Chapter 478 Xu You surrendered and was played by Cao Cao?
"Report—!"
At this moment, a long announcement sounded outside the hall.
Liu Bian raised his eyes and looked.
But then, Zhu Tong pushed the door open and walked in. He leaned forward and said, "Your Majesty, a good news has been sent from the direction of Xiangyang. It is said that Sun Jian has captured Fancheng, and the next step is to join Cai Mao to hunt in the Han River."
"oh?"
Liu Bian was a little unimpressed at first.
After all, he had never taken Fancheng seriously. Did he really think that increasing the thickness of the wall would be able to block the fire-volting thunder? What a joke!
And how could a small city like Fancheng withstand the trampling of Sun Jian, a ferocious tiger? As long as the city gate was broken open, occupying Fancheng would be a piece of cake.
but......
Liu Bian couldn't believe it. What Zhu Tong said next meant that Sun Jian and Cai Mao were going to hunt in the Han River, instead of retreating as he had originally predicted, using the Yangtze River as a natural chasm and crossing the river with him to rule.
"Are you sure you want to know how to hunt in the Han River?"
After all, Liu Bian still didn't want to believe that Cai Mao could make such a stupid decision.
Even if you want to defend Xiangyang, you will not die in this way. After all, although the Yangtze River and Han River are both rivers, they are completely different.
"kindness."
Zhu Tong was extremely certain: "Yes, it is the Han River."
Liu Bidan smiled and raised the corners of his lips slightly: "Cai Mao, Cai Mao, how can I say hello to you?"
Xun You pinched a wisp of beard under his chin and echoed: "Although Jingxiang has both land and water armies, its land army is no match for us. We can only think of ways to deal with the water army."
"The Han River is Xiangyang's barrier. Now Yangzhou and Yizhou are paying attention to this battle. I think Cai Mao just wants to win a small victory over us so that he can use this as an excuse to persuade Liu Yao and Liu Yan to join forces against the imperial court."
Liu Bian thought about it carefully and had to admit that this possibility was indeed possible: "Wen Ruo's words are reasonable. Our naval force has only been established for one year and indeed lacks experience."
"but......"
When the conversation changed, Liu Bian was still confident: "Even so, it is by no means comparable to the Jingxiang navy. Since he wants to see our navy, we will hit him in one strike until he has no ability to fight back."
Although tactics are an important aspect in water warfare, battleships have a greater impact on the battle situation. Although the battleships of the Nanyang Navy are mostly medium-sized and small battleships, they are by no means the sterns of the Jingxiang Navy and can be compared with the large ships.
Of course!
It’s not that there are no giant battleships in Hanting in Nanyang, it’s just that the giant battleships are not in Nanyang, but in Yuzhou and Xuzhou. The water far away cannot quench the thirst nearby, so there are only medium and small battleships.
According to the original plan, these things were enough to defeat Jingxiang. Only when attacking Yangzhou did they need to cooperate with giant battleships. Therefore, after comprehensive consideration, Nanyang did not have giant battleships.
Xun You bowed and held up his hands, then said: "Your Majesty, since this battle is of great significance, I suggest that we should order General Cheng Pu to move the Xuzhou Navy from the mouth of the Yangtze River to the Shuo River."
hiss-!
Liu Bian was surprised and couldn't help but gasped: "Wen Ruo, what do you mean..."
Xun You followed up and explained: "Liu Yao is relatively cautious. Zhang Zhaolai did not leave in Xuzhou. He originally wanted to use Sun Jian's hand to frighten Liu Yao. In this case, we should do our best."
"At present, Cheng Pu's warships have been built, and the navy has reached more than 30,000 men. All the pirates outside Xuzhou have been surrendered. It is time to show our strength."
Liu Bian nodded with interest and said softly: "Wen Ruo, I didn't expect that you actually have such a side."
Xun smiled and bowed his head in salute: "It is a good thing to surrender the enemy's troops without fighting. Yangzhou has a vast territory. The farther south you go, the higher the mountains and the denser the forests. It is too much to rely on soldiers and horses to win."
It’s better to save the trouble than to work hard.”
"kindness."
Liu Bian was naturally very satisfied with Xun Yu's opinion and said softly: "In that case, you can send a message to Cheng Pu Fei Ge. Sun Jian defeated Cai Mao very quickly. I think the opponent will definitely retreat to the Yangtze River. By then the two armies will be united and the deterrent will be even greater."
"
Xun or bowed his hands and said: "Your Majesty, don't worry, just leave it to me."
Immediately.
Bowed and left the hall.
*****
Jizhou, Handan.
State Shepherd's Office.
Side hall.
Yuan Shao knelt on the futon, picked up a handful of millet stalks, and threw it into the brazier. There was no energy on his face, as if he had been possessed by a devil from the Nine Netherworld.
As a wisp of green smoke rose, a crackling sound rang in his ears. Yuan Shao raised his eyes and stared at the plaque above, and said in a leisurely voice:
"Father, uncle, Shao is incompetent and has let down your hopes. Liu Bian of Nanyang Hanting is really too powerful. There were many nobles who fought against him before, but after only one winter, the Jizhou nobles have already rebelled."
Mr. Yuan Shao believed that as long as the Han court in Nanyang continued to publicize its private lands, more and more aristocratic families would join the crusade against Nanyang.
But he couldn't believe that Liu Bian was definitely not Wang Mang. Although he clearly wanted to seize the land of the wealthy family, he gave the wealthy family another way out, allowing them to obtain greater benefits.
Land equity trading building!
Just a piece of paper stamped with the imperial seal can actually cause an almost qualitative change in the land annexation of aristocratic families.
We no longer have to worry about no one farming, no need to worry about the acres of land being abandoned, and no need to worry about not being able to harvest grain and grass. Everything is controlled by the court, so that the court, farmers, and aristocratic families can coexist harmoniously.
amazing!
It’s really amazing!
Of course, the most important thing is that the price of land equity certificates has skyrocketed, allowing the assets of wealthy families to expand rapidly. This is even more huge profits than if they spend a lot of money to acquire land!
If it was just huge profits, that would be enough. What Yuan Shao didn't expect was that behind all of this, there was the official credibility of the Nanyang court, which actually legalized the land annexation.
Previously, Yuan Shao did not panic at all even if he only had one Jizhou. After all, he had the nobles of Jizhou supporting him. Whether it was population, taxes, or troops, he could guarantee his strength at any time.
But now...
As the sudden wealth from the land equity certificate transaction spread on the Jizhou continent, more and more nobles had secretly abandoned Yuan Shao and turned to the embrace of Nanyang.
For Yuan Shao, this is simply a blow to the bottom of the pot!
In addition, his general was captured and his advisers kept him at arm's length. Yuan Shao had completely lost his fighting spirit. He felt sorry for himself all day long, just waiting for the final blow to be imposed on him.
"what do I do?"
"What on earth should I do?"
At this moment, Yuan Shao had completely lost his confidence.
At this moment, a voice suddenly sounded outside the palace: "My lord, Guo Tu needs to see you for something."
Yuan Shao immediately wiped away his tears, took a deep breath, and forced himself to reply: "Let him go to the living room and wait."
The attendant outside the door responded: "Here."
Then, Yuan Shao stood up slowly and took a deep breath. Feeling that he had almost recovered, he turned around and left the side hall and went straight to the living room.
"Public principles."
Sure enough, when they arrived at the living room, Guo Tu was already waiting. Yuan Shao waved his hand and motioned for him to sit aside: "You are here now, but what's going on?"
"Lord, I..."
Guo Tu frowned and stopped talking.
"It doesn't matter."
Yuan Shao sat at the top, looking calm and calm: "If anything happens, just ask. Is there any more difficult time than now? To put it bluntly, I will be fine."
Guo Tu thought for a moment, then nodded and honestly said, "It's Xu You."
Yuan Shao frowned: "Xu You?"
Guo Tu nodded: "Well, it's him."
"Could it be..."
Yuan Shao looked in disbelief.
After all, Xu You had been following him since Luoyang, and he was older than Guo Tu: "He left Handan and went to Cao Cao in Yanzhou?"
Xu You is his good friend, and he is also Cao Cao's good friend.
Now Yuan Shao is at the end of his rope. If he leaves at this time, he can only seek refuge with Cao Cao.
"kindness."
Guo Tu nodded and said in a calm tone as much as possible: "I heard that he left overnight and took away a lot of our key information. I guess he used this as a way to get promoted."
Yuan Shao felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if someone had stabbed him hard. He tried his best to hold back his anger, but his eyes that didn't fight for anything still burst out with anger.
"Lord, don't be anxious."
Guo Tu naturally noticed Yuan Shao's anger and hurriedly advised him: "I have arranged for Zhang He, Gao Lan, Han Meng, Chunyu Qiong and other generals to adjust the defense in time. The things Xu You took away are of little reference value.
"
Yuan Shao breathed a sigh of relief, but being hurt by someone he trusted still made him feel sad: "Gongze, even Xu You has left. Have you ever considered leaving?"
"Lord!"
Guo Tu stood up hastily, leaned over and held up his hands, trying to express his sincerity, but was interrupted by Yuan Shao who waved his hands in advance and said softly: "Actually, I don't care. Now let alone you, even I don't have the confidence.
.”
"Lord..."
Guo Tu stared at Yuan Shao and felt that Yuan Shao seemed much older at this moment.
Once upon a time, Yuan Shao, the high-spirited man who attempted to establish an ambitious hegemony, no longer existed, leaving only an old body waiting for death.
"King Hongnong is so powerful."
Yuan Shao sighed with emotion and said: "Obviously, all the land of the wealthy families was taken away, but no one resisted. It has even affected our noble families in Jizhou now. It is simply incredible."
"Lord, don't think too much."
Guo Tu naturally knew the powerful methods of King Hongnong, and he also understood the thoughts of the Jizhou nobles today.
I have to admit that the current situation in Jizhou is indeed quite dangerous. It can be said that there are constant internal and external troubles. If you are not careful, you will lose everything, and even implicate your family.
In fact, it is reasonable for Xu You to leave Yuan Shao, but it is somewhat contrary to the word "loyalty". There are too many people like Xu You.
"It's not that I think too much, but that's the way it is now."
Yuan Shao raised his eyes to look at Guo Tu, his eyes full of disappointment.
"If we really can't fight, let's leave."
Guo Tu frowned and spoke tentatively.
"Walk?"
Yuan Shao has naturally considered this: "But where to go? As long as Liu Yu is here, not even Wuhuan will help us. Xianbei is in chaos, and no one will accept us."
"You can go to Buyeo, Goguryeo, or even Japan."
Guo Tu naturally rejected Wuhuan and Xianbei, so he could only choose other forces.
"snort!"
Yuan Shao snorted and shook his head: "How can we come back to such a bitter and cold place? It's just to survive."
Guo Tu immediately added: "Lord, as long as we can survive, we will still have a chance."
Yuan Shao whispered: "The whole clan has been wiped out, what's the point of surviving?"
Guo Tu frowned and said in a sonorous voice: "I think back then, even though Chu had three households, it was possible to overthrow Qin. My lord was so wise and powerful, so there was no need to belittle oneself. As long as he could save his life, anything was possible."
"I am forty-six this year."
Yuan Shao took a deep breath and exhaled slowly: "I can't compare to Xiang Yu back then. He fled to other places and couldn't even return to his roots. I can't afford the trouble anymore."
"Moreover, King Hongnong has completely ruined the reputation of my Yuan family. My biggest support, Yuan Shao, is gone. If I flee, I will probably die in a foreign land."
Guo Tu had prepared a lot of words, but at this moment, he swallowed them completely: "..."
After a long silence, Yuan Shao simply waved his hand and signaled Guo Tu to retreat: "Let's go, let's all go, let's go for a better future."
*****
Yanzhou.
Dongwuyang.
The Jishui River runs through Dongjun and divides it into two parts.
Dongjun Puyang is on the south bank of the river, and Dongwuyang is on the north bank, bordering Qinghe and Weijun.
Cao Cao placed his main army on the north bank, facing Yuan Shao's troops, and was ready to attack at any time.
However, even he did not expect that just before spring, his friend Xu You would come to seek refuge.
"Who did you say it was?"
Cao Cao raised his eyes to look at the guards and couldn't help but be stunned: "Nanyang Xu You?"
The guard leaned over and cupped his hands and said, "Yes, it is Xu You. If the general doesn't want to see him, I can drive him away."
Cheng Li said softly: "General, I heard that you and this man named Xu You have been friends since childhood. He is coming here now, most likely to lobby, otherwise he should have come long ago."
However, Cao Cao grinned and turned to glance at Cheng Li: "Although Zhongde is resourceful, he is not familiar with Xu You. If he had come earlier, he would most likely be here to lobby, but if he comes here now, he must be surrendering.
And I still have information in hand.”
"oh?"
Cheng Li frowned: "Why do you see that?"
Cao Cao did not give a direct explanation, but smiled: "If you don't believe it, we can summon him and we will know his purpose."
Cheng Li bowed and held up his hands: "Since the general is not afraid, what should I be afraid of?"
Cao Cao raised his head and was extremely confident: "Don't worry, your Majesty is not that stupid. Your Majesty can clearly distinguish between loyalty and treachery. What should I, Cao Cao, fear?"
"go!"
At that moment, Cao Cao said to the guards: "Bring Xu You in."
The guard held up his hands: "Here."
Immediately.
He bowed and left the tent.
Not long after, a familiar figure came to the Chinese army's tent. He stepped forward, bowed and raised his hands, saying respectfully: "Nanyang Xu You, I have met General Cao."
"Ha ha!"
Cao Cao deliberately pretended to know. He stood up, walked around the handsome man, and turned into the account: "It's really you, Ziyuan. I thought the guard gave the wrong name. You weren't at Benchu's place..."
.how......"
Xu You looked slightly embarrassed and said in a long voice: "Meng De, to be honest, the real purpose of You coming to your camp from Jizhou this time is to surrender."
"surrender?"
Cao Cao was surprised, but he turned to look at Cheng Li and winked. The implication was simple: "Look, did I guess it right?"
Cheng Li also nodded and marveled secretly. His eyes clearly said: "General, it is true that you know what's going on. I, Cheng Li, am really convinced this time."
"That's right."
Xu You shamelessly nodded affirmatively: "The Yuan family conspired to rebel. The crime is so heinous that everyone has to punish them. Naturally, I, Xu You, will abandon the dark side and turn to the bright side."
"Besides, people in Jizhou are now panic-stricken. The wealthy families have abandoned Yuan Shao in favor of Nanyang, especially the Cui family of Qinghe. Now they are completely ignoring Yuan's orders."
"Coupled with Ju Shou and Tian Feng's departure from Yuan Shao, Yuan Shao has completely lost the support of the people. Even if the court does not launch an attack, I am afraid he will not be able to last more than half a year."
Although Xu You's words were ridiculous, in Cao Cao's eyes, he was just looking for an appropriate reason for his disloyalty and unrighteousness.
Cao Cao detests this kind of person the most, even if Xu You was once his good friend. If Xu You really wanted to surrender, then he should have betrayed the Yuan family's rebellion before the court announced it, not now.
It's obvious!
Xu You decided to leave after he was sure that Yuan Shao had no future.
Although it was to save his life, such behavior still made Cao Cao feel shameful: "Since it is surrender, Ziyuan should rush to Nanyang and should not come to me."
This is not because Cao Cao does not accept Xu You, but because everyone in the world knows that the Nanyang court has a system of taking exams to recruit scholars. Even former ministers still need to pass the exam before they can take up their posts.
Join Cao Cao?
According to common sense, this is not allowed, and it is causing trouble for Cao Cao.
Of course, when Cao Cao asked this question, he had already guessed that Xu You must have something in his hands when he came here.
As expected, Xu You took a long breath and said softly: "I, Xu You, don't know the rules of the Nanyang court. It's just that we are good friends, and you may be able to use some things."
"oh?"
Cao Cao Yangzuo was surprised: "Did Ziyuan bring information?"
Xu You nodded and said with absolute certainty: "Yes, I did bring some information, which is related to the deployment of troops under Yuan Shao's command. It must be of great benefit to you, Meng De."
Say it.
Xu You took off his robe, ripped open the lining on the back, took out a silk letter, and handed it to Cao Cao in front of him:
"That's it."
Cao Cao took the silk letter, but did not unfold it. Instead, he threw it to Cheng Li and said softly: "Zhongde, burn it. By the way, Feige will send a letter to the court about the deployment of troops in Jizhou.
Changes are highly likely to occur.”
Cheng Li naturally knew what Cao Cao meant, and nodded: "Here."
At this moment, Xu You froze on the spot, his eyes as wide as bells: "Meng De, you... what are you... what are you doing?"
"how?"
Cao Cao stared at Xu You with burning eyes and said coldly: "Don't you understand yet?"
Xu You was shocked, his throat rolled, and he felt a terrifying aura that suddenly came over him: "I...how do I know?"
"madness!"
Cao Cao glared at Xu You fiercely, the word "stupid" almost squeezed out from between his teeth: "Do you know how many of our early plans have been ruined by surrendering today?"
"Do you really think that Yuan Shao's strategic deployment can be hidden from us? Let me tell you, the school affairs office has already grasped all of Yuan Shao's movements, including his troop deployment."
"But......"
When the conversation changed, Cao Cao became furious and gritted his teeth: "If you come to surrender today, you will definitely alarm Yuan Shao. As long as he is not a fool, he will naturally mobilize his troops secretly."
"As a result, our strategic plan last year will be broken. We must follow Yuan Shao's transfer. If another transfer occurs, do you know how relevant this matter is?"
Cao Cao's voice became louder and louder, as if it was like a giant hammer weighing a thousand pounds, hitting Xu You's heart hard, frightening the other party's heart, making him confused, and he didn't know how to respond.
I originally thought that since I had made a great contribution, I could become a member of the Nanyang court without taking the exam, or it was very likely that I would be arranged to become a staff member under Cao Cao nearby.
but......
Xu You couldn't believe it.
The information he obtained so carefully not only failed to help Nanyang Hanting, but even interfered with their major affairs. Isn't this like stealing the chicken and losing the rice, shooting himself in the foot?
Damn it!
Damn it!
Damn it!
At this moment, Xu You was so regretful that his intestines were almost turning green. He was really a mute eating Coptis chinensis and couldn't tell the story of his suffering!
After all, Xu You was also a person who had fought in the army, so he naturally knew the relationship between them. It was extremely important. The transportation routes of grain and grass, hiding places, and even the marching routes of the army were all likely to need to be changed.
If this was just a group of soldiers and horses, it would be fine, but it involves five armies. Such a project volume is indeed a big problem for Nanyang Hanting.
That's right.
As Cao Cao said, he did not make meritorious deeds, but instead caused trouble.
Xu You had a gloomy face, his throat rolled, and he swallowed a mouthful of saliva. He hurriedly asked for help: "Meng De, you must save me. You should know me well. I have absolutely no intention of causing trouble. I am doing it with good intentions.
It’s just a bad thing.”
"Ziyuan!"
Cao Cao put Xu You away without hesitation and shook his head: "Although I am the commander-in-chief of your majesty, I really can't help you. I met you today and you have already dragged me into the water. You are really hurting me."
"Mengde, you...I didn't mean it."
Xu You didn't know what Cao Cao meant. He had the urge to slap himself twice, but in the end he didn't do it. He just kept begging Cao Cao:
"You must help me."
"I know that you have been smart since you were a child, so you will definitely find a way, right?"
"Meng De, we are classmates and good friends, you must not ignore death."
Cao Cao turned his back to Xu You, glanced back at that pitiful face, and sighed: "The only one who can save you is yourself, I can't help you."
Xu You rolled his eyes and immediately understood what Cao Cao meant: "Mengde, tell me, what do you want me to do? I, Xu You, will definitely do it and I will never bargain!"
"good."
Cao Cao suddenly turned around and helped Xu You up with his own hands: "There is only one way to save you, and that is to go back to Yuan Shao and make meritorious deeds!"