Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 10 Why is Gongjin so late?
As the army advanced, the total number of troops under the garrison of Guangling Commandery was only a few thousand, and there were no famous generals stationed there. The county soldiers of a few hundred men from each county, under the command of the county magistrate, faced Yuan Shu's army head-on. Under the overwhelming force, they were almost unstoppable and invincible.

On that day, Yuan Shu led his army to Jiangdu.

He ordered his men to prepare carriages and horses, and personally visited Zhang Hong at his door. He grasped Zhang Hong's hand tightly and said:
"Now that the Han dynasty is in decline and heroes are rising up, I intend to use the name of a man who has served as a high-ranking official for four generations to gather scattered talents, occupy both sides of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, and take advantage of the natural barrier of the Yangtze River to govern the south for the court. I will observe the changing situation, then lead my troops north to unite the feudal lords and bring order to the world!"
"I have long admired your reputation, sir, and believe you possess the talents of Guan Zhong and Li Si. I aspire to serve you and have come to invite you to join me in this great endeavor."

Zhang Hong was moved by his sincere words!

If it were anyone else praising him like that, he might not care, but who was Yuan Shu? A man from a family that had held high office for four generations! He was notoriously arrogant, even looking down on figures like Cao Cao and Yuan Shao!
The fact that he personally came to treat scholars with such respect shows how much he values ​​himself. This comparison of Guan Zhong and Li Si's talents would be the envy of many.

Zhang Hong bowed deeply and replied:
"In these chaotic times, heroes are vying for power. With your reputation, if you had the Jianghuai region, you could hold the strategic pass and defend it, while planning to conquer Jingzhou and Xiangyang. If you wait for the right time to act, you could establish a regional power and eventually restore the Han Dynasty. This is truly the best strategy!"
I am completely convinced!

Yuan Shu was overjoyed and wrote a letter recommending him as the governor of Guangling. All the counties in Guangling surrendered upon hearing the news. When the news spread, Jiangdong was shaken!
Upon arriving at Wu Commandery, before they could even attack the city, they saw the city gates wide open, and Xu Gong, the governor of Wu Commandery, surrendered with Zhang Zhao and several thousand soldiers.

"We bring food and drink to welcome the king's army!"

Gong was previously confused and mistakenly trusted the traitor Liu Yao. Now, fortunately, he has received guidance from Mr. Zibu and wishes to abandon darkness and embrace the light, restoring order to the world. He hopes that Lord Yuan will not abandon him!

His words seemed sincere, but he hesitated, saying, "I had previously heard Lord Yuan say that those who lead a crowd to welcome me will be promoted and receive higher salaries, but I don't know..."

Yuan Shu smiled at Xu Gong's greedy face, his eyes turning cold. Xu Gong was not capable enough and was short-sighted. He originally wanted to kill him, but he did not expect Xu Gong to be so quick to seize the opportunity.

When he saw him coming to greet him, Yuan Shu's face was full of joy.

"I regret that I did not meet you sooner, General! I wish to appoint you as General Who Pacifies Wu, so as to recognize your merits!"

The words trailed off meaningfully, "What does the general think?"

"My lord's kindness is immeasurable; even if I were to die ten thousand times, I could never repay such a great favor!"

Observing Yuan Shu's delighted expression, Yuan Shu was already thinking to himself that although the position of General of the Household was prestigious, it had no real power. Once he incorporated Yuan Shu's men into his ranks, whether Yuan Shu could lead troops in the future, and how many troops he could lead, would be a matter of a single word.

After appeasing Xu Gong, Yuan Shu became much more sincere when he met Zhang Zhao.

Seeing that Zhang Zhao was disheveled and surrounded by soldiers, he knew that Xu Gong's previous advice was all lies. He suspected that Xu Gong had heard the news from Guangling and deliberately forced Zhang Zhao to come here to curry favor.

Yuan Shu immediately dismissed his soldiers and personally stepped forward to straighten his clothes. His first words were:

"Your skill has implicated you, sir, and caused you suffering."

Zhang Zhao was deeply moved!

Is this really the Yuan Shu I remember?
The saying goes that a prodigal son who returns is more precious than gold. Being treated with courtesy by those who value talent and virtue is nothing out of the ordinary. But to be treated as an honored guest by Yuan Shu, who is known for his arrogance, is enough to challenge stereotypes and is deeply shocking.

"Master Zibu is a man of great learning, possessing the talents of Yi Yin and Shang Yang, and his fame resounds throughout Jiangdong!"

"I have long admired you, sir, and regret not being able to meet you in person. I now wish to appoint you as the Prefect of Wu Commandery, and hope that you will consider the well-being of the people of Wu Commandery and lend me your assistance."

"The reputations of Yi Yin and Shang Yang far surpass those of Zhao Yuan!"
"Now, I am deeply grateful for Lord Yuan's kindness, and I am willing to serve him with utmost loyalty!"

Seeing the two men displaying mutual respect, Yang Hong, who was observing from the sidelines, remained silent.

Thinking back to the day I set off on the expedition, my lord called me his Zifang, and we talked all day without being able to finish our conversation. I was deeply moved!
Now he's gotten used to it. He heard that the lord used to call Yan Xiang his Xiao He and Xu Chu his Fan Kuai. Add to that Zhang Hong, who was comparable to Guan Zhong a few days ago, and look at the present.
Yang Hong sighed with a mixture of relief and helplessness. He realized that his lord had truly changed, but he was also somewhat worried that his lord's knowledge of historical figures might not be enough for future use. When the news arrived that Xu Gong had led Wu Commandery to surrender and that Zhang Zhao had also come out of seclusion to assist Yuan Shu as the governor of Wu Commandery, Jiangdong was not just shaken, but terrified!

Wherever Yuan Jun went, he almost swept away the enemy and they surrendered without resistance. How could Liu Yao, who was still in Qu'a, not be terrified and unable to eat or sleep?

After conquering Wu Commandery, Yuan Shu's reputation soared, and he became unparalleled in Jiangdong and other places!
He summoned Yang Hong and inquired about the previous spy incident.

"Our lord conquered Guangling and Wu County without losing a single soldier. Wherever he went, no one dared not surrender. His military might was unmatched. Many people in Qu'a City have begun to waver, but it will probably take some time before they completely side with our lord."

"It will take more time?"

It's nothing more than a group banding together to exclude outsiders; they're worried that my Yuan family is an outsider family, and they still have some doubts about me.

Yuan Shu chuckled lightly and gave the order casually.

"I have heard that the Qiao family has two daughters, both of whom are exceptionally beautiful. My wife was killed by the traitors along with my uncle and elder brother during the alliance against Dong Zhuo."

You should quickly send someone to Wancheng to propose marriage to the two Qiao sisters for me. Make a big fuss about it, so as to clearly tell these Jiangdong gentry that my Yuan family wants to form an alliance with them through marriage and jointly govern Jiangdong!

"This is a very clever plan."

Yang Hong nodded upon hearing this, thinking to himself that it must be the mastermind behind his lord who had made his move again.

"This will surely sow discord among Liu Yao's people and cause him to collapse without a fight. Hong, go and do it now."

"In addition, you should send someone to Donglai to treat that person with utmost respect and invite him to Shouchun."

"only!"

Watching Yang Hong's departing figure, Yuan Shu showed no joy on his face.

A brilliant plan?

He simply understood the hearts of these Jiangdong aristocratic families all too well: they were conservative, xenophobic, and put their own interests first. When faced with a dilemma, they would advise their lord to surrender.

However, given the current era, even if he dislikes these aristocratic families, he has no one else to rely on if he doesn't use them.

Yuan Shu, with his far-sighted vision, had already made a decision after some deliberation: after pacifying Jiangdong and returning to Shouchun, he would begin to cultivate talent for the future.

On that day, the army continued south and approached Qu'a. Sun Ce, who was traveling with the army, suddenly heard a report that a spy had been captured who claimed to be an old friend from his childhood and asked to meet him!
Unexpectedly, after meeting, the two burst into hearty laughter, their unrestrained spirit soaring to the heavens.

"Gongjin, how did you become Liu Yao's spy? Quickly confess honestly, or don't blame me for being ruthless in military law."

Zhou Yu knew he was joking, and he just sighed and laughed.

“I was on my way to Danyang to visit my uncle when I encountered Yuan Shu’s army. I heard that you were in the army, so I came to meet you. But I was mistaken for a spy.”

"I was just thinking about Gongjin a few days ago, and I never expected to see him today. Gongjin, why are you so late!"

(End of this chapter)