Chapter 604

"I want to conduct a population census, you say they hide population to evade taxes; I want to rectify military affairs, you say the county officials report false numbers of commandery troops to steal empty pay."

"I haven't accomplished a single thing, everything fails. Sitting here every day, doing nothing. Ziyuan, you say why I am like this?"

Yuan Shao complained for a while and said: "If I had known this, I might as well have stayed in Liangzhou and roamed the Western Regions with Ziyi; that would have been more enjoyable."

Yuan Shao punched the table and sighed: "They say I am a Governor, but how many people really treat me as a Governor?"

Xu You stood on the side, shaking his head while saying: "Benchu... do you know that there are not so many simple things in this world?"

As he spoke, Xu You sat down beside Yuan Shao unhurriedly.

"Benchu, you only see Duan Ziyi's infinite glory today, but have you ever seen his humble fate and encounters?"

"Benchu, you are anxious," Xu You said.

"I..."

Before Yuan Shao could finish his words, Xu You directly interrupted him.

Xu You shook his head and said: "Benchu, you are really anxious."

"Back then in Luoyang, you observed mourning for three years as one day, managing your reputation, and only then did you have the reputation of being upright, capable, and outstanding in appearance."

"I know, you are anxious after seeing Ziyi's achievements today."

Yuan Shao did not refute.

Because what Xu You said was right.

Before, he thought that he was from the Yuan clan of the four generations and three dukes, so even when he first met Duan Yu in Luoyang, interacting with Duan Yu was considered condescending.

However, this time after going to Liangzhou, Yuan Shao saw a different Duan Yu.

Slaughtering fierce enemies with a wave of his hand.

Shaking the four directions with a single order.

Who dared not to obey within a thousand miles!

He yearned for it.

He also wanted to be like Duan Yu.

To have a group of trusted subordinates.

To have a group of fierce generals who could charge into battle with him.

"Benchu, everyone's opportunities are different. Although Duan Yu's background is humble, he has great fortune."

"And you... only seem to have a noble background."

"Do you know why the noble clans of Jizhou, although they respect you on the surface, still work against you?" Xu You said.

Yuan Shao was silent.

He naturally understood Xu You's question.

It is true that he is from the Runan Yuan clan.

But...

But he is not the legitimate son of the Yuan clan, nor is he the eldest son.

In Luoyang, there is Yuan Shu, who serves as the Huben Zhonglang General.

And there is Yuan Ji, who is in the court.

The legitimate eldest son of the Yuan clan is Yuan Ji, not him, Yuan Shao.

If the person serving as Governor in Wei Commandery today were Yuan Ji, how would these people in Wei Commandery dare to act like this?

"Sigh..."

Yuan Shao sighed helplessly.

This is his fate, and it cannot be changed.

Even if he puts in more effort, it is impossible to change.

Thinking of this, the entanglement in Yuan Shao's heart was resolved quite a bit.

Then he reached out and picked up the letter from Luoyang.

After breaking the wax seal, he glanced at it in three lines.

The content of the letter was not long.

It was an order.

But when Yuan Shao saw the order clearly, his eyes widened.

Xu You stroked his beard on the side, not asking about the content of the letter.

Until Yuan Shao looked at Xu You, Xu You then narrowed his eyes and said: "I think... this letter should be about the Taiping Dao."

Hmm?

Yuan Shao was stunned again: "How did Ziyuan know?"

Xu You smiled calmly and said with three parts pride: "Actually, I had long guessed why Situ Yuan placed Benchu in Wei Commandery."

"Instead of the wealthy Zhongshan State or Anping State?"

"This..." Yuan Shao had doubts in his heart.

"A while ago, it was rumored in Luoyang that the Great Virtuous Teacher of the Taiping Dao, Ma Yuanyi, was uniting the Taiping Dao believers in Yingchuan and Luoyang to gather a crowd to rebel."

"And that the Great Virtuous Teacher Zhang Jiao's disciple, Tang Zhou, reported it."

"Benchu, do not forget who captured Ma Yuanyi?"

"And who exposed Zhang Jiao?"

Yuan Shao's gaze was dazed: "Was it Yuan Shu and Uncle?"

"Good." Xu You nodded and said: "Are there really so many coincidences in the world?"

Yuan Shao held the letter in his hand and said: "This... my uncle said in the letter to let me gather the troops of Wei Commandery, and as soon as I see the Taiping Dao, suppress them, and report to the imperial court that Zhang Jiao of the Taiping Dao is gathering a crowd to rebel."

Xu You nodded repeatedly and said: "That is the correct interpretation."

"What correct interpretation?" Yuan Shao didn't quite understand.

"This is the purpose of your uncle and the others," Xu You said with a smile: "Borrowing the power of the Taiping Dao to force the person in the Luoyang imperial palace to deal with the eunuchs in the palace."

"Ah?"

Yuan Shao was stunned.

"This... can't be, right?" Yuan Shao widened his eyes.

"Can't be?"

Xu You sneered and said: "Benchu went to Liangzhou last time and met the son of that Tian Yan, right?"

Yuan Shao nodded.

When he was in Yunwu County, Jincheng Commandery, he did indeed meet the son of the former Protector of the Qiang, Tian Yan.

But what does this have to do with the current matter?

Xu You quickly gave the answer: "In the sixth year of Xiping, the Regular Attendant Wang Fu suggested that the Emperor send troops to the Xianbei to demonstrate the national prestige of the Great Han."

"At that time, the Emperor dispatched three armies, each leading twenty thousand troops, wanting to wipe out Tanhanshan in one fell swoop and expel Tanshihuai."

"Benchu knows the result of that battle, right."

Yuan Shao nodded.

The three armies were all wiped out.

Tian Yan, Xia Yu, and Zang Min were all reduced to commoners, and sixty thousand troops were all buried in the grasslands.

"Does Benchu know why that great battle was lost?"

"Why were the three armies, divided into three directions, all accurately ambushed by Tanshihuai, leading to not a single one of the sixty thousand troops surviving?"

"Benchu, you also participated in the Battle of Yunwu in Liangzhou, but those tens of thousands of Qiang people, even if they had set up a net in advance, still had many escape."

"Then why did less than one or two out of ten of the sixty thousand Han troops escape?"

Xu You's speaking speed became faster and faster: "After this battle, Tian Yan was reduced to a commoner, and after returning to Liangzhou, he sold his family property and his temperament changed greatly."

"Xia Yu's whereabouts are unknown."

"And the Regular Attendant Wang Fu was beheaded by Yang Qiu the following year!"

"Duan Jiong, one of the three luminaries of Liangzhou who had relied on the Regular Attendant Wang Fu, also died in prison."

"Benchu..."

"Think about it, are these... all coincidences?" Xu You narrowed his eyes and said: "If that battle had been won, it would have been the Regular Attendant Wang Fu who suggested it and had the merit."

"But... that battle was lost, and Wang Fu died..." ===== CHAPTER 606 =====