Chapter 336 Early Start

Seeing Yuan Shang's anger, the three court pillars of Hebei dared not say a word. Pang Ji came out to smooth things over and said, "The generals have tried their best. This city is indeed difficult to attack."

"Although Zang Hong didn't fight many battles, he defended the city surprisingly well. This was also Ji Zhi's overcalculation. I am really ashamed of it."

Yuan Shang waved his hand and said, "Don't mention anything else. I just want to know, is there any good way to capture Dongwuyang now?"

Pang Ji pondered for a moment, "Now it seems that we can only surround them and wait for them to run out of food."

Yuan Shang asked decisively: "How long will it take?"

"At least three months, at most more than half a year," Pang Ji replied.

Yuan Shang stood up and walked around the tent, "No, it's too slow!"

"If this continues, the Black Mountain Passage from Jizhou to Bingzhou will be completely occupied by Yuan Xi!"

The Heishan Pass leading to Bingzhou is extremely important to Yuan Shang. It is related to Yuan Shang's plan to persuade Yuan Shao to send his own people to Bingzhou to occupy the territory and echo with Jizhou.

Although Bingzhou looks poor, it has the fertile Hetao Plain, a large number of war horses and cavalry. If he can control the Southern Xiongnu, he can form a huge cavalry in a short time!

But if Yuan Xi took it down, things would be different.

Although they were both members of the Yuan family, Yuan Shang knew that he had severely offended Yuan Xi. If the other party occupied Montenegro, he would definitely make things difficult for him.

If Yuan Xi had conquered the Hetao Plain before him, he would most likely have been able to snatch those war horses away. Even if he couldn't take them away, given his opponent's character, he would most likely have killed them directly, leaving his efforts in vain.

Thinking of this, Yuan Shang became a little anxious. He had mentioned to Yuan Shao that Yuan Xi had ulterior motives, but Yuan Shao told Yuan Shang not to mention the matter again, saying it was groundless.

As Yuan Shang's adviser, Pang Ji naturally knew Yuan Shang's worries and said, "If you really want to go to Black Mountain, that's fine. We don't need so many people here."

"We can definitely leave a general here to guard the place, and divide the troops to attack the Black Mountain bandits."

After hearing this, Yuan Shang hesitated, "Father asked me to capture Dongwuyang, but now I am retreating in the face of battle. How will father see me?"

"Besides, the Black Mountain Army is not an easy opponent. My father didn't manage to wipe them out back then. What if I go there rashly and get defeated?"

Pang Ji thought that Yuan Shang's problem was that he was too hesitant and could not make up his mind. He wanted everything but got nothing.

According to Pang Ji's idea, Yuan Shang has now inherited the title of the family leader, and his biggest enemy is Yuan Tan. So he should focus all his efforts on Yuan Tan. Why create unnecessary trouble and make enemies everywhere?

He sighed and said, "Sir, this opportunity cannot be missed."

"Right now, Master Xianyi and the Black Mountain Army have fought so hard that neither can retreat. As long as Master Xianyi joins, he will definitely be able to dominate the situation."

"Is there any better opportunity than this?"

After hearing this, Yuan Shang pondered for a while, and finally made up his mind and said, "I understand!"

He pointed at Gao Lan: "You" he paused, "are responsible for the siege of Dongwuyang!"

Gao Lan said quickly: "I will obey your orders."

He murmured in his heart, is this because he is worried about himself?

That's right. My wife is a member of the Zhen family. It would be strange if I wasn't suspected.

It's better to stay here, so that I won't be unable to cope with the conflict between Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang.

Yuan Shang pointed at Wen Chou and Zhang He and said, "Generals, follow me to Black Mountain and enter through the Weijun Pass!"

Wen Chou and Zhang He heard this and both bowed and said, "I accept your command!"

Pang Ji wanted to suggest that they communicate with Yuan Xi first, but he was afraid that Yuan Shang would start to hesitate again after that, so he thought to himself, let's wait and see the situation.

After all, Black Mountain is too critical. No matter what, it is imperative to occupy a part of it first and open up a safe passage to Bingzhou.

In Juancheng, the capital of Yanzhou, which belongs to the same Dongjun as Dongwuyang and is separated from Dongwuyang by the Yellow River, Cao Cao was also summoning his advisers to discuss matters.

Everyone looked unhappy. Cao's army was good at mobile warfare in the field. They were good at using speed and time to encircle and attack reinforcements. However, they were mediocre at attacking cities.

Cao's army's weapons and supplies for sieges were far less than those of the wealthy in Jizhou, so most of the time they spent sieges and had to risk their lives. The soldiers in Qingzhou were unruly and resistant to such things, so Chenliu had not been taken down until now.

Cao Cao said, "Now that the Yuan family is being held in Heishan and Dongwuyang, it is a great time to welcome the emperor."

"Yuan Shu is also sending troops to Sili. If we wait until the emperor returns to Luoyang, it will be too late!"

"But Chenliu is blocking the way to Hanoi. What can we do?"

Xun Yu said: "Chenliu is not worth mentioning, why not just bypass it?"

Cheng Yu said, "Zhang Miao and Zhang Chao also know military affairs. What should we do if they cut off our food supply when our main force passes through the border?"

Xun You heard this and said, "How about taking another route?"

After hearing this, everyone was confused and wondered how to change it.

Xun You said slowly, "I heard that Yuan Shang is besieging Dongwuyang. He is facing the same problem as us. He cannot take the city."

"But I'm afraid he will soon lose control. Yuan Xi recently defeated the Black Mountain Army's vanguard and will soon break into the Black Mountain Army's hinterland. Yuan Shang will not sit idly by and will definitely send troops to Black Mountain."

"We can now show our good will to them and offer them generous benefits. If they agree, we can march north from Juancheng, cross the Yellow River, and enter Henei from Weijun."

"In this case, our food supply route will be guaranteed by Yuan Shang, so we don't have to go through Chenliu, so we will be worry-free."

After hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up. The method Xun You proposed sounded feasible!

Cheng Yu pondered and said, "Our relationship with Jizhou is not good right now. I am afraid Yuan Shang may not agree."

Xun You gave Cheng Yu a meaningful look and said, "As long as you take action, I believe you will succeed immediately."

Cheng Yu's heart skipped a beat, wondering if Xun You had guessed something?

He could not help but look at Cao Cao, but Cao Cao seemed not to notice Cheng Yu and said to everyone: "Now the Baibo bandits have held the emperor hostage and are plotting evil. Every time I think of this, I can't sleep or eat well."

"No matter what we do, we must rush to Luoyang as soon as possible to welcome the emperor!"

"Before this, everything else can be put aside."

"So I decided to send a letter to Yuan Shang immediately to make friends with him."

"In order to save the emperor from danger and support the Han Dynasty, everything is worth it!"

Xun Yu was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes when he heard this, and he bowed and said, "Mingshang is wise!"

Everyone bowed to Cao Cao one after another. When Xun You looked at Xun Yu's kneeling figure, a meaningful look appeared on his face.

After Cao Cao and the others left, they left behind a few counselors. After discussing for most of the night, secret letters were sent to various places by messengers.

Dongwuyang, Hanoi, and even Montenegro.

The war in Montenegro attracted the attention of all the princes in the world and became a vortex of wind and cloud.

For the vortex, the eye of the storm is actually the quietest. Yuan Xi has now advanced more than a hundred miles and is stuck in the middle section of the Black Mountain near the central pass, but has set up camp and refused to move forward.

He knew very well that if they went deeper into enemy territory, their logistical supply routes would be lengthened and the Montenegrin Army would certainly find ways to target them.

At that time, as long as the Montenegrin Army sends a few troops over the mountains to harass the food supply route, we will be exhausted.

So he cautiously stopped more than 200 miles away from the heart of the Black Mountains, and then began to cut down trees to the east, clear the mountain roads, and open up a road to Jizhou.

In this way, Youzhou's grain route will no longer have to go through the Heishan Pass, but can go south from Youzhou to Jizhou and then turn west to Heishan. Safety will undoubtedly be greatly improved.

Yuan Xi's move was beyond the expectations of the Black Mountain Army. They had originally thought that Yuan Xi would take advantage of his victory and march straight to the Black Mountain base camp, so they had already withdrawn their troops to defend. Now the other side has stopped moving forward, which makes the Black Mountain Army extremely uncomfortable.

Especially Zhang Yan, when he first received the news, he thought that Ju Shou and Zhao Yun were going to attack the Black Mountain Army from behind, so he personally led his troops to block them.

The result was a vain effort. The troops led by Zhao Yun and Ju Su actually made a circle outside Black Mountain and disappeared without a trace!

When Zhang Yan was puzzled, news came that the northern front army was defeated by Yuan Xi and almost wiped out, even Yang Feng's whereabouts were unknown!

Upon hearing the news, Zhang Yan became even more panicked and hurriedly led his troops north.

Over the years, he has suffered a series of defeats and has long lost his former vigor.

Moreover, all these defeats were caused by Yuan Shao. Whether it was Yuan Shao's revenge on the Black Mountain Army's sneak attack on Yecheng, or his assistance to Gongsun Zan but being repelled in three directions, Zhang Yan suffered a lot from delays.

Especially the ferocious tiger of the Yuan family, which made Zhang Yan so angry that he gritted his teeth.

The Northern Army was completely annihilated twice!

Although the other groups were able to escape unscathed, whoever went to attack Beixin City would die every time. Even Yang Feng, whose martial arts were no less than his, was defeated and his whereabouts are unknown!

What Zhang Yan is most worried about now is that he cannot figure out the real purpose of the Youzhou Army.

If Yuan Xi set up camp in the north to clear the way in order to fight a protracted war and slowly wear himself out, then where did the troops led by Ju Shou and Zhao Yun go?

Zhang Yan thought of the precedent of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing rushing thousands of miles to attack the Xiongnu royal court, and he couldn't help but feel a lingering fear. Are the other party targeting him?

He picked up a secret letter at hand, read it carefully again and again, but still couldn't make up his mind.

If he could really help welcome the emperor as the letter said, he would be able to make a comeback and gain greater power and territory.

But in return, he may have to give up the Montenegrin Army's base camp. If he loses the bet, he will lose everything.

Moreover, the risk of this matter is not small. The Black Mountain Army and the White Wave Bandits seem to be of the same blood, but in fact they are taking two completely different paths in private.

Now that the Baibo Army has taken control of the emperor, can I really gain anything by going there?

He was torn between his conscience and his desires, but at this moment, a soldier came in and said, "Chief Yang is back!"

Zhang Yan was shocked when she heard this. Yang Feng was still alive?

Previously, the vanguard of the Black Mountain Army was defeated by the Youzhou Army, and several leaders fled back with hundreds of defeated soldiers. They said that Yang Feng went to kill the fierce tiger but did not come back, and they were afraid that he was in great danger.

Yang Feng was one of the best fighters in the Black Mountain Army, and Zhang Yan was entrusted by someone to take special care of her. If she died,

When he saw Yang Feng later, his condition was so miserable that Zhang Yan could hardly believe his eyes.