"Haha!"
Lu Yu's laughter continued, and Yuan Shao's expression grew increasingly grim. Just moments ago, Yin Lin had been nothing but subservient, so why had he suddenly transformed?
Arrogant, haughty, and his laughter even carried a hint of contempt!
What was he being contemptuous of?
Yuan Shao deliberately looked back, scanning his surroundings, fearing that Lu Yu had an ambush force nearby!
But… where were any troops?
The rain pattered down… beyond the large raindrops falling from the sky, there were no hoofbeats, no sounds of battle.
"Lu Yu…"
Yuan Shao spoke, Lu Yu's laughter eroding his last shred of patience.
Unexpectedly, as Yuan Shao opened his mouth, Lu Yu's laughter abruptly ceased. Immediately after, Lu Yu stood with his hands behind his back, cupped his fists, and bowed to Yuan Shao. "Duke Yuan, no matter what, whether we fight or make peace? Today… I thank Duke Yuan for chatting with me for so long. It is a pleasure to converse with Duke Yuan!"
"Duke Yuan is also a very likeable person… It's just that, I heard… when the eighteen lords attacked Dong, Duke Yuan received a jade seal and immediately took it out to hand to Chancellor Cao. The saying goes, 'He offered it to his elbow,' and Chancellor Cao did not accept this jade seal. Instead, he laughed and ridiculed Duke Yuan. From that moment on, Duke Yuan should have realized that if the old Yuan family wanted an emperor, Cao Cao would be the greatest obstacle along the way!"
"But today… Chancellor Cao holds the Son of Heaven and holds the reins of the world. What about the jade seal in his hands? How could he possibly cede the six commanderies of Xuzhou, let alone the Son of Heaven! Duke Yuan is foolish, very foolish, and naive, haha! Hahahaha!"
Lu Yu spoke, shaking his head repeatedly as he talked.
Yuan Shao was indeed foolishly likeable.
"You…" Yuan Shao also stood up abruptly, his eyes wide with anger. He felt as though he had been toyed with. With his status as Yuan Shao, how could he allow himself to be played for a fool?
"Duke Yuan…" Lu Yu's words continued. "If I were you, I would absolutely not agree to peace with Chancellor Cao. I would only build him a grand tomb of bluestone, because as long as Chancellor Cao draws breath, your old Yuan family will never hold the reins of the world!"
At this point…
Lu Yu abruptly turned around. Laughing, he walked out from under the canopy of the parasol.
As he walked, he did not forget to announce loudly, "Come, Duke Yuan… feel free to station your four hundred and fifty thousand troops in Yanjin City, because this Yanjin City was originally a bluestone tomb that I, on behalf of Chancellor Cao, presented to Duke Yuan. I have prepared a grand gift inside, which you call 'a trap,' ready to be delivered to Duke Yuan at any moment!"
"However, Duke Yuan should be cautious… This grand gift of mine is not light. You and your four hundred and fifty thousand troops may not be able to handle it!"
Lu Yu's voice was very loud… loud enough for Dian Wei and Zhang He nearby to hear clearly!
Of course, the reason for speaking in this manner!
It was based on Lu Yu's understanding of Yuan Shao's personality…
Lu Yu's understanding of Yuan Shao's character could be described as "enterprise-level"!
Given his indecisiveness and constant hesitations, if his strategists told him to go east, he would certainly go west. If they told him to do something, he would deliberately not do it! Moreover, this was with regard to an "enemy"?
Lu Yu said Yanjin was a trap and not to go to Yanjin, but instead… he would stubbornly enter Yanjin!
The saying "stubborn as a mule" probably meant something like this!
Yuan Shao, like many stubborn people in his previous life, would always suffer societal beatings after leaving school. The reason was precisely because of the "one-track mind" in their heads, their adherence to rigid logic, and their penchant for arguing!
"Farewell, I need to tidy up and retreat to Guandu as well. Duke Yuan… this Yanjin is yours. As for the gift… it has been prepared! Of course, you can also choose to attack our retreating troops towards Guandu. If that is the case, then I, Yin Lin, will be captured alive by Duke Yuan!"
The reason Lu Yu spoke with such confidence was still based on Yuan Shao's disposition!
The more Lu Yu advised him to attack Cao's retreating troops, and the more he said… he could capture him alive, the more Yuan Shao would hesitate… and the less he would dare to attack!
Besides, who was he, Yuan Shao? Why should he listen to Lu Yu?
Who did Lu Yu think he was? Did he think he would be captured alive just because Lu Yu said so? Wouldn't that be a loss of face for him?
Leaving behind these words…
Lu Yu had already walked out of the canopy umbrella…
He walked towards Yanjin City with a smile. Calculating the time, it was still a bit early! But given Yuan Shao's character, he still had some decision-making to do!
This way, he could postpone it by a few hours, and his entry into Yanjin City would be perfectly timed.
Dian Wei saw Lu Yu emerge from the canopy and quickly stepped forward, escorting him towards the city gate.
Zhang He, seeing this, also moved to greet Yuan Shao…
But Yuan Shao was still deep in thought under the canopy umbrella.
"My lord… this place is dangerous, let's return to the military camp!" Zhang He asked.
Yuan Shao raised his index finger. He was still pondering, still contemplating Lu Yu's words, the words about Chen Ming ceding Yanjin City, the words inviting him to attack Cao's troops!
True or false? Illusory or real?
He had clearly exposed his weakness!
But…
Wait!
Yuan Shao slapped his forehead. He felt as though his brain had almost been kicked by a donkey!
Lu Yu… Lu Yu, who had annihilated his ten thousand cavalry in two battles, or rather, the world-renowned Yin Lin, how could he expose his weakness to Yuan Shao?
He couldn't be too naive, too simple!
How did Yan Liang lose? How did Wen Chou die… wasn't it because they underestimated this Lu Yu?
Therefore… there could only be one truth!
Yin Lin was trying to lure him into attacking Cao's troops.
That's right… there could only be this one truth. It's possible that on the road from Yanjin to Guandu, this fellow had laid numerous ambushes, waiting for him, Yuan Shao, to take the bait!
With this thought…
Yuan Shao puffed out his chest. He looked up at the retreating Yin Lin.
He couldn't help but exclaim softly, "Little Yin Lin, how laughable, how laughable! You think you can provoke me? Hmph… you think I will abandon Yanjin and send troops to attack Cao's retreating forces? Am I, Yuan Shao, that foolish?"
At this point…
Yuan Shao immediately ordered Zhang He, "Pass down the order, send the vanguard to enter Yanjin City and thoroughly search every house, ensure there are no ambushes, and after confirming safety, our main army will then enter."
This…
Upon hearing this, Zhang He's eyes darted, "My lord, our army has already scouted… the only troops in Yanjin City are the Dragon Guard Knights. Lu Yu must be leading his army to retreat this time. Duke Yuan only needs to dispatch a squadron of elite cavalry to annihilate the Dragon Guard Knights and capture Lu Yu… thus…"
Before Zhang He could finish speaking…
Yuan Shao raised his hand, signaling him to stop talking.
"It is said—'A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall!'"
"Moreover, for the consistently resourceful Yin Lin, how could he possibly put himself in danger… Besides…"
Having said this, Yuan Shao paused before continuing, "Just a few days ago, did Generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou have the same thoughts as General Junyi? How did they lose? How did they die… Has Junyi forgotten?"
With this in mind, Yuan Shao's eyes narrowed.
"Lu Yu is inducing this general to attack his retreating forces, but I refuse. He says there are ambushes in Yanjin City, that it's a trap… I insist on seeing what this trap, this ambush is!"
Yuan Shao's tone grew increasingly cold. The rain continued to fall, and the atmosphere was not harmonious!
Conversely, Lu Yu, despite being drenched by the rain, appeared extremely relaxed… even unhurriedly leading the Dragon Guard Knights to retreat towards Guandu!
During the process, Lu Yu even hummed a song with great interest:
—"Blow, blow, my pride unleashed!
—"Blow, but don't destroy my pure garden! Let the wind blow! Let it be wild!"
It seemed… he was in high spirits.
But… the Dragon Guard soldiers around Lu Yu were all bewildered.
Across their foreheads was a single large inscription: Don't speak, we're on the same side!
…
…
In the northern part of Jizhou, on Flying Dragon Mountain, Lu Lingqi finally reached the mountaintop again after the rain had eased somewhat. Besides the two pots of wine for her master, she also carried a bamboo slip, which was the one Yuan An had given her earlier at the wine shop.
After a while…
On the training stage of Flying Dragon Mountain, a man stood, his hair white and his face youthful, his eyes sharp. Colorful gauze fluttered in the wind, as if he had never been touched by worldly affairs, devoid of any worldly corruption, appearing like an otherworldly immortal with profound wisdom!
This person was Lu Lingqi's master—the current Spear God, Tong Yuan!
"Yuan Fang of the Ru'nan Yuan clan! Is it him?"
After hearing Lu Lingqi's report, Tong Yuan took the bamboo slip and slowly unfolded it…
Before even reading it, he murmured the name "Yuan Fang."
"That's a strange person, he always speaks only half the truth, acting all mysterious and unfathomable…" Lu Lingqi reported truthfully. "His martial arts are not weak, though… not as frail as ordinary Taoists. He said he has some acquaintance with your wife!"
Hearing this, Tong Yuan nodded…
The Yuan clan of Ru'nan and the Yan clan of Jizhou, in terms of their friendship, could be traced back three generations, thus their connection was indeed profound.
And Yuan Fang…
This name made Tong Yuan's thoughts race.
"Since he is a disciple of Master Sima Hui, known as the Water Mirror, and also a disciple of Zuo Ci, one of the Eight Eccentrics of Nanhua, it would be strange if he were *not* 'eccentric'."
Uttering this sentence…
Tong Yuan's gaze moved downwards. Under his faint gaze, the characters on the bamboo slip sprang to life.
Speaking of which…
The current world is being vied for by "youngsters" like Cao Cao and Yuan Shao…
But going back more than thirty years, what kind of scenery did the world hold then?
The Three Luminaries of Liang Province—Huangfu Gui, Zhang Huan, Duan Jiong!
The Three Heroes of the Late Han—Huangfu Song, Lu Zhi, Zhu Jun!
Cao Cao's grandfather, praised as a wise and virtuous eunuch throughout the ages—Cao Teng!
The illustrious Lord Qiao the Elder—Qiao Xuan, who famously carried the Qingxuan Sword!
To be frank, at that time, Cai Yong and Cao Song were just beginning to make their mark. Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and the Ten Eunuchs were still merely junior eunuchs, insignificant. They were firmly suppressed by Cao Jie and He Jin, disciples of Cao Teng, who called Wang Fu their foster father!
Of course, besides these renowned figures.
The common folk also boasted a series of extremely influential titles.
For instance—the Sword God Wang Yue!
For instance—the Spear God Tong Yuan.
For instance—the number one halberd in the world, the Halberd God Li Yan!
Speaking of which, Tong Yuan and Li Yan both married women from the distinguished Yan family of Jizhou, thus they were in-laws. But few people knew… they were also fellow disciples, both disciples of Yu Zhenzi!
It could be said that Tong Yuan's spear and Li Yan's halberd originated from the same school.
This point… could be seen from the spear techniques of Tong Yuan's disciples Zhang Ren, Zhang Xiu, and Zhao Yun, as well as the halberd techniques of Li Yan's disciples Lu Bu and Taishi Ci!
It was not the brute force approach of Zhang Fei's "one force conquers ten strengths," nor Guan Yu's explosive style of "the first three blows, each stronger than the last." Instead… it emphasized variation, and the mastery of both offense and defense!
The world often says "One Lu Bu, Two Zhao Yun, Three Dian Wei"… but few people realize that the spear and halberd of Lu Bu and Zhao Yun were of the same origin!
The stories of that era were no less dramatic than the present… they were rich and colorful!
The Nanhua Immortal was rated by Master Sima Hui, the Water Mirror, as a "bastard impersonating Zhuangzi";
The Eight Eccentrics of Nanhua were also rated by the Water Mirror as "doctors who want to be scholar-officials," and he even commented that Zhang Jiao, a disciple of the Eight Eccentrics of Nanhua who founded the Way of Great Peace—any derivative that involved martial force was an evil sect!
From this, it can be seen… that the Nanhua Immortal and the Water Mirror were not on good terms!
The Eight Eccentrics of Nanhua were also completely unrelated to the Eight Wonders of the Water Mirror.
Yet…
This young master Yuan Fang of the Yuan family was a disciple of both Master Water Mirror and Zuo Ci, one of the Eight Eccentrics of Nanhua.
From this, it could be seen… how terrifying his methods and schemes were!
At this moment.
Tong Yuan's eyes fell upon the bamboo slip… the content was not much, it could be read at a glance!
However… with just a single glance…
Tong Yuan's eyes, originally as calm as a lake, suddenly narrowed, as if… the lake surface was being churned by waves, crashing… a storm was brewing!
"Where is this Yuan Fang?"
Tong Yuan's tone involuntarily deepened…
Lu Lingqi was startled. "He's… he's at the wine shop at the foot of the mountain."
*Phew…*
Tong Yuan let out a long sigh and stepped forward to descend the mountain, but… before he had even descended the training stage, his steps halted.
"This letter? Has your mistress seen it?"
Tong Yuan asked again…
"No… no!" Lu Lingqi replied truthfully.
"Don't tell her!" Leaving these five words, Tong Yuan vanished before Lu Lingqi's eyes without her even seeing him move.
Lu Lingqi instinctively tried to chase after him, but… how could she possibly keep up with her master Tong Yuan's speed?
Only…
Lu Lingqi clenched her teeth.
"Is… is something major happening?"
Lu Lingqi didn't know.
Of course, it was a major event. The patriarch of the Yan clan of Jizhou, Yan Liang, was missing and presumed dead. If Tong Yuan's wife… Yan Yun, the eldest daughter of the Yan clan, were to learn of this, it would be a disaster!
…
…
On the southern bank of the Yellow River, in the Yuan army camp, in the central command tent.
At this moment, Yuan Shao paced back and forth in the large tent. His advisors, such as Xu You, Ju Shou, Guo Tu, and Feng Ji, were all present!
Yuan Shao had already recounted his conversation with Lu Yu in detail.
He even proposed his idea.
That is, to avoid falling into Lu Yu's trap of luring the enemy, he would send the vanguard to enter Yanjin City to investigate, and only after confirming safety would the main army proceed.
Naturally…
This strategy received unanimous approval from all the flatterers, with the exception of "Ju Shou."
"My lord's discernment…" Guo Tu's flattery was endless and continuous. "Duke Yuan's four hundred and fifty thousand troops have already crossed the Yellow River and are fatigued. Now, they have also encountered this torrential rain, set up camp, and are currently exhausted…"
"The immediate priority, as your lordship has deployed, is to enter Yanjin City to rest the three armies. After a few days… when the soldiers of the three armies have fully recovered their energy and the heavy rain has stopped, we can launch a decisive attack to capture Guandu… and open a gap towards Xuchang. That Lu Yu must have foreseen this and is trying to lure your lordship into a decisive battle with a fatigued army. Your lordship's discerning eyes are like fire, how can such petty tricks hide from your lordship's discerning eyes! Compared to your lordship, that Lu Yu is merely a glowworm, how dare he compete with the sun and moon!"
Hey…
Not bad, Guo Tu's analysis had some truth to it.
Although Xu You, who belonged to a different faction, wanted to retort, he couldn't, such is the art of flattery! Not only does it make the horse comfortable, but it also praises oneself, leaving no room for others to flatter!
This…
Ju Shou, hearing this, had a different opinion.
Yuan Shao was certain that Yin Lin was trying to lure him into an attack.
But what if… it wasn't like that?
What if it was the opposite?
Yin Lin was most adept at discerning people's hearts. What if… he had already seen through and understood Yuan Shao's thoughts completely? Simply put, Lu Yu had predicted Yuan Shao's prediction…
This…
Ju Shou dared not think further, but he felt that based on Yin Lin's previous psychological tactics, this was highly likely!
However…
Thinking of this, Ju Shou wanted to speak, but the words reached his lips and he swallowed them.
No need to persuade, he already knew the outcome…
With such a group of sycophants praising him, how could Yuan Shao listen to his opinions… this was merely a repeat of the same stories from the past!
Oh well…
Oh well…
Ju Shou shook his head helplessly.
Coincidentally, Yuan Shao noticed him. "Military Advisor Ju, are you shaking your head because you think my strategy is not good?"
These words… were very sensitive!
How did Tian Feng end up in prison? How was Ju Shou stripped of his military command? Wasn't it all because… they questioned Yuan Shao's decisions?
This time… Ju Shou had learned to be clever and went with the flow.
"Very good, very good!"
Ju Shou murmured softly…
"Hahaha…" Yuan Shao laughed heartily.
Just then.
—"Report…"
A scout came to report, "My lord, General Zhang He has led the vanguard and confirmed that there are no ambushes in the entire Yanjin City, nor any 'trickery.' Even the area outside Yanjin City has been searched, and there is no one… the civilians have all been relocated by Cao's army."
—"Report…"
Just as the previous scout had reported, another scout arrived.
—"Reporting to my lord, Lu Yu and the Dragon Guard Knights escorted the last batch of civilians and supplies to Guandu. Along the way… our army has scouted, and there are no ambushes!"
This…
These two consecutive reports completely bewildered Yuan Shao.
Indeed, Yuan Shao could understand that there were no defenses within Yanjin City… but… why was there no ambush even when the Dragon Guard Knights escorted the last batch of civilians and supplies away?
This… this…
Yuan Shao subconsciously tapped his forehead.
He was a little confused…
"Not good…" Xu You was the first to react. "My lord, I said he, Lu Yu, was cunning and treacherous. He wasn't trying to lure your lordship into an attack; he was deliberately creating a false impression… to gain time for transferring civilians, soldiers, and supplies… Ah, ah… oh dear!"
Xu You felt as though he had figured it out…
After all, he had already thought of the second level!
Hearing this, Yuan Shao's eyes hardened…
"I've fallen for the trap…"
This time, he realized he had indeed fallen for the trap. "So that's how it is… he, Lu Yu, deliberately spoke with me to lure me into sending troops. He was trying to gauge my, Yuan Shao's, thoughts, and he was betting that I wouldn't dare to attack his Dragon Guard Knights!"
"But what was the purpose of his retreat… was it just for supplies? The transfer of civilians?" Yuan Shao posed his question.
"No… not just that!" Ju Shou spoke, his brows furrowed. "It's the 'supply line'… it's the 'food route'!"
Ju Shou's tone suddenly became serious.
"Yin Lin deliberately ceded Yanjin to your lordship and changed the location of the decisive battle to Guandu, because Guandu is adjacent to Yanzhou and not far from Xudu City… In this way, Cao's army's supply line and food route will be shorter, while Duke Yuan's supply line and food route will be longer. This is the 'terrain' among the 'Dao, Heaven, Earth, General, Method' in Sun Tzu's Art of War, and it was the key to Duke Wen of Jin, Chong'er, retreating three leagues and defeating the Chu army!"
Ho…
After Ju Shou's analysis.
Yuan Shao understood everything.
This time, he didn't argue. The facts spoke louder than words; he had fallen for the trap.
But…
Given Yuan Shao's stubborn nature, even if he had fallen for the trap, he still had to maintain his dignity and composure.
—"Cao Cao is not Chong'er, Lu Yu is not Xian Zhen, and I, Yuan Shao, am even less the King Cheng of Chu!"
—"Hmph, the food route, the supply line? Before this general crossed the Yellow River, I had already chosen an excellent place for grain storage. Since the supply line is extended, then this general might as well move the granary nearby. In this way… our army's food route and supply line will be even shorter than Cao Cao's!"
—"Retreating three leagues, he, Lu Yu, is merely being clever for his own sake!"
At this point, Yuan Shao raised his banner.
—"Pass down the order, all soldiers of the three armies are to enter Yanjin City immediately, rest well, and await the cessation of the rain!"
Yuan Shao's tone was exceptionally cold…
At this moment, the heavy rain outside grew even heavier, as if the waters of the celestial river were pouring down upon the human world, playing a soul-stirring melody!
—The wind is growing stronger!
—The "storm" that has long been gathering its strength is about to "pour down"!
…
…
Da Feng Novel Network