Chapter 731 The general dies!
The wind was howling, blood was flowing, and corpses were everywhere.
Luo Yan, dressed in black armor and red robe, had a stern expression on his face. He led the Qingzhou generals on horseback, with the lance in his hand stuck on the side of the warhorse. The red blood stained the white hair of the horse, like a patch of red on the snow.
Opposite the Qingzhou army, Yuan Shao came with the ministers of Zhao State, with flags surrounding the central army chariot. He held the chariot frame, and his red cloak rose slightly behind him.
Luo Yan dismounted gracefully, clasped his fists and bowed, saying: "Your Majesty, I, the Grand Commander of Qingzhou, pay my respects to you. I am late, please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Yuan Shao looked at the heroic Luo Yan, his eyes full of smiles, and laughed loudly: "Zi Yan, stand up.
This great victory was achieved thanks to you for reviving Qingzhou and beheading many people. You are truly the first to achieve this. How can you be guilty of this?"
Yuan Shao and others had never expected that Luo Yan could bring so many troops out from Qingzhou.
According to previous calculations, there were a maximum of 40,000 soldiers, but unexpectedly there were 20,000 more soldiers.
A group of people surrounded Yuan Shao and Luo Yan and returned to the camp. The atmosphere was very warm and all the worries they had when they left Hebei were swept away.
After everyone was seated, Yuan Shao looked at them and laughed loudly, saying, "My dear ministers, now it seems that we were over-worried before.
Cao and Liu came with great momentum, but few princes in the world responded. Doesn't this mean that the Han Dynasty is doomed?
I once heard from the ancients that the general trend of the world is like the tide, the ebb and flow are all predetermined.
Now the Han Dynasty is on the decline, if Zhao does not seize the opportunity, won’t it be a missed opportunity?”
Yuan Shao's words were full of sonorous sound, and the officials of Zhao State immediately knew that Yuan Shao had decided to conquer the Central Plains with one battle and then pacify the world.
Yuan Shao looked at the ministers of Zhao State with shining eyes.
What is the Way of Guangwu?
Is this what Liu Bei is saying now?
joke!
I, Yuan Shao, sent troops from Jizhou and Qingzhou, captured Yanzhou and Yuzhou, and then seized Xuzhou, thus occupying the five states in the Central Plains. This is the way of Guangwu!
Ju Shou and Tian Feng looked at each other. They were typical conservatives in the State of Zhao.
He was unwilling to start a war, and his previous advice to Yuan Shao was to hold on to Hebei and wait for Cao Cao and Liu Bei to launch a long expedition.
But in the end Yuan Shao decided to take the initiative to fight.
However, the war situation soon went beyond their expectations.
Lu Bu was willing to side with Zhao against the odds.
The alliance between Yan and Zhao freed Zhao from any worries and enabled it to march out in full force.
Luo Yan achieved great success in Qingzhou.
The momentum created by Cao Cao and Liu Bei using the remaining power of the Han Dynasty actually seemed to be collapsing.
This made everyone happy and yet caught off guard, and now they had to discuss the next strategic plan.
Xun Chen was the chief strategist, and he immediately stepped forward and said loudly: "Your Majesty, now that Cao and Liu have suffered setbacks, we must rest and recuperate.
The governor of Henei has surrendered to the Han court. I think we should take advantage of this opportunity to send an army to take Henei County first.
In this way, we can occupy the entire Hebei area and relieve the pressure on our army's right wing.
The Bingzhou army could also avoid being seen when marching south.
The governor of Henei played both sides and defected to Cao Cao, so he should be put to death."
Tian Feng disagreed and said, "Your Majesty, the area between Henei County and Jizhou is guarded by the Han clan of Anyang, and there is a river blocking the way, so it poses no threat to our army for the time being.
However, Taishan County is the key obstacle to the connection between our army and Qingzhou.
The two states of Ji and Qing are the foundation of our Zhao State.
Taishan County is in Liu Bei's hands, and our army's food and supplies from Qingzhou are in danger at all times.
The Grand Commander sent Gao Lan to besiege Taishan County, and I feel deeply uneasy.
Now we should first take Taishan County, open up Ji and Qing states, and form a semi-encirclement of Cao and Liu, which will also relieve the pressure on our army's left wing."
Xun Chen frowned and said, "Yuan Hao is joking. Taishan County is easy to defend but difficult to attack. The mountains are high and the forests are dense. It has been a place where bandits gather since ancient times.
Not to mention Liu Xuande's regular army, even those bandits hiding in Taishan County have not been wiped out by Liu Xuande even though he has occupied Taishan for so many years.
How easy is it for our army to attack?"
Tian Feng retorted: "Liu Xuande is just pretending to be righteous and trying to win us over.
Our army attacked, setting fire to every mountain and poisoning every river. We easily captured all the bandits.
The three rivers are integrated, and Hedong and Henan are not in our hands. How can we conquer Henei?
Should troops be deployed to defend all the passes and crossings from Henan to Hanoi?"
The two of them actually started arguing.
Shen Pei was an authoritarian man, and he was also the commander-in-chief, so he said, “Your Majesty, our army is strong now.
Cao and Liu have just suffered a setback, so why not invite the governor of Bingzhou to come south from Yanzhou and end the war quickly?
Our coalition is strong and we defeated Cao and Liu, and Henei and Taishan counties became isolated counties. It was just a matter of convenience. "
Upon hearing what Shen Pei said, Xun Chen and Tian Feng both snorted coldly.
The three different approaches of the three high-level advisers of Zhao State suddenly made Yuan Shao feel a little troubled. He looked at Luo Yan and asked, "Does Zi Yan have any ideas?"
Luo Yan shook her head and said, "Your Majesty, what the three military advisors said makes sense.
Our army now has the upper hand. Once the Bingzhou Mu’s army joins in, we will even be in an overwhelming position of victory.
The initiative is in our hands, it all depends on what you want, my king."
Yuan Shao rubbed his brows, feeling a little conflicted. He waved his hand and sighed, "Let me think about it for a while. My dear ministers, please withdraw first. Send out the scouts and be on guard against Cao Cao and Liu Bei's attacks on the camp."
Everyone walked out of the tent, and Ju Su muttered to himself, "These three choices are almost the same, just pick one.
What is there to hesitate about? "
Luo Yan happened to pass by Ju Su, and when she heard this, she immediately stopped and frowned, saying, "Your Majesty should want a foolproof plan."
In the tent, Yuan Shao kept thinking about these three suggestions.
He thought about what Zhao State needed most right now, but he felt that it needed everything.
"All three suggestions have shortcomings and may cause irreversible consequences for the situation. What should we do?"
Yuan Shao felt that he had never been so embarrassed.
…
After Cao and Liu experienced a small defeat, they felt a lot of pressure.
The war was fought in the name of counterinsurgency.
But if we were defeated by the rebels, it would be a tragedy.
At that time, there would be a new definition of who were the rebels and who were the royal army.
"What can we do about it?"
This is the common voice of Cao Cao and Liu Bei, "Has the Han Dynasty reached the point where someone is openly rebelling, but no one is fighting back?"
"No!"
Looking at the anxious Cao Cao, Xun Yu comforted him, "Prime Minister, Yuan Shao's strength lies in the Youzhou cavalry.
The current plan is to send envoys to Guanzhong. Ma Teng and Han Sui have the Western Liang cavalry, which can be used as a strong reinforcement to defeat Yuan Shao together. They are known for their loyalty and righteousness, so they will definitely send troops. "
Loyalty?
Cao Cao almost laughed out loud, but he knew Xun Yu would never do something without a purpose, so he asked, "What if you don't want to send Ma Teng and Han Sui to attack thousands of miles away?"
Xun Yu smiled slightly and said: "Prime Minister, you only need to make it clear that if Yuan Shao conquers the Central Plains in one battle, most of the world will be in Yuan Shao's hands, and all the nobles of the Han Dynasty will be gone.
If the skin is gone, where will the hair attach to?
Can he maintain his position as a local lord by keeping the imperial seal and guarding Guanzhong?
Yuan Shao's counselors and generals, and the men of Hebei are left with nothing!"
Cao Cao stood up, paced around for two weeks, and said through gritted teeth: "Wen Ruo, issue an imperial decree to Han Sui and Ma Teng, promising them the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households.
Then he issued an edict to all the generals in Xiliang, stating that those who were willing to lead the troops would be granted titles of nobility and officially appointed as prefects.
Send an edict to Liu Biao in the name of the previous emperors, reprimanding him and deposing him as governor of Jingzhou if he is unwilling to send troops.
Everyone was shocked. This was really a big investment and a big show of courage by Cao Cao.
…
One month ago, Bingzhou.
Lu Bu was ready to go, and Zhang Liao, Lu Bu's generals, and more than 20,000 Bingzhou Wolf Riders were all ready to go.
Lu Bu patted Gao Shun on the shoulder and said, "Xiaofu, I will lead the army this time, and Bingzhou will be handed over to you. If there is any danger, you must ensure the safety of my wife."
Gao Shun did not say anything, but just nodded to indicate that he understood. Lu Bu was wary of Gao Shun, but he also knew that Gao Shun was loyal. It was a pity that their personalities were really incompatible.
After instructing Gao Shun, Lu Bu led the people of Bingzhou to attack, crossed Henei, and then went around to the rear to attack the armies of Cao Cao and Liu Bei.
Bingzhou was once the territory of Zhao State. To the west are large rivers and mountains, to the east are Taihang Mountains, to the south are Luliang Mountains, and in the middle are several basins where people can farm. It is a place of great beauty with mountains and rivers, and with the Great Wall built in the north, it is a natural place for separatist forces.
But at the same time, it was also very difficult to attack from Bingzhou. Apart from going north to the grassland, entering other areas required taking mountain roads or crossing rivers.
Hanoi County.
Ever since Yuan Shao suddenly proclaimed himself king, the atmosphere in the county has been quite strange. After all, Henei County is too close to Yecheng, Jizhou, and the prefect is inclined to the imperial court.
Who wouldn’t be anxious?
But some people are not in a hurry.
There is a big family in Henei County, the Sima family. This Sima has no relationship with Sima Qian, but is another branch, inherited from the ancient Xia official Sima. During the Later Han Dynasty, it was a prominent family with hereditary officials of two thousand stones.
In this generation, talented people emerged in large numbers. The most famous were the brothers Sima Lang and Sima Yi. They were knowledgeable, eloquent, and well-known among the scholars.
Sima Yi was unwilling to take up an official post and only studied classics within his family, but no one looked down on him.
According to gossip, when Wushuang Zhongwu Hou wanted to kill the prefect, it was he who helped the prefect survive.
The situation in Hanoi has been turbulent in recent years, but the Sima family has always been the guests of honor, and their capabilities have to be acknowledged.
Guan Hai looked at Sima Yi, who looked a little gloomy, and asked with a sigh: "Mr. Zhongda, what should we do now? Yuan Shao was able to defeat Cao Cao and Liu Bei together. Henei is in danger."
Sima Yi drank the tea and said calmly: "Don't panic, my lord. The situation in the world can change overnight.
Now the princes of the world are watching, so Yuan Shao is in a state of turmoil, but the wise men of the world all have their own plans in mind.
Look.
Yuan Shao will definitely lose!
Instead of worrying about Yuan Shao, it is better to focus on the Bingzhou Tiger, Lu Bu Lu Fengxian.
I heard that Lu Bu will go south to assist Yuan Shao!"
"How is that possible?"
Guan Hai was horrified and asked, "Why would Lü Bu..."
He was speechless, Sima Yi said slowly: "This is Lu Bu, he doesn't have the appearance of a leader, so he would do such a thing.
The Lord of the Mansion should prepare early!"
…
Mount Tai.
Gao Lan followed Luo Yan's orders and led the Qingzhou infantry and cavalry to block the mountains outside Fenggao and keep an eye on Fenggao.
He is a famous general in Hebei. As one of the former four pillars of Hebei, he is now also one of the highest-ranking generals in the State of Zhao.
After the battle, when Yuan Shao became emperor in the future, he would most likely become one of the important generals of Zhao State and have a bright future.
After guarding the city for nearly a month, Gao Lan felt something was wrong. "Liu Bei's army in Fenggao City is too patient. Our army's food and fodder are continuously being transported to Yanzhou, but they don't even take a look?
Is he leaving the city at night?
What big event are you preparing for?"
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He believed that Liu Bei's army would never sit still and wait for death, so he immediately sent people to investigate. Sure enough, he saw someone from Fenggao sneaking out of the city at night!
The purpose was soon discovered: to contact bandits and rob food and supplies from Qingzhou. Their intentions were extremely sinister.
He wanted to attack immediately, but then he thought of Luo Yan's instructions to him to just keep an eye on Fenggao and the grain route, and he hesitated again.
Taishan Road, between the valleys.
In the end, Gao Lan, who led thousands of Qingzhou infantry and cavalry, chose to attack, but they encountered thousands of Xuzhou troops armed with swords and spears.
The leading general was muscular, wearing black armor and holding a large bow. When he saw Gao Lan appear, he shouted angrily, "I am Taishi Ci of Donglai. Come and tell me your name as soon as possible!"
Taishi Ci!
Gao Lan's heart sank. It was indeed him. Taishi Ci was famous for guarding Mount Tai, and he also knew about it in Hebei.
He rode his horse and shouted, "I am the general of Zhao, Gao Lan.
Taishi Ci, you have been hiding in Fenggao for a long time and have not been out in battle. I will kill you here today!"
Taishi Ci sneered, drew his bow and shot, "Thief, take my arrow first!"
The arrow was so powerful that Gao Lan quickly dodged it. Taishi Ci rushed forward, and all the troops in Xuzhou moved forward together. The whole mountain and plain were filled with earth-shaking cheers.
Even behind Gao Lan, he could hear shouts of killing. He knew that he must have been ambushed and was filled with fear.
I don't understand where the problem is!
But the situation at the scene did not allow him to think too much. Taishi Ci was already coming to kill him, and he had nowhere to escape. The two of them fought each other. Gao Lan was also a fierce general, but facing Taishi Ci, he was still a little inferior. The two of them fought faster and faster, and the soldiers around them could not even intervene.
After a hundred moves, Gao Lan was careless and lacked strength, so he was hit directly by Taishi Ci's halberd. If it weren't for the heart-protecting mirror, he would have died on the spot.
Gao Lan, who had fallen off his horse, saw a net falling directly down on him, leaving him no chance to struggle. However, he heard Taishi Ci say in a loud voice: "Gao Lan, I see that you are a brave man. If you are willing to kneel down and surrender, I will spare your life."
surrender?
This might be the only chance to survive.
But the whole army was wiped out in this battle, and the trust of King Zhao and the Grand Commander was betrayed, and even the food supply route might be in danger.
Think back to the family reputation.
With this in mind, Gao Lan shouted, "Come and kill me, I will never surrender."
Seeing Gao Lan’s determination, Taishi Ci threw the iron halberd directly out!
————
Shao had four court pillars, one of whom was Gao Lan. He was brave and strong, loyal and fierce. During the Battle of Guandu, Luo Yan sent Lan to station at Mount Tai. Taishi Ci wanted to surrender him, but Lan said, "I am the general of the defeated army. I have the great responsibility to bury my lord. I should die. How can a man from Hebei surrender and be humiliated?" So he died. - "Book of Wei: Biography of General Yuan"
(End of this chapter)
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