After Cai Mao left, Jia Xu and Deng Zhi looked at Zhang Xiu with questioning eyes.
Why turn down such a great opportunity?
Especially Jia Xu, who is Zhang Xiu's uncle. According to his seniority, he can definitely settle this matter directly.
Zhang Xiu also knew it, so he interrupted Jia Xu's words and refused Cai Mao's marriage. Regardless of whether Huang Yueying is as ugly as recorded, he is very disgusted with this kind of arranged marriage.
But facing the questioning looks of the two counselors, Zhang Xiu smiled and explained: "Uncle, Bo Miao (Deng Zhi's nickname), now that the world is in chaos, we can't protect ourselves, how can we protect others? Although Cai's marriage is good, , but we must also consider our own conditions. Marrying with the Cai family is equivalent to being tied to Liu Biao's boat, and our hands and feet will be tied."
"We are still in the development stage, so don't mention it again."
Although it was a pity, he had already refused. Jia Xu sighed regretfully and said: "If I refuse Cai Mao, I will definitely offend the Cai family. I'm afraid it will be dangerous to go down the Han River."
Zhang Xiu nodded. Cai's face was disgraced and she vowed to take it out on him.
Deng Zhi said: "My Lord, you can order Gan Ning to lead his army south by boat to the Lujiang River. My Lord, you can lead the Qinglong Cavalry Battalion from Tongbai Mountain to the east of Biyang City and station it at Yingshang. On the Qianli Plain to the east, if there is any change in Cao's army, Lord's cavalry will Went south to meet General Gan, General Li Tong led the Suzaku Cavalry to meet him south, but Liu Biao did not dare to move lightly."
The cavalry is in the north, and the coalition forces of Gan Ning and Liu Biao are in the south, taking care of each other. Most of Cao Cao's soldiers were from the north, and there were no reinforcements from the south, so he definitely did not dare to pursue them.
Zhang Xiu nodded: "Just follow what Bon Miao said."
…
Cai Hao hurried back impatiently. He knew clearly in his heart that Zhang Xiu rejected Cai. This news would definitely cause an uproar in Jingzhou.
Kuai will definitely laugh at Cai wildly about this matter.
Cai's face has been lost in Nanyang.
Thinking this in his mind, Cai Mao became even more irritable and angry. He hated himself for not thinking things through clearly, and also hated Zhang Xiu for not knowing what was right.
Back in Caizhou, Cai Mao told Cai Xi the news.
Cai Zhiqi's beard was trembling, "How dare Zhang Xiu do this? Doesn't he know the importance of my Cai family in Jingzhou? How can he conquer the world with his bravery and lack of understanding of human nature? Humph! I think Zhang Xiu is capable But that’s it.”
"What should we do now?" Cai Mao asked eagerly.
Cai Xi took a deep breath and twirled his beard and began to think. This matter is difficult to deal with and cannot be covered up. I believe that the entire Jingzhou will know about it soon.
After thinking for a long time, Cai Xi suddenly asked Cai Hao: "Has Zhang Xiu agreed to conquer Yuan Shu?"
Cai Mao nodded: "Zhang Xiu was afraid that Cao's army would do something wrong, so he asked the envoy to prepare ships and sail down the Han River. He and Sun Ce jointly attacked the Lu River to threaten Yuan Shu."
Cai Xi sneered: "Most of Zhang Xiu's soldiers are soldiers from Xiliang and are not used to water. This time they sail eastward, they must be new soldiers from Nanyang. Huh! You can have people attack and kill them on the way, so that the world can see my Cai family's strength." means."
Cai Mao looked at his father with his mouth wide open, forgetting that his hand was still on the fire, and he suddenly pulled it back because it was burning.
At the same time, they were also thinking about the feasibility and danger of this matter. The best result was to kill Zhang Xiu and eliminate the shame that Zhang Xiu had brought to them. If Zhang Xiu doesn't die, they will be the ones who die in turn.
If Zhang Xiu is killed, Nanyang will definitely fall into Cao Cao's hands.
Cao Cao is much more trustworthy than Zhang Xiu. At least he has a good relationship with Cao Cao.
Cai Hao nodded: "I'll make arrangements right away."
Cai Xi looked at Nanyang, with a ruthless look in his squinted eyes. He already regarded Zhang Xiu as a dead person in his heart.
…
The faint sound of the piano floats in the mountains, dotting the mountains and rivers with infinite beauty.
This is Huangjiawan, thirty miles west of Xiangyang City.
In a mountain pavilion, a woman in green clothes plays the piano. Her slender jade-white fingers dexterously pluck the strings, producing a graceful and lively sound.
The cold sun shines slantingly, the music of the piano is lingering, and the artistic conception is very special.
But today's piano sound is a little more urgent, as if it is telling the master's mood.
The sound of the piano fell, and the woman played the piano with her ten fingers. Her beautiful and handsome eyes showed a firm look, as if she was making some kind of determination.
Xixiang, a maid next to her, saw that she was in a bad mood and knew that she was angry because of Zhang Xiu from Nanyang, so she said, "Miss, please don't be angry. Zhang Xiu is just a rough man from Xiliang. He is illiterate. Fortunately, he never agreed. How could he?" Can be worthy of the lady’s golden branches and jade leaves.”
Huang Yueying sighed and said: "Xixiang, prepare the frame, I'm going to Nanyang."
Xixiang asked in surprise: "Miss, are you going to Nanyang? I'm afraid I won't agree."
Huang Yueying looked at the beautiful mountains and rivers in front of her and said: "That general was able to defeat Cao's army of 150,000 troops with 20,000 troops. He is also a hero. I would like to meet him."
Xixiang nodded: "I'll get ready right now."
…
In order to create a siege weapon: a siege engine.
Zhang Xiu drew a drawing based on the knowledge and memory of later generations, recruited a large number of skilled craftsmen in Nanyang, and asked them to make it according to the drawing.
In order to facilitate portability, when Zhang Xiu was drawing, he deliberately made these things assembleable.
Outside the military camp in Wancheng, a craftsman camp was established. Zhang Xiu gathered all the craftsmen in Nanyang to work together, vowing to create a powerful siege weapon.
In order to allow the craftsmen to build the ideal catapult, Zhang Xiu specially recruited them to explain the principle of the catapult and the key points of the assembly parts.
In this class era of scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, the craftsmen, who were low in status, were suddenly treated with courtesy by the Marquis Zhang Xiu, which made them frightened and grateful. They even couldn't believe it was true.
Zhang Xiu took care of their food, housing, and money.
These craftsmen had never received such treatment in their lives. They were extremely grateful to Zhang Xiu and tried their best to make them according to Zhang Xiu's wishes.
Zhang Xiu knew that this matter was not urgent, and besides, he had to go to Shouchun for an expedition, and it was uncertain when he would come back, so he gave them a lot of time.
At the same time, a respected old craftsman was appointed as the commander of the craftsman battalion, asking him to supervise the production of catapults, and also consider the distance and accuracy of the catapults.
After making arrangements for the craftsmen, Zhang Xiu immediately started working on the weapons.
The first is the issue of cavalry armor. After occupying Guanzhong, his opponents became Han Sui and Ma Teng from Xiliang, both of whom were mainly cavalry.
To defeat cavalry against cavalry, strategy is one aspect, and the most important thing is equipment.
Zhang Xiu gathered a large number of blacksmiths and smelted a large number of weapons captured from the surrendered soldiers of Cao's army to make iron armor.
He planned to build 500 armored infantry and 500 armored cavalry.
These thousand armored soldiers will be his trump card to stand firm on the Guanzhong Plain in the future.
There is also the production of stirrups. In the Han Dynasty, there were only saddles and no stirrups. When riding a horse, people relied on their thighs to hold the horse's belly to maintain balance.
If you have stirrups during a cavalry battle, your feet will have a place to push, and your combat effectiveness will naturally soar.
Of course, stirrups are also one of his trump cards.
In order to conceal his trump card, Zhang Xiu chose the location for forging weapons on Dushan Mountain in the north of Wancheng. The military camp was built at the foot of Dushan Mountain, close to Feishui River.
Dushan is surrounded by military camps on all sides, and no outsiders can enter, ensuring the secrecy of the magic weapons.
The blacksmiths are all locals from Nanyang, and they live and eat in the mountains. Their daily wages are twice that of carpenters, allowing them to forge weapons in the mountains with peace of mind.
When Zhang Xiu came to the mountain, the valley was filled with the sound of forging iron. The temperature of the stove was extremely high, and tongues of fire were spitting out.
The stirrups are the simplest. Several pairs have been made and scraped onto wooden poles.
Zhang Xiu took the stirrups and looked at them. The craftsmanship was pretty good. These blacksmiths all had family skills, and the things they made were strong, durable, and not bulky.
Hu Cheer and Gan Ning came together.
When he saw the stirrups, Hu Cheer laughed.
