Chapter 161

Outnumbered.

In the encirclement, although Cao Hong fought hard, he still couldn't overcome the many with his few.

In the end, he and Kong Rong both became Wu Yi’s captives.

At the moment Cao Hong was captured alive.

He looked at Kong Rong with resentment.

Heavens!

If it weren't for this poisonous milk Kong Rong, how could he, Cao Zilian, have ended up like this?

At the same time.

Pang De also led his army to the outside of Yuan Shao’s camp.

Under Ju Shou’s command.

The generals of the Yuan camp had already protected Yuan Shao and the strategists, leaving the camp first.

In the camp at this moment, only Gao Lan remained with a few personal guards to cover the retreat.

Gao Lan held an orange-red machete, a fierce light flashing in his eyes.

Looking at the Dong Zhuo army surging toward the Yuan camp, Gao Lan roared sternly:

"Gao Jingzhi of Hejian is here!"

"Who comes?"

"Pang Lingming of Nan'an!"

Pang De responded.

His weapon was also a large saber.

Looking at Gao Lan who appeared before his eyes.

A feeling of joy at seeing a worthy opponent arose in Pang De’s heart!

Gao Lan, this person was pierced off his horse by Zhao Yun in the Romance.

But in reality, Gao Lan not only did not die at Zhao Yun’s hands.

Instead, he lived until the era of Cao Pi, and was even enfeoffed as a hereditary Ting Marquis, a title that was passed down until the destruction of the Wei Kingdom.

It’s just that.

Because of many complex reasons.

Gao Lan was destined never to be heavily used by Cao Cao and Cao Pi.

Since joining Cao’s camp, he never went to the front line again, but always stayed in the rear of Cao’s camp holding idle positions.

It could be considered that he served as a mascot.

And Zhang He, who defected to Cao’s camp with him, was always on the front line, constantly running about.

However.

This does not mean that Gao Lan’s ability was not good.

On the contrary, his martial arts level could be called a first-rate fierce general.

Otherwise, how could he be called one of the "Four Pillars of Hebei"?

In an instant.

Gao Lan and Pang De were already locked in combat.

Both were fierce generals who used sabers.

Even though Pang De’s martial prowess was slightly better, it was difficult to determine a winner in a short time.

However.

The number of soldiers beside Pang De far exceeded Gao Lan’s.

Soon, Gao Lan’s personal guards had been slaughtered.

Looking at the Dong Zhuo army all around, Gao Lan smiled slightly.

Immediately, he threw away the large machete in his hand and slumped to the ground.

"What are you doing?"

Pang De, who was in the heat of the moment, looked at Gao Lan with a face full of confusion.

"Why? Is it not allowed for people to surrender?"

Gao Lan asked righteously.

That appearance looked exactly like Italy surrendering in a certain great war.

Being retorted like this, Pang De was slightly stunned.

Fortunately, Zhang Liao, Yan Xing, and others soon arrived at this place.

After understanding the situation, Zhang Liao asked curiously:

"General Gao, since that is the case... why did you stay behind to cover the retreat?"

Gao Lan shook his head and sighed:

"Actually, I didn't want to stay behind either!"

"But there was no choice, if I didn't stay behind, Guo Tu, Xin Ping, Xun Chen, and others would definitely not let it go."

Hearing this.

Except for Zhang Liao.

Yan Xing and Pang De couldn't help but stare at each other, their eyes full of confusion.

Being in Liangzhou, the two of them really didn't know that people in the Central Plains had so many devious tricks!

By comparison, Zhang Liao slightly understood the meaning in Gao Lan’s words.

To put it bluntly, Gao Lan was a person of the Hebei faction, someone who followed Ju Shou.

Originally, he was a general under Han Fu.

Does it sound like his experience was similar to Zhang He’s?

In reality, it was completely different!

Zhang He’s family could at most be considered a small powerful clan, while Gao Lan’s family was the top-tier great clan of Hejian Commandery!

Looking at the entire Jizhou, it was also a great clan that could be ranked.

Now.

Yuan Shao’s body was weak, and Ju Shou was in charge of military and political affairs on his behalf.

But this inevitably required making some compromises.

Otherwise, if the Hebei faction took all the power, what would we, the Henan faction, play with?

Therefore, the general who stayed behind to cover the retreat had to be a person of the Hebei faction!

Only in this way would the Henan faction agree to delegate power to Ju Shou.

Gao Lan was already a great general in the army, so his ability naturally went without saying.

With him staying behind to cover the retreat, the Henan faction could be satisfied, and the Hebei faction also believed that he would likely be safe and sound.

However, things in the world are unpredictable.

Changes always come faster than plans.

Gao Lan’s luck was relatively poor.

He encountered Pang De, whose martial prowess was superior to his.

Therefore, he lost the chance to escape.

But if Pang De were replaced by someone whose martial prowess was far inferior to Gao Lan’s.

I fear that by now, Gao Lan would have already killed that enemy general and then chased after the main force of the Yuan army with the rearguard!

As someone from a great clan.

Gao Lan also had plenty of devious tricks.

He wouldn't be foolish enough to sacrifice his life for some empty reputation.

Therefore, seeing that the plan had failed and he couldn't escape.

Gao Lan simply gave up resistance and chose to surrender.

He believed that with the ability he had shown, and his status in Yuan Shao’s army.

He would certainly not die as a low-level captive without rhyme or reason.

Must say.

Gao Lan bet correctly.

After the battle ended.

Zhang Liao sent Pang De to escort Gao Lan, Kong Rong, Zhang Yang, and Cao Hong to Sishui Pass, waiting for Gu Yi’s disposal.

At dawn.

Gu Yi received the battle report sent by Pang De.

Although Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and Liu Bei had escaped.

But this time, the Guandong allied forces suffered heavy losses.

Of the eight-route Guandong warlords, Gongsun Zan defected, and Tao Qian was scared to death by Zhang Liao.

Zhang Yang and Kong Rong were both captured.

Looking at Dong Zhuo’s army, the losses were negligible.

At the same time.

Lu Bu, Zhao Yun, Li Jue, Guo Si, and others were leading cavalry units to raid Bingzhou.

Presumably, they would soon be able to bring Bingzhou into their pocket.

Compared to the other provinces in Guandong.

Bingzhou was undoubtedly the easiest province for Dong Zhuo’s army to control at the current stage.

It’s not that Bingzhou was easy to attack.

But that the influence of the Guandong clan group in Bingzhou was relatively lower than in the other provinces.

After taking Bingzhou, it could pose a threat to Jizhou at any time.

In this way.

Even if Yuan Shao had the Guandong clan group behind him as a "power bank," his war potential would inevitably be greatly discounted.

As for whether Gongsun Zan could take Jizhou?

Regarding this, Gu Yi was not optimistic.

In terms of fighting ability, Gongsun Zan was indeed very strong.

But in terms of governance philosophy, Gongsun Zan had absolutely nothing!

Jizhou was a place where Guandong clans gathered.

How could Gongsun Zan, a "soldier-ruffian" who could not get the support of the Guandong clans, gain any advantage by rashly invading Jizhou?

Furthermore.

After the previous Battle of Jieqiao, Battle of Longcou, and other campaigns.

The military power under Gongsun Zan was no longer what it used to be.

The White Horse Righteous Followers had long since been completely wiped out.

Invading Jizhou would at most give him some advantages at the beginning.

Once the main force under Yuan Shao returned to Jizhou, Gongsun Zan would soon be trapped in the quagmire of war and unable to extricate himself.

And.

Don't forget that there was another important figure under Yuan Shao who did not participate in this battle!

Yes, that person was Qu Yi.

He could be called the ultimate nemesis of Gongsun Zan and the Youzhou Iron Cavalry.

However.

Gongsun Zan’s sacrifice was not without any effect for Gu Yi.

At least, he could be like the father and son Sun Jian and Sun Ce, becoming a sharp butcher’s knife to "severely wound" the Jizhou clans!

As for why Gu Yi did not accept Gongsun Zan?

This question is very simple.

Gongsun Zan is not Lu Bu; he could not defect to anyone.

His home base and foundation were always in Youzhou.

And Youzhou now was an exclave for Dong Zhuo’s army, and their influence could not reach there at all.

Furthermore.

Gongsun Zan was also an ambitious person.

He could not bow down to others.

Even his ambition was no less than Yuan Shao’s and Yuan Shu’s!

Back then, Gongsun Zan privately enfeoffed Yan Gang as Inspector of Jizhou, Tian Kai as Inspector of Qingzhou, Dan Jing as Inspector of Youzhou, and Wang Men as Inspector of Yanzhou, which was enough to explain this problem.

You must know that at that time, the official position Yuan Shao held was only that of Administrator of Bohai!

And what about Gongsun Zan?

He was even thinking about the path to becoming Emperor!

How could such a person be as easily fooled as Lu Bu?

Therefore.

Whether it was Sun Jian, Sun Ce, or Gongsun Zan, these people were just butcher’s knives used by Gu Yi to weaken the Guandong clans!

They could never be treated as his own people.

And after Gu Yi accepted the four captives sent by Zhang Liao.

Standing beside him, Fa Zheng’s face showed deep interest.

Fa Zheng asked Gu Yi impatiently:

"Mr. Linzhi, how do you plan to deal with these captives?"

Glancing slightly at Fa Zheng, Gu Yi smiled:

"How about it, could it be that you have thought of a suitable way to deal with them?"

Fa Zheng rubbed his hands expectantly and said:

"That scoundrel Kong Rong’s reputation in the literary world is even greater than my grandfather’s."

"Besides that, his status as the grandson of the Kong family is deeply recognized by scholars all over the world."

"Why not let him become a pen-knife in the hands of the Chancellor?"

What is a pen-knife?

It can be understood as a master of public opinion.

For example, Chen Lin in history was a classic representative of a "pen-knife."

Before the Battle of Guandu, he wrote a manifesto for Yuan Shao.

The words in that manifesto were extremely sharp, scolding Cao Cao so much that his migraine stopped hurting from anger!

Later, after Chen Lin surrendered to Cao Cao, he quickly became a "pen-knife" beside Cao Cao.

He specifically wrote many articles to sing the praises of Cao Cao, while also serving to stabilize people’s hearts.

And now.

Kong Rong’s status in the literary world, because of his ancestor Confucius, appeared very transcendent.