Chapter 380

The Hebei faction and the Henan faction under Yuan Shao, apart from the leaders of the two major factions, Ju Shou and Xun Chen.

The remaining ones such as Tian Feng, Guo Tu, Shen Pei, Xin Ping, and others actually already had their preferred candidates in their hearts.

One's position determines one's thinking.

As a person of the Henan gentry, Guo Tu naturally could not watch as Yuan Tan, the supporter of the Henan gentry, was captured.

And Tian Feng among the Hebei gentry took this much more lightly.

For people of the Hebei gentry like Tian Feng, Shen Pei, and Feng Ji, it would be better if Yuan Tan died!

If Yuan Tan were gone.

Yuan Shao would have no choice.

He could only choose the third son Yuan Shang to be his heir.

As for Yuan family's number two, Yuan Xi?

Sorry, in the presence of a legitimate son, an illegitimate son has no right to participate in the heir struggle.

Liu Biao of Jingzhou faced the same problem as Yuan Shao in history.

Liu Biao's eldest son Liu Qi, like Yuan Tan, had a mother who was the father's original legal wife.

And Liu Biao's youngest son Liu Cong, like Yuan Shang, had a mother who was the father's second wife, representing the interests of the local gentry.

Therefore, Liu Biao also kept wavering and didn't rush to establish an heir.

Until the very end, before Liu Biao died, Cai Mao, Kuai Yue, and others forcibly pulled Liu Cong to become the master of Jingzhou.

Now.

Facing the matter of Yuan Tan being captured alive, Tian Feng and Guo Tu almost fought on the spot.

The power of decision subsequently fell into the hands of Yan Liang and Chunyu Qiong.

In all honesty, Yan Liang and Chunyu Qiong also didn't want to give up on Yuan Tan just like that.

No matter what, Yuan Tan was their own Eldest Young Master.

To be captured alive by the enemy like this, what kind of talk is that?

But looking at the Xiliang Iron Cavalry whistling toward them.

Yan Liang and Chunyu Qiong also understood in their hearts.

Wanting to rescue Yuan Tan from Huang Zhong's hands was completely impossible.

"Quickly retreat, two generals!"

"If we don't leave, we will all be buried here!"

If Guo Tu could be considered a second-rate strategist.

Then Tian Feng must be a first-rate strategist, whose level was much higher than his.

At this moment.

Looking at the Dong Zhuo army gathering toward this side continuously.

Tian Feng urged Yan Liang and Chunyu Qiong to retreat impatiently.

Gritting his teeth fiercely, in order to prevent this army from being completely annihilated here, Yan Liang and Chunyu Qiong gave the order to break out.

However.

The Yuan soldiers at this moment had mostly fallen into chaos.

Wanting to escape the battlefield was not an easy matter either.

After paying a very high loss ratio of up to two-thirds.

Yan Liang, Chunyu Qiong, Tian Feng, Guo Tu, and the others finally managed to escape to ten miles outside Runan City with the remaining troops.

But... waiting for them was another ambush force!

In the chaotic battle, Chunyu Qiong was captured alive.

Yan Liang took Tian Feng and Guo Tu and continued to break out toward the Yellow River ferry.

As a result.

They encountered two more ambush forces on the way.

Although Yan Liang was brave, the army behind him had long been routed, and Tian Feng was also captured in the chaotic army.

When they truly broke out of the encirclement.

Of the seventy thousand Yuan troops, only Yan Liang, Guo Tu, and three hundred or so defeated soldiers remained.

It is conceivable that this battle was nothing short of a devastating blow to Yuan Shao's forces!

After Yan Liang and Guo Tu returned to Hebei, what they would likely face would be Yuan Shao's thunderous rage.

The fact that Yan Liang and Guo Tu escaped could not affect Gu Yi's mood.

The two big fish of this battle, Yuan Tan and Tian Feng, had already been captured.

Besides this, there was also an dispensable Qu Yi.

As for Chunyu Qiong?

Sorry, he had no use for Gu Yi.

After Chunyu Qiong expressed his will to die rather than surrender, Gu Yi fulfilled his wish and beheaded him to show the public.

And the remaining Tian Feng and Yuan Tan were worth Gu Yi's focused treatment.

Runan City

In the council hall

Yuan Tan was tied up in front of Gu Yi.

Looking at Yuan Tan who was close at hand, Gu Yi suddenly ordered Huang Zhong to untie Yuan Tan.

This move made Yuan Tan feel very confused.

After he was captured, his psychology went through countless struggles.

But in the end, he still couldn't bring himself to bite his tongue and commit suicide.

After all...

It's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death.

Now.

Looking at Gu Yi suddenly ordering Huang Zhong to untie him.

A feeling of surviving a disaster suddenly emerged in Yuan Tan's heart!

He saw him ask Gu Yi with a fawning face:

"My Lord Chancellor, I don't know why you suddenly untied me, are you planning to...?"

Gu Yi had a smile on his face.

His gaze swept over Yuan Tan, and he laughed:

"Young Master Xiansi, in my opinion, the defeat today is actually not your fault."

"What do you think?"

It seemed he didn't expect Gu Yi to suddenly say this.

Yuan Tan was slightly stunned.

Then he quickly responded:

"What the Chancellor said is correct."

"In my opinion, the defeat today is, firstly, because the Chancellor uses troops like a god."

"Secondly, it is because some guys were getting in the way!"

Speaking of this, a flash of hatred flashed in Yuan Tan's eyes.

He had been captured, so presumably some people of the Hebei faction in the Yuan camp would be happy to see this happen.

"Hahahaha, I don't know who those certain guys Young Master Xiansi mentioned refer to...?"

Gu Yi naturally knew that this fellow Yuan Tan was not a broad-minded person.

Historically, Yuan Tan should take at least seventy percent of the blame for the destruction of the Yuan family!

If it weren't for his brain-dead operations, it would have been impossible for Cao Cao to enter Jizhou so easily.

As a member of the Yuan family, after hearing the news that his third brother Yuan Shang had officially become the master of Jizhou, Yuan Tan chose to form an alliance with his enemy Cao Cao.

Subsequently, Yuan Tan sent troops from his base in Qingzhou and launched an attack on Jizhou together with Cao Cao.

Facing the dilemma of being attacked from both sides.