To be fair, although Yuan Xing is not young, there has been an endless stream of people proposing marriage to Yuan Shao in the past two years.
After all, a lot of men from noble families in this world get married after reaching their twenties, and the age difference between the two is not too big. Wei Qing even married Princess Pingyang, who was twelve years older.
There are not many families with similar status to the Yuan family, and marriage is a means of forming an alliance. Wuhuan Chan Yu Tatun also sent people to show his sincerity.
The marriage with Wuhuan actually helped to strengthen the Yuan family. Not only did Yuan Shang strongly support it, but even Yuan Shao's counselors rarely opposed it.
After all, in the opinion of the counselors, if Yuan Shao can get the support of hundreds of thousands of Guan Nei Wuhuan, Yuan Shao can not only secure the power in the north, but also get a large number of cavalry. No one north of the Yangtze River will be Yuan Shao's opponent.
Yuan Shao was hesitant at the time and almost agreed several times. After all, Jizhou's vitality was severely damaged after the Battle of Yijing and it also fell into a low ebb. It would be difficult to expand on a large scale within a few years. Yuan Shu and even Cao Cao in the south of Jizhou were growing rapidly in strength.
But even Yuan Shao himself didn't know why, but he didn't agree in the end. Instead, he found a girl from the Yuan family branch and married her.
Yuan Shao was wondering at the time, was it because he was afraid that his daughter would marry and suffer in a cold and cold place?
It wasn't until Yuan Xi mentioned the agreement two years ago that Yuan Shao suddenly realized that he had always remembered this matter in his heart, so he subconsciously didn't let Yuan Xing get married?
Could it be that he was secretly hoping that Yuan Xi would fulfill his original promise?
Now that Yuan Xi has fulfilled his promise, he is in a dilemma. Thinking of this, Yuan Shao sneered at Yuan Xi and said, "So you have been plotting against me?"
Yuan Xi was calm and composed, "Original Lord Mingcha, this is the original agreement between you and me. I just tried my best to fulfill it."
"If Lord Benchu wants me to forget this matter, I will do it."
Yuan Shao's face froze, this bitch actually used words to flatter him!
Yuan Xi dares to say that he dares to break the contract?
I can't afford to lose this guy!
Yuan Shao said angrily: "It's just a daughter!"
"It's not like I'm going to regret using Yuan's reputation!"
He immediately changed the topic and said coldly: "But don't think that just because Zhao Shijun has been granted the title of Marquis, he is considered a nobleman. There is still a long way to go!"
"Does he have family support behind him?"
Yuan Xi raised his hand, "Me."
"On behalf of my late father's side, I support Zilong."
Yuan Shao almost choked to death, even if you understand the game, the left hand is the right hand, right?
But Yuan Shao knew Yuan Xi so well that he was even willing to send Youzhou away. Although it was just a superficial appearance, it showed that Yuan Xi trusted and relied on Zhao Yun. Although they were not family members, they were already better than family members.
Moreover, Yuan Xi went through such a big circle and successfully helped Zhao Yun get an official position and achieved his original seemingly impossible request. From this point of view, he lost.
There was no sense of frustration in Yuan Shao's heart, but a sense of regret arose in his heart.
What Yuan Xi has done in the past few years has given him so many surprises, especially this time that he took such a big step to please the emperor, just to let Zhao Yun marry Yuan Xing.
His magnanimity is far beyond that of his peers.
If either Yuan Tan or Yuan Shang had Yuan Xi's strategy and ability, why would his advisers split into two sides, and why would he be so hesitant about the successor?
Is it really wrong to let Yuan Xi adopt him?
But even if he is not allowed to adopt, with his inner ambition, I am afraid he will not be inferior to others, right?
Yuan Shao felt relieved and regretful at the same time. He turned to Zhao Yun, who had been silent all this time, and said coldly: "Xianyi has done so many things, but Minister Zhao didn't say a word."
"I'm afraid you have a bright future, but you still look down on Yuan's daughter, right?"
After hearing this, Zhao Yun said aloud: "What Yun wanted to say, Master has already said it for Yun."
"Young Master understands Yun, and Yun also knows Young Master's thoughts. Needless to say other things."
After hearing this, Yuan Shao snorted coldly and said, "You still have some conscience, and it's not in vain for Yuan's cultivation to cultivate you."
"If you hadn't rejected the emperor's proposal for you to marry the daughter of the clan, I would never have relented on this matter."
"What!" Yuan Xi was very surprised, he really didn't know about this!
He then thought about it and suddenly realized that Liu Xie and he wanted to go together. No wonder Zhao Yun was left behind to talk that night!
He turned to Zhao Yun and smiled: "Is there such a thing?"
"It seems that the emperor values Zilong very much. If he can marry a clan daughter, Zilong will definitely be an important minister around the emperor in the future. He will have a much better future than marrying his sister."
Zhao Yun said calmly: "Young Master remembers his promise, so Yun will naturally abide by his promise."
"Even if things come true or not, Yundu can't break the contract first."
Yuan Shao sneered and said: "Is it because the Yuan family is more powerful than the emperor?"
After hearing this, Zhao Yun's eyes were as bright as lightning and he said: "It has nothing to do with the family, it just depends on the promise made on that day."
Yuan Xi has a headache. Zhao Yun's words are too straightforward. You are going to be a son-in-law, so you can't coax your father-in-law?
If I had been so disobedient to Lu Bu, I would have been skewered by Fang Tian Huaji, right?
As expected, Yuan Shao seemed to be angered by Zhao Yun again, and reached for the tea bowl. When Yuan Xi saw that he was about to serve tea to see off the guests, he quickly said: "Mr. Benchu, I have something important to discuss."
"About the Emperor and the Montenegrin Army."
Zhao Yun wisely stood up, saluted Yuan Shao and said, "I'll take my leave first."
Yuan Shao waited for Zhao Yun to go out and closed the door. His anger did not diminish, and he said to Yuan Xi: "How did you train your subordinates!"
Yuan Xi smiled apologetically and said: "My relationship with Zilong is extraordinary, just like Ben Chugong had the same relationship with Cao Mengde and Xu Zijiang before."
"Of course, Zilong has no doubts about me, but he is not comparable to Cao Mengde and others."
Yuan Shao heard this and said, "Do you still think Cao Mengde has evil intentions?"
Yuan Xi replied: "As for the matter of serving the emperor, Lord Ben Chu should have noticed that Cao Meng's ambition is not small."
"Moreover, he seized the opportunity when the Jizhou army was weak to attack. Not only did he take the opportunity to expand his territory, he also gained the emperor's trust. It will be difficult to deal with him in the future."
Yuan Shao snorted coldly, "I've already heard that he was the troublemaker in the canonization of the Han Dynasty!"
"Pushing Lu Bu out to block the gun, he wanted me to point the spear at Lu Bu, but he hid behind to see my joke!"
After hearing this, Yuan Xi smiled and said: "Shijun can think of this, which saves me a lot of talk. I'm really afraid that Shijun and Wenhou will quarrel with each other, and the relatives will hate each other and the enemies will be happy."
He secretly thought that Yuan Shao really had an informant around the emperor Liu Xie, otherwise he wouldn't have known such secrets as Liu Xie's conversations with Zhao Yun and official position arrangements in such detail.
Yuan Shao said coldly: "Despite this, Yuan's face cannot be lost."
"And how can Lu Bu be so virtuous that he dares to become a general?"
"Does he really think this position is so easy to get?"
Yuan Xi smiled and said: "That's right, Marquis Wen is not as good as the envoy in terms of counselors and reputation, but at that time, the only person who could suppress Cao Cao was Marquis Wen."
"Although Duke Wen and Duke Wen were at odds at first, they would both benefit from their cooperation and suffer from their separation. It is really not the time to have a falling out over a false position."
Yuan Shao snorted coldly, "If he hadn't married his daughter to you, I wouldn't have betrayed him."
"As for you, you have been acting mysteriously and sneakily. What are you going to do?"
"Is it because you dislike the Yuan family for not supporting you enough, so you have to flatter the little emperor who has no real power?"
Yuan Xi smiled bitterly and said: "Your Majesty, the Han Dynasty has been a member of the Han Dynasty for four hundred years. The world's support for the Han Dynasty may be far beyond most people's expectations."
"Although the Yellow Turban Army dug up the foundation of the Han Dynasty a lot, what was underneath was not revealed to the surface."
"I would like to ask Mr. Ben Chu to wait and see for the time being. When Yuan Jiujiu does something that risks the disapproval of the world, we will know how severe the backlash will be."
Seeing Yuan Xi's vow, Yuan Shao said mockingly: "Is this your stargazing technique?"
Yuan Xi did not expect that Yuan Shao even knew about this rumor, so he hurriedly covered it up and said: "That's right, Xi thinks that during this period, the Yuan family should hide its capabilities and bide its time, strengthen its own strength, and eliminate the unrest around Jizhou."
"One is the Montenegrin Army."
"The Black Mountain Army has long colluded with Cao Cao. If the emperor's mediation is successful, the Black Mountain Army will block the route from Jizhou to Bingzhou, which is equivalent to laying a trap next to Jizhou that can be launched at any time."
Yuan Shao looked unhappy after hearing this, "Xianfu makes me a little disappointed."
"There is no shortage of elite soldiers, strong generals, food, grass, and equipment, but they have not defeated Zhang Yan so far."
"It's been going on for so long, even I'm losing my face."
"Furthermore, according to the military information, the Montenegrin Army has begun a massive counterattack. It is already very difficult for Xianfu to be able to hold back, let alone advance."
Yuan Xi was surprised when he heard that the Black Mountain Army still had the power to fight back?
Was this a secretly promised condition, or was Cao Cao secretly helping?
Yuan Shao looked sarcastic, "What makes me even more speechless is that you came here this time with the emperor's edict to mediate, right?"
Yuan Xi sweated profusely and hurriedly handed over the edict in his arms. Yuan Shao took it and looked at it briefly, then threw it aside and coldly snorted: "You have a good plan, you little boy."
"So many people died in the attack on Montenegro. If he just casually said a cessation of war, would that be enough to end the war?"
"If I obey the imperial edict, wouldn't I be boosting his prestige? Where would Yuan's face be?"
Yuan Xi smiled bitterly and said: "Although these words are true, the Yuan family's current strength cannot completely conquer the world, and it still needs the endorsement of the Han Dynasty, right?"
"Didn't Duke Benchu refuse the appointment of a Taiwei by the Han court?"
Yuan Shao had a look of disgust on his face, "Even if I understand that Cao Mengde is sowing discord, it still makes me extremely unhappy to have someone like Lu Bu put pressure on me."
"If it wasn't for your sake, I would have refused!"
Yuan Xi hurriedly said: "You have a sharp vision, focus on the overall situation, and don't care about temporary gains and losses. Only then can you plan for the long term."
He finally figured out Yuan Shao's temper. After a while of flattery, Yuan Shao's eyes softened a lot and he said: "Stop talking nonsense. In your opinion, how should we deal with the emperor's edict and the Black Mountain Army?"
Yuan Xi thought for a while and said: "It is best to let the Black Mountain Army have civil strife."