This week I will make a list of newcomers in categories. It is not easy for newcomers. Every favorite, click, and recommendation vote is very important. Thank you, Captain.
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The overt and covert fighting in the Chinese army's headquarters gave Yan Liang a deeper insight into the internal disputes within Yuan Shao's group.
In a decisive battle such as the Battle of Guandu, his subordinates still fought to the death for their own selfish interests. Yuan Shao's methods of imperial control were really despised by Yan Liang.
In addition, Yuan Shao dotes on his youngest son, and his sons are not at peace with each other. Such a crisis-ridden group will inevitably fall apart even if it defeats Cao Cao in the future.
Yan Liang realized that he had to get away from Yuan Shao as soon as possible, and escape from this whirlpool full of open guns and hidden arrows.
It's just that the time has not come yet, so Yan Liang has to be patient.
Yan Liang said that Yuan Shao's army was an "upright and upright" army. Although he apologized for flattery, the numerical advantage of Yuan Shao's army was overwhelming.
Although Cao Cao's army was elite, its absolute numerical disadvantage made Cao Cao truly feel like "an ant shaking a tree".
One hundred thousand Yuan Shao's troops marched south in mighty force, but Cao Cao did not dare to compete with them, so he voluntarily abandoned his white horse and led his troops to retreat southward from Nanguandu.
During the retreat, Cao Jun took the initiative to attack several times and tried every means to prevent Yuan Jun from advancing. However, the disparity in strength was so great that in the end, all tens of thousands of troops had to return to the main camp of Guandu.
Guandu is located in the upper reaches of Honggou Canal, close to the Bianshui River. The Hulao Pass in the west of the Honggou Canal and Huaisi in the east serve as the northern barrier of Xudu.
If you want to seize Xudu, you must destroy Guandu.
Cao Cao had obviously expected a decisive battle with Yuan Shao here, so in the fourth year of Jian'an, he built a very stable fortress and complete defenses in Guandu.
In order to break through Cao's camp in Guandu, Yuan Shao tried all kinds of methods. He first built mountains of earth and shot at Cao's camp with crossbow archers from a high position, but was defeated by Liu Ye's thunderbolt chariot.
Yuan Shao then dug a secret tunnel to reach the hinterland of Cao Cao's camp, but Cao Cao dug trenches around the camp to defeat it.
One hundred thousand Yuan troops stormed Guandu for two months, but still could not break through Cao Cao's main camp in Guandu.
Cao Cao's defense seemed impregnable, but Yan Liang knew very well that Cao Cao's most fatal flaw was his lack of food. As long as Yuan Shao continued to fight with him, Cao Cao's defeat was inevitable.
In the afternoon of that day, the spy sent by Yan Liang to spy on Liu Bei came back with news that Liu Bei had made a request to Yuan Shao to send him to lead his army to Runan to support Liu Pi's troops of the remnants of the Yellow Turbans who had launched a rebellion and threatened the south of Xudu.
"Liu Xuande, you finally can't sit still anymore. I've been waiting for you for a long time."
When Yan Liang heard the news, he immediately got up and rushed to Yuan Shao's army tent.
Runan County is located in the south of Xudu. It is the hometown of Yuan Shao. The Yuan family, the fourth generation and the third Duke, has absolute influence in Runan.
At present, Yuan Shao is powerful, and many counties in Cao Tong's area have defected to Yuan. As Yuan Shao's hometown, Runan County is expected to have a rebellion at this time.
Yan Liang remembered that in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Liu Bei successfully escaped from Yuan Shao's control by going to Runan.
Yan Liang, who is familiar with the Three Kingdoms, naturally thought of borrowing Liu Bei's trick and taking the opportunity to leave Yuan Shao.
It's just that Yuan Shao is jealous by nature, and Yan Liang is afraid that he will doubt his initiative to ask for a job, so he has been waiting for Liu Bei to take action first, and then he will let the mantis stalk the cicada, leaving the oriole behind.
In the large tent of the Chinese army, Yuan Shao was bending over his desk to observe the plan, with only Xu You accompanying him.
After Yan Liang entered the tent and saw the ceremony, he asked directly: "My lord, I heard that Liu Xuande asked Duke Qing to lead his troops to Runan to command Liu Pi's army. Is this possible?"
"Although Liu Pi's army is large, it's a pity that there is no one to lead it. Since Xuande took the initiative to ask for military service, why should I refuse?" Yuan Shao said lightly.
Yan Liang frowned and said in a deep voice: "My lord, I will think that Liu Xuande's move is suspicious and my lord must not agree to it."
Yuan Shao was startled, with doubt on his face.
Xu You's expression next to him also changed slightly.
"Liu Xuande attached himself to Gongsun Zan, Lu Bu, and Cao Cao successively, but turned his back on him many times. This shows that this person has no loyalty at all. The general thought that he took the initiative to ask for war this time because he wanted to take the opportunity to betray his lord."
Yan Liang "hurt" Liu Bei a lot, but the words he said were not intentional to slander Liu Bei, but were indisputable facts.
Yuan Shao's initially calm expression soon darkened, and he lowered his head in deep thought.
Yan Liang took advantage of the situation and said: "To be honest, my lord, during the previous Battle of White Horse, the last general fought against Liu Bei's sworn brother Guan Yu. At that time, Liu Bei heard that Guan Yu was working for the Cao thief, and was afraid that the lord would pursue him after hearing this, so he repeatedly begged the general.
Do not report this to the lord."
"Is this happening?" Yuan Shao asked in surprise.
Although Yan Liang had previously promised Liu Bei not to tell Yuan Shao about Guan Yu, at this time, he could only betray Liu Bei.
Faith depends on the timing. In this era of intrigues and intrigues, blind faith will only lead to death.
During the White Gate Tower, Liu Bei promised Lu Bu to intercede with Cao Cao, but when he turned around, he persuaded Cao Cao to kill Lu Bu to eliminate future troubles.
It can be seen that Liu Bei is not a person who takes faith as a mountain, and Yan Liang does not need to pay attention to anything with him.
"The general thought that a war was imminent, and internal unity was the most important, so he did not report the matter to the lord to prevent Liu Xuande from feeling uneasy. Now that the general heard that Xuande wanted to go to Runan, he was obviously afraid that the general would tell the matter
He secretly reported it to the lord, fearing that the lord would blame him, so he was anxious to escape. If the lord agreed, he would have fallen into Xuande's plan."
Yuan Shao suddenly realized and slapped the case, "I treat Xuande well, but I didn't expect that he would be rebellious. It's really abominable."
Yuan Shao, who was persuaded by Yan Liang, became angry and immediately ordered his order to be withdrawn, and Liu Bei was not allowed to lead troops to Runan.
Yan Liang stood with his head bowed, smiling secretly in his heart, thinking about how to replace Liu Bei and go to Runan.
At this moment, Xu You, who was standing next to him, said: "Although Xuande's intentions are suspicious, the armies in Runan cannot be ignored. You think that the Lord must send a capable general to Runan to lead the army."
Hello Xu You, I was worried that no one would pave the way for me, so you spoke in time.
"Mr. Ziyuan's words make sense. My lord, I am willing to lead thousands of light cavalry to Runan, command Liu Pi's army, and attack with my lord from the north and south to defeat Xudu together."
As soon as Xu You spoke, Yan Liang generously asked for a fight.
Yan Liang's invitation to fight cheered up Yuan Shao, and he turned to Xu You: "Ziyi wants to ask for battle and go to Runan, what does Ziyuan think?"
"General Yan is a talented general. It is most suitable for him to go to Runan. You think it is feasible."
Xu You answered happily. As a member of the Ruying people, of course he hoped that Yan Liang could drive Yan Liang away from Yuan Shao. Now that Yan Liang took the initiative to ask for help, he naturally played into his heart.
"Well, if that's the case, then I will give you three thousand Qingqi and ask you to quickly go to Runan to command Liu Pi's army. Ziyuan, please don't let me down."
Xu You was Yuan Shao's old counselor. He said it was okay, and Yuan Shao immediately agreed.
Yan Liang immediately expressed his determination, saying that he would live up to Yuan Shao's trust.
Yuan Shao was about to change his general order, but Yan Liang suddenly said: "My lord, I am not very familiar with Runan after all, so I am going to Runan this time, hoping that Mr. Ziyuan will accompany me."
Xu You changed his color when he heard this. He originally wanted to take Yan Liang away, but he didn't expect that Yan Liang would take him away.
Yan Liang has his own plans.
The key to victory or defeat in the Guandu battle lay in Xu You's betrayal.
Without Xu You's betrayal, Cao Cao would not have known the truth about Wuchao, and would not have been able to achieve the miraculous feat of burning down Wuchao.
Without the burning of Wuchao, there would be no Zhang He surrendering to the enemy on the battlefield, and there would be no complete defeat of Yuan's army.
By that time, even if Xun Yu and Guo Jia's so-called "Ten Victories and Ten Defeats" theory, even if Yuan Shao has various shortcomings, Cao Cao, who is exhausted, will only fail.
If Cao Cao, who is united internally, wins the Battle of Guandu, then Cao Cao will be even more powerful and unshakable after unifying the north.
If Yuan Shao, who was constantly having internal disputes, won, he would be prosperous for a while, but as long as Yuan Shao dies, the whole north will be in chaos again, and then Yan Liang will have the opportunity to "fish in troubled waters".
Yuan Shao in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" died of illness shortly after his defeat at Guandu. Although he died of depression, it was largely due to his advanced age.
Therefore, even if Yuan Shao wins in Guandu, he will not survive for a few years, and the division of the Yuan family will be inevitable by then.
It was for this reason that Yan Liangcai decided to take away Xu You, the key to victory or defeat, and at the same time gain a talented counselor full of strategies for himself.