Chapter 572 Too smart to take responsibility

"It's not impossible. What else in this world is something that Yuan Benchu ​​dared not do?"

After hearing this, Gongsun Zan pondered thoughtfully.

Guan Jing's expression changed when he heard the sound, his eyes were vague, and there was a timid look on his face.

This is Guan Jing's true nature. In addition to being good at flattery, he is timid and afraid of things.

The reason why he was able to gain Gongsun Zan's trust and promoted him to the chief minister was because he was able to observe his words and expressions and flatter him.

Under Gongsun Zan's tent, most of the civil and military officials had some skills. Even the three sworn brothers of Gongsun Zan, Liu Weitai, the Bus Sect Master, Li Yizi, and the Jiaren Le, each had its own strengths and was helpful to Gongsun Zan. Only the Changshi Guan Jing did not succeed in the martial arts, but he held a high position, which was quite trusted by Gongsun Zan, and he had to participate in both major and minor affairs.

At the same time, Gongsun Zan has another characteristic, that is, Gongsun Zan's most trusted subordinates are always family brothers, and they are somewhat wary of outsiders.

It can be seen from this that Gongsun Zan values ​​family affection very much, and Changshi Guan Jing was able to attend such an important internal meeting of the Gongsun family, which shows that he was no less than his clan members in Gongsun Zan's mind.

There is no shortage of people who are good at scheming in any era. The root cause of Guan Jing's ability to achieve such a status today is Gongsun Zan's unique personality.

Although Gongsun Zan was born into the Gongsun family in western Liaoning, he was born to a maid and had a low status in the family since he was a child. However, he was born with a good appearance, tall figure, extraordinary courage, and quite courageous. When he was Guan Zhiling, he was recruited as a son-in-law by Liu Jun, the prefect of Zhuo County at that time, and since then he embarked on a road of Qingyun.

However, when Gongsun Zan's power gradually became and his status became higher and higher, he and the Gongsun family in western Liaoning had become divided, and they did their own things and did not interact with each other. Therefore, he and Gongsun Du from Liaodong were brothers of the same clan, but they did not interact with each other and gradually became two forces that were hostile to each other. However, due to the current situation, the two princes from the Gongsun family had not yet broken up and fought each other. They deliberately restrained each other and lived in the same state. However, they each occupied one side, guarded against each other, and lived in a coexistence.

At present, Gongsun Zan occupied most of Youzhou, seized the money, grain, and weapons left by Liu Yu, and tens of thousands of troops. His strength increased sharply. At the same time, as Youzhou was occupied by him, the conflicts between him and Yuan Shao became increasingly fierce, as if he was in the same situation and was in the same state as the fire and death. After all, the land of Youyan could not accommodate two heroes with great ambitions and stood together in the world. No matter who wanted to monopolize the land of Youyan, they had to destroy the other side. Otherwise, the two princes would not be able to live in peace at all times. Yuan Shao was worried that Gongsun Zan would attack from behind, and if Gongsun Zan wanted to advance to the Central Plains, he had to overcome Yuan Shao's obstacle.

The enemy is a friend. Everyone understands this simple truth, so Gongsun Zan is no exception.

After figuring out the moment when Yuan Shao tried to attack Sili, Gongsun Zan suddenly felt that the opportunity came.

As long as Yuan Shao was entangled in Sili and could not escape for the time being, or was severely defeated by Li Li of Xiliang, no matter which result was a good thing that Gongsun Zan liked, it was equivalent to helping him weaken Yuan Shao's strength. He could take advantage of this time to wipe out the remnants of Liu Yu, eliminate bandits, and completely control Youzhou. After completely eliminating the remnants of Xian Yufu, Yan Rou and other remnants, Gongsun Zan could take advantage of the situation to fully capture Qingzhou, further strengthen his strength and territory, and then eliminate Yuan Shao of Jizhou in one fell swoop.

In view of this, Gongsun Zan, who has been in troubles internally and externally in recent years, felt relieved. The breath that had accumulated on his chest was finally released, and his body and mind were relaxed.

"Brother, if Yuan Shao really led his troops to attack Sili, then our chance would come!" Just as Gongsun Zan was thinking secretly, his cousin Gongsun Fan interrupted his thoughts.

Immediately, when Gongsun Fan said excitedly, "At present, there are about 200,000 troops under Yuan Shao. In addition to the troops stationed in various counties, the mobile forces that can be mobilized at any time can be mobilized at most 100,000. Now that he has transferred all 120,000 troops to the direction of Sili, it means that Jizhou is temporarily unable to attack our Youzhou. In this way, we can quietly withdraw part of the 60,000 troops stationed on the border and quell the rebellion as soon as possible. In addition, I asked for an order to lead 20,000 troops to capture Qingzhou. If the war goes well, when Yuan Shao returns to Jizhou, we will already occupy the two prefectures of Qingzhou and Youzhou. By then, the strength comparison between our Youzhou soldiers and Jizhou Yuan Shao will be completely reversed, and we will come from behind and be fully capable of taking the initiative to attack Jizhou, the shame of Yixuejieqiao!"

"Yes." Gongsun Zan smiled and nodded, and said with a smile: "The third brother is right. Since the Chenliu Alliance, we have no relationship with the Xiliang army. In recent years, we have often exchanged letters and exchanged with each other, and have long since let go of past grudges. Two years ago, General Li Li took charge of the Xiliang army and controlled the court. Whenever I Gongsun Zan asked, the General would be sure to treat us well. I cannot forget this friendship. What's more, now the General holds hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and most of the troops are still Xiliang cavalry, which has been through the battlefield for a long time. In fact, his strength and combat power have long surpassed the princes of the world. Although our Youzhou soldiers and horses are brave and good at fighting, they are much inferior to the Xiliang army and are definitely not the enemy of the Xiliang army. In addition, we are far away from Xiliang, and there will be no conflict within three to five years. Therefore, I want to form an alliance with the Xiliang army to fight against Yuan Shao of Jizhou!"

After saying that, Gongsun Zan took out a roll of letters from his sleeve and raised his hand to signal Gongsun Fan to step forward.

When Gongsun Fan took the letter and inspected it, Gongsun Zan smiled and said, "This is a secret letter sent by the general a few days ago. This is a handwritten letter from the general. The secret letter also sent the emperor's edict. The emperor appointed me as the former general and also the governor of Youzhou, and was in charge of the military and political affairs of the four prefectures of You, Ji, Qing and Xu, guard the border, and beware of foreign races invading our Han territory. This edict is of great importance. Once it is spread, it may attract Yuan Shao from Jizhou to invade troops. Therefore, I have been in my arms for the past few days without publicizing it. Now Yuan Shao stationed his troops on the border to attack Sili. In this way, we will no longer worry. As long as the war in the Central Plains lasts for half a year, we can take this opportunity to wipe out rebels such as Yan Rou, and increase our strength and not be afraid of the attack of the Jizhou army."

Speaking of this, Gongsun Zan seemed quite excited, full of energy and smiled, as if he, a former general who was in charge of the military and political affairs of the four states, was already in power.

If everything is as he wishes, when he truly occupyes the four states, then Gongsun Zan will become the most powerful prince in the world, and his strength is still above the Xiliang Army. By then, winning the world will no longer be a dream, but will likely become a reality.

However, all this has a long and long way to go, and it is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Gongsun Zan is aware of this. As a prince, he has not yet become arrogant and arrogant, and he knows the difficulties of the world. But he does have the ambition to swallow the world. As early as when the Chenliu alliance came together, he had this ambition.

In fact, the eighteen princes who attacked Dong Zhuo in the Chenliu Alliance all had the intention of taking over the Han Dynasty and replacing it, but everyone was just aware of this thought. Otherwise, why would the princes of all walks of life be hurried, excitedly lead troops to form alliances, and join forces to attack Dong Zhuo?

Relatively speaking, those who are truly loyal to the Han Dynasty will never send troops to attack the Kyoto Luoyang without authorization. For example, Liu Yu, Liu Biao, Tao Qian, and Liu Yao, the Mu Shuai side of Mu Shuai, did not participate in the alliance because they were the firm supporters of the loyal Han Dynasty. However, in the battle of the Chenliu Alliance, on the surface, the alliance of princes won the victory and forced Dong Zhuo to move the capital to Chang'an; in fact, the alliance of princes was a miserable victory. Without regaining the emperor, how could we talk about victory?

It was precisely because of the failure of the Chenliu Alliance that those loyal officials of the Han Dynasty dared not act rashly, and each defended their own territory and enjoyed wealth and no longer had the idea of ​​raising an army to revive the Han Dynasty. After all, more than 500,000 alliance troops of the princes could not defeat the Western Liang army. With the little force in the hands of Liu Yu, Liu Biao, Liu Yao and others, what could they be considered? They could not do anything to the Western Liang army.

After more than three years, Yuan Shao of Jizhou mobilized a large army again to attack the Xiliang army. After deducing Yuan Shao's real intention, Gongsun Zan knew that Yuan Shao was using the same trick again and would definitely join forces with all the princes of the Central Plains to jointly attack the Xiliang army. Unlike the previous alliance, Gongsun Zan did not participate in this alliance, and Yuan Shao would not invite him to send troops to the alliance.

"The general wants to form an alliance with his brother?" Gongsun Fan, who had read the letter, said in surprise while handing the letter to his nephew Gongsun Xu.

"That's right." Gongsun Zan nodded slightly and said with a smile: "The General wants to form an alliance with me, be rich and noble, advance and retreat together, and form an alliance forever. The secret letter said that once Yuan Shao's army has abnormal movements, we hope that we will send troops to attack Yuan Shao's rear. After the matter is completed, there will be another reward. I wonder what you are thinking?"

Gongsun Fan pondered and said, "It is naturally a good thing if we can form an alliance with the general. After all, our Youzhou and Xiliang are thousands of miles apart, and there are no conflicts and conflicts. In addition, we are now in internal and external difficulties. If we can use the Xiliang army under the command of the general to weaken Yuan Shao's strength, why not do it? Therefore, my brother Yu agreed with what his brother said, to form an alliance with the Xiliang army and jointly deal with Yuan Shao in Jizhou!"

Gongsun Zan smiled and nodded, and turned his eyes to his son Gongsun Xu, wanting to hear how his eldest son views this matter, which obviously means taking the school exam.

"My father is wise, and the child also agrees to form an alliance with the Xiliang army. How can we refuse any such things that are beneficial to us?" Gongsun Xu just got to Guan, with a very similar appearance and body shape tone to Gongsun Zan, and his tone is very similar to Gongsun Zan. He obviously imitates his father everywhere.

"Well, my son has grown up." Gongsun Zan stroked his beard and praised with a smile.

At this time, Guan Jing, who had shown fear before, had recovered as usual. He pretended to be deeply suspicious and said: "I agree with our army to form an alliance with the Western Liang army, but how to implement the alliance is subject to discussion."

"Oh? What does Changshi mean? Let me tell you in detail." Gongsun Zan asked in surprise.

A hint of pride flashed in Guan Jing's eyes, but his expression was like a wise man who was as profound as the sea.

After hearing the question, he thought without rushing and said: "In terms of the current situation alone, it is wise to form an alliance with the lord and General Li Li, which can solve the urgent problem. Once Yuan Shao sends troops to the Central Plains, the difficulties of our Youzhou will be solved easily. You can let go of your hands and feet to eliminate the rebels. With this section, we can form an alliance with the Xiliang army. Why not do this if there is any benefit but no harm!"

He spoke with breath, this was Guan Jing's usual style. It seemed that only in this way could he show his extraordinary talent. Coincidentally, Gongsun Zan was just taking this trick, so he would invite him to discuss it every time he encountered a major event, which further raised Guan Jing's status and became indispensable.

After being mysterious, Guan Jing took a sip of tea to moisten his throat. The tone of the words suddenly changed and continued, "However, the Xiliang Army is strong, and it is the leader of the princes and dominates the world. The general himself is both civil and military, and he pacified the two states of Xiliang, which have been plagued with wars every day. The high martial arts and courage are like a mountain pressing on the hearts of the princes, which makes people breathless, and is actually a huge trouble for the princes in the world.

Therefore, my subordinates suggested that the lord and Li Li allied, but they could not send troops to help him. Even if Yuan Shao led his troops to the alliance to join the war, as long as the battle was not decided, our Youzhou army would not act rashly, nor would it attack Jizhou."

Gongsun Zan was stunned when he heard this and said anxiously: "Why is this? Since he is an allied army, he naturally has to send troops to help him. How can he sit still and ignore him?"

Guan Jing shook his head slightly and said, "Don't worry, please listen to his subordinates' words. Now everyone knows that General Li Li has replaced his uncle Li Jue to take charge of the court and advance to the General of Cavalry. His power is no longer enough to be attached. He is the most powerful minister. This time, the Fuluo army invaded the northern county of Liangzhou. The general personally led 100,000 iron cavalry to fight Yuluo. It seems that he has fought with Yuluo's army at this moment. But this war will not end in the short term. No matter how brave and good the general and his iron cavalry are, even if the 150,000 barbarians stand still, it is enough for the Xiliang army to kill for half a month. This period is the critical opportunity for the alliance of the princes of the Central Plains. Once the coalition forces meet, the Xiliang army will be in danger and be attacked from both sides. In this way, it is unknown who will win and who will lose in the Central Plains war.

If the princes win, even if Yuan Shao's army is damaged, morale will inevitably rise. If the lord leads the army to attack Yuan Shao's rear, it will inevitably force Yuan Shao to return to the army to attack our Youzhou immediately. At that time, our army will have to fight with Yuan Shao, and this war is extremely unfavorable to our army, and the result will definitely be that more defeats are more defeated and the territory is still unstable. The rebels have not been destroyed. At this time, there is no need to provoke the Jizhou army. Yuan Shao left Jizhou General Ju Yi to station the border of Jiyou, which is clearly guarding against our army's sneak attacks behind us. In this way, it is better for our army to send troops to help the Xiliang army as soon as possible. Please think twice!”

"Well, the Changshi's words are not unreasonable." Gongsun Zan nodded slightly and pondered unwillingly: "But we are not holding on to the army, wouldn't we missed the great opportunity to severely damage Yuan Shao? You must know that our biggest enemy is Yuan Shao, Jizhou. Today, we missed the opportunity to sneak attack Jizhou. When Yuan Shao turned around, he would still be enemies with us and never die. What's more, the general is waiting for us and forming an alliance with me. How can we ignore it? I, Gongsun Zan, have always been open and honest and never betrayed my allies. This matter makes me feel embarrassed!"

When Guan Jing heard this, his expression changed slightly and hurriedly said, "My lord, don't worry. According to the current practice, the lord must express his gratitude to the former general. In this way, the lord can raise a sum of food and money to support the general, and at the same time tell the general about the alliance between the princes of the Central Plains to the general, and state the difficult situation in Youzhou. In this way, the lord will not alliate with the lord, and will not damage his reputation. In this way, isn't it the best of both worlds and both sides?"

"Okay, you can get along well with everything and not be able to make it clear, but it is the best idea. Just do it!" Gongsun Zan agreed happily, immediately stood up, and said loudly: "Guan Jing obeyed the order, I will order you to immediately raise 30,000 stones of grain and grass, 3,000 Wuhuan war horses, and then you will personally lead two thousand soldiers to escort along the way. After you leave the frontier, you will travel west along Yinshan and directly to the front line of Beidi County. Be sure to hand the letters of this general in person to the general, and there must be no mistakes!"

Guan Jing's expression changed when he heard the sound, and felt a little sad. This was really a stone shooting himself in the foot, and he suffered it himself. He immediately had to respectfully accept the order: "I promise, my subordinates will do it immediately. If you start within five days, you will definitely live up to your lord's trust!"

———————————— (To be continued)
Chapter completed!