xymnovel Chapter 119: A Big Picture
Chapter 119: A Big Picture
Qingzhou has developed rapidly during this period, and its tax revenue far exceeds that of other prefectures and counties in the Han Dynasty.
However, Yuan Tan's soldiers enjoyed high salaries and generous benefits.
Other warlords might be able to raise an army of 300,000 using Yuan Tan's taxes.
However, Yuan Tan could only keep the size of his army below 50,000.
After all, other recruits only need to provide food.
But I have to take care of the soldiers' entire families' food, drink, and daily needs.
The effect of doing this is obvious.
In the Battle of Huainan, Sun Ce's number of soldiers was three times that of Yuan Tan's.
However, with Yuan Tan personally in command, he was still able to annihilate the enemy's entire force.
Besides having an early advantage
Wasn't it mainly due to the soldiers' fearless and valiant fighting?
"Is our lord intentionally provoking Lü Bu?"
Guo Jia asked.
"good."
Yuan Tan walked to the front of the hall, gazing at the gradually flourishing courtyard outside.
"Qingzhou is a small place, and the number of displaced people is increasing every day. If this continues, internal strife will surely arise. Huainan has just been acquired, and it is far from Qingzhou. Liu Bei is not one to stay under someone else's thumb for long. If this continues, he will surely develop ulterior motives. We must fight our way out, seize territory, people, and supplies."
He turned and looked at Guo Jia:
"Lu Bu has many soldiers, rich land, and borders me. He has offered himself up, so why not take advantage of this pretext for war? I deliberately humiliated his envoy to give him a reason to fight. He is confident in his large army and generals, and he also thinks that I am at odds with Yuan Shang, so he will surely underestimate me and attack. I will wait in comfort and fatigue, and my chances of victory are greater."
Guo Jia nodded:
"My lord is wise. However, Zhang Liao and Gao Shun under Lü Bu are both excellent generals, and Chen Gong is very intelligent; they should not be underestimated."
"Therefore, Zang Ba should be prepared in Langya as soon as possible."
Yuan Tan said,
"Order Zang Ba to immediately strengthen the city's defenses, prepare more defensive equipment, and deploy scouts extensively. If Lü Bu comes, he will surely attack Langya and open the gateway to Qingzhou. I want him to suffer a crushing defeat at the gates of Langya."
"promise."
"Also," Yuan Tan added, "tell Zilong to take good care of his injuries. We'll need him in this battle."
Guo Jia accepted the order and left.
……
Xiapi, the residence of Marquis Wen.
Song Xian knelt below the hall, tears streaming down his face.
"My lord! That Yuan Xiansi... he's gone too far!"
He prostrated himself on the ground, his forehead striking the earth with a resounding thud.
"This humble general was ordered by our lord to bring generous gifts and treat you with the utmost courtesy. Who knew that Yuan Tan would first feign flattery, calling our lord a 'hero of our time,' and I secretly thought that this matter could be accomplished..."
He suddenly looked up, his face a mixture of grief and indignation:
"But that brat suddenly changed his tune, pouring out his grievances, saying that Qingzhou was impoverished, with refugees everywhere and no grain in the granaries! He even said... he even said that if we were to form an alliance, my lord should first send 100,000 shi of grain! After the autumn harvest, we can then proceed with our plans!"
In the hall, Lü Bu, who had been playing with the wine cup, stopped.
"Take it slow and steady?" Lu Bu repeated, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Exactly!"
Song Xian beat his chest.
"He also said that Qingzhou may not have much else, but it has enough manpower to settle the refugees! This...this clearly treats our lord as a sucker to be exploited at will, and regards Xuzhou as his granary and backyard of Qingzhou! The disrespect in his words and the arrogance in his attitude are beyond description!"
"What else did he say?"
"I asked," Lü Bu said. The wine cup deformed slightly in his hand.
Song Xian, observing the expressions and knowing the time was right, added the final touch:
"Yuan Tan actually said that if our lord found it difficult, then the alliance should be called off, and he would even allow his subordinates to enjoy the scenery of Qingzhou in Linzi! My lord! He clearly doesn't take you, my lord, or our 200,000 armored soldiers of Xuzhou seriously!"
"Bang!"
The wine vessel shattered in Lü Bu's hand.
The servants below the hall were silent as if trembling with fear.
"Well done, Yuan Xiansi."
Lu Bu slowly stood up, his expression growing increasingly somber.
"A spoiled brat who relies on his father's influence, having won a few battles by sheer luck, has become arrogant and dares to insult me like this?"
The generals below, including Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, and Hou Cheng, all wore angry expressions.
Only Chen Gong frowned slightly, as if deep in thought.
"My lord, please calm your anger."
A voice came from below the hall.
Everyone looked over and saw one person step forward.
It was Sun Ce, who had recently joined their ranks.
Sun Ce cupped his hands in greeting:
"Yuan Tan is a man of great ambition but little talent, relying solely on the power of Yuan Shao in Hebei. However, the discord between him and his son is common knowledge. Now that he holds Qingzhou and has also gained control of Huainan, he is already so arrogant. If he waits until he has fully grown his power, it may not be a blessing for Xuzhou."
Lu Bu looked at him, his anger slightly subsiding, but his gaze remained scrutinizing: "What brilliant idea does Bo Fu have?"
"I dare not presume to offer such insightful opinion."
Sun Ce said,
"I only think that our lord, who holds Xuzhou firmly with 300,000 armored soldiers and ample provisions, will not tolerate such a lowly humiliation. Yuan Tan has just gained Huainan and his foothold is not yet secure. Qingzhou is small and the people are poor, so he is strong on the outside but weak on the inside. Why doesn't our lord take advantage of this opportunity to lead a small force north to Langya and directly attack his heartland?"
Firstly, it would demonstrate our authority and teach this arrogant fool a lesson; secondly, although Qingzhou is poor, it has the benefits of salt and iron, and Beihai and Donglai are quite wealthy, so taking them would increase our lord's strength; thirdly, it would dampen Yuan Shao's ambitions and prevent him from underestimating the Central Plains.
Lu Bu stared at him, then suddenly let out a cold laugh:
"Bo Fu, you strongly advocate attacking Yuan Shao, perhaps you want to use my Lu Bu's sword to avenge your defeat in Huainan?"
There was silence in the hall.
Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, and the others immediately sharpened their gazes and looked at Sun Ce.
Sun Ce couldn't help but think to himself that he had been too hasty, but he still met Lü Bu's gaze calmly without any fear.
"Lord Wen, you are wise to see the truth," Sun Ce's voice was clear. "I and Yuan Tan are indeed sworn enemies. I swear I will not rest until this grudge is avenged!"
He changed the subject and continued:
"What I say is indeed true! Today Yuan Tan dares to insult our lord, and tomorrow he will dare to invade Xuzhou! This man is ambitious and is certainly not one to be subservient to others. Rather than waiting for him to grow stronger, it is better to nip him in the bud! I am willing to be the vanguard and fight to the death! My personal vendetta and our lord's great cause can coexist without conflict! If Yuan Tan is destroyed, his land will belong to our lord, and his wealth will belong to our soldiers. I only ask to personally kill my enemy and comfort the spirits of my Jiangdong brothers in heaven!"
These words are well-reasoned and supported by evidence.
Many of the generals in the hall nodded slightly.
In chaotic times, who doesn't have enemies?
Using someone else's strength to seek revenge is perfectly normal.
Lu Bu's expression softened slightly.
Sun Ce's frankness reassured him.
A knife of revenge is useful as long as the hilt is in your own hand.
Lü Bu clapped his hands and laughed.
"Excellent! Bo Fu's straightforward words resonate with me! Yuan Tan, that scoundrel, is courting death; how can we not punish him?"
He suddenly stood up:
"Send word! Prepare the troops for a northern expedition to Langya immediately! I want Yuan Xiansi to know what the consequences will be for insulting Lü Bu!"
"My lord, please wait."
Chen Gong finally spoke.
"The Northern Expedition is of paramount importance. The military strength of Qingzhou should not be underestimated. Yan Liang and Zhao Yun are both capable of defeating ten thousand men, and Guo Jia and Jia Xu are highly resourceful. Should we reconsider? At the very least, we should wait until the autumn grain is stored..."
"Wait?" Lü Bu waved his hand arrogantly and said, "Why should I, Lü Bu, wait when I act? Gongtai, there's no need to worry. I've already made preparations." He looked at the person below the steps, "Dexian, you speak."
The strategist Xu Si stepped forward in response, cupped his hands, and said:
"My lord, by your secret order, an army of 100,000 has been assembled at the border of Langya, with provisions and weapons readily available, awaiting only your command!"
Everyone in the hall, including Chen Gong, was taken aback.
It turns out that our lord had already secretly mobilized troops and completed preparations for the great battle!
At least half of the anger I felt just now was a performance for Sun Ce and the others.
Sun Ce's gaze sharpened, and he felt a chill run down his spine.
Lü Bu was not a reckless and foolish man without any strategy.
Lu Bu was pleased with everyone's reaction and turned his gaze back to Sun Ce:
"Bo Fu is eager for revenge, and his courage is commendable. In that case, I appoint you as the vanguard of the Northern Expedition, leading five thousand elite troops to clear roads through mountains and build bridges over rivers, heading straight for Langya! If you capture Langya, I will recommend you as the governor of Qingzhou. What do you say?"
The governor of Qingzhou? What a load of rubbish.
Sun Ce sneered inwardly.
I fear that before I even reach the edge of Qingzhou, I will have already become cannon fodder in Lü Bu's test of Yuan Tan's strength.
However, Sun Ce was still happy as long as he could annoy Yuan Tan.
But his face showed excitement, and he knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist and said:
"Ce, I obey! I will surely capture Langya for Marquis Wen and avenge our previous humiliation!"
I have been waiting for this day for a long time. Now that Jiang Qin is imprisoned in Linzi and Cheng Pu, Zhou Tai and others are missing, I must avenge this grudge.
Lü Bu laughed heartily, personally descended the steps, helped Sun Ce up, and patted him forcefully on the shoulder: "Excellent! With General Sun as our vanguard, what worries do we have about not conquering Langya? What worries do we have about not destroying Yuan Tan? Gather the troops immediately and set off!"
"promise!"
Sun Ce turned around and strode out of the mansion.
Inside the mansion, Lü Bu watched Sun Ce's departing figure, his smile fading, and he said calmly to his brother-in-law, Wei Xu:
"You will be the commander-in-chief this time, tasked with containing Sun Ce. If he charges forward bravely, you will pounce and seize the credit. If he hesitates or makes any unusual moves... you know what to do."
Among Lü Bu's generals, Gao Shun and Zhang Liao were far more capable than Wei Xu.
However, Lü Bu practiced nepotism and treated his brother-in-law very well.
On the contrary, figures like Gao Shun and Zhang Liao were not valued.
"This subordinate obeys!"
Wei Xu happily cupped his hands in greeting.
After everyone had left, Chen Gong asked, "My lord, if we send Wei Xu to lead the troops, I'm afraid we'll have little chance of winning."
Lü Bu sighed and said:
"How could I not know? However, food is becoming increasingly scarce in Xuzhou. My newly recruited soldiers will probably run out of food in less than six months. Since these people are going to rebel sooner or later, it would be better to send them to conquer Qingzhou. If we win, everything will be fine; if we lose, we will lose tens of thousands of mouths to feed."