Volume 1 Chapter 7: A Plan for Escaping

  This week, rush to the new person list, it's not easy for newcomers, every collection and click, every recommended ticket is very important, thank you all.

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  The open and secret struggle in the Zhong Jun Da Zhang made Yan Liang more deeply aware of the internal strife within the Yuan Shao group.

  His subordinates were still fighting for personal gain in the decisive Battle of Guandu, and Yuan Shao's methods of ruling his subordinates were really despised by Yan Liang.

  Furthermore, Yuan Shao doted on his youngest son, and his several sons did not get along with each other. Such a precarious group would inevitably be doomed to disintegrate even if they defeated Cao Cao.

  Yan Liang realized that he had to get away from Yuan Shao as soon as possible, away from this whirlpool where there were hidden dangers everywhere.

  It's just that the timing isn't right yet, so Yan Liang still has to endure a little longer.

  Yan Liang said that Yuan Shao's army was a "magnificent and upright" force, although there were some flattering doubts, but the numerical superiority of the Yuan army was overwhelming.

  Although Cao Jun was elite, the absolute disadvantage in numbers also made Cao Cao somewhat "ants shaking trees" tragic.

  Yuan Shao's army of 100,000 marched south in a mighty and majestic manner. Cao Cao did not dare to contend with them, and voluntarily abandoned Boma, leading his troops to retreat south of Guandu.

  During the retreat, Cao's army made several voluntary attacks, trying every means to stop Yuan's advance, but the disparity in strength was too great, and they were ultimately forced to withdraw all their troops back to Guandu.

  Guanwai is located in the upper reaches of Honggou, adjacent to Bian River. The west side of Honggou Canal is Huilao, a strategic pass, and the east flows into Huaisu, serving as the northern barrier for Xudu.

  To capture He Du, we must first break through Guan Du.

  Cao Cao had obviously anticipated a decisive battle with Yuan Shao here, so in the fourth year of Jian'an, he built very solid forts and perfect defensive works at Guandu.

  Yuan Shao used every means to break through the Cao camp at Guandu, first building an earth mound and shooting down into the Cao camp with crossbowmen from a height, but was defeated by Liu Ye's thunderclap carts.

  Yuan Shao then secretly dug a tunnel, intending to reach the heart of Cao's camp, but was thwarted by Cao Cao's digging of trenches around the camp.

  The 200,000-strong Yuan army launched a fierce attack on Guandu for two months but still could not break through Cao Cao's main camp at Guandu.

  Cao Cao's defense seemed impregnable, but Yan Liang was well aware that Cao Cao's most fatal weakness lay in his lack of food supplies. As long as Yuan Shao continued to harass him, Cao Cao's defeat was inevitable.

  That afternoon, Yan Liang sent a spy to secretly monitor Liu Bei and brought back news that Liu Bei had asked Yuan Shao to send him to lead troops to Ru'nan to support the remnants of the Yellow Turbans who were rebelling against Liu Pi's forces, threatening the south of Xu Du.

  "Liu Xuande, you can't sit still after all, I've been waiting for you for a long time."

  Yan Liang immediately got up and rushed to Yuan Shao's headquarters tent upon learning of this news.

  Ru'nan is a county located south of Xuchang, it's the hometown of Yuan Shao. The Yuan family, which has produced three high-ranking officials in four generations, holds absolute influence in Ru'nan.

  At present, Yuan Shao's power is great, and many counties and states under Cao's rule have turned against Cao to join Yuan. As the hometown of Yuan Shao, it was expected that Ru'nan County would also rise in revolt at this time.

  Yan Liang remembered that in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Liu Bei successfully escaped from Yuan Shao's control by pretending to go to Runan.

  Yan Liang, who was well-read in the Three Kingdoms, naturally thought of borrowing Liu Bei's trick to take advantage of the opportunity to leave Yuan Shao.

  Yuan Shao was naturally suspicious, and Yan Liang feared that he would suspect his own initiative, so he waited for Liu Bei to make the first move, then he could use the mantis to catch the cicada, with the oriole waiting in the rear.

  Inside the main tent of the Chinese army, Yuan Shao was studying a map at his desk, with only Xu You by his side.

  Yan Liang entered the account and saw the ceremony, then directly asked: "Master, I heard that Liu Xuan De asked you to ask for a commander, let him lead the army to Ru Nan to command the Liu Bi army, don't know if there is such a thing?"

  "Liu Bei's troops are numerous, but unfortunately, no one is in command. Since Xuande has taken the initiative to ask for it, how can I not agree?" Yuan Shao said calmly.

  Yan Liang furrowed his brow and said in a deep voice: "My lord, I think Liu Xuande's move is suspicious. My lord must not agree to it."

  Yuan Shao was taken aback, a look of suspicion on his face.

  Xu You's expression also changed slightly beside him.

  "Liu Xuande has successively relied on Gongsun Zan, Lü Bu, and Cao Cao, but repeatedly betrayed them. It can be seen that this person is utterly devoid of loyalty. I think that since he took the initiative to ask for battle this time, he must be thinking of using the opportunity to abandon his lord."

  Yan Liang "damaged" Liu Bei a bit, but what he said was not intentionally hurtful to Liu Bei, but rather an undisputed fact.

  Yuan Shao's expression was originally calm, but soon turned gloomy, and he lowered his head as if in thought.

  Yan Liang took advantage of the situation and said: "In fact, I didn't dare to conceal it from my lord. In the previous battle at Baima, I had a fight with Guan Yu, Liu Bei's sworn brother. At that time, Liu Bei heard that Guan Yu was serving Cao Cao and was afraid that you would pursue him, so he repeatedly begged me not to inform you."

  "Can this be true?" Yuan Shao exclaimed in surprise.

  Yan Liang had previously promised Liu Bei that he would not tell Yuan Shao about Guan Yu, but at this point, he could only betray Liu Bei.

  Loyalty is also a matter of timing, in this era of deceit and treachery, blind loyalty will only lead to one's own downfall.

  At that time when the White Gate Tower was, Liu Bei had promised Lü Bu to plead for mercy from Cao Cao, but later on, he advised Cao Cao to kill Lü Bu to eliminate future troubles.

  It can be seen that Liu Bei is also not a person who values trust as much as life, and Yan Liang doesn't need to bother with him about this.

  "At that time, I thought the war was imminent and internal unity was most important, so I didn't report this matter to the lord, lest Liu Xuande's heart be uneasy. Now I hear that Xuande wants to go to Runan, which is clearly because he fears that I will secretly report this matter to the lord, fearing that the lord will blame him, so he hastily wants to escape. If the lord allows it, it would fall into Xuande's plan."

  Yuan Shao suddenly realized and slapped his hand on the table, "I treated Xuande with kindness, but I didn't expect him to harbor treacherous intentions. It's really despicable."

  Yuan Shao, moved by Yan Liang's words, became enraged and immediately rescinded the order, forbidding Liu Bei from leading troops to Ru Nan.

  Yan Liang stood with his head bowed, secretly laughing in his heart, plotting how to replace Liu Bei and go to Runan.

  At this time, Xu You said beside him: "Xuande's intentions are indeed suspicious, but the various armies of Yunnan cannot be ignored. I think the lord should send a capable general to lead the troops in Yunnan."

  Good fellow Xu You, I was worried that no one would pave the way for me, and your words came just in time.

  "Zi Yuan, sir, speaks reasonably. My lord, I, Mou, am willing to lead a few thousand light cavalry to Ru Nan, command Liu Pi's army, and with my lord, attack Xuchang from both north and south, and capture it together."

  Xu You had barely finished speaking when Yan Liang stepped forward and requested to go into battle.

  Yan Liang's request for battle lifted Yuan Shao's spirits, and he turned to Xu You: "Zi Yi wants to go to Ru Nan to request a battle, what do you think, Zi Yuan?"

  "General Yan is a great general, and it would be most suitable for him to go to Runan. Yu thought it was feasible."

  Xu You replied with great pleasure. As a member of the Yueming clan, he would naturally be delighted to see Yan Liang drive Yan Liang away from Yuan Shao's side. Now that Yan Liang had taken the initiative, it was exactly what Xu You had hoped for.

  "Well, since that's the case, I'll dispatch you with a light cavalry of 3,000 to quickly go to Runan and command Liu Bei's army. Zi Yuan, don't make me lose hope in you."

  Xu You was one of Yuan Shao's veteran advisors, and he agreed with everything that was said. Yuan Shao immediately and gladly consented.

  Yan Liang mounted his horse and expressed his determination, declaring that he would not betray Yuan Shao's trust.

  Yuan Shao was about to issue the order, but Yan Liang suddenly said: "I beg to report to my lord, I am not very familiar with Yuzhou, so this time when I go to Yuzhou, I hope that Mr. Zi Yuan can accompany me."

  Xu You's face changed color upon hearing this. He had originally planned to take advantage of the situation to get rid of Yan Liang, but he never expected that Yan Liang would also bring him along conveniently.

  Yan Liang had his own plan.

  The outcome of the Battle of Guandu depended on Xu You's betrayal.

  If it were not for Xu You's betrayal, Cao Cao would not have known the true situation of Ukou, and he would not have achieved the remarkable feat of burning down Ukou.

  Without the fire at Wu's nest, there would have been no Zhang Heng's surrender, and there would be no complete defeat of Yuan's army.

  By that time, even with Xun Yu and Guo Jia's so-called "ten victories and ten defeats" theory, even if Yuan Shao had all sorts of shortcomings, Cao Cao, who was running out of food, could only go down the path of defeat.

  The Battle of Guandu, if Cao Cao, who was united internally, won, then Cao Cao would become even more powerful and unshakeable after unifying the north.

  If Yuan Shao, who was plagued by internal strife, were to win, he would have a brief moment of glory, but as soon as he died, the entire north would fall into chaos again, and only then would Yan Liang have an opportunity to "fish in troubled waters".

  Yuan Shao in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" died of illness soon after his defeat at the Battle of Guandu, although it is said that he died of depression, to a large extent also because of old age.

  So even if Yuan Shao wins at Guandu, he won't live for more than a few years, and the split of the Yuan family will be inevitable.

  It was for this reason that Yan Liang decided to take Xu You, the key to victory or defeat, away with him, and also gain a talented strategist with a wealth of ideas for himself.