Chapter 179: Chaos in Youzhou

"I request that My Lord send troops to support Liaodong Commandery!"

Yan Gang immediately bowed before Gongsun Zan and shouted loudly.

"I request that My Lord send troops to support Liaodong Commandery!"

Following Yan Gang's words, everyone in the main hall bowed to the ground before Gongsun Zan, who was sitting above, and shouted in unison.

"This... this..."

"Good. Since everyone agrees that I should send troops to support Liaodong Commandery, in order to prevent the people of our Han Empire from being slaughtered by the people of the foreign tribes, I, this General, have decided to send troops to support Liaodong and resist the foreign tribes!"

Gongsun Zan, seeing that everyone agreed to send troops to support Liaodong, was troubled for a while.

Then, he shouted to the crowd with a face full of determination.

"My Lord is wise!"

Upon hearing this, everyone also shouted to Gongsun Zan.

Gongsun Zan suddenly stood up, drew the precious sword at his waist, and said loudly:

"Yan Gang, take orders!"

Yan Gang, upon hearing this, trembled all over, came before Gongsun Zan, clasped his fists, and shouted:

"This end general is here!"

Gongsun Zan shouted to Yan Gang in a deep voice:

"To support Liaodong Commandery, I, this General, order you to command ten thousand White Horse Volunteers to quickly support Liaodong Commandery!"

"This end general accepts the order!"

After Yan Gang received the order, Gongsun Zan continued to shout:

"Gongsun Xu! Gongsun Ji!"

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Xu and Gongsun Ji, who were sitting below, immediately stood up, came before Gongsun Zan, clasped their fists, and responded loudly:

"This subordinate is here!"

"Gongsun Xu, lead ten thousand troops to garrison Liaoxi Commandery, with Gongsun Ji as your deputy!"

Gongsun Zan said to the two of them with a solemn expression.

"This subordinate obeys the order!"

The two also responded solemnly to Gongsun Zan.

The news of their sending troops to Liaodong Commandery would certainly be known by Liu Yu's subordinates who remained in Youzhou.

If they received the news, they would certainly send troops to attack Liaoxi.

Therefore, Gongsun Zan left his son, Gongsun Xu, behind to guard the city.

To avoid any accidents, he also left his strategist, Gongsun Ji, behind to assist Gongsun Xu.

"As for the others, together with me, this General, raise thirty thousand troops to go on an expedition to support Liaodong!"

"This subordinate obeys the order!"

Upon hearing this, everyone shouted in response.

Subsequently, Gongsun Zan took his thirty thousand ordinary soldiers and ten thousand elite White Horse Volunteers and headed toward Liaodong Commandery.

And they took advantage of the surprise to sneak attack Liaodong Commandery.

In order not to alert Gongsun Du, Gongsun Zan and the others did not hesitate to bypass the Liaodong Protectorate and head straight for Liaodong Commandery.

In just one day, Gongsun Zan and the others had already reached Xiangping City in Liaodong Commandery.

And at this time, Gongsun Du only reacted after the fact.

He immediately organized an army to resist.

However, how could an army organized on the spur of the moment withstand Gongsun Zan's well-prepared army!

Although the Prefect of Liaodong, Gongsun Du, had resisted to the death.

Still, he could not stop Gongsun Zan's army.

In the end, Xiangping City was breached.

And Gongsun Du, because he refused to surrender to the death, was also beheaded by Gongsun Zan.

Thus, the entire Liaodong Commandery was easily pocketed by Gongsun Zan.

After Gongsun Zan finished integrating the surrendered troops of Liaodong, his troop strength also reached fifty thousand.

Subsequently, he sent out the White Horse Volunteers to capture Xuantu Commandery with lightning speed.

The defender of Xuantu Commandery, Zou Dan, even surrendered to Gongsun Zan.

And Gongsun Zan himself led thirty thousand troops to turn around and encircle the Liaodong Protectorate.

And the Prefect of the Liaodong Protectorate, Jian Yong, upon seeing Gongsun Zan's thirty thousand troops.

Did not resist at all and directly announced his surrender to Gongsun Zan.

Up to this point, in the entire area east of Liaodong, only Lelang Commandery remained.

And the fall of Lelang Commandery was only a matter of time.

And at this time in Luoyang City, the cabinet ministers, Ministers of the Six Ministries, and the Grand Commanders and Generals of the six legions who had just returned to their mansions all received the message sent by Tai'a at the same time.

After receiving the news, everyone asked Tai'a what had happened.

However, they only received one sentence: "A major event has occurred; His Majesty is waiting for you lords in the Imperial Study!"

Everyone immediately understood that a major event must have occurred.

Otherwise, Tai'a would not have kept it from them.

After giving hurried instructions, they all rushed to the Imperial Palace.

By the time everyone arrived at the entrance of the Imperial Study, Tai'a was already waiting at the door.

"Lords, please enter; His Majesty is waiting for you inside."

After seeing everyone arrive, Tai'a clasped his fists at them.

And after the crowd returned the salute to Tai'a, they entered the Imperial Study with solemn faces.

After everyone entered the Imperial Study, they found Liu Bian reading a book.

Seeing this, everyone's expressions were a bit confused.

However, they still bowed respectfully to Liu Bian:

"We, your subjects, pay respects to Your Majesty!"

At this time, Liu Bian put down the book in his hand and said to the crowd:

"Sit down and speak!"

"We, your subjects, thank Your Majesty!"

After everyone was seated, Liu Bian looked at Tai'a on the side and said to him:

"Tai'a, tell the ministers the news sent back by the Dark Guards!"

"This humble subject obeys the decree!"

Tai'a, on the side, upon hearing this, first clasped his fists at Liu Bian and the crowd, and opened his mouth:

"Lords, yesterday I received intelligence from the Dark Guards in Youzhou."

"The intelligence stated that the Prefect of Liaoxi Commandery, Gongsun Zan, used the pretext of a Xianbei invasion of Liaodong Commandery to take advantage of the situation and occupy Liaodong Commandery under the guise of support."

"The Prefect of Liaodong Commandery, Gongsun Du, refused to surrender to the death and was beheaded by Gongsun Zan."

Speaking to this point, Tai'a said to Liu Bian and the crowd again:

"Your Majesty, Lords, the Dark Guards who were lurking in the Liaodong Protectorate and Xuantu Commandery have also just sent news."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions tightened.

They knew that if Liaodong Commandery had been occupied by Gongsun Zan, then these two commanderies were likely also occupied by now.

Sure enough, before they could even ask, Tai'a continued:

"Gongsun Zan dispatched the commander of the White Horse Volunteers, Yan Gang, to capture Xuantu Commandery; the defender of Xuantu Commandery, Zou Dan, surrendered to Gongsun Zan."

"And Gongsun Zan personally led thirty thousand troops to encircle the Liaodong Protectorate."

"The Prefect of the Liaodong Protectorate, Jian Yong, was directly scared out of his wits and opened the city gates to surrender to Gongsun Zan!"

"At this time, of the five commanderies in the east of Youzhou, only Lelang Commandery has not yet fallen!"

"Your Majesty, Lords, this is all the intelligence from Youzhou at present!"

After Tai'a finished speaking, he bowed to the crowd and retreated to the side.

"Your Majesty, Gongsun Zan actually dared to commit such an unfilial act; this old minister suggests that Your Majesty send troops to eradicate Gongsun Zan and his rebel party!"

At this time, Lu Zhi, as a cabinet minister, said with a pained heart.

"Your Majesty, this old minister seconds this!"

Following Lu Zhi's words, Cai Yong, on the side, also responded loudly.

Among them, Lu Zhi was the most saddened at this time.

One must know that this Gongsun Zan had studied under him back in the day.

Back then, Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei had both studied under him.

And what is ironic is that both of them ended up rebelling. ===== CHAPTER 180 =====