Yuan Shao was originally a suspicious person. After Yuan Xi deceived him, he began to doubt Cao Cao.
He delayed mobilizing troops to conquer Qingzhou and Youzhou, largely because he was on guard against Cao Cao.
The best situation is of course to send troops while Cao Cao, Yuan Shu and others are attacking, so that there will be no worries.
After Yuan Xi's prophecy of the Yecheng Rebellion came true, Yuan Shao's view of Yuan Xi gradually changed. This son, whom he had not valued much before, might really have something special about him!
Yuan Shao was not ignorant of what Yuan Xi had done in Beixin City in the past three years. He also understood that only by conquering Youzhou as soon as possible and pacifying the north could he free up his hands to deal with Yuan Shu in Yuzhou in the south.
But Youzhou is not that easy to fight, because the states around Jizhou are not stable now.
In Bingzhou to the west, there are Zhang Yan's Black Mountain Bandits and the Southern Xiongnu Chan Yu Fuluo.
In Qingzhou to the east, there was Tian Kai Kong Rong who was attached to Gongsun Zan.
Tao Qian from Xuzhou in the southeast is even more of a thorn. On the surface, he is in alliance with Yuan Shu and Gongsun Zan, but in fact he has his own agenda.
The only allies who can help Yuan Shao now are Cao Cao of Yanzhou and Liu Biao of Jingzhou. Liu Biao is still a wise man who protects himself and only talks but does not do anything.
Yuan Shao currently has to rely on Cao Cao in Yanzhou. Only Cao Cao can withstand Yuan Shu in the south and Tao Qian in the east.
So even if what Yuan Xi said is true, Yuan Shao must not fall out with Cao Cao now.
When Yuan Shao killed Qu Yi and drove out Lu Bu, there were fewer and fewer available men. Although there were factors involved in burning bridges, Bingliang generals were too difficult to manage and too many variables were one of the reasons.
Yuan Shao and Cao Cao are now taking very similar paths. They both rely on blood relatives as their most important confidants. Cao Cao relies on the Cao family and the Xiahou family, and Yuan Shao relies on the Yuan family's three sons and his wife's Gao family.
Among the three sons of the Yuan family, Yuan Tan led the army alone, Yuan Shang was able to handle the military affairs of Jizhou, and he was relaxed and relaxed, but Yuan Xi was the least conspicuous one.
Hundreds of people defended the city for three years. Although it sounds like a good job, there is nothing outstanding about it.
The reason why Yuan Shao did not increase his troops was, on the one hand, because he could not spare any troops. From Jizhou to Beixin City, several prefectures and counties along the way had not been pacified at all. It was very difficult to transport troops and food. On the other hand, he wanted Yuan Xi to surrender first.
What the father and son did in Beixin City was closer to anger.
Yuan Shao also had a headache at that time. If the Yecheng Rebellion hadn't happened, Yuan Xi would have never come back. Wouldn't he be embarrassed to call him back?
But now that father and son finally met, Yuan Shao was somewhat happy in his heart even though he didn't say it on his face.
So when Yuan Xi proposed the bet, Yuan Shao immediately agreed.
It’s just a few thousand soldiers and horses. As a father, can’t I afford it?
Yuan Xi was extremely surprised. He didn't expect Yuan Shao to agree so readily. You should know that with two thousand people in his hands, and with Youzhou, which is rich in horses, salt and iron, as long as there is enough money and food, a qualitative change will occur in a year or two!
Yuan Xi felt like a stone fell heavily in his heart. Without anyone, nothing could be done. When he returned to Yecheng, everything was secondary, and getting troops was the most important!
He quickly thanked Yuan Shao with a straight face: "Don't be too proud. If you really win the bet by luck, come to my study and let me test you. If you don't handle it properly, I won't do it."
I will hand over the troops and horses to you."
Yuan Xi agreed immediately, but Yuan Shang on the side was anxious.
My father seems to value his second brother very much!
Things are starting to get out of hand!
He lowered his head and moved his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking.
In Zhen's Mansion in Yecheng, three brothers and a sister sat facing each other.
After hearing what Zhen Yao said, Zhen Rong was a little angry, "What, then Yuan Xi came back openly with dozens of concubines?"
"I thought he was fighting outside, but I didn't expect him to be traveling around. I heard that Yuan Zhoumu's two sons are extremely outstanding. Why is Yuan Xi so miserable?"
Zhen Yao is a young man in his twenties, only a few years older than Zhen Rong and still a little immature. He said: "Although I don't know what those women do, it was indeed brought back by the Second Young Master Yuan."
"Mr. Pang Ji asked me to place these women. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known about it."
Zhen Rong said angrily to Zhen Mi: "Sister, this matter is clearly caused by the Yuan family. We all know that when Yuan Xi comes back, he will most likely come to marry you, but now he has done this!"
Zhen Mi bit her lip, her face looked a little pale, and she whispered: "Maybe there is something else going on."
Zhen Yao sighed: "I have really wronged my little sister. Now we, the Zhen family, can't help ourselves."
"If the second young master Yuan is half as capable as the third young master, I won't be worried if his sister marries him."
"Among the three sons of my lord, Mr. Yuan is the most talented. It's a pity that he got married long ago."
Zhen Mi suddenly moved her eyes and raised her head: "Mr. Pang Ji has a good relationship with the Third Young Master?"
Zhen Yao nodded and said: "Mr. Pang Ji is most optimistic about the third young master."
Zhen Mi was thoughtful and said: "Third brother, this is a family matter of the Yuan family. It is not appropriate for our Zhen family to interfere. We should just pretend that we don't know."
"Third brother, please don't mention this matter again."
Zhen Yao also reacted and said: "My little sister reminds me, I understand."
After sending Zhen Yao away, Zhen Rong saw that Zhen Mi was still thinking about something and was about to comfort her when Zhen Mi suddenly said: "I want to go to Yuan's house."
Zhen Rong was stunned, "If you just go over there, what else can you do to start a fight with that Yuan Xi?"
Zhen Mi shook her head and said: "No, my sister is going in the name of visiting sister Yuan Xing, and I am pretending to be her maid."
"Since the two families are getting married, sister Yuan Xing will most likely ask Yuan Xi to come over and meet her."
"Seeing is believing, I want to see his true identity with my own eyes."
After hearing this, Zhen Rong was stunned and said: "Little sister, you have always been brave, but this is too whimsical!"
"What if someone finds out?"
"And with your appearance, how can you pretend to be such a beautiful maid?"
After hearing this, Zhen Mi showed a depressed look on her extremely beautiful face. She frowned slightly: "Find a way to make the painting look uglier?"
Zhen Rong sighed, "It's really hard to make your face look ugly. You might as well find two plasters to put on it."
Zhen Mi listened and laughed: "This sounds good."
Zhen Rong saw Zhen Mi smiling as brightly as a flower, and thought to herself that her little sister usually liked to laugh the most, and hoped that she would not be wronged after marrying into the Yuan family.
That Yuan Xi is so debauched is really abominable!
Yuan Xi walked out of Yuan Shao's house, feeling much more relaxed.
The situation in these four states is like a messy ball of thread, and it is difficult to sort out a clue.
His only advantage now is that he knows the historical development of later generations, but he cannot copy it mechanically. After all, the current situation is completely different from before.
He will not completely disclose his trump card and purpose to the Yuan family. After all, his goals are not exactly the same as those of the Yuan family.
It was too much pressure for him to use the power of the Yuan family without being noticed by himself, but he couldn't find an adviser who could fully talk to him and give him advice.
If Zhuge Liang were five or six years older, he would have run to Nanyang to snatch him away no matter what.
The only person around him who could come up with an idea was Wu Zhao. He was thinking hard and walked all the way to his room.
When I walked to the door, I heard Wu Zhao talking to another woman.
He took a quick look and said, "Sister, why are you here?"
The woman raised her head, saw Yuan Xi, and complained: "Second brother, you have been gone for so long, and you still remember me?"