Sun Ce thanked him for his gratitude and withdrew, there were no outsiders in the big tent.

"Lord, Sun Ce has a heroic spirit and is afraid he will not be inferior to others. If the lord really returns Sun Jian's troops and appoints him as the prefect of Guangling, he is just afraid that he will let the tiger go back to the mountain." Yang Hong said worriedly.

Yuan Shu squeezed out a sneer in his "roufeng": "Yang Ziya, Yang Ziya, you are my confidant adviser. Can't you still understand my profound meaning?"

Deep meaning?

Yang Hong was stunned for a moment, looking at Yuan Shu's mysterious and proud expression, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he showed a little surprise.

"Master, is it because the lord just used Sun Ce's promises, but the bait was not fulfilled?" Yang Hongxi said.

Yuan Shu said proudly: "Bo Fu is extremely brave and very similar to Sun Wentai. How can I not use such a tiger well? As for the promise I promised him, hehe~~"

Yuan Shu didn't say it clearly, but what he meant was already clear.

"The lord's skill in controlling people is really brilliant." Yang Hongshu praised with a thumbs up and praised in admiration.

Yuan Shu touched his big belly and raised his lips with a hint of pride.

Yang Hong thought of something and reminded him: "Although Sun Ce is available, the lord just handed over the 20,000 troops to Sun Ce. Hong always felt a little worried and had to restrict him."

Yuan Shu thought about it and made some sense. After pondering for a while, he said, "You have reason, I will send Ji Ling and Sun Ce to share his military power."

"The lord is wise."

Yang Hong bowed his hand and said seriously: "Sun Ce and Ji Ling are both martial artists, who are brave but have little plans. Hong is willing to follow the army and make suggestions for them from the side."

Yang Hong's swollen face had not yet subsided. He hated Yuan Fang deeply, so he asked for a fight with pleasure. He wanted to defeat Yuan Fang with his own hands to avenge those thirty revenges of slaps.

"I feel even more at ease with your think tank." Yuan Shu nodded repeatedly and agreed to Yang Hong's request.

At this moment, Yuan Shu garrisoned Zhong Li and recuperated. He ordered Sun Ce and Ji Ling to command 20,000 troops, continue to advance eastward for the Huai River, and head straight for Xutai.

...

A few days later, the east bank of Si Shui.

Above the Si River, ships were flowing southward, moving rapidly like the wind.

The ships carried tens of thousands of Qingzhou soldiers and hundreds of thousands of hu of food and grass.

Yuan Fang stood at the bow of the ship, looking away with his hands behind his back, and his thoughts stretched towards the vast Huainan.

It took him a few days to dig the embankment and flood Xia Pi City. Now, Yuan Fang is rushing to Guangling County to capture the important town Xutai.

As long as he takes the Xutai first, he can seize the benefits of the terrain, rely on Xutai City, and then find a way to defeat Yuan Shu's army.

A boat came against the current and merged into the fleet under the banner of the Mi family merchant ship.

Yuan Fang knew that it was the Mi Family Business Network and sent Guangling's latest information.

A bad premonition suddenly flashed in his heart.

Soon, Zhuge Liang walked up to the bow of the boat and said solemnly: "Master, I'll report to the south that the magistrate of Xutai County has opened the city and surrendered to Yuan Shu."

Yuan Fang's brows froze, and it was indeed as expected.

Xia Pi was besieged. The counties and counties in Xuzhou were actually in a situation where they had no leader and were in charge of their own affairs.

The current Xutai County Magistrate surrendered Yuan Shu without fighting, obviously thinking that Yuan Shu's strength was stronger than that of him.

"Tell the entire army to stop advancing and rest on the dock." Yuan Fang quickly ordered.

Xutai was lost, and Yuan Fang declared bankruptcy based on the strategy of counterattack in the city. He had to stop and re-plan.

The fleet leaned towards the river bank and the entire army landed on the shore.

After the camp was completed, Yuan Fang summoned the generals to the tent and told the generals that the loss of Xutai had been made.

This piece of information caused the fighting spirit of the generals to be slightly hit.

"Xutai has been lost. Even if our army advances to the Huai River, it will lose its foothold. It is better to retreat to the Xiaxiang. Taishi Ci said.

Xia Xiang is a small city south of Xia Pi and located on the east bank of Si Shui. It is also the only city on Yuan Shu's advance along the Si Shui route.

"Xiaxiang City is small and is too close to Xia Pi. Once our army retreats, the situation will be very unfavorable. We must defeat Yuan Shu on the Huai River." Guo Jia's tone was very firm.

Resolutely, but Xutai has been lost, and even crossing the Huai River has become a problem, let alone defeating Yuan Shu in the Huai River.

All the generals had no choice but to shake their heads.

Yuan Fang stared at the map, thought for a long time, and asked, "Who was the general of the Huainan Army who captured Xutai?

"It is reported that it is Ji Ling, a general under Yuan Shu, and Sun Jian's son Sun Ce, who was slapped by his master, Yang Hong was a counselor in the face." Zhuge Liang replied.

Sun Ce!

This loud name sounded in Yuan Fang's mind for the first time.

Yuan Fang searched for historical memories. At this time, Sun Jian had been killed by Huang Zu, and his troops were all owned by Yuan Shu. Sun Ce had not yet captured Jiangdong at this time, so he should indeed be under Yuan Shu's command.

Yuan Shu is not scary, Ji Ling is not a top general, but Sun Ce is a strong opponent.

Sun Ce in history made Cao Cao feel that "it is difficult to compete with the lion", and he had to win over Sun Ce's official position and Xu Jue.

"Sun Ce..." Yuan Fang touched his chin, thinking.

At this time, Guo Jia, who had a sip of wine, suddenly laughed and said, "I heard that Sun Ce has the style of his father Sun Jian, and he is extremely powerful in using troops. He defeated many enemies in Huainan for Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu sent him as a vanguard.

But he sent Ji Ling and asked his confidant Yang Hong to be a counselor. This combination is very interesting."

Guo Jia's tone is mysterious and clearly has something to say.

Yuan Fang was so smart that he could hear the external sound of Guo Jia's speech in a few breaths.

The frown loosened, Yuan Fang sneered: "Yuan Shu does not trust Sun Ce. He wants him to work hard and restrain him. Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao are worthy of being brothers, and they are both very suspicious. Well, now

It's easy to deal with."

"Although there are 20,000 enemies in Xutai, they are suspicious of each other and have not unified the orders. This is the opportunity for the lord to use troops." Guo Jia said with a smile.

Seeing through the enemy's weaknesses, Yuan Fang made great confidence, so hesitated even more.

At this moment, Yuan Fan raised his army and headed straight for the Huai River.

One day later, 25,000 Qingzhou soldiers advanced to the north bank of the Huai River.

Ji Ling and Sun Ce thought they had seized Xutai, and Yuan Fang had no place to gain a foothold in the Huai River, so he would choose to retreat to Xiaxiang.

However, they did not expect that Yuan Fang was so crazy and still led his army to come in a fierce manner.

In order to prevent Yuan Fang from crossing the Huai River in the south and attacking Xutai, the two generals Ji Ling then formed a large army and monitored Yuan Fang's army on the north bank along the south bank, ready to block Yuan Fang's crossing the river at any time.

On the north bank of the Huai River, Yuan Fang stopped at the beach of the Ma River, opened his eyes to observe the virtuality and reality of the enemy on the other side.

In the magnification of the vision several times, I saw the melee flags on the other side waving and the soldiers were full of armor. Tens of thousands of Huainan troops followed him closely across the river bank, with a very tight defense.

"It's really tight to follow." Yuan Fang closed his eyes and sneered.

Zhuge Liang beside him looked at the other side, but frowned and said, "The enemy is very cautious. If our army wants to cross the river and land on the south bank, it is probably a bit difficult."

"Fengxiao, what do you think?" Yuan Fang turned his eyes to Guo Jia.

Guo Jia played with the wine gourd in his hand and said thoughtfully: "If we can let the first climb the dead man, calmly climb to the south bank and open a landing point, we can cross the river for our army and gain enough time. But,

How to make the enemy retreat and let the dead soldiers land on the shore is a headache."

Guo Jia was anxious to swallow a few sips of wine. Others would get drunk when they drank, but his drinking seemed to make him clear.

"Is it just that the first death troop is on the shore..." Yuan Fang touched his chin and murmured to himself.

After pondering for a moment, a strange color flashed through Yuan Fang's eyes, and he had an idea.

Yuan Fang then summoned a personal soldier, told him a few words in his ear, and asked him to take the boat to the south bank alone, and as an envoy, to send a message to Ji Ling and Sun Ce.

Zhuge Liang and Guo Jia looked at each other, and both of them showed strange looks.

"Master, what have you said?" Zhuge Liang said curiously.

Yuan Fang said lightly: "It's nothing. I just asked him to tell Ji Ling and Sun Ce that he would have the courage to retreat a hundred steps, allow me to cross the river, and fight him to the death."

As soon as this said, Zhuge Liang was stunned and said suspiciously: "Ji Ling and Sun Ce should not be that stupid. How could they let us cross the river just by saying this?"

Yuan Fang smiled but said nothing.

Guo Jia had already realized it and said with a smile: "Aliang, it is precisely because Ji Ling and Sun Ce are not stupid that they will definitely retreat. Look."

The little Zhuge Liang became more and more confused. Although he had the embryo of wisdom, he was still young and had not developed wisdom, so he naturally couldn't understand the profound meaning of it.

He looked at the opposite side in a daze, thinking about Yuan Fang's intention.

Soon, the personal envoy had already crossed to the south bank with a boat under the banner of the envoy.

When the Huainan Army saw that the envoy was coming, they did not shoot arrows and let Yuan Fang's envoy land.

The envoy went ashore, looked at the Huainan Army's flag and rushed straight to Ji Ling and Sun Ce.

"My lord has something to tell you the commander of the army. I wonder which one is the commander?" The personal army said loudly without being humble or arrogant.

The young Sun Ce immediately took a step forward and asked, "What do Yuan Fang have to say?"

Sun Ce stood up like a public statement that he was the chief general of this Huainan Army.

Ji Ling's face changed slightly, and he hurriedly moved forward, coughing dryly, "What do Yuan Fang say to me?"

The personal army saw that there were two chief generals of the enemy, and was stunned, but immediately came to their senses and said loudly: "I will tell you, if you really have the courage, you will retreat a hundred steps and allow my leader to lead the army to board.

Han, fight to the death with you."

Sun Ce's eyebrows froze, and a strange color flashed in his eyes, as if he was suddenly thinking about something.

Ji Ling grinned and showed irony, thinking that Yuan Fang is really funny, and my army is following you from the other side of the river just to stop you from crossing the river. How could you let go just because your words were a little excited

Your troops landed on the shore.

Ji Ling thought of a sarcasm on the spot and exposed Yuan's aggressive approach.

At this moment, someone behind him said loudly: "Go back and tell that boy Yuan Fang that my Huainan Army will retreat a hundred steps, so that he can come and fight to the death with us."
Chapter completed!