Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 408 With everyone surrendering, the army collapses without a fight.

Night falls, at Yuan Jun's camp.

"Why did Lord Meng prevent me from advising my father in the main tent today?"

Inside the Qingzhou military tent, Yuan Tan and Meng Dai sat facing each other and asked a question.

Meng Dai, courtesy name Gongjun, was from Taishan Commandery in Yanzhou. During the chaos of war in the Central Plains, he crossed the Yellow River northward to join Yuan Shao, who then gave him an important position. Because of his discord with Feng Ji and Shen Pei, he befriended Yuan Tan while the two were on good terms with Yuan Shang. In order to strengthen his own power, Yuan Tan readily accepted Meng Dai.

Meng Dai took a sip of wine, sighed, and said, "Gao Lan, Zhang He, and Jiang Qi have all led their troops to defect one after another. Your Excellency already has doubts about everyone. If you do not have someone investigate the civil and military officials, how will you know who wants to betray the Yuan family?"

"But~"

Yuan Tan couldn't understand and said, "If someone is determined to defect, why would they care about being investigated? They would have already defected to Zhang Yu. Those who hesitate to defect will inevitably feel panicked under investigation and eventually defect to Zhang Yu."

Meng Dai agreed wholeheartedly, saying, "What you say is very true, young master, but as far as Your Excellency is concerned, can he tolerate it?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tan was taken aback and said, "Does what you mean mean that Father did this intentionally?"

Meng Dai nodded and said, "Your Excellency appears magnanimous on the outside but is suspicious on the inside. Now that the generals have turned their backs on you, Your Excellency is already disheartened. The strategy I am offering is simply based on Your Excellency's wishes."

Those who served under Yuan Shao were all shrewd and astute. Having followed him for so long, they had thoroughly understood his character. Yuan Shao was outwardly lenient but inwardly suspicious. Now, greatly provoked, how could he possibly be lenient with others? Instead, he would reveal his true colors, becoming distrustful of his subordinates. Therefore, Meng Dai was merely pandering to Yuan Shao's tastes.

Upon learning the reason, Yuan Tan remained silent. He never expected that even now, there would still be people who cared about the emperor's thoughts rather than the current situation.

"Lord Meng, are your family members in Xindu?" After a long silence, Yuan Tan suddenly asked.

Meng Dai took a sip of wine and smiled, "Qingzhou under your rule is still peaceful. Last year, I had my wife and children move to Linzi."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tan felt a surge of disgust. It turned out that Meng Dai was so arrogant because his family was not in Xindu, daring to take on the task of inspecting civil and military officials.

Besides feeling disgusted, Yuan Tan couldn't help but sigh, lamenting that he wasn't just like that. For the sake of the greater cause, he still had to cultivate relationships with the civil and military officials under Yuan Shao.

Yuan Tan's sigh led Meng Dai to believe that Yuan Tan was worried about the situation, so he said, "Although the current situation is unfavorable to our army, it is favorable to the eldest son."

"Why do you say that?" Yuan Tan asked.

Meng Dai chuckled and said, "Your Excellency dotes on the Third Prince, but if Ji Province falls, Your Excellency will need to move to Qing Province to live in seclusion. Qing Province is where the Third Prince rose to power. If Your Excellency does not make the Third Prince your heir, then surely you would not dare to make Yuan Shang your heir?"

Yuan Tan said, "Defeating Zhang Yu is the best strategy, while occupying Qingzhou is a middle strategy. Let's observe how the situation changes."

"Young master is wise!"

While Yuan Tan and Meng Dai were chatting, in another tent, Qu Yi found Xun Chen that very night.

Inside the tent, Xun Chen lit a candle and asked in surprise, "General, what brings you here so late at night?"

Qu Yi took Xun Chen's hand and whispered, "Your brother Xun Yan was appointed governor of Anping by Zhang Yu. Someone learned of this and spoke to you, smearing you that you were going to defect to Zhang Yu. You were drunk and listened to the slander of the villains, and ordered Guo Zhao to arrest you. Fortunately, Guo Zhao is on good terms with me and informed me in advance."

"what!"

Xun Chen exclaimed in surprise and said aggrievedly, "I have served the Yuan family for many years and am a veteran minister. Now I am captured because of mere slander. Your Excellency has been deceived by a villain. I wish to pay my respects to Your Excellency and explain the reasons behind this."

As he spoke, Xun Chen was about to leave the tent.

Qu Yi grabbed Xun Chen's arm and said in a deep voice, "Our families are all in the city. Now that Gao Lan, Zhang He, Xin Ping, and other civil and military officials have defected, wouldn't you suspect us, sir? How can you prove your innocence, sir? Do you intend to cut out your heart to prove it?"

"The wise ruler of today is not the wise ruler of the past. He is quick to anger and unwilling to listen to honest advice. Your Majesty must not make a mistake!"

"Then what should we do now?" Xun Chen asked, calming down.

Qu Yi said, "I am seeing you off from the camp. Where you choose to go is none of my business."

Qu Yi did not say it explicitly, but given the current situation, where else could Xun Chen go if he did not surrender to Zhang Yu in the north?

Xun Chen understood, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for saving my life, General. I will repay your kindness if you ever need my help in the future."

"General, Guo Zhao is approaching the tent!" a subordinate reminded him from outside.

"Come on!"

Amidst the commotion, Xun Chen, with Qu Yi's help, sneaked out of the camp and rode north to join Zhang Yu. Guo Zhao, on the other hand, moved slowly, only reporting back to Yuan Shao after finding the tent empty.

Inside the large tent, a few lamps flickered and cast a dim light. Yuan Shao was drinking alone, his face flushed, clearly drunk. Several wine jars lay overturned on the ground.

"My lord, Xun Chen has secretly escaped from the camp, and I have not been able to find him!" Guo Zhao cautiously entered the tent and reported.

"Ah!"

Yuan Shao laughed angrily, slammed his hand on the table, and said, "As expected, yet another unfaithful man has betrayed me."

With that, Yuan Shao drank a cup of wine alone, then looked at Guo Zhao and asked sternly, "Do you dare to betray me and run away?"

Guo Zhao quickly knelt down and said, "I was personally promoted by you, my lord, how could I betray you!"

Yuan Shao smiled with narrowed eyes, pointed at Guo Zhao kneeling on the ground, and said, "I remember your words."

"Go and inspect the camp. If anyone is found talking nonsense or disturbing the morale of our troops, capture and kill them all." "Yes, sir!"

Guo Zhaoru escaped to safety and hurried away from the main tent.

After Guo Zhao left, Yuan Shao drank his cup in one gulp and sighed, "How many faithless people there are?"

"Neither the civil nor military officials under my command can be trusted!"

After a few cups of wine, Yuan Shao became increasingly drunk, his head drooping as he continued to pour wine into his cup.

"My lord, please stop drinking!" Yuan Tan urged, pressing down on the wine jar with one hand.

Yuan Shao was suddenly startled and shouted, "Who goes there?"

"Father, it's me!"

"Yuan Tan!"

Hearing his son's voice, Yuan Shao calmed down considerably. His eyes, still blurry with drunkenness, he asked, "It's you. It's so late. Why aren't you resting in your tent? What are you doing here?"

After drinking with Meng Dai, Yuan Tan, still worried about Yuan Shao, came to the main tent to visit him.

Yuan Tan patted Yuan Shao's back and gently advised, "Father, although the situation is not good now and many people have defected, our strength has not been greatly damaged. Chunyu Qiong and Ju Shou are still in Ye City and Handan, Yuan Xi is in Yanzhou, Gao Gan is in Xuzhou, and I have Qingzhou with no less than 100,000 troops. I also have the hope of defeating Zhang Yu."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao felt a pang of sorrow and choked up, saying, "You don't know! My heart aches terribly. I have always been kind and generous to Xu You, Zhang He, Gao Lan, Xin Ping, Xun Chen, and others, but now that the situation is unfavorable, they have all defected one after another, and even led their troops to surrender to Zhang Yu. How can I not feel pain?"

Then, Yuan Shao sighed and said, "My entire family has been captured by Zhang Yu, and I have heard that Xi'er's newlywed wife was even humiliated by Zhang Yu. How can I, as his father, face Xi'er!"

From childhood to adulthood, Yuan Shao, with his own talent and unparalleled family background, had never experienced such a crushing defeat. Even when Dong Zhuo entered the capital and clashed with him, forcing him to flee, Dong Zhuo still feared Yuan Shao's talent and family background and appointed him to an official position.

Now, facing Zhang Yu, he suffered a crushing defeat. He could accept being militarily outmaneuvered by Zhang Yu and tried to find ways to fight back. But Zhang Yu's psychological warfare tactics truly broke him down, and the defection of his trusted confidant deeply wounded him.

So many of his former subordinates have now deserted him one after another, but Shen Pei has the backbone to sacrifice his life for righteousness!
Looking at his dejected and indignant father, Yuan Tan hesitated, his words of advice caught in his throat. He knew that if his father wanted to pull himself together, it would depend on him, not on his words.

"My lord, Han Qu has fainted!"

The soldier entered the tent carrying a whip and reported.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao's eyes widened, and he asked, "Did you find out anything?"

"No, Han Qu cursed the Duke as incompetent!" the soldier said.

"Kill him with a staff!"

Yuan Shao slammed his fist on the table in anger and cursed, "His brother was recruited by Zhang Yu long ago. If it weren't for my magnanimity and generosity, how could I have kept him alive until now?"

A moment later, a wail rang out outside the tent; Han Qu had been beaten to death with a staff.

Yuan Tan was filled with grief. He recognized Han Qu, a member of the Han clan of Zhongshan. The two brothers had served their father, Yuan Shao, one in a military post and the other in a civil post. Both were quite capable and devoted themselves to assisting the Yuan family. In the battle where Wen Chou was beheaded, the younger brother, who held the military post, was captured by the Bing army and surrendered to Zhang Yu.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Yuan Tan sighed softly and said, "Others haven't even launched their attacks yet, and we're already in disarray. Given the current situation, there's no hope of retaking Xindu or defeating Zhang Yu!"

Hearing this, the drunken Yuan Shao looked up at Yuan Tan and asked, "What did you say?"

Seeing his father's bloodshot eyes staring at him, Yuan Tan felt a pang of guilt and said, "Father, you should get some rest."

With that, Yuan Tan took his leave of the tent.

As he was leaving the tent, Meng Dai rushed in, cupped his hands, and said, "My lord, I have captured a man who is spreading rumors in the camp, saying that our army will surely be defeated by Zhang Yu in the long run, and he is also urging his men to defect with him."

"You thief!"

Yuan Shao slammed his fist on the table in fury and said, "Capture this man, behead him, and display his head to the three armies as a deterrent to those who would rebel."

"promise!"

Meng Dai bowed and retreated.

"Wait a minute!"

Yuan Shao reached out and grabbed Meng Dai, saying, "Interrogate this man to see if he has any accomplices. Make sure to kill one to warn a hundred!"

"As ordered!"

Meng Dai left the tent triumphantly and, upon seeing Yuan Tan still at the tent entrance, bowed and greeted him.

Seeing this, Yuan Tan shook his head and sighed. Fortunately, his subordinates came from Qingzhou and were not affected by Zhang Yu's attack on Xindu. Otherwise, if Meng Dai had caused trouble a few more times, the morale of the army might have collapsed.

His biggest worry right now is that after Yuan Shao's rectification campaign, a large number of Hebei soldiers and officers will desert. After all, it's too terrible to live in an environment where everyone is suspicious, especially since many people's families are in Xindu. He fears that many people will choose to defect to Zhang Yu for the sake of their families or for the sake of the situation.

"We must not lose the hearts of the people and allow Zhang Yu's army to win without bloodshed!" Yuan Tan murmured.

That night, Yuan Shao's rectification campaign caused the soldiers in the camp to become suspicious of each other. As many as five or six thousand people deserted that night, like Xun Chen. A large number of soldiers on night watch took the opportunity to escape, in squads, platoons, or even entire garrisons, making it difficult to stop them.

(End of this chapter)