Chapter 608: The terrifying rise of the Jizhou aristocratic families

Inside Yuan Shao's camp.

Guo Tu and Xin Ping arrived together.

Seeing the two of them come here alone, a trace of embarrassment flashed across Yuan Shao's face.

To be honest, Yuan Shao felt quite guilty toward these high-level figures of the Yuzhou aristocracy in the Yuan camp.

Yuan Shao himself was a Yuzhou native, but now he had put the Yuzhou aristocracy into the cold palace and focused only on reusing the Jizhou aristocracy.

This whole thing was quite improper!

However.

Guo Tu and Xin Ping did not cry, make a scene, or hang themselves over the unfair treatment; instead, they appeared unusually calm.

This undoubtedly made Yuan Shao feel even more ashamed in his heart.

This feeling is like being caught by your original wife while having an affair outside.

When divorcing, the wife didn't ask for anything, but chose to leave with nothing.

Even if Yuan Shao had no conscience, he would feel very sorry in his heart.

At this moment, seeing Guo Tu and Xin Ping arrive at the camp, Yuan Shao said:

"Gongze, Zhongzhi, you have worked hard these past few days."

"After defeating Gu Yi, everything will get better."

It wasn't that Yuan Shao was inarticulate, but he really didn't know how to explain it to high-level figures of the Henan aristocracy like Guo Tu and Xin Ping.

There was no other way but to continue using the method of drawing big cakes, hoping to stabilize their emotions.

To this, Guo Tu and Xin Ping bowed slightly and replied:

"My lord, you need not worry in your heart."

"We two have followed you for nearly ten years."

"Over these years, my lord has been working hard from dawn to dusk, constantly worrying for the common people of the world."

"Even with ten thousand hardships, how could we, these Yuzhou people who followed you to Jizhou, not understand you?"

These words made Yuan Shao feel even more guilty.

Aside from veterans like Xu You, Chunyu Qiong, Yan Liang, and Wen Chou, Guo Tu and Xin Ping were the ones who had followed Yuan Shao the longest.

And the time when Ju Shou and the vast Jizhou aristocracy joined the Yuan camp was actually after Han Fu was replaced by Yuan Shao.

Back when Yuan Shao was just the Administrator of Bohai, Ju Shou, as the Assistant Administrator of Jizhou, held a nominal official position far higher than Yuan Shao's.

Before Han Fu was defeated, Ju Shou and other Jizhou aristocrats naturally could not completely turn to Yuan Shao.

After all, Ju Shou was the "strongest Celestial Dragon" in the four provinces of Hebei in the true sense.

He was recommended as a Maocai at over ten years old.

He sat in the position of a provincial second-in-command at twenty.

This resume, looking at the late Han and Three Kingdoms era, no one could compare with Ju Shou.

This destined him not to be in a hurry to take sides.

Because no matter which outsider occupied Jizhou.

If they wanted to stand firm here.

They had to actively seek cooperation with Ju Shou.

Without Ju Shou's recognition, they would not get the help of the Jizhou aristocracy.

That meant... the position of Lord of Jizhou would soon change hands again.

How strong were the Jizhou aristocratic families?

Let's put it this way.

The "Great Magician" Liu Xiu's success, besides luck, was largely due to the help of the Jizhou aristocratic families.

If he had lost the help of the Jizhou aristocratic families, Liu Xiu would have had no possibility of defeating Wang Mang.

Yes, none at all.

His basic foundation, including large amounts of logistical grain and fodder, as well as talent delivery, all came from the help of the Jizhou aristocratic families.

Moreover, the Jizhou aristocratic families did not consist of only one faction.

The Nanyang aristocratic families and Yuzhou aristocratic families were able to stand on Liu Xiu's side initially precisely because of the pulling effect and exemplary role of the Jizhou aristocratic families.

But Liu Xiu was not a fool either.

The Jizhou aristocratic families were too strong, strong enough to replace him as the lord at any time.

Thus.

Liu Xiu launched his own set of checks and balances.

After defeating Wang Mang, he used the Yuzhou aristocratic families and Nanyang aristocratic families to counter the Jizhou aristocratic families.

And he set the capital of the Han dynasty back in Luoyang, not Yecheng.

If Liu Xiu were a cowardly and incompetent person who really listened to the ghost talk of the Jizhou aristocratic families and set the capital in Yecheng.

I fear his second emperor would have been completely hollowed out by the Jizhou aristocratic families!

And what were the benefits of setting the capital in Luoyang?

Luoyang was closer to the Yuzhou aristocratic families, which meant the strength of the Yuzhou aristocratic families was enhanced.

The enemy becoming stronger was equivalent to one's own weakening.

Therefore, the act of setting the capital in Luoyang inhibited the Jizhou aristocratic families to a certain extent.

After that, families like the Runan Yuan family and Yingchuan Xun family of the Yuzhou aristocracy were supported by Liu Xiu!

Used to counter the Jizhou aristocratic families who had helped him defeat Wang Mang in the first place!

And this became the national policy of the Eastern Han dynasty all along.

Then, a terrifying question appeared.

Why was the birthplace of the Yellow Turban Rebellion Jizhou?

What were the Jizhou aristocratic families doing when Zhang Jiao launched the uprising?

Everything, up to now, has not received an authoritative answer.

But who would believe that the Yellow Turban Rebellion had nothing to do with the Jizhou aristocratic families?

……

Now.

Yuan Shao's development route was actually following Liu Xiu's old path.

But what was different was.

Yuan Shao himself came from the Runan Yuan family among the Yuzhou aristocracy.

The Runan Yuan family became the number one aristocratic family in the world during the Eastern Han period.

This group of Yuzhou people who followed him to Jizhou naturally harbored the wish to make their own families go further.

But Yuan Shao's current behavior, and the future trend of the Yuan camp, had been completely controlled by the Jizhou people like Ju Shou.

For old subordinates from the Yuzhou region like Guo Tu and Xin Ping.

Yuan Shao was truly a bit hard to speak about.

"My lord, actually, we two came here today because there is one thing we want to ask."

Guo Tu and Xin Ping looked at each other.

"Oh? Gongze, Zhongzhi, what is the matter you are referring to?"

Yuan Shao narrowed his eyes slightly.

Although he felt guilty toward these old Yuzhou subordinates in his heart.

But guilt could not be eaten as a meal.

If the demands of Guo Tu and Xin Ping were too excessive.

Yuan Shao would naturally still refuse them without hesitation.

The two already had guesses about Yuan Shao's true thoughts in his heart.