Chapter 603

If the Henan aristocracy had absolutely no way out at this time, perhaps they would really endure it.

But just as the Henan aristocracy had the intention of wanting to divorce Yuan Shao in their hearts.

The filial son Yuan Tan made a brilliant appearance!

As the successor always supported by the Henan aristocracy, Yuan Tan's reputation among the Henan aristocracy in the Yuan camp was still quite good.

Regardless of Yuan Tan's specific abilities.

At least he didn't commit the scumbag behavior of using and discarding like his father, Yuan Shao.

However.

The weight of a mere Yuan Tan was naturally not enough.

But standing behind Yuan Tan was the strongest warlord in the world, Gu Yi, supporting him!

This was completely different.

As the saying goes.

To beat a dog, you must look at its master.

A seventh-rank official at the prime minister's gate.

As Yuan Shao's eldest son, Yuan Tan possessed the status of the legitimate eldest son of the Yuan family.

Although Yuan Tan's mother had long since passed away.

But Yuan Tan's mother was also from the Henan aristocracy.

From this perspective, the relationship between Yuan Tan himself and the Henan aristocracy should be even more intimate than that of his father, Yuan Shao!

Furthermore.

In the eyes of the Henan aristocracy, Yuan Shao's third son, Yuan Shang, and his second wife, Lady Liu, were not worthy of competing with Yuan Tan for the position of successor.

As long as the Henan aristocracy was there, the successor to the Yuan camp should be Yuan Tan, not Yuan Shang.

Rounding it up.

The Henan aristocracy abandoning Yuan Shao and turning to support Yuan Tan.

Strictly speaking, it could not be called betrayal.

After all, they were just fast-forwarding a bit, hoping to skip the old lord Yuan Shao and let the legitimate eldest son Yuan Tan ascend directly.

I have to say.

What kind of lord, what kind of subjects.

The style of the Henan aristocracy in the Yuan camp was highly consistent with the style of the filial son Yuan Tan!

Under such circumstances.

The filial son Yuan Tan launched further efforts to win over the Henan aristocracy in the Yuan camp.

Which led to Guo Tu, Xin Ping, and others completely turning to Gu Yi.

As the saying goes.

It is hard to guard against thieves within the family.

If the Yuan Shao faction were to be destroyed by Gu Yi.

The filial son Yuan Tan must be the "person of first merit" who wears a big red flower and receives commendation!

……

At this moment.

Looking at the letters from Guo Tu and Xin Ping placed on the desk, Gu Yi quickly made arrangements.

The Heishan Bandits under Zhang Yan were good at climbing mountains and crossing ridges.

But their actual combat power was, in reality, only at the level of bandits.

Yu Du and the twenty thousand Heishan Bandits intended to follow Ju Shou's order to cut off the grain and fodder Gu Yi had transferred from Chang'an.

How could Gu Yi let Ju Shou succeed in such a thing?

Soon.

Gao Shun was ordered to lead eight thousand Trap Camp soldiers to ambush on the only path Yu Du had to take.

After a new round of expansion, coupled with Gu Yi's strong financial support, the scale of the Trap Camp had reached ten thousand men.

On this northern expedition, Gu Yi brought eight thousand Trap Camp soldiers, still entrusting Gao Shun with the command.

Using the Trap Camp to deal with the Heishan Bandits led by Yu Du was the most appropriate thing to do.

Having a mole in the enemy's decision-making layer was equivalent to turning on a God's-eye view.

Most of Yuan Shao and Ju Shou's actions could be known by Gu Yi in advance through the channels of Guo Tu and Xin Ping.

This was something the Intelligence Guard could not achieve.

After all, the Intelligence Guard could generally only spy on things in a general direction.

But for core decisions of a confidential nature, they were completely unaware.

However.

Gu Yi was not a person who liked to fight defensive battles.

On any battlefield, he was the kind who was very tough and very fierce!

If the water route could be taken, the land route could naturally be taken as well.

As the saying goes, "The winding path leads to a secluded place, where flowers and trees are deep."

Ju Shou did not want to fight Gu Yi on the front battlefield now, but wanted to engage in a strategic stalemate with Gu Yi by consuming grain and fodder.

But Gu Yi just wouldn't let him do that.

He wanted to do the opposite, making Ju Shou fall into the questioning of others within the Yuan camp!

……

Soon.

Six great generals—Hua Xiong, Zhang Ren, Yan Xing, Zhang He, Tai Shi Ci, and Huang Zhong—under Gu Yi's order, each led twenty thousand troops, splitting into six routes to launch an attack on the location of Yuan Shao's army.

A total of one hundred and twenty thousand men, almost occupying half of the number under Gu Yi's command.

Such a vast momentum naturally reached the ears of everyone in the Yuan camp.

As a "senior person" who had suffered setbacks under Gu Yi several times.

Yuan Shao became gloomy the moment he heard this news.

A person's name is like a tree's shadow.

Zhang Yan and Tadun, although they had not fought Gu Yi before.

But now, suddenly hearing the news that Gu Yi had dispatched a large army to attack, their reaction was not much different from Yuan Shao's.

"Gongyu, Gu Linzhi is coming aggressively, sending an army of one hundred and twenty thousand; how should our army respond?"

Yuan Shao asked Ju Shou.

After thinking for a moment, Ju Shou replied:

"My lord, as we discussed before, soldiers come to block, water comes to cover."

"Gu Linzhi launching an attack so urgently just happens to show from the side that our previous analysis was correct,"

"The grain and fodder in his camp likely don't have much left."

"As long as we persist in defending."

"And block him for another period of time."

"After his grain and fodder are exhausted, even if he has many usable soldiers under his command, he will ultimately only end up in a crushing defeat."

"To the point that even he himself might lose his life here!"

As the words fell.

Tadun and Zhang Yan nodded repeatedly.

Avoiding a head-on confrontation with Gu Yi was indeed the best way to preserve strength.

However.

Although some people did not speak at all during the last military conference, it did not mean they did not exist!

Just when Ju Shou thought everyone in the tent would agree with his proposal.

An inappropriate voice suddenly rang out from a corner.

"Hehe, Ju Gongyu, you have a lot of nerve!"

"Gu Linzhi is not a fool."

"Do you think he can't see through your strategy of holding firm?"

"Furthermore, Gu Linzhi lacking grain and fodder is just your one-sided statement, Ju Gongyu!"