Chapter 1033: Damn Traitor!

"General, where did you come from? Looking at your momentum, it doesn't look like the army of our Jizhou," a bold, social-butterfly commoner asked tentatively, his eyes carrying a bit of curiosity and awe.

Gao Shun frowned slightly but still answered patiently: "We are soldiers under the Qin Wang, passing through this place, and seeing the people fleeing, we are asking for the reason."

As soon as this was said, the originally noisy crowd became quiet, clearly the two words "Qin Wang" had no small weight in the hearts of these people.

"So it is the army of the Qin Wang, we are saved!" The social-butterfly commoner’s eyes lit up, then he sighed again, "General doesn't know, we are all forced to have no choice. That Yuan Shao, extorting taxes and levies, and then encountering natural disasters, food is in short supply, but he only cares about fighting with the Qin Wang and doesn't care about our life or death at all. I heard that the Qin Wang is benevolent and treats the people like his own children, so we thought of fleeing to defect to the Qin Wang!"

Hearing this, Gao Shun nodded secretly; the commoner’s words were rough but the logic was not, Gu Yi was indeed people-oriented, and this was also the reason why he could grow rapidly and win the hearts of the people.

"Then do you know how Yecheng is doing now?" Xu Huang interjected at the right time, his voice gentle, making it easy for people to let down their guard.

"Alas, Yecheng, now it is panic-stricken, everyone says Yuan Shao is finished, and the Qin Wang’s army may attack at any time. Moreover, there are many people in the city who want to take advantage of this chaotic world to make a fortune, and the public security is very chaotic," another commoner answered, his face full of worry.

Pang De spoke at this time, his voice low and powerful: "Then have you heard that Yuan Shao is seeking help everywhere in order to resist the Qin Wang?"

As soon as this was said, the commoners looked at each other, clearly not knowing about this. An old man said tremblingly: "We only care about whether we can survive; as for the affairs of those big figures, how would we know so much."

Gao Shun and the three looked at each other, and all had a plan in their hearts. It seemed that Yuan Shao’s internal situation was even worse than they imagined, and Gu Yi’s layout had clearly penetrated into every corner of Jizhou.

"Fellow villagers, rest assured, under the rule of the Qin Wang, you will surely have fields to plow and food to eat. But before that, we still need to know more about the situation in order to better help you," Gao Shun said firmly, bringing a glimmer of hope to the people.

Hearing this, the people nodded one after another, and some even knelt down, grateful and tearful.

Gao Shun signaled the soldiers to help them up, but his heart became more determined to act as soon as possible and add bricks and tiles to Gu Yi’s great cause.

"Xu Huang, Pang De, let’s act separately. Xu Huang, you lead a part of the soldiers to continue deep into the hinterland of Jizhou to explore Yuan Shao’s military deployment; Pang De, you are responsible for contacting Zhang Yan to see if you can get more news about the internal situation of Jizhou from the Heishan bandits; I will lead the main force to station nearby to be ready to deal with emergencies at any time," Gao Shun made a deployment rapidly.

The two accepted the order and led their soldiers away separately.

Gao Shun looked at their departing backs, his heart filled with emotion. In the chaotic world, everyone had their own mission and choice, and they chose to follow Gu Yi, not only because of his great talent and bold vision but also because of his heart for the people.

At the same time, in Yecheng, Yuan Shao was scorched with anxiety.

"Ju Shou, how is your contact with Cao Ren and the others?" Yuan Shao’s voice carried a bit of urgency and uneasiness.

Ju Shou smiled bitterly and answered: "Lord, Cao Ren has agreed to send troops to help, but the conditions are quite harsh, requiring us to cede more benefits. As for Supuyan and Yan Rou, although they agreed to send troops, their forces are limited, and I fear it is difficult to play a decisive role."

Hearing this, Yuan Shao slapped the table in anger: "This group of treacherous villains, taking advantage of the fire to rob! But now, we can only swallow our anger and get through this hurdle first."

Shen Pei advised from the side: "Lord, suppress your anger. The most important thing at present is to stabilize the situation; after defeating Gu Yi, we will discuss it in the long run."

Yuan Shao took a deep breath, struggling to calm his emotions. "It can only be this way. Ju Shou, you continue to maneuver against Cao Ren and the others; you must ensure they can dispatch their troops on time. Shen Pei, you are responsible for order within the city; you must not let the refugees' flight affect the morale of the army."

The two men received their orders and departed. Yuan Shao sat alone in his study, his heart a complex mix of emotions. He knew well that this confrontation with Gu Yi was not merely about the survival of Jizhou, but about the honor and disgrace of his entire life.

……

Several days later, Gao Shun and the others compiled intelligence from all sides, gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the situation in Jizhou. With the support of reinforcements from Cao Ren and the others, Yuan Shao had managed to stabilize his position, and both sides were busily preparing for the impending great battle.

Deep within Mount Taixing, Gu Yi’s secret plans were quietly unfolding. A contest concerning the fate of the world was about to begin. In this struggle, every choice and every action could become the key to changing history.

"General Gao, according to news from Xu Huang, Yuan Shao has indeed strengthened his defenses around Yecheng, but he seems to have neglected the southern defensive line, especially in the Henei area, where his forces are relatively weak." A scout reported the latest intelligence to Gao Shun.

Gao Shun’s brows locked together. He tapped his finger lightly on a spot on the map, pondered for a moment, and asked, "What about Pang De’s side? Has Zhang Yan provided any valuable intelligence?"

The scout replied, "General Pang reports that Zhang Yan is willing to cooperate with us. He mentioned that someone within the Black Mountain Army had infiltrated Jizhou and learned that due to grain and fodder issues, internal discord has arisen within Yuan Shao’s ranks, especially among the newly surrendered generals, who have many complaints about Yuan Shao’s command."

A glimmer of light flashed in Gao Shun’s eyes; this was the crack they had been waiting for. It was time to exploit it. "Good! Go quickly and notify Pang De to negotiate further with Zhang Yan to see if we can incite some insiders to work for us. At the same time, tell Xu Huang to keep a close watch on Yuan Shao’s movements, especially the movements of those newly surrendered generals."

The scout received the order and left. Gao Shun turned to the deputy general beside him and said, "We must also be prepared. Once an opportunity arises, we will immediately launch a surprise attack on Henei to disrupt Yuan Shao’s deployment. Remember, be fast, accurate, and ruthless, so that Yuan Shao is caught off guard."

The deputy general nodded, indicating he understood.

……

In Yecheng, Yuan Shao was discussing countermeasures with Ju Shou, Shen Pei, and others when a guard suddenly hurried in and presented a secret letter. Yuan Shao tore it open and looked; his face turned ashen in an instant.

"Those damned traitors again!" Yuan Shao gritted his teeth. "Su Puyan and Yan Rou are actually in secret contact with Gu Yi, preparing to defect in the face of battle!"

Ju Shou took the secret letter, read it carefully, and his brows locked together. "My lord, if this is true, our defensive line will face a huge threat. We must take measures immediately to prevent the news from leaking, while simultaneously adjusting our strategic layout."