(Thanks to abccd, Mengcai and Yu Huai for the reward)
It is an indisputable fact that Yuan Shao is powerful. Yan Liang will have a showdown with the Yuan family sooner or later, but now is not the best time.
Although he is now powerful and has a winning streak, his power is still too weak after all, and he still needs time to become strong enough.
Therefore, the complete break with Yuan Shao at this time was not the result of a mature protagonist.
Under Yan Liang's instruction, Xu You's eloquent "quibbles" were nothing more than trying to give Yuan Shao a step down and make Yuan Shao's self-esteem a little better, so as to mend the rift between the two parties.
Of course, these are just superficial articles. Of course Yan Liang would not be so stupid as to give Yuan Tan this big fish back.
If Yuan Shao wants his son, he must cut off some pieces of his flesh.
Xun Chen was a smart man and knew that Yan Liang was trying to blackmail him after he finished his high-sounding performance.
The majestic General Yuan Benchu, the most powerful prince in the world, a hero who was feared by everyone, was threatened by a lowly rebel general.
This is a shame, a huge shame.
If the master humiliated his ministers and died, if it were normal times, Xun Chen would definitely be furious and leave angrily. He would never lose his status as the master of the family.
But now, Xun Chen painfully discovered that he did not have the confidence to be angry at all.
The combination of bluffing and intimidation just now has been tried, and Yan Liang is not afraid at all. The plan in advance was disrupted by the daring Yan Liang, and Xun Chen had no choice.
In desperation, Xun Chen could only ask Yan Liang with a bitter look on his face.
Naturally, Yan Liang didn't have to do such a dishonorable thing as making conditions to negotiate a business. He smiled and said nothing and glanced at Xu You.
Xu You understood, coughed a few times, and said with a smile: "It's like this. General Yan worked hard to obtain Jingxiang for Yuan Gong, but because of the lack of food and grass, he was not able to launch a large-scale attack on Liu Biao, so can he
Please ask Yuan Gong to allocate some food and grass for our army, so that when the soldiers are well fed, they will have the strength to expand Yuan Gong's territory."
Xun Chen now understood that Yan Liang was extorting money and food from them.
At present, Yan Liang has nearly 20,000 soldiers and horses. Even if the 20,000 soldiers and horses are not fighting, their monthly food consumption will be as high as 100,000 dendrobium. If there is a war, this number will be even higher.
Although Xinye originally had a lot of grain in stock, plus the hundreds of thousands of grain and grass he got from Liu Biao, Yan Liang's current grain and grass was still enough.
But after all, Yan Liang only has Nanyang County in his hands now, and the population under his control is only that large. Man Chong's farming has not yet yielded results. This family fortune alone is not enough to support Yan Liang's outward expansion.
To Yan Liang, food was as precious as gold, and Yuan Shao was wealthy, so the most indispensable thing was food and grass.
You know, General Yuan relied on countless supplies of food and grass to bring down Cao Cao in Guandu.
"Well..." Xun Chen hesitated.
Yan Liang's originally gentle expression suddenly turned gloomy again.
"Why, could it be that the life of the eldest son, coupled with Yan's loyalty, cannot be exchanged for just a few handfuls of grain and grass from Mr. Yuan?"
As soon as he made the threat, Xun Chen's expression suddenly trembled, and he quickly smiled and said: "How could it be possible? The general's proposal is very reasonable. I think Yuan Gong will consider it, but I don't know how much food and grass the general needs."
"No more, no more, just this number."
Xu You next to you raised his hand with a smile and showed his fork-like fingers.
"Fifty thousand dendrobium is indeed not much. There is no need to report it to Mr. Yuan. Xun can make the decision here."
Xun Chen breathed a sigh of relief. To Yuan Shao, this figure was simply a drop in the bucket.
At this time, Yan Liang sneered, "Mr. Xun made a mistake. He added ten after five."
Five hundred thousand dendrobium!
Xun Chen was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out.
That was five hundred thousand grains, enough to feed ten thousand soldiers and horses for more than ten months. If Cao Cao had this much grain, it would be enough to reverse the outcome of the Battle of Guandu.
The lion's mouth is wide open, this is definitely the lion's big mouth!
Only then did Xun Chen realize that Yan Liang was not so kind at all and was blackmailing him so harshly.
"General Yan, with all due respect, it's a bit excessive for the general to ask for five hundred thousand grains of grain with just one mouthful." Xun Chen couldn't help mustering up his courage and protested.
"Is it too much?"
Yan Liang snorted coldly, "I feel that these five hundred thousand bushels of grain and grass are nothing compared to the future of Mr. Xun and you Yingshi people."
As soon as these words came out, Xun Chen's expression was immediately shocked.
This understatement, like a sharp blade, cut deeply into Xun Chen's weakness.
Xun Chen fell into silence, his expression becoming increasingly gloomy.
Xu You saw that Xun Chen seemed to want to refuse, so he secretly hinted his intention to Yan Liang.
Yan Liang understood what Xu You meant. He wanted to remind himself whether it was appropriate to lower the asking price to avoid pushing people too hard.
When discussing the terms previously, Xu You had expressed doubts about Yan Liang's asking price of 500,000 dendrobium, feeling that the offer was too high and beyond the other party's acceptance range.
Yan Liang concluded that Yuan Shao and Xun Chen would definitely accept it. Until now, facing Xun Chen's hesitant expression, his judgment had not changed at all.
At that moment, Yan Liang not only ignored Xu You's hint, but also said loudly: "Mr.
Let the white-haired person give the black-haired person a gift."
Yan Liang added fuel to the fire and supplemented the threat with even colder words.
Xun Chen, who was silent, looked shocked, hesitated for a moment, and could only sigh softly.
"Although five hundred thousand dendrobium is a bit much, General Yan also wants to serve Mr. Yuan. After Xun returns, I will do my best to explain my interests to Mr. Yuan and try my best to persuade Mr. Yuan to agree to the general's request."
Xun Chen's helpless words showed his compromise.
Xu You next to you was surprised and happy. He was happy that Xun Chen gave in, but he was shocked by Yan Liang's accurate judgment.
Yan Liang's expression was indifferent, as if Xun Chen's compromise had been expected by him.
Historically, Xun Chen, Guo Tu, and Feng Ji, officials of the Yuan family, fought for power and profit, and even fought among themselves to the point where Yuan Shao failed in the Guandu battle. Their selfish motives had long overridden justice.
Yuan Tan is the source of the future power of the Ruying people. Yan Liang absolutely believes that in order to save Yuan Tan, they will try their best to persuade Yuan Shao to agree, let alone 500,000 dendrobium, even if it is one million dendrobium.
Seeing Yan Liang's expression of satisfaction, Xun Chen breathed a sigh of relief, but just when he was about to ask when Yuan Tan could be returned, Yan Liang suddenly spoke again.
"The matter of food and fodder has been settled like this. I have another matter that I would like to ask Mr. Yuan to agree to."
Xun Chen's face turned pale, and his heart was in his throat again, thinking that Yan Liang had some excessive demands.
Yan Liang smiled faintly and said, "Don't panic, Mr. Xun. I won't ask for money or food anymore. I just want a person from Mr. Yuan."
"I wonder who it is?" Xun Chen looked confused.
"Tian Feng."
When everyone present heard Tian Feng's name, they were moved.
Yan Liang, who was familiar with the Three Kingdoms, knew that Tian Feng was resourceful and resourceful and was Yuan Shao's number one counselor.
When Yuan Shao pacified Hebei and defeated Gongsun Zan, Tian Feng repeatedly came up with ingenious strategies.
When the Han emperor escaped from Chang'an and returned to the east, Tian Feng persuaded Yuan Shao to welcome the Han emperor to Hebei, but Yuan Shao refused. As a result, Cao Cao got a big advantage.
Before the Battle of Guandu, Tian Feng suggested that Yuan Shao dispatch his Qingqi to capture the border of Xudu.
Liu Biao prepared Xuzhou to rebel against Cao Cao, and Tian Feng suggested that Yuan Shao take the opportunity to raid Xudu, but Yuan Shao rejected all the suggestions.
Although Yuan Shao won the battle of Guandu, Yan Liang knew very well that if he hadn't appeared, changed history, and rejected Tian Feng's various clever tricks, Yuan Shao would have only failed.
However, Tian Feng, such a scheming man, angered Yuan Shao because of his strong words and violated his advice, so he was dismissed from his post and imprisoned.
"Such a wonderful man, even if Yuan Shao doesn't use it, he will be imprisoned. Humph, very good, you Yuan Shao won't use it, it just makes me, Yan Liang, more advantageous."
Looking at Xun Chen's surprised and confused expression, a sly smile quietly flashed across Yan Liang's lips.
