noffsinger Chapter 352 Yuan Tan: Uncle Mengde, help me! He is definitely an honest and kind man!
Chapter 352 Yuan Tan: Uncle Mengde, help me! He is definitely an honest and kind man!
a few days later
Qingzhou
outside Linzi City
Looking at the city of Linzi so close at hand, Guo Tu and Chunyu Qiong excitedly wiped the dust off their faces.
These past few days have been incredibly tough for the two of them.
Using the phrase "weathered and experienced" to describe it is not an exaggeration at all.
Along the way, they not only had to evade potential assassinations, but also had to remain anonymous and not reveal a single word.
After all, the two were well aware of the immense influence of the powerful families of Ji Province.
Even within Qingzhou, which was under Yuan Tan's rule, it was hard to guarantee that people from powerful families in Jizhou wouldn't appear.
Fortunately, it's all over now.
Yuan Tan treated the two men to a warm welcome and then embraced them, weeping with each other.
"Liu! You poisonous woman!"
"Yuan Shang, traitor!"
"I, Yuan Tan, will kill these two!"
Yuan Tan gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment towards Lady Liu and Yuan Shang.
Guo Tu cried out:
"Young Master, the most urgent task is to establish your status as the heir."
"And we sent letters to the Second Young Master and General Gao Gan, trying to win them over and get them to express their support for you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yuan Tan hesitated.
Compared to Yuan Shang, who had the support of powerful families in Ji Province, Yuan Tan didn't have many cards to play.
Although in the past, Yuan Tan had tried his best to maintain his relationship with Yuan Xi and Gao Gan.
But right now, the problem is the successor to Yuan Ying.
Gao Gan and Yuan Xi would definitely value interests more than feelings.
Furthermore, Yuan Xi's Prefectural Governor of Youzhou was none other than Cui Yan.
The high-ranking official in Bingzhou was Wang Ling.
With this relationship in place, it would be significantly more difficult for Yuan Tan to win over Yuan Xi's high-ranking officials!
As Yuan Tan had predicted, things turned out exactly as he had.
Yuan Xi politely declined Yuan Tan's offer, expressed his support for Yuan Shang, and arranged a marriage with Cui Yan's niece.
Gao Gan, on the other hand, directly killed the envoy sent by Yuan Tan, openly breaking off relations with Yuan Tan.
Of the four provinces—Ji, You, Bing, and Qing—three have already fallen to Yuan Shang!
Yuan Tan only had Qingzhou left, but he had to face Yuan Shang, who possessed the power of the powerful families of Jizhou and the strength of three provinces. The pressure was immense.
……
Xuchang suburbs
Cao Cao, along with Cao Ang, Su Yu, Dian Wei, and Xu Chu, personally erected a cenotaph for Yuan Shao.
A cenotaph is a tomb that does not contain a corpse, but serves as a memorial.
"Brother, farewell..."
With tears in his eyes, Cao Cao wiped away the incense ash from Yuan Shao's cenotaph, bowed three times to the cenotaph, and formally bid farewell to his former mentor and good elder brother!
Back at the Sikong Mansion, Cao Cao's face no longer showed any sadness.
Instead, there is determination!
Yuan Shao taught Cao Cao a lot and also showed him the powerful devouring force that aristocratic families could have when they expanded to their extremes.
Therefore, Cao Cao now has more questions to consider than ever before.
Li Dian, the head of the intelligence guards, entered the Sikong Mansion and reported to Cao Cao:
"Reporting to the lord, Yuan Xi and Gao Gan have both expressed their support for Yuan Shang as Yuan Shao's rightful successor."
"is it?"
"Brother Benchu was a man of great renown, yet his sons are so utterly worthless."
Cao Cao shook his head, his eyes filled with regret.
Yuan Tan was brave but lacked strategy, Yuan Xi was timid and hesitant, and Yuan Shang was a "filial son."
There was also his nephew, Gao Gan, whom Yuan Shao trusted implicitly during his lifetime.
After Yuan Shao's death, Gao Gan willingly became a plaything in the hands of the powerful families of Ji Province.
Fortunately, Ju Shou was already dead.
Otherwise, the Yuan family's legacy might be completely lost to the Ju family!
"My lord, Yuan Tan is weak and helpless."
"As Yuan Tan's good uncle, you should support Yuan Tan and stand up for him."
Su Yu suggested with a smile.
Cao Cao stroked his beard and said:
"Helping the weak is the duty of Cao Cao's camp."
"I, Cao, then request Your Majesty to draft an edict appointing Yuan Tan as Grand General, to inherit the legacy of my elder brother Yuan Shao!"
Su Yu and Cao Cao exchanged a smile.
Now that he has been appointed Grand General, he can no longer claim the territory of the four states!
after all.
Being greedy is not a good habit.
Yuan Tan was still young, and the situation in the four provinces was too complex. Cao Cao, his good uncle, was afraid that he would not be able to hold on to him!
……
Shangshu Lingfu
Xun Yu handed the imperial edict to Xun Chen.
"Wenruo, what's wrong with you...?"
Xun Chen was startled and instinctively wanted to throw the imperial edict away.
Yes, Xun Chen has developed a conditioned reflex, fearing that Xun Yu will give him some tricky political affairs again.
But when Xun Chen saw that it was an imperial edict from the Golden Border, he immediately had a guess in his mind.
There was only one person in Cao Cao's camp who could reassure him about taking on the mission of an envoy.
That was his mission to Yuan Tan!
"Third brother, I have some very bad news for you."
"Starting tomorrow, you no longer need to come to the Minister's residence."
"real!?"
Xun Chen jumped up on the spot, his face beaming with unprecedented joy.
"Never mind, I still can't bear to part with Third Brother."
After saying this, Xun Yu took the imperial edict back.
This greatly worried Xun Chen!
What the hell!
We're brothers!
Now that you finally have a chance to escape the Minister's mansion, how can you not think about your third brother?
The last time Yang Xiu and Sima Yi ran away, they really angered the rest of the Minister's office, including Xun Chen!
The cattle and horses reached a consensus: from now on, whenever they see Yang Xiu and Sima Yi on the road, they will fight them every time!
Right now, Xun Yu is about to take back the chance to escape that he had just gotten his hands on.
Xun Chen, like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, snatched the imperial edict back once again.
Seeing this, Xun Yu sighed:
"Third brother, I really can't bear to part with you!"
Xun Chen also said urgently:
"Fourth brother, don't worry! Once I've finished this task, I'll definitely return to the Minister's residence!"
The two brothers had tears in their eyes, their gazes filled with reluctance.
……
临淄
Xun Chen returned to Linzi once again and received a warm welcome.
Although Xun Chen's current public identity is that of a servant in Cao Cao's camp.
But Xin Ping maintained secret contact with him.
In recent days, Xun Chen has also been the subject of much news.
At this moment, Cao Cao's camp sent Xun Chen as an envoy to express goodwill to Yuan Tan.
Upon receiving the imperial edict and learning that he had succeeded his father as a general, Yuan Tan was both surprised and delighted.
"Uncle Mengde is truly an honest and kind man."
“In the past, it was all the fault of Ju Shou and Shen Pei, those wicked people, that made me misunderstand Uncle Mengde so much.”
“When it really came down to hardship, it was Uncle Mengde who was the first to support his nephew.”
Yuan Tan was deeply moved.
Chunyu Qiong was the same.
Compared to Cao Cao, Yuan Tan and Chunyu Qiong undoubtedly wanted to kill Lady Liu and Yuan Shang!
In fact, Cao Cao could not even be considered their enemy.
One is due to differing stances, the other is a mortal enemy.
Yuan Tan and his civil and military officials could clearly distinguish which was more important.
Only Xin Ping frowned and said:
"My lord, gentlemen, do not be too happy yet."
"Although Cao Cao appointed the lord as Grand General."
"But there are no plans to send troops to support us for the time being."
"If we only offer our support, I'm afraid we still won't be a match for Yuan Shang."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Tan immediately asked Xun Chen:
"Youruo, did Uncle Mengde say he would send troops to support me?"
Xun Chen shook his head awkwardly.
And just then.
A guard entered the council chamber and reported:
"Reporting to my lord, the traitor Yuan Shang has already gathered troops near Ye City, intending to join forces with the Youzhou and Bingzhou armies to launch an attack on my Qingzhou!"
"Boom!"
This news came as a wake-up call.
Yuan Tan and his civil and military officials instantly felt their spirits plummet.
……