AD 192.
That is, early January in the third year of Chuping in the Han Dynasty.
It is located ten miles north of Zhuxu County.
Cao Ang, with tens of thousands of troops after integration, is marching on the road to Zhuxu County in a mighty manner, and will soon reach his destination.
Cao Ang, who was riding on horseback and in the center position, looked up at the clear blue sky. He couldn't help but take a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled white mist.
Taking another glance at the surrounding roads and scenery, which were already covered with white snow, I felt that the sky, clouds, mountains and water were all white.
The snowflakes flying and falling in the sky fell on the clothes and armor worn during the march, which also gave them a different meaning.
It is now the first month of the New Year.
The Qingzhou Beihai area is already at a relatively high latitude, so heavy snowfall is often inevitable every winter.
After heavy snow, there is often a severe cold.
This actually hindered Cao Jun's marching plan. After all, when the weather gets cold, the physical fitness of the soldiers will decrease. Not only will they need to consume more food, but their speed will also slow down.
Fortunately, the army is now about to arrive in Zhuxu County. After setting up camp there and replenishing supplies to keep out the cold, it will be enough to survive the heavy snow.
Wait until the snow stops.
Just continue with the next strategic plan.
certainly.
The extremely cold weather brought not only disadvantages to Cao Ang, but also good news.
That's the coastal freeze.
Like Laizhou Bay in the north of Bukhae Kingdom and the Yellow Sea in the east of Dongnae County, layers of floating ice will form in the offshore areas due to the cold wave.
It’s that time of year.
This means that ships have stopped, and fisheries, salt mining, and other businesses that depend on the sea for food must be closed until the spring thaw.
Thus.
This left a lot of time for Cao Ang.
He can take advantage of the stagnation of the salt mining industry to collect various information and then make targeted arrangements.
Finalizing some measures before the Haiyan salt field resumes work next year can reduce a lot of unnecessary trouble and eliminate some obstacles in the advancement of the plan.
Therefore, it is also a benefit.
…………
With this thought in mind.
The army marched all the way.
The soldiers of the three armies braved the heavy snow and left a large number of footprints on the flat road covered with snow.
over time.
Soon they were close to Zhuxu County, which was still five miles away. At this time, the cavalry team that was cruising in front to explore the road happened to come back to report.
"General, less than half a mile ahead, Beihai Prime Minister Kong Fujun is leading hundreds of people to clear snow on the road to welcome the general's arrival!"
Listen to what the soldiers reported.
Cao Ang couldn't help but feel refreshed.
Being able to greet them several miles outside the city shows an attitude in itself, and clearing the snow from the roads on heavy snowy days to facilitate the passage of the army is an even better attitude.
Cao Ang was quite satisfied with this.
He led his troops to rescue Kong Rong. This guy knew how to repay his kindness and knew how to show it in all aspects. This was a good start.
In-depth negotiations follow.
There must be a good result.
Think about this.
Cao Ang immediately gave instructions to the generals on the left and right.
"Leave one person behind and lead the army to march at full speed from behind. The others will follow me first!"
After that, a small detachment composed of middle- and upper-level generals separated from the large army.
He galloped towards where Kong Rong was.
…………
Two and a half hours later.
Located in the county government residence in Zhuxu County.
Kong Rong, Cao Ang and others had just had a dinner.
Since people were arranged to clear the snow in advance, the second half of the journey was not as difficult as before, so the traveling speed was greatly improved.
Therefore, Kong Rong arranged a dinner in advance to entertain Cao Ang and his party, and did not waste time because of this.
Although Zhuxu County is not big.
But it was the place where Kong Rong had stationed his troops before.
The army that was transferred to defeat the Yellow Turban Army set out from here. It was regarded as Kong Rong's base camp in Beihai Kingdom, so the supplies were quite abundant.
Exquisite dishes, aged wine, silk and bamboo orchestra, music, singing and dancing.
Above the banquet, none of these are bad.
It can be seen that Kong Rong's hospitality to Cao Ang was really thoughtful and attitude-based.
And after the dinner.
While Kong Rong was instructing his servants to arrange a resting place for Cao's generals, he also extended an invitation to Cao Ang.
"General Cao, it's still early now, and we've just had a banquet. If you rest too early, you will inevitably lose your appetite. If you have some free time, you might as well come with me to the study for a chat. Let's talk about some happy things in life!"
Of course Cao Ang understood what Kong Rong meant.
It was time to get down to business after having had enough wine and food.
At that moment, he stopped refusing and signaled Dian Wei and Xu Chu to follow him from a distance. Then he stood up and walked towards the study with Kong Rong.
…………
"Squeak~"
After pushing open the study door and inviting Cao Ang in, Kong Rong quickly closed the door.
Before Cao Ang could say anything.
Kong Rong quickly came to Cao Ang, and then in the slightly surprised look of Cao Ang, he bowed and bowed to the end.
At the same time, he also said sincerely: "This time I was deeply surrounded by enemy troops and was besieged to Duchang County. If the general had not led a heavy army to come to the rescue, he would have completely defeated the invading enemy."
"I'm afraid that the city has already fallen, and the people in the city will be enslaved by the bandits. I have also fallen into the hands of the bandits, and I will end up with a life-or-death end!"
"General, you really saved my life. I really don't know how to repay General for this kind of kindness. If you have any instructions in the future, I will try my best to repay you!"
Kong Rong saluted Cao Ang as soon as he came up.
Then he expressed his gratitude to Cao Ang with sincere words. He did not hide it with false words and said directly that without Cao Ang's existence, his life would be difficult to save.
Such behavior was expected by Cao Ang.
After all, it was a life-saving grace.
If there is no expression at all, then this person's character is too bad and will be strongly condemned. Such a person is not enough to become a world-famous Confucian scholar.
Cao Ang didn't pay too much attention to this.
Instead, he quickly stepped forward, lifted Kong Rong up with both hands, and then said with a bold and hearty smile.
"Mr. Wen Ju is really serious in his words. You and I are both ministers of the Han Dynasty, and we are both loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty. If one side is in trouble, how can I just sit back and ignore it?"
"Moreover, the ants and thieves are rampant and are causing harm to one side. They do many evil things and harm the people. It is a matter of justice and righteousness to eliminate these thieves."
"For both public and private purposes, my soldiers must be deployed, and there is no life-saving grace."
…
Cao Ang said it lightly.
Kong Rong naturally wouldn't say anything more.
Just with his character.
Not saying more does not mean forgetting it, but keeping it in mind.
Wait until Cao Ang is in need.
Kong Rong will naturally respond.
Kong Rong then invited Cao Ang to sit down at the table, and he began to put some ingredients for making tea soup into the stove. After a while, the soup started to boil, and bursts of strange fragrance came out.
"Wow!"
Ladle a bowl full of tea soup and place it in front of Cao Ang.
Kong Rong then asked with a smile.
"I heard that Zixiu led his troops to pursue the Yellow Turbans, and fought with the remaining Yellow Turbans in Qi State, Jinan State, Le'an County and other places."
"And finally fought a decisive battle with the Yellow Turban thief Qu Shuai Guan Hai north of Juding Lake in Le'an County."
"I wonder what the situation is like in these counties now. Have the bandits been wiped out?"
I heard Kong Rong talk about this.
Cao Ang nodded.
He chuckled softly and said: "The leader of the bandits, Guan Hai, has been executed. The tens of thousands of yellow scarf soldiers under his command also chose to surrender to the official army after their morale was disorganized and their morale collapsed."
"As for Qi State, Jinan State and other places, I also sent a large number of troops to clear out the remaining bandits in the local areas."
"It's just that these homeless grass bandits have been entrenched in the place for many years. As time goes by, they have the advantage of occupying a deep position. If they hide in the deep mountains and old forests, it will be impossible to wipe them all out in a while."
…………
As Cao Ang briefly summarized the situation.
Kong Rong nodded slightly.
Dang Ji praised Cao Ang.
"The yellow turban thieves have been wreaking havoc in Qingzhou for a long time. They are running rampant in the counties, counties and villages, traveling back and forth, looting wantonly, and no one can stop them. Even I dare not face them directly."
"Even when I moved the administrative seat of Beihai Kingdom to Zhuxu County, it was because the original administrative seat, Juxian County, was destroyed by the Yellow Turban thieves. Now there is only half a ruin, and there are not even a few people left."
"The extent of the harm these bandits have inflicted on the counties and counties in Qingzhou is truly outrageous. If Zixiu hadn't led his troops here this time, all this would have continued to happen and become more and more serious."
"You led the troops to rescue me. You really helped me a lot. You pursued and wiped out the remnants of the Yellow Turbans. This is a good thing for the people of Qingzhou. It is a blessing to the common people and a blessing to all people in the world!"
Kong Rong came directly to praise him severely.
But actually look at his character.
It's not like he's a flattering person.
It can only be said that what Cao Ang did and the results he achieved are of great significance to the whole of Qingzhou and even the people of Qingzhou. It can be regarded as lifting the knife hanging on everyone's neck.
And after such emotion.
Kong Rong asked casually: "Now under your heavy attack, these bandits have been reduced to nothing."
"I don't know when Zixiu plans to return to Yanzhou. At that time, I will definitely bring the officials and people in the city to see you off to thank you for your kindness!"
…………
Kong Rong just finished speaking.
Cao Ang couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.
A strange look flashed in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth raised slightly, forming a smile.
Walk?
Who said he was leaving?
Before swallowing it all in his belly, eating it dry, completely absorbing the land of Qingzhou into the Cao family's sphere of influence, and joining it with the territory of Yanzhou.
I won’t leave no matter who asks me to leave!
I thought so in my heart.
Cao Ang immediately laughed.
Then he put on a serious and solemn look, and said with a rather solemn expression.
"As mentioned below, there are still many sporadic bandits among the counties and villages of Qiguo, Le'an and other counties. They gather as thieves and hide in the mountains and forests. They still pose a considerable threat to the people."
"If I leave here, the grass will not be cut off, the spring breeze will come again, and it will inevitably spread across the place again. Then won't all my previous efforts be in vain?"
"So Yanzhou is not in a hurry to go back. I have sent troops and horses to be stationed in the counties except Beihai Kingdom to temporarily take over the control of these counties. After the bandits are wiped out and the local stability is as good as before, he will We will consider returning to Yanzhou later."
…
As Cao Ang explained his thoughts.
Kong Rong couldn't help but shrink his pupils.
Suddenly he woke up from the joy of Qingzhou Yellow Turban being completely destroyed, and then he felt secretly frightened because of the words "taking over control" in Cao Ang's words.
We are all smart people.
No one can be fooled.
What is the purpose of wiping out the remaining bandits? Who would believe it in such a scene? To what extent can it be considered completely wiped out?
Is it true that as long as there are "bandits" in Qingzhou, Cao's army will never withdraw?
So what is the difference between this and bringing Qingzhou into the actual jurisdiction and making it a permanent territory.
It seems that Cao Ang’s plans are not small.
to this moment.
Kong Rong finally came to his senses.
He couldn't help but start to have doubts about whether his behavior of inviting Cao Ang to Qingzhou was correct or not.
Did he invite a warm-hearted supporter, or was he an ambitious person with other ideas?
Put these thoughts down for now.
After Kong Rong thought quickly, he forced a smile and said to Cao Ang.
"The main force of the ant thieves has either died or surrendered. Now, even if there are sporadic remnants in various counties, they can only be destroyed with a snap of the finger."
"Why bother Zixiu to send troops to guard everywhere? I still have thousands of troops under my command. If I contact the governor of this state and conduct a sweep throughout the state, I can ensure that I have no worries!"
…………
Kong Rong practiced Tai Chi.
Thinking of responding with the same words of crown.
This will resolve Cao Ang's idea of staying.
However, what he didn't expect was that he had just finished speaking.
In the originally quiet study room, there was a shocking sound.
"Bang!!!"
Cao Ang slapped his right hand heavily on the table, causing the bamboo slips and tea bowls piled on the table to fly up.
"snort!"
"Jiao Jishi?"
"If Mr. Wen Ju doesn't talk about Jiao He, then when you talk about this person, I get angry from the bottom of my heart. Is he worthy of being called the governor and worthy of being entrusted with important tasks by the imperial court?"
"It's not that I'm talking about others behind their backs. It's just that the Yellow Turban bandits in Qingzhou have continued to grow. Qingzhou, which was originally rich and prosperous, has been reduced to this land. The people in the state are displaced and in danger. With Jiao He's cowardice and inaction, there is an unstoppable problem." Broken contact!"
"This person is the governor of Qingzhou. Not only does he have no benefit to Qingzhou, but he also has many disadvantages and causes constant disasters. He can only talk empty words, has no talent, and does not know how to do practical things. What use is he?"
"I must be honest, if he were standing in front of me now, I would probably have kicked him in the face. As for the so-called governor of Qingzhou, I will never admit it to anyone who recognizes him!"
Cao Ang put on an angry look.
Quite a bit of a vicious spirit.
It seemed as if he really hated Jiao He, the governor of Qingzhou, and was about to chop him alive when he saw him.
…………
Cao Ang reacted like this.
Kong Rong suddenly fell silent.
Compared to Cao Ang, a foreign aid who came all the way from Yanzhou, as a local official in Qingzhou, he had a deeper understanding of the experience.
He knew better than anyone else that Jiao He, his nominal boss, was a waste. At the same time, as the Prime Minister of Beihai, he also suffered greatly from it.
You can say that.
Push forward a few years and change the governor of Qingzhou. Not to mention someone who is particularly capable and strong. As long as he has above-average qualifications, he will not be able to do worse than Jiao He.
The Qingzhou Yellow Turbans would not have developed to the level they are now, with hundreds of thousands of people sweeping in at every turn.
Therefore, Cao Ang's last words actually spoke to Kong Rong's heart. Even if he was asked to recognize the governor of Qingzhou, he would not recognize him very much.
At the very least, I don’t listen to the tune or the propaganda.
But ideas are ideas.
Ideas are ideas.
After Kong Rong was silent for a while, his voice was a little dry after all, but he said persistently.
"Zixiu, no matter how bad Jiao He is, he is still the governor appointed by the imperial court, and he has nominal jurisdiction over all matters in Qingzhou."
"If you send troops to various counties, you must inform him both emotionally and rationally. If you and I can ignore him at will, or if there is no imperial edict, we will destroy him as a governor."
"Then this matter is inconsistent with etiquette. If you act like this, wouldn't it be like occupying the county privately and tearing apart the land? It really shouldn't be done!"
Kong Rong was the only remaining powerful figure in Qingzhou.
If he holds his head and objects.
It will cause certain obstacles to the next plan, so Cao Ang must straighten his head.
…
Kong Rong would dissuade himself.
Cao Ang expected this.
Even the words and techniques he used to convince himself were guessed by Cao Ang.
Before setting off from Yanzhou to Qingzhou.
Cao Ang had actually carefully collected information about Kong Rong, and combined it with some events he had learned about in history books.
Cao Ang has roughly grasped what kind of person Kong Rong was and what kind of character he had.
According to his understanding of Kong Rong, the middle-aged man in front of him, wearing loose clothes and wearing a Confucian dress, was a man who was known to abide by etiquette.
The so-called observance of etiquette.
Even if one thing was not in line with etiquette, he would argue with the emperor in front of him. Even if it was appropriate in terms of human relations, he would not feel it was appropriate.
On the contrary, as long as it is in accordance with etiquette and law.
Even if one thing is inappropriate for one person, Kong Rong will firmly choose to support it.
Such a trait, to put it bluntly, is actually pedantic, insisting on pursuing etiquette and etiquette.
To deal with such a stubborn old man, if there are no targeted strategies, it will be difficult to effectively make him change his mind and actively cooperate with himself.
…
But here's the cool thing.
Cao Ang happened to have a trump card against Kong Rong, which was also derived from Kong Rong's own characteristics.
Think about this.
Cao Ang no longer hesitated.
Huo Ran stood up.
In an impassioned tone, he said to Kong Rong while gesturing with his hands.
"Wen Jugong believed that I was occupying the counties privately, so I had nothing to say. After all, I was a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty and devoted myself to the Tianjia court. The merits and demerits of my actions will be judged by future generations. "
"But I must make it clear that if Jiao He continues to be the governor of Qingzhou, sooner or later this place will be destroyed in his hands, and the world will also fall in his hands!"
Kong Rong was stunned.
How can Jiaohe be virtuous?
Can it cause such great consequences?
…………
Monthly ticket recommendation ticket
(End of chapter)
