How could such a great opportunity be missed right before our eyes?
Cai Xi twirled his beard, his brain working rapidly as he thought about countermeasures. Zhang Xiu obviously wanted to ask for food from the Cai family, but he wanted to borrow it from Sun Ce who was far away in Wu County. This was deliberately forcing the Cai family to offer to provide food.
If Zhang Xiu opens his mouth, the initiative of whether to borrow or not will be in Cai Xi's hands. Now that he has not opened his mouth, the initiative of who to borrow food from is still in his own hands.
Naturally, Ms. Cai wanted to take the initiative, so Ms. Cai did not speak in a hurry. After waiting again and again, she introduced the topic indirectly.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Xiu shifted the target of borrowing food to Sun Ce. Then why did he come to Caizhou? Are you really here to visit relatives?
Obviously not.
Zhang Xiu looked at Cai Xi with a smile.
Next to him, Huang Chengyan remained silent and glanced at Cai Xi and Zhang Xiu silently.
Although Jiang is still old and hot, Zhang Xiu pushes the waves from behind and has a firm grasp of Cai's thoughts. Forcing Cai Xi to surrender.
Cai Xi struggled: "Ah ha! Wu County is quite far away from Nanyang, and transporting grain across the river is even more difficult. I'm afraid it's not a good choice."
Zhang Xiu pretended not to understand and said: "Liu Jingzhou has a lot of food and grass in his hands, so I'm afraid he won't lend it to me. I regard the city as my lord and appoint Bo Fu's sister Shang Xiang. With this relationship, he will never refuse."
Huang Chengyan smiled bitterly and shook his head. This was forcing Cai Xi to bow his head! His idle son-in-law is really cruel.
Cai Mao couldn't stand it anymore and said: "It is a bad idea for Marquis Xuan to seek distant places while leaving the near. Jingzhou is also a land of fish and rice, with abundant food and grass. It is suitable for Marquis Xuan to form an alliance with Shi Jun. How can Shi Jun refuse it?"
Cai Xi nodded.
Seeing that he was almost cornered, Zhang Xiu asked dubiously, "Is your Majesty really willing to borrow it?"
Cai Mao said firmly: "I have the food and grass in Jingzhou. If I open my mouth to intercede for Xuanhou, is there any reason not to borrow it?"
"Ah~" Zhang Xiu was overjoyed, "That's it, thank you so much, General." He never called him uncle, not that he didn't, but he really couldn't open his mouth.
Cai Xi also breathed a sigh of relief.
The food and grass were finally settled at their home, and Zhang Xiu had to remember this kindness.
Cai Mao didn't care about his title. Although he would rather hear Zhang Xiu call him uncle, there was nothing he could do if they didn't call him uncle.
Zhang Xiu secretly breathed a sigh of relief when the food and grass problem was solved. Even though he was pressing hard, he was actually quite panicked.
If Cai Xi nodded and agreed to borrow a boat to go to Wu County to borrow food, then the donkey driver would pull the horse driver - laborious and troublesome.
After staying in Caizhou until dinner, Zhang Xiu left by boat and sent Deng Zhi to discuss the transportation of grain and grass.
Cai Mao also rushed to Xiangyang. This matter still needed to be explained to Liu Biao.
When Zhang Xiu borrowed grain, Cheng Yu made an excuse to leave Ma Teng and secretly headed to Han Sui's Jincheng.
…
Xiliang.
Ma Teng was a generous man, quite literary, and loyal to the Han Dynasty. Cheng Yu planned to stay with Ma Teng and join forces with Han Sui to send troops to attack Zhang Xiu after tomorrow's spring plowing.
But he didn't expect that Ma Chao, Ma Teng's son, never returned and became Zhang Xiu's general.
Ma Chao is in Zhang Xiu's army, which means Ma Teng will not send troops to Guanzhong. Although Ma Teng righteously promised that he would send troops, his guarantee seemed so feeble in Cheng Yu's eyes.
Even if Ma Teng sent troops, he would never kill him, so Cheng Yu decided to leave Ma Teng and secretly go to Han Sui's land.
Han Sui was very headless and easy to control. He was a double-edged sword that could hurt him, but he could still be tempered if he used it properly.
When he learned of Cheng Yu's arrival, Han Sui was overjoyed and went out to welcome him from a distance. He held his wrist and said, "Haha! It's a blessing to have you here."
Cheng Yu was dusty. Along the way, the characteristic strong winds of the Loess Plateau and the yellow wind blew the loess all over his body, face and head. He squinted his eyes and said with a mouth full of loess: "The general is the overlord of Xiliang. Yu came here to be the general. Conspiracy."
Han Sui knew that Cheng Yu came to him to take advantage of his strength. Likewise, he also had to rely on Cheng Yu's talents to help him win the complete Xiliang.
Looking at the stooped old man, who was leaning on a wooden staff and his face was trembling with loess, Han Sui asked teasingly: "I heard that Ma Chao, the son of Ma Teng, lost a bet with Zhang Xiu and became Zhang Xiu's general?"
Ma Chao's behavior completely broke his plan. Cheng Yu sneered disdainfully: "Ma Chao is just a common man when he acts bravely. Such a reckless and reckless behavior will definitely bring Ma Chao to death!"
Han Sui was overjoyed when he heard this: "Please teach me, sir."
Cheng Yu smiled calmly, twirling his beard and said: "General, don't be anxious. This matter cannot be rushed. We must plan and plan. Yu guarantees that we can go to Longxi in the first battle. By then, the general will be the overlord of Xiliang and go east to seize the territory of Guanzhong." The land belongs to the Han Dynasty.”
Belong to the Han Dynasty?
Han Sui sneered in his heart.
He smiled normally and said: "I am a minister of the Han Dynasty, and the land in my hands should belong to the imperial court. Don't worry, sir."
Cheng Yu smiled and said nothing.
After entering Jincheng, Cheng Yu first washed his whole body. Along the way, Huang Feng from the Loess Plateau ate so much that he could hardly open his eyes.
Sitting in front of the case, he immediately wrote a letter to Cao Cao, asking Cao Cao to declare Han Sui as the shepherd of Liangzhou and take charge of Xiliang affairs. Only in this way can Han Sui provide a legitimate reason for sending troops.
Then Cheng Yu and Han Sui asked for a large amount of gold and silver treasures, as much as they wanted.
Han Sui was startled, touched his pocket and asked, "What do you want, sir, with all this wealth?"
Cheng Yu smiled and said: "Buy grain."
Han Sui wondered: "Our army has plenty of food and grass and there is no shortage of food. Why do we need to buy food and grass?"
"The land in Xiliang is poor, and there is very little land that can be cultivated. Most of the land in Xiliang is in the hands of the generals, and Ma Teng occupies a small area, so food and grass are naturally scarce. Now that winter is approaching, Ma Teng has not prepared food for the winter. We want to buy up Longxi grain and grass before they collect grain..."
Han Sui didn't wait for Cheng Yu to finish speaking, and slammed the table and jumped up: "Sir, are you going to starve that Ma Teng to death? Hahaha! You are really an expert, sir. In this way, I can kill him without spending a single soldier." The land of Longxi."
Cheng Yu smiled and nodded.
Without saying a word, Han Sui handed over the property rights to Cheng Yu and said, "Sir, it's okay to take whatever you want. If it's not enough, I'll find a way."
Cheng Yu nodded, and with the treasure in hand, he began to plan to purchase grain and grass from people all over Longxi.
Of course, this can only be done secretly. Ma Teng is not a fool. How could he not know the importance of food and grass after leading troops for many years? But now he hasn't expected that someone has been eyeing his food.
Cheng Yu asked people to pretend to be caravans and carry large amounts of treasures in batches to buy grain. Their purpose was not only to buy grain, but also to raise the price of grain. Many private households only sold grain for half of the price, so Cheng Yu asked them to buy it at double the price.
As a result, others immediately raised their own grain prices in an attempt to get a better price. Cheng Yuzhao will accept it at any price, no matter how high the price is.
In an instant, the price of grain in Longxi, Tianshui, Longnan and other places increased tenfold in just five days, and it was still rising further.
Grain merchants seized the opportunity and also raised prices, causing those who sold grain to make a fortune and those who bought grain to despair. Under Cheng Yu's secret manipulation, the grain and grass under Ma Teng's control were as valuable as silver, and every grain was extremely precious.
Han Sui immediately ordered the road from Dingxi City to Longxi to be closed, and no one was allowed in or out. We must not let the grain merchants on our side go to Ma Teng to make their own money.
As a result, the city of Dingxi was crowded with grain merchants from other places in Xiliang, preparing to go to Longxi to make a fortune. With a wave of his hand, Han Sui seized all the grain from these grain merchants and sent them back.
Many grain merchants dare to be angry but dare not speak out.
When Ma Teng wanted to purchase grain and grass, he discovered that grain and grass this winter were horribly expensive.
