Seeing that everyone was like headless flies, Cao Pi turned his attention to Zhu Shuo, who was in charge of the imperial army.
Zhu Shuo felt bad when he saw this. Your Majesty shouldn't be too worried, right? As the leader of the Central Army, his main responsibility is to protect the safety of Luoyang. As for the detailed work camp entrusted by Jia Xu, it has completed the task of instigating rebellion in South Central. The rest were exhausted in the battle of Jingbei, and there is no spare energy to go to Guanzhong, which is strictly guarded. Send someone, Your Majesty, please don't look at me like this.
"Your Majesty, how did Governor Liang get the news? There are grasslands and Gobi in the north of Bingzhou. It is impossible to know so clearly." Zhu Shuo asked in a low voice when he left work.
Cao Pi sternly rebuked: "How else can we get it? Zhang He was defeated in Xiaoguan and was chased to Lingzhou by Huang Zhong. They walked in the deserted Gobi for a month against the cold wind. How could such a stupid question come out?"
"Uh, me." Zhu Shuo was stunned and at a loss when he was scolded.
Zhu Shuo had an impatient temper, and because of his closeness to Cao Pi, he was not in harmony with many of the generals in the camp. When everyone saw him being scolded by Cao Pi, they inadvertently smiled, but Cao Pi only remembered that Cao Hong was secretly laughing.
Liang Xi's memorial was circulated among the civil servants. As soon as Situ Wanglang read it, he was eager to express his opinion: "Although General Zidan retreated to Wuwei, his military strength has not been greatly reduced. Liu Bei occupied so many places in a hurry and needed to send officials and troops there." At this time, Huang Zhong, Zhao Yun, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao and other powerful generals are stationed at the border. I think there are few major generals in Guanzhong, so your Majesty may consider sending troops to Tongguan, maybe we can regain Chang'an in one fell swoop."
"Recapture Chang'an? What should I take?" Cao Pi asked with a frown.
Wang Lang stared at Cao Xiu without saying anything, thinking that the old minister was only responsible for making suggestions. As for dispatching troops and generals, it was the generals' business. Aren't there hundreds of thousands of troops around Luoyang?
"Last year we fought against Guan Yu for Nanxiang, and our military strength was greatly reduced. Especially the soldiers in Huainan who were infected with the epidemic. Not only did they not hurt many Jingzhou soldiers, but they infected thousands of Wei soldiers in vain. I don't know who in the palace had a superb strategy. "Cao Xiu clasped his fists and looked around at everyone, but no one answered his question.
Cao Pi's ears felt hot after hearing this, and he thought that it was a poisonous trick proposed by Sun Quan's dog-headed military advisor. No wonder Jiangdong was lost so quickly, and he was also embarrassed. It was really more successful than failed.
"After His Majesty withdrew his troops from Huainan, the total number of soldiers in Luoyang and Nanyang is only about 100,000. Where are there enough people to retake Guanzhong?" Cao Xiu paused for a while and continued. ,
"One hundred thousand is not enough?" Wang Lang blurted out without thinking, but as soon as he finished speaking, Cao Xiu shouted back: "Guan Yunchanghu is in Xiangyang, and he is also in Wan and Luo. If one hundred thousand people are mobilized to seize Guanzhong, who can take precautions for me?" Guan Yu?"
"Well, I think it's easy, old minister, but can't your Majesty recruit more troops from Hebei, Qing, Yan and other places? We in the Wei Dynasty always have an advantage in population." Wang Lang was replied by Cao Xiu, knowing that he could correct his mistakes, and immediately used new ones. The question covered up the embarrassment just now.
"Recruit troops from other places? Are the newly recruited soldiers going to fight with Liu Bei's old soldiers?" Cao Pi said speechlessly. Suddenly he looked at Cao Hong again and asked in a deep voice: "General Hussars, I asked you to make armor Two years have passed since we have been training our troops. I wonder how many heavy infantrymen we have in the Wei Dynasty?"
"Ah? Heavy infantry?" Cao Hong swallowed his saliva, clasped his fists and replied: "Building heavy armor requires mining and iron smelting. It requires a lot of money and food, because no one can provide it to the general, so..."
"So what?" Cao Pi's eyes narrowed.
"The general hasn't started making armor yet." Cao Hong lowered his head after saying this, thinking that His Majesty was in a bad mood today, and he couldn't avoid this scolding.
Cao Pi raised his head and laughed, and then said coldly: "Okay, very good, take my words as fart, General Hussar is so brave, do you know it's a crime?"
"Uh, I will finally be convicted, but I won't."
Cao Hong was about to explain, but was rudely interrupted by Cao Pi: "General Hussars, don't explain. Since I have given the order, someone will naturally cooperate with you. How much silver is needed to make armor? You have to figure it out first, right? No one can allocate it." Ask Da Sinong? Besides, your family has a lot of wealth, can't you advance the payment first?"
"Your Majesty has misunderstood. You will not have much wealth in the end." Cao Hong replied subconsciously as he was stingy as a habit.
The more Cao Pi listened, the angrier he became. Thinking of the conflicts between the two of them in the past, he shouted angrily: "That's enough. You only care about family wealth. How can you care about Wei? How can you take my words seriously? You should be punished as a warning to others outside the palace." Where are the warriors? Push out this deceiver and kill him, and confiscate all his property."
Beheaded? Even if Cao Hong had all his faults, he was still the founding father of Wei and one of Cao Cao's four ministers. Why did Cao Pi want to kill him? And the cause of the incident was not Cao Hong's fault at all. It was like a wild boar making a mistake that angered a tiger, but the tiger finally killed the wolf next to him, and all the officials in the palace, including Cao Hong, were stunned.
When Xu Chu rushed into the hall with the tiger guards, the officials only reacted at this time.
Chen Qun took the lead in admonishing and said: "Your Majesty, please stop the anger of Thunder. Although General Zilian deceives you, he is a lonely and important minister after all. It is not appropriate to behead him directly. Please think again."
"The general is unjust." Cao Hong was controlled by the tiger guards. Only then did he know that Cao Pi was serious, and he knelt down and cried bitterly without caring about his face.
"Your Majesty, what Chen Lingjun said is reasonable. In addition, the enemy is currently facing us. Can you please spare General Zilian's life and let him serve his crime?" Cao Xiu also stood up and begged for mercy.
Next, Xia Houshang, Xu Huang, Dong Zhao, etc. all stood up to plead for mercy, but Cao Pi's face was still clouded. Even Xu Chu did not lead people out of the palace immediately. He left time for Cao Pi to think about it again.
"General Hussar deceived the emperor and deserves to be punished, but what the ministers said is very reasonable. Why not put General Zilian in jail temporarily and wait for Dali to interrogate and convict before making a decision?" Liu Ye stood up and reconciled at the critical moment.
Cao Pi first glanced at Liu Ye, then at Chen Qun next to him, and said to himself that this is the guy you asked me to ask for advice. He is not very active in providing advice to the outside world, but he is good at playing both sides internally.
"Zi Yang makes sense. Dealing with such an important minister must be interrogated in Dali. Zhong Kang, please escort him out of the palace first. I will also discuss military and state affairs with all the ministers." Cao Pi waved his hand gently and was forced to accept Liu Ye's offer. suggestions.
"Wei." Xu Chu responded with clasped fists, and then escorted Cao Hong out of the palace.
Cao Hong felt as if he was sitting on a cloud at this time. He did not expect this ending at all. What does Yongliang's matter have to do with me?
On the way to being escorted out of the palace and sent to Tianlao, Cao Hong put down his body and begged Xu Chu: "General Xu and I served the late emperor together. We have been fighting in the east and west for many years. Although we have not known each other much, for the sake of the late emperor, can you help me bring a message to my family?" ?”
"General, don't be anxious. If such a big thing happens, your family will definitely inform you." Xu Chu shook his head gently.
"Earlier is better than later, please." Cao Hong had tears in his eyes. .
Xu Chu finally agreed and asked calmly: "What are the words?"
"Go and ask the Queen Mother."
(End of chapter)
