Yuan Shao, the father of Fanghua in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 246 The Way of Troubled Times
The two entered the house, Yuan Xi saw Yuan Tan's worried look, and comforted him: "Brother is also the lord of a state now, why worry so much."

Yuan Tan sighed and said, "That's right, we two brothers can occupy one of the thirteen prefectures of the Han Dynasty at such a young age, and be on an equal footing with my father's peers. Logically, I shouldn't be so anxious."

"But second brother, don't think my words are ugly, our mentality is different."

"You are the concubine son of the Yuan family, and now you have become the son of the eldest son and the head of the side branch. You have already soared into the sky like my father."

"But I can't. I am the eldest son. I was expected by everyone, but now I am suppressed by my third brother. Those who stand behind me and support me are putting a lot of pressure on me."

"There are no absolutely loyal subordinates in the world. If I give them no benefits, or make them feel that there will be no profit in the future, I will soon desert all relatives."

"It just so happens that there is a wall in front of me, and I can't get over it no matter what."

Yuan Xi knew who Yuan Tan was talking about.

Yuan Shao and Liu Shi.

As Yuan Tan's parents, it was impossible for Yuan Tan to disobey the two of them and could only passively obey orders.

This is also the dilemma that the eldest son of the family of all generations must face. On the one hand, the future can be expected, but on the other hand, he is suppressed everywhere. Over time, his mentality will become unbalanced.

Among other things, since Qin Li Fusu, the title of prince appeared, there have been 160 princes in all dynasties, of which 91 have successfully ascended the throne.

Looking at it, the chances are quite high, but you must know that the prince who has not ascended the throne, being banned from the ring is the best end, and there is a high probability that he will die.

So it was normal for Yuan Tan to be so anxious. If Yuan Shang really wanted to take over, Yuan Tan would definitely have a worrisome end.

The point is, with Yuan Tan's spirit, he would never be willing to be inferior to Yuan Shang.

Yuan Xi vaguely felt that Yuan Tan meant something, but he didn't think about it for a while, and could only say, "It's not impossible."

"Brother, if you can subdue the Taishan bandits, Qingzhou will become the second largest state after Jizhou just by relying on its military strength."

Yuan Tan sighed, "Then, where are you going?"

Yuan Xi said: "Since the west is not good, brother don't let go and set your sights on the east."

Yuan Tan was taken aback: "Going to sea?"

"This is to build a navy, and go south with the second brother to occupy Jiangdong?"

After hearing this, Yuan Xi was noncommittal, "There are other directions."

"Qingzhou is so close to Ma Han, so it may not be a way out."

After hearing this, Yuan Tan pondered, "Second brother is talking about Gongsundu's four counties in eastern Liaodong, and the area further south?"

"That place is full of savage tribes, what's there to do?"

Yuan Xi said with a smile: "It doesn't work now, but it doesn't mean it won't work in the future. The products are still quite rich, not to mention using it as a springboard, you can go south to the Yamatai Islands."

After hearing this, Yuan Tan said, "It turns out that the second younger brother formed a fleet with such an idea."

"However, there are hundreds of tribes and tribes in those archipelagos, all of which are not as good as a Southern Huns, and the Yamatai Kingdom is just one of them."

"Now that place doesn't even know how to make iron and pottery, it's no different from a barbarian, so what's the use of it?"

Seeing Yuan Tan's lack of interest, Yuan Xi could only say, "Since that's the case, according to elder brother's idea, do you want to go south to attack Yuan Shu?"

Yuan Tan nodded and said: "This is indeed a way out, and it is also a helpless move. I have to think about it when I go back."

"However, I came here this time to eliminate the Mount Tai bandits within a year, and I want to ask my second brother if he can help me find a way."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Xi said, "Isn't it too urgent?"

"That's tens of 10 people, and they're hiding in the mountains, not the plains."

Yuan Tan sighed: "I also know, but the third brother puts too much pressure on me, and the speed at which he is growing in power is already much faster than me."

Yuan Xi said in his heart, I also know, but can't your counselors think of a way?
He tested his background and said: "Try to recruit Zang Ba, the leader of the Taishan bandits, how about Xu Yi's official position?"

Yuan Tan said: "This man is very cunning, he doesn't openly confront any party, but he doesn't go out of the mountains, and the 10 people under him just obey him."

"In this way, even if he attaches to me in name, what's the point?"

Yuan Xi thought that this was indeed a trouble, even if Zang Ba was promised an official position outside the scope of Mount Tai, he might not necessarily take the position.

He suddenly had a flash of inspiration, "Brother, do you want to give Langya to him?"

Yuan Tan just smiled: "Second brother is smart, but in this way, he may disobey the rules, harass the surrounding counties, and cause troubles to the second brother's Guangling."

Yuan Xi thought to himself that this was Yuan Tan's intention. In this way, Zang Ba might indeed lead his troops out of Mount Tai, and Yuan Tan would be able to revitalize the border between Qing and Xu.

But in this way, Liu Bei and Yuan Xi will have to face hundreds of thousands of Taishan thieves who may repeat at any time. Yuan Tan is afraid that Yuan Xi will be unhappy, so he came here to inform.

Yuan Xi thought to himself that this was most likely the idea of ​​one of Yuan Tan's advisers, and it was very thoughtful to use Taishan bandits to contain himself and Liu Bei.

Today's Xuzhou is like a small microcosm of the Three Kingdoms. Yuan Tan, Liu Bei and Yuan Xi hold together to keep warm and deal with the surrounding forces, but they are on guard against each other so as not to be taken advantage of by the other two parties. The ultimate goal is to strengthen themselves.

If Yuan Tan tried his best to deal with the Taishan bandits, his own strength would be weakened, so he simply released Zang Ba and asked him to contain the two sides for him.

Yuan Xi thought to himself that in this world of hegemony, no idea is simple. Friends have conflicts of interest, enemies can also cooperate, and brothers seem to be honest, but in fact they also hide their scheming. This is the politics of troubled times.

He smiled at Yuan Tan: "Brother, please feel free to do it, I have no problem here."

After Yuan Tan heard this, he felt relieved a little. This trick was a conspiracy, but he had to explain it to Yuan Xi, lest Yuan Xi would become dissatisfied and fall to Liu Bei's side.

Of course, Yuan Xi also hinted this matter to Liu Bei in advance, only in this way can he dominate the three parties.

After Yuan Xi sent Yuan Tan away, he thought that if he brought in one side, there would be several times more problems. Even if they were brothers, once they involved conflicts of interest, they should obediently give way.

However, in the next few years, the focus of his expansion will not be on Guangling. This time, Yuan Tan is afraid that his worries will be in vain.

Now there are Chen Deng and Tai Shici in Guangling County, as long as they hold on firmly, they can revitalize the situation in Youzhou and strengthen their strength.

Zhen Mi accompanied Yuan Xi to send Yuan Tan out, and when she saw his carriage going away, she said, "It's settled so soon?"

"We're not going back to Guangling right away, are we?"

Yuan Xi saw that Zhen Mi's face was a bit disappointed, and thought that this time things really went surprisingly smoothly, and it was too fast. In just one day, Liu Bei and Yuan Tan had finished talking.

The rest seems to be only the Mi family?

It doesn't seem to matter whether the Mi family will go or not. Now there is no problem with Qingzhou port on the southward route of Youzhou. Yuan Tan got Yuan Xi's promise on Zang Ba's matter, so he has to sell some face.

Needless to say, Langya is the port of Xuzhou. The important port of Guangling is already owned by Yuan Xi. It seems that the Mi family is not of much use value to Yuan Xi now?

Yuan Xi had just heard from Chen Deng about the Mi family's frustration in marrying their daughter, and it was calculated that this matter was disturbed, and more than half of the reason was that he returned Liu Bei's wife and daughter.

But Yuan Xi didn't expect that the Mi family would be willing to let Mi Zhen be a concubine in order to cling to Liu Bei. If he had known that the Mi family was so willing, he could not have reluctantly sacrificed his body to marry Mi Zhen.

But now that the Mi family's property has been given away, and I can't get the Mi family's dowry, it seems unnecessary?

Thinking of this, he apologized to Zhen Mi: "At first, I wanted to take Madam to visit Mi's family to discuss the maritime trade route. After all, Madam is in charge of the Zhen family's trade route now."

"However, among the three counties along the coast of Xuzhou, Langya Guangling is not in the hands of Duke Xuande, only Donghai County in the middle is left. It seems that it is not necessary for the trade route."

"In this way, there seems to be no need for us to go to Mi's house."

After Zhen Mi heard this, although she was a little disappointed, she still nodded her head. At this time, Guo Jia came out and said, "My son's words are wrong, and the Mi family still has to go."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Xi smiled and said, "It's rare for Mr. to object so much. I'd like to hear more about it."

The two entered the room, Guo Jiashi calmly sat down and said, "Do you think, my lord, that now that the Mi family is reused by Liu Bei, they will definitely not fall for us?"

Yuan Xi said: "Isn't it?"

"Now I see Mi Zhu's expression, quite determined, I'm afraid he won't even let me in."

Guo Jia shook his head: "I have a different opinion."

He lowered his voice, "Jia thinks, the son's ambition will not only be in Guangling County, right?"

"Young master is not strong enough now, so he has no choice but to take forbearance. In the future, when he becomes more powerful, is it possible that he can still be a little rich?"

Yuan Xi sighed: "But Mr. Xuande's taking Xuzhou's name is justified, and I can't do anything that breaks my promise."

"Stop!" Guo Jia said with a sneer, "Master must have something to hide from me, otherwise why are you rushing to deal with the black bandits?"

Yuan Xi was sweating profusely, but he didn't expect his plan to be hidden from Guo Jia.

Guo Jia sneered and said: "Don't think that I don't know what the young master is thinking. The young master has a lot of thoughts, and the inside and outside are very different. You can deceive others, but you can't deceive me."

"Not to mention anything else, some people say that most of the young master's favorite women are widows and wives, but I saw something different."

"The girls you want to marry are all the ones whose father died in the family, and the power of the family is almost extinct, right?"

"Do you think it's easy to control, and there will be no troubles with relatives in the future?"

Yuan Xi was sweating profusely, and quickly lowered his voice: "Sir, don't speak so bluntly!"

"Although I have some thoughts like this, I didn't kill their father!"

Guo Jia smiled triumphantly, Yuan Xi only partly denied his own words, but did not clarify the word "foreign relatives"!
This son really has great ambitions, thanks to him talking about Kuangfu Hanshi all day long!

But it's more interesting to follow the son and see how the Han Dynasty came to an end!
Guo Jia felt in his heart that the current appearance of the Han Dynasty might not be able to be saved.

Although it was once brilliant, but it was corrupted to such an extent by the later generations of stupid kings that it has already lost the hearts of the people and may collapse at any time.

If the meat is rotten, it may be cured, but if it cannot be cured and spreads to the whole body, the person will die. What's more, how many loyal ministers are left in the thirteen states?
Thinking of this, Guo Jia straightened the hat on his head, and said: "The matter of the Mi family can be discussed."

"Being good friends with the Mi family is more beneficial than harmful to Young Master."

(End of this chapter)