Nowadays, Lao Cao has many generals under his command. There are many who can rush into battle and kill generals, and those who can select and train elite soldiers.
In terms of counselors and civil servants, there are also Wu Yong, Li Zhu, Zhu Wu, Li Huai, Huang Wenbing, Xu Guanzhong, Xiao Jiasui, Pei Xuan, Jiang Jing, Song Jiang, Fang Xuedu, Xia Houhu, and the newly acquired generals Lu and Zu Shiyuan. wait.
However, if we look at it in detail, these people can be roughly divided into three categories. One category is like Wu Yong and General Lu, who suffered repeated defeats in the imperial examinations and were unwilling to be left alone, so they came to stir up trouble in the green forest;
The second category is those like Xu Guanzhong and Xia Houhu. Although they have extraordinary knowledge and talents, they are arrogant and arrogant. If they don't meet heroes like Lao Cao, they would rather die of old age than become an official.
The other category is people like Huang Wenbing and Song Jiang, low-level officials with empty ambitions, difficulty in making progress, and wandering in the world for various reasons.
It should be noted that this era is different from the late Han Dynasty——
At that time, many talented people came from aristocratic families, and there were thousands of servants in the family, not inferior to those in villages and counties.
What they have seen and heard since they were young is how their elders manage their family's fields and businesses, and deal with all kinds of disputes. If they are older, if they have talent in this area, they will easily get opportunities to gain experience, and by the time they become officials, they will already be proficient at it.
Scholars in the Song Dynasty did not have such an environment. Like all the people under Lao Cao, there was no shortage of amazing and talented people. However, no matter how outstanding their intelligence was, the experience of herdsmen could never be born out of thin air. Just like the poem goes: What you read on paper will eventually feel shallow, and it will never be the same. Know this and act accordingly.
At this time, Lao Cao didn't count Liangshan. He already had Qingzhou, Laizhou, Weizhou, Zizhou, Mizhou, Dengzhou, Qizhou, and Gaotangzhou, a total of eight states. However, there was only one who could really talk about governing the herdsmen. Huang Wenbing, the prefect of Gaotang Prefecture.
Fortunately, the administration of officials in the Song Dynasty was not extremely bad. Although officials were corrupt, as long as they were not as vicious as Zhu Meng, the people in most places could still live a good life.
Lao Cao observed history that during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, there were approximately 17 cities with a population of more than 100,000, while during the Song Dynasty, there were 52 cities. Although the territory was not as vast as that of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, the population was nearly twice as large and there was much arable land. Quite a few.
If we look at the yield per mu, the average yield per mu during the Tang Dynasty was one and a half dan, while during the Song Dynasty it was two dan. As for commerce, the difference was even more significant.
Because of this, under Lao Cao's rule, Tongque merchants were used as intermediaries to make friends with big businessmen and powerful men from all over the country, to know what was available in each state, to collect money and food for military training, and to lay out the officialdom and control it from a distance.
If there are corrupt officials who abuse the people excessively and are unwilling to cooperate, they will be sent to kill them. This two-pronged approach led to the current situation.
But acting on this basis can only be called a "hidden basis". Although it is not necessary now, if one day he really confronts the imperial court, I am afraid that there will be chaos under the rule due to an imperial edict. Therefore, the next step is to turn the world upside down and turn the negative possession into actual possession.
Therefore, how could Cao Cao be willing to miss an experienced herdsman official like Xu Churen?
It's just that this kind of person has been living on Song Dynasty's salary for a long time, and Cao Cao is unwilling to be honest with him, so he makes up a set of half-truths and half-false lies——
He used it as a pretext for the imperial court's intention to form an alliance with the Jin Kingdom to attack the Liao Dynasty. He said that he personally went to the Jin Kingdom as an envoy. The leader was a talented person and worked hard to strengthen himself. He not only had the intention to annex the Liao Dynasty, but also had the intention to destroy the Song Dynasty. Therefore, the Liao Kingdom was destroyed. That day was the time when the Song Dynasty sounded the death knell.
These remarks are not surprising at all. There are many mature people in the court who are unwilling to form an alliance with the Jin Kingdom to destroy the Liao Dynasty. Otherwise, Tong Guan has been planning this matter for many years, why has he never promoted it openly? It's because the resistance is too great.
Lao Cao has personally been to the Kingdom of Jin, so when he holds this argument, it is naturally particularly convincing.
After Xu Churen heard this, he pointed at the heaven and the earth and cursed, feeling very sad. He said that the officials did not accept honest advice, and the young man was greedy for merit and ruined the country.
Cao Cao took the opportunity to say that he had always wanted to serve the country and wanted to save the country from falling. Therefore, he wanted to gather the strength of all the states in Shandong to save money and food for the future war. It is inconvenient for herdsmen.
After Xu Churen heard this, he scolded Tong Guan even more, saying that he had framed him. Otherwise, if he found out about this, he would have written to the officials no matter what, asking to be transferred to the governor of Shandong and Hebei to help Lao Cao. Now he has become a scapegoat. I have no choice but to stop mentioning my body.
Lao Cao then showed a generous attitude, saying that there is nothing in the world that cannot be done, only those who are not willing to give it up. If they are willing to give up their reputation and even their lives, what can't they do?
After hearing this, Xu Churen became passionate and thought that he had been at odds with Cai Jing, Tong Guan and others for a long time. He had been suppressed countless times by him, and now he was being framed. Even if he was freed from the crime, he would probably have to become an official. It would be better to be a fugitive. Lao Cao's plan in the future If it comes to pass, are you afraid that you won't be able to wash away today's sins?
At that moment, he said with emotion that he could give up his own name, but he just didn’t know how to act.
The two chatted for a long time. When Lao Cao saw that he finally took the bait, he couldn't help but be happy: "If my dear friend is willing to lend a helping hand, I am planning to sell it. My dear friend, you can follow me to Qingzhou, first visit the customs of Shandong, and then decide on the herdsmen." We will use money to bribe the officials everywhere and ask them to act according to the plan."
Xu Churen asked: "If he refuses, how will you treat him?"
Lao Cao said with a smile: "My dear friend, I have recruited and surrendered many brave generals in this expedition to Fangla. If anyone refuses to listen to my brother's orders for his own selfish desires, I am afraid that these brave generals will inevitably have a traitorous nature and will kill their officials and escape."
Xu Churen was shocked when he heard that his methods were cruel. He gritted his teeth and said, "That's all. Those who achieve great things don't stick to trivial matters. Besides, my dear brother saved me twice. His kindness is profound and cannot be repaid."
Cao Cao was overjoyed. He took Xu Churen's hand and caressed it affectionately: "It is not just my blessing that my brother helps me, but also the blessing of the whole world."
Immediately, he summoned the poets and poets and ordered them to lead fifty people to secretly escort Xu Churen to Qingzhou. Xu Churen only said that this was a confidential matter, so he obeyed. He wrote a letter with his own hand and asked Lao Cao to help deliver it. Go to my hometown in Henan so that my family won’t miss me.
Lao Cao agreed wholeheartedly and sent him away, then wrote a letter to Dai Zong: "Brother, thank you for your hard work. Please accompany Wu Xuexue and go to Yingtian Mansion in Henan Province."
When Wu Yong heard that he was asked to go, he immediately smiled and said: "When I leave, I will take the Xu family and the family back to Qingzhou with me."
Lao Cao knew that his tactics were ruthless and was afraid of backfire, so he specifically warned: "There is no need to use other means, just say that Tong Guan has a vicious mind and is the best at what he does. He wants to embarrass me, Brother Xu, and now he has escaped." Brother Xu will definitely cause trouble for his family, so it would be better to move here early to reunite. If there is any loss, I will make up for it myself."
Wu Yong nodded and said, "Don't worry, brother. If he really doesn't want to come, I won't force him. I'll just come back and negotiate with him."
When Lao Cao saw that he understood, he felt relieved. The two of them tied up their armor and horses and went to perform magic exercises.
Cao Cao led his troops back to the north and slept in the open air. On the 15th day of the fifth month, they went up to Deliang Mountain.
At this time, Fang Qifu and other people who were traveling by water had been arriving for several days. Chao Gai knew that Lao Cao was not far away from his return, so he had already dispersed the scouting horses more than a hundred miles away. Hearing the news, he was overjoyed and led all the leaders of the mountain. , came out of the water to meet each other twenty miles away, and saw many more heroes from the south. They laughed so hard that they couldn't close their mouths.
Immediately, they received a banquet in the Juyi Hall, where delicacies from the mountains and seas were served, and the soldiers and generals also gave away wine and meat.
As usual, Cao Cao first introduced the old and new brothers to each other. Wang Yin, Shi Bao and others were amazed when they saw the strong troops and horses and countless heroes on Liangshan Mountain.
During the dinner, Lao Cao talked about the Southern Expedition again, and everyone in Liangshan was full of admiration. Fang Jie and others stood up, supported Tang Bin, and wanted to thank Tang Bin for his kindness in seeking medical treatment.
Tang Bin was already in good health at this time, so how could he still be willing to accept his worship? Now he was holding on tightly, and it was Lao Cao who came to the rescue: "We are all brothers. Today he will save you, and tomorrow you will save him. There is no need to be rigid. When you and the others are well, just treat Brother Tang to a drink."
Except for a few wounded people that day, everyone else got drunk.
Chao Gai set up the banquet, and one day was naturally not enough.
The next day, the day after tomorrow... there were big banquets every day, showing the generosity and heroism of the northern heroes. According to Chao Gai, if you don't have a full month of wine, how can you see the great joy of adding someone to Liangshan?
Fang Qifu and others were secretly speechless, thinking that it was no wonder that the Pagoda King was as famous as the Holy Duke from the north and the south. Just looking at the style of setting up the banquet, he showed his heroic spirit.
By May 20th, the heroes from the north and the south were all familiar with each other. Guan Sheng heard that Shi Bao was a sharp swordsman and asked for a test. Shi Bao had already had this intention and was determined to show off his skills in front of others. The two of them were sitting at the table. They got up, put on their armor and mounted their horses, and started fighting in front of the hall.
Who among all the heroes doesn’t like to watch a martial arts competition? As soon as he came out, he looked at it with a wine bottle, and saw two big buckets with more than seventy people together, no distinction between top and bottom.
Their swordsmanship is more offensive than defensive, and their fighting is extremely dangerous. There are poems to prove it——
The rustling wind stirs up tigers and qiu, and Guanhuang's sword techniques are passed down from generation to generation:
He is as handsome as the handsome man in Jingzhou yesterday, and as the Marquis of Guannei back then.
Lihuo splits the wind and cuts off the sea and mountains, and the blue dragon cuts the moon to strengthen the spring and autumn.
If it weren't for being on Liangshan Mountain, the war in Changsha would probably be ongoing!
After fighting for more than ten rounds, Guan Sheng became more energetic. Although Shi Bao didn't show signs of defeat, his face was ashen. Cao Cao saw that his right hand was hooking and hooking, and he wanted to touch the flying hammer several times, fearing that the two of them would make a real fire. , hurriedly sent Lin Chong to leave.
Lin Chong didn't wear armor either. He mounted his horse and charged into the formation. He thrust out his snake spear and used a move of "one shot and two scatters", swinging the two swords left and right. The two were slightly stunned. Shi Bao was the first to hand over: "Brother Guan's sword." This method is rare in this world! Shi Mou admires it so much!"
Guan Sheng quickly returned the courtesy and said: "Shi Shuai's sword skills are not inferior to Guan's. I should ask Shi Shuai for more advice in the future."
The two of them cherished each other, and Wen Da sighed: "But each generation is getting stronger than the last. With the addition of this sword on Liangshan Mountain, Wen's nickname becomes more and more difficult to live up to."
But watching the two of them fighting fiercely, he thought that his swordsmanship might not be inferior to Shi Bao's, but Shi Bao was only in his twenties, and in terms of strength, he was probably not as good as him, so he sighed.
Although Shi Bao was arrogant and had just arrived at this moment, he did not dare to speak big words. He only smiled and said: "I heard that the general's big sword is so powerful that Hebei is so powerful that the Khitan people should also be afraid. I am a junior and I still need more teaching from the general."
Wen Da saw that he was showing off so much face and laughed heartily. He immediately stepped forward, holding Guan Sheng in his left hand and Shi Bao in his right hand. The three of them talked about sword skills together, which was a very good match.
Here, Wang Yin saw Lin Chong's sharp spear, and was delighted to see that he was hunting. He stepped forward and asked for a fight. Lin Chong smiled and said: "When Lin first learned martial arts, he also heard about the reputation of the 'Jade-faced Spear God'. I have a long-lasting hatred and a shallow fate. I can't meet him once." , if you receive advice today, it will be a blessing for the rest of your life.”
The two men then raised their spears and had a big fight. Cao Cao knew that both of them were still cautious and did not stop. He let the two spears go back and forth, each showing his talents, until the fight lasted for more than 140 times. Wang Yin is timid.
Seeing this, Lin Chong was a little slow in moving his spear, and wanted to force him to hit him a few more times. Wang Yin noticed it immediately, stopped and admitted defeat, and immediately clasped his fists and said: "Your Excellency is very skilled in martial arts, so it's okay to pay it back. It's this kind of human nature that makes Wang Yin sincerely admire him." .”
Lin Chong smiled modestly: "Senior has been traveling in a hurry for days and has not yet developed enough strength, so there is no need to worry about it."
The two entered the hall hand in hand and became very close to each other.
When Fang Qifu saw that he had lost to Wang Yin, he was shocked. He stood up and said with a smile: "I have heard about the reputation of 'Leopard Head' for a long time, but when I see it today, it is even better than the rumors! Fang also wants to ask for advice tomorrow, I don't know if it is possible."
Before Lin Chong could answer, Du Bo said first, "Seven Buddhas, you only have Instructor Lin in your eyes, not me, Old Du. If you want to compete with Du, you don't have to wait until tomorrow."
Fang Qifu laughed and said: "'Zai Zhang Fei' is so powerful in Huaixi that Qi Buddha has been admiring him for a long time. In this case, the two of us will have a fight and ask Coach Lin for advice tomorrow."
Du Bo was overjoyed. He followed Lao Cao's orders and took up the post of training envoy of the Qingzhou regiment. He was rarely in Liangshan, but he often envied Liangshan's ranking of "Ten Divine Generals" and secretly thought: This Fang Qifu is the first hero under Fang La. , my brother will definitely not let him become an official, and will probably stay in Liangshan. With his ability, he will definitely be among the divine generals. Although I don’t know if he will be added or replaced, but if I defeat him, all the brothers will know I, Lao Du, am enough to take the top spot.
The two of them each put on their horses, a green dragon halberd, and a eight-foot-long spear. They each held in their hands, said "please" to each other, and then started fighting.
After several rounds of fighting, both sides were shocked.
Needless to say, Fang Qifu's abilities were not overstated. When the three fierce generals Wang Zhen, Wang Yuan, and Wang De came out together, they could not defeat him. It is not an exaggeration to say that he has reached the pinnacle.
However, Du Bo was not given for nothing. In terms of horsemanship, he was also the number one hero in Huaixi. Lu Junyi fought with him several times. If Xu Guanzhong hadn't attacked from both sides, how could he have defeated him?
Everyone saw that their opponent was extraordinary, and they didn't dare to hold back at all. They put their whole life skills to use. Everyone saw the wonderful things and couldn't help but cheer like thunder.
There is also a poem to prove it——
The war horses are kicking and trampling the dust, and the heroes are fighting with each other, each with his own anger.
The unparalleled warrior in Huaiyou, the first person in Jiangnan in Wuzhen.
The white tiger's eyes are full of sharpness, and the blue dragon roars around it.
Using spears and halberds to turn thunder and lightning is just like the Buddha fighting ghosts and gods.
These two were fighting for more than a hundred years, and Fang Qifu suddenly became competitive: Shi Bao is tied, Wang Yin is defeated, and no other brother can beat these two. If I lose or draw, I will eventually be defeated by Liang Shan. Even better than that. It's okay to compare, but I'm afraid there are such snobbish people on his mountain. Seeing that everyone in my Mingjiao can't afford it, isn't it just a hidden danger?
He roared loudly at that moment, but it was the magical power that moved the world, squeezing out the body's potential. The halberd in his hand suddenly became faster.
At this point in the fight, both of them were sweating profusely. According to common sense, there has been no winner in so many rounds, which proves that the two martial arts are very close. If they continue to compete, the comparison will be who has longer energy and physical strength. When it's not going well, he has a delicate grasp of the proportion and strength of his moves.
Like Fang Qifu, who was fighting for more than a hundred people and suddenly increased his strength, Du Bo had never heard of it. His tactics were immediately confused. He tried his best to parry for more than ten times, but when he saw that he was about to be defeated, he shouted: "That's it, Qifu." You are really extravagant!"
Fang Qifu smiled and said, "I accept it."
Du Bo lowered his head and looked at the snake spear, then stared blankly at Fang Qifu, his face full of confusion: "How could this be?"
Lu Junyi was horrified when he saw it, and there was a cold look on his Bodhisattva-like face: Oh, even if Du Bo's ability is different from mine, it's only a hair's breadth. How could he defeat Fang Qifu like this? In this way, am I not as good as him?
Not to mention Lu Junyi, Wu Song, Lin Chong, Guan Sheng, Bian Xiang, Han Wu, Hu Yanzhuo, etc. all changed their expressions in an instant.
Fang Baihua took the opportunity and bit her ear and said to Lao Lu: "Idiot! How can you say that Qi Buddha is the best in Mingjiao? He has the secret method of moving Qi. If you learn it, you will never be weak to him! Do you want to learn it? As long as you are willing to use it tonight I will consider teaching you that posture..."
The laughter faded away, and Lu Junyi turned to look at Baihua, his eyes full of struggle.
Seeing everyone's expressions, Fang Qifu knew that he had succeeded in establishing his authority. He smiled humbly, closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing for a long time, then opened his eyes and clasped his fists, saying: "Brothers, there is no need to be doubtful. When it comes to martial arts, all the brothers present are very powerful. It's just my sect. Gong Lao Fo has created a set of extremely brilliant power-transporting techniques and passed them on to the Holy Duke and the Seven Buddhas, which can stimulate one's own potential. If practiced to a high level, one can even pull and move the opponent's strength at will..."
As he spoke, he sighed: "However, the creation of this skill is not complete yet. There are many consequences for squeezing the potential. Firstly... it will be detrimental to the heirs, and secondly, it will damage the life span. When fighting Tong Guan before, the Seven Buddhas had no choice but to use it twice. If it is not regulated by Doctor An, I am afraid that the internal injuries will be difficult to heal."
After everyone heard this, they all looked at An Daoquan, who nodded solemnly, obviously what Fang Qifu said was true.
Everyone felt sorry after hearing this. This kind of skill is enough to turn the tide at the critical moment. If it only damages the life span, you don't have to worry about it, but it will be detrimental to the heirs, which will inevitably make people discouraged.
What's more, judging from this meaning, it is clearly someone's magical skill to suppress religion, and I'm afraid they won't spread it lightly.
On the other hand, Fang Qifu told the secrets of his martial arts so openly, and he obviously regarded everyone as his brothers. Everyone couldn't help but have a good impression of him, and even looked at everyone in the Ming Cult.
Lu Junyi listened carefully to what he said. He was suddenly startled, looked at Fang Baihua, and asked in a low voice: "Didn't you say that you and I are not young, so we need more... um, so that we can have children as soon as possible? Since this effort is not good for the heirs, , why do you still want to teach me?"
Fang Baihua chuckled, her eyes as silk as silk: "Besides Wang Gong Lao Buddha, my eldest brother, and Qi Buddha, there is no one else who knows this skill. I said I would consider teaching you, but I don't know how, so I'm done thinking about it. I can’t help but teach you.”
Lu Junyi suddenly became angry: "Then you lied to me?"
Fang Baihua glared: "So what if I lied to you? Who told you to be disobedient and unwilling to try that posture? No! Since you have seen through it, there is no need to wait for tonight, come with me..." Jump up and clip They detained Lu Junyi and took him away by force.
Fortunately, everyone gathered around Fang Qifu. Only Duan Sanniang noticed this scene. Seeing that the two of them were so in love with each other, she looked envious. Then she went to look at Han Wu. However, when she glanced around, she found that Han Wu was not there. I looked at it carefully again, and sure enough it wasn't there.
Duan Sanniang suddenly became angry: Han Wu was not here, maybe he had a pee, that's fine, but Liang Hongyu was not here either, how could he bear this?
As the saying goes: Yan Yue splits the wind and swords confront each other, Lin Chong and Wang Yin move to meet each other. The seven Buddhas move the world with their generosity, and when masters meet, they become even more powerful.
(End of chapter)
