The last time the Black Mountain bandits made a surprise attack on Beixin City, they were defeated and captured. After a month of hard labor, they were all released.
The rumors that were deliberately spread about them during this period were brought back to the Montenegrin army with the return of these people, and began to spread.
Since then, members of the Black Mountain Army in the Taihang Mountains have come to Beixin City one after another, dragging their families with them.
How to arrange these people has become a headache for Yuan Xi.
Guo Jiadao: "Isn't this your original intention?"
Yuan Xi sighed: "I didn't expect it to come so soon. We are still weak. What if the Black Mountain bandits take the opportunity to retaliate?"
"You must know that now that the three cities are mobilizing to participate in the Battle of Yijing, the internal defense is empty. If the Black Mountain Army attacks in large numbers, I am afraid it will be difficult for me to take care of both ends."
His worries were not unreasonable. He originally thought that these rumors might take a year and a half to take effect. Unexpectedly, he underestimated the difficulty of life for the Black Mountain Army in the Taihang Mountains.
Within a few months, people began to escape one after another. Yuan Xi asked about the reason, and most of the answers were that the Black Mountain Army barely had enough to eat.
Thinking about it, it is indeed easy to hide in dense forests in the mountains, but it is not very friendly for farming and land reclamation.
In the eight-hundred-mile Taihang Mountains, the ancient Zhongshan Kingdom had been established for more than a hundred years, with thousands of chariots, and was known as the eighth hero of the Warring States Period. However, it was difficult to enter and exit, so it was eventually lost in the long river of history.
Guo Jia hated the iron and said: "This is not easy. You won't send people to negotiate first?"
"There is no inextricable hatred between you and the Black Mountain Army. Even if the negotiation fails, if you don't hit the smiling man, Zhang Yan probably won't do anything to you for a while."
"As for the peace talks, there's no need to rush. We'll drag them on while we're at it. As long as we drag them on for a few months, it will be easier to capture Yi Jing later."
"By the way, I heard that he is also from Changshan. Captain Zilong and his fellow villagers may not be able to make a fuss about this."
After hearing this, Yuan Xi said happily: "Sir, what you said makes sense. I will go ask Zilong about Zhang Yan."
"Choose someone who is willing to go on a mission and let's talk slowly."
Guo Jia said angrily: "Can you ask me any questions?"
"Don't you have any other strategists?"
Yuan Xi answered honestly: "No."
Guo Jia was dizzy.
Yuan Xixing rushed to find Zhao Yun and wanted to ask about Zhang Yan. Zhao Yun thought for a long time and shook his head and said: "I have heard of this person, but he has different ambitions, so it is difficult to evaluate him. But Zhang Yan is good at strategy and force.
He is not lacking, he is not a simple person."
Yuan Xi nodded, Zhao Yun took the path of leading his fellow villagers to defect to the Han clan and help the world.
Zhang Yan, on the other hand, took the path of gathering people to rebel.
But Zhang Yan did have extraordinary abilities. His original name was Chu Yan. He gathered people as a bandit queen, joined forces with Zhang Niujiao from Boling, and respected Zhang Niujiao as their leader.
Later, Zhang Niujiao died in a stray arrow. Before his death, he passed the leadership to Chu Yan. After Zhang Niujiao's death, Chu Yan changed his surname to Zhang, which means that he recognized Zhang Niujiao as his father.
As a result, Zhang Yan won the hearts of the Montenegrin soldiers, and then made a decision that now seems very wise.
When the world was in chaos, he took the initiative to send people to Luoyang to see Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty, and submitted a letter expressing his surrender. He was named Zhonglang General in peacetime. With the acquiescence of the court, he controlled the Taihang Mountains and had the right to raise filial piety and integrity every year.
The governor of a state is no different.
Moreover, he managed to survive the great war in which the Han Dynasty mobilized the princes to wipe out the Yellow Turbans from the world.
But Yuan Xi knew that although Zhang Yan held a high position, Zhao Yun actually looked down on Zhang Yan as a person.
Zhang Yan gathered gangs of thieves, roared in the mountains and forests, harassed the people, and tortured many cities and counties. Later, he turned into an official army and ruled over the people he had tortured. If Zhao Yun could accept it, he would not be Zhao Yun.
This is also the reason why people within the Black Mountain Army have been fleeing to Beixin City one after another. I think the people who come there are not living a very good life.
And although Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty canonized Zhang Yan at that time, it was also the helplessness of the Eastern Han Dynasty court, but in fact it set a precedent of murder and arson with gold belts. Bandits can become high-ranking officials of the court, so what else can't they do?
From then on, the Han Dynasty became increasingly corrupt, and various princes and warlords with evil intentions took turns fighting around the imperial power in an attempt to gain greater benefits.
From the beginning of Dong Zhuo to today's Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, Fan Chou and others, the evil consequences of fighting for power and profit around Emperor Liu Xie of the Han Dynasty were the evil consequences planted by Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty.
Yuan Xi sighed: "But now according to our strength, we can't fight it, we can only try to fight it slowly."
Zhao Yun's face turned solemn: "Yun understands that he will never do anything bad to the young master."
Yuan Xi smiled slightly. Zhao Yun said that nothing bad would happen, instead of saying that he would follow his own wishes, which showed that he did have a ruler in his heart.
He laughed: "I understand what Brother Zilong means."
"The future may not be bright, but the road is very tortuous, but as long as we go in the direction of light, at least we will be worthy of our true intentions, right?"
Zhao Yun understood, a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes, and he nodded heavily.
The news that Jizhou mobilized its army to attack Yijing spread throughout the world.
Except for Liangzhou and Yizhou, which were still far away, almost all the princes in the states felt an uneasy atmosphere.
The situation in the world is about to change drastically.
Liu Biao, the pastor of Jingzhou, discovered that Yuan Shu was coveting Yuan Shu on the border of Jingzhou, so he withdrew all his generals and troops and transferred them to Yangzhou.
Liu Biao had already secretly joined forces with Yuan Shao, and discovered unusual clues from this incident. He sent envoys to inform Yuan Shao and strengthened border defense.
As for attacking Yuan Shu in Jingzhou, he would never do it.
Jingzhou soldiers have a very strong sense of defending their homeland, which allows them to soar in combat effectiveness when defending their hometown. However, if they are forced to attack Jingzhou, they will basically suffer repeated defeats.
Although Yuan Shao seems to have many allies, most of them are like Liu Biao who sit on the mountain and watch the fight between tigers and tigers.
There are very few people who are as good at fighting as Cao Cao and have actually done a lot of dirty work for Yuan Shao, so Yuan Shao still cannot make up his mind to break with Cao Cao.
But what Cao Cao did now was beyond everyone's expectations.
Cao Cao's army invaded Chen State in Yuzhou and surrounded Chen County, where Chen State was governed. Chen King Liu Chong asked for help from all directions, but no one could help him.
Previously, Yuan Shu coveted the state of Chen, but Liu Chong and Prime Minister Luo Jun were disgusted and worried, so they sent thousands of troops to Cao Cao to befriend him, hoping to use Cao Cao to restrain Yuan Shu.
However, what they didn't expect was that less than half a year after Cao Cao took over his troops, he suddenly turned against him, while Yuan Shu over there showed no reaction.
Only then did Liu Chong realize that he had been sold!
But it's too late.
As for Yuan Shu in Yuzhou, just as Yuan Shao's counselors suspected, he avoided Cao Cao in a tacit understanding, turned around and went to Yangzhou to attack Liu Yao, and at the same time sent people across the Yangtze River to invade Guangling County in Xuzhou.
After Liu Bei learned the news, he hurriedly mobilized troops from Xiapi and went to Guangling to guard it.
He understood that Yuan Shao was attacking Yi Jing at this time, and had to fire the arrow on the string. He could no longer send troops to help, and he could only rely on himself now.
It was because Yuan Shu saw this that he dared to attack Xuzhou and Yangzhou at the same time. After all, his desire for Xuzhou was only higher than that of Cao Cao.
The world began to become turbulent. It was difficult to say how all these changes began. But when Yuan Xi learned the news, he was in a daze for a moment. This change, which was far away from history, could not be related to him, right?
If he were still the cowardly and unconquerable bastard in his previous life, he would just wait for Yuan Shao to attack Yi Jing three years later, and then go to Youzhou to become the governor.
Because he is not a threat, the adoptive one will be Yuan Tan, and the relationship with Yuan Shang will not be so bad, so that the two of them will not be in the same situation now.
He is a mediocre person who does not attract jealousy. If he chooses this path, he is destined to encounter more attacks. However, Yuan Xi did not expect Cao Cao's reaction.
Yuan Xi's dirty tricks in the past few days may have really made Cao Cao anxious, so he took advantage of Yuan's lack of opportunity to expand his territory. It can only be said that Cao Cao was too good at finding opportunities.
Now Yuan Xi could only hope that Lu Bu would go to Sili slower and meet Zhang Yang, the prefect of Hanoi, later, at least until he captured Yijing before he could reorganize his layout.
On the other hand, the Xuzhou side is actually the most dangerous.
He estimated that Liu Bei was very reluctant to block Yuan Shu.
However, there is another Cao Cao to the west.
After Cao Cao conquers Chen State, he will definitely take the opportunity to go to Xuzhou to get a piece of the pie. At that time, Liu Bei will be in danger!
Yuan Xi now desperately hopes that Lu Bu can stab Cao Cao in the back, but he knows that this is a bit unrealistic.
Even if he used Yinhu's identity to persuade Lu Bu, he probably had little hope, because Yinhu had previously asked Lu Bu to fight in Hanoi, and now going back on his word would only make Lu Bu suspicious.
Moreover, if Lu Bu stabbed Cao Cao in the back at this time, it would be equivalent to falling out with Yuan Shu. According to Lu Bu's current situation, he should not take such a big risk.
Moreover, Yuan Xi got the news that Qin Yilu was sent as an envoy to Yuan Shu and was given a daughter named Liu as his wife. Qin Yilu agreed on the spot and they were married.
The one he married was naturally the first wife, which was equivalent to divorcing his previous wife, Du Shi.
When Yuan Xi learned the news, he wondered if Qin Yilu had listened to his parting words and properly arranged the Du family?
If not, it can only be Du's wish. In troubled times, women can't help themselves. How many people can control their own destiny?
Guangling County, Xuzhou.
Several cities on the border with Xiapi, including Guangling County, the seat of Guangling County, have been completely occupied by Yuan Shu's army, and the people in the city are all uneasy.
No one expected that Yuan Shu's troops crossed the river from Jiujiang County in Yangzhou and instead of capturing Pi, they captured Guangling first!
In a mansion in Guangling City, there were about 20 young generals who were tall and handsome. They were bowing to a beautiful woman and said, "Mom, it's too late."
"Three Kingdoms" says, "Ce is a man of beautiful appearance, good at jokes, open-minded and receptive, and good at employing people. As a result, he is seen by the people as a scholar, and he is dedicated to his heart and enjoys himself to death."
The beautiful woman sitting at the top was about thirty years old, with a very beautiful appearance. She was gently rocking the swaddling clothes in her arms, and the baby inside was already asleep.
She said softly: "It's good that Ce'er is here, but it's unjust for you to invade Xuzhou without permission. Don't disturb or harm the people."
The young general was Sun Ce. He now led the newly recruited Danyang soldiers and his father's old troops, a total of 2,000 people, to defeat Liu Yao from Yangzhou and invade Guangling to echo the offensive of Yuan Shu's other generals.
He was unconvinced and said: "I heard that Liu Bei drove out my mother and almost killed her and my little sister. I will definitely collect this debt from him today!"
The beautiful woman was Mrs. Wu, Sun Jian's widow. She shook her head and said, "It's not Liu Shijun's fault."
Sun Ce raised his head and asked doubtfully: "Why?"