My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

In July of the first year of Jian'an (196 AD), in Shuntian, at the Grand Tutor's residence.

Ji Xuanyuan sat alone in his study, a military report that had just been delivered laid out in front of him.

His brows were furrowed, and his fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound.

Yuan Tan fled.

When Yuan Shao's eldest son learned of his father's defeat and death and the fall of Ji Province, he did not choose to defend Qing Province to the death, nor did he lead his army north to seek revenge. Instead, he made an unexpected choice.

With the remaining 20,000 troops, he fled west overnight, heading straight for Liangzhou to seek refuge with Han Sui.

Ji Xuanyuan put down the military report and sighed deeply.

Yuan Tan's escape surprised him somewhat.

I thought this kid would hold Qingzhou to the death and fight Tian Kai and Kong Rong to the bitter end, but I didn't expect him to be so decisive and run away without hesitation.

With an army of 20,000, plus Han Sui's original troops, the power of Liangzhou grew even stronger.

trouble.

What's more troublesome is that although he now has hundreds of thousands of troops, he dares not easily launch a distant expedition.

The campaign against Yuan Shao lasted nearly a year and consumed countless provisions and supplies.

Although the battle against the Wuhuan was a resounding victory, the long march was also extremely costly.

After two major battles, most of the grain stored in the government granary has been depleted.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers need to eat.

He was no longer the small warlord who once commanded a few thousand soldiers in Zhuojun and could feed his army with the trade of refined salt and glass.

Currently, under his command, there are hundreds of thousands of troops in five provinces: Youzhou, Bingzhou, Sizhou, Jizhou, and Xuzhou. The amount of grain and fodder he consumes every day is astronomical.

When a large army goes on a campaign, the provisions, supplies, and laborers are all enormous burdens.

Yuan Tan and Han Sui together numbered only a little over 100,000 men. With his current strength, he could easily wipe them out by sending 40,000 to 50,000 elite troops.

The problem is, Liangzhou is too far away.

From Shuntian to Liangzhou, it's a distance of a thousand miles.

The journey would take them through Bingzhou, across desolate mountains and wilderness, and they would have to guard against the Southern Xiongnu taking the opportunity to cause trouble.

Before the army moves, supplies must be ready. Just transporting supplies requires conscripting tens of thousands of laborers and expending countless amounts of money and grain.

He can wait until after next autumn's harvest, when supplies are plentiful, before setting out on the expedition.

He was really unhappy to have those two clowns, Yuan Tan and Han Sui, jumping around under his nose for a year.

"My lord."

Dian Wei's voice rang out from outside the door: "A guest requests an audience."

Ji Xuanyuan raised his head: "Who?"

Dian Wei pushed open the door and entered, saying, "The visitor claims to be my lord's junior brother, named Pang Tong."

Pang Tong?!

Ji Xuanyuan suddenly stood up, his eyes gleaming with surprise!

"Shiyuan has arrived?! Please invite him in! No, I'll go greet him myself!"

He strode out of the study and hurried to the gate of the mansion.

Outside the mansion gate, a young man stood with his hands behind his back.

The man was about seventeen or eighteen years old, not very tall, and his face... was quite peculiar.

He had thick eyebrows, a raised nose, a dark face, and a short beard, giving him an odd appearance. Yet, his eyes were exceptionally bright, as if they held boundless wisdom.

It was Pang Tong, also known as Pang Shiyuan.

Ji Xuanyuan strode forward, grabbed his hand, and laughed, "Shiyuan! You've finally arrived!"

Pang Tong was slightly taken aback, then bowed and said, "Tong greets Senior Brother Wenlie."

Ji Xuanyuan quickly helped him up, pulling his hand and leading him inside: "Come on, let's go inside and talk! You must be tired from your journey!"

Pang Tong let him pull him along, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

The two sat down in the study.

The maid served tea and snacks and then left.

Ji Xuanyuan looked at his junior brother, whom he hadn't seen for many years, and was filled with emotion.

The last time they met was several years ago at his own wedding, when Sima Hui brought him and Kongming to attend.

In the blink of an eye, that child has grown into a young man.

"Shiyuan".

Ji Xuanyuan asked gently, "How is my teacher's health?"

Pang Tong nodded: "Teacher is still in good health, but as he gets older, he is increasingly reluctant to go out. When I came here, Teacher asked me to bring a letter."

He took a letter from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

Ji Xuanyuan took it, but did not open it immediately. He simply placed it on the table and sighed, "I have been busy with military affairs all these years and have not been able to visit my teacher often. I am truly ashamed."

Pang Tong smiled slightly: "Senior brother, there's no need to worry. Our teacher often said in the manor that Senior Brother Wenlie is a man destined for great things. There's no need to be concerned about such trivial matters. As long as you have the well-being of the people in your heart, our teacher will be gratified."

Ji Xuanyuan nodded, and was about to ask another question when Pang Tong suddenly spoke up: "Senior brother, judging from your expression just now, you seemed worried. Have you encountered some trouble?"

Ji Xuanyuan was taken aback, then smiled wryly: "Shiyuan has a good eye."

He sighed and recounted in detail how Yuan Tan had sought refuge with Han Sui, how supplies were running out, and how difficult the expedition had been.

"...Although I have annexed Yuan Shao and pacified the Wuhuan, and now possess five provinces and hundreds of thousands of troops, these hundreds of thousands of troops still need to be fed. Food, supplies, and labor are all enormous burdens. Yuan Tan and Han Sui are nothing but clowns; a few tens of thousands of elite troops could easily wipe them out. However, Liangzhou is too far away, and a long expedition would be too costly. If we wait until after next autumn's harvest to launch the expedition, we will have to let these two clowns jump around under our noses for another year..."

He shook his head and said with a wry smile, "To be honest, I'm really unhappy."

After listening, Pang Tong remained silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"Senior brother."

He slowly began to speak: "I have come here to relieve my senior brother's worries."

Ji Xuanyuan's eyes lit up: "Oh? Shiyuan, what brilliant plan do you have?"

Pang Tong stood up, walked to the map, and pointed to the location of Liangzhou.

"What you are worried about, senior brother, is nothing more than two things. First, the lack of food supplies makes the expedition difficult. Second, although Yuan Tan and Han Sui are not to be feared, they are like a thorn in the side and cannot be ignored."

He turned around, looked at Ji Xuanyuan with burning eyes: "I have three strategies, which I can use to decide for my senior brother."

Ji Xuanyuan's spirits lifted: "I'd like to hear the details."

Pang Tong raised one finger:

"The best strategy is high risk, high reward, quick victory, and surprise attack."

He pointed to Liangzhou and slowly said, "Senior brother, you can send a general with several thousand elite cavalry, lightly armed and swiftly advancing day and night, straight into the heart of Liangzhou. Do not attack cities, do not seize territory, do only one thing: behead them!"

"Han Sui and Yuan Tan are both in Liangzhou. If we can launch a surprise attack and kill them both in one fell swoop, Liangzhou will be leaderless and we can win without a fight."

He paused, then continued, "The brilliance of this strategy lies in its surprise. Han Sui and Yuan Tan will surely think that Senior Brother will wait until after the autumn harvest before launching the campaign. They will never expect that Senior Brother will send a surprise attack at this time. If it succeeds, Liangzhou can be conquered in one battle, with only a few thousand cavalrymen and minimal consumption of food and supplies."

"However, the danger of this strategy lies in this: several thousand isolated troops are deep in enemy territory, thousands of miles away. If the news leaks out or they are surrounded by the enemy, the entire army will be in danger of being wiped out. Moreover, Han Sui is cunning and shrewd, and he must have made preparations. Whether it succeeds or not depends entirely on fate."

After listening, Ji Xuanyuan nodded slightly without expressing his opinion.

Pang Tong raised his second finger:

"The middle strategy involves moderate risk, steady progress, adapting to the situation, and dividing and disintegrating the enemy."

He pointed to Liangzhou and continued, "Brother, do you know that Han Sui and Yuan Tan are not truly allies? Yuan Tan was recently defeated and had nowhere else to turn but to Han Sui. Han Sui took him in only to use his troops to bolster his own power. There is no trust between the two of them."

"Senior brother can send an envoy to Liangzhou to openly negotiate peace with Han Sui, offering him great benefits and promising not to pursue his past. He can even petition the court to appoint him as the governor of Liangzhou. Han Sui is a cunning and shrewd man who is very good at judging the situation. He may be tempted if he sees that senior brother is powerful and there is something to gain."

"At the same time, we secretly contacted Yuan Tan's former subordinates and spread the news that Han Sui wanted to offer Yuan Tan to the court to show his loyalty. Yuan Tan was already suspicious, and upon hearing this news, he would surely become estranged from Han Sui. Once the two were fighting each other, my senior brother would send a large army to reap the benefits."

"The brilliance of this strategy lies in subduing the enemy without fighting. Even if we cannot completely subdue Liangzhou, we can make Han Sui and Yuan Tan distrust each other and unable to look eastward. After the autumn harvest next year, when our senior brother has sufficient provisions, we can launch another expedition and win the battle in one fell swoop."

A look of approval flashed in Ji Xuanyuan's eyes, but he still did not express his opinion.

Pang Tong raised his third finger:

"The worst option is low risk, low return, missed opportunities, bottom-line thinking, and prudent preservation."

He smiled slightly and pointed to Liangzhou: "If you don't want to take risks or put in the effort, then do nothing and wait until after the autumn harvest next year before setting out. This is the safest strategy. You will have enough time to prepare provisions and organize your troops. When the time is right, you can crush Liangzhou in one fell swoop with the force of Mount Tai crushing an egg."

"However, the drawback of this strategy is that it gives Han Sui and Yuan Tan a year. Within a year, they can gain a foothold in Liangzhou, recruit soldiers and horses, and may even collude with the Southern Xiongnu and unite with the Qiang and Hu to strengthen their power. If they launch another campaign then, the troops and supplies required will be several times greater than today."

He lowered his hand and looked at Ji Xuanyuan: "There are three strategies, superior, middle and inferior. Senior Brother can choose one. I know that Senior Brother is always prudent, but I think this matter should not be delayed for too long."

The study was completely silent.

Ji Xuanyuan remained silent for a long time before slowly rising and walking to the map.

His gaze fell upon the vast land of Liangzhou.

Han Sui and Yuan Tan.

An old fox, a stray dog.

If they were allowed to linger in Liangzhou for a year, it would indeed cause endless trouble.

With the Southern Xiongnu eyeing them covetously and the various Qiang and Hu tribes wavering, if Han Sui were to collude with them, it would be difficult to guarantee that a major disaster would not occur.

However, launching a surprise attack would be too risky.

Several thousand isolated troops ventured deep into enemy territory; a single misstep could result in the complete annihilation of the entire force.

Divide and disintegrate...

This plan is quite prudent.

Han Sui and Yuan Tan were never on the same side.

One is a cunning and shrewd fox, the other is a young master who has lost his home; together they each harbor their own ulterior motives.

With just a little provocation, they'll start fighting amongst themselves.

Wait until they are both severely weakened before sending troops to clean up the mess; this will be much more efficient.

Ji Xuanyuan turned around and looked at Pang Tong.

"Shiyuan, in your opinion, will Han Sui surrender?"

Pang Tong shook his head: "No."

Ji Xuanyuan raised an eyebrow: "Why?"

Pang Tong said, "Han Sui is a man who has been fickle throughout his life. He first betrayed the court, then joined Dong Zhuo, then betrayed Dong Zhuo again, then joined Ma Teng, and finally joined forces with Ma Teng to turn against his senior brother. Such a person has no loyalty to speak of. He will only follow the strong and will not be loyal to anyone."

"His senior brother is powerful, so he naturally wouldn't dare to be his enemy. But it's absolutely impossible for him to genuinely surrender and hand over Liangzhou. He will only observe, wait, and look for an opportunity."

"Therefore, peace talks are merely a means, not an end. The goal is to make him and Yuan Tan distrust each other and throw themselves into disarray."

Ji Xuanyuan nodded, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

He then asked, "What if Han Sui doesn't fall for it?"

Pang Tong smiled: "Don't worry, senior brother. Han Sui is a suspicious man by nature. He will definitely doubt your sincerity and Yuan Tan's loyalty. As long as our envoy speaks appropriately, he will surely fall into his trap."

Ji Xuanyuan remained silent for a moment, then finally slammed his hand on the table and said, "Very well! Let's follow Shiyuan's advice and take the middle strategy!"

He looked at Pang Tong, his eyes filled with admiration and gratitude: "Shi Yuan's arrival is truly a blessing from heaven. I wish to appoint Shi Yuan as Military Advisor General to advise on military affairs. I wonder if Shi Yuan would be willing to accept this position?"

Pang Tong rose and bowed solemnly: "Tong is willing to serve my lord!"

Ji Xuanyuan was overjoyed and stepped forward to help him up, laughing, "Good! With Shiyuan's help, what is there to worry about in Liangzhou!"

That night, the Grand Tutor's mansion hosted a banquet to welcome Pang Tong.

Guo Jia, Xun Yu, Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and others were all present.

Everyone was secretly amazed by Pang Tong's strange appearance yet sharp and fluent speech.

Guo Jia pulled Pang Tong aside and they chatted about everything from the general situation of the world to poetry and songs, from military strategy to the art of divination. The more they talked, the more they clicked, as if they had known each other for a long time.

"Junior Brother Shiyuan!"

Guo Jia raised his cup, his peach blossom eyes curving into crescents: "With you here from now on, things will be much easier for me!"

Pang Tong smiled slightly: "Brother Fengxiao, you flatter me. I am new here and still have much to learn from you all."

Xun Yu stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes full of satisfaction.

Our lord has gained another prodigy.

As night deepened, the banquet ended.

Ji Xuanyuan sat alone in his study, stroking Sima Hui's letter in his hand.

In the letter, the teacher wrote only a few words: "Shiyuan has extraordinary talent and can be entrusted with important matters, but he is arrogant by nature, so we must make good use of him. Wenlie, take care."