Tiger Guards

Chapter 238 Yingrui makes a clear decision
In Yecheng, sparse raindrops fell from the sky.

Yuan Shao climbed up the tower and looked out at the northern half of the city. Across the Zhang River, he could also see the general outline of the southern half of the city in the sparse rain.

Chief Clerk Geng Bao delivered military intelligence, walking lightly for fear of angering Yuan Shao.

Seeing his cautious look, Yuan Shao turned his head and asked, "What's the matter again?"

"My lord, the Taishan thief Zang Ba, following a false imperial edict, has invaded Qingzhou and besieged the eldest prince in Beihai."

Geng Bao replied in a low voice that Yuan Tan was in a very difficult situation. Yuan Tan's base camp was Bohai and Pingyuan, and he only attacked Beihai this year.

Yuan Tan had little control over the counties and kingdoms of Beihai, Jinan, and Donglai. Due to the passage of a million-strong Yellow Turban Army through Qingzhou and Xuzhou in the early years, the Qingzhou clan bandits expanded ferociously in order to protect themselves.

Even normal and respectable families, while rallying relatives and fellow villagers to protect themselves, will also complete population annexation.

Normally, these people can still maintain their proper attire and manners; now that chaos has broken out, they immediately look like thieves.

It is almost impossible to get these people to send troops to rescue Yuan Tan.

In terms of fame, Yuan Tan cannot compare with Kong Rong.

These people could sit idly by and watch the Yellow Turban Army besiege Kong Rong in their early years, and later they could watch Yuan Tan besiege Kong Rong... Perhaps it was because Yuan Tan killed Kong Rong that these people would avenge their old master, the famous scholar Kong Rong, in their capacity as former officials, and expel Yuan Tan, or even welcome Yuan Tan under certain conditions.

In short, they are not easy to deal with.

Yuan Shao took the letter for help sent by Yuan Tan and frowned, thinking that Yuan Tan was too incompetent.

Although he had just taken over Qingzhou, Zang Ba acted as if he was in an empty place. This was really hard to understand.

After reading Yuan Tan's letter, I found another letter below, which was from Feng Ji.

He sent Feng Ji to assist Yuan Tan in governing Qingzhou. As soon as Feng Ji arrived in Pingyuan, he learned that Yuan Tan was under siege. Feng Ji had already begun to mobilize Pingyuan's manpower.

But Pingyuan was not very stable either. It had only been taken from Tian Kai and Liu Bei for more than two years.

Before this, the soldiers of both sides were still fighting on the battlefield. After Liu Bei left, Tian Kai was defeated, and the soldiers of Pingyuan were regrouped and armed by Yuan Tan. Although they attacked Beihai, this was a civil war in Qingzhou, and the Pingyuan army did not receive a decent reward.

Yuan Tan did not take the initiative to give any special rewards, so the Pingyuan army actually did not care much about Yuan Tan's safety.

Now the only ones willing to work hard are the Bohai soldiers.

If the Bohai troops can be transferred to Qingzhou, who will resist Gongsun Zan?

If Gongsun Zan breaks Nanpi, the Bohai troops transferred to Qingzhou will immediately disintegrate and mutiny; unless a more reliable army is used to suppress and contain the Bohai troops, and the two sides work together to suppress and drive the Pingyuan troops.

For some reason, Yuan Shao felt some regret.

If he had agreed to Yang Biao's proposal, accepted the title of General of Cavalry, recommended Zhao Ji as General of Chariots and Cavalry, and voluntarily given up Shangdang, the current situation would not be so embarrassing.

This thought only flashed through his mind before being suppressed by Yuan Shao.

Judging from the reactions of Zhang Yan, Gongsun Zan and Zang Ba now, it shows that Zhao Yan and Zhao Ji had already started to make arrangements at that time.

Even if he agreed to Yang Biao's proposal, the Zhao family's ancestors and grandchildren would find fault, tear up the agreement, and fight him.

Now that things have come to this, there is nothing to regret.

Yuan Shao placed the letters on a plate and asked Geng Bao, "How is the situation in Zhending?"

"No new military intelligence has been received, but I have heard that a group of Black Mountain bandits have disobeyed Zhang Yan's orders and have advanced southward into Julu, intending to besiege Dintao."

Zhang Niujiao was killed in the attack on Dingtao, so Zhang Yan changed his surname and inherited this armed force.

Geng Bao was from Zhending, from Geng Township, Zhending.

Yuan Shao looked at the rain outside the window and said, "No hurry, wait another five days."

He did not think that Zhang Yan could maintain a firm control over the various units of the Black Mountain Army. This was a rare opportunity, and the various units of the Black Mountain Army would definitely disobey Zhang Yan's control and plunder everywhere, resulting in a reduction in the number of Black Mountain Army gathered in Zhending.

Yuan Shao had previously agreed on a plan to knock Zhang Yan back into the mountains with one punch.

They also did not think that Zhao Ji would force the emperor to attack Yecheng, so in addition to rescuing high-ranking officials, they only sent people to build a camp near the exit of Fukou Xing to prepare for possible confrontation and defense.

First, defeat Zhang Yan, then stop Zhao Ji, and then have another decisive battle with Gongsun Zan.

In a sense, Gongsun Zan's willingness to leave Yijing shortened the supply distance for the Jizhou soldiers, which was also a good thing.

But now secret military intelligence has been received that Zhao Ji wants to attack Ye City by water.

Normal people understand water attack as breaking the dike to release the water; or sending soldiers to dig trenches to divert water, and then building dams to collect water so that the water can wash away and soak the enemy city.

More advanced water attacks will test the overall quality of the army.

For example, dig earth and build a dam, starting from the lower ground outside the city to surround the city, and then release water in. In this way, not much water is needed to soak the city for a long time.

The city walls would collapse, firewood and grain would soak and rot, and soldiers and civilians, both men and women, would be left without shelter, forced to hide on rooftops. Most of the necessary supplies would be destroyed, and the dead would float throughout the city, spreading disease.

By the time the water receded, most of the soldiers and civilians in the city had died from hunger and disease.

The water attack method revealed by Zhao Ji was even more vicious and could even be launched.

We can build a dam here in Huguan to store water, and we just need to keep reinforcing the dam.

Then leave everything to the autumn mountain torrents. The mountain torrents will destroy the dam and sweep down along the Zhang River. Lu County will be destroyed, and Chunyu Qiong's support army will be destroyed.

Even if the flood peak pushes down and cannot harm Yecheng on both sides of the river, it will still cause serious damage to the water conservancy and irrigation facilities and paddy fields on both sides of the river.

There is also the shock to the people of Hebei... After experiencing such a blow once, no one wants to go through it a second time.

The fertile fields on both sides of the Zhang River will also be abandoned, and no one is willing to carefully maintain and cultivate them.

The feeling of having Zhao Ji's throat gripped was no longer as simple as suffocation.

He did not doubt the authenticity of the news at all. Jia Xu was right across from him, and with Jia Xu's advice, Zhao Ji would definitely not mind giving it a try.

Perhaps there won't be any significant casualties after building the dam and storing water, but Zhao Ji can waste manpower to gamble, but can he do the same?
Even if the water attack is ineffective this autumn, as long as Zhao Ji is in Shangdang, he can launch repeated water attacks.

If they succeed once and encounter a once-in-a-century rainstorm, Yecheng and the Yuan family's foundation will be finished.

Being grabbed by the throat is uncomfortable enough, but the most uncomfortable thing is that the other party can choke you at will in the future.

Negotiate a ceasefire?

After surviving the siege of Zhang Yan, Gongsun Zan and Zang Ba, he found a way to recapture Shangdang and kill Zhao Ji.

Yuan Shao couldn't sleep or eat well because he kept such a scourge on the west side of Taihang Mountain.

With Jia Xu around, Zhao Ji would not easily agree to a ceasefire.

Therefore, it is necessary to negotiate with the emperor and the ministers!
Apologize to the court, hand over the remaining cities of Shangdang to the court, and let the court settle the matter with Zhao Ji!

Yuan Shao really didn't have the energy to deal with four battlefields. To be precise, Yuan's army was about to fight on five fronts, and on the southern front, Yuan's army was still besieging Dongwu City.

Gao Gan couldn't stop Zhao Ji here, and Yuan Xi in the north only occupied a few counties in Fan Yang. How could he possibly hold back Gongsun Zan?
When Gongsun Zan marched south, Yuan Xi was able to save his life by hiding in the city, which was already an extraordinary performance.

The same thing happened on the Qingzhou battlefield. With the Qingzhou clan bandits watching and ignoring him, Yuan Tan could not hold on at all.

The official granaries in Beihai had been emptied long ago, and the troops from Bohai and Pingyuan were going to use them to fight Gongsun Zan.

The military forces controlled by Yuan Tan and Feng Ji are simply not enough, and it is only a matter of time before they are defeated by Zang Ba.

While we still have some cities in Shangdang, we should quickly negotiate with the court and delay Zhao Ji. This is more important than anything else.

When Yuan Shao was thinking and analyzing the situation alone, he immediately grasped the key lifeline and breakthrough point.

Only the court can help him resolve the current crisis.

Having made up his mind, Yuan Shao turned back to his main seat and began writing a letter to Yang Biao.

First, give Shangdang Gaodu and Tianjing Pass to the court to show sincerity.

In this way, Zhang Yang and the imperial court's army could quickly seize the Gaodu Basin, and then head north to compete with Zhao Ji for the Changzhi Basin.

They can get the city through negotiation and consultation, and force him to apologize... Based on Yuan Shao's understanding of the officials in the court, this group of people will definitely find a way to coax Zhao Ji.

If we try to resolve various disputes and conflicts without resorting to violence, the prestige of the imperial court will naturally increase.

But what bargaining chips can the court offer to satisfy Zhao Ji?
Yuan Shao thought about it and decided that he didn't mind kindly reminding Yang Biao.

Get rid of Zhao Ji quickly and replace him with a neutral and peaceful person to be the governor of Shangdang County.

If this can be achieved, it is not impossible to take the initiative to sign a ceasefire agreement with Zhao Ji.

In the face of a huge crisis, Yuan Shao was particularly sober.

He knew very well that if he continued to hold on, when Zhao Ji broke the dam and launched a water attack... even if he defeated Gongsun Zan and Zhang Yan again, he could not afford the consequences of such an incredible water attack!

Water attacks are often associated with the destruction of a country.

Although it has not yet been established as a country, its nature is the same.

Being on the verge of death, Yuan Shao no longer cared about face or dignity, he just wanted to survive!

Everything else can be put off until later!

(End of this chapter)