"General Cao, I haven't seen you for a long time, but you still look like you. My servant is here to greet you!"
In the front hall of the county government office.
A man dressed as a eunuch was bowing to Cao Ang at the moment. He was holding a brocade document engraved with gorgeous patterns in his hand, and he was speaking a lot of modest words, looking very respectful.
"Haha, eunuch Zhang, please get up quickly. You and I are old acquaintances, so why should we be so alienated!"
The visitor was an angel who had come all the way from Chang'an.
I don't know whether it was a coincidence or a deliberate arrangement by the Chang'an court. The person responsible for coming to read out the appointment edict for Cao Ang was this time.
It is still the unknown eunuch named Zhang.
Cao Ang was previously appointed as the prefect of Dongjun, and later was given the title of Marquis of Weixiang. The person who came to read the edict on both occasions was the eunuch Zhang in front of him.
That's why Cao Ang said "old acquaintance".
After the eunuch named Zhang stood up according to the words, he smiled and handed the silk book in his hands to Cao Ang with both hands, and at the same time he congratulated repeatedly.
"Since the general took office as the governor of Dongjun, he has made outstanding achievements in clearing up banditry, annihilating rebellious parties, and guarding the stability of his rule and the peaceful living of the people."
"Therefore, the emperor specially ordered to come here to read out the imperial edict and worship the general as the governor of Yuzhou. He will take charge of the duties and powers of the governor and oversee all the affairs of Yuzhou."
"Congratulations, general. Your Majesty is now the shepherd of Yanzhou, and you are the shepherd of Yuzhou. The Cao family has one family and two states. This must be a good story recorded in the history books!"
Listen to these words of flattery.
Cao Ang's face remained calm.
I was actually laughing secretly in my heart.
Let’s leave this wonderful story aside.
It is now that the imperial court's rules and regulations are lax and the laws are corrupted. Dong Zhuo acts without scruples, which is why he can create such a famous thing as a two-state pastor.
In any other period.
These are absolutely impossible things.
The top leaders of two neighboring states are from the same family, and they are still father and son. If the court is more stable, they will treat them as rebels and fight and kill them.
certainly.
Cao Ang doesn't care about this now.
Currently, the Cao family is still in the process of frantically accumulating strength and waiting for quantitative changes to turn into qualitative changes.
By the time someone is really dissatisfied with their two-state pastoralism, I am afraid that neither Cao Cao nor Cao Ang will be in this position anymore.
Moreover, even if someone criticizes behind his back.
Cao Ang could have pushed the whole thing onto Dong Zhuo.
Thief Dong went against the grain, deliberately going against the grain and trying to sow discord. Isn't this reasonable and very in line with his character?
We were just forced to be promoted to the position of Yuzhou Shepherd.
If anyone is dissatisfied, go to Dong Zhuo, not me!
…
He took the document from the eunuch and briefly checked the contents to confirm that it was correct.
Cao Ang just handed it back.
Then he said with a smile: "Same as before, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble eunuch Zhang to follow me south. After arriving in Yuzhou, I will read out the appointment in public, so that I can be justified."
Faced with Cao Ang's request.
The eunuch didn't hesitate at all.
Without saying a word, he raised his hands and said: "The general's order, how can I not disobey it? Just let me know when you are going to leave!"
Speaking of which.
He also dusted off his clothes.
Then he showed it to Cao Ang with a smile: "Actually, it's not that troublesome. Running back and forth between these places is a chore for others, but for me, it's fun."
"If I hadn't been able to get an errand from the Prime Minister to come and declare your order to the general, how could I have been able to make progress along the way?"
"Look, every time I come to see you, General, my slave has to change his clothes when he comes back. This is really a beautiful thing!"
These words immediately amused Cao Ang.
However, although the man named Zhang was flattering in his words, he was actually telling the truth.
Only a handful of people knew about the secret agreement between him and Dong Zhuo, and naturally the more familiar he was with the person responsible for the exchange, the more trustworthy he would be, and the easier it would be to use him.
This guy makes every trip.
Dong Zhuona's trustworthiness increased a bit, and his official position in the palace naturally increased all the way up, and his clothes became more noble as he changed.
…
Didn't pay too much attention to this matter.
Cao Ang just suddenly remembered something, and then asked casually: "The eunuch set out from Chang'an. Could it be that something happened along the way? How come he didn't arrive in Puyang County until today?"
The eunuch named Zhang was stunned.
Then he replied in a daze: "Reporting to General, I have not been delayed at all along the way, and there was no one who dared to obstruct the imperial team. The whole process was extremely smooth."
"Not to hide anything from the general, before leaving this time, I also met with the big shots above and said that you are anxiously waiting for this document."
"That's why I rode a fast horse all the way, and I didn't dare to delay at all!"
Hearing this, Cao Ang nodded slightly.
If this is the case, then the guy in front of me cannot be blamed for this. After all, he used to come by carriage, but now he comes directly on horseback. This change is already very honorable.
This proves something sideways.
The source of the delay is not in the process, but in Chang'an City.
Think of this.
Cao Ang immediately raised his hand to the eunuch and said: "The eunuch has come a long way, and the people and horses are trapped all the way. He must be extremely tired. You might as well go with the servants of the mansion to rest!"
…………
After the eunuch said goodbye and left.
Cao Ang waited there for a while.
Not long after.
A middle-aged man wearing linen clothes and dressed as an ordinary person came quietly to pay his respects.
Cao Ang first ordered the servants on his left and right to leave, then ordered the doors and windows to be closed, and after adjusting the confidentiality to the highest level, he invited this person to come and sit down.
"Lieutenant Wu, it's really hard for you to travel back and forth all the way!"
I heard Cao Ang take the initiative to speak.
The man surnamed Wu, who was called the captain, did not dare to show any slightness, his tone was calm, and he saluted Cao Ang simply with his movements: "Thanks to the general for caring about me, my subordinates are not working hard!"
This person's surname is Wu and his name is An.
He was a close confidant of Cao Ang's father, Cao Cao, and the person who secretly went to Chang'an to deliver the letter written by Cao Ang to Dong Zhuo.
At present, Cao Cao has led his troops south.
Wu An naturally came to return Cao Ang's orders.
After some appeasement.
Cao Ang didn't waste any time and put aside the doubts in his heart straightforwardly.
"Lieutenant Wu Du, this time you are ordered to go to Chang'an. You are riding alone and riding fast."
"And as I asked just now, there will be no delays for you and your party on the way back."
"Even though Puyang County and Chang'an City are far apart, logically speaking, it won't take such a long time. Could something be wrong?"
…
Since he is regarded as a confidant by Cao Cao.
Then this person naturally has his own merits.
After hearing Cao Ang's inquiry, Wu An said without even thinking about it.
"Reporting back to the general, something did happen, but it didn't happen on the way there, but happened in Chang'an and Dong Zhuo!"
As soon as this statement came out.
Cao Ang frowned immediately.
He narrowed his eyes slightly and thought for a while, then his expression quickly softened.
"Please tell me in detail!"
Wu An nodded, then took a few steps forward and recounted what happened after arriving in Chang'an.
"My subordinates set out from Puyang County and galloped all the way. There was no delay on the way and they arrived at Chang'an City in the shortest possible time."
"After arriving at Chang'an City, my subordinates followed your instructions and found the general Lu Bu and Lu Fengxian in the city. They took out the identity token you gave me and successfully gained General Lu's trust."
"It's just that when I explained my purpose of coming and wanted to go to the palace to secretly meet Dong Zhuo through General Lu, something went wrong."
"What should I say? Could it be that Lu Bu rejected this matter and was unwilling to pass the news on his behalf?"
Cao Ang couldn't help but interrupt.
After all, if Lu Bu is really obstructing this matter and playing some tricks, then many of his subsequent strategic arrangements will change as a result.
It’s impossible not to pay attention to it.
…
Fortunately, Wu An's next answer eliminated Cao Ang's worries.
"General Lu didn't have any intention of evading it. On the contrary, after learning that it was your intention, he was very excited and agreed. That afternoon he went to the palace to pass the news on his behalf."
"The problem lies with Dong Zhuo himself. After the news was sent to the palace, Dong Zhuo didn't respond for a long time and seemed to have completely forgotten about it."
"My subordinates have been waiting for many days. During this period, General Lu also entered the palace many times. Later, General Fengxian became impatient and found Li Ruli Wenyou, the leader of civil servants under Dong Zhuo."
"The two of them took me out of the city and marched all the way to the west of Chang'an City. When we arrived at a place, my subordinates met Dong Zhuo and quickly obtained the letter of appointment for you, the general, from Dong Zhuo."
The more Wu An spoke, the tighter Cao Ang's brows furrowed. After he finished narrating, an inexplicable look flashed across Cao Ang's eyes.
There was a hint of coldness in his slightly narrowed eyes, which was quite dangerous.
Dong Zhuo... what does he want to do?
Why are you stalling on this matter and refusing to give a response?
If this guy realized that something was wrong on his side, he could see that Cao Ang had been fooling him and exploiting Chang'an's resources.
Then it should be completely cut off.
Why did Dong Zhuo successfully hand out the things after Lu Bu and Li Ru entered the palace together?
Or does this big black fat man just want to beat himself up in this way, as a warning?
He is not in Chang'an City.
It was difficult for Cao Ang to determine what exactly happened.
But if we only look at the appearance, the situation may not be good.
This faint ominous premonition made it clear that Dong Zhuo, the biggest chess piece in Cao Ang's hands, was probably on the verge of losing control.
If that's the case.
So the Yuzhou pastoral official position obtained this time is probably the last time Cao Ang reaches out to get resources from Dong Zhuo and the Chang'an court.
…
Thoughts raced in my mind for a while.
Soon, the key information in Wu An's words was extracted, which was to the west of Chang'an City.
Cao Ang continued to ask with some doubts: "Lieutenant Wu, what was Dong Zhuo's reaction when he met you?"
"How far have you traveled to the west of Chang'an City? What is the name of the place where you met Dong Zhuo?"
"During the meeting, apart from you and him, as well as Lu Bu and Li Ru, was there anyone else present?"
Cao Ang relied on these side feedbacks to determine what went wrong with Dong Zhuo.
After Wu An recalled it carefully.
He told Cao Ang very strictly: "Reporting to General, if my subordinates remember correctly, Dong Zhuo smiled the whole time when he met with me and did not show any dissatisfaction."
"He was even quite happy after receiving your letter, General, and asked his subordinates to say hello to you for him."
"In addition, my subordinates and General Lu left the west of Chang'an City and traveled more than two hundred miles before arriving at a place called Wansuiwu, where Dong Zhuo was at that time."
"As for what other people said, I didn't see anyone else. Except for the concubine who serves Dong Zhuo in the Wubao, there is no one around."
Cao Ang: "..."
Understood.
Cao Ang finally understood.
The problem does lie with Dong Zhuo, but it is not that Dong Zhuo's attitude towards him has changed, but that Dong Zhuo himself has made a mistake.
…
Long live dock is actually Xiwu.
It was a place built by that old boy Dong Zhuo for fun. Of course, it was not just for fun. It also contained a lot of food and money.
It is the place where Dong Zhuo’s resources are gathered.
Cao Ang can now conclude one thing.
That is, although Lu Bu entered the palace several times, he actually never saw Dong Zhuo. He was in the shed at that time.
Dong Zhuo must have ordered his subordinates not to go to Xiwu to find him at will, so Lu Bu could only go to the palace first and ask someone to convey it to him, which required another procedure.
And Dong Zhuo was in his comfort zone, playing tricks in the wine pool and meat forest. Where could he find the time to be busy with this matter.
Li Ru was probably behind him, and Lu Bu was going with him. This weight was heavy enough, so Dong Zhuo took the time to show his face.
Think about this.
Cao Ang couldn't help but shook his head slightly.
It's not that this big black fat man has any opinions about himself, but that he has completely transformed into a decadent state and entered a comprehensive conservative stage.
This is because after he received the news from Kanto, he still took his time and did not react.
As well as building a lair, hoarding resources crazily in it, and amassing women, you can clearly see it.
Such a situation occurs.
In fact, Dong Zhuo's chess piece is almost useless.
Although the personal relationship between the two remained strong, Dong Zhuo, who had turned into a decadent and conservative state, lost his ambition for the Central Plains.
This means that if Cao Ang has any appeals later, Dong Zhuo will not be able to respond as actively as before. This time may be the last time.
…
There was silence in the hall for a while.
Cao Ang was writing something on the blank bamboo slips at the moment, as if he wanted to record something.
After all this.
He put down his writing and then asked a question that seemed irrelevant to the matter.
"Lieutenant Wu Du, you must have learned a lot along the way to Chang'an. Can you describe to me the area after you arrived in Chang'an?"
"What's the situation in and around Chang'an?"
Wu An was slightly startled.
But he reacted quickly.
This time, he didn't even think about it, and he shook his head with regret.
"General, my subordinates can only describe it as miserable. The Chang'an area is really miserable!"
After sighing.
Before Cao Ang could continue to ask.
Wu An already had a wry smile on his face, the compassion in his eyes flashed away, and then he took the initiative to state.
"In the opinion of my subordinates, the situation in Chang'an is not much better than that of Luoyang. Even because Dong Zhuo's Xiliang army has been entrenched in Chang'an for a long time, its situation is even worse!"
"Not to mention Chang'an, the entire Guanzhong area is now in a state of decay. The people's lives are miserable. They don't have enough food to eat, they don't have enough clothes to cover their bodies, and they are homeless. I don't know how many people starved to death by the roadside."
"My subordinates are so used to seeing corpses along the way that they are a little numb. There are even some who froze to death by the roadside last winter and are still lying there today."
…
He listened to Wu An's report.
Cao Ang's right hand, which was hidden under the desk, couldn't help but tremble slightly, and his face became visibly ugly.
After a long silence.
Then he asked: "Besides, what else did you see and what did you know?"
Wu An may have something to hide.
Therefore, when Cao Ang asked, he spoke urgently without hesitation.
"My subordinates saw such a tragic scene along the way. After arriving in Chang'an City and waiting for Dong Zhuo to receive him, I couldn't help but poke around and got some news."
"The reason why the Guanzhong area is so tragic is because Dong Zhuo indulged his Xiliang army, burned, killed, looted and committed all kinds of evil things."
"A particularly important point is that Dong Zhuo forced the circulation of large amounts of money that he minted privately in the territory he controlled. One piece of money can be worth dozens or even hundreds of five baht!"
While talking.
Wu An groped for a while in his arms.
Then he took out a few so-called "big coins."
After Cao Ang reached out to take it, he put it in his palm and observed it for a while. This kind of big money looked extremely rough, and it was clearly a shoddy thing.
I weighed it twice with my hands and found that it was very light. One piece alone would not weigh more than five baht.
Break it off with your hands again.
"Snapped!"
A crisp sound.
The so-called big money was suddenly broken into two halves, revealing its chaff-like core.
…
See this situation.
Cao Ang's expression suddenly became uncertain.
This kind of privately minted money is openly sucking blood, and it is done in an extremely ugly way, sucking up every last drop of blood.
The most important reason why currency can serve as a medium of exchange is that it has the characteristics of a general equivalent. Not only does it have value itself, but it is also guaranteed by national credit.
The large batch of money that Dong Zhuo minted was not only made from scrap materials, but also tattered and shoddy that could be forged with one's eyes closed.
The key is to use government decrees to force one, which is equivalent to dozens or hundreds of five baht.
This is to be the worst and worst at the same time in terms of its own value and national credibility!
The Xiliang army plundered the people, which was forcibly plundering wealth through force.
And circulating this kind of big money is using economic means to plunder wealth.
A two-pronged approach.
Directly cutting off the livelihood of the people in Guanzhong!
This is the fundamental reason why there are many tragic events in the Guanzhong area, and it is also the reason why Dong Zhuo is able to hoard so many supplies in Xiwu.
hiss!
This big black fat man is such a beast!
…
Cao Ang's thoughts were a little confused.
He weighed the big money that he had broken into pieces in his hand.
Just when he was sorting out his thoughts and planning to say something, Wu An's voice came to his ears again.
"General, I have another letter here. It was written by General Lu Bru and asked me to deliver it to you. Please read it!"
As the words fell.
Wu An handed over a sealed mailbox with both hands.
Upon hearing the word "Lü Bu", Cao Ang's eyes flickered, and then he quickly cut open the paint on the mailbox with a knife.
A silk letter was immediately displayed in front of me.
"Brother Zixiu, I haven't seen you for a long time. I miss you so much. I heard that my brother is now above the clouds. Brother Yu is very happy and sad."
After the brief politeness at the beginning.
The letter got to the point instantly.
"My dear brother is far away in Yanzhou. I wonder if he knows about the affairs of Chang'an. Nowadays, something called "big money" is commonly used in the market. It is very rough, but it can be worth five baht and a hundred coins. Dong Gong wants to use this to make money in Guanzhong."
"However, everything happens from the bottom up. Brother Yu learned not long ago that big money has begun to be used in the army. Many soldiers in the Xiliang headquarters are paid with big money."
"Although it is possible to use troops to plunder, Guanzhong is now in dilapidated condition, and the people are already suffering from large amounts of money, so how much wealth can they have?"
"There are a lot of complaints in the army, people are in panic, Xiliang Headquarters is already unstable!"
After briefly introducing the difficult situation.
Lu Bu changed the subject in his letter.
Quickly cut to the real purpose.
"Between you and me, there is no need to be secretive. Forgive me for speaking frankly. Right now, Guanzhong is in chaos, and the Xiliang army that Dong Gong regards as the foundation is in chaos."
"Chang'an is in danger. If I continue to take shelter under Dong Gong as my brother, I will surely sink under the river with him. It is tantamount to seeking death."
"Therefore, I hope that my dear brother can point out a clear way. Maybe I will give up my official position and go to Yanzhou to join my dear brother, or my dear brother will lead the king's army to come here and relieve the crisis in the pass!"
"Brother Yu is waiting day and night for Brother Xian's response!"
…
After reading the entire letter.
Cao Ang showed no expression on his face.
But he couldn't help but laugh secretly in his heart.
This Lu Bu really knows how to find opportunities!
It has to be said that Lu Fengxian was quite accurate and understood Dong Zhuo's current situation at a glance.
When he heard Wu An's narration before, Cao Ang only thought that Guanzhong was completely destroyed, but if Dong Zhuo continued to hold on, he could hold on for a while.
Three to five years should not be difficult.
But now listen to what Lu Bu said.
The confusion has spread to the military.
The army is Dong Zhuo's foundation. If there is trouble in the army, it means one thing: Dong Zhuo is doomed!
The army relies on robbery to survive, and there will always be a day when the robbery is finished, and the lower-level soldiers begin to receive large sums of money, which is no different from waste money.
Once the ferocious jackals are no longer fed with meat, they will start to bite back.
No matter how much food Dong Zhuo hoards and how tall and deep a fortress he builds, if his direct troops take the lead in rebelling, how many lives can he survive?
And Lu Bu obviously saw the problem.
Feeling that their future is in jeopardy, if they continue to follow Dong Zhuo, they may be sunk together, with a knife and ax thrown at them, and their family will be destroyed.
So he simply took advantage of Wu An's trip to Chang'an and asked him to send a letter back.
Don't tell me yet.
Lu Bu's sense of smell is indeed keen.
Moreover, he was willing to jump over the edge at critical moments and did the opposite without any ambiguity.
This has always been a unique quality.
…
"Uh-huh!"
Shaking the silk book, Cao Ang looked at the last sentence in the letter again.
The most important part of the whole article is here.
Lu Bu's attitude is very clear.
"Brother, please show me a clear path. Either I run away and follow you; or you simply bring someone over here and kill Dong Zhuo. We two brothers can just go it alone and become bigger and stronger!"
To this.
Cao Ang was still a little worried.
It is completely meaningless and useless to ask Lu Bu to run away and mess with him now, and this Lu Fengxian has not been severely beaten yet.
Instead, let him stay in Chang'an City.
Waiting for him to arrive with his heavenly troops.
At that time, he was ordered to act as an internal response, and under the combination of internal response and external response, Chang'an City was captured in an instant.
This guy can make a huge impact.
So, why not do it?
Think of this.
Cao Ang immediately picked up his pen and quickly wrote a reply, preparing to use this to stabilize Lu Bu.
…
But after writing the reply.
Cao Ang was also thinking about something at the same time.
My pace needs to speed up a bit!
Right now, the Guanzhong area is a powder keg, and no one knows when the area centered on Chang'an will completely explode.
Dong Zhuo is now sitting on the powder keg.
He must lead his troops westward to Chang'an before the gunpowder barrel is ignited and Dong Zhuo is blown to pieces.
We must seize this time point.
Being late means being unable to accept Dong Zhuo's resources, which is definitely something that cannot be tolerated.
Including the money and food that Dong Zhuo had hoarded, as well as the civil and military officials he held hostage, and even Liu Xie, who was not considered orthodox in Cao Ang's place.
These are very important resources.
Even after destroying Dong Zhuo's forces, how much the troops under his command can absorb and transform depends on how fast Cao Ang moves.
A slow step means a slow step.
As long as they can successfully take over Dong Zhuo's resources, they can even divide a large part of them.
The strength of the Cao family will once again make a qualitative leap, and they will become the most powerful giant in the chess game of "the world".
How could you miss such an opportunity?
certainly.
The most important thing at the moment is to capture Yuzhou and deal with the peripheral forces. If there is enough time, Qingzhou had better take care of things first.
Follow the plan.
Use a semi-complete body to intervene in Chang'an affairs.
This is the safest thing to do.
If you act hastily and blindly, you may fail to reap the benefits and end up in trouble instead.
Fast, but stable.
This is the main program at this stage.
………………
Monthly ticket recommendation ticket
(End of chapter)
