The Three Kingdoms: The Oath of the Peach Garden, the Rise of the Han Dynasty

As Li Changzheng was speaking, another fast horse galloped in from the north, its banner indicating it was from the direction of Ye City.

"Report!! Great victory at Yecheng!"

Generals Zhang and Lü used a stratagem to breach the city; Shen Pei committed suicide; Yuan Tan was captured; Ye City has been taken by our army!

"What?!"

"Whose scheme was this?"

Jia Xu turned his head abruptly, his face showing utter shock for the first time, so much so that he didn't even notice pulling out a few strands of his beard.

In comparison, my doubts and surprise just now seemed like an act!

"Zhang Fei? Zhang Yide? General Yide? He used a stratagem to break through the city?"

Cheng Yu's eyes widened in disbelief: "How could Shen Pei, such a person, be defeated by General Zhang?"

"How...how is this possible?"

They've been working with Zhang Fei for quite some time now, so when did Zhang Fei learn to use stratagems?

And they managed to ruin Shenpei with just one move?

Li Chang laughed; this was both unexpected and reasonable!

"Third Brother may look rough, but he's very shrewd."

My third brother could be a strategist like Zhang Fei! Just like me, Li Chang, could be a warrior like Li Chang!

Despite saying that, there was a hint of approval in his eyes.

Jia Xu was stunned for a long time. He could also be a military officer, but it was not safe. He was more suited to a civil service position.

After a long silence, he clapped his hands and sighed, "General Zhang... is truly an extraordinary man!"

I thought that the capture of Ye would at least require the lord's return, but I didn't expect it to be so quick!

Cheng Yu shook his head repeatedly, sighing in admiration, "You can't judge a book by its cover."

With this, most of Ji Province is now under our control!

Li Chang looked south, then east towards Yanzhou, and slowly said:

"Once Ye City falls, it's only a matter of time before all the counties in Ji Province surrender without a fight."

On Yuan Shu's side, due to an unexpected plague and rumors, the morale of his army was low, and he himself was on the verge of collapse, let alone heading north.

"In this world, we... have already won most of the battle."

The trend of the world is becoming increasingly clear!

Cheng Yu looked at the two of them: "If we still lose, this old man..."

"Shut up!"

Li Chang immediately shut his mouth!

"Mr. Cheng, don't raise your flag recklessly!"

……

As the autumn wind swept across the land of Jizhou, surrender notices from various prefectures were already flying towards Yecheng like snowflakes.

It had only been a little over a month since Ye City fell.

Yuan Shao died, Shen Pei died, Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang were captured, and the vast Ji Province was leaderless.

As soon as Liu Bei's proclamation of punitive expedition arrived, the governors and powerful families of various counties surrendered without hesitation.

Bohai, Guangping, Qinghe, Zhao State... one county after another, the banners of the Han dynasty were raised on the city walls. The former officials of the Yuan family either stayed in office to manage affairs or retired to their hometowns. The handover was smooth and efficient.

They were all Han officials; whoever held power was still an official.

Moreover, Liu Bei's reputation for killing Dong Zhuo and pacifying four provinces was well-established, and he had also decisively defeated Yuan Shao's army of over 100,000. The powerful families were very clear about their calculations!

Li Chang exclaimed that it was such a pity!

While Liu Bei ordered a grand funeral for Shen Pei, provided relief to former officials of the Yuan family, and opened granaries to relieve famine in Ji Province, he also divided his troops into two routes to expand his territory.

Guan Yu led his troops into Qingzhou from the east.

With Yuan Tan now a prisoner, how could the counties of Qingzhou possibly have the will to fight?

As soon as Guan Yu's army arrived in Pingyuan County, surrender notices were submitted from various counties.

Although it was nominally a surrender, the military and political power of the prefectures and counties were still mostly in the hands of powerful families and local magnates, and fortified villages were everywhere. But at least they were now under the banner of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Bei's main force from the southern route led troops south to Yanzhou, intending to take advantage of the situation to seize the northern counties of Yanzhou.

However, the army was struck by a plague as soon as it arrived in Dongping County.

Yuan Shu's army has been unexpectedly plagued by a plague for several months, and people are dying every day in the military camp!

This made Yuan Shu feel utterly humiliated!

The people along the way also suffered, and groups of refugees fled north.

Liu Bei dared not advance rashly.

The plague does not discriminate; if it truly infects the army, even the most capable soldiers will not be able to withstand it.

The only option was to issue a military order: temporarily withdraw troops back to Jizhou and wait until the epidemic was over.

In the end, Yuan Shu did not gain any advantage in Yan Province. He had no choice but to turn around and take over the southernmost prefecture of Yan Province and parts of the northern prefectures of Xu Province.

It's just a token gesture, so it doesn't seem like we've come away empty-handed.

Between the two sides, only the bandits of Taishan County, including Zang Ba and Chang Xi, remained. Occupying the high mountains and treacherous roads, they became a natural buffer zone between Liu Bei and Yuan Shu.

If you don't hit me, I won't provoke you either; we'll just stand there facing each other.

……

When the news reached Nanjun in Jingzhou, Cao Cao was standing on the city wall of Jiangling, looking north, holding a military report in his hand, and remained silent for a long time.

The autumn wind whipped his beard, but he didn't even notice.

"Liu Bei...has he taken Ji Province?"

He muttered to himself, "How long has it been? Yuan Benchu ​​had been managing Hebei for several years, and now he's just gone?"

After more than two years of stalemate, victory or defeat could be decided in a mere instant!

That's too fast, it's just too fast!

Behind him, Xun Yu bowed and stepped forward, analyzing:

"My lord, Yuan Shao's defeat was not due to the battle at Yehe, but to the lack of supplies, natural disasters, and internal strife."

More than a year earlier, when Liu Bei was still confronting Yuan Shao in Hanoi.

Li Chang, then in Luoyang, began to exchange large quantities of precious warhorses and books for grain, thus seizing most of the new grain from the four provinces under Yuan Shao's control.

Although Yuan Shao's army's granaries appeared full, most of the grain was actually old stock.

This year, northern and central China have suffered from severe drought for several consecutive months, followed by a locust plague in the summer. The fields have yielded no harvest, and the rear areas have long been devastated.

Furthermore, with Yuan Shao dead, his two sons vying for the throne, advisors at odds, and the people's hearts scattered, Liu Bei's capture of Ye City was a natural consequence of a swift and decisive victory.

What appears to be an unstoppable advance is actually the culmination of nearly three years of preparation, with each step perfectly timed.

Chen Gong, standing to the side, finally understood after listening and sighed:

"Li Chang's planning was so early and so profound, it's terrifying!"

It's as if it could really bring disaster.

They would calculate the costs of grain, horses, books, and the loyalty of powerful families into the plan a year or even several years in advance.

Always staying ahead of the competition, by the time your opponent realizes what's happening, it's too late.

This...this is terrifying!

He recalled that back in Luoyang, Liu Bei was just a young general with merits but no connections or influence.

In the blink of an eye, they swallowed up most of the world!

Even if he put himself in Yuan Shao's shoes, he couldn't see any possibility of winning!

Guo Jia leaned against the railing, twirling a bronze wine cup in his hand. Hearing this, he smiled, his nonchalant expression conveying confidence.

"Although the Duke of Jin has obtained Ji Province, he may not be able to accept it."

The powerful families of Jizhou were deeply entrenched, and the Yuan family had been operating for many years, with their disciples and former officials spread throughout the prefectures and counties.

They have only nominally submitted; the military and financial power in each prefecture is still in the hands of powerful families.

Unlike Bingzhou, which Liu Bei had managed for many years, his policies were effective and his people were of one mind.

Jizhou is a piece of fatty meat, delicious but hard to digest.

Without three to five years of painstaking effort, don't expect to completely control it.

Why was Liu Bei able to completely revitalize Bingzhou?

As he spoke, he asked and answered himself:

"Because Bingzhou had been plagued by war for a long time and the powerful families had declined, Liu Bei faced little resistance in promoting land reclamation, establishing the imperial examination system, and suppressing the powerful clans."

And what about Ji Province?

Guo Jia didn't continue the conversation.

Silence fell over the city walls for a moment.

The group of people gazed at the northern sky, each lost in their own thoughts.

They all understood the virtues of aristocratic families.

They're like reeds in the wind, always siding with whichever side is in power, but when it comes to actually putting in their own resources and effort, they all shrink back.

Liu Bei acquired the shell of Ji Province but not its substance, which, in the short term, added a burden to his position.

Cao Cao remained silent for a long time before slowly exhaling and placing his hand on the city bricks.

Yes, powerful families don't give in so easily! There are still undercurrents brewing within the powerful families of Jingzhou!

"However... Xuande's pace is too fast."

If this continues, once he's finished digesting Ji Province, our lives will be much harder.

He never considered how long Yuan Shu could hold out!

If he were Yuan Shu, he would have joined forces with Yuan Shao to take down Liu Bei long ago!

Cao Cao turned to Xun Yu and the others: "Gentlemen, what do you think our next step should be?"

Xun Yu had not yet answered, but was looking in the direction of Jiangxia.

Chen Gong replied:

"Liu Biao of Jiangxia is seriously ill and is still clinging to life. Recently, I heard some rumors circulating, trying to sow discord between Liu Biao and Huang Zu. I suspect it is the work of the Sun family of Jiangdong."

……

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