Chapter 17 The ruler and the minister are not easy to meet
Why do weak people fight?
After Wang Lang withdrew from Liao City, Xu You, who accompanied Yuan Shao on the top of the city, had been bored and thinking about this ridiculous question... First of all, since these major counties in Hebei and even the rich Qingzhou are all a so-called
As for the siege in the strategic decisive battle, what on earth were Yuan Shao and so many people and forces surrounding him, including Xu Ziyuan himself, doing from the very beginning?
Is it fun to be the pet of General White Horse Guards for him? Just like his cat?
Of course not, think about it carefully, it’s just that people like me are too stupid, and they were just introduced into the trap by the other party in a clever and unworkable way, using a wrong way of thinking... It’s as if he, Xu Ziyuan, is in the world
The ambush on the bridge was ordinary. An ordinary bridge seemed to be an advantageous factor, but under certain circumstances when the forces of both sides were too large, it became a killer move for setting up an ambush.
The only difference between the two is that one is a tactical design and the other is a strategic ambush, that's all.
But one thing I have to admit is that my own ambush was obviously successful, but it was smashed to pieces by the opponent's courage and violence; and the other party's ambush was also successful, but it was useless at all... Liaodong's troops and horses were floating
Coming from the sea, Yuan Jun was already at the end of his rope. Even without the Liaodong soldiers, Yuan Shao fled to Beihai. What next?
Then he will continue to be trapped by the dragnet of hundreds of thousands of pursuing troops. Even if he escapes from Qingzhou by chance, he is destined to have a bad end... Maybe he is really regarded as a puppet by some powerful clan in Yanzhou, or maybe he is captured halfway while escaping.
Captured or killed by a pavilion chief, or sent back as a gift by other princes. The worst possibility is that a few people were miserable on the way, without food and water, and their bodies were exposed in the wild.
Swallowed by wolves.
In other words, it will be a disaster if you fail.
So things come around again. Even if we don't consider these things, assuming that people like us think of the danger in Liaodong and know the first-mover advantage of the opponent's elite soldiers in the north, what should we do?
It's very simple. We should avoid Hebei, Pingyuan, and Le'an, just stay across the river. Then set up a general in Beihai and go south to sweep the Central Plains, capturing Qing, Yan, Yu, Xu, and even Yangzhou, and other counselors.
Adapted to the military mentality, the soldiers gained battlefield experience before fighting across the river!
At that time, the advantage of Gongsun's elite soldiers and horses will be reduced, and the advantage of his side's population and economy will be improved. The two sides may really be able to have a thrilling and protracted decisive battle across the river.
But if that's the case, it's still wrong... Xu You suddenly smiled bitterly... The reason is very simple. If Yuan Shao had not shown the attitude of going north to confront Gongsun from the beginning, he would not have risen so quickly. Yanzhou was ordered to take orders across the board, and Qingzhou
The Confucian scholars followed each other one after another, the powerful people in the plains turned against them, and the noble families in Yecheng joined forces to betray their masters. Why?
It's not that they are afraid of Gongsun and this tyrannical and mean Liaoxi common man!
These people are afraid of the legalist style of the other party's administration, afraid of the great foundation that the other party has built in the north, afraid of the other party's step by step transformation from a common man in the border county to a legitimate ruler of the empire, and afraid of the other party's arrogance in front of the Weiyang Palace.
They are afraid that one day the other party will really clear up the world and whip up Yunei, and then seize all their basic property and privileges, causing them to panic and lose what they have been used to for hundreds of years... However, on the one hand, because
He was afraid of hatred, despised and didn't want to follow him, but he really didn't dare to resist on his own, so he hit it off with Yuan Cheqi, who was swimming up and down the Yellow River. In less than three years, he created a man who seemed to be no less than Gongsun White Horse.
Yuan's foundation.
Therefore, if Yuan Shao really took the Central Plains and ignored Hebei, he might not have gained power so quickly. Maybe Gongsun would have crossed the river before he conquered two states.
And if you think about it this way, then 30% of why Yuan Shao got to where he is today is because Gongsun had too strong a first-mover advantage and was out of his mind, 30% is because of Yuan Benchu's arrogance and unwillingness to recognize the reality, and the last 40% is because of those who supported him.
On people who do these things...
It was not just Gongsun who killed Yuan Shao, but Yuan Shao himself and the people surrounding him!
Of course, Xu Ziyuan was also involved!
"What are you looking at at the beginning?"
On the empty city top, Xu Ziyuan came back to his senses and suddenly noticed that Yuan Shao, who had been sitting there, no longer felt the strong disappointment and loneliness he had when Wang Lang left at the beginning. Instead, his face was rosy and his expression was much calmer, but
He is looking at the place where the Yellow River enters the sea in the east, feeling in a trance.
"Looking at the sunset over the East China Sea." Yuan Shao was lying in the chair where he sat when he summoned Wang Lang, and his tone was surprisingly calm. "Weren't you been looking at it before? You even asked Wang Jingxing to come here specifically to see me...
It’s really rude.”
"Scenery comes from the heart!" Xu You walked to Yuan Shao's side and stood with his hands behind his back facing the east. "This is obviously just the reflection of the setting sun itself on the sea to the east, but when it comes to you, it turns into the color of the fading sun...
…In the beginning, if you want to see the real sunset, why not look back and see what’s the point of facing a fake sunset?”
"Isn't it more appropriate for a vain man to view a vain scene?" Yuan Shao chuckled slightly. "I still remember four years ago, when the emperor's health gradually failed and He Jin began to take power. I went out to plan big things. You go to Changping for me to find Gongsun.
At that time, although I didn’t really regard this person as a chess piece, I felt condescending in my heart..."
"When have you not been condescending to someone?" Xu You sneered as he looked at the sea with his hands behind his hands.
"Yes!" Yuan Shao did not refute, but still smiled unabated. "Then Gongsun Wenqi occupied Mengjin, and He Jin relied on him to seize the military power in Luozhong. It's ridiculous that in order to drive him away, I actually asked him to lead the troops to Guanzhong.
... This was the first big mistake I made when I faced him, and it was a huge mistake. Later, he was able to march straight into the third assistant because I won the decisive battle for him in advance... And at that time I
Isn’t it ridiculous that you don’t regard losses as gains? Isn’t it vain?”
"That's right." Xu You raised his head and sighed. "If you think about it carefully, our biggest problem in the past four years is that we seek to be broad and focused in everything, but we don't know how to calm down and lower our heads to run a real business.
The foundation of... This started from Dong Zhuo, who was often at a loss, especially when he encountered Gongsun who was well prepared."
"Dong Zhongying is a strange person through the ages. What he did was nothing more than going against the grain at the end of the day. He was the only one who took charge of the world as a humble warrior and made everyone in the world think he could replace him. This can be regarded as the beginning of troubled times, so it is worth mentioning.
But Gongsun Wenqi..." Yuan Shao was silent for a moment, but continued. "Gongsun Wenqi has his own system and is not an ordinary warrior. The world is in chaos. In the era of great strife, swords and weapons will eventually be used to clear the way, so he is even more at home.
! But now, how can I care about these people anymore? I, Yuan Shao, am conceited and only thought that the affairs of the world were only the Gongsun family and the Yuan family. In the end, I found out that they were just bait used by others to fish..."
Xu You's heart moved slightly: "What do you mean?"
"Without him, on the battlefield in the north of Liangqi City, Gongsun Wenqi once spoke frankly to me, saying that he wanted to thank me for bringing together the people in the world who were not worthy of him... I thought he was deliberately irritating me before the battle, but now I see
Come, but he is somewhat magnanimous." Yuan Shao smiled again and spoke slowly, but it was a bit self-deprecating. "I regard him as the number one opponent in the world, but he regards me as the leader on the road to revolution.
It is no longer ridiculous to gather people as bait to resist."
"There is no need to underestimate yourself at first." Xu You thought for a moment and couldn't help but smile. "Gongsun Wenqi may not underestimate you so much, but he has obviously been well prepared. After the battle at Jieqiao, he will definitely gain more momentum."
It was obvious that he took the opportunity to let his subordinates lead the army as a demonstration... He was pretending to be unconcerned, but in fact he was taking the opportunity to establish the authority of the shogunate and in turn use you to raise his own status. "
"Perhaps so!" Yuan Shao couldn't help laughing. "Meng Ziyuan opened the solution, and I felt a lot better..."
"Then you still have to watch the sun set over the East China Sea?" Xu You quipped, twisting his beard. "Don't you look back at the sunset?"
Yuan Shao shook his head.
"Why?" Xu You was puzzled for a moment. "Are you still unwilling to face reality at the beginning? There are only vast expanse of waves on the East China Sea, just like a dream, but the reality lies in the 100,000-strong army in the west."
"To be honest, I am sitting facing east. I am not only watching the sunset, but also watching the river flowing into the sea." Yuan Shao suddenly laughed, and his eyes suddenly became brighter. "I still remember you and me in Chenggao.
Climbing a tower in the city to watch the eastward flow of the river, discussing future strategies, I was full of ambition, trying to rebuild the world and become the supreme... But now I think about it, some of the words spoken back then are not biased even today. After all, life is like a river going eastward.
If you have the ambition to join the sea, since you are born into this family, wouldn’t it be even more ridiculous if you don’t compete for the mainstream?”
"Then what?" Xu You felt even more ridiculous when he heard the word "ridiculous." "You are competing with the Gongsun family. It is obviously someone else who has taken away your river. So no matter how right the truth is, for others, those who enter the sea in the future will still be able to fight for supremacy."
If you want to talk about it again, it is definitely not you... What do you think it is used for?"
"Zi Yuan is too harsh!" Yuan Shao put away his smile and let out a long sigh.
"I have always been so harsh." Xu You was completely unfazed.
"Ziyuan." Yuan Shao exhaled slightly and spoke with a slightly more serious tone. "I have been sitting here for a long time, watching the river flow into the sea, and thinking about my past. If I say I have no feelings, it is an understatement... In fact, not only is life a
Ambition is just like the ambition of a river to flow eastward into the sea. The many hardships in life are also very similar to the river's difficult journey and its slow eastward movement. Only the river moves slowly, changes its course and merges, and one day it will flow together and roll forward.
Entering the sea, life is limited, but many ambitions are hard to achieve, and the body will die, which is a little regrettable!"
"Just a little bit?" The sarcasm on Xu You's face could no longer be concealed.
"Yes, just a little bit." Yuan Shao suddenly raised his head and answered loudly. "No matter what, I tried and fought after all, and the noise was not small... Do you still remember the old river? Although I was taken away
It flows, but just like the old river, it is dead but not stiff. When the water rises in spring, there is still water flowing over it. It is a pity that you have not been able to achieve your goals at this point in your life, but why should you be so depressed?"
"Don't pretend to be in front of me." Xu You was helpless immediately. "If you were so transparent at the beginning, why did you have to meet Gongsun before? Wasn't it to express your resentment in person before you die?"
"No! I just want to tell him that since he defeated me, Yuan Shao, then he must become like this, otherwise my old life will be implicated by him and no one will sigh!" Yuan Shao immediately
Reply loudly.
"Is it so airy?" Xu You asked more and more.
"good!"
"Don't you really hate Gongsun Wenqi?!"
"Don't hate!"
"What about those who have betrayed you? What about those who have left you? Don't complain?"
"The troops were closely pursued along the way. It was normal for them to be caught or forced to flee to other cities... How could they complain?"
"What about you? You are arrogant on the outside, but inferior on the inside. You become arrogant when you succeed, and you become fearful when you are frustrated... Don't you feel any anger at yourself?"
"Didn't I tell you everything?" Yuan Shao smiled bitterly. "I still have some regret and resentment towards myself, but it's just a little bit. Looking at this life, it can be regarded as a bustling moment, not too resentful and resentful..."
"I'm going to die. If I don't show my true feelings when I look back, and explain my funeral, why are I pretending to be a hero here?! Why are I pretending to be a hero?!" Xu You finally couldn't bear it anymore and asked sternly. "Can't you be more honest? Really?
Don’t you hate it?!”
"I really don't hate it!" Yuan Shao said sincerely.
"In that case, I will go out of the city and surrender, leaving you here alone to wait for death!" Xu You said with a dark face and rolled up his sleeves. "When I meet Gongsun Wenqi in the future, I will never talk about your death.
You have the same heroic spirit anyway, why do you care if others know or not?!"
After saying this, the man turned around and was about to go down to the city.
"Stay far away from Ziyuan!" Yuan Shao quickly called to the other party, with a pleading tone in his tone. "Stay away from Ziyuan... You have worked hard for half your life, and you are so miserable. Only one old friend is still alive before you die. It is unfortunate and extremely lucky. How can you bear it?
Are you leaving me now? At least you should give me a gift, right?"
"I just don't want to see you pretending to be a hero before you die... That's all." Xu You turned around helplessly and saw that the other party couldn't even leave the chair, and couldn't help but feel sad. "Now that things have happened, what kind of demeanor do you still care about?
?Why do you still hide the resentment in your heart?"
Yuan Shao smiled bitterly: "It's not that there is no resentment, but since the person is about to die, why bother to leave evil words? I hate Gongsun. When I invited him to meet him before, he was full of words, 'How can I live with Shao'... Hate
I can't ask him three times in person! But others are not here, and they regard me as nothing. What's the use of hating him? Isn't it just making people laugh? There are many staff and subordinates who rebel and surrender. Of course, I don't
I hate them, but have I made fewer mistakes than them? And..."
At this point, Yuan Shao suddenly moved to tears: "And...after all, aren't there He Boqiu, Chen Gongtai, and Feng Yuantu who went to the festival for me one after another? Aren't there General Wen, General Chunyu, and General Yan who are loyal to me?"
Aren't you, Xu Ziyuan, who has never left me until now? If I complain again now, firstly, what face will I have for you in this city before my death? Secondly, what will my face be like under the underworld after death?
Where to meet them?"
Xu You remained silent.
"Ziyuan." After saying these words, Yuan Shao suddenly felt exhausted, but he managed to raise his head and look at Xu You. "I know you are arrogant in your heart. In fact, you have always looked down on me. It is just because of fate that you have added my family status to yours."
Gao, you and I have been kings and ministers for sixteen years, and along the way, we have gathered and died, and there have been so many subordinates and ministers, but today, you are the only one accompanying me here...I, although I have
I have to complain, but I will never let you look down on me even now! So I really don’t want to complain in front of you, I, I have lost..."
Before he could finish his words, Yuan Shao had no strength anymore, and his oil ran out and his lamp dried up. He died at the place where the river empties into the sea, on the east side of Liao City, at the age of thirty-eight.
Under the setting sun, Yuan Shao's head tilted and his arms hung down, while Xu You stood on one side. He didn't react at all for a moment, just stunned and speechless. But after a long time, Xu Ziyuan seemed to react, and then he took half a step forward and tried to reach out.
Helping the other person, but with his hands in the air, the person suddenly froze and burst into tears...
In other words, Xu You suddenly realized at this time that Yuan Shao had fallen to this point. Because of his narrow-mindedness, the reason why he never did evil or expressed resentment, but always had a graceful demeanor, was not that he did not hate Gongsun, nor did he not blame those who left.
The person who left was not resentful of his own mistakes, but actually because there was still someone on his side. Although Yuan Benchu died, he was resentful, but he did not want to leave a bad look to the last minister!
I am the dividing line between death and death
"... After Shao was defeated and fled to Liao City, with only a few hundred people left by his side, he knew what to do. When the minister's servant shot Wang Lang, he persuaded him to surrender. Shao summoned him at the top of the city and asked him to see General Wei. Lang told him honestly:'
General Wei knew that he would win, so he had gone to the north to inspect the spring plowing work for two months, but he could not see him. Shao was in a daze and was silent. At dusk, when he watched the river flowing into the sea, Fang Chang shouted and sighed: "If Shao is born, how can he be born?!"
"If you repeat it three times, your Qi will be gone." Wang Can, "Heroes of the Late Han Dynasty"
ps: Ahhh, it’s so painful not to have this chapter!
