Chapter 515

In the end, Guan Jing still failed to persuade Gongsun Zan to stop the campaign.

There was no helping it.

Given Gongsun Zan's personality, he naturally could not endure this humiliation.

Moreover.

After Gongsun Zan sent an envoy to the Taihang Mountains.

Zhang Yan quickly agreed to Gongsun Zan's request for troops.

With the backing of Zhang Yan's tens of thousands of Heishan troops, Gongsun Zan's confidence in this battle was greatly increased.

Soon.

He had prepared an army of thirty thousand.

Before setting out, Gongsun Zan even swore by his white horse that he would not return until he had broken Yuan Shao!

……

Longcou

Yuan Shao gathered fifty thousand elites here.

Of course, this operation was not announced to the outside world.

The outside world did not know that Yuan Shao had actually gathered fifty thousand troops in this small place of Longcou!

And the purpose of gathering this army.

Yuan Shao was naturally not doing it simply to install Liu He as emperor.

It was to deal with Gongsun Zan!

The person who planned this for Yuan Shao was none other than Ju Shou.

Before Gu Yi's southern expedition.

The Hebei aristocratic group had once considered the idea of a truce with Gu Yi.

But the tragic fate of the Jiangdong aristocrats.

Made the Hebei aristocrats deeply realize.

That there was absolutely no possibility of a truce between them and Gu Yi!

Therefore.

The Hebei aristocrats, led by Ju Shou, temporarily stopped their internal strife.

They were single-mindedly dedicated to assisting Yuan Shao in opposing Gu Yi.

However.

Even so.

Due to the capture of Yuan Tan.

Yuan Shao was clearly filled with vigilance and resentment toward Ju Shou and the other members of the Hebei aristocratic group.

In order to regain Yuan Shao's trust.

And also to boost the confidence of the Hebei aristocratic group.

Ju Shou meticulously planned a "slaughter plan" against Gongsun Zan for Yuan Shao!

Using the installation of Liu He as emperor in Longcou as bait.

To trick Gongsun Zan into leading his troops to attack Longcou.

Secretly deploying fifty thousand elite troops in Longcou.

Making it difficult for Gongsun Zan to cope.

Of course, this was only the first and second steps of the plan.

As for the third step of the plan.

It required relying on the Heishan bandit Zhang Yan.

Yes.

Zhang Yan, who had fought countless battles with Yuan Shao, had already been persuaded by the Hebei aristocratic group led by Ju Shou.

Gongsun Zan was still unaware of this matter.

But if he were to find out, it would likely be the day he met his end.

……

Looking at the wilderness in the distance.

Ju Shou, wearing a cap and holding an iron-ribbed folding fan, had a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes!

Although Ju Shou was a famous "Celestial Dragon" who could sit in a provincial-level second-in-command position at the age of twenty.

But besides his prominent Celestial Dragon background.

Ju Shou naturally possessed his own talent and strategy.

Otherwise, how could he have become the leader of the massive Hebei aristocratic faction?

Supporting Yuan Shao was the only way out for the Hebei aristocratic group now.

And the southern territory had already been completely occupied by Gu Yi.

This meant that if Yuan Shao's faction wanted to expand its territory, it had to seize Gongsun Zan's Youzhou.

But if they rashly attacked the cities under Gongsun Zan's rule.

They would likely pay a heavy price.

Furthermore.

Gongsun Zan nominally supported the Han imperial court controlled by Gu Yi.

If Gongsun Zan was not removed now, there would surely be trouble later.

For this reason.