Brother, stop curling up! You're curling up like the founder of the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 242 Guo Tu's Ten Victories Theory, Liu Bei Actually Suffers Ten Defeats (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)
Having finally escaped, Han Meng disregarded the soldiers who had not escaped behind him and headed straight for Dangyin City.

After running two miles, they encountered Gongsun Du, Zhao Rui, Han Juzi, Lü Weihuang, and Sui Yuanjin leading their troops.

Gongsun Du was shocked: "General Han, how could you have been defeated so quickly?"

Han Meng felt extremely ashamed upon hearing this.

Before the reinforcements could even arrive, he, the one leading the vanguard, was defeated.

Han Meng dared not reveal the details, but pretended to say, "Liu Bei had laid an ambush. I fought to the death to break through the encirclement. Han Xun is still in the rear. All generals, please come with me to reinforce him quickly."

If Gongsun Du and others knew that Liu Bei had not laid an ambush at all, but had simply launched a normal counterattack that routed Han Meng's 5,000 infantry and cavalry, Han Meng would not be able to bear the humiliation.

Gongsun Du and the others had no suspicions and did not consider this possibility.

After all, it's absurd that the raiding side was killed even though the raiding side hadn't laid an ambush beforehand.

Han Meng's lie that Liu Bei had an ambush was more in line with the logic of Gongsun Du and others.

As Han Meng led his five generals back, the defeated troops seemed to have found their leader and flocked towards Han Meng and his group of six.

Where is General Han Xun?

Han Meng questioned a military officer who had escaped.

The military commander wept and said, "General Han Xun has been killed by the enemy general with a single spear thrust. I saw it with my own eyes."

Just as Han Meng was filled with surprise and doubt, he saw Zhao Yun leading his cavalry out of the camp.

Seeing that Han Meng had brought reinforcements, Zhao Yun couldn't help but sneer: "There are even reinforcements. Yuan Shao is quite cautious."

The military officer, who had just been weeping, recognized Zhao Yun's white horse with sharp eyes and exclaimed in surprise, "It was this scoundrel who killed General Han Xun!"

Han Meng was immediately filled with fear.

He and Han Xun were evenly matched in martial arts; Han Xun could be killed with a single spear thrust, and Han Meng could not withstand a second thrust.

Glancing around, Han Meng's courage grew, and he shouted, "Let's all charge together and take down this thief!"

Gongsun Du, Zhao Rui, Han Juzi, Lü Weihuang, and Sui Yuanjin all responded and led their personal guards and cavalry forward.

In the midst of the chaotic battle, the priority was to eliminate the enemy general. The six men spurred their horses and charged straight at Zhao Yun, intending to use their numerical advantage to kill him.

Seeing the six generals charging towards him, Zhao Yun merely sneered.

With a single shot, Gongsun Du, who was at the forefront, fell from his horse.

Zhao Rui was shocked and hurriedly reined in his horse to avoid a direct confrontation with Zhao Yun. However, he saw Zhao Yun single-handedly cut through Zhao Rui's personal guard cavalry and kill Zhao Rui with a single spear thrust.

In a short while, Gongsun Du was shot to death, Zhao Rui was impaled, and the four generals Han Meng, Han Juzi, Lü Weihuang, and Sui Yuanjin were horrified.

Can we still fight like this?

If it were any other time, Zhao Yun wouldn't have been so fierce.

However, Zhao Yun was too grumpy when he woke up tonight, and Han Meng and the others triggered Zhao Yun's passive ability, which allowed Zhao Yun to kill Han Xun, shoot Gongsun Du, and stab Zhao Rui, killing three generals in a row.

Zhao Yun drew his bow again, seemingly about to shoot someone. Han Meng, Han Juzi, Lü Weihuang, and Sui Yuanjin all turned their horses around and rode away.

"The thieves are fierce, retreat immediately!"

Han Meng dared not fight Zhao Yun again, and with a shout, he fled once more.

The remaining three were in the same situation. Three of the seven generals had died in the raid on the camp. Whoever wanted to fight again could go ahead, but they didn't want to fight anymore.

Seeing the defeated Yuan army, Zhao Yun's anger did not subside. He pursued them for several miles until Zhang He and Gao Lan appeared with their troops. Only then did he lead his troops back to camp.

Upon hearing that three generals had been lost, Zhang He and Gao Lan both showed expressions of shock.

"Although Liu Bei's preparations were expected, the loss of three generals cannot be considered an invincible defeat. Upon our return, we will surely be punished by our lord," Gao Lan said with even greater concern.

Zhang He's expression was stern, and his tightly furrowed brows could not hide his worry.

Han Meng and his three companions also bowed their heads like defeated roosters.

Despite such a cautious deployment, they still suffered a major defeat; these individuals will undoubtedly face punishment.

"If Feng Jitianfeng finds out about our defeat, he will surely have our lord punish us severely. If we don't have a good plan, we may not survive if we go back." Han Meng was even more panicked.

After all, when Han Meng came, he made a solemn vow and even mocked Tian Feng for being a mere armchair strategist, and scolded Feng Ji for being a coward. How could he possibly save his life if he went back like this?

Sui Yuanjin suggested, "Why don't we ask Supervisor Guo to save our lives? If Supervisor Guo is willing to save us, we will serve him from now on."

Han Meng was immediately delighted and said, "Supervisor Guo and Feng Ji are at odds. If we are willing to serve him, Supervisor Guo will definitely plead for us."

Lu Weihuang said, "There is no time to lose. We can send someone back to Dangyin City first, and we will wait outside the city for the time being. If Ji Tianfeng tries to kill us, we will return to Ye City to find His Majesty."

Zhang He and Gao Lan exchanged a glance and tacitly agreed to the suggestion.

Although the two of them did not participate in the argument against Tian Feng and Feng Ji, they were on the same boat as Han Meng and the other three, and they did not want to be scolded by Yuan Shao for it.

Han Meng then secretly sent his trusted confidant back to the city to request an audience with Guo Tu.

Guo Tu was not too surprised to learn that Han Meng and his men had failed in their raid and lost three generals.

Defeat is inevitable.

If Han Meng and his men had succeeded in raiding the camp, Liu Bei would not have been able to win every battle and become invincible.

However, even with such a cautious deployment, three generals were still lost, which made Guo Tu secretly despise them.

However, since Han Meng and the others had taken the initiative to ask for help, Guo Tu couldn't refuse to help.

By helping Han Meng and others, Guo Tu's position under Yuan Shao will be more secure in the future.

Subsequently.

Guo Tu sought out Yuan Shao and truthfully informed him of Han Meng and others' defeat.

Yuan Shao's expression changed, and he said angrily, "How could such a deployment result in such a crushing defeat? A bunch of useless people dare to plead with Gongze for mercy? This matter is not Gongze's fault, and Gongze has no need to plead for these useless people."

"My lord, you mustn't!" Guo Tu whispered his advice. "Have you not heard the story of the Chu guest who reported the broken tassel? Although Han Meng and the others were defeated, they have always been loyal to you. If you punish them for this, I'm afraid they will not dare to volunteer for battle again. If you reward them instead of punishing them, Han Meng and the others will be grateful for your kindness and will vow to repay you with their lives."

Yuan Shao was extremely concerned about his reputation. Ignoring the advice of Tian Feng, Xun Yu, and Feng Ji, he insisted on raiding the camp. Now that Han Meng and his men have suffered a great defeat, Yuan Shao has lost face.

He was furious and wanted to punish Han Meng and the others, but he also felt he would lose face. Now, after listening to Guo Tu's advice, Yuan Shao's anger lessened considerably.

After pondering for a long time, Yuan Shao snorted, "I'll spare them this time. I'll send someone to appease Han Meng and the others later."

Guo Tu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and flattered, "My lord is wise."

After his mood improved, Yuan Shao stopped dwelling on the matter and instead expressed his concern about the decisive battle with Liu Bei: "Tonight's raid on the camp has dampened our morale. If we fight Liu Bei again in the future, our morale will be hard to maintain."

Guo Tu had considered this when he arrived, and after a moment's thought, he came up with a clever suggestion: "My lord, do not worry. Although Xiang Yu was powerful in the past, Emperor Gaozu of Han was even more intelligent and resourceful, which is why he was able to defeat Xiang Yu."

"I believe that Liu Bei has ten defeats, while you, my lord, have ten victories. Therefore, although Liu Bei's army is strong, he is powerless to stop it."

"Liu Bei's new policies have harmed the people, while our lord follows the natural order; this is the way to prevail."

"Liu Bei received a secret edict to enthrone a new ruler, but he usurped the throne and declared himself emperor; while our lord enthroned a member of the Han imperial family as emperor, without any act of usurpation. This is the superiority of righteousness."

"Liu Bei governed the country with strict laws, which caused many people in the counties to be dissatisfied; but you, my lord, have relaxed the punishments and restrictions, and the people in all the counties are now sincerely convinced. This is the key to your success in governing."

"Liu Bei appears magnanimous on the surface but is actually suspicious in his heart. He relies heavily on his relatives, friends, and protégés. On the other hand, our lord appears easygoing and simple on the surface but is actually shrewd and trusting. He boldly uses anyone with talent, regardless of whether they are close or distant. This is the superiority of his judgment."

"Liu Bei likes to take risks and often leads from the front. He holds a high position but acts like a commoner. But our lord does not take risks, plans strategically, and wins battles from afar. This is the way to win through strategy."

"Liu Bei did not value famous scholars, and Chen Ji and his son from Yingchuan even abandoned their official posts and went south; but our lord treats the virtuous and talented with respect and sincerity, and countless virtuous men from south of the Yellow River have come to join him. This is the superiority of virtue."

"Liu Bei has committed many killings. Many powerful families in Yongzhou, Sili, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, and Xuzhou have been harmed by Liu Bei. But when our lord sees people who are hungry and cold, he will show his compassion and concern. This is the superiority of benevolence."

"Liu Bei recklessly employed petty people, such as Jia Xu, Xu You, and Cao Cao, who were all treacherous and wicked. His subordinates, such as Guan Yu, Dian Wei, and Xu Huang, were all fugitives. In contrast, our lord governs his subordinates with the great principles, and the people he employs are all renowned scholars from across the land, possessing both virtue and talent. This is the superiority of Liu Bei."

"Liu Bei was unable to distinguish right from wrong and acted recklessly; while our lord was clear about rewards and punishments and readily accepted good advice. This is the superiority of literature."

"Although Liu Bei was skilled in tactical warfare, it was only a minor skill; while our lord, having come from a family that had held high office for four generations, had a prestigious family background, and his former subordinates and followers of the Yuan family were spread throughout the land. When he raised his arm to call for action, the whole country responded. This is the advantage of military force."

"With these ten victories, my lord, defeating Liu Bei is just around the corner."

Hearing Guo Tu's morale-boosting theory of ten wins and ten losses, Yuan Shao was dumbfounded.

Having been suppressed by Liu Bei for several years, Yuan Shao always felt like a mountain was pressing down on his back.

Even tonight's raid on the camp ended in a major defeat, making Yuan Shao consider retreating and holding his ground. However, Guo Tu claimed that Liu Bei had ten defeats while he himself had ten victories.

To be fair, even Yuan Shao himself didn't know that he could completely outperform Liu Bei in ten aspects: morality, righteousness, governance, judgment, strategy, virtue, benevolence, wisdom, literature, and martial prowess.

However, the comparisons Guo Tu provided made Yuan Shao suddenly realize that Liu Bei wasn't so scary after all; he had only temporarily gained an advantage by using underhanded tactics and such.

If it really comes down to a large-scale battle, Liu Bei is nothing special.

"I am at ease now that I have heard Gongze's words!" Yuan Shao laughed heartily and praised Guo Tu generously.

Subsequently, Yuan Shao had Guo Tu's theory of ten victories and ten defeats on morale copied and distributed to boost morale.

At the same time, Yuan Shao sent people to appease Han Meng and others, saying, "Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. We should not be discouraged by temporary setbacks, but should be ashamed and then brave."

Yuan Shao's attitude relieved Han Meng and the others, and they were even more grateful to Guo Tu.

Meanwhile, in a grand mansion somewhere in Dangyin City, Feng Ji's angry shouts rose again as he reciting his "Ten Victories and Ten Defeats" theory: "Flatterers, utterly shameless!"

This theory of ten wins and ten losses seems reasonable, but in Feng Ji's eyes it is just a bunch of flattery.

If Liu Bei were truly that incompetent, today it would be Yuan Shao's southern expedition instead of Liu Bei's northern expedition.

But Guo Tu's theory of ten wins and ten losses was able to boost the low morale, leaving Feng Ji with no room for criticism.

It wouldn't be right for Feng Ji to shout, "Guo Tu is wrong, it's not Liu Bei's ten defeats, it's our lord's ten defeats," when morale in the army and among the people is low.

If he really shouted that, Yuan Shao could have drawn his sword and killed Feng Ji.

Subconsciously, Feng Ji couldn't help but think of Guo Kai, the favorite minister of King Zhao Qian, who used flattering words to bring disaster to the king, causing him to abandon Lian Po, execute Li Mu, and depose Sima Shang, and was subsequently defeated by Wang Jian's army.

“No, there’s something wrong with this.” Feng Ji couldn’t help but compare Guo Kai and Guo Tu, and murmured, “Our lord’s current situation is different from that of the King of Zhao in the past.”

“In the past, King Zhao had famous generals Lian Po and Li Mu under his command. King Qin was afraid of the two, so he bribed Guo Kai to use a counter-espionage scheme to kill Lian Po and Li Mu. Now Liu Bei is brave and good at fighting, and has many fierce generals and elite soldiers under his command. He is not afraid of any of the generals under your command.”

"Therefore, Guo Tu did not slander and persecute the General in front of the Lord like Guo Kai did. Even though I had a grudge against Guo Tu, he did not slander me in front of the Lord. However, Guo Tu seemed to be thinking about everything in front of the Lord, but in reality, he was provoking the Lord to fight Liu Bei to the death."

"What Liu Bei feared most was that his lord would hold the city walls and fortifications and not engage in a decisive battle! Setting up camp ten miles from the city was probably also to provoke his lord to send troops."

"Guo Tu knew that our army's raid on the camp was bound to fail, but he still encouraged everyone with the idea that 'not being defeated is a victory.' After the generals' raid on the camp failed, he used the ten wins and ten losses to increase the lord's confidence in defeating Liu Bei. This must have been to provoke the lord to send troops."

"Oh no! Our lord has fallen into a trap! Guo Tu must be Liu Bei's inside man!"

Thinking of this, Feng Ji hurriedly set off to find Yuan Shao, but stopped halfway there.

"If I go now, I will surely anger the lord."

On second thought, Feng Ji turned back, took a bamboo slip, and wrote a line of small characters: "The art of war says: attacking a city is the worst strategy. Guo Tu is using a counter-espionage plot to provoke our lord into attacking Chaoge." He then sent it to Tian Feng.

Although he was quite angry with Guo Tu, Feng Ji did not let his anger cloud his judgment. He decided to let Tian Feng handle the matter of offending Yuan Shao.

Of the three heroes of Hebei in the past, Shen Pei and Ju Shou are dead, leaving only Tian Feng.

Although Feng Ji and Tian Feng don't have much of a conflict of interest now, Feng Ji doesn't have much of a relationship with Tian Feng either.

If Feng Ji can persuade Yuan Shao through Tian Feng, he can also achieve his goal; if he cannot persuade Yuan Shao, Feng Ji will not have to bear Yuan Shao's wrath.

The bamboo strips were quickly delivered to Tian Feng.

Upon reading the contents of the bamboo slip, Tian Feng understood Feng Ji's intention, which also confirmed his suspicions.

Guo Tu acted too hastily, and not only Feng Ji noticed something was wrong, but Tian Feng also noticed something was wrong.

Upon verifying the two facts, Tian Feng suddenly realized the danger Yuan Shao was in.

"If our lord believes that a boost in morale will allow him to challenge Liu Bei and chooses to leave the city for a decisive battle, wouldn't that be exactly what Liu Bei wants?"

"Guo Tu is treacherous and plots to harm our lord!"

Tian Feng was also impatient.

Sensing something was amiss, he went to find Yuan Shao and rebuked Guo Tu for his slander and sophistry, accusing him of plotting to harm Yuan Shao.

However, Yuan Shao interpreted Tian Feng's words as a veiled criticism, ostensibly condemning Guo Tu for his slander and sophistry, but subtly accusing Yuan Shao of being unable to distinguish right from wrong.

"Tian Feng, you've gone too far," Yuan Shao said, his tone filled with rage. "If it weren't for Guo Tu's theory of ten advantages and ten disadvantages to boost morale, how could I have appeased the fear in the army and among the people caused by Liu Bei's proclamation, how could I have comforted the soldiers who suffered defeat last night? What are your intentions in rebuking Guo Tu?"
(End of this chapter)