Survival Three Kingdoms

Chapter 399 Second Expedition to Hebei
At the end of July, Guan Tong hurried over from Nanpi, handed over a letter from Yuan Tan, imploring Zhou Cang to send troops.Zhou Cang was overjoyed, and immediately asked Zhao Yu to submit the prepared memorial to Xu Du. Without waiting for Cao Cao's reply, he ordered Chen Dao and Xu Huang to send troops to Beihai and Tai'an respectively, and asked Guan Tong to guide Xu Huang.

With Guan Tong and Liu Zheng leading the way, two armies and four battalions quickly swept across Beihai and Mount Tai. I heard that it was Xuzhou soldiers from Zhou Cang, led by the old leaders. All counties responded one after another, and the people They lined the road to welcome them, Liu Xun's men fled when they heard the news, they collapsed without a fight, those who could not escape abandoned their armor and surrendered, and the two counties were pacified in less than ten days.

When Cao Cao's reply letter and imperial decree arrived in Xuzhou, Guan Tong and Liu Zheng had already assumed the posts of Beihai prefect and Taishan prefect.According to Guan Tong's intention, he wanted to decline and asked Zhou Cang to assist Yuan Tan in sending troops to Jizhou, but Zhou Cang politely refused.There are three main reasons: First, the court's decree is very clear that Zhou Cang sent troops to Beihai and Mount Tai to put down Liu Xun's rebellion, so he must act according to the decree.Second, the dispute between Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang is a family matter, and outsiders should not interfere. If they intervene, it will arouse the dissatisfaction of the people of Jizhou towards Yuan Tan.Third, I temporarily managed Beihai and Mount Tai for Yuan Tan, and I may have to return it to Yuan Tan in the future. Therefore, Guan Tong should manage Mount Tai well, and Yuan Tan will have a place to stay even if he is rude in the future.

The first reason is high-sounding and serious. Guan Tong thinks that although it is reasonable, it also has elements of perfunctory.As for the second point, Guan Tong also felt that it was a bit inappropriate. The quarrel between the two brothers was a family matter, and if outsiders intervened, it would change the flavor. Especially if the people of Jizhou held a grudge against Yuan Tan, it would be very detrimental to Yuan Tan.As for the third point, it was to thoroughly convince Guan Tong that there was nothing wrong with Zhou Cang's doing so, especially when he heard that Yu Jin and Xiahou Dun sent troops to Jinan, he felt that he should hold the final base for Yuan Tan.Therefore, he finally agreed to serve as the prefect of Mount Tai.

Only Zhou Wen smiled secretly, Zhou Cang was lying to honest people, how could Yuan Tan return to Taishan under the current situation.

"Guan Taishou can send a letter to Xian'en. If things don't work, you can go to the mouth of the Yellow River. I have a boat at the confluence of the river and the sea. The boat is decorated with a brocade sail. After boarding the boat, go straight to Liaodong. After a few years to avoid the limelight Come to Xuzhou again."

What dissatisfied Zhou Cang and Zhou Wen was that Taishan and Beihai counties were seriously damaged, especially Taishan was short of people and food after Zang Ba's looting, and thousands of surrendered soldiers were taken in, but they were unusable.All these people had to be disbanded and went home to work in farming or joined the workshops in Xuzhou to work.

In order to develop the two counties, Zhou Cang had to transfer manpower and resources from the counties, which made Zhou Wen always feel that this dispatch of troops did not seem to take much advantage.

The first time he attacked Liyang, Zhang Xiu suffered a lot. This time he tried his best to avenge his shame, but the result disappointed him again: I heard that Cao Cao's [-] troops sent troops to Liyang, and Liyang guarded the Wang Gate Abandoning the city and fleeing, leaving an empty city behind, leaving Zhang Xiu with nowhere to use his energy.

Standing at the foot of Liyang City, Cao Cao looked at the extremely strong city, feeling infinitely moved in his heart.If the two Yuans hadn't been fighting each other, how could Li Yang have won so easily.Disaster caused a weak wall, no matter how strong a fortress is, it can't hold up the cracks generated inside.In just one year, Li Yang was captured without bloodshed.

Now that the gate of Hebei has been opened, Cao Cao ordered Li Dian to guard Liyang as a transit station for grain and grass, and continue to lead the army northward to Yecheng.The prefectures and counties along the way were washed by Yuan Tan, and many personnel for the trial and allocation were not yet in place, and Cao Cao's army was unable to resist, so they opened the city gates and surrendered again.

The judge was shocked, and immediately sent someone to report to Yuan Shang to ask him to come back for help, and then sent someone to Youzhou to ask Yuan Xi to rescue him, and asked Gao Gan to lead the army to go south to attack Hedong and Cao Cao's troops had reached Cao Cao's strength, and then sent someone to Yanshan to ask Zhang Yan to lead the Black Mountain Army Raid Cao Jun.He was still in shock, and news came from Wuhuan that Wuhuan Qiao Wang was persuaded by Xin Ping to send troops to aid Yuan Tan, and the judge had to send Yin Kai to guard Maocheng to pass the food road of Shangdang, so that Zhaozhao came from Shangdang Go to Wuhuan to lobby.

This fuss made the judge a lot, he wanted to vent his anger on Wangmen, but Wangmen knew that returning to Yecheng would not bring good results, so he defected to Juhu, the prefect of Handan.

Yuan Shang got the report from the judge, gave up the siege of the plains, returned to Yecheng at Xingye, and defended the city with the judge, Yuan Tan took the opportunity to recover Nanpi.

Cao Cao's army stopped advancing fifty miles away from Yecheng.The news from various scouting newspapers made him frown: Yuan Xi sent Zhang Nan to lead [-] troops to rescue Jizhou, Gao Gan took Guo Yuan as his general to go south to Hedong, and Zhang Yan's Black Mountain Army appeared on his left.

After counting, there are at least [-] defenders in Yecheng. Want to attack the city?Disaster!If he divides his troops to meet Gao Gan and Zhang Yan, then Yuan Shang is very likely to bully his own soldiers to take the initiative to attack, and the outcome is unpredictable.

Xu Yougan was anxious but lost his mind.Xun You suggested that Zhong Yao send troops to fight against high-ranking cadres, but Zhang Yan was not easy to deal with. Zhang Yan was originally a bandit. Abandon the Yuan family and switch to Cao Cao.

Cheng Yu believes that Zhang Yan sent envoys to the capital Luoyang during the reign of Emperor Ling, and wrote to the imperial court to request surrender.Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty appointed Zhang Yan as a general in the middle of the disaster, and let him manage the administrative and public security affairs in the mountainous area north of the Yellow River, so it is very possible to persuade him to surrender.

Cao Cao immediately ordered to set up camp on the spot, followed Zhong Yao to send troops to Hedong, and sent Cheng Yu to persuade Zhang Yan.Cheng Yu was the first to return. As he expected, Zhang Yan had already had enough of being a bandit. Originally, Pingnan Zhonglang would do well. Yuan Shao seized Jizhou and fought Gongsun Zan, so he had to retreat to the mountains again. There are already millions of residents in the mountains, and the mountains can't afford to support so many people, so they are attached to Yuan Shao. After Yuan Shao died, Cao Cao, who represented the court, came. As soon as Cheng Yu left, Zhang Yan said that he was originally an official of the court. Willing to submit to Cao Cao.The only condition is that after Cao Cao occupies Jizhou, the mountain people can come out of the mountain and live a normal life.

This is not a conditional condition, Cao Cao readily agreed.He intends to promote Zhang Yan's official position, but finds that General Pingbei has been occupied by Pei Yuanshao, so he has to be appointed as An Guoting Marquis to comfort Zhang Yan.

Xun You once again proposed to Cao Cao to withdraw troops. Yuan Shang would not be able to defend Yecheng by force. This time, using the two Yuans' struggle to capture Li Yang had already achieved his strategic intention, and there was no need to spend money and food in vain.

Cheng Yu agreed, Yuan Tan lost Qingzhou and only Pingyuan and Nanpi were left. He would definitely plot Jizhou to secure himself, and Yuan Shang would even worsen the situation and completely wiped out Yuan Tan. Therefore, after the withdrawal of troops, the two Yuans would fight again.

Guo Jia sent a letter from Xudu, saying that Yu Jin and Xiahou Dun captured Jinan and other Qingzhou counties, Yu Jin beheaded Liu Xun, and sent 2 soldiers, and about [-] people fled to Pengcheng and Beihai, where they were taken in by Zhou Cang. .Guo Jia advised Cao Cao to suspend the attack and wait for a better opportunity.

(End of this chapter)