Chapter 148

First year of Chuping, twelfth month of winter

Following the dissolution of the eighteen-route coalition of warlords against Dong, the various warlords also successfully followed Li Ru's treacherous scheme, engaging in constant warfare with one another!

Yuan Benchu, who occupied Jizhou, reached an alliance with Gongsun Zan on the border of Youzhou, temporarily turning his military focus northward with the intention of annexing Bingzhou!

Gongsun Zan, meanwhile, continued to be busy consolidating the entire Youzhou, also reaching his hand toward the direction of Bingzhou!

As for Yuan Gonglu, who attacked Qingzhou, he only occupied half of Qingzhou before hurriedly moving his troops back to his own Nanyang Commandery!

The reason was none other than the existence of Lin Yang!

This caused the eighteen-route coalition of warlords against Dong this time to fail to force Dong Zhuo to retreat to Chang'an!

Dong Zhuo, who had been in Luoyang the whole time, did not have the incident where Sun Jian discovered the Imperial Seal!

Sun Jian, as the Tiger of Jiangdong, reorganized his forces and was the first to attack the location of Nanyang Commandery!

He swore to avenge the previous grudge over the supplies!

With his base camp taken, Yuan Gonglu had not yet occupied Qingzhou before hurriedly returning!

As for Cao Mengde, who was one of the eighteen warlords against Dong, he was now in Yanzhou, serving as the Grand Administrator of Dong Commandery!

Yanzhou, Grand Administrator of Dong Commandery

"My lord, Lin Ziyuan of Xuzhou has already occupied Guangling, and Zhang Chao has been defeated by him!"

Xia Hou Dun reported the news he had received to the Boss Cao before him!

Ever since the eighteen warlords disbanded!

Only half a year had passed!

Lin Yang had gone from being a mere County Magistrate with a small force of less than ten thousand armored troops!

To developing into a major force now with over ten thousand armored troops and more than forty thousand soldiers under his command, with his military focus pointed directly at Xuzhou!

"Alas, among the heroes of the world, there must be a place for Ziyuan!"

Looking at the intelligence in his hand, Cao Mengde also sighed!

He and Lin Yang had met during the eighteen-route warlords' campaign against Dong!

At that time, he had become interested in this person because of the food in Lin Yang's army!

Unexpectedly!

The other party's development had been so fast!

It had already surpassed him, Cao Mengde!

He, Cao Mengde, now only had a force of less than thirty thousand soldiers!

"My lord, we must also take Yanzhou as soon as possible!"

Nowadays, the warlords of the world are considered to be in a mess because of Dong Zhuo!

The situation in Yanzhou is equally chaotic!

Taking advantage of this time to take Yanzhou, and then plotting for the Qingzhou that Yuan Gonglu did not take!

Only with the power of one and a half provinces can they be sufficient to contend with Yuan Benchu, Gongsun Zan, and others!

"Hmm, what you say is very true!"

Thinking of the words Lin Yang had once said to him!

To restore the Han Dynasty, one must grasp power!

For a moment, Cao Mengde also left with Xia Hou Dun, Xia Hou Yuan, and others!

Meanwhile, in Luoyang

"Father-in-law, nowadays the warlords of the world are already in a mess!"

At this moment, Dong Zhuo was enjoying himself, and Li Ru, off to the side, was reporting!

Ever since the eighteen-route warlords' alliance broke apart, Dong Zhuo had been observing the situation of the various warlords!

With an army of two hundred thousand under his command, he sat and watched the success or failure of the world!

This was the policy Li Ru had proposed to Dong Zhuo!

No matter which warlord outside wins!

He, Dong Zhuo, is not considered a loser!

"My lord, nowadays Yuan Benchu and Gongsun Bogui intend to attack and occupy Bingzhou; we can send people to go and engage them in battle!"

After finishing the situation, Li Ru also spoke of the subsequent arrangements!

It is fine for the warlords outside to attack each other!

But one cannot let any single family grow too large!

Nowadays, Yuan Benchu, of the four-generation-three-ducal-house family, has already occupied Jizhou!

If he is allowed to seize Bingzhou as well!

Then occupying the land of two provinces, Yuan Benchu might grow too large!

Moreover!

That waste Yuan Gonglu, in Qingzhou beside Jizhou, actually did not take it down!

Half a year's time, and he couldn't take down a Qingzhou!

This made Li Ru's strategy a bit of a failure!

At the time of the enfeoffment, he had specifically given Jizhou to Yuan Benchu and Qingzhou to Yuan Gonglu!

The purpose!

Was to let these two disciples of the Yuan family attack each other!

Now that Yuan Gonglu has not occupied Qingzhou, this has given Yuan Benchu an opportunity!

Once Yuan Benchu occupies Bingzhou, Jizhou, and Qingzhou, the three provinces, Gongsun Zan in the northern Youzhou will no longer be his opponent!

Once Yuan Benchu occupies the land of four provinces, his military focus will inevitably point directly at Sili!

This is absolutely not what Li Ru wants to see!

"Wenyou, let's forget about this matter; we will sit in Guanzhong and watch them fight among themselves!"

Waving his hand, Dong Zhuo did not adopt this suggestion!

"But, Father-in-law, once..."