Three Kingdoms

Looking at the mountain that collapsed in the village, Yuan Shao was speechless for a long time. The many soldiers and generals on the side all had miserable expressions on their faces, still in awe of this area that looked like the sky was collapsing.

Yuan Shao ignored Feng Ji's dissuasion and after waking up from a coma, he stumbled to the scene of the incident. Under the light of the fire, the collapsed and splashed mountain was like the devil's open mouth, ferocious and Ugly and scary.

"It hurts me!" Yuan Shao shouted, tears streaming down his face, and he wanted to move forward.

Feng Ji pulled Yuan Shao's sleeve tightly, "General! General, my condolences! My condolences! Be careful, be careful! We can't go any further!"

"..." Yuan Shao regained some sense and did not break away. Instead, he turned around and sat down and said to Feng Ji. Upon seeing this, Feng Ji bowed to Yuan Shao and said, "This is Ji's responsibility... The general still needs to take care of himself..." Then he motioned to Yuan Shao's guards to take care of him before turning around to arrange relevant military affairs.

Under Fengji's coordination, Yuan Jun, who was still in shock, restored order one after another. He deployed his defenses and took a rest. Although he would still cast frightened eyes here from time to time, it was obviously better than the chaos just now. A lot more...

Yuan Shao took the water bag handed over by the guard at the side, drank a big gulp, and then let out a long sigh. Yuan Shao just couldn't control his emotions. The ups and downs during this period were really too different. For Yuan Shao, who was already middle-aged and about to enter old age, the stimulation was too strong, causing his little heart to tremble. Some can't stand it.

Although he said he had captured the mountain stronghold, the anxiety in Yuan Shao's heart did not diminish by half.

Fei Qian, the General of the Conquest to the West, did not retreat because of his strength, but deliberately left a trap. Although Yuan Shao did not know what black gunpowder was, he could more or less infer that General Fei Qian of the Conquest of the West was actually targeting him. , Yan Liang is just a scapegoat.

If Yuan Shao had come up in person at that time, he might have been buried under the collapsed mountain by now!

Thinking of this, Yuan Shao's hands started to tremble a little. If it weren't for the darkness, others might have noticed his ugly face.

Since the end of last year, when Yuan Shao turned to gathering troops to attack Zhengxi, everything seemed to have gone downhill. First there were various changes, and now he has lost his generals one after another, including Yan Liang...

Although it is common for corpses to be shrouded in horse leather on the battlefield, Yan Liang's death now sounded the alarm in Yuan Shao's heart, causing the originally swollen Yuan Shao to completely fall to the ground, feeling that he was no longer the same as in the clouds. Soft and comfortable, but the ground is rough and gritty.

Yuan Shao didn't like this kind of friction. But in the face of the bloody reality, Yuan Shao had to accept this fact.

It has been three or four months since the swearing-in in Yecheng last year. Now, due to the difficulty in transporting food and grass on the mountain roads, the army's food and grass reserves have bottomed out. If they can't be replenished, then it will be their own. Pushing under Huguan, there is nothing you can do.

Attacking such a mountain stronghold has already cost more than 2,000 people. If it were to be under the more solid and majestic Huguan Pass, how many more people would have to be filled in?

To deal with ordinary cities, you can use siege. If other conditions such as food and grass allow, sieging the city will be more profitable than attacking with ants. After all, sieging the city can get a relatively complete city, and the casualties will be small. It will be relatively small.

In a siege, a draw depends more on endurance and mental strength, but this is not the case with Ant Fu. Now Zhengxi Feiqian occupied Shangdang too far away, separated by Huguan Pass. Even if Yuan Shao thought about marching to Bingzhou, he would have to consider how to conquer Huguan Pass first.

It's not easy.

Yan Liang's death had a psychological impact on the soldiers in the army. It is conceivable that if they are unable to enter Huguan again, and it takes several more months, reinforcements will not arrive, food and grass will be exhausted, and the morale of the army will naturally collapse. , will collapse without a fight...

However, Yuan Shao was unwilling to retreat like this. I originally thought that I could go all the way to Bingzhou with the momentum of defeating Gongsun Zan. Now it seems that this beautiful wish has gradually moved away, just like the pile of rocks in front of me, showing a cold and cruel side.

retreat?

no!

Fei Qian, the general who conquers the West, will have to be solved sooner or later! If Zhengxi is allowed to develop, it will be even more troublesome and terrifying in the future!

Now that the expedition to the west is so difficult, Yuan Shao knows that if he retreats like this this time, it will be even more difficult to shake in the future. Maybe this is his last chance! It was precisely because he saw this that Yuan Shao thought of attacking Bingzhou now, hoping for a better ending. However, God did not fulfill his wish, and at this time, Yuan Shao could only sigh.

Unlike many ordinary soldiers who thought that Yan Liang died from some kind of thunder, some kind of punishment, or some other stupid thing, Yuan Shao knew clearly in his heart that Yan Liang must have died from some trap left by General Fei Qian of the Expedition to the West, although Yuan Shao didn't quite understand the specific trap. What it is, but to Yuan Shao, this is undoubtedly a basin of ice water poured in front of him in the cold winter. Thinking about it now, there is still a cold sweat on his back.

So now, what to do?

Yan Liang's death made Yuan Shao grieve endlessly, but no amount of grief could save Yan Liang's life. The next thing is the key.

Huguan, food and grass.

The goal is to conquer Huguan, but the biggest variable now is the food and grass in the rear. If food and grass can still be provided, then there is still hope. If anything happens...

Ever since, the problem has returned to Yuan Shao's rear.

War can never be fought by a small group of people. This is the same whether it is in the Han Dynasty or in later generations, especially the war of the whole country, just like many people in later generations clearing the land for Japanese pirates, but no matter what To cover up, in those days of the Japanese, the whole country was indeed looking forward to invading other countries, taking pride in plundering, and glory in killing.

"Come here!" Yuan Shao wrapped his body in a large cloak and felt the mountain breeze was biting to his bones. "Let Yuan Tu come..."

Feng Ji rushed over quickly and bowed his hands to Yuan Shao.

"Yuan Tu, I'll leave this to you! Just hold on, there's no need to march!" Yuan Shao stood up. There was no confusion and sadness in his words, but a bit more determination, and he said in a deep voice, "Sometime soon You can go back and supervise the supplies! In addition, a certain general will be transferred here to coordinate with Yuan Tu in the battle!"

Feng Ji was stunned for a moment, and then he bowed deeply: "Ji will definitely obey the Lord's order!"

Yuan Shao nodded, turned around and took another deep look at the place where the mountain collapsed. He shed a lot of tears, which deeply moved the surrounding soldiers. He also ordered a grand burial for Yan Liang, and finally left with his guards... …

Yuan Shao is also sure of one thing. The so-called "Sky Thunder" is a trump card method that is really shocking. However, it is not a trump card that can be used normally. Therefore, since General Fei Qian of the Western Expedition has used this method. If it is used, it means that General Fei Qian of Zhengxi is also in a dilemma!

Right now, it’s about seeing who can persist until the last moment!

…………………………

Although Tian Feng was in the rear camp of the Taihang Mountains, he could still get some news. Although the news was somewhat delayed, it was enough for Tian Feng to deduce something.

Yuan Shao did not order Tian Feng to be released, so no one dared to release him. Of course, the officials in the baggage rear camp did not dare to make things difficult for Tian Feng. Except for the fact that the living conditions were indeed poor, they took care of the rest as much as possible. However, for Tian Feng, such a living environment was still very difficult. Especially for an old man who has been accustomed to fine clothes and fine food, Tian Feng is still a little overwhelmed by the sudden change in life.

"Mr. Tian!" Yuan Shao came over and saw Tian Feng squinting in the sun and scratching the lice on his body. He seemed to be quite happy and content. He couldn't help but feel a little angry. "It's so leisurely!"

Tian Feng had not been able to wash up in the past few days, so he was somewhat unkempt, but suddenly he heard Yuan Shao's voice, and the hand he was scratching in his arms shook, and then calmed down in the blink of an eye, he opened his eyes and looked at the man walking slowly. Yuan Shao looked up and down, and then said: "My lord, have you returned from a great victory?"

"..." Yuan Shao couldn't help but pause.

"I understand..." Tian Feng stroked his somewhat messy beard with his fingers, "Can't the pot be closed?"

Yuan Shao did not answer immediately, but waved his hand. The guard understood and expanded outward, leaving a large enough space for Yuan Shao and Tian Feng to talk.

"General Zhengxi established a stronghold at the mountain pass..." Yuan Shao slowly recounted what happened during this period, and then when he mentioned Yan Liang's death, his eyes couldn't help but a glimmer of water, "...Zhengxi, this beast, harmed A certain general, even if he rips out his heart and bones, he still cannot eliminate the hatred in his heart!"

Yan Liang died!

Tian Feng was also shocked when he heard this. However, after Tian Feng had mastered his cultivation, the expression on his face did not change much, and he seemed to express the meaning of "I knew it would be like this".

Tian Feng narrowed his eyes and did not pick up Yuan Shao's topic. He had communicated with Yuan Shao before and proposed his conditions to Yuan Shao, but Tian Feng was disappointed by Yuan Shao's response. Although Yan Liang's death was also a great surprise to Tian Feng, the more important thing was not The life and death of famous generals, but what Yuan Shao thinks now...

Although Yan Liang is a pity, he is just a Jizhou general who is close to Yuan Shao. Jizhou is full of talents, including Yan Liang, Gao Lan, Zhang He, Jiang Qi, etc...

Besides, the death of a general who was loyal to Yuan Shao might not necessarily be a bad thing from a certain perspective.

Yuan Shao saw this and knew it well. Although he was angry, he had to swallow it and said: "Yuan Hao, what can I say, but there is no harm in saying it!"

Tian Feng cupped his hands, threw out two words firmly, and said: "Retreat."

"You!" Yuan Shao was furious.

After a while, Yuan Shao calmed down, told Tian Feng his arrangements and considerations, and then said: "Now that we have exhausted our skills in conquering the west, our army can reach Huguan overnight! What is lacking is only money and food. It’s just a backup, if we merge with the state and conquer it, we can go straight to Hodong and march on Sanfu! If this is the case, the world can be conquered!”

Yuan Shao was really not exaggerating. In Yuan Shao's understanding, Cao Cao is his younger brother. His biggest rival, Yuan Shu, was beaten to the point where he could not find the north, and his demise was just around the corner. If he defeated Zhengxi, it would mean that from south to north, he would belong to Yuan Shao. As for those Liu Bei and Liu Biao, Yuan Shao didn't pay attention at all...

Before Tian Feng could say anything in reply, Yuan Shao raised his hand and said: "I know what Mr. Tian is worried about. Jizhou is in dire straits. How can I know that Bingzhou is in embarrassment? If we don't take this opportunity to surrender and conquer the west, what if we conquer the next day?" Isn’t it more difficult because the power in the west is strong?”

This makes some sense, but Tian Feng is not willing to change his mind.

Tian Feng sat upright and said solemnly: "My lord! My lord's heart, Feng already knows! However, the world is so big, how can it be achieved in one place at a time! It should be noted that internal worries are more important than external troubles! Now that Youzhou has been settled, Qingzhou is unstable. If Jizhou is in chaos again, I dare to ask my lord, how can you control the world? Although there is a small defeat now, it is not harmful. You can retreat slowly, accumulate strength, and find other opportunities! Let those who conquer the west jump to the beams and survive A few days doesn’t matter!”

Yuan Shao took a long breath and closed his eyes.

He was disappointed.

Although Tian Feng's words were also true, Yuan Shao did not hesitate to come here in person to explain to Tian Feng, and even analyze the situation. Didn't he just hope that Tian Feng would understand and be willing to cooperate?

In the end, Tian Feng still wanted Yuan Shao to withdraw his troops...

If he really wanted to withdraw his troops, would Yuan Shao still need to talk so nicely to Tian Feng?

Today, the world has reached a point where it seems that if we work harder, everything can be solved. Why doesn't Tian Feng understand, or is he still unwilling to follow and obey?

Tian Feng was also looking at Yuan Shao.

He was also disappointed.

The war has reached such a situation, and Yuan Shao still wants to continue. Does it mean that he has to wait until the situation becomes uncontrollable before he regrets it?

Maybe Yuan Shao was right, and he could win Hu Pass if he worked harder, but has Yuan Shao ever calculated the price?

Since the war started, Tian Feng thought that Zhengxi was easy to defeat from the beginning, and gradually understood that Zhengxi was actually very difficult to deal with, and he would not lose his fighting spirit easily just because of one city or one place.

This is very troublesome.

To conquer Huguan, whether to attack Shangdang Taiyuan, whether to conquer Shangdang Taiyuan, whether to attack Pingyang in Hedong, and Guanzhong Sanfu, such a large area, if we really attack it bit by bit, how many lives of the children of Jizhou will it take to fill it?

Yuan Shao came here in person, and he was indeed very sincere, but sincerity cannot be eaten as food. Those noble nobles in Jizhou want something real, not the "sincerity" that Yuan Shao talks about!

Since Tian Feng was promoted by these Jizhou nobles as a representative of their interests, he couldn't just speak based on his personal emotions. Otherwise, how could the Tian family assume this invisible leadership position? If we don't seek benefits for the powerful rightists of the Jizhou gentry, how can these people support it, and how can they obey their orders?

Fighting is not non-negotiable, but the interests of Jizhou must be guaranteed. The current situation is nothing but sacrifice and no gain, and it must not continue.

Yuan Shao stared at Tian Feng, and Tian Feng also looked at Yuan Shao. Both of them feel that their ideas are correct, both believe that they are insisting on the right things, and neither of them is willing to give in easily.

There was a moment of unspeakable embarrassment and silence, both of them trying to get the other to give in first.

As the saying goes, the troops have not moved. Food and grass go first.

Fighting is about earning money and food. Fighting on the mainland, because of the convenience of transportation, and considering that the most forward position may be lost by the enemy's surprise attack, there is no need to reserve too much food on the front line, but now it is necessary to expand the front line to Going to Huguan, there is not enough money and food reserves. Even if there are many victories in the early stage, it will be in vain.

Yuan Shao must get a batch of grain and grass to transport to the front line. Otherwise, the front line will lose its generals. Without the grain and grass supplies, it will immediately be a defeat!

The most important thing is that the middle line is basically composed of relatively loyal veterans who directly obey Yuan Shao's orders. If the soldiers on the middle line suffer heavy casualties, then Yuan Shao will lose a lot of capital to control Jizhou!

"I'm not willing to give in!" Yuan Shao's eyes showed fierceness and he said in a deep voice, "If Mr. Tian is not willing to share the worries for me, I will go to Jizhou in person and summon all the families. Chen Ming is so powerful!"

This is not that Yuan Shao is stupid, nor is he opaque, but a normal psychology, just like a gambler. After he loses many chips at the gambling table, he is always unwilling to give up so easily, because That means these lost chips no longer have their original value.

It’s not that Yuan Shao doesn’t understand the principle of stopping losses when things are good, but he is usually a talkative king who speaks clearly and eloquently, and often becomes a fish on the gambling table. It is not enough for Yuan Shao to have such a mentality at this moment. It's surprising, not to mention that Yuan Shao is not a person who is willing to compromise easily.

If we can't suppress the Jizhou gentry, won't we have to be restricted by the Jizhou gentry in the future? Yuan Shao finally showed his murderous intent. If he refused to obey, then don't blame him for being ruthless!

This is a threat...

Tian Feng closed his eyes, let out a long sigh, and said: "If the lord insists on doing this, I will go to Jizhou for the lord... However, I have something to say beforehand, and there are only three things to do... Now there are three changes, if... "

Tian Feng finally gave in half a step. After all, Yuan Shao also said that if Yuan Shao was really asked to go to Yecheng, Jizhou to handle this matter in person, it would be tantamount to pronouncing Tian Feng's death sentence.

Although Tian Feng feels that Yuan Shao may not give up the good reputation he has maintained for a long time, the problem is that a dog will jump over the wall when he is anxious...

Yuan Shao was overjoyed and naturally agreed, but neither Yuan Shao nor Tian Feng expected that things were actually far from being as simple as they imagined...