The Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Tan, intercepted Guo Jia's...

Chapter 27 New Aristocratic Family Alliance

Gao Shun!

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately fell silent.

Everyone knows that Gao Shun is an upright man, and his military reports are always truthful.

The guard took the copper tube, checked that the sealing wax was correct, and then presented it to Lü Bu.

Lu Bu snatched it, unscrewed the seal, pulled out the silk battle report inside, and quickly scanned it with his eyes.

At first, his face was still full of rage, but after reading for a while, his face turned from red to white, then from white to green, and finally, it turned into a terrifying ashen gray!

Military reports are clear, concise, and to the point, a consistent style of Gao Shun:

"...Upon receiving news of the rout of Dongwu's troops, I immediately led my troops to their aid. We encountered Yuan Tan's main force on the official road northeast of Tancheng and engaged them in battle. Their army formed a fierce and valiant vanguard to block our trapping camp. The commander of their troops was indeed Zhang He."

After a brief but fierce battle, Yuan Tan led his remaining troops in a rout towards the coast. His subordinate pursued them for ten miles, capturing countless banners and supplies, confirming that Yuan Tan had boarded a ship and fled far away. However…

It is true that Miss Lü Lingqi was captured on the battlefield, and that our army's supplies were burned. This humble general was incompetent and unable to provide timely assistance; I beg my lord to punish me.

"How dare this illegitimate son deceive me!"

Lu Bu staggered, nearly falling to the ground. The silk cloth in his hand fluttered to the ground.

"My lord!"

Chen Gong, Song Xian, and others were shocked and rushed forward to help him up.

"Get out of here!"

Lu Bu pushed the crowd aside, his tiger-like eyes fixed on the battle report on the ground, his face filled with shock.

Chen Gong sighed and looked at Song Xian and Wei Xu, saying:

"Immediately suppress the news! Execute these few defeated soldiers as well. If there's any gossip in the army, you'll all pay with your heads!"

Song Xian and Wei Xu were both startled and quickly dragged the routed soldiers away as if they were dead dogs.

After Lü Bu's anger subsided somewhat, Chen Gong slowly spoke, his voice deep and resonant:

"Lord Wen, please calm down. The young lady has been captured, and our supply lines have been cut off. Our army is indeed in a critical situation. However, it is precisely at this time that we need to remain calm."

"Calm down? How can I calm down?!"

Lu Bu roared.

"Langya has been under siege for a long time without success, our army's food supplies are running low, and Lingqi is... Perhaps, perhaps we should send someone to negotiate with that brat Yuan Tan! We can exchange Langya for my Lingqi!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Gong was also taken aback.

To take a city that doesn't belong to you and go to negotiate with someone else.

You're quite good at business.

If it weren't for the fact that Lü Bu was his lord, Chen Gong would have really wanted to crack open Lü Bu's head to see what kind of mush was inside.

"Absolutely not! Marquis Wen, this proposal is absolutely unacceptable!"

"Why not?!"

Lü Bu glared angrily.

"Isn't it worth it to exchange Langya for my daughter?"

"It's not that Langya is worthless, but that this proposal is absolutely unfeasible!"

Chen Gong stepped forward.

"Lord Wen, if you take the initiative to seek peace now, Yuan Tan will see it not as a gesture of goodwill, but as a sign of weakness! How could he possibly agree to our conditions without taking the opportunity to kick us when we're down?"

Lu Bu's expression shifted. Although impulsive, he knew Chen Gong's words made sense, and he said irritably:

"Then what do you suggest we do? Are we just going to stand by and watch Lingqi suffer, while my army is stuck and running out of resources?"

"Of course not!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Chen Gong's eyes.

"Peace talks are possible, but not now! If we want peace talks, we must first fight! Only by inflicting heavy losses on Yuan Tan, making him realize my strength, and making him pay a heavy price, can we instill fear in him. Only then can we negotiate on equal footing, and only then will we have any advantage!"

"Fight? How?"

Lu Bu smiled bitterly.

"With insufficient supplies and low morale, how can we fight?"

Chen Gong revealed a cold smile and lowered his voice:

"Lord Wen, it is precisely because our army is in such a precarious situation that we must take a desperate gamble, hoping for a chance to survive! I have a plan that, if successful, will cause Yuan Tan a great deal of trouble. At that time, not only can the young lady be saved, but the siege of Langya can also be lifted!"

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu's spirits lifted, and he quickly moved closer:

"What brilliant plan does Gongtai have? Tell us quickly!"

Chen Gong glanced around to make sure no one was watching before leaning close to Lü Bu's ear and whispering:

"We only need to do this and that... I'm not afraid that brat Yuan Tan won't fall for our trap! What do you think, Lord Wen?"

After Chen Gong finished speaking, he stepped back slightly to observe Lü Bu's reaction.

A fierce glint flashed in Lü Bu's eyes. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly slapped his thigh:

"Excellent! What a wicked plan! Though risky, it's our only chance to turn the tide! We'll follow Gongtai's advice!"

……

After Yuan Tan returned to Qingzhou, both Guo Jia and Xin Pi were shocked.

They originally thought that Yuan Tan's ability to cut off Lü Bu's army's supplies was already a remarkable achievement, but who would have thought that Yuan Tan would also capture Lü Bu's daughter, Lü Lingqi.

Although they were later routed by Gao Shun, their strategic objectives had been achieved, which can be described as a tremendous feat.

After listening to Yuan Tan's account, Xin Pi cupped his hands in consolation and said:

"My lord, weapons are instruments of war, and victory and defeat are common occurrences. This time, our army ventured deep into enemy territory alone, facing formidable adversaries like Lü Bu and Gao Shun, and achieved remarkable results—this is already an extraordinary feat! A few setbacks are minor flaws that do not detract from our overall excellence!"

The soldiers fought bravely against overwhelming odds and returned victorious; they are all pillars of our army. What crime have they committed?

Guo Jia nodded slightly and replied:

"What George said is absolutely right. Our lord has perfectly achieved his strategic goal of using a detachment to contain Lü Bu's main army, making it difficult for him to attend to both ends. Although Gao Shun has arrived, he has only managed to salvage some face and cannot reverse the devastating situation of losing all supplies and having Lü Bu's daughter captured."

Although our army has suffered heavy losses, its core remains intact and its vitality is still intact. Once we have rested and regrouped, relying on the prestige gained from this victory, recruiting refugees and training soldiers will be a piece of cake. At that time, with the momentum of a great victory, why should we worry about the pacification of Qingzhou?

As Yuan Tan listened to the analysis of his two trusted advisors, the frustration he felt due to the defeat finally eased considerably.

Too,

So be it, we've lost.

It's nothing serious.

Moreover, the losses this time were not very significant.

As long as I'm alive, I'll always have a chance to make a comeback.

Moreover, he now fully owes the army its loyalty.

As long as I can continue to guarantee their welfare benefits.

They will risk their lives to protect their safety.

I would not hesitate to sacrifice my life.

Because they knew they were truly willing to invest, while other feudal lords merely used their armies as tools for plunder, providing food but not pay.

Only I can offer them the highest level of treatment.

It could even allow their family to rise to prominence!

Despite its many flaws, the hereditary system of the Han Dynasty ensured the purity of bloodlines.

It instilled in the scholar-officials integrity and moral character, making them willing to die for their country.

Because in their eyes, the country is equivalent to home.

This is something that the Song and Ming dynasties could never achieve.

Why were there so many traitors during the Song and Ming dynasties?

It was all because Huang Chao broke the monopoly of the powerful clans over the country.

Let the concepts of nation and family be separated.

Scholars who became officials through the imperial examinations did not necessarily have a sense of loyalty to the court.

Because he only achieved his own upward social mobility.

Instead of the entire family achieving upward social mobility!

If future generations fail the imperial examinations, they will ultimately return to dust!

So why did the Manchus, after entering the Central Plains, bestow so many titles upon non-Manchu princes, attract so many Han Chinese to become their collaborators?

It's because this allows families to achieve upward mobility.

What difference does it make where you hold office?

Who told them to have such high salaries?

Therefore, in an era before the awakening of nationalism, the existence of aristocratic clans was necessary!

Cao Cao succeeded by relying on the scholars of Ying and Ru; I, Yuan Tan, come from a family that has held high office for four generations, and my reputation surpasses his.

Why can't we rebuild a new alliance of aristocratic families that are loyal only to the Yuan family?