PFC Chapter 35 Governor of Qingzhou, Acting as Imperial Envoy!
Chapter 35 Governor of Qingzhou, Acting as Imperial Envoy!
Regarding the result in Qingzhou.
Yuan Shao was also filled with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow.
To his delight, his eldest son had finally made something of himself.
What's worrying is that the 20,000 elite troops from Hebei, plus the combination of Yan Liang and Shen Pei, suffered such a crushing defeat!
Are we people from Hebei all good-for-nothings?
Yuan Shao ignored the commotion and continued,
"In his letter, Yan Liang said that he was grateful to Xian Si for sacrificing Lü Lingqi to save his life, and volunteered to stay in Qingzhou temporarily to help Xian Si strengthen the defenses and deter Lü Bu. Hmm... Shen Pei underestimated the enemy and acted rashly, unfortunately sacrificing his life for his country, which is truly regrettable."
Yuan Shao also felt somewhat ashamed of Shen Pei's death.
I usually trust this strategist quite a bit.
The other person died so easily.
Death is lighter than a feather.
Did they die from underestimating the enemy and advancing recklessly?
Is this the kind of death a strategist should have?
Which strategist doesn't plan and strategize behind the scenes?
But you insisted on going to the front lines, and died inexplicably.
This is practically a slap in the face to oneself.
Am I, Yuan Benchu, a man who cannot judge people?
Thinking of this, he felt that he needed to reward Yuan Tan properly.
"Xian Si, in this battle, outnumbered but outmatched, displayed both wisdom and courage, expanding territory and bringing peace to the people, even subduing tens of thousands of bandits from Mount Tai! He has enhanced the prestige of the Hebei army and greatly boosted the reputation of the Yuan family! How can such merit not be rewarded?"
His eyes shone brightly as he looked at the crowd:
"My mind is made up! I will appoint Biao Xiansi as the Governor of Qingzhou, grant him the authority to act on behalf of the emperor, and increase his fief by two thousand households! The rewards of gold and silk shall be disbursed immediately!"
These words shocked everyone in the room!
Governor of Qingzhou, you are hereby granted the authority to act on behalf of the emperor!
This means that Yuan Tan's power in Qingzhou will be completely consolidated, making him a true regional warlord!
"Father! No!"
The third young master, Yuan Shang, suddenly stepped forward, his face showing some urgency.
"Brother's achievements are indeed questionable! General Yan Liang is the bravest in the army, and Prefect Shen is resourceful and wise. Even when the two of them joined forces, they were almost completely wiped out! How could you have achieved such a victory with only three thousand men?"
There must be something fishy going on! The cause of the deputy driver's death is shrouded in mystery; how can we not investigate? Such a generous reward is unlikely to satisfy the public!
Madam Liu also spoke at the opportune moment, her voice gentle yet sharp:
"My lord, Shang'er's concerns are not without merit. Xiansi is young and has made great achievements so quickly. We must guard against the instigation of villains, or... the false reporting of his merits. Rewards and punishments are matters of great importance to the state, and we must carefully verify them to be appropriate."
Such a hasty and generous reward, if there are hidden circumstances later, wouldn't it damage my husband's discernment?
Guo Tu, Feng Ji, and others from Yuan Shang's faction also echoed his sentiments, using strong language, the core of which was:
Yuan Tan's military achievements are questionable, and the cause of Shen Pei's death is unclear. These must be thoroughly investigated, and no rewards should be given to him!
The room immediately split into two factions, arguing endlessly.
Ju Shou, sitting to the side, looked at the scene with his brows furrowed and an uncontrollable disappointment on his face.
This is seriously not even going to be an act anymore!
That young master is fond of women, and you all want to mock him?
Now that the eldest son has won the battle, you are even more inclined to question him.
What's wrong?
Yan Liang and Shen Pei were both defeated. If this battle wasn't fought by the eldest son, why did Lü Bu retreat? He couldn't have gone mad, could he?
Just as Yuan Shao was frowning and slightly hesitant due to the noise,
"My lord!"
Ju Shou suddenly stood up, his voice booming and drowning out all the noise.
He was always known for his uprightness and composure, and his anger at this moment exuded a certain authority.
The hall fell silent instantly.
Ju Shou first bowed to Yuan Shao, then his gaze swept over the crowd below, and he said in a pained voice:
"Gentlemen! What season is it now? Cao Cao holds the emperor hostage and is eyeing the south like a tiger, while Lü Bu, like a jackal, is lurking in the east. Heroes from all over the world are rising up!"
The eldest son, leading a lone army against a powerful enemy, not only defended Qingzhou but also expanded the territory of Langya, demonstrating the might of our army! Such illustrious achievements are an unprecedented victory for Hebei in recent years!
His voice was impassioned as he repeatedly questioned:
Instead of thinking about how to celebrate victory and stabilize the new territory, they are making unfounded accusations and suspecting the meritorious officials!
General Yan Liang stated unequivocally in his letter that Shen Pei's death was due to underestimating the enemy and advancing recklessly, ultimately sacrificing his life for the country!
Why are you getting bogged down in baseless suspicions? What is your purpose?
Upon hearing this, Tian Feng, who was sitting upright to the side, secretly shook his head.
Ju Shou's words have likely offended the Third Prince completely!
How could they not be ostracized in the future?
He kept glancing at Ju Shou, trying to get him to back down, but the other man launched into a long and eloquent speech:
"My lord! Now is the perfect time to reward our meritorious officials and demonstrate our trustworthiness to solidify the morale of our soldiers! Let everyone in Qingzhou know that they will be rewarded for their service to you! In this way, everyone will be willing to give their lives, and we can conquer the world!"
If mere suspicion chills the hearts of the soldiers at the front and dampens their fighting spirit, then those close to us will grieve, and our enemies will rejoice! Have we not heard that even a loving mother will grow weary when slander reaches her three times over? I implore my lord to consider this carefully!
These words were powerful and resounding, containing both an analysis of the overall situation and a rebuttal to Yuan Shang and others. They also cited classical texts and went straight to the heart of the matter!
This immediately left Yuan Shang and his group speechless.
Yuan Shao thought to himself:
Xiansi's rise to power, though unexpected, has nonetheless dampened the arrogance of Shang'er's faction. Besides, Qingzhou is, after all, the territory of the Yuan family…
He already favored the face Yuan Tan had earned for him this time, and when Ju Shou pointed out his concerns, his hesitation vanished instantly.
He slammed his hand on the table and said resolutely:
"To speak with him in public is the mark of a wise and experienced ruler! My mind is made up; let this proposal be adopted, and Xian Si be richly rewarded! No one may raise any further objections!"
"Our lord is wise!"
Ju Shou bowed and said.
Yuan Shang, Madam Liu, and the others turned ashen-faced, but dared not refute further, and could only grit their teeth in silence.
……
Upon returning to his residence, Yuan Shang kicked open the door, pointed south towards Qingzhou, and began to curse:
"Shen Pei! Shen Zhengnan! You incompetent good-for-nothing! You old scoundrel! My mother trusted you so much, entrusting you with the important task of keeping Yuan Tan in check!"
You, on the other hand, led 20,000 elite troops, and Yan Liang, such a fierce general, suffered such a huge setback in Langya!
Not only did you fail to achieve anything, but you also lost your life there, allowing that lowly servant's son to gain both fame and fortune! Your death is nothing to regret, but ruining my grand plan is a crime deserving of death!
His chest heaved violently; he was clearly furious.
It was thought that with Shen Pei taking charge, he would surely be able to suppress Yuan Tan, seize his military power, or at the very least, stand on equal footing with him.
Unexpectedly, the defeat was utterly crushing, which ironically enhanced Yuan Tan's reputation!
Guo Tu, Feng Ji, and other trusted advisors felt a sense of shared sorrow, standing silently to the side, as if their own rabbits were dying.
Although Shen Pei underestimated the enemy and acted rashly, his death was not a pity.
But you, Yuan Shang, are still his lord. How could you treat your former subordinate with such harsh words?
How can you not let your subordinates feel disheartened?
After Yuan Shang had vented his anger for a while, Guo Tu cautiously approached, stroking his beard, and said in a sinister tone:
"Third Young Master, please calm down. Shen Zhengnan's defeat and death were certainly due to his incompetence. However... upon closer examination, there are indeed many illogical aspects to this matter."
"Oh?"
Yuan Shang suddenly turned his head and stared at Guo Tu.
"What insightful opinions does Gong Ze have?"
Hmph! What brilliant idea do you have?
So you're asking now?
She gets angry so easily; she's so young, yet she has no composure whatsoever!
How can you fight against Yuan Tan like this?
Guo Tu suppressed his inner turmoil and lowered his voice, saying:
"Third Young Master, please consider this: when the Eldest Young Master was sent to Qingzhou by the Lord, he had only three thousand men. His provisions and weapons were all confiscated, leaving him with neither soldiers nor provisions. Even if Zhang He has some ability, a skilled cook cannot cook without rice!"