The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 215 Liu Bei Takes Control of Military Power in Bingzhou, Pang Tong Discusses Military Strategy in Hedong (1st Update)
Liu Bei's purpose was to intimidate the high-ranking officials, not to actually fight them to the death.

Since the high-ranking official had already admitted defeat by shouting "just kidding," Liu Bei naturally had to "give" the high-ranking official face and agree that the previous argument was just "just kidding."

Yuan Xi did the same; whether he used sneer to exert pressure or verbal threats, it was all just to help Liu Bei intimidate the high-ranking officials.

In the eyes of the high-ranking officials, Yuan Xi should have shared the same interests as Yuan Shao and Yuan Shang; however, in Yuan Xi's eyes, both Yuan Shang and Yuan Shao, who favored Yuan Shang, were merely stumbling blocks in his path.

Is there a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children? Or an order of seniority?
Yuan Shao was also born to a maid!
If Yuan Shao could fight for it, so could Yuan Xi!

The son is not like his father?
Then let's meet at Jianzhang Palace!

As for whether this would lead to the deaths of Yuan Shao, Yuan Shang, Yuan Tan, and other members of the Yuan clan, Yuan Xi no longer had this concern after leaving Lu Nu. Yuan Shao's repeated favoritism towards Yuan Shang had completely disillusioned Yuan Xi.

Moreover, during the chaos caused by Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao disregarded the safety of Yuan Wei and other members of the Yuan clan in Luoyang, and insisted on raising an army against Dong Zhuo, resulting in the deaths of Yuan Wei and more than fifty members of his clan by Dong Zhuo.

The struggle for power is always bloody; those who are not ruthless cannot shoulder great responsibilities.

If Yuan Shao could do this, Yuan Xi could do the same!
The current Yuan Xi is more like Yuan Shao of yesteryear, perfectly inheriting Yuan Shao's indifference and scheming towards the Yuan clan, with only his obsession remaining with inheriting the title of the Yuan clan, which has produced four generations of high-ranking officials: As long as I live, the Yuan clan lives; if I die, the Yuan clan dies.

After a dispute, Liu Bei, the powerful dragon, firmly suppressed Gao Gan, the local bully, and only the world where Hu Chuquan was injured was achieved.

Liu Bei had no intention of letting Hu Chuquan off easily.

If you make a mistake, you have to accept the punishment.

Making Huchuquan bring himself bound to meet them was a way to intimidate Huchuquan, the Chanyu; allowing Zhang Yan to act expediently was a way to intimidate the entire Xiongnu tribe.

The Liu Bei of the past did not have enough power to intimidate the Xiongnu; but the Liu Bei of today is enough to make the Xiongnu tribes tremble with fear.

Since Guo Yuan and Zhang Sheng had both gone to Hedong, Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng were respectively sent to inform Hu Chuquan and Zhang Yan. Although Xun Chen was the chief administrator, he did not manage the army.

Therefore, even though Gao Gan gave in, the entire army in Shangdang was taken over by Yan Liang and Wen Chou.

Yan Liang and Wen Chou were also straightforward. After taking over the troops in Shangdang, they directly handed over the two thousand infantry and cavalry of Changshan State to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei then divided his 5,000 infantry and cavalry into five divisions.

Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Huang Zhong each commanded one division, while Liu Bei himself led the two central divisions. These central divisions were further divided into left and right armies; the left army was commanded by Pang Tong, the General of the Army, and the right army by Xu Shu, the Chief Clerk of the Left General. (Inside the Governor's Mansion.)

Liu Bei sat in the main seat.

Below the main seat, Yuan Xi stands to the left, and Gao Gan stands to the right.

It's obvious who the head coach is.

Liu Bei glanced at everyone, nodded slightly, and looked at Pang Tong: "General Pang, quickly give a report on the military strategy."

Pang Tong bowed in acceptance, then displayed the map to everyone, saying, "According to current intelligence, although Guo Yuan's troops have arrived at Jiangyi, they are unable to take it because the county magistrate, Jia Kui, has fortified the entire county. To the west of Jiangyi along the Fen River is the important city of Pishi. If we want to contest Hedong, we must first occupy Pishi. If Zhong Yao's large army occupies Pishi first, even if our army captures Jiangyi, we will not be able to advance south to Anyi."

"At present, General Zuo has ordered Huchuquan's troops to return to Hexi. Guo Yuan will be blocked in Jiangyi and unable to seize Pishi to the west. When Zhong Yao hears this, he will definitely send someone to persuade Ma Teng and Han Sui in Guanzhong to raise troops in Pishi together. The battlefield between our army and Zhong Yao will appear on both sides of the Fen River from Jiangyi to Pishi."

Listening to Pang Tong's military strategy, Gao Gan was unconvinced and argued, "Since Zhong Yao entered Hongnong, he has repeatedly suppressed the generals of Guanzhong and even lured their troops back to their farms. The generals of Guanzhong are already dissatisfied with Zhong Yao. I have promised Ma Teng and Han Sui that if they defeat Zhong Yao, Hedong and Hongnong will be given to them. They have also agreed to send troops to jointly attack Zhong Yao. Why would they join forces with Zhong Yao again?"

Pang Tong chuckled: "In the past, Geng Bi, the governor of Liangzhou, trusted corrupt officials, leading to a rebellion by Wang Guo of Hanyang and the Di and Qiang tribes. Ma Teng first followed Geng Bi to suppress Wang Guo, and later joined forces with Han Sui to kill Geng Bi and install Wang Guo as emperor. After Wang Guo was defeated by Huangfu Song, Ma Teng and Han Sui joined forces to depose Wang Guo and install Yan Zhong as emperor. After Yan Zhong died of illness, they fought each other again. When Dong Zhuo moved west to Chang'an, Ma Teng and Han Sui surrendered to Dong Zhuo. After Dong Zhuo's death, the two first attached themselves to Li Jue, but then, due to personal reasons..." He first turned against Li Jue, then made peace with him after being defeated; after Li Jue's death, Ma Teng and Han Sui became sworn brothers, but a conflict between their subordinates led to a major fight, during which Ma Teng's wife and children were killed by Han Sui, and the two sides fought for many years; before the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao sent Zhong Yao to Chang'an to mediate, and the two surrendered to Cao Cao, each sending a son to Xuchang as a hostage; now, because of his dissatisfaction with Zhong Yao, he promises to join forces with you. Such fickleness cannot be easily trusted.

"Moreover, what Governor Gao can promise, Zhong Yao can also promise; conversely, Zhong Yao can produce the imperial edict and seals of appointment of Ma Teng and Han Sui, while Governor Gao can only ask the General to forge the appointment letter and seals. If we place our hopes on Ma Teng and Han Sui, we will only be courting our own destruction."

As Pang Tong recounted the fickle past of Ma Teng and Han Sui, as well as the righteous cause of Zhong Yao's backing by the emperor, Gao Gan opened his mouth, but swallowed back the words that were about to come out.

Anyone with a modicum of sense, after hearing about Ma Teng and Han Sui's past, would find it impossible to believe that Ma Teng was a man of his word!

Gao Gan, born into a prominent family in Chenliu, was arrogant and always looked down on the border warriors. He believed that if he showed kindness to Ma Teng and Han Sui, the two would be grateful to him for giving them the opportunity to rise to the ranks of the Qingliu. He never considered that Ma Teng and Han Sui were two barbarians from Xiliang who would disregard brotherhood and the lives of their wives and children for profit. He also did not care about the integrity of the scholars of the Central Plains. Even the oath of Emperor Guangwu on the Luo River had no binding effect on the two.

Xun Chen, who had been deep in thought for a long time, slowly raised his head, his brows furrowed: "Since General Pang also believes that to contend for Hedong, we must first occupy Pishi, why not let Huchuquan cooperate with Guo Yuan to put pressure on us and take Jiangyi first?"

Seemingly fearing Liu Bei's misunderstanding, Xun Chen hurriedly added, his tone humble yet urgent: "Just have Huchuquan stand outside Jiangyi to support Guo Yuan; there's no need to attack the city. With Jiangyi's military strength, even if Huchuquan is just bluffing and shouting, it will still help Guo Yuan intimidate Jia Kui and the people inside the city. After taking Jiangyi, Guo Yuan can take the opportunity to cross the river and directly attack Pishi. In that case, even if Zhong Yao persuades Ma Teng and Han Sui, it will be to no avail."

After listening to Xun Chen's analysis, Pang Tong laughed loudly several times, his tone arrogant: "General Zuo led his troops here in person, so why did he need Huchuquan to cooperate in putting pressure on us? Do you want the people of Hedong to mistakenly believe that without Huchuquan, General Zuo can no longer intimidate Hedong? General Zuo is not afraid that Zhong Yao will bring Ma Teng and Han Sui to seize Pi's place, he is afraid that they will not dare to come!"

　Update 1 is here! (It's Saturday again!)
　　
　
(End of this chapter)