The news that Sun Ce was preparing to break camp and retreat quickly spread throughout Guangling City, and everyone couldn't help but show joy on their faces.
Because Sun Ce's offensive was too fierce, and this kind of desperate siege had been going on for several days, the soldiers on Yuan Xi's side also suffered a lot of casualties.
Guo Jia, however, showed a look of regret and said to Yuan Xi: "When Qiao Rui was released, Guan Yu happened to enter the city. Now that there is a problem in Tancheng, Sun Ce's retreat seems reasonable."
"It's a pity that in this way, we can't see Sun Ce's intention in attacking Guangling."
Yuan Xi listened and said: "If Guangling is really very important to Sun Ce, he should abandon Xiapi and attack here with his entire army, regardless of casualties."
"After all, it is easier to transfer troops from Yangzhou to Guangling, but in the end, he chose the more difficult-to-defend Xiapi. Could it be that at the beginning, he just couldn't swallow the breath of Guangling being raided?"
Guo Jia pondered for a while, then shook his head and said: "I can't figure it out either, but even if he returns to Xiapi, it will be difficult to defend. It can be said that he is neglecting one thing for another."
He showed a mocking expression, "Sun Ce is still too young, his appetite is too big, he wants to eat everything, and in the end, he can't eat anything."
"Especially in Xuzhou, which is a vast plain with ports everywhere, it only takes a few days to reach a commandery. It is not so easy to defend."
Yuan Xi listened and smiled: "I understand what you mean, sir. With my current strength, Xuzhou cannot be swallowed."
Guo Jia was very satisfied. One good thing about Yuan Xi was that he readily accepted good advice and was not blindly confident.
You should know that a victorious general is more likely to encounter a major defeat. Many times, it is because of the previous winning streak that he is too confident, leading to an overestimation of his own strength. Therefore, when he encounters failure, he suffers a terrible defeat, often becoming depressed and unable to recover.
Guo Jia said: "How to defend Guangling City in the future still needs to be carefully discussed. After all, it would be putting the cart before the horse to keep all of the young master's elite soldiers here for just one city."
"Now that Sun Ce's army is retreating outside the city, does the young master want to pursue them closely?"
Yuan Xi said: "I personally don't want to fight anymore."
"Sun Ce's army has extremely high morale. Even if we take some advantage, wouldn't it just let Cao Cao reap the benefits when they return to Xiapi?"
Guo Jia listened and smiled: "It seems that the young master is still more afraid of Cao Cao's army."
Yuan Xi nodded and said: "That's natural. I think Cao Cao's army is much harder to fight than Sun Ce's army."
"Oh?" Guo Jia became interested, "Is it because Cao Cao defeated Lu Bu that the young master has such thoughts?"
"I think Cao Cao is indeed more brilliant than Lu Bu, but I can't say exactly how much more brilliant."
"Does the young master think that Sun Ce can't stop Cao Cao's army?"
Yuan Xi thought for a while and said: "It's very possible."
"Cao Cao is a formidable person, from military affairs to strategy, he is very difficult to deal with. I can't beat him now."
Guo Jia listened and was a little surprised, "I didn't expect the young master to have such a high opinion of him?"
Yuan Xi thought to himself that the lessons of the Battle of Guandu in later generations were very painful.
Although Yuan Shao had an overall advantage, he was unable to achieve victory. Although it is said that Xu You's betrayal played a decisive role, it cannot be denied that Cao Cao defeated several times the number of Yuan's army in several key encounters. This is a solid record.
You should know that at that time, Yuan's army was well-equipped and had sufficient food and grass. It can be said that it was one of the top-ranked strong armies in the world. Even so, it was unable to defeat Cao Cao's army, which was short of food, which shows its strength.
Moreover, Yuan Xi suspected that Cao Cao had a unique method of training soldiers, and his book, Mengde's New Book, did not record the essence.
Yuan Xi's current nearly thousand elite soldiers actually have a little more military merit incentives, but the weakness is also very obvious, that is, they rely too much on senior generals like Tai Shi Ci, and are relatively lacking in a large number of middle and lower-level generals.
Cao Cao, on the other hand, used a large number of Cao's descendants and good families who were loyal to him to control the middle and lower-level positions in the army, so that even if they were temporarily at a disadvantage on the battlefield, they could integrate the team in time and form combat power again.
Yuan Xi had a headache. He still lacked strategists who were proficient in military administration and talent selection!
Guo Jia is not omnipotent. He is good at strategy, but not good at internal affairs. But looking at the world, internal affairs talents are also very difficult to find.
It's ridiculous to say that if you want to rank the internal affairs talents in the world at this time, the top two should be Cao Cao and Liu Bei, and the third is likely to be Xun Yu.
Of course, after Zhuge Liang cultivates and comprehends the Tao in the future, he may surpass them, but now, he is just a fifteen-year-old boy who doesn't know where he is.
Yuan Xi cursed inwardly, what a fucking trouble!
He said solemnly to Guo Jia: "To me, Cao Cao is always the most dangerous."
"Moreover, this person is really untrustworthy. He secretly joined forces with Yuan Shu, and in the blink of an eye, he raided Sun Ce in Xiapi."
"But in this way, I can go north along the canal and meet Liu Bei of Haixi."
Guo Jia's eyes narrowed, "The young master is going to Haixi in person?"
"I suggest you be cautious."
Yuan Xi was puzzled and said: "Sir, don't you trust Liu Yuzhou?"
Guo Jia said: "It's not like that, but the young master can't show such eagerness."
"If you want to negotiate, of course, the person who can't hold back first will be at a disadvantage."
"If the young master wants to go, it will be after Guan Yu returns to Haixi, and wait for Liu Yuzhou to invite you before you can discuss the conditions."
He thought for a while and added: "It is also convenient to go to Haixi. The merchant ships go north into the Huai River and then into Lianshui. If all goes well, Liu Bei will send someone over soon after Guan Yu returns."
"It's just right to take this time to rectify the defenses of Guangling City and turn this city into our base for going south."
"Moreover, the young master didn't want to return this city in the first place, right?"
Yuan Xi listened and smiled shamelessly, "The one who knows me is Mr. You."
He is not one to get up early without profit. He said long ago that in the chaotic world of the late Han Dynasty, how could there be anyone who would work for others for nothing? Even if he was willing, how could he be worthy of the soldiers who died under his command.
The biggest problem Yuan Xi is facing now is how to expand.
Youzhou is a good place for farming. It has salt and iron, a large number of excellent war horses, abundant water systems, fertile land, and even a short coastline for trade.
But the disadvantages are also very obvious. Several directions are blocked.
To the north are the Xianbei and Xiongnu tribes outside the pass, to the east is Gongsun Du of Liaodong, and to the south is Jizhou.
Bingzhou in the west is a breakthrough, but there are many people and it is bitterly cold. Although it occupies the Hetao area, which is known as "the only rich area in the Yellow River", it has a million Southern Xiongnu and hundreds of thousands of Black Mountain Army.
Even if Yuan Shao of later generations sent Gao Gan to occupy Bingzhou, he actually only opened up a small part of the Black Mountain area, less than one-fifth of the territory of Bingzhou.
To take a step back, even if Yuan Xi really settled the Bingzhou area and opened up the route to the Western Qiang in Liangzhou, he would still have to turn to the Guanzhong area, which is tantamount to putting the cart before the horse.
To compete for the Central Plains, it is still necessary to compete for the populous central area. If you live in a corner and farm the land, even if you farm until the end of time, the peak example is only like the Shu Kingdom in later generations. Even with Zhuge Liang, it is still a general term and can only wait to die slowly.
Therefore, Yuan Xi must open up a different route, and Xuzhou is a very critical breakthrough point.
The current situation is that no one can eat Xuzhou, and no one wants others to eat it.
Liu Bei at this time has a wealth of talents under his command, but he is still being beaten miserably. If it were Yuan Xi, he would think that he would not do better than Liu Bei.
However, what if you change your thinking?
He slowly opened his mouth and told Guo Jia his thoughts.
After Guo Jia listened, he couldn't help but admire: "The young master's idea is indeed unconventional."
"Unlike occupying the populous grain-producing area, but relying on the outer sea, I am afraid that almost no one would think like this."
"However, many key points in it still need to be carefully considered, after all, it involves several forces."
Yuan Xi smiled and said: "I rely on Mr. to think carefully."
Guo Jia sighed: "Sometimes I really regret it. Are you using me as a donkey?"
"There are many talents in Youzhou and Xuzhou, can't you find more strategists?"
Yuan Xi was embarrassed and said: "Does Mr. think I don't want to? Or would Mr. recommend some people?"
Guo Jia thought for a while and said dejectedly: "Forget it, most of the people I know are Yingchuan scholars, and they are probably all working for Cao Cao now."
"I can only find them slowly. There are many celebrities in Jiangdong, but unfortunately, I can't cross the river now."
Yuan Xi listened, thoughtfully.
Now Yuan Shu is plotting Yangzhou. If he still dares to proclaim himself emperor as he did in later generations, the princes of the world will attack him together and drive him into a dead end.
At that time, his forces will fall apart, and then it will be a great opportunity to grab people!
In this way, occupying Guangling Commandery is a foreshadowing in advance. This place is adjacent to Yangzhou, and it will be possible to put in some effort in the future!
While Yuan Xi and Guo Jia were secretly planning bad ideas, Zhen Mi's room was also quite lively.
Zhen Mi and Cai Yan had just sent away Liu Bei's wife and daughter who had come to thank them. Liu Bei's wife and daughter would return to Haixi with Guan Yu in the next few days.
Although Liu Bei's wife looked fierce, she still knew the basic etiquette. She didn't want to talk to Yuan Xi directly, so she brought her daughter to thank Zhen Mi.
Zhen Mi turned around and said to Kong Rong's wife and daughter in the guest seat: "At that time, Madam and Miss will also return with General Guan, right?"
Kong Rong's wife said: "Exactly, I am ashamed to say that my concubine and daughter have been rescued by the young master twice. My husband can't save face, so I have to thank you, Madam."
Zhen Mi smiled and said: "Madam is polite. My husband told me long ago that Madam doesn't have to take these small things to heart."
Kong Rong's daughter hid behind her mother and secretly looked at Zhen Mi, feeling a little sour in her heart. She thought that she was not ugly, but she really couldn't compare with others.
Kong Rong's wife sighed: "After this farewell, it may be difficult to see each other again in the future."
Zhen Mi asked in confusion: "What does Madam mean by this?"
Kong Rong's wife said: "My husband heard that the emperor's chariot moved east and returned to Luoyang. He wants to go to the emperor's command and receive grace. Therefore, after arriving in Haixi, he will set off to Luoyang."
"At that time, our family will find a way to go from Jizhou to Guanzhong, and after that, I am afraid that we will settle in Luoyang."
Kong Rong's daughter felt even more uncomfortable when she heard this. She knew that after returning to Haixi this time, her family would marry her to the Yang family. If things didn't work out, she would also go to Luoyang with them, and it would indeed be difficult to see Yuan Xi again.
Zhen Mi suddenly remembered one thing and said to Cai Yan next to her: "Madam Cai, who was captured by Sun Ce's army the other day, is also going to return to Jingzhou, right?"
"We can't return to Jizhou for a while, why don't we find her and ask her, if she is anxious, is she willing to go with Madam?"