gnovel Chapter 22 Yang Hong is almost completely fooled
Chapter 22 Yang Hong is almost completely fooled
The carriage traveled south along the official road.
Xu Sheng led three hundred soldiers to guard him from the front and back.
Sun Qian and Lu Yong rode in the same carriage.
Not long after setting off, Sun Qian took the initiative to ask for advice:
"Strategist, there is something I don't understand."
The lord is also an ally of Gongsun Zan.
If our lord were to take control of Xuzhou, the three provinces of Qing, Xu, and Yang could be connected in a single line.
Yuan Shao and Cao Cao might not dare to act rashly.
Why did the strategist insist on heading south to Jiangdong?
Lu Yongzheng leaned against the carriage wall, reaching out to lift the curtain and look at the scenery outside.
Hearing Sun Qian's question, he lowered the carriage curtain, looked directly at Sun Qian, and asked a question:
"Gongyou, do you think Gongsun Zan can defeat Yuan Shao?"
Sun Qian pondered for a moment and replied, "Gongsun Zan still has tens of thousands of elite troops under his command and occupies the two provinces of You and Qing."
If Xuzhou is added, its territory and military strength already far exceed Yuan Shao's...
Lu Yong shook his head and said, "Sometimes, strength is not just about the numbers on paper."
In the Battle of Jieqiao, Gongsun Zan's White Horse Cavalry was completely wiped out.
From then on, he fought against Yuan Shao and lost more often than he won.
In addition, Gongsun Zan was good at attacking but not at defending, was stubborn and self-willed, and lost the hearts of the people because of killing Liu Yu.
His downfall was inevitable; it was only a matter of time.
Sun Qian pondered for a moment: "Then, in your opinion, strategist, how will the overall situation of the world evolve?"
"Yuan Shao occupied the two provinces of Ji and Bing, with well-trained troops, ample provisions, numerous strategists, and a multitude of fierce generals."
His next step should be to attack Qingzhou.
Cao Cao controlled the entire Yan Province and part of Yu Province. Although his territory was not large, he and his civil and military officials were extremely powerful.
He will definitely take Xuzhou before Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu send troops there!
Despite being allies, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were childhood friends.
But these two will fall out sooner or later.
However, before that, they will join forces to clear away the surrounding obstacles; Gongsun Zan, Yuan Shu, and Lü Bu will all be caught.
Therefore, staying in Xuzhou meant facing either Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao, or Cao Cao.
Ultimately, it's still a dead end.
Lu Yong paused for a moment, then continued:
"Jiangdong is a vast region with a dense network of waterways, making it difficult for northern cavalry to maneuver there."
If we can occupy Jiangdong, we can recuperate and build up our strength.
Once things change in the Central Plains, we can sail up the river and either launch a northern expedition to conquer the Central Plains or take Jingzhou and Xiangyang to the west.
This is the only long-term solution.
Sun Qian was speechless.
But upon closer reflection, it does seem to make some sense.
It's no wonder that Lu Yong advised Liu Bei to leave Xuzhou and head south to Jiangnan.
Sun Qian remained silent for a long time before finally slowly clasping his hands in a fist and palm salute: "Strategist's insight is profound; I have learned a great deal."
Sun Qian was truly convinced.
He considered himself quite knowledgeable, but he had never met someone like Lu Yong who could see through the big picture and was not blinded by immediate interests.
It was truly fate that Liu Bei received this man's help when he was at a lowly level.
Seeing that Sun Qian was no longer asking questions, Lu Yong leaned against the carriage wall and closed his eyes to rest.
.........
A few days later, Shouchun City was in sight.
The Huai River flows swiftly, and the city walls stand tall.
After Yuan Shu occupied Huainan, he moved his capital here and carried out large-scale construction, making the city much more magnificent than before.
The city gate was bustling with merchants and travelers coming and going.
Lu Yong did not reveal his identity directly. Instead, he had his team change into different robes, and together with Sun Qian and several boxes of gifts, they entered the city in smaller groups.
Sun Qian asked, puzzled, "Strategist, since you've come to see Yuan Shu, why didn't you just present your visiting card?"
Lu Yong shook his head: "Yuan Shu is an arrogant man."
If we go directly to see him, he might not take us seriously.
First, win over his men; only then will it be easier to succeed if they've got their support.
Sun Qian suddenly realized that the strategist's plan was indeed watertight.
Lu Yong was considering that although he had the "King of Mouth" skill, it only increased the success rate by 80%, not 100%.
To be absolutely sure, it's best to do your homework.
Lu Yong and his party first went to Yan Xiang's residence.
Yan Xiang was Yuan Shu's chief clerk, in charge of documents and confidential matters.
Although he was not Yuan Shu's closest strategist, he was an indispensable figure in Yuan Shu's life.
Lu Yong presented his visiting card, and Yan Xiang, being polite, welcomed him into the hall and served him tea.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lu Yong began to probe Yan Xiang's intentions.
Yan Xiang inquired about the battle in Xuzhou, praised Liu Bei's benevolence and righteousness, and then said nothing more.
Seeing that he was neither warm nor cold, and that he wouldn't accept the gift, Lu Yong knew that this person wouldn't speak on his own.
Without lingering, he bid farewell and left.
The second family I visited was Li Ye.
This man held a low-ranking official position, but he was a fellow townsman of Yuan Shu, and his words carried considerable weight.
Li Ye was more enthusiastic than Yan Xiang, and spent half a day asking Lu Yong about the details of Cao Cao's retreat.
He accepted the two boxes of "special products" left by Lu Yong, which was tantamount to him tacitly agreeing to speak up for Liu Bei.
The third person is the main character; he is Yang Hong, Yuan Shu's chief secretary.
Yang Hong was Yuan Shu's true confidant and strategist.
Yuan Shu would always consult with Yang Hong on any major matters.
Yang Hong's residence was located in the east of Shouchun City, a large courtyard with three courtyards.
Although not overly luxurious, it was decorated in an elegant and orderly manner.
Lu Yong handed over his visiting card, and the gatekeeper went in to announce their arrival. A moment later, he led them into the courtyard.
Yang Hong was sitting in the hall reading a book.
Upon seeing Lu Yong and Sun Qian enter, he put down the bamboo slips and stood up to greet them.
Although he also looked down on Liu Bei, his attitude was more serious than that of Yan Xiang and Li Ye.
"Mr. Lu, you've come all this way, thank you for your hard work."
Yang Hong cupped his hands in greeting, his gaze lingering on Lu Yong for a moment before turning to Sun Qian.
"Sun Gongyou, I have long admired you."
Sun Qian returned the greeting: "Chief Secretary Yang is too kind."
After the guests and hosts were seated, Yang Hong ordered tea to be served.
The tea is a fine local tea from Huainan, with a bright green liquor and a fragrant aroma.
Yang Hong picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked directly, "Mr. Lu, what brings you to Shouchun?"
Lu Yong didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "I have come to pay my respects to General Yuan on the orders of my lord Liu Bei, and there is something I want to discuss with him."
"What is it?"
"Our lord is willing to offer Guangling County to General Yuan in exchange for a route south."
"Heading south?" Yang Hong paused slightly, setting down his teacup and looking directly at Lu Yong. "Where is Liu Bei going?"
"Jiangdong," Lu Yan didn't hide it.
A hint of surprise flashed in Yang Hong's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
He remained silent for a moment before slowly asking, "Liu Bei has just defeated Cao Cao and is at the height of his power. Why would he abandon Xuzhou and head south to Jiangdong?"
Lu Yong knew this was a test, so he gave a wry smile, which sounded somewhat theatrical, and said:
"Xuzhou is bordered by Yuan Shao to the north, Cao Cao to the west, and General Yuan to the south also intends to attack Xuzhou."
Knowing that he was incapable of defending Xuzhou, our lord decided to head south.
Jiangdong is a vast and sparsely populated area. It is poor, but at least there is a place to stay.
Staying in Xuzhou would only mean certain death, leaving no trace of their remains.
Yang Hong pondered the truth of those words.
Liu Bei certainly didn't have the strength to use a pretext to conquer Guo.
He had a force of just over ten thousand men.
How could they possibly use this tactic against Yuan Shu, who commanded an army of hundreds of thousands?
Perhaps he really wanted to go to Jiangdong.
Seeing that Yang Hong had come out of his thoughts, Lu Yong said again, "General Yuan controls Huainan and has a strong army. If he can also gain Guangling, he can form a line with Gongsun Zan of Xuzhou and Tian Kai of Qingzhou, which will allow him to attack or defend as needed. This will also benefit General Yuan."
"Although Jiangdong is remote, it is not an unclaimed land."
Yang Hong chuckled and said slowly, "Liu Yao, the governor of Yangzhou appointed by the imperial court, has arrived in Qu'a."
In Wu County, Kuaiji County, and other places, there were also powerful local lords who held their positions.
"If Liu Bei goes there, will he be able to establish a firm foothold?"
"Just do your best and leave the rest to fate." Lu Yong sighed, appearing weak and innocent.
Upon seeing this, a hint of disdain flashed in Yang Hong's eyes.
He then turned to Sun Qian and began discussing scholarship with him, his attitude being much better than he had with Lu Yong.
About half an hour later,
Yang Hong looked at Lu Yong, who was almost asleep.
His contempt for her was even greater:
"Liu Bei actually chose this kind of person as his strategist."
It seems they really have nowhere else to turn...