In fact, long before Yang Xiu was sent to Hebei by Li Su, Yuan Shao, who was far away on the Youzhou front, received an edict from the Guanzhong court.

The time was about seven or eight days before Yang Xiu set off, which was delivered at the end of June. Including the time required to travel from Hongnong to Jixian, this edict was actually issued in early June.

There is no doubt that this edict was told by Li Su after meeting with Emperor Liu Xie that "how to insist on the theory of blessings in the palace as the official ideology, which is the best for the Han Dynasty today." Liu Xie, based on Li Su's guidance spirit and cooperated with the planning of the civil officials Situ Zhao Wen and others around him, produced a document to appease Yuan Shao.

...

On June 26, Ji County, the former Youzhou Muslim Government Office.

On this day, Yuan Shao was discussing with his staff about the strategy of siege of Yi Jinglou, which Gongsun Zan, who was finally entrenched.

I want to see if there is any need to adjust my tactics, switch from strong attacks to long-term siege with a small number of troops, and even show weakness to lure the enemy to lure Gongsun Zan out of the strong fortress.

Dear readers may be curious: Didn’t Gongsun Zan be almost impossible to see in the vassal powers as early as the end of 193? It turns out that this man is still alive?

Indeed, Gongsun Zan is still alive. The reason why it is not easy to see in the power project is mainly because in the past eight months, Gongsun Zan has only left the pure military fortress "Yijinglou", and all other large cities with economic value have been lost.

Yi is located on the north bank of Yishui, which is the Youzhou side of the border between Youzhou and Jizhou Prefectures, roughly between Xiong'an and Jinmen in later generations. There are rivers and swamps to the south.

The reason why Gongsun Zan's last stronghold fell into such a small fortress with only military value was that Jixian County and Youbeiping, behind him, took the initiative to surrender to Yuan Shao because of his missing Liu Yu. Therefore, Gongsun Zan was actually surrounded by Yuan Shao and was surrounded by Yuan Shao and surrendered generals.

In history, Gongsun Zan was first named Marquis of Ji for pacifying Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun's rebellion. Later, when Li Jue was in power, he was renamed Marquis of Yi. Therefore, Yi was Gongsun Zan's personal fiefdom, so no one voted for Yuan Shao in the rebellion, allowing Gongsun Zan to defend.

In this life, Gongsun Zan's military achievements were already separated by his junior brother Liu Bei by his junior brother Liu Bei, so he never became a marquis from beginning to end. Instead, Liu Yu was a marquis of Ji. Gongsun Zan avoided the transfer of the title. He took Yi Hou directly when he was the first time he was granted the title of the county marquis during Li Jue's reign.

It is not surprising that Gongsun Zan has been guarding such a pure military fortress for eight months, but Yuan Shao has not been able to surround him. In history, Gongsun Zan has been guarding for two years.

On the one hand, the fortress facilities are indeed solid - the walls of Luoyang and Meiwu in Chang'an are only "seven zhang high and thick". In the Tucheng of Yijing Tower, the mounds of earth in the four corners of the surrounding area are six zhang high, and the main platform in the center is ten zhang high just for the solid rammed earth base underneath! This is three zhang higher than Dong Zhuo's Meiwu wall!

Castles like Meiwu still need to open city gates on all sides, and Gongsun Zan did not intend to have a gate on each side of Yijing Tower. The entire fortress only had a gate facing south facing Yishui, and it was not a wooden gate. It was the first time in the history of Chinese wars that had been cast with all iron.

There is Yishui on the south side of Yijing Tower, so there is no need to dig any more trenches. Gongsun Zan directly dug ten trenches on the other three sides, and the combined width is almost the same as the maximum range of the bed crossbow. With such a terrifying degree of strength, it is of course difficult for Yuan Shao to crack down on it.

However, as we all know, military fortresses cannot be guaranteed to be maintained for a long time by relying on their strength alone, and they also need logistics support. However, in this regard, Gongsun Zan's preparations obviously do not have to be bad for Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo's grain in Meiwu is enough to "eat the Dong Zhuo people, 800 beauties and guard soldiers for 20 years", while Gongsun Zan directly under the Yijing Building, where he "stood three million stones of grain" was "stormed in the cellar."

According to a soldier who is in a high-intensity combat state, one stone will be eaten for twenty days, and three million stones will not be enough for 20,000 people to eat for nine years. So by eating, you will definitely not be able to survive the day when Gongsun Zan starves to death.

The reason why Gongsun Zan dared to defend himself was, on the one hand, he was depressed that Dong Zhuo had a similar plan to "if a big thing fails, he would enjoy his old age in the building." On the other hand, he was also waiting for "changes in the world."

Gongsun Zan once said: "Now that the tigers in all directions are fighting, no one can sit in my city and stay together for many years. What is Yuan Benchu ​​like me?"

When speaking, he felt that Yuan Shao himself might not have been strong for so many years. If other warlords came to attack and weaken Yuan Shao, he would have hope of escaping.

In history, Gongsun Zan's expectations really worked, which once led to Yuan Shao's indecision. For example, in 195, Kuo Yi had the first attack on Yijinglou and lost some troops. He was then transferred by Yuan Shao. He did not return until 197 to attack for two years and seize Yijinglou.

Now, because the situation in the Guanzhong court has changed drastically, the emperor has recovered his freedom from being held hostage by traitors. This has led to Yuan Shao and other warlords being unable to use the excuse of "what the emperor said represents the meaning of a treacherous minister who held the emperor, so he does not need to be ordered by the emperor" to ignore the emperor's intentions and attack the land of other Han ministers at will as he wishes.

People like Yuan Shao who were hesitant again became hesitant about "whether to continue to besiege Gongsun Zan to maintain the status quo, or attack with all their might."

In this case, he first met with the emperor's envoy, the Taifu Zhang Yi.

...

"How should I face this emperor? I supported the King of Yan as the king. The emperor would not remember this revenge. Maybe it won't happen now. If he really stabilizes the world again and becomes an adult in two years, come and settle it with me..."

Before meeting Zhang Yi, Yuan Shao was so worried.

He really wanted Liu Xie to die when Liu Bei attacked Chang'an. Whether Li Jue or Liu Bei did it, it would be fine.

In this way, he could justify "using the emperor to command the princes", and immediately respected Liu He, the king of Yan who had always had a very good relationship with him and regarded him as his brother, as the emperor. Liu He's bloodline and the prestige of his father Liu Yu were unparalleled, and Yuan Shao supported him from a clerk without authority. When Liu He became the emperor, Yuan Shao had the final say in the world?

Before Zhang Yi saw Yuan Shao, although he was not worried, he was also quite sad and angry.

Zhang Yi was also a honest man loyal to the court. Although he advocated rest with the people and opposed Li Su's radical economic policy of disaster relief, he was transferred from the Grand Secretary to the Taifu to become a Taifu. That was just that he read Confucian classics and did not understand economic laws, so his character was still OK.

Therefore, his grief and anger were not because he was worried that he would be killed by Yuan Shao after he was on a mission, but because he was afraid that Yuan Shao would continue to disrespect the court and that his mission would not be completed. A few years ago, Yuan Shao killed several envoys sent by Hu Wuban and Zhao Qi, including Liu Xie, who were sent by Liu Xie during the time when Dong Zhuo and Li Jue were controlled by him. The reason was that "these people were sent by the thief ministers who took the emperor to spread their lives."

Moreover, Yuan Shao did not do it himself. He pretended not to know the truth halfway, and used the local county magistrates such as the Hanoi prefect Wang Kuang to kill these envoys before they reached Yuan Shao's direct territory.

Speaking human language, it was just like Liu Yan's use of Zhang Lu, allowing the marginal prefects to play the role of the black faces of intercepting the Han envoys.

Even if the situation was different this time, the emperor was directly controlled by Dong Cheng, Duan Wei and other unfamous generals. There were Liu Bei and Zhu Jun's families who were far away from protecting the emperor. No one in name showed his malice to hold the emperor. But Zhang Yi was still not sure that Yuan Shao obeyed the order.

In suspicion between the two sides, Zhang Yi asked his followers to walk to the shogunate lobby with graceful demeanor with the flag given by the emperor.

Yuan Shao also stood up and acted politely as if he had accepted the emperor's decree, bowed his hand and refused to bow, and watched the changes.

After awkward confrontation, Ju Su, a representative of the Emperor's counselor, came forward to mediate, temporarily eased the atmosphere between the two sides.

Zhang Yi breathed a sigh of relief and took the opportunity to find a way to stop chasing Yuan Shao's incomplete qualities and hesitantly speaking.

"Dare you ask the angel's purpose for this time?" Yuan Shao asked Zhang Yi to sit down and then asked in doubt.

Zhang Yi endured humiliation and said, "Your Majesty has escaped from the thief Li Jue's mouth. He specially ordered me to hold the sages and be granted the title of Hebei and be granted the title of the thief. General Yuan once resisted Li Jue's indiscriminate life, and he was the first to be given the title."

Yuan Shao felt a little happy: It turns out that I am also a minister who is fighting against the thief and serving the king.

If it were when Dong Zhuo was destroyed, Yuan Shao would definitely claim to be a hero in the fight against thieves. However, after Dong Zhuo's death, Li Jue was in power for the past two years, he had never done anything for the emperor, nor did he act as an attitude of "striking Li Jue's party members" to fight any war, so he was a little embarrassed.

It seems that the emperor is not prosecuting him for supporting Liu Yu at all?

Thinking of this, Yuan Shao immediately smiled brightly, and with a gesture, he removed the alert behind the scenes and immediately treated Zhang Yi with courtesy.

Among his advisers, Ju Su and other emperor sects immediately gained the upper hand. Feng Ji and Xu You were instantly weaker.

A wait-and-see group like Tian Feng continued to remain silent.

As for Guo Tu, although he followed Feng Ji and Xu You at the beginning, he looked at the words and thoughts, and he followed the faction according to which faction the leader wanted to hear. So after seeing Yuan Shao's expression and look at the kindness of his face, Guo Tu immediately changed his words and praised Yuan Shao for his loyalty and actively acted as a lubricant to make Yuan Shao and Zhang Yi harmonious.

From this perspective, Guo Tu has some effect. If Yuan Shao's subordinates were all arrogant people like Tian Feng who were too lazy to explain to others, even if Yuan Shao wanted to turn around, no one would give him a way out.

But no, after Guo Tu spoke for a few short words, Zhang Yi became less tragic, and seemed to have truly felt Yuan Shao's respect for the court.

After a few words, Zhang Yijia quickly announced the reward he brought: "General Yuan, Your Majesty has concluded that any court mission issued to the outside world during the period when Dong Zhuo and Li Jue were hosting the king, if it was beneficial to local stability, it would be acceptable. However, if it was not conducive to local stability, it would be a disaster for two thieves.

The missions issued by Wang Yun in the past two months were the orders of gentlemen who were in line with the original intention of the emperor. Therefore, no matter what princes in the world were in the past, they would not be punished. Anyone who received the missions issued by Wang Yun when he was assisting the government would be rewarded according to his merits. General Yuan might understand His Majesty’s painstaking efforts?”

Yuan Shao was stunned. He was busy with politeness just now, and he did not understand the political meaning of this tone marking operation.

Fortunately, Ju Su reacted the fastest to these great names and immediately bowed to congratulate him: "Your Majesty is young, but he can shine so wisely, which is a blessing in the world.

Zhang Taipu, who was in the lower grade of Jushu, was a very young man from Hebei. He dared to confirm with Taipu one or two: Your Majesty's intention, but when Wang Situ assisted in the administration, he issued a mission to enthrone Liu Bei as King of Hanzhong and Liu Yu as King of Yan, which was the original intention of the emperor. Later, when Li Jue was in power, he instructed the thief Gongsun Zan to kill the King of Yan, which was a disaster?

In this case, General Yuan Dong Tongyingyang wiped out Gongsun Zan, a thief who obeyed Li Jie's life, and also swept away Zhang Yan, the remaining party of the Yellow Turbans, to share His Majesty's worries?"

When Yuan Shao heard Ju Su help him translate, his eyes lit up instantly: It’s amazing!

Liu Xie had a master around him who deliberately taught him to divide the timeline by "Wang Yun is alive or dead" to distinguish whether the imperial court's order to foreign envoys was a life-threatening life. It just happened to show goodwill to Yuan Shao and appease Yuan Shao's concerns about future liquidation.

After all, Yuan Shao's support for Liu Yu happened during the period when "the emperor really had no ability to act" or was held hostage, before Liu Yu was named King of Yan.

Now the emperor said: "Even if Liu Yu was proposed to establish a different court, I still don't mind, and after that, I did indeed have the intention to confer the title of King of Yan to Liu Yu."

So, as Liu Yu's subordinate, Yuan Shao, what else should I worry about?

Wang Yun was already dead, and the emperor made a final decision, saying that Wang Yun’s seals for the past two months were all right. Once this line was drawn, it would be difficult to go back on his word and choose a single thing and change his words. Otherwise, the princes in all states in the world would be in danger, which would not help the court to re-establish prestige.

Yuan Shao thought about this, looked at Zhang Yi eagerly, and looked at Ju Su with gratitude.

Zhang Yi nodded: "Your Majesty is exactly this. This is also the conclusion that the King of Hanzhong, Zhao Situ, Cai Sikong, and Yang Taiwei agreed to support.

General Yuan had the first contribution to the ruling of Dong Zhuo, and Gongsun Zan had the crime of killing the King of Yan, who was granted by His Majesty's president Qingji You and Yanxu, and was committed in all matters in the six states of Yan and Xu. General Yuan had also made great contribution to the attack on Gongsun Zan.

Your Majesty’s imperial order, he inherited the King of Yan Liu He, and he could inherit all the previous powers of the former King of Yan Liu Yu, and the president was as usual. As for General Yuan, Your Majesty intends to be appointed General of Cavalry to assist the King of Yan to continue to stabilize all matters in the six states. However, it is only after the rebel Gongsun Zan can he be given a real title."

Yuan Shao jumped straight from the kneeling posture and stood up: "Your Majesty is very much hope. I dare not obey orders. In the past ten months, I will definitely break through Yijing Tower and present Gongsun Zan's traitor head to Hongnong."

Ju Su was more careful than Yuan Shao, and he used the excuse to ask about the situation of the enthronement of other central generals.

Zhang Yi also told him one by one, answering questions and answering questions.

Only then did Yuan Shao's counselors realize that in addition to Liu Bei becoming the King of Hanzhong, the emperor would actually be appointed as the Grand Marshal after Guo Si was destroyed.

The rest of Zhu Jun was granted the title of General, Dong Cheng was granted the title of General of Cheqi and Cavalry, Yuan Shu was granted the title of General of Guard from the Later General, and Duan Wei was granted the title of General of Pingdong as General of Zhendong.

In this way, Zhu Jun, Yuan Shao, Dong Cheng and Yuan Shu took all the four pits of the Great Husband Guard, and it was the turn of the front, back, left and right generals.

The emperor had no choice but to give Yuan Shu the title, because after all, he sent troops to break through Li Jue's majesty and seize the five counties of Jingzhao. In name, this was also a merit of serving the king. If Liu Xie did not appease him, something would definitely happen.
Chapter completed!