In mid-October, first came the news that Gongsun Zan had conquered Xianbei, and then came the news that the general had recaptured Yanzhou and would lead his army back to Beijing. When the people of Xijing heard about it, they cheered and celebrated again. After all, every time they win, they seem to be one step closer to returning to the peaceful days. But Chen Chong didn't think so. He read it repeatedly and saw something wrong in the military newspaper's writing.
First of all, Cao Cao disobeyed military orders. It would have been fine if he had just written a letter to contradict Liu Bei, but he still refused to retreat after Liu Bei's clear order. This is definitely not a good thing. If he acted like this on an ordinary battlefield, whether he was attacking or withdrawing without authorization, it would involve the entire army, but fortunately he did not cause any serious trouble. If we want to punish him now, I'm afraid it will be difficult to convince people. But if it is not cured now, what will be done in the future to return Yanzhou to the state?
Secondly, although the battle in Youzhou was victorious, the military reports clearly left much to be desired. Gongsun Zan said that he first defeated Xianbei and then took over Yuan Shao. Now his morale was high, so he planned to take advantage of the victory and pursue the attack. First, they went north to Danhan Mountain and slaughtered the northern captives, and then went south to Yecheng. The Yuan family of the Yi tribe finally reported victory in the capital and presented prisoners to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Although the writing is very courageous, it is too unrealistic. According to the military newspaper, the war in western Liaoning is still undecided. Gongsun Bogui does not rush to relieve the siege, but wants to use the power of Youzhou to defeat the two heroes. This is a recipe for disaster!
He planned to discuss Cao Cao's matter in the long term, but the matter in Youzhou was urgent. Chen Chong sent an urgent message to Yanmen the next day, asking Duan Xuan to order troops in Pingcheng and prepare for Gongsun Zan's troops to be fired at the foot of the mountain to relieve him.
But that’s all for another day. At the moment, what Chen Chong is most concerned about is the growing criticism of Liu Bei in the court.
It turned out that after Cao Cao withdrew his troops, he was still unwilling to accept it, so he went beyond Liu Bei to express his gratitude to the court. When the letter arrived, the emperor happened to be listening to the government at the Chancellery. Seeing that it was written by Cao Cao, he asked his servant Meng Jian to read it out in front of everyone.
There are many words in the book list, so only a summary can be given here. At the beginning of the article, he spoke highly of the evil of moth thieves, reviewed the wars since the Zhongping Period, and listed the important ministers of the country who were killed by moth thieves. The list was so long that everyone who heard it became emotional. Then Cao Cao talked about the Heishan Army and the Gengcang Army. The Heishan Army had been separated for a long time between Hebei and Hebei. However, the country ignored the past grudges and used "the grace of the saints to transform and the virtues of heaven to be manifest". However, Zhang Yan did not remember the kindness and betrayed the Lord repeatedly. , can be described as "cunning to the point of hypocrisy, far better than Mengchang". Moreover, the Cang army dared to overstep, with "a wolfish heart and courage, devouring people and destroying the country, and would not give up day and night", which resulted in "the fierceness of Guandong and the unrest of public opinion". These two sons are a serious harm to the country, and it will not be possible to revive the country unless they are eliminated.
After writing this, Cao Cao began to talk about the war. He said that in the battle of Jibei, the king's army was strong, but the bandit army was poor and weak. The siege lasted for a long time, and the bandits were bitter, cold and hungry. The victory was determined, but it might happen sooner or later. However, the general Liu Bei ignored the distinction between good and false, secretly negotiated peace with the puppet dynasty, and relieved the siege on his own, releasing 30,000 thieves from the two cities back to Mount Tai. Although he won the two cities, he could not bring peace to the country, so what was the use? Therefore, Cao Cao submitted a petition to the emperor, hoping that the emperor would grant him the right to attack the moth thieves. He would wear a grass ring, work hard, flatten Dongyue, smash Linzi, behead the thieves, and return the favor of the emperor with the innocence of the two states.
After Meng Jian finished reading, no one in Taichung dared to speak. The emperor asked Chen Chong what he thought. Chen Chong replied: "If we want to pacify the world by beheading people, Gaozu is afraid that he will not be as good as Xiang Jieyi. How can we have the world? Those who pacify troubled times will resent the common people. The generals not only gain the land, but also show kindness to the thieves. What's wrong? It's the same thing if I'm on the front lines."
When the emperor heard this, he didn't ask any more questions, but some rumors spread. Rumor has it that the great ancestor showed his kindness, and the people were grateful to the great ancestor, and the general showed his kindness, but they don’t know whom the people are grateful to? It means that Liu Bei has evil thoughts and desires to usurp power. Chen Chong secretly sent people to investigate, but couldn't find out. This is the terrible thing about rumors. They spread easier than the wind, but their impact is much greater. After all, the wind will not leave traces, but rumors will corrode people's hearts.
In early November, Liu Bei stopped and walked all the way and finally returned to Chang'an. When he rode his horse to Weiqiao, he saw that Chang'an was much more prosperous. Some new huts had been built in the place where he camped last year. The wasteland on the south bank had been reclaimed as farmland. Even in winter, the ridges of the fields could be clearly seen. Interlaced, these scenes are hard to see in Kanto.
Liu Bei temporarily changed the location of his camp to the north bank of the Weishui River. After resting for a night, he walked into the Chancery Stand in high spirits and reported his duties to the emperor. Officials in Taichung originally thought that under the rumors, Liu Bei might be frightened and take the initiative to explain to the emperor and plead guilty. However, unexpectedly, Liu Bei seemed to be fine. Whether he was standing or sitting in the court, his spine was as straight as a pine and his face was dull. No less. When he spoke, Liu Beikang's speech was as loud as a bell. He first talked to the emperor about the situation in Yanzhou, then asked for credit for the soldiers of the four states, and finally talked about next year's strategy.
He said: "The war in Yanzhou has lasted for two years and it is quite dilapidated. We must first repair the political system and restore the people and farmers. I believe that within two years, Yanzhou should not start another war."
When the emperor heard this, he immediately asked: "If there is no war in Yanzhou, how will the general plan to pacify Qingxu?"
Liu Bei raised his head and answered directly: "Based on the current situation, the Puppet Dynasty is quite effectively trapped. Although there was chaos in the middle of the year, the two states of Qingxu are the foundation, they have been operating for many years, and the people are attached to them. And I, the Guandong states, have been there for many years. Without governance, there are many tyrannical officials and slippery officials, and the people are disgusted with them. Therefore, although the two states are weak, they cannot be conquered by force. The Emperor Gaozu made three chapters in Guanzhong, stating that the murderer must die, and only by winning the hearts of the people in Guanzhong can the foundation be achieved. His Majesty previously ordered the border The same is true for envoys to the east to provide relief to the four states. Since ancient times, those who win the hearts of the people will win the world. As long as the people of Qingxu return like water, it will be time for our army to pacify Qingxu."
After speaking, all the princes in Taichung looked at each other with different expressions, and the Emperor also had a look of surprise on his face. He asked: "It is said that the general has many elite soldiers under his command, and there are unparalleled generals. But now that the general wants to sit back and watch the puppet dynasty, Will it be destroyed and the heroic soldiers be rendered useless?"
Liu Bei was stunned, obviously not expecting the emperor to ask such a sharp question. He thought for a while and replied: "Now that the northern barbarians are rampant, if it is a plan for the country for a hundred years, we must take the lead..."
Before he finished speaking, Chen Chong stood up from the table. He interrupted Liu Bei and said to the people around him: "The Qi thieves have declined and are isolated and helpless. They will be destroyed sooner or later. But now Yuan Shu is good at killing the governor of Guandong, and he is also fighting with The Qi bandits colluded to separatize the two states of Yu and Yang, expanding the territory of thousands of miles, and supporting more than 100,000 people. Isn't it a great danger to the country? The people under his rule are panicked and the people are hungry. Isn't it a poison that must be eradicated? Your Majesty, what the general said is The right way is, if you want to pacify Qingxu first, you must first settle in Huaibei."
The emperor looked at Chen Chong for a while, his expression softened slightly, he nodded and said: "I just came here to learn government affairs and make some ignorant remarks. Everything is still decided by the general and the master. It's just that Jiangshan Sheji is extraordinary. It’s our ancestor’s inheritance, and I hope you all will work hard.”
After saying that, he stood up and strode away.
The emperor said what he said out of ignorance, but probably no one here dared to take it seriously. In any case, the emperor is the king and Liu Bei is the minister. The difference between the emperor and his ministers is as great as heaven and earth. When the emperor said these words, he was probably a little dissatisfied with Liu Bei. But let alone the government and the public, even among the imperial guards, most of them come from Liu Chen's sect. Does the emperor have any deep meaning when he says this? Or maybe it's for someone to see?
When the Central Dynasty was over, Liu Bei and other ministers dispersed one by one, and then he slowly said to Chen Chong: "When I look at your Majesty, don't you feel that there are thorns in your back?" Haihunhou established Emperor Zhongzong Xiaoxuan. Yin Jian was in front, so Emperor Xiaoxuan was extremely afraid of Huo Guang. He asked for instructions on everything and did not dare to make his own decisions. However, every time he saw Huo Guang, he felt a thorn in his back. Liu Bei made this statement at this time, obviously he was also dissatisfied with the emperor's words.
Chen Chong was much calmer. He comforted and said: "This is just an ordinary thing. No one is a saint, so who can have no faults? When you and I led the army to Beijing, we should have guessed that no matter what kind of ministers or saints they were, You will all have your moments of discord, but as long as everyone can understand the general outline, these are nothing."
Liu Bei heard that it was obvious that Chen Chong had experienced many difficulties in these days. He sighed: "Thank you for your hard work." Then he stepped on the spot with his left foot and said: "If this continues, I'm afraid it's not a long-term solution. Can you hold on in the middle of the court?"
Chen Chong smiled and said: "I know what to do, and I'm not just a good person." Liu Bei knew what he meant, and the meaning behind it made him a little heavy.
Therefore, he did not want to continue this topic and turned to talk about his thoughts on returning to Beijing. Liu Bei said that Xijing was becoming more and more prosperous, but it reminded him of what he had seen in Yanzhou. He detailed: "The people along the way were wearing thin clothes and looking miserable. The farmland along the road was basically deserted, and there were not many children. Meng Dexiu's Jingguan is said to be six feet high, but I didn't dare to see it. And the prefecture's But the people don't even dare to go to the river. I heard many people say that the bottom of the river is full of evil spirits. When ordinary people go to the river, they must not step on the river sand, otherwise they will fall straight to the bottom of the river and be used as sacrifices by the evil spirits to calm their grievances. Woolen cloth!"
That night, he went to Chen Chong's house to rest. During the meal, Liu Bei saw that Chen Shi could walk, so he stepped forward to tease him. Liu Bei had an inexplicable friendly aura about him. Chen Shi liked it very much, so he pestered Liu Bei and said some things he didn't understand.
Liu Bei picked up the child and stretched out a finger. Sure enough, Chen Shi stretched out his little hand and held it awkwardly, with a childish smile on his lips. Liu Bei smiled, turned to Chen Chong and said, "Speaking of which, you haven't seen Ajian for a long time, and I don't know if he still recognizes you!"
Chen Chong knew that he was talking about Liu Xie. Liu Xie and Chen Shi were born only one month apart, and they are now nearly three years old. But unlike Chen Shi, Liu Xie was born very smart. According to Liu Bei, Liu Xie can now not only speak Chinese, but also some nonsense.
What pleased Liu Bei the most was that as he grew older, the lines on his eldest son's palms turned out to be different. Ordinary people's hand patterns are two horizontal and two vertical, but his is three horizontal and one vertical, like the character "王". He privately asked Sun Qian to help him read his fortune. Sun Qian did not dare to say anything after seeing it. He only said to Liu Bei that the young master has the appearance of a real person and his destiny is extremely precious.
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