Chapter 319: The Huainan dispute, hoodwinking Yuan Mishui, his countdown to becoming emperor?

Huainan region.

In Sun Ce's marching camp

At this moment, Sun Ce was holding a meeting in the tent.

"Yuan Shu?"

"Sent Ji Ling to lead fifty thousand troops to garrison at Xiacai City in Lujiang?"

After listening to the news sent by the messenger.

A strange look appeared in Sun Ce's eyes.

Not long ago, after the second Guandong coalition army's crusade against Dong Zhuo failed, Yuan Shu did not suffer heavy losses like the other several warlords.

Why would one say this?

Because in Gu Yi's plan, the value on Yuan Shu had not yet been completely squeezed dry.

Rather than rushing to eliminate Yuan Shu.

It would be better to cripple the more threatening forces like Cao Cao and Yuan Shao first!

Keeping Yuan Shu was also playing a big game of chess.

If this big game of chess took shape.

The Yuzhou aristocratic group and the Nanyang aristocratic group, and even all the aristocrats in the entire Guandong, would suffer a devastating blow!

Therefore.

Feeding Yuan Shu some bait for a short time.

Was more conducive to the arrival of the time to close the net!

When the first Guandong warlords crusaded against Dong Zhuo.

Yuan Shu's overall strength could almost be called the top three in the Guandong region.

In terms of economic strength, with the support of the Yuzhou aristocratic group and the Nanyang aristocratic group behind him, he was even more deservedly number one!

But after the first Guandong coalition army's crusade against Dong Zhuo failed.

Yuan Shu's power was greatly damaged.

Afterward, Yuan Shu was again embroiled in a bitter battle with the father and son Sun Jian and Sun Ce for a long time.

Yuan Shu's ability to lead troops to fight.

Strictly speaking, it couldn't be considered bad, but it was incompetent to the extreme!

If it weren't for the full support of the Yuzhou aristocratic group and the Nanyang aristocratic group.

I'm afraid Yuan Shu would have been killed by the father and son Sun Jian and Sun Ce, who were known as the "executioners of the aristocrats," long ago.

And with the full assistance of the two major aristocratic groups behind him.

Yuan Shu stubbornly held on.

And occupied fifty percent of the land in Yuzhou with Sun Ce.

As for Nanyang Commandery, which was close to Yuzhou at the northernmost end of Jingzhou.

Yuan Shu only occupied less than twenty percent, while the other eighty percent was captured by Liu Biao. (See Chapter 74 for details)

Equivalent to.

Ever since the first coalition of warlords' crusade against Dong Zhuo failed, Yuan Shu had been going downhill.

The Yuzhou aristocratic group and the Nanyang aristocratic group behind him also suffered heavy losses due to the slaughter by the father and son Sun Jian and Sun Ce.

Therefore.

Before the second coalition of warlords' crusade against Dong Zhuo event began.

Yuan Shu's strength had already fallen to a second-rate warlord.

Only one level higher than Zhang Yang, Kong Rong, and others.

Even compared to Tao Qian, he was already inferior.

The strength was roughly on the same level as Liu Bei, who had just occupied the Huainan region and had not yet firmly established himself.

Compared to this.

Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and others.

Because they received the support of the Hebei aristocratic group and the Yingchuan aristocratic group.

The territory and troops under their command could be described as flourishing.

This resulted in Yuan Shu's voice becoming soft during the alliance of the second coalition of warlords.

There's no way!

With no strength in hand, who would pay attention to him?

If it were like before, getting angry and wanting to "fork people out," I'm afraid Yuan Shu himself wouldn't have the confidence for that.

However.

The matter here suddenly ushered in a turning point.

First, it happened to his "mortal enemy" Sun Ce.

In order to avoid the edge of the coalition army, Sun Ce took the initiative to withdraw his troops from Yuzhou.

This resulted in the land in Yuzhou that was originally occupied by Sun Ce being instantly vacated.

Yuan Shu, who liked to take small advantages, how could he let go of this once-in-a-lifetime good opportunity?

He quickly sent troops to take the land that was originally occupied by Sun Ce into his pocket.

The other several warlords of Guandong, because their territories were not close to Yuzhou.

Or because of other factors, could only watch helplessly as Yuan Shu ate this benefit.

For example, Cao Cao, although his territory, Yanzhou, was very close to Yuzhou.

The original shareholders under his command were the Yingchuan aristocratic group headed by Xun Yu.

But in the Battle of Sishui Pass not long ago, the grain and fodder under Cao Cao's command were burned to the ground by Gao Shun leading the Trapping Battalion.

The soldiers under his command were on the verge of running out of food, and whether they could successfully return to Yanzhou had already become a problem.

Under such circumstances.

Even if Cao Cao wanted to take the opportunity to take that part of the land in Yuzhou, he was powerless.

Immediately after.

The coalition army encountered Zhang Liao's surprise attack outside Hulao Pass and suffered heavy losses!

Tao Qian died.

Zhang Yang and Kong Rong were defeated and captured.

Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Liu Bei also lost troops and generals because of this.

Only Yuan Shu suffered the least losses, which could even be ignored.

Zhang Liao and the generals at Hulao Pass deliberately did not focus their main targets on Yuan Shu.

This made Yuan Shu the only winner in the second Guandong warlords' crusade against Dong Zhuo, apart from the Dong Zhuo force!

After all.

After the various warlords retreated.

That piece of land in Yuzhou all fell back into Yuan Shu's hands.

Although.

After three years of slaughter by the father and son Sun Jian and Sun Ce.

Yuzhou had already become a scorched earth, and its overall strength was not as good as before. ===== CHAPTER 320 =====