In November of the first year of Jian'an, outside Luoyang City.
Luoyang City, the imperial capital of the Han Dynasty, welcomed the emperor for the second time this year! Unlike the emperor who arrived in despair last time, this time the little emperor Liu Xie came back with a full load!
When the emperor left Luoyang in early September, including the two thousand escorting soldiers led by Cao Cao, the emperor's entourage totaled only ten or twenty thousand people, most of whom were refugees.
And now the emperor who has returned to Luoyang has led more than 60,000 troops! Among them, there are as many as 1,700 Yu Lin, Hu Ben, and Sword and Halberd men who are loyal to the little emperor himself! Dong Cheng, the general of Wei, also recruited 1,200 troops, and Fu Wan, the auxiliary general of the Han Dynasty, also recruited 300 troops. The total number of people from these three areas is 3,200!
The five schools of the Northern Army under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Liu Qi totaled 5,000. Three thousand of them were Jingzhou soldiers and Yizhou soldiers (people from Gan Ning) brought by Liu Qi, and the remaining 2,000 were sent by Cao Cao. of soldiers.
And the number of escorting soldiers led by General Cao Cao (not counting the two thousand sent to the Northern Army) exceeded 10,000!
In addition to the escorting soldiers, the number of people who returned with Liu Xie has also tripled, from more than 10,000 to more than 40,000 now. There are almost 10,000 households, enough to fill a county. Got it!
There were even thousands of diesel trucks loaded with supplies accompanying them. The journey was really majestic. Although it was not enough to attract the attention of the world, it also made the big and small powerful people who were struggling to survive in the counties around Luoyang hear about it. The wind is coming... "The emperor is back begging for food". I heard that many things are coming, and everyone wants to come to open their eyes!
A large group of various people have gathered outside Kaiyang Gate in Luoyang.
Some of them wore patched scholar robes and tattered trousers, but they carried a long sword with a scabbard and hilt carefully wrapped with strips of cloth. At first glance, you can tell that he is a scholar who always sticks to his sword in troubled times. He didn't know where to hide to avoid the chaos before. Now that he heard that the court seemed to be frightened again, so he came to Luoyang to see if there was anyone who could serve as an official?
Others were dressed in coarse cloth, with faded yellow scarves wrapped around their heads, carrying long wooden sticks, and gathered together in groups. Apparently they are refugees from Hedong County or Yingchuan County who believe in Taiping Dao... These people should not come to Luoyang, but recently, for some unknown reason, rumors have begun to spread in the Hedong and Yingchuan areas. "The sky is not dead, the emperor has attained enlightenment, there are no strategies left, and the magic power is boundless", so some "yellow turban refugees" who didn't know where to go came to Luoyang.
There are also some warriors with round red hats who look a bit like Little Red Riding Hood at first glance, holding ring-headed swords, standing there in a big way, looking like they don't want to give anyone any face. I don’t know which general he is from? Maybe they were some wandering warriors who lost their masters in the melee and wanted to try their luck in Luoyang City at the feet of the emperor.
There are also some officials wearing black or red court uniforms, all wearing swords, standing in the most conspicuous position surrounded by guards. They may be envoys sent to Luoyang by some force near Luoyang to inquire about the news.
After some time, as the sun gradually rose, the people waiting outside Luoyang City could already see the smoke and dust raised by the march of the large group of people in the distance, and they could even vaguely see the smoke in the winter. Hunting for fluttering flags in the cold wind. Various people who were waiting anxiously began to whisper to each other and inquire about each other's news.
"Have you heard? The little emperor has been in trouble recently. He went to Nanyang to beg for food... Oh, he has to get rich just by eating!"
"What? The emperor is begging for food? Didn't it mean that the emperor got a dream from the great ancestor Gao Emperor and received three volumes of heavenly books and learned magic, so he became rich?"
"No way...I heard that Liu Jingsheng of Jingzhou and Cao Mengde of Yanzhou were both loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty. When they learned that the emperor had fallen into disgrace, they gave him food, money, and thousands of elite soldiers!"
"No, no... I heard that the emperor made a lot of money by selling his official position! Cao Mengde spent 100 million to buy a general, Liu Jingsheng spent 150 million to buy a hussar general, Yuan Benchu's official envoy I also came to Luoyang the day before yesterday, and I heard that it would cost 200 million to buy an official bigger than a general!"
"Oh, you can get more money faster than selling your official position!"
Speaking of selling officials, the people on the official road outside Kaiyang Gate all turned their attention to three officials who were surrounded like stars over the moon. One of the three officials was in his forties, and the other two were only in their early twenties. , but they all looked very elegant. The older one had a white face and a long beard, and looked like he had been on top of others for a long time. The two young men are both handsome young men! The three of them don't know where they came from? But looking at their appearance, you can tell they must be quite wealthy. They should be the emperor's big patrons, right?
A burst of rapid horse hoofbeats interrupted people's thoughts again. Everyone turned their attention to the official road and saw more than a hundred knights wearing crimson battle clothes, wearing dome-topped scarves and holding halberds running towards the official road. . The equestrian skills of these knights all looked very good. They were able to pull the reins with one hand with ease. When they ran outside Kaiyang Gate, they suddenly reined in the reins. They saw the hoofs of the war horses raised high, and then again. It hit the official road so hard that a cloud of dust was thrown out. But the knights on horseback were steady, and they heard them shout loudly in unison: "The Emperor is back! The chariot is coming!"
After shouting these words, these knights dispersed and rode their horses to both sides of the official road, acting as guards with their chests and bellies raised.
When the men on both sides of the official road wearing official uniforms or red caps saw the performance of these cavalry, they couldn't help showing expressions of surprise and admiration... Whether it was their horsemanship or morale, these cavalrymen, They all look like elites!
They shouldn't be the emperor's personal soldiers, right? It is estimated that they are not Liu Jingsheng's people, they must be Cao Cao's soldiers!
Just when people outside Kaiyang Gate were wondering where the cavalrymen were coming from, another sound of horse hoofbeats came from far and near, attracting everyone's attention. I saw dozens more horses galloping over the official road. Running at the front were two young knights. They were both dressed in crimson, with red domes and black iron cavalry armor. They did not hold halberds, but they both carried quivers, holding a bow in one hand and controlling the reins in the other. He flew past in front of the people standing on both sides.
Although these two young knights did not perform horseback shooting live, they were carrying a few hares or fox-like things on their saddles with strange shapes under their crotches, which they must have just shot!
It seems that these are two young knights who are proficient in riding and shooting!
Just when people were marveling at the equestrian skills of these two young knights, the more than a hundred cavalrymen who were opening the way suddenly shouted in unison: "The Emperor is mighty! Long live!"
Emperor?
One of those two young men is the emperor? Is the emperor's riding skills so good? Who taught it? Couldn't it be Lu Bu?
People on both sides of the official road were shocked. When they wanted to take a closer look, the two teenagers had already rushed into Kaiyang Gate under the escort of dozens of cavalry.
"Uncle, is that really the emperor?"
The person who asked the question was one of the three officials who was surrounded by a group of people like stars and moons. He was a noble man in his early twenties.
"It seems like there really is someone who is the emperor!"
It was the middle-aged man in his forties who answered.
"Weiwei, is the emperor so good at riding and shooting?"
Another young official also asked, and he called the middle-aged man "Weiwei"! It turns out that these three people are Zhou Zhong, Zhou Yu, and Jiang Qian. They have returned to Luoyang with a few tributes from Yuan Shu and a task of stealing books.
Zhou Zhong was also surprised that the emperor suddenly mastered the skills of riding and archery after not seeing him for three months, and replied in a low voice: "Well... the emperor does know how to ride horses and archery, but he doesn't know anything about riding and archery. When did you learn it? Maybe the emperor stopped his horse first and then shot the arrow? "
At this time, Zhou Yu shouted: "Look, the emperor's motorcade, the escorting soldiers and horses, and the accompanying people are here!"
Zhou Zhong and Jiang Gan no longer discussed the emperor's riding skills, but turned their attention to official ways, and then they saw a scene that surprised them even more!
The first thing that caught the eyes of the three of them was 1,500 to 600 strong infantrymen. Led by two sturdy men on war horses, they lined up in a neat line and shouted "One, two, one, left and right." The chant of "Left" rumbled along the official road. Moreover, the morale of these infantrymen is very high at first glance. They all hold their chests and heads high, as if they dare to go through mountains of swords and seas of fire as long as the emperor gives an order!
"Good soldier!" Zhou Yu knew what he was doing and immediately praised him. Judging from the formation and morale of these soldiers, they have surpassed the group of veterans Sun Wentai left to Sun Bofu.
"It must be Cao Bing!" Zhou Yu said again, "It is impossible for Liu Jingzhou to have such elites!"
Jiang Qianze said: "No wonder Yuan Gong never took advantage when he met General Cao..."
"It doesn't seem to be Cao Bing," Zhou Zhong frowned, "That's the flag of the Huben Army, the Yulin Army, and the left and right troops!"
"Both the left and right are waiting? Isn't that what my uncle is in charge of?" Zhou Yu was stunned and looked a little solemn, "Does the emperor already have personal soldiers?"
With the emperor having personal soldiers, it would be a bit difficult for Zhou Yu to complete the task of "stealing books"!
Zhou Zhong glanced at his nephew and Jiang Qian, and said in a low voice: "Gong Jin, I will find a way to help you arrange an official position that can get you close to the emperor. Zi Yi, wait until Gong Jin and I have inquired about Mr. Yuan. .....What will happen next, you should go back and inform Mr. Yuan first."
Zhou Yu and Jiang Gan looked at each other, and both respectfully agreed. Then they stopped talking and began to think about their "mission" this time!
Of course Zhou Yu had his own purpose in going to Luo. The first was to find out what was true in the court and to see clearly the future of the Han Dynasty. If he was sure that the Han Dynasty would perish, then he would wholeheartedly hang out with Sun Ce from now on; the second was to find out the secret of the Heavenly Book. Thing...what if it really happens?
As for Jiang Qian, his family was from a wealthy family in Jiujiang County, and Yuan Shu planned to ascend the throne as emperor in Shouchun County, Jiujiang County. He couldn't find an opportunity to find out the reality of the Han Dynasty? Only by finding out the true and false can the Jiang family of Jiujiang be invincible!
At this time, firewood carts loaded with grain, silk or other goodies followed one after another, passing on the official road in front of them, and then headed towards Kaiyang Gate. There are so many of these diesel trucks, there are always thousands of them in front and behind, you can’t even see the end of them at a glance, every one is piled full!
There is no doubt that the little emperor did make a fortune by "selling his official position" and "begging"!
On the other side of the official road, a middle-aged man wearing a black official uniform, with a thin body and a sick face, was also asking an old warrior wearing a dome-shaped red turban beside him: "Wei Sima, what about that?" Is he really the emperor?"
"Chen Biejia, that's right. Wei has been in Chang'an for so many years. He often followed General Pingdong in and out of the Forbidden City. He has met the emperor countless times!"
The sick official nodded: "I don't think the emperor is so skilled in equestrian skills... By the way, he often rode horses when he was in Chang'an?"
"That's right, he rides horses in the palace every day!" The martial artist smiled and nodded, "Marquis Wen even gave him some pointers! By the way, the emperor even rode General Pingdong's red rabbit horse!"
"It turns out that General Hepingdong learned equestrian skills," the sick man nodded, "It's no wonder!"
This sick man and warrior are obviously subordinates of Pingdong General Lu Bu. It was probably because Lu Bu heard that Liu Xie succeeded in begging for food and was able to repay him with his clothes and gold, so he sent them to ask for an official position.
But now the Han Dynasty's state, animal husbandry and county guards have to spend money to buy it, and Lu Bu has no money!
When the sick man thought about money, he couldn't help showing a pained expression - Lu Bu didn't have money, so he wouldn't ask him for it, right?
But at this moment, inside Kaiyang Gate, behind a wall of ruins, there was a pair of round almond-shaped eyes with a fierce light, staring at the horse that had slowed down and slowly walked on the dilapidated streets of Luoyang. The little emperor Liu Xie is here!
