Han officials

Chapter 262 Rising Against the Wind: Yuan Benchu ​​[12]

It is said that Changshan Kingdom, though seemingly vast in territory, is actually mostly located in the Taihang Mountains.

Excluding the Taihang Mountains, the city is located in only about one-third of the area.

Therefore, when Yuan Shao ceded Changshan State and Zhao State to establish Heishan Commandery, the officials and gentry of both places didn't take it seriously at all.

After all, even if Yuan Shao hadn't established the Black Mountain Commandery, they wouldn't have needed these towering mountains.

Even the gentry and powerful families of the two prefectures were happy to see the establishment of Heishan Prefecture.

Whether it's appeasement or control, it's still a way of putting the Black Mountain bandits in shackles.

With these constraints in place, they no longer had to live in constant fear.

However, to their surprise, the Black Mountain bandits only behaved themselves for a few days before reverting to their old ways.

To be precise, the Black Mountain Army resumed its old ways after the Wei army occupied the Zhongshan Kingdom.

There was nothing they could do; Zhang Yan had almost been killed by Yuan Jun that time.

Having narrowly escaped back to his mountain stronghold, he was furious and threw the "General Who Pacifies the North" seal bestowed upon him by Yuan Shao into a corner, continuing his promising career as a mountain bandit.

Yuan Shao, who was far away in Ye City, was naturally angry about this, but there was nothing he could do. He could only think of dealing with Wei Zhe after he was defeated.

However, after receiving Chunyu Qiong's report, Yuan Shao had an idea.

Yuan Shao stroked his beard and laughed, "Send an order to Heishan Commandery, instructing Zhang Yan to immediately leave the mountains, join forces with the troops of Changshan Commandery, and attack Xiaquyang together with the Fucheng camp."

Upon hearing this, Feng Ji quickly grasped Yuan Shao's intention and immediately praised him repeatedly:

"Wonderful! A wise ruler governs others by treating them as they treat him!"

"Your Excellency is truly wise; I am ashamed of my own shortcomings!"

Indeed, the fact that the right wing army was trapped in Xiu County was beyond Ye City's expectations.

Yuan Shao's civil and military officials originally thought that even if the right wing army failed to win, it could at least hold back the Wei army in Qingzhou.

However, as the Wei army in Qingzhou split into two routes to attack Gaotang and Pingyuan, they realized that the situation on the right flank had become passive.

Whether Qinghe Kingdom could hold out, and for how long, was uncertain to everyone in the shogunate.

However, Yuan Shao has now turned the tables and attacked Quyang from both sides, and the situation has been restored to balance.

Now it remains to be seen whether Xiaquyang will succumb to the siege of the two Yuan armies first, or whether the Wei army of Qingzhou will break through the Pingyuan County defense line and invade Qinghe Kingdom first.

Furthermore, Yuan Shao wouldn't lose out no matter how he calculated it, since Xiaquyang was where Wei Zhe's command flag was located. If this city were to fall, even if Wei Zhe couldn't be killed, it would still greatly demoralize the Wei army.

In contrast, even if Zhong Hu led the Wei army of Qingzhou to break through Zhou Ang's defenses and enter Qinghe Kingdom, Yuan Shao would still have enough time and space to deal with the threat from the right flank.

After figuring this out, Xu You couldn't help but nod.

However, Xu You couldn't help but worry, "Zhang Yan's wicked intentions haven't changed; I'm afraid he won't obey orders so readily."

Xun Chen nodded in agreement, saying, "If this fellow is just being evasive and sends out some old, weak, and disabled soldiers, we will be helpless in the present moment."

Unexpectedly, Yuan Shao smiled confidently upon hearing this and said, "That's exactly what I want—his thieving nature is incorrigible!"

After saying that, he looked at Xun Chen and said seriously, "Youruo, I'll have to trouble you to make this trip. Bring him the seal of the Governor of Youzhou and tell Zhang Yan that if we can defeat Wei Zhe, I am willing to govern Hebei with him!"

Since Yuan Shao had already recommended Zhang Yan as the governor of Qingzhou and Bingzhou, there was nothing wrong with recommending him as the governor of Youzhou now. Upon hearing Yuan Shao's words, Xu You and the others couldn't help but show slight surprise.

However, after a moment's thought, they had to admit that Yuan Shao's actions were indeed the best course of action at the moment.

Thinking of this, Xun Chen, Xu You, and Feng Ji all looked at Yuan Shao with admiration in their eyes.

He's back! The wise, powerful, and magnanimous Yuan Benchu ​​is back!
In an instant, the three who had been somewhat worried all showed signs of excitement.

Even though they are in a slump right now, so what?

For decades, the eunuch faction was rampant and arrogant. Many of their predecessors died at their hands. Even Li Ying, Chen Fan, and two other party leaders died trying to eliminate the eunuchs. But in the end, they were all eliminated by Yuan Shao.

Scholars who did not experience the two periods of partisan persecution can never truly understand the hatred that Xu You and others felt towards eunuchs.

That was a systematic purge of partisans carried out by eunuchs and treacherous officials through the "gangsterism" system, resulting in the execution or exile of more than 70,000 scholars and their relatives throughout the country.

That was a "dark age for the party" that lasted for thirty years!
People like Xu You grew up in this kind of political environment, and many of their relatives, friends, and teachers were persecuted.

The more Xu You and others hated the Ten Attendants, the more they admired Yuan Shao.

It is precisely because of this that Xu You and others firmly believed that Yuan Shao was the future and hope of the partisans!
Thus, under external pressure, Yuan Shao's internal forces actually became more united.

All past disagreements and conflicts were put aside, and everyone worked together under Yuan Shao's leadership.

It must be admitted that Yuan Shao was truly a scoundrel.

He performs best when the wind is favorable and when it is strong; the more critical the situation, the better he performs.

If he had performed even half as well during the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao wouldn't have been able to turn the tide against him.

……

On the other hand, when Xun Chen arrived at the capital of Heishan Commandery—Zhang Yan's stronghold—with Yuan Shao's appointment, Zhang Yan was indeed swayed by his silver tongue.

After all, as Xun Chen said, the total number of Wei troops in Xiaquyang was only 30,000.

Although the 20,000 Zuo Army led by Chunyu Qiong and Wen Chou in Fucheng Camp were no match for them, the situation would be very different if their Black Mountain Army were added.

Especially after learning that Wei Zhe was in Xiaquyang, Zhang Yan became even more tempted.

He knew that Yuan Shao's words at the moment might not be sincere, but if he were to be lucky enough to kill Wei Zhe at the gates of Xiaquyang, then he, as the governor of Youzhou, might just be able to turn his pretense into reality!

After much deliberation, Zhang Yan finally succumbed to the temptation and decided to lead 20,000 elite troops out in full force.

Despite his claim that the Black Mountain Army has a million men, most of them are old, weak, women and children. Excluding the loyal troops of various leaders, he can only mobilize about 20,000 elite troops. Any more than that and his stronghold will be deserted.

Even so, Xun Chen was content.

As expected, Changshan Kingdom stabilized immediately after Zhang Yan led the elite Black Mountain Army out of the mountains.

At least, the gentry and powerful families of Changshan could feel somewhat at ease.

After all, compared to Wei Zhe, who was an enemy, Zhang Yan could be considered half an ally.

This time, Zhang Yan had no time for looting. Upon learning that Chunyu Qiong and Wen Chou had led the Left Army to advance on Linping Township, he decisively led 20,000 Black Mountain Army soldiers toward Geng Township.

Thus, the grand game of strategy, with Ji Province as the stake and the vast land as the chessboard, has officially begun...
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[Sorry, the scope is a bit too broad. I need to take it easy. I need to roughly predict the course of this great battle before I start writing, otherwise I'm afraid I'll mess it up.]

(End of this chapter)