Chapter 1374

Xu You, who walked into Yuan Shao's Inspector's Office in a hurry in the morning, was full of worry.

Xu You only learned about Yuan Shao's banquet for Tian Feng and others early this morning.

After learning the details of the banquet last night, Xu You hurried to Yuan Shao's mansion.

Yuan Shao sat in the study. Compared with the worried face yesterday because of the one million shi of grain, Yuan Shao looked much better today.

And he didn't feel any regret or sadness because the banquet last night offended the local Jizhou aristocratic families.

"Zi Yuan..."

Yuan Shao raised his head and looked at Xu You with a smile: "It's not as serious as you said."

Xu You, standing in front of Yuan Shao, was so anxious that he turned in circles on the spot: "Not?"

"Ben Chu, do you know what the consequences will be after you do this..."

"I know." Yuan Shao nodded and said in a flat tone, just like his face at this moment: "Nothing more than from now on, all the aristocratic families in Jizhou will regard me, Yuan Benchu, as a thorn in their side."

"My, Yuan Benchu's, orders will be difficult to leave this Inspector's Office again, and officials in various commanderies and counties in Jizhou will perfunctorily deal with me..."

Xu You, standing in front of Yuan Shao, widened his eyes: "You... you... since you know, why do you still do this?"

"Do you know that by doing this, the situation you have painstakingly managed for more than a year will no longer exist."

Xu You clapped his hands in anxiety and said: "Tian Feng and others can still maintain the surface now, but it won't be long before they resign and leave you one after another. How can you manage this Jizhou?"

"Even if the court adds you as Governor of Jizhou and General of the Vanguard, it cannot change this situation."

"Zi Yuan..."

Yuan Shao beckoned to Xu You and handed the letter placed in front of him to Xu You: "You look at this first."

Xu You was stunned, then looked at the letter in Yuan Shao's hand blankly, and then unfolded it.

Seeing the first two characters, Xu You widened his eyes, then raised his head and looked at Yuan Shao in shock.

After scanning the letter in three lines, Xu You was stunned.

"Ben Chu, do you... do you want to resign as Inspector of Jizhou?" Xu You's hands trembled slightly.

Yuan Shao nodded indifferently, then stood up from his seat.

After taking off his official robe, Yuan Shao only wore a dark casual outfit today.

Xu You looked blankly at Yuan Shao, who brushed past him, and felt as if he had lived in another world.

When he was young, Yuan Shao was born in Luoyang, and the two had known each other very early.

It's just that they were only young men at that time.

Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and he often drove and fought in Luoyang.

As for the most handsome of the three, it was Yuan Shao.

He had demeanor, background, and Yuan Shao's attitude was modest. He didn't feel superior because of his background in the Yuan clan, which had been in the court for four generations and three dukes, like Yuan Shu, who was short in stature and looked at people with his nostrils up when he saw anyone.

Yuan Shao had a majestic demeanor and was benevolent. He could bend down and make friends with anyone, so many people gathered around him to follow.

At that time, he and Cao Cao were also followers around Yuan Shao.

At that time in Luoyang, although not as glorious as today, it was also extremely nostalgic.

"Zi Yuan..."

Yuan Shao, with his hands behind his back, stood in front of the open study door, looking at the blue sky and white clouds in the distance.

"There is a saying: Follow your heart's desire without overstepping the rules. If you ride the correctness of heaven and earth, and control the debate of the six qi, to swim in the infinite, what else do you wait for?" Yuan Shao said softly.

Xu You was stunned.

He knew this sentence.

This sentence comes from "The Analects of Confucius: Weizheng".

And Zhuangzi's "Xiaoyaoyou".

It means that true following one's heart needs to find freedom within the rules.

Breaking the obsession with external objects and swimming in the world is the ultimate freedom.

"In those days, the King of Chu sent an envoy to recruit Zhuangzi as prime minister. Zhuangzi was fishing in the Pu River and asked back: Would you rather live and drag your tail in the mud?"

"Now that I hold power, it is just like what Zhuangzi said. This power is like a quagmire, letting me see the filth of the world. Only by transcending this quagmire can I get true nobility and freedom."

"Get rid of the fetters of the family and the coercion of many court affairs."

Yuan Shao shook his head gently: "I don't have the decisiveness and courage of Zi Yi, nor the tenacity of Meng De. I can't bear to see the people suffer, and I can't break the arguments of right and wrong under my command. Perhaps I am not the talent of a warlord."

"Compared to this Inspector of Jizhou, or Governor of Jizhou, General of the Vanguard, I miss the pleasure of fighting on the battlefield with Zi Yi more!"

"There are no such calculations on the battlefield. The enemy is the enemy, just fight."

Xu You was shocked and looked at Yuan Shao's back: "Ben Chu... are you going to Chang'an to find Duan Yu?"

Yuan Shao turned around, looked at Xu You, and nodded with a smile: "Zi Yuan, if you are willing, let's leave together, go to Chang'an, and find Zi Yi."

The expression on Xu You's face was completely stunned.

It seems that before the banquet for Tian Feng and Ju Shou and others last night, Yuan Shao had already thought of this retreat.

If he doesn't be this Inspector of Jizhou, doesn't be this Governor of Jizhou, then naturally there is no need to be hypocritical with these aristocratic families in Jizhou.

This move...

It's more like drawing the salary from the bottom of the pot.

Recruiting grain for the Luoyang court is an explanation to the Yuan clan.

Forcibly collecting grain from the aristocratic families is an explanation to the people of Jizhou.

And going to Chang'an to join Duan Yu is an explanation for this friendship.

Neither makes the Yuan clan in the court difficult.

Nor makes the people of Jizhou difficult.

At the same time, it will not affect this past friendship because of recruiting grain to supply Luoyang to attack Duan Yu.

At this moment, Xu You looked at Yuan Shao, and there were some strange things in his eyes.

Xu You admitted that he was wrong yesterday.

He said there was no solution, but in fact, this solution has now been found by Yuan Shao.

Of course, one more line needs to be added here.

Two-way betting.

No matter whether Chang'an wins or Luoyang wins in the future, the Yuan clan will always have a branch that can continue to exist.

This is great wisdom...

"Forget it..." Xu You shook his head and sighed: "Perhaps this is the best way, Ben Chu... is still Ben Chu."

"Then... if Ben Chu leaves, this Jizhou..."

"It should naturally be done by my brother." Yuan Shao continued: "My resignation letter is already ready, and I will also send this credit to my brother to help him ascend to the position of Governor of Jizhou."

Yuan Ji?

"It seems Ben Chu has made full preparations. Since that's the case... then I will go with Ben Chu. If I stay in Jizhou alone..."

Xu You gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

He, Xu You, is neither an aristocratic family of local Jizhou origin like Tian Feng and Ju Shou, nor is he an Yingchuan aristocratic family like Guo Tu and Xun Chen who huddle together for warmth.

Being reused in Jizhou now is because of Yuan Shao's friendship.

But if Yuan Shao leaves, he will definitely not be able to stay between the local Jizhou aristocratic families and the Yingchuan aristocratic families, so it is better to leave.

At least following Yuan Shao to Chang'an, there is Yuan Shao as a reliance.

Yuan Shao happily reached out and patted Xu You on the shoulder and smiled: "Let's go to join Zi Yi together, I believe Zi Yi will be very happy."

Yuan Shao used such a tough attitude toward Tian Feng and others for the first time.

The reaction of local Jizhou aristocratic families like Tian Feng and Ju Shou was also very fast.

Although the treasuries of the major aristocratic families had been opened, the mansion gates were closed because of this.

Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and others all said that they caught a cold after the autumn cold and were hiding at home to recuperate.

Recuperating is just an excuse.

Everyone knows that this is just a form of counterattack against Yuan Shao's forced collection of grain.

But to everyone's surprise, Yuan Shao didn't have much reaction to this, and still did what he should do as usual.

And it seems he is even busier.

In Yuan Ji's mansion.

Yuan Ji, holding hot tea, was gently blowing away the heat rising from the teacup.