Inside Wuchao, there was a sea of fire, and the iron hoofs of Cao's army were ravaging the soldiers of the Northern Army. Yuan Shao watched them fall one after another with his own eyes.
"Lord, save me, Lord." The soldiers were pleading, but Yuan Shao was powerless, so he could only run as fast as he could.
Behind him, Cao Cao was chasing with Dian Wei, Xu Chu and other fierce generals, while laughing loudly: "Yuan Benchu, aren't you the fourth generation and the third prince? Aren't you the overlord of the Northern Kingdom? Don't you have an army of 700,000?"
The curses hit Yuan Shao's heart like a heavy hammer.
He didn't know how long he ran, but he only knew that in the process, the so-called 700,000-strong army was constantly being eaten away by Cao Cao, and he kept jumping into the Yellow River to escape.
At this moment, his horse flew across the Yellow River with fog under its feet, but the soldiers behind him were unable to do so, and they all fell under the butcher's knife of Cao Jun.
"Yuan Shao, remember, there is no place for you in the Central Plains. You have brought shame on the Yuan family!" The former eunuch bent over with laughter.
But he couldn't speak. When he continued to run wildly, in front of him, Wen Chou was tied and kneeling on the ground. Lu Bu, who was riding a red rabbit horse, looked at him with disdain. Then Fang Tian's painted halberd flashed with cold light, and Wen Chou's head was cut off.
"Wen Chou!"
"Don't worry, it will be your turn soon, hahaha." Lu Bu slowly pushed forward with Fang Tian's painted halberd on his shoulder.
Behind him, Cao Cao came over with a large number of troops.
In all directions, there were either Cao's or Lu's troops, and he had no chance of survival.
Facing countless swords, guns, swords and halberds, Yuan Shao shouted in fear: "No, no, no!"
"Father, it's okay, it's okay, we are back!"
In the Yuan Mansion in Yecheng, Jizhou, Yuan Shang looked at Yuan Shao who was trapped in a nightmare. He felt heartbroken and hurriedly woke him up.
Yuan Shao, who had just woken up, had already soaked the bedding with sweat. His face was pale, and his eyes were filled with fear.
When he saw Yuan Shang, saw Shen Pei, and saw Pang Ji, he knew that it was a nightmare just now. He felt relieved at first, and then he couldn't help crying.
Since Guandu, he has had similar nightmares almost every day. Hundreds of thousands of dead souls are begging him for help. Cao Cao's abuse and Lu Bu's pursuit are happening every day. He feels that he can't hold on anymore.
After a person has experienced a huge mental blow, the biggest damage is often not in the moment, but in the aftermath, when the depressed mood cannot be removed.
Just like what the human being has said, no matter how happy you are, if you suddenly think of those moments, it will dim as quickly as possible, and no amount of light can illuminate it.
Obviously, Yuan Shao fell into such a daze. As soon as he closed his eyes, he saw the tragic scene of the soldiers of the Northern Kingdom dying on the Guandu battlefield.
Some people are always willing to compare Yuan Shao's mentality with Liu Bei, who was defeated despite repeated defeats, and felt that Liu Bei's ambition was like that of a hero who did great things and eventually achieved great things.
In fact, this analogy is somewhat unfair to Yuan Shao.
Liu Bei was originally a mat weaver and shoe seller. He had nothing at the beginning. Apart from the head on his neck, what else could he lose?
But Yuan Shao is different. He has an army of 700,000 soldiers from the Northern Kingdom, and the four pillars of Hebei under his command are all brave and invincible. Not to mention himself, no one in the world would believe that he would lose in the Central Plains War.
And this defeat almost pushed him into despair.
This is a kind of loss that comes from nothing to nothing, and it is impossible for ordinary people to peel away this haze.
Even Liu Bei may not be able to do it. Otherwise, after Yiling, why would Bai Di Tuogu be needed? In the end, wouldn't he be able to accept this kind of despair?
"Shang'er, what happened?" After crying bitterly, Yuan Shao noticed that his youngest son had been hesitant to speak.
"Father."
Yuan Shang said with a face of sorrow and resentment: "Chen Hong from Bucheng seized the government office and led his troops to cause chaos; bandits gathered in Guangzong area, broke through the city gates in the name of revenge for Zhang Jiao, burned and killed many people on Taihang Mountain in Bingzhou Zhang Yan also divided several groups to plunder Leping and Shangdang."
"Hate God. Hate God, cough cough." Yuan Shao gritted his teeth and cursed. He coughed out blood due to difficulty breathing. Yuan Shang rushed to help him breathe, but found that Yuan Shao's back was already soaked through.
After the defeat of Guandu, riots of varying degrees occurred in various places. As of today, Yuan Shang has reported the situation in twelve and thirty-three counties.
And every report was accompanied by Yuan Shao vomiting blood. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he vomited several liters of blood. He was already nearly fifty years old. How could his body withstand such a torment? He looked like he was running out of gas. symptoms.
Yuan Shang was shocked and frightened when he saw all this. He wanted his father to recover quickly and return to the former overlord of the Northern Kingdom who rebuked Fang Qiu.
But in fact, Yuan Shao became like this because of Yuan Shang's great filial piety.
It stands to reason that Yuan Shao is so ill that Yuan Shang, as his son, should stand up, take charge of military affairs, and share his father's worries. There is no need to report many things to Yuan Shao, and he should solve them himself.
However, our third son of the Yuan family feels that it is better to tell his old father these things.
Why, because only in this way will he know what he has done.
In this situation, other people's sons always reported good news but not bad news. The third son was different. He reported bad news but not good news.
The only good news is that Lu Bu returned more than 10,000 prisoners of war in the Northern Kingdom and even sent a letter asking for surrender, so Qingzhou was safe. This should have been a shot in the arm, but it turned out to be suppressed by Yuan Shang.
I, Yuan Shang, haven't made any meritorious deeds yet, why would you, Yuan Tan, jump out and cause trouble?
Now in Qingzhou, it is clear that Lu Bu is at war with you, Yuan Tan, and they are ready to take action at any time. How can they possibly ask for peace?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
Therefore, Yuan Shao's condition is getting worse day by day, because our third son wants to take over.
"Shang'er. Ahem."
"Father, the child knows what to do. Don't worry, father. There will be no chaos in the North. The child will immediately lead troops to suppress the riot."
So what do you report? Xu You on the side shook his head helplessly.
He felt very uneasy now. The chaos in the North was far beyond his imagination.
I originally thought that after this huge defeat, all parties would unite sincerely and overcome the difficulties together, but in the end, they were still trying to seize the heir apparent.
It's dangerous, it's dangerous.
"How is the situation in Qingzhou?" Hearing that Yuan Shang had already responded, he didn't want to ask more questions, and the topic turned to the eastern front that he was most concerned about.
"Qingzhou. There has been no news from my eldest brother, but the sergeant who came back from Qingzhou to supervise the food and grass management told me that Xuzhou has increased its troops again. My eldest brother has taken the initiative to ask for war several times."
Yuan Shang had a sad look on his face. After shaking his head, he said with concern: "Father, please leave it alone and rest. The child will handle these things."
Look, how smart he is. He didn't say anything, but he conveyed his meaning very clearly.
"The traitor! Ahem."
Yuan Shao felt as if his internal organs were being burned, and he gasped and cursed: "How long has it been, and you still dare to ask for a fight and give orders?"
Before he could finish his words, Yuan Shao fainted and blood drooled from the corner of his mouth.
"Medical officer! Medical officer!" Yuan Shang immediately called the medical officer.
The medical officer with white hair and beard checked his pulse with a solemn expression, "Sir, my master's pulse is getting weaker and weaker, and he has not taken rice water for many days. This..."
Hearing this, Yuan Shang burst into tears.
He just wanted to seize the legitimate heir, and it was not unfilial. Besides, Yuan Shao had doted on him since he was a child, and he was still very heartbroken at this moment.
"Sir, it's better not to nag the lord to rest. When he wakes up, we can find a way to let the lord eat some porridge and water." Pang Ji reminded him at the right time.
Yuan Shang nodded, looked at Yuan Shao who was breathless and pale on the hospital bed with distress, and gently withdrew.
That night, Cao Cao brought Dian Wei and Xu Chu to laugh at him again. The fourth generation and the three princes, the overlord of the Northern Kingdom
The difference was that this time, Lu Bu also escorted Yuan Tan over. In front of him, he swung his halberd and threw Yuan Tan's head high into the air.
Even in his sleep, he couldn't stop blood from flowing from the corners of his mouth.
This time, Yuan Shao failed to survive.
A generation of heroes died in their sleep, which is both absurd and sad.
That night, there was a lot of crying in Yuan's house, and people were wearing linen and mourning.
"Sir, did the master have any last words before his death, who should he appoint as his heir?" In the middle of the night, Shen Pei came to Yuan Shang's side and asked in a low voice.
"No. I didn't even see my father for the last time." Yuan Shang replied with sobs. At this time, he was in a state of confusion.
When Yuan Shao died, he lost his support, which was certainly sad.
But at the same time, he also began to be afraid, because he knew that his prestige in the army could not compare with Yuan Tan.
Moreover, Yuan Tan actually asked Lu Bu to hand over the peace letter. This matter can be hidden for a while, but not forever. Once word spreads, all the generals and wealthy families in the Northern Kingdom will follow his lead.
But once Yuan Tan came to power, how could he let himself go due to the entanglement of past grudges.
"Young Master, you must remember clearly that my lord had his last words before his death, to appoint you as his heir apparent to take over the great cause of the Northern Kingdom!" Shen Pei's eyes were firm, and he even held Yuan Shang's hand to express his emphasis.
Shen Pei did this, and it was false to say that he had no selfish motives. Like Yuan Shang, he had a bad relationship with Yuan Tan, which was inseparable from his extravagant style.
Moreover, with Yuan Shang ascending to the throne, his future as a matchmaker can also soar.
It is undeniable that Shen Pei, who once shouted, "My Lord is in the north, don't let me die facing the south," was a man of integrity.
However, there is no conflict between villain and integrity.
What's more, whether he is a villain or not, whether he is praised or vilified, it is just a person's comment that from the standpoint of judging and matching, he has done nothing wrong.
"Zhengnan is right. I am also present at the scene and can testify to my lord's last words." Pang Ji on the side also spoke.
Yuan Shang's heart sank. Of course he understood that this was a fake testament. Do I have to do this before my father's body is cold?
But when I thought about it again, I thought it was no problem.
No one knew about this matter from beginning to end. Besides, Yuan Shao loved him so much. He just left in a hurry. If he had time to make a will, it should be his own.
The temptation of power, the conflict of life and death, these things were entangled together, and Yuan Shang readily agreed without much hesitation.
"Yes, my father had a will before his death and made me the crown prince. I hope you two gentlemen will assist me in the future."
"I am determined to fulfill my mission!"
Shenpei and Pang Ji looked at each other, and they could see the excitement in each other's eyes.
At this time, the two of them jumped from the last counselors to the most important ministers. From now on, they can be regarded as one person below ten thousand people in this northern country.
Yuan Shao was still lying in the coffin, letting his family and subordinates pay their respects to his remains, while shady transactions were already going on below.
If he were still alive, he would probably spit out the last mouthful of old blood.
In fact, not only them, many people are planning for their own future, such as Xu You.
When he walked out of the hall, he looked up at the night sky, feeling confused.
With Yuan Shao's departure, it is foreseeable that the Northern Kingdom will fall into chaos with two sons competing for the throne.
The person who will succeed him will most likely be Yuan Shang, which Xu You can roughly confirm.
Because of the conduct of Shen Pei and Pang Ji, even if Yuan Shao wanted to establish Yuan Tan, they would have a way to change his will.
The final result would be to kill Yuan Tan painfully, and the strength of the Northern Kingdom would be greatly reduced.
In addition, Yuan Shang is a weak leader, how can he support the four states of the North.
I, Xu You, should make plans for myself.
He said he was planning to find a new owner.
What is in front of me is nothing more than the two paths of Cao Cao and Lu Bu.
If he knew that Cao Cao's victory in Guandu was all based on Lin Mo's tips, then he would not have any hesitation in choosing to go to Xuzhou.
The problem is that he doesn't know the inside story, but if he looks at the game from the overall situation, Cao Cao is still the better choice.
First, he obtained most of the ordnance and war horses from Yuan Shao's front line, which greatly increased his strength.
Secondly, he took advantage of the righteousness by coercing the emperor to command the princes.
Furthermore, he and Cao Cao have an old relationship, and they have a relationship anyway. He should understand his talent.
In fact, Xu You is a person who has a very high self-esteem. In his opinion, his talent is even higher than that of Tian Feng and Jushu. It's just that Yuan Shao didn't use it, otherwise there would be no defeat in Guandu.
Because of this, Xuzhou is not a good choice for him.
Lu Bu has Lin Mo. He is too dazzling, and other counselors may not have room to show their talents.
As a decision that directly determines his achievements in the rest of his life, Xu You already has a choice in his heart.
However, it is not enough to just go and defect to Cao Cao.
He needs some chips to raise his worth.
A certificate of nomination is of course essential.
Xu You turned to look at Shen Pei and Pang Ji who were whispering in the hall, and rolled his eyes. It seemed that he had to get into their circle first before he could hand over a satisfactory letter of nomination.
Sili, Hanoi County, Huai County, in the government hall.
Zhang Yang stretched out on the handsome chair and patted the desk with satisfaction. It has been a few months since he came back. Every time he sits on this handsome chair, he can feel a sense of comfort from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. of pleasure.
Perhaps it was because he had been wronged for a period of time in Qingzhou, so he felt refreshed after returning this time.
It suddenly became clear!
Zhang Yang was in a good mood and was drinking alone in broad daylight.
A sergeant ran in, bowed his hands and said, "My lord, General Sui Gu has brought the man back, and he is now at the city gate."
Hearing this, Zhang Yang raised his eyebrows and said, "It's quite fast. Hurry, let him lead the people to the council hall. I want to see if the person this good nephew spent 20,000 gold in exchange for has a strong head and six arms."
"Here!"
Zhang Yang leaned back on the handsome chair, swaying the wine glass in his hand leisurely, and couldn't help but murmur, "I heard about Famous when I was in Luoyang, but unfortunately I haven't seen it, but if you say it is worth 20,000 gold, our wise nephew It’s also a bit of a waste.”
Then he shouted to the soldiers outside the hall, "Come, let's hold a reception banquet. By the way, invite Mr. Sima here too."
"Here!"
(End of chapter)
