Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 301 With these ten advantages and ten disadvantages, if the general does not surrender to Huainan, when will he?

"My son, Lord Long, now that you have met your father, why do you not bow?"

"Zhao Zilong of Changshan is here. Who are you to dare insult me?"

Yun is furious!
He then charged forward to fight Gan Ning, who also drew his sword to block him, and the two engaged in a fierce battle.

A true expert's skill is immediately apparent upon first move, and Gan Ning realized he had overestimated himself after just one exchange.

He originally thought that Zhao Yun had only joined the Han King earlier, so why was his adopted son ranked above him?

It is also said that he once charged in and out of the enemy army seven times by himself, killing 10,000 enemy soldiers, thus becoming famous throughout the world.

To Gan Ning, that was utter nonsense.
He single-handedly broke through the enemy camp with a hundred cavalrymen, a feat that shook the world and was already a rare and glorious achievement.

how?

Do you think Zhao Zilong alone is stronger than my hundred cavalry?
Gan Xingba truly didn't believe in this superstition, so he used words to provoke him, wanting to test the depth of Yun's understanding.

Little did he know that the more he fought, the more alarmed he became.

After only a dozen or so exchanges, he felt that he was not up to the task. Zhao Yun's spear technique was as dazzling and complex as a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, yet it was difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion.

His swordsmanship, which he had practiced diligently all his life and was very proud of, was no match for him.

He managed to hold out for about thirty rounds, but it seemed that if he continued fighting, he would only become a laughingstock.

Taking advantage of the fact that the outcome of the battle was still undecided, Gan Ning quickly withdrew, shouting:
"Brother, please spare me! I was just teasing you!"

Zhao Yun: "."

Seeing that he was the person Jiang Qin wanted to introduce to him, Zhao Yun didn't go all out; he only wanted to teach him a lesson.

Therefore, seeing Gan Ning withdraw, they did not pursue him. Hearing him beg for mercy, they also stopped.

"Who are you? Tell me your name at once!"
"If you continue with this illogical accusation, I, Yun, have already slain many nameless ghosts with my spear."

Gan Ning breathed a sigh of relief, quickly sheathed his sword, bowed, and greeted him with the courtesy due to a younger brother.

"My sworn brother is above me. I am Gan Ning, courtesy name Xingba, the seventh adopted son of the King of Han."

I had long heard of my sworn brother's great reputation for single-handedly charging in and out of enemy lines seven times, but I dared not fully believe it. I relied on my own strength to test him.

"Having met my sworn brother today, I realize that there are always people more capable than oneself, and that there is always something beyond the heavens. I now truly believe that there is indeed a Zhao Zilong in this world!"

Jiang Qin, who was standing nearby, quickly smoothed things over, explaining Gan Ning's identity and the reason behind the jokes between General Ghost and General Dragon.

After hearing this, Zhao Yun understood the whole story. He was not a narrow-minded person, and since the joke had already been made public and Gan Ning had given in, he took Gan Ning's hand and said with a smile:

"Seventh Brother, you should not mention such jokes again next time. Otherwise, the bullet is merciless and may accidentally injure a brother. If our godfather finds out, wouldn't he think that we are killing each other as brothers?"

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and asked a question, somewhat hesitantly.

"Seventh brother just addressed our godfather as the King of Han, could it be..."

Gan Ning replied with a smile:

"When I left Huainan, my adoptive father was still Lord Yuan, but now that I have arrived in Youzhou, I imagine he has been a king for quite some time."

Zhao Yun: "."

No, does this mean I've become the adopted son of the King of Han?

Me... My Zhao family has produced a dragon?

What should we do?

Along the way, Zhao Yun loaded and unloaded supplies with Gan Ning, Jiang Qin, and others, heading to Yijing to aid Gongsun Zan. He was in a daze and hadn't recovered yet.

This is too sudden!

We were completely unprepared.

Not long ago, he was just a minor, insignificant general under General Gongsun.

He became acquainted with Yuan Shao simply because he captured Guo Jia.

When they first met in Liang Kingdom that year, to repay the kindness shown to him, he charged into battle with his spear, killing thousands of soldiers who were terrified.

Later, they returned to Youzhou in the north. Although they were father and son, they were separated by thousands of miles.

But he never imagined that when he heard the news again, his adoptive father, who had treated him with such kindness, had already become a king.

That's how he became the adopted son of the King of Han.

There is no merit to be gained in the clouds, nor is there any filial piety or brotherly love among the people.

How can this be?

Just then, Gan Ning arrived on horseback, laughing heartily.

"Is my sworn brother still troubled by the matter of the King of Han?"
This godfather has his reasons; why should we, as his adopted sons, think so much?

As he spoke, he took a package from his bosom and handed it to Zhao Yun.

"This is a new garment given to me by my godfather to celebrate the New Year. It was sewn by my godmother."

Because you are far away in Youzhou and cannot spend the New Year in Shouchun, you asked me to bring this.

“We only met once a year ago, and our relationship lasted a short month. Now we are separated by thousands of miles, yet my godparents still miss me.”

Zhao Yun held the garment in his hands, tears streaming down his face.

"The kindness of being recognized and supported, the affection between father and son, the deep and righteous treatment my adoptive father has shown me—how can I ever repay such a debt?"

As the two were talking, they were already close to Gongsun Zan's Yijing camp. They saw a strong fortress rising from the ground on the banks of the Yi River.

It is surrounded by ten deep moats, and more than a thousand forts, each five or six zhang high, are built between the moats, connected like fish scales.

A tall building, ten zhang high, with iron gates, was built in the middle and named "Zhongjing".

The fortress was stockpiled with grain and troops, enough to sustain a long-term defense, making it virtually impregnable.

Seeing the heavily fortified and heavily guarded place, Gan Ning was surprised.

Zhao Yun then explained to him, "I heard that my adoptive father had raised an army to attack Jingzhou and would be unable to support Youzhou in a short time. So Yuan Shao raised an army of more than 300,000 from four provinces to march north and attack Youzhou."

Even though Yun and the general exerted all their strength, they could not stop it.

They retreated all the way to this place, and seeing that the terrain was easy to defend and difficult to attack, they built a capital city near the Yi River to defend themselves and resist Yuan Shao to the south.

Its name is: Yijing!

As Zhao Yun spoke, a look of worry appeared on his face.

"Now Shao's forces are strong and his offensive is very urgent. General Gongsun is waiting for his adoptive father's support this time, hoping to rely on it to defeat the enemy."

Gan Ning heard this but did not respond.

He understood Zhao Yun's meaning; he hoped that Zhao Yun could lead his naval forces to provide some assistance in resisting Yuan Shao.

But Gongsun Zan has a bond with you, Zhao Zilong, but he is not familiar with me, Gan Xingba.

The alliance between the King of Han and him only included material support, not military assistance.

Besides, if the enemy force is only 10,000 or 20,000, or even 30,000 or 50,000, he would help them anyway.

With Yuan Shao leading an army of over 300,000, how could my mere 20,000 naval troops possibly help me resist and defeat the enemy?

Most importantly, if you fight for Gongsun Zan and win, it won't count as a merit for the King of Han; if you lose and suffer losses of troops, you'll be punished.

Gan Xingba is not a man of courage and strategy, so why would he do something so thankless?

As expected, when the group entered Gongsun Zan's main tent, they heard constant arguments, all about Yuan Shao's campaign against Youzhou.

Upon entering through the curtain, one could see a free-spirited and unconventional scholar among the crowd, engaging in a lively debate with someone inside the tent.

"Between You and Ji, Shao and the general have been locked in a stalemate for a long time. Now he has raised troops to march north, aiming to destroy You."

This was not due to a lack of strength, but rather a result of the prevailing circumstances.

The family has produced three high-ranking officials for four generations, and its distinguished lineage has accumulated a long-standing reputation and nurtured talented individuals.

In contrast, the general rose from the borderlands, was cruel and bloodthirsty, and plundered wherever he went, causing widespread resentment among the people.

This is one victory and one defeat;

Shao was a land of many talented people, with civil officials such as Ju Shou, Tian Feng, Guo Tu, and Xu You, and military officials such as Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Zhang He, and Gao Lan. Strategists were as numerous as clouds, and fierce generals were as plentiful as rain.

In contrast, General, your plans are only devised by Jia and Yu. We are not your subjects, but merely guests assisting you.

Zhao Yun, a warrior, is the adopted son of my lord.

These two wins and two losses;
Shao's army was diverse, including infantry, cavalry, archers, and shieldmen, all working together as one.

Although the general possesses the sharpness of a white horse, his troops are limited in type and cannot respond comprehensively.

These are three wins and three losses;

Based on the fertile lands of Hebei and Qinghai, he rectified officialdom, standardized taxes and corvée labor, and ensured that granaries were full and the foundation was solid.

The general was trapped in Yijing, where laws were in disarray, taxes and corvée were heavy, and the people were suffering. Although there was grain stored up, it was about to be exhausted.

These are the four victories and four defeats; Although Shao had great ambitions, he still acted under the guise of imperial orders, and his campaigns were justified.

The general was arrogant and domineering, disregarded the law, killed his relatives to seize Youzhou, and was trapped on the border, isolated and helpless.

These are the five wins and five losses;

The people of Shao were united, and the soldiers were ready to die for their country.

The general was disloyal and filled with fear.

These are the six wins and six losses;

Shao had hundreds of thousands of troops, and gradually formed an encirclement.

The general was terrified, and his troops were in turmoil.

These are the seven wins and seven losses;

Shao listened to the advice of many wise men, but the general was stubborn and self-willed, defending the isolated city alone.

These are the eight wins and eight losses;

Strict orders and clear decrees ensured rewards and punishments, but lax discipline among generals led to a decline in military discipline.

This is the nine wins and nine losses;

His influence extended to all corners of the world, and all under heaven regarded him as a wise ruler.

The general's reputation was ruined, and he was considered tyrannical by most people.

These are ten victories and ten defeats.

Of these ten points, Shao's strength lies in his own, while the general's in his is weak. Therefore, his northward campaign against Youzhou will be swift and decisive, capturing Yijing and pacifying Youzhou and Jizhou. It will only take time!

The moment this theory of ten wins and ten losses was uttered, the room fell silent. Only Gongsun Zan, seated in the main seat, had a gloomy face and a hint of anger in his eyes.

"What a fine 'ten wins and ten losses' statement! Sir, by disrupting the morale of the army like this, do you really think Zan wouldn't dare to kill you to uphold military law?"

In this situation, with everyone clashing fiercely, even Gan Ning, who had just entered, was astonished and wondered what kind of person this was.

How dare he say that Yuan Shao would definitely win in front of Gongsun Zan, and even belittle Gongsun Zan to the point of being worthless?
He quickly tugged at Zhao Yun's sleeve, and Zhao Yun understood, whispering:

"This is Guo Jia!"

Gan Ning was astonished!

"But the chief strategist under my adoptive father, the one who is known as:"

Who is Guo Jia, the founder of the state, whose strategies were devised by Fengxiao (Guo Jia)? And who were the previous planners of all such endeavors?

Zhao Yun nodded, "It is indeed Mr. Guo."

Upon hearing this, Gan Ning could no longer contain himself. Seeing that Gongsun Zan was about to unleash his anger, he quickly stepped forward and stood behind Guo Jia, saying:

"King Yuan Gongshu of Han, and his adopted son Gan Ning, have come to aid General Gongsun on the king's orders, bringing the supplies from Shouchun!"

Gongsun Zan: "???"

What? ? ?
Before Gongsun Zan could react, Gan Ning sneered and rebuked him.

"What was General Gongsun's intention just now?"
Our King's strategist is here!

"Do not move, or your entire clan will be wiped out!"

Gongsun Zan: "." (Scratching his head)
There's a lot of information here, let me think about it.

What do you mean?
The King of Han? Lord Yuan? Here to deliver supplies?

Shock! ! !

Yuan Shu declared himself king?
What's the state of the fighting in the south? How come everyone's declared themselves kings?

The White Horse Alliance was an agreement that anyone who was not of the Liu clan and became king would be attacked by the whole world.

Those who dare to call themselves kings are either strong, stupid, or both.

But recently, Guo Jia told him the latest conspiracy theory about Yuan Shu that came from the south. It is clear that Yuan Shu is not only not stupid, but also a person who holds power and can strategize to control the world.

Now that Lord Yuan dares to call himself king, does that mean he has become so powerful that he can fight the world alone?
Just as he was pondering this, Guo Jia, who had received Gan Ning's assistance, burst into laughter.

"it is good!

Since our lord has already become king, doesn't this prove that the Mandate of Heaven has changed and the world is about to change hands?

Youzhou is a place where you can win or lose ten times. If you, General, plan to defend Yijing, you will be sitting and waiting for death!
Now I shall lead the elite troops of an entire prefecture, along with the savings accumulated over a decade, and sail south in a large ship to Huainan to submit to their rule.

"When my king receives the mandate of heaven and ascends the throne, the general will retain his title of king."

That's right, the reason Guo Jia presented Gongsun Zan with his theory of ten victories and ten defeats was because Gongsun Zan wanted to run away.

nonsense!

After so much time had passed, Tian Kai was defeated, and Zhang Yan and the Xiongnu people, having plundered enough, also returned home.

Now that Yuan Shao's territory is stable, he mobilizes the manpower and resources of four provinces and leads more than 300,000 armored soldiers northward to attack Youzhou.

Gongsun Zan only controlled half a province and had a small army. How could he possibly fight Yuan Shao to the death?

Holding Yijing to the death is nothing but waiting to die. If Gongsun Zan is trapped and dies in the city, wouldn't I have to be buried with him?
But this guy is really planning to keep me hostage and use me to blackmail for supplies. If I try to run away, he definitely won't let me go.

There's nothing we can do now. We can only advise Gongsun Zan to run away with us!

At present, Gongsun Zan still has a considerable number of elite troops, supplies, provisions, and a large number of horses.
If we don't seize this opportunity to flee, when Yuan Shao attacks, these things will either be burned or benefit Yuan Shao.

Rather than doing that, it would be better to pack everything up and take it to Huainan while the situation is still not critical enough and there is still enough time.

In this way, we can be considered to have fulfilled the promise made in the letter between Jia and the lord, and to bring Gongsun's forces to surrender.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yu was the first to change color!
What does that mean? Are you suggesting we pack up Gongsun Zan and take him to Huainan?
Guo Fengxiao, what are you up to?
He opened his mouth as if to speak, intending to persuade Gongsun Zan to join his lord, Cao Cao.

But then I thought, the two places are separated by the entire Yuan Shao, and unlike Yuan Shu, there are large ships coming to ferry people across. How can we go and seek refuge with him?
He then turned and rebuked him, saying:

"General, Guo Fengxiao has treacherous intentions; do not follow him."

Once Youzhou is abandoned, the general will lead his troops to surrender, and Guo Fengxiao will be the one to plan for him and achieve great things.

But what's left for the general?

First, he lost his foundation and foothold; second, he became dependent on others and had no freedom; third, he usurped military power and became a useless person.

This was for personal gain, enabling Yuan Shu's success, and ultimately costing the general his life!
"This must not be done, General. Think carefully."

Guo Jia merely sneered at this.

“You, Cheng Zhongde, are only acting out of personal selfishness, plotting to benefit Cao Cao, and trying to frame the general in an unjust way!”

Yuan Shao marched north, and Youzhou could no longer be defended; this is a fact.

"The three things you mentioned, even if you merely defend Yijing, will be lost when the city falls. Forget about your foundation, freedom, and military power; even the lives of General Gongsun and his entire clan will perish because of your words today."

"Guo Fengxiao!"

How dare you spread such alarmist rumors!

"Cheng Zhongde!"

Stop spreading rumors and misleading the public!

Seeing that the two were arguing and about to continue, Gongsun Zan finally lost his temper and slammed his fist on the table.

"Stop talking!"

This general is not without strategy; he has his own judgment!

Then they fell silent, and no one dared to speak.

A short while later, Gongsun Zan consulted the assembled wise men, saying:

"Now that the adopted son of the King of Han has arrived with supplies, with this assistance, do you gentlemen still have no plan to defeat Yuan Shao?"

Guo Jia cupped his hands, closed his eyes, and withdrew, his meaning self-evident.

Seeing that everyone was silent, Cheng Yu knew he had to come up with a plan, otherwise Gongsun Zan might follow Guo Jia's strategy, which would do Cao Cao a lot of harm and no good.

To claim victory over Shao is easier said than done.
With a sigh, he had no choice but to speak.

"Now, Yu may send a letter to Luoyang to ask for help."

Once Yu explains the general's predicament, Cao Cao will surely lead his troops to attack Shao. Fighting on two fronts, how can this last?
"General, you only need to hold Yijing, and Shao will surely retreat."

Gongsun Zan also thought this made sense, and figured that Cao Cao would do everything in his power to save him so that he wouldn't have to be taken to Huainan by boat.

Before he could even nod in agreement, Guo Jia laughed uproariously.

"Since our lord has been called the King of Han, his power must have already shaken the land of China."

Cao Mengde is barely able to take care of himself, how dare he come to the rescue?

(End of this chapter)