Tiger Guards

Chapter 552 A Vow of No Coexistence
Yijing, Yuan Jun's main camp.

In Yuan Shao's besieged camp, troops were also being organized to cut and carve timber to make siege equipment.

During his inspection tour, Yuan Shao stood atop a mound in the horse-mounting area and gazed towards the distant Wuhuan camp.

He told those around him, “Tadun has lost his will to fight. He said that his troops are worried that the war will drag on and that if they wait until the snow melts, the Liaoze River will flood and they will not be able to return home. Therefore, he has repeatedly asked to resign.”

Upon hearing this, Xu You said, "My lord, Tadun wants the title of King of Wuhuan."

“This is difficult. Even if the court can issue a decree, Louban, the son of Qiuliju, is getting older. Even if Louban dies unexpectedly from a sudden illness, the Wuhuan of the three commanderies will not submit to Tadun.”

Yuan Shao shook his head, feeling the pleasant midday sun, and removed his helmet belt, gazing into the distance: "How can something that he himself cannot do be accomplished by a mere imperial edict?"

Even if Yuan Shao abandoned all principles, he could not satisfy Tadun's desires.

Yuan Shao also wanted to suppress Tadun, so he adopted a relative's daughter and married her to Tadun, thus becoming his son-in-law and father-in-law, hoping to use his relationship with Tadun to bind him.

Tadun was an extremely arrogant man. The various tribes of the Donghu all said that Tadun would one day become the second Modu Chanyu, and could also become the second Tanshihuai who made the Wuhuan strong and powerful.

Yuan Shao was not confident that a married adopted daughter from the same clan could keep Tadun in check.

Therefore, he consistently refused to grant Tadun too high a title by false imperial edict, to prevent Tadun from using the name of the Han court to annex the various Wuhuan tribes.

Not only did Yuan Shao dislike Tadun, but the various chieftains and minor kings of the Wuhuan tribes also disliked the powerful Tadun.

While nomadic tribes may revere heroes, following a hero to establish a great cause can lead to death.

While the harsh living environment certainly shaped the resilient character of nomadic tribes, it does not mean that these people were single-mindedly thinking about causing destruction and setting fires.

Whether it's farming, nomadic life, fishing and hunting, or commerce and exploitation, for the vast majority of people, as long as life can continue, they won't cause trouble.

The Wuhuan nobles were no exception; for them, the most important thing was to maintain the rule of their own families, which required them to stay alive.

Only if the person is alive does the noble status have meaning, and only then does the rise of the Wuhuan have meaning; if the person dies in battle during the rise of the Wuhuan, then what is the meaning of all this?
Technology may develop, morality may develop, but the stakes involved will not change.

It's not surprising that the Wuhuan nobles resisted a rising star within their own tribe. Following Tadun brought them too much risk of upheaval, which was inconsistent with the expected benefits.

Therefore, as long as Louban, the son of Qiuliju, lived, the Wuhuan nobles would support him; if Louban died unexpectedly, it would certainly be Tadun's doing, and they would naturally have reason to resist and not support Tadun.

Tadun would never allow the Wuhuan tribes, which he had finally managed to unite, to split and become divided again. To maintain the unity of the Wuhuan, Tadun would have an opportunity sooner or later.

After all, older nobles tend to avoid risks and dislike adventurous behavior where the risks outweigh the rewards.

But the nobles all had children, and the young people were full of courage and confidence. Once the young people in each tribe who were influenced by Tadun grew up and gained enough influence, Tadun would naturally be able to seize the power of the tribe.

By then, the imperial edict from the Han court appointing the Wuhuan king would be meaningless and dispensable to Tadun.

But Taddon lacked time; he needed enough time for the young nobles who admired him to grow up.

Just like Yuan Shao back then, although he had great ambitions, only young scholars from all over the country were willing to support him.

The middle-aged and elderly scholars held power and local influence. If they did not support him, Yuan Shao could only wait and see how long he could accumulate seniority.

More than a decade later, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out. Those young scholars who admired Yuan Shao back then either served in local governments or the imperial court, or managed their own businesses. They had almost everything they wanted and became the backbone of scholars in various regions.

Yuan Shao, drawing on his own experience, judged that Tadun, this cheap adopted son-in-law, was still lacking time, and that this was not something that could be resolved simply by the Han dynasty's edict of investiture.

Even if Yuan Shao smoothed things over with Lü Bu and managed to cultivate relationships with Zhao Ji to obtain an imperial edict for the Wuhuan king from the court for Tadun, it wouldn't make a difference. The Wuhuan kings and lesser kings were still the same people, accustomed to conservatism, and unlikely to risk their lives for Tadun.

Judging from Tadun's forbearance, he doesn't seem like the ruthless person who would launch a coup and kill the leaders of various tribes.

Therefore, Yuan Shao sighed briefly and then asked about the others: "Now Zhao Yuansi is eyeing the various Donghu tribes with hostility, and Tadun is eager to lead his troops back to the country, also out of concern for Zhao Yuansi's ferocity. I also do not want to get entangled with Zhao Yuansi any further, and the two sides have an agreement to cease hostilities and make peace. Is it possible to persuade the Zhao family?"

He was trying to persuade the Zhao family, not Zhao Ji.

Xu You, Guo Tu, and Xin Pi, who were by Yuan Shao's side, could all understand that Yuan Shao was sending an envoy to Jinyang to appease Zhao Ji's grandfather and prevent the two sides from going to war.

Youzhou was impossible to defend. Although some counties and towns temporarily surrendered to Yuan Shao, the allied forces of the Han chieftains in Youzhou, including Xianyu Fu, were also forced to surrender.

But do you dare to expect these people to resist Zhao Ji's army?
Even if these people are just going through the motions in their fighting, they still have a lot of conscience.

According to the forecast, if Zhao Ji's army arrives at the border of Youzhou and enters the border from Dai County, the various counties of Youzhou will immediately change their allegiance.

Yuan Jun cleansed up the legal system governing the counties and prefectures of Youzhou, and then surrounded Gongsun Zan, the former ruler of Youzhou.

This means that Zhao Ji came to rescue Gongsun Zan and then seized and took over various counties from Yuan Jun... There were no legal or human obstacles whatsoever.

Gongsun Zan was not only angry, but also grateful to the Grand Marshal for saving his life!
If you still insist on discussing the ownership of the counties and prefectures in Youzhou with the Grand Marshal, then you are being rather tactless and unreasonable.

Therefore, the current situation is truly critical. The Youzhou army and the surrendered troops cannot be relied upon. If Yuan's army goes to block the passes, the winter snow will melt and spring floods will occur, which will not only affect this year's spring planting, but also extend the supply lines of the various armies on the front line by more than a thousand miles, which is very passive.

Based on this calculation, the Jizhou army cannot come to Youzhou to help defend it. Since they cannot help defend it, why should the people of Youzhou risk destroying Youzhou to shed blood and sacrifice for the great cause of the people of Jizhou?

The current situation is so passive. Gongsun Zan refuses to surrender, and Zhao Ji's efforts to incorporate the various Hu tribes are gaining momentum. At any moment, it could sweep over Yijing like a flood bursting its banks.

Yuan Shao couldn't get the key to break the deadlock, so he withdrew his main force in advance to defend Ji Province. How could he expect Tadun and Xianyu Fu to fight for him?

As Yuan Shao and others chatted, discussing how to persuade Zhao Yan, a troop of scouts galloped up. The leader dismounted nimbly, knelt on one knee, and bowed: "Report! The Wuhuan tribes in the eastern camps are packing their belongings and are about to withdraw!"

Guo Tu, who was in charge of intelligence for his army, immediately asked, "How is Tadun?"

"Tadun could not subdue them, and judging from their surroundings, they also seemed to be considering withdrawing their troops!"

The scout captain spoke clearly and loudly, which sounded like drumbeats to Yuan Shao.

With his feet firmly planted on the ground, Yuan Shao squinted at Xu You: "Ziyuan, Zhao Yuansi is so smug. If you were him, would you want to have both, or just one?"

"A balance between East and West?"

Xu You immediately realized what was going on and stared at Yuan Shao with wide eyes: "Does Your Excellency intend to make it difficult for the Grand Marshal to attend to both the east and the west?"

Yuan Shao nodded and immediately looked at Xin Pi. Xin Pi understood perfectly and bowed deeply, saying, "My lord, I am willing to go to Liangzhou. However, the Zhao family is in charge of Guanzhong and Luozhong. If I take a detour, it will surely cause trouble."

"What's so difficult about this?"

Xu You spoke directly: "Recommend Zuo Zhi to the court and appoint him to an official post in Liangzhou. Zuo Zhi can then travel to his post by official carriage."

Xin Pi nodded slowly, his gaze resolute. He clenched his fists and then relaxed them inside his sleeves, and solemnly bowed to Yuan Shao: "My lord, rest assured, I swear I will never coexist with the Zhao family!"

(End of this chapter)