The relationship between Jushou and Pang Ji was not very good. The main reason why he took the initiative to rescue Pang Ji this time was for the sake of the overall situation.
If it had not affected the direction of the war, he would have wanted Yuan Shao to castrate Pang Ji and then kill him.
In the current situation, the eastern front is no longer sustainable. Killing Pang Ji is indeed not a good sign and can easily cause morale to drop. After all, Yan Liang is dead and high-ranking officials have been captured. There are too many unfavorable battles.
Yuan Shao took two deep breaths to calm down, and then asked Jushu: "What should Yuan do in this situation?"
Jushou grasped it for a moment and said nothing.
But Tian Feng stood up and said: "General, now the strong men in Hebei have been gathered. The number of soldiers and horses in the general's formation is unprecedented. Yan Liang died in the battle, and high-ranking officials were captured. Since the Eastern Front is no longer able."
, you might as well withdraw your troops, capture Baima and Yanjin with all your strength, march to Henan, and destroy Cao Cao first! Then divide the army into two groups to attack the pottery merchants and capture Xuzhou. General, this is the most stable method at the moment."
Tian Feng's plan was a good one, but the tone of his words was really unacceptable to Yuan Shao, as if whoever owed him money had to listen to what he said.
Language is an art. The same thing, when spoken by some people, is called advice, when spoken by some people, it is called lending, or the kind where the interest rate is so high that you can’t help it.
Especially Tian Feng's last sentence, which directly confirmed that Yuan Shao's previous strategy was not effective.
If Yuan Shao had any other feasible strategy now, he would definitely slap Tian Feng in the face with his hand, then mock him condescendingly, and finally chop him into pieces and feed him to the dogs.
But the problem is, he really has no other strategy right now.
Wen Chou had cried enough. He stood up from Yan Liang's stinking corpse and said loudly: "General, I am willing to be the vanguard! Kill all the Confederate troops to avenge my brother."
Yuan Shao waved his hand and said: "Don't worry, I will find an opportunity sooner or later in the future for you to take revenge."
After saying that, he glanced at Tian Feng with dissatisfaction, then at Pang Ji, turned around and walked back to the commander's tent.
Everyone filed in with Yuan Shao, and for a while, only Yuan Shang and Pang Ji, who was kneeling on the ground, were left outside the tent.
Yuan Shang looked at Pang Ji angrily and said dissatisfied: "Get up, why are you still kneeling!"
Pang Ji raised his hand to wipe his sweat, stood up weakly, and said to Yuan Shang: "Thank you, Third Young Master, for interceding for me."
Yuan Shang snorted and said: "So what if I beg for mercy? Didn't I get scolded by my father? Ever since I was a child, I have never been scolded by my father like this! It's all because of you."
Pang Ji secretly thought in his heart that he was just calling you a beast, so why did it turn into a scolding?
This kid really can't resist being picked up.
But having said that, I still have to express my gratitude to him for saving my life.
Pang Ji smiled awkwardly and said: "Third Young Master, when I was in Kaiyang City, I overheard Tao Shang's words. There seems to be some connection between him and Yuan Tan."
Yuan Shang is a very gossipy kid. Hearing this, he immediately became energetic: "What's the conspiracy?"
Pang Ji planned his words and then repeated to Yuan Shang what the pottery merchant had said when interrogating him about being entrusted by others and being loyal to others.
Hearing this, Yuan Shang narrowed his eyes and said, "So, Yuan Tan, did you ever want to use the pottery merchant to behead you?"
Pang Ji nodded and said: "After Ji's analysis, I think it is true."
"Why did he use the potter's hand to kill you?"
Pang Ji stamped his feet heavily and said: "Hey! Third Young Master, don't you understand this? I am your confidant and an important minister and adviser. How can the Young Master not feel jealous when he sees that you are favored by the General?"
, he is eliminating dissidents!"
Yuan Shang's brows suddenly furrowed and he said dissatisfiedly: "Yuan Tan actually intends to compete with me for the throne? It's simply ridiculous! Why does he still care about things that don't belong to him?"
When Pang Ji heard this, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded. He didn't know how to comment on Yuan Shang's shameless words.
Please let me be the eldest son, okay? The one who competes with others for the position seems to be you, right?
Yuan Shang didn't see Pang Ji's twitchy expression. He only saw him take a deep breath, nod his head and said: "I have remembered Pang Gong's words... In this way, I really want to talk to my father about this matter when I go back."
Come on, little thief Yuan Tan, just wait!"
…
Yuan Shao finally adopted Tian Feng's suggestion, although he didn't like it very much.
Yuan Shao ordered to withdraw Yuan's army from various ferries and passes on the east coast, and concentrated all the male soldiers from the four states on the north bank of Zhongzhou, preparing to eliminate Cao Cao in one go.
After repairing for a period of time, Yuan Shao immediately went south and marched all his troops to Wuyang, preparing to use it as a base to move south to conquer Xuchang.
In August, the main force of Yuan's army approached Guandu and set up camp on the sand, tens of miles wide from east to west, and its momentum was very strong.
Cao Cao did not dare to neglect. On the one hand, he organized his army and deployed troops to tightly defend Yuan Shao's army in Henan, resolutely preventing Yuan Shao from overcoming the enemy. On the other hand, he sent people to the southeastern front to ask for help from Tao Shang, asking him to lead his troops to support him.
.
The person heading to the southeastern front was Dong Zhao under Cao Cao.
As soon as he saw the pottery merchant, he immediately explained the pros and cons to him, and emphasized: Don't think that if you, surnamed Tao, defeated Yuan Shao's army on the eastern front of Xuzhou, it would be fine. If the land of the Central Plains is lost,
, Yuan Jun attacked from two directions and outflanked Xuzhou, but your pottery merchant was still finished.
Faced with Dong Zhao's advice and threats, Tao Shang neither expressed his position nor got angry. He just asked someone to take Dong Zhao down to rest temporarily, and he would make a decision after discussing with everyone.
After Dong Zhao left, the pottery merchant immediately summoned all the civil and military officials to discuss the matter together.
At this time, Chen Deng, Zhuge Liang and others had finished appeasing the Xuzhou nobles and returned to the pottery merchant.
After everyone listened to Dong Zhao's remarks, Chen Deng was the first to think that supporting Cao Cao was indeed in line with the current vested interests.
Now is indeed not the time to plot against each other. The Xuzhou Army should join forces with Cao Cao, and we should jointly defend against the enemy and defeat Yuan Shao. As for what happens after defeating Yuan Shao, let's talk about it later.
The pottery merchant also asked Guo Jia, Zhuge Liang, Lu Su and others for their opinions, and everyone unanimously agreed.
Since everyone in the audience said this, the pottery merchant agreed.
Then gather the strength of the Xuzhou army and go to the Central Plains to fight against Yuan Shao with Cao Cao.
Everyone followed the potter's order and went down to do their work. Only one person lingered in the middle of the hall and did not leave in a hurry.
The potter saw it and saw that it was Sima Yi.
"Xiao Yi, if you don't go do something, why are you hanging around here? I don't have time to treat you to lunch." The pottery merchant said doubtfully.
Sima Yi was stunned for a moment when he heard this, and then said aggrievedly: "The student is your disciple, how come the teacher doesn't even care about his food?"
The potter rolled his eyes and said: "Three years of apprenticeship, two years of service. You have been my apprentice for five years, and you have to take care of me for at least three years... Why do you have the nerve to feed me?"
Sima Yi felt bad after hearing this.
Where does this come from? It is simply unheard of!
But when the master talks loudly, he can't say anything after all.
Sima Yi sighed and said to Tao Shang: "Teacher, the student will not eat this meal. Just don't let the student control your meal... The student stays here because he actually wants to tell you some of his thoughts."
The pottery merchant stretched out his hand to signal Sima Yi to sit down, and asked curiously: "Why do you need to be so solemn?"
Sima Yi replied: "Of course it's about sending troops to aid Cao just now."
Upon hearing this, Tao Shang raised his eyebrows and asked curiously: "Does Zhongda think that we shouldn't send troops to reinforce Cao Cao?"
Sima Yi hurriedly shook his head and said: "Reinforcing Cao Cao is a must. Otherwise, if Yuan Shao is really allowed to destroy him, Xuzhou will definitely not be able to last for a long time. Although reinforcing Cao Cao is a big deal at the moment, this disciple feels that we have missed an important thing."
The place."
The pottery merchant looked at him curiously and said, "Where?"
Sima Yi said word for word: "Fan Du, the emperor!"
The pottery merchant first frowned and thought carefully, then suddenly his face turned pale.
Sima Yi was right. He and most of the others were indeed blinded by a leaf at the moment.