon, and the soldiers who had been prepared for a long time rushed out and headed straight for Nanhai County.

As for Nanhai County, they had been surrounding it on three sides and leaving one side open, hoping to force Shiwu to abandon the city and flee. Unexpectedly, Shiwu actually persisted until now, and only gave up when the news of Liu Biao's military dispatch arrived.

Yuan Shao personally led his troops to attack from the east gate, while Zhang He led 3,000 cavalry to pursue the fleeing Shi Wu at night.

This time, without any surprises, Yuan Shao finally reached the Nanhai County he had longed for. After a short rest, he led his army and set off overnight, heading from east to west, straight towards Jiaozhi.

Yuan Shao's capture of Nanhai County was not good news for Sun Ce, who had to be dragged along and follow the army deep into Jiaozhi.

"Your Excellency Sun, Yuan Shao sent someone to tell you that you are invited to ride with us!" Suddenly, a personal soldier came to report.

Sun Ce was on his horse, and before he could say anything, Cheng Pu said, "Lord Sun, you cannot go there!"

(End of this chapter)