Capítulo 572: 550. Yuan Tan's Failure
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Tian Feng, who was known for his calm and composed nature, replied, "We must trust that lord Cao Cao will respond with instructions. Until then, our only option is to continue playing the part of cautious strategists." But even he knew that their facade was fraying; Feng Ji, Guo Tu, and Shen Pei while very logistical, prideful, and greedy were also cunning and they were ruthless, and a single misstep could reveal their true allegiances.
Several tense days passed before the messenger bird returned with Cao Cao's response. Tian Feng and Xu You read his instructions with relief. The pretense of awaiting direct orders from Yuan Shao would give them a temporary reprieve, and Cao Cao's planned maneuver near the northern border offered a plausible explanation for their apparent hesitancy.
Following Cao Cao's advice, Tian Feng began to send letters emphasizing to Yuan Shao's Court that a coordinated strategy was essential before any major action against Cao Cao's forces.
He argued that their restraint was necessary, portraying it as a careful, methodical approach rather than a reluctance to engage. His words were convincing, and Yuan Shao was swayed, at least temporarily, by Tian Feng's insistence on caution.
Xu You, meanwhile, worked to sow subtle divisions within Yuan Shao's court. With the border skirmishes continuing, Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang, two of Yuan Shao's sons, had grown increasingly vocal in their opinions on how to handle Cao Cao.
Yuan Tan favored a more aggressive approach, while Yuan Shang advocated a defensive stance, fearing that a direct assault could weaken their forces if Cao Cao retaliated, meanwhile, Yuan Xi and his father in law, Zhen Yi, advocated for peace but their voice was drowned by the increasing support for Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang due to the increasing bloody skirmish at the border.
Knowing about the situation at Yuan Shao's court, taking advantage of this rift, began to subtly encourage Yuan Tan's aggressiveness, knowing that a reckless move would both reveal the division in Yuan Shao's ranks and potentially force Yuan Shao into a disadvantageous position.
As the days wore on, Cao Cao's ruse played out exactly as planned. A force under Xiahou Yuan and Jia Kui's leadership was stationed near Yuan Shao's border, creating a sense of urgency for Yuan Shao and his Court, who now believed that Cao Cao was planning a major invasion.
This perception allowed Zhang Yan, Zhang He, and Gao Lan to maintain their cover by focusing on "defensive preparations" rather than launching an offensive against Cao Cao's patrols.
With each passing day, their efforts to delay action against Cao Cao's forces bought them valuable time, and the divisions within Yuan Shao's court grew deeper.
Yuan Tan's calls for an immediate assault became more desperate, clashing with Yuan Shang's insistence on fortifying their defenses, while Yuan Xi and Zhen Yi didn't have any voice anymore as Cao Cao was making a move, which meant peace wasn't an option anymore.
Yuan Shao, caught between the conflicting advice of his sons and the growing pressure from his advisors, became increasingly frustrated. His court was descending into a state of disarray, with factions forming around Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang, each vying for their father's favor.
As for Yuan Xi and Zhen Yi, they created their own faction where they still advocate for peace, while gathering their own strength by inviting the merchants inside Yuan Shao's domain to become part of Yuan Xi's faction, which was designed by Zhen Yi to hold the economy lifeline of Yuan Shao.
Tian Feng and Xu You watched this growing tension from Shangdang with satisfaction, knowing that it would only serve to weaken Yuan Shao's position further and increase Cao Cao's position.
With the pressure mounting on all sides, Yuan Shao eventually made a crucial decision: he ordered Yuan Tan to lead a contingent of forces against Cao Cao's troops near the border. Yuan Tan, eager to prove his worth, gathered his forces and prepared to march, while Yuan Shang voiced his concerns, warning that such a move would leave their defenses vulnerable.
Tian Feng and Xu You seized this moment to send a coded message to Cao Cao, informing him of Yuan Shao's decision to send Yuan Tan into battle. With this intelligence in hand, Cao Cao quickly devised a counter-strategy.
He ordered Xu Chu and Yue Jin to prepare a force that could do a pincer attack on Yuan Tan's troops and put them into a carefully planned ambush. The trap would not only weaken Yuan Shao's forces but would also serve to deepen the rift between Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang, as the failure of the mission would surely bring blame upon Yuan Tan's shoulders.
As Yuan Tan's forces advanced toward the border, they were met with fierce resistance from Xiahou Yuan and Jia Kui's forces, Xiahou Yuan and Jia Kui knowing about Cao Cao's plan, slowly retreated to invite Yuan Tan and his forces to enter inside Cao Cao's domain.
Yuan Tan's army surged forward, emboldened by the apparent retreat of Cao Cao's forces. His advisors, thrilled by what seemed to be a strategic coup, urged him to press the advantage. "Now is our chance!" one of them declared, feeding Yuan Tan's desire for glory.
Convinced that victory was within reach, Yuan Tan ordered his troops to pursue, unwittingly playing into Cao Cao's hands. As they marched deeper into enemy territory, he was oblivious to the trap tightening around him.
After entering several kilometers into Cao Cao's domain, unbeknownst to Yuan Tan and his army, Xu Chu and Yue Jin led their army into the back of their forces, and when Xiahou Yuan and Jia Kui received the news from Xu Chu and Yue Jin's messenger, they stop retreating and hold their ground beginning to engage with Yuan Tan and his army who still felt they had the upper hand.
Soon Yuan Tan's army found itself surrounded. Xu Chu and Yue Jin, who had positioned their forces to cut off any retreat, launched their assault from the rear, catching Yuan Tan's troops off guard.
With Xiahou Yuan and Jia Kui no longer retreating, but instead standing firm and beginning to counter-attack, Yuan Tan's men were now trapped on all sides. They had advanced with confidence, but now found themselves boxed in by Cao Cao's forces.
Panic began to ripple through the ranks. Soldiers, who only moments ago had felt triumphant, now faced chaos and confusion. Yuan Tan watched the scene unfold from his command post, bewildered and enraged.
A scout rushed to his side, shouting, "Our rear flank is under attack, General! Cao Cao's forces have encircled us!" Yuan Tan's face drained of color, realizing the depth of his mistake.
The battlefield descended into a fierce melee, with Xu Chu and Yue Jin leading the charge from one side while Xiahou Yuan and Jia Kui pressed from the other. Yuan Tan's forces, already exhausted from their long advance, now struggled against fresh, disciplined troops who knew every inch of the terrain. The relentless assault quickly wore down Yuan Tan's men, who found themselves with no clear escape route and dwindling morale.
Yuan Tan's advisors huddled around him, panic evident in their faces. One of them suggested a desperate breakout, another advocated retreat, but the paths behind them were blocked. The situation was dire.
At that moment, Yuan Tan's mind flashed back to Yuan Shang's warnings about leaving their defenses vulnerable. It was too late for regrets, but his frustration burned. He realized that this defeat could spell disaster, not just for his own reputation but for his father's entire future campaign against Cao Cao.
As the battle raged, Xu Chu's towering figure could be seen cutting a path through Yuan Tan's soldiers, instilling fear with each strike of his enormous rod hammer.
Yuan Tan knew that to avoid a complete slaughter, he would have to confront the threat directly. He gathered his remaining loyal guards and, with a battle cry, charged toward Xu Chu, hoping to at least break through to an escape route. But Xu Chu, a seasoned warrior, anticipated the move and quickly countered, blocking Yuan Tan's advance and forcing him back into the chaotic fray.
Meanwhile, back at Yuan Shao's court, news of the unfolding disaster had reached Yuan Shang. A sense of dread and anger filled him as he received reports of Yuan Tan's reckless pursuit into enemy territory.
While he had tried to warn his brother, Yuan Tan's impulsive nature had overridden caution, plunging their forces into an avoidable catastrophe. Yuan Shang quickly gathered his own advisors, considering the next steps, knowing this blunder could have severe consequences on their war efforts.
In the thick of battle, Yuan Tan's forces began to break apart under the relentless assault. Soldiers who had once charged forward with confidence were now trying desperately to flee, scattering in all directions.
Seeing the disarray, Xu Chu called for a decisive push, his voice booming above the noise of clashing swords. "Press forward! Victory is at hand!" The morale of Cao Cao's forces surged, while Yuan Tan's men faltered, some surrendering outright to avoid further bloodshed.
As the sun began to set over the battlefield, the reality of defeat settled upon Yuan Tan. His forces were decimated, and he found himself cut off from any possible reinforcements.
Defeated and humiliated, Yuan Tan realized he had no choice but to withdraw with the remnants of his once-proud army, retreating back toward Yuan Shao's camp. The losses were staggering, and as he trudged away, the weight of his failure loomed over him.
When Yuan Tan returned, Yuan Shao was furious. The defeat not only weakened their army but also exposed the disunity within his camp.
Yuan Shao's anger, however, was tempered by exhaustion; he had grown weary of his sons' infighting. Yuan Shang seized the opportunity to reprimand his brother, using the loss to illustrate the perils of rashness and unchecked ambition. Yuan Tan, though, was quick to defend himself, blaming the chaotic situation and claiming he had been misled by faulty intelligence.
The aftermath of the battle deepened the divisions within Yuan Shao's court. The factions supporting Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang grew increasingly hostile, their followers trading accusations and undermining each other.
Meanwhile, Yuan Xi and Zhen Yi watched the chaos unfold with a measure of satisfaction. Their economic influence within the realm grew stronger as they leveraged their control over resources to support their own followers, quietly amassing power while Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang squabbled.
In Shangdang, Tian Feng and Xu You received news of Yuan Tan's defeat with satisfaction, knowing that the setback would only solidify their strategy. The cracks in Yuan Shao's court had grown into chasms, with each faction vying for influence while Cao Cao's forces continued to press at the borders. Tian Feng and Xu You wrote to Cao Cao once more, suggesting further ways to exploit the weaknesses in Yuan Shao's army and political structure for his campaign in the future.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Overlord Of The Central Plains
Age: 32 (199 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 1325
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 951 (+20)
VIT: 613 (+20)
AGI: 598 (+10)
INT: 617
CHR: 96
WIS: 519
WILL: 407
ATR Points: 0
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
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