With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 129, Chief Secretary Guan Jing

Tian Yu actually wanted to recruit these Yuan soldiers, but Gongsun Zan wouldn't allow it. In the end, Tian Yu had no choice but to throw firewood into the secret passage, set it on fire, and use the smoke and fire to deal with the Yuan soldiers inside.

The greatest effect of fireworks is not to burn people to death, but to deprive people of oxygen in the secret passage and force them out.

Some of Yuan's soldiers couldn't withstand the fumes and crawled out, while others struggled inside and died from the suffocation.

Yuan Xi had been living a life of luxury since childhood, and after a long period of restraint, he finally couldn't stand it anymore and climbed out.

I was caught as soon as I climbed up!

After capturing Yuan Xi, Gongsun Zan was about to order his execution, but after thinking about it, he felt that killing Yuan Xi so easily would be too lenient.

A great fire broke out in Yijing City, with flames shooting dozens of meters high. The secret passage was also blocked. Yuan Shao was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He left the central command tent and looked at the place where the fire started, his heart hanging in the air.

"My son Yuan Xi is still inside, what should we do?"

Yuan Shao was completely flustered and lost his composure; perhaps he lacked the decisiveness expected of a regional warlord.

However, as a father, Yuan Shao loved each of his children very much. Even if a child had a headache or fever, Yuan Shao would be restless and unable to eat or sleep.

That very night, Gongsun Zan sent someone with Ju Yi's head and invited Yuan Shao to meet him on the battlefield the next day.

Yuan Shao was so frightened that he couldn't sleep all night, his mind filled with thoughts of his son.

Tian Feng and his men were also at a loss. They had not expected that the secret passage had been discovered long ago, and their 5,000-strong army had been completely wiped out.

The following day, Gongsun Zan deployed his troops outside the city. This was the second time Gongsun Zan had taken the initiative to leave the city after several months of siege.

Last time, he sent his son Gongsun Xu to contact Zhang Yan of Heishan to request reinforcements, but Yuan Shao turned the tables on him, causing Gongsun Zan to suffer heavy casualties.

Yuan Shao watched helplessly as Yuan Xi was brought out. Yuan Xi was bound tightly with ropes, his hair was disheveled, and his body was covered in soot, making him look extremely disheveled.

Since being captured last night, Gongsun Zan has not given him a drop of water or a bite of food.

Yuan Xi had never suffered such injustice since he was a child.

Yuan Shao gritted his teeth in desperation, spurred his horse forward, and shouted, "Gongsun Zan, release my son at once, or else, when we break through Yijing, we will leave no one alive!"

Faced with Yuan Shao's threat, Gongsun Zan laughed loudly, "Do you think I, Gongsun Zan, am easily frightened? Today, I will personally cut off your son's head in front of you and see what you can do to me!"

Gongsun Zan was trapped for many days and was ambushed by Yuan Shao. Not only did he not receive any reinforcements, but his son also went missing and his fate was unknown.

Now that we've finally captured Yuan Xi, we can finally vent our anger.

In front of Yuan Shao, Gongsun Zan drew his sword and strode up to Yuan Xi.

This terrified Yuan Shao, who hurriedly shouted, "No! Gongsun Zan, name your terms! As long as you spare my son, everything is negotiable!"

Yuan Shao, the former leader of the eighteen warlords, showed no trace of the demeanor of a tyrant in front of so many soldiers.

The brothers Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang stared in surprise, their eyes wide with worry, but also with a strange sense of pride.

First of all, they felt fortunate that it was Yuan Xi who was carrying out the mission; otherwise, they would have been the ones captured by Gongsun Zan.

Furthermore, the three brothers were already at odds and each regarded the others as rivals. If Yuan Xi died, Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan would both benefit.

Tian Feng and Ju Shou looked serious and worried. They hadn't expected Gongsun Zan to suddenly become so decisive and ruthless.

In fact, Gongsun Zan could have used Yuan Xi as a hostage to break through the encirclement.

However, Gongsun Zan gave up the chance to break through. With a flash of cold light, everyone saw a bloody scene: Yuan Xi's head fell to the ground.

Tian Feng shook his head incredulously and said, "Gongsun Zan, it seems he's going to burn his bridges."

Ju Shou said, "This isn't like him. Could it be that he's already made up his mind to fight to the death?"

Tian Feng said, "That should be the case."

Yuan Shao cried out in anguish, "It hurts so much! Give me back my son's life!"

What could be more painful than watching your son get killed?

Before Yuan Shao could give the order to charge, Gongsun Zan roared, "Kill! Soldiers, follow me and kill Yuan Shao!"

Contrary to his usual behavior, Gongsun Zan took the initiative to attack, with Tian Yu, Tian Kai, and others following closely behind. The group recklessly charged towards Yuan's troops.

Gongsun Zan took the initiative and immediately gained the upper hand. He charged into the enemy formation on horseback, heading straight for Yuan Shao's position and fighting his way through the enemy lines.

The iron spear was merciless, whistling sharply as it smashed one Yuan soldier after another off their horses. Many of them had their skulls shattered and their brains splattered.

By the time Yuan Shao realized what was happening, the central army's formation had already been disrupted by Gongsun Zan.

Gongsun Zan charged into the crowd, fighting his way through, and even though Yuan's soldiers were numerous and powerful, they could hardly stop him.

The White Horse Cavalry behind him were also like wolves and tigers, charging forward like a whirlwind, displaying the ferocity of the Youzhou Iron Cavalry.

Faced with Liu Yu's army of 100,000, Gongsun Zan put himself in a do-or-die situation and staged a heroic charge, breaking through the encirclement with only a few hundred cavalrymen, and miraculously turning the tide of the battle.

Today, Gongsun Zan is taking the initiative to charge at Yuan Shao, wanting to show Yuan Shao his true strength.

After charging through Yuan's army, leaving behind a trail of corpses, Gongsun Zan returned to the city, even taking Yuan Xi's head with him.

After returning to the city and closing the city gates, Gongsun Zan quickly had a huge flagpole erected and Yuan Xi's head hung on it.

Chief Clerk Guan Jing sighed repeatedly, advising Gongsun Zan not to provoke Yuan Shao indiscriminately.

"My lord, you killed Yuan Xi and hung his head on the flagpole. This is a recipe for disaster. Yuan Shao will surely be furious and launch a full-scale attack. In that case, Yijing will be unable to be defended."

Guan Jing was always obsequious and cunning, and his temperament was similar to Guo Tu's. He felt that he was already in a very passive position, and even if he defended Yijing Tower, it would be difficult to hold it. Now, Gongsun Zan was going to further provoke Yuan Shao.

Gongsun Zan snorted disdainfully, "This is perfect for a good killing spree. If any of you are afraid, you can pack up in advance and be ready to leave at any time, or you can wait until Yuan Shao comes in and surrender directly. I won't blame you."

"My lord, you?" Guan Jing looked at Gongsun Zan in surprise.

Gongsun Zan said solemnly, "My mind is made up; I will fight Yuan Shao to the bitter end!"

Once Gongsun Zan makes a decision, he will have no more concerns. He has made up his mind, and he will not force others to do what they want.

Next, Gongsun Zan held firm and fought to the death, battling Yuan Shao for half a month, but was eventually captured.

During the two weeks of siege, Gongsun Zan fought fiercely with Yuan's troops. More than a dozen Yuan generals, both high and low, died in the siege. General Yan Liang was also stabbed in the chest during the battle and was carried back to recuperate early.

Yuan's army suffered tens of thousands of casualties. Outside the walls of Yijing, corpses piled up like mountains, and even the water in the moat was stained with blood. The city gates were breached, and Tian Yu immediately came to see Gongsun Zan, advising, "My lord, the situation is hopeless. Let's fight our way out. With your bravery, General, we will surely be able to break through."

Gongsun Zan didn't speak, and quickly turned and went into the wooden building. Although Tian Yu was very anxious, he knew that Gongsun Zan's family members were still inside.

After waiting for a while, Gongsun Zan, covered in blood, came out. Tian Yu was stunned for a moment, but then he immediately understood what had happened.

He stared wide-eyed at Gongsun Zan, utterly shocked.

Tian Yu, Tian Kai, Shan Jing, Guan Jing, and the others all stared at Gongsun Zan, stunned.

Gongsun Zan actually killed all his own family members.

"Everyone."

Gongsun Zan cupped his hands in greeting to the group, saying, "I didn't want my family to fall into Yuan Shao's hands and be humiliated, so I killed them all. Soon I will accompany them on their journey. Now, I have a request."

Seeing that the outer defenses were no longer holding out, everyone was anxious and hoped that Gongsun Zan could break through the encirclement with them.

Gongsun Zan looked at his subordinates who had always followed him and said sincerely, "The situation is hopeless. If you want to leave, I will not stop you. It would be best if you could break through the encirclement. But I have only one request: I hope to find a loyal and righteous person to stay and fulfill my last wish."

"My lord, you're not really going to listen to Guo Tu, are you?" Tian Yu was suddenly startled.

Gongsun Zan nodded. "That's right. I'm already satisfied with killing so many Yuan soldiers and generals. But if I could exchange my head for Yuan Shao's life, that would be the best outcome. Time is of the essence, and this matter is extremely dangerous. I won't force myself. Is there anyone willing to help me fulfill this last wish?"

Tian Yu and the others exchanged glances. The sounds of fighting were getting closer and closer, and they all knew that time was running out.

Tian Yu thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and nodded, saying, "My lord, this humble general is willing to accept the order."

"it is good!"

Gongsun Zan nodded vigorously, his face full of appreciation. He immediately drew his sword and said, "Guorang, if you survive and are fortunate enough to see His Majesty, stay by his side. It's a pity that I have no chance to serve such a wise and virtuous ruler. Tell His Majesty that Gongsun Zan will follow him in his next life."

After glancing at the others again, Gongsun Zan resolutely placed his sword against his neck. "Everyone, our fate ends here. If I have wronged you in any way, I hope you can forgive me."

Shan Jing, Tian Kai, and Tian Yu all had red eyes, and even Guan Jing was deeply moved and shed tears.

Just as Guan Jing was about to say something, Gongsun Zan, having lost all attachment, glanced in the direction of Xudu and resolutely slit his throat.

Sword flashes, blood splatters!
This upright and indomitable general on the white horse finally showed the world his courage and spirit before his death!
Filled with grief, Tian Yu was about to take Gongsun Zan's head when a thin figure appeared, one step ahead of him.

Tian Yu was taken aback; it was Guan Jing.

Normally, he looked down on Guan Jing, Tian Yu and others. Guan Jing was too cunning and selfish. Although he was capable, his character was hard to believe.

But at this moment, Guan Jing's expression was resolute and his gaze firm, as if his frail body had suddenly been filled with boundless power.

Guan Jing picked up Gongsun Zan's head and resolutely said, "You all should break through the encirclement quickly. I will take our lord's head to see Yuan Shao."

"But you?"

Before Tian Yu could speak, Guan Jing interrupted him, saying, "I am a scholar, and you are military generals. Even if we try to break through, it will be difficult for me to leave alive. Stop arguing. My lord's resolute decision to die is truly admirable. I am willing to risk my life to see Yuan Shao."

Tian Yu looked at Guan Jing in disbelief. He never expected that Guan Jing, who was always selfish and cunning, would be willing to accept this mission at the crucial moment and risk his life to assassinate Yuan Shao.

The crowd wanted to persuade him further, but Guan Jing waved to them and strode confidently toward the direction where Yuan Bing had entered the city.

Tian Yu said worriedly, "But he is just a thin scholar, yet he is going to assassinate Yuan Shao."

Even if it were possible, Tian Yu felt the chances were slim, and the possibility of escaping was practically zero.

However, Guan Jing's generous and righteous act earned the heartfelt admiration of Tian Yu and others.

Next, Tian Yu and the others fought their way out, and after a fierce battle, only a very few managed to escape.

After Yuan Shao entered the city, he immediately ordered Feng Ji to remove Yuan Xi's head from the flagpole.

After hanging there for half a month, Yuan Xi, who originally had handsome features, had become a bloody mess on his face. His facial skin was rotten, and one of his eyes had been pecked out by a crow.

Yuan Shao held Yuan Xi's head and wailed loudly, disregarding his image. His cries were tragic, and tears streamed down his face.

Wen Chou, Gao Lan, and others continued to deal with the remaining resistance in the city. After a while, Zhang He saw Guan Jing walking towards them.

"Who are you?" Zhang He spurred his horse forward, staring sternly at Guan Jing, and raised the blood-dripping spearhead.

Guan Jing glanced at him, held up the severed head in his hand, and said, "I personally killed Gongsun Zan, and I have come to join the General."

"You actually killed Gongsun Zan?"

Zhang He looked closely and, sure enough, those features and appearance were those of General Gongsun Zan.

Guan Jing snorted, "Take me to see the General. If you dare to neglect me, the General will definitely blame you when he finds out."

Zhang He had no choice but to take him to see Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao was crying loudly, sobbing uncontrollably, when he suddenly heard that Gongsun Zan had been killed. Only then did Yuan Shao stop crying, wipe the tears from his face, and look at Guan Jing, who was standing in the distance, with a scrutinizing gaze.

Guan Jing was very respectful and deliberately maintained a distance of nearly twenty paces.

"Is that really Gongsun Zan's head you're holding?" Yuan Shao was skeptical, and Tian Feng and the others were also somewhat doubtful.

Gongsun Zan was exceptionally skilled; was he really that easy to kill?

Yuan Shao beckoned Guan Jing closer.

Guan Jing shook his head and said, "I am Gongsun Zan's chief secretary. The general is of noble birth, and I have only recently joined him. How dare I approach the general?"

Guan Jing deliberately belittled himself while holding up Gongsun Zan's head high, saying, "If the general wants to see it clearly, he can have a trustworthy person take the head over and examine it carefully."

Guan Jing's unspoken message was: I've just come to seek refuge, you won't trust me, so I dare not get too close.

Yuan Shao always valued his reputation. He glanced around and saw that everyone around him was one of his trusted generals and soldiers. Then he looked at Guan Jing, who was just a thin scholar.

Moreover, Yuan Shao himself was a military general.

If he had so many people around him, and was still afraid of a thin scholar getting close to him, it would be a slap in the face to Yuan Shao.

P.S.: Happy New Year! Wishing everyone all your dreams come true in the new year!

(End of this chapter)