I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 507 The Final Battle!

"Yuan's army has been mobilized."

Zhang He and Gao Lan each led 20,000 troops, advancing towards Liu Miao's imperial tent like two sharp knives.

Such a large-scale troop movement was still quite noticeable on this narrow battlefield where hundreds of thousands of soldiers were fighting together, and the Han army immediately picked up on the movement.

"Yuan Shao is abandoning the defense?"

"If we keep guarding him, he'll die sooner or later."

After Zhou Yu finished eating the mutton, he also took Lu Su with him and brought him to the battlefield.

"The battle between Han and Zhao has been going on for half a year, and they are almost at their breaking point."

Lu Su was not as sensitive to the battlefield as Zhou Yu, but he could look at the war, which affected thirteen provinces of the Han Dynasty, from a different perspective.

"Yuan Shao's 200,000-strong army consumed a lot of grain when they were at Dingtao. Gongjin's clearing and scavenging in the Central Plains was also quite effective. As for the previous Qingzhou battlefield... Gongjin, why don't you guess where all the grain Yuan Tan lost went?"

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow: "It can't be that it's come to our side, can it?"

"Pretty much. They sold the grain to Liaodong. Gongsun Du sent an envoy to Qingzhou a while ago to ask if we wanted it..."

"..."

Looking at the surprised Zhou Yu, Lu Su smiled slightly and said, "War is war, but business still needs to be done."

"Although we had a falling out with Gongsun Du last time, if we want Qingzhou, which is devastated, to recover and resume farming, we still need to continue trading with Gongsun Du. Gongsun Du also needs goods from the Central Plains, otherwise he won't have a good life in Liaodong."

"These matters were reported to His Majesty by Kongming, and His Majesty approved of them, but insisted that I keep them from the General for the time being."

After explaining the matters concerning Liaodong and Qingzhou, Lu Su returned to the war between Han and Zhao.

"During the past six months of war, the livelihood of the people in the entire Han Dynasty has been severely devastated."

“I had previously corresponded with Ziyu, and he told me that the prosperity of Nanjing had declined by half compared to the past.”

"Many shops and workshops have closed, and even fewer people are going out to sea. Some of the Yue tribes deep in Kuaiji are stirring again. Lord Zhang has specially asked Yan Baihu to deal with these matters. Moreover, there is some unrest in Jingnan and Yuzhang as well..."

"These are all problems, but fortunately, the Champa rice that was promoted in Jiangdong and Jingbei has indeed played a significant role. After all, as long as there is food, things will not really descend into chaos... In addition, His Majesty pacified Shu before the war, and with Shu as a granary to stabilize prices, we can probably hold on for now."

After recounting the situation in the Han Dynasty, Lu Su began to speculate about the situation in the north.

“Yuan Shao has been waging war for years, and he has neither followed Your Majesty’s policy of equal land distribution nor Cao Cao’s policy of military farming. Although Hebei is rich, how much of it can he actually use? I’m afraid his treasury has long been depleted.”

"Moreover, through smuggling in Guanzhong, many Hebei gentry have become dependent on porcelain, paper, silk, ironware and other products produced in the Han Dynasty. After all, the Han Dynasty far surpasses Hebei in both quality and quantity of these products. Hebei cannot produce these products out of thin air in a short period of time, so the market prices of many products in Hebei will inevitably fluctuate, causing unrest among the people. Collapse is only a matter of time."

Lu Su said confidently, "If this continues, even without Gongjin achieving victory in the war, Yuan's army will drag themselves to their deaths!"

"Yuan Shao is betting not only on when his own body will collapse, but also on when the entire Great Zhao will collapse!"

Zhou Yu carefully examined Lu Su and suddenly smiled: "Zijing, you really are becoming more and more like His Majesty."

Unexpectedly, Lu Su suddenly jumped up in anger: "You're insulting me?"

"Who insulted you? I mean, your ability to foresee events is really starting to resemble His Majesty's more and more."

Lu Su then calmed down.

"It's probably because once you understand that many things in this world are not mysterious or mysterious, but rather have their own laws and rules, you can see the outcome at a glance by following those laws, and that's how you can be so confident."

A blush suddenly appeared on Lu Su's face: "There is one more thing, I don't know if I should tell Gongjin."

"All ears."

"These days, since I've been idling around with His Majesty anyway, I've gradually written a book."

Fearing that Zhou Yu might misunderstand, Lu Su quickly explained to him, "It's not some profound wisdom; it's just a collection of my daily observations about markets, trade, and the operation of commercial taxes. It's just a miscellaneous book! It's not worth mentioning!"

Writing books and establishing works are things that sages and saints do.

Lu Su was clearly self-aware, knowing he was no sage, but he was really itching to write, which is why he wrote that book.

Instead of being ridiculed, Zhou Yu looked on with anticipation: "A book written by Zijing? May I borrow it to take a look?"

"It's not finished yet..."

"Then let me read it after you finish writing it."

The more enthusiastic Zhou Yu was, the more embarrassed Lu Su became: "Actually, these are all business matters, not very useful. I'd better not show them to Gongjin."

"Who says that business matters are of little use? Did Sang Hongyang's 'Discourses on Salt and Iron,' written in the course of his debate with virtuous scholars, not hold any great truth in Zijing's eyes?"

Zhou Yu encouraged Lu Su: "When the time comes, you must let me see it!"

Lu Su took a deep breath and solemnly said, "Alright!"

"However, for now, Gongjin, you should focus on the war and not let me distract you..."

Zhou Yu's approach to dealing with Zhang He and Gao Lan was also quite "clumsy".

there is always a solution to a problem.

No matter how many people come, that's the number of people who will be pushed onto the field.

If Yuan Jun sent out more men, the Han army would retreat immediately without hesitation.

In any case, to the northeast, Lü Bu and Zhang Liao were leading cavalry, eyeing the area covetously; at the same time, Cheng Pu and Wen Pin were there to support them from the flanks at Guandu. As long as Yuan's army dared to pursue them southward, the two flanks could easily cut off Yuan's army's route back north.

Zhou Yu was now fully implementing Liu Miao's intentions to the end.

Consumption!
Whether it's about longevity or national strength, the Han Dynasty can afford to wait it out!
If you're so capable, Yuan Shao, then really give up the last chance to defeat the Han Dynasty and lead your troops back to Hebei!

In fact, at times, Zhou Yu felt that Liu Miao was too cruel to Yuan Shao.

If Liu Miao truly intended to fight a war at any cost, reducing Yuan Shao's main force from 200,000 to 150,000, and then to 100,000, then Yuan Shao would absolutely not be willing to stubbornly engage in a protracted war with Liu Miao.

But... Liu Miao simply refused to touch Yuan's main force of 200,000 troops!

This kept Yuan Shao clinging to the hope that he could defeat Liu Miao and the Han army. That's why Yuan Shao is still in a stalemate with the Han army in Henan.

But it's a pity...

Zhou Yu guessed that this sliver of hope would ultimately not save Yuan Shao, but would instead drag him and the entire Northern Zhao into a dead end!

Zhou Yu's prediction was very accurate.

When Yuan Shao added more troops to Zhang He and Gao Lan's forces, Zhou Yu headed south without saying a word.

As expected, Yuan's army did not dare to pursue.

No one would bet that the invincible Lü Bu and Zhang Liao's heavy cavalry could not cut off Yuan Shao's army's retreat.

It seemed that the Han and Zhao states had once again fallen into a deadlock.

Lu Su continued to write books, seemingly doing nothing.

Zhou Yu continued to fight battles idly.

Liu Miao continued to idly eat, drink, and have fun...

This battle needs a variable!
"I want to go to the front lines myself!"

The final variable appeared in Yuan Shao's hands, and it could only appear in Yuan Shao's hands.

Yuan Shao abandoned herbal medicine and doctors.

He shoved his toes, which were almost dripping with bodily fluids, into his boots, and with his thin back, he once again upheld the glory of the Emperor and the Yuan family. He mounted his warhorse and resolutely raised his banner!
I am ordained by Heaven!

To replace the Han dynasty!

A sage has descended from heaven!

These words kept popping into Yuan Shao's mind.

The fate of the Han Dynasty should have ended with his generation!
This is the mission of the Yuan family of Runan, which has held high office for four generations, the mission of the family that has been passed down for two hundred years since the Later Han Dynasty, and also the mission of Yuan Shao, Yuan Benchu!
Yuan Shao believed that he was always the special one!
"Liu Miao, I guess you think so too, right?"

Although Yuan Shao and Liu Miao had never met, as fellow emperors, Yuan Shao believed that if there was anyone in the world who could understand him, it would be Liu Miao!

I am the state!

There can only be one sun in the sky!

Yuan Shao believed that only he and Liu Miao could understand these things!
Yuan Shao summoned Chen Lin and asked him to write another letter to Liu Miao.

It was neither a proclamation nor a state letter, but a letter that Yuan Shao believed only he and Liu Miao could understand!

Yuan Shao personally came to the front line.

The mountains and rivers were right before his eyes, the sun and moon were right before his eyes, and the Han and Zhao dynasties were right before his eyes.

"Send this letter to Liu Miao. I have something to say to him."

The scout received the imperial edict, went in haste, and returned in haste as well.

"how?"

Yuan Shao looked at the other party with suspicion.

"Liu Miao is not here?"

"No, I saw Liu Miao with my own eyes."

The scout hesitated for a moment, then began to stammer...

"Say!"

“Liu Miao said, said…”

"Just say what Liu Miao said!"

"Liu Miao said that what kind of rubbish His Majesty wrote was, he couldn't understand it no matter how many times he looked at it, so he felt that since His Majesty couldn't speak human language, he probably couldn't understand human language either, so he didn't want to come anymore..."

Yuan Shao was taken aback at first, then closed his eyes.

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty!"

Guo Tu and the others anxiously surrounded Yuan Shao, fearing that once Yuan Shao closed his eyes, he would never open them again.

Fortunately, Yuan Shao eventually opened his eyes.

However, those slightly cloudy eyes not only revealed madness this time, but tears also streamed down his face, yet his expression showed no sadness, only anger! The kind of grief and indignation that comes from knowing that he actually means nothing to others!
"Liu Miao! Even at this point, you're still putting on an act with me?"

"Don't you think I'm a hero?"

Yuan Shao was thoroughly enraged by Liu Miao's attitude!
"Order Zhang He and Gao Lan to send troops!"

"That way out..."

"I never intended to leave myself a way out!"

Yuan Shao drew his imperial sword, stood under the banner, and was surrounded by valiant soldiers!
"Right now, I will kill him myself..."

Yuan Shao was shouting when suddenly his momentum faltered, and he clutched his chest.

But the last two words, still tinged with resentment, burst forth from deep within his throat—

"Liu Miao!"

(End of this chapter)