Yuan Xi suddenly understood why Cao Cao had been fighting for many years. Wherever he went, either the enemy surrendered inexplicably or there were spies within the enemy who turned against him and offered sacrifices to the city.
This is certainly due to the fact that Cao Cao was powerful, but it is difficult to say whether it was because he controlled the enemy's soldiers and generals, just like the Yellow Turban Army, which controlled the people at the bottom through the spread of doctrine and then launched attacks.
If this is the case, Yuan Xi must also come up with corresponding countermeasures to resolve it.
Not only must we strive for reputation among the gentry, but we must also strive for the right to speak among the common people!
He was a little ashamed. He said that going among the people was actually a castle in the air. He had not thought about this at all before.
However, when Cao Cao was still alive, he was already revered as Zhenren by Taoism, and his foundation was extremely profound. How to cut off his foundation requires the guidance of someone who understands the Tao.
After Yuan Xi figured this out, he felt much more relaxed. He couldn't help but hold Cao Xian's hand and said with a smile, "You have helped me a lot."
Cao Xian's face turned red, he lowered his head and whispered: "I am very happy."
But what Yuan Xi said next made her feel cold, "I'm going to Beixin City in a while."
"You and your mother and sister will stay here for now, and you will come back when I follow the Yuan family to capture Yi Jing."
Cao Xian quickly said: "I am now the master's maid, how can I not follow him?"
"Besides, Sister Wu Zhao is very tired from doing all the chores around the young master alone. Can't I share the worries for her?"
Yuan Xi said solemnly: "I don't plan to take Wu Zhao with me this time either."
Cao Xian was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening, his face turned pale, "Is Beixin City dangerous?"
Yuan Xi sighed: "I don't know if Gongsun Zan and others will jump over the wall in a hurry."
Yijing, where Gongsun Zan was located, was located at the junction of Youzhou and Youzhou. It was directly north of Yecheng and blocked the important channel from Jizhou to Youzhou.
Yuan Xi's Beixin City is located northwest of Yijing, blocking Youzhou's western channel to support Yijing, which can be said to be extremely critical.
The news of Jizhou's all-out attack on Yijing has long been known to Gongsun Zan. Although he may not leave Yijing, his generals and allies will try their best to support the rescue.
By then, the battle over Beixin City will no longer be the petty quarrel of the past three years, but will be extremely cruel.
So Yuan Xi thought over and over again and decided not to take anyone with him this time. If Beixin City was breached and he broke through, the woman he had with him would only make him worry about one thing and not the other.
At this time, Wu Zhao's voice came: "Although I say that we should prepare for the worst in everything, my idea may be counterproductive."
When Cao Xian saw Wu Zhao coming in, he quickly moved away. Wu Zhao naturally knelt down and sat beside her.
Yuan Xi asked doubtfully: "How do you say this?"
Wu Zhaodao: "I know that if the young master is concerned, he will be in trouble. Although he is worried about our safety, his starting point is good."
"But if you show that you are ready to escape at any time when you are defending the city, the people in the city will only become more unstable."
Yuan Xi smiled bitterly and said: "I understand, but I have learned from the Yecheng Rebellion. If I were really in that kind of predicament, I don't know what choice I would make."
For Yuan Xi, the current historical trend is completely different. The Yecheng Rebellion is still predictable, but Beixin City is completely beyond his ability.
Wu Zhao whispered: "This matter is indeed difficult to decide. I am not a counselor, so I can't make false statements."
"For military matters, why don't you consult someone who is proficient in strategy?"
"I think the young master admires Mr. Fengxiao very much. Why not ask him?"
Yuan Xi thought the same thing, so he immediately went out, arrived in front of Guo Jia's door, and knocked several times.
An angry curse was heard from inside the door, and after a while, Guo Jia opened the door with an unkind expression.
When Yuan Xi saw that his arms were open and he was only wearing a robe, and it seemed like he was wearing nothing underneath, he realized what he was doing. He couldn't help but be stunned. He was doing this in broad daylight. How lustful are you?
Looking at Yuan Xi's expression, Guo Jia knew what he was thinking, and said angrily: "I'm leaving in a few days, so you won't allow me to indulge?"
Yuan Xi smiled and said: "That's just an unlucky thing for me to come. I'll go back first and come back after the party?"
Guo Jia rolled his eyes and said, "No, if the time comes at the wrong time, I will really be killed by you."
"If you have anything to say now, hurry up!"
Yuan Xi briefly explained the matter, and finally said: "According to my brother's opinion, if you refuse to defend one place, is it better to keep the people close to you with you, or to stay in Yecheng?"
Guo Jia laughed angrily, "Just because of this little thing, I almost got into trouble with you!"
"I won't give you any advice!"
Yuan Xi smiled and said: "This is not a march to fight. I'm just here to ask my brother what he thinks. It doesn't count as giving advice."
Guo Jia didn't expect that Yuan Xi was so shameless and refused to leave at the door. He sighed and said helplessly: "Okay, I will only say this kind of thing once."
"It's a good thing it's here."
"If you let your subordinates know that you have such thoughts, I'm afraid they will lose confidence in you."
After hearing this, Yuan Xi said solemnly: "Sir, please give me some advice."
Guo Jia said: "This is not a problem at all."
"If you want to achieve great things, you can give up everyone else except yourself."
"As a lord, you must understand, and as a subordinate, you should also understand."
"I think the young master has too much love as a son and daughter, so he goes back to think about such boring problems."
"Young master, you must know that if you die, everything will be meaningless."
"As people who follow the young master, even if they die, as long as the young master can achieve great things, their descendants will definitely live a good life. How can my subordinates be afraid of death?"
"On the contrary, they are more afraid of your failure. After all, no one knows whether their entire family will be killed by the enemy if you fail."
Yuan Xi was stunned and said: "Doesn't that mean that as a lord, you must be as ruthless as Gaozu?"
Guo Jia laughed and said: "If you want to learn from Emperor Gaozu, you must also have Han Xin!"
"Can you learn it?"
"In these troubled times, people more ruthless than our ancestors don't even know if they can survive!"
Yuan Xi was thoughtful when he heard Guo Jia say: "I'm too lazy to tell you, I won't give it away!" After saying that, he closed the door with a bang.
Yuan Xi stood in the snow and smiled bitterly.
What Guo Jia said is indeed true. If he dies, Wu Zhao, Cao Xian and the others will not die well, so for them, it is the same wherever they are.
Forget it, since I have chosen this path, I should have realized it long ago.
He returned to the house and said to Wu Zhao and Cao Xian: "You guys pack up in the next few days and come back to Beixin City with me."
When Wu Zhao and Cao Xian heard this, they smiled happily.
The reason why Yuan Xi was thinking so hard was because Jizhou mobilized troops and supplies to attack Yijing. Although preparations might take several months, Beixin City had to make arrangements in advance.
Because of the location of Beixin City, it not only blocked the passage of Zhuojun in Youzhou to support Yi Jing, but also blocked the eastbound route of Gongsun Zan's ally Zhang Yan, the Black Mountain Army in Bingzhou!
The Montenegrin Army is said to number hundreds of thousands, so the pressure on Beixin City will be very high by then.
In the past three years, the reason why Beixin City did not have such a serious threat was because Yuan Shao had been personally leading his army to fight with the Black Mountain Army, driving it out of Jizhou and back to the Taihang Mountains in Bingzhou.
Now that Zhang Yan is enemies with Yuan Shao and is on good terms with Gongsun Zan, if Yi Jing is attacked, the Black Mountain Army will definitely wait for an opportunity to attack.
Moreover, Yuan Xi knew that later Gongsun Zan did ask Zhang Yan for help, and Zhang Yan also came with all his troops, but he failed to catch up in the end.
But after Gongsun Zan failed, the Montenegrin Army continued to fight Yuan Shao for several years. Until Yuan Shao died of illness, the Montenegrin Army was not wiped out.
Yuan Xi secretly cursed in his heart that it was too difficult to capture Youzhou in advance. He had made so many plans, but the problems he faced later became more troublesome than the last!
No matter, Guo Jia was tied up anyway. Unless he wanted to commit suicide, Yuan Xi didn't believe that in a critical moment, Guo Jia would hold back and not speak!
Yuan Xi had made up his mind, so he took the car directly out of the house and went to Yuan Shao's official residence.
When he met Yuan Shao, he unexpectedly discovered that Yuan Tan, Yuan Shang, and a group of counselors had arrived, and even Xun Chen, who had not been seen for a long time, was also there.
When Yuan Shao saw Yuan Xi's arrival, he was a little surprised and said, "Did Xian Yi hear some news or do you have something to tell me?"
Yuan Xi bowed and said, "There is something wrong."
"I plan to leave Yecheng in the next few days and bring several thousand troops back to Beixin City."
As soon as these words came out, everyone was stunned and seemed a little surprised, but there were expressions of appreciation on the faces of several counselors.
Yuan Xi found that both Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang had complicated expressions on their faces, but Yuan Xi was very relieved. It was a crucial battle against Gongsun Zan, and even Yuan Shang would not hold back at this time.
Yuan Shao had some relief on his face and said, "Xian Yi can actually think of this."
"I have decided to let Xianfu be in charge of mobilizing grain, grass, soldiers and horses in Jizhou, and let Xiansi go to Qingzhou to recruit troops and grain."
"The only reason I didn't ask you to come over is because the location of Beixin City is indeed very critical, and the subordinates all have their own opinions."
"The fact that you can think of this really proves that what you did before was not accidental, and it is indeed very far-sighted."
After everyone heard this, they joined in and praised him.
Yuan Shang nodded along with everyone on his face, but he was extremely angry in his heart. Yuan Xi was no longer something he could simply suppress!
In today's preparations, he specifically excluded Yuan Shang, but Yuan Xi came directly!
Among the people present, there must be someone who has taken refuge in him!
It is really a disaster for such a person to stay in the family, but in order to defeat Gongsun Zan, he is indispensable!
But if he made great achievements when he defeated Gongsun Zan, wouldn't there be more changes?
When Yuan Shang was suspicious, Yuan Xi said: "Since I have been appointed as the governor of Zhuo County, I have the responsibility of guarding the territory, and the three cities of Beixin City can block the passage of the Heishan Army and Bingzhou in advance, so the sooner this happens, the better."
After hearing this, all the counselors nodded. They indeed thought so.
Attacking Yi Jing would require at least tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of troops, which would depend on Gongsun Zan's reinforcements.
If the opponent has more reinforcements, the troops used by Jizhou will also increase accordingly. In order to prevent the enemy from causing trouble, it is natural to make arrangements as early as possible.
But none of the counselors wanted to speak, because they knew that although Yuan Xi should defend Zhuojun, this job was actually very dangerous.
Not to mention Gongsun Zan's subordinates in Youzhou, if the Black Mountain Army's 100,000 troops were to leave Beixin City, how could Yuan Xi stop them?
If Yuan Xizhen died there, wouldn't Yuan Shao punish the person who came up with the idea?