The Han court reacted quite calmly to the rapid changes in the south, with almost no immediate measures.
Whether it was the Chancellor's desk or the Grand Sima's Mansion, they all showed great restraint.
The "clarification of official administration" jointly implemented by Yushitai and Licao is still advancing, and the situation is becoming more and more severe.
In early February, King Liu Xie of Bohai brought nearly thirty people from Yushitai, Licao and other officials, starting from Sili, then Bingzhou, and planned to go to Youzhou, Jizhou, Yanzhou and Qingzhou.
The most important thing is not to 'clarify the administration of officials', but to 'clear the land of the household' and 'register the household members'.
As states gradually stabilize and refugees continue to return, many things become complicated and full of obstacles.
After Xun Yu, Shangshu of Hucao, visited Sanfu, he also transferred to Bingzhou.
As the first place to implement the 'New Deal', Bingzhou has the best results and accumulated the most experience, which has important reference significance.
And Liu Bian was sitting in Luoyang, eyeing the "Nine-Rank Zhongzheng System".
The imperial court was constantly busy. In early March, just after spring, Cao Cao submitted the memorial. After receiving permission, he left Luoyang and went to the Forbidden Army camp to order troops.
Zhao Yun stood next to Cao Cao and said, "General Cao, our 30,000-strong army has been prepared for a long time."
Cao Cao looked at Xiahou Dun, Le Jin, Cao Ren and others ordering troops. He was very satisfied that Zhao Yun had given him elite soldiers and strong generals. He smiled and said, "If your majesty had not been able to live without Zilong, Cao would have sincerely sent out troops with Zilong."
Zhao Yun raised his hand politely and said: "General Cao will definitely be invincible in this expedition. He will destroy the Black Mountain Army and return to the court with a great victory!"
Cao Cao raised his hand and smiled politely.
Regarding Zhao Yun, Cao Cao not only valued his bravery, especially since Zhao Yun came from Liu Bian's side, he naturally "valued" him a little more.
Behind Cao Cao, Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai and others did not speak. They did not pay much attention to this expedition.
After the battle in Jizhou the year before last, the Black Mountain Army had been severely weakened and it was difficult to organize a "million" army. Zhang Yan was even more disorganized and his strength was greatly reduced.
Coupled with the gradual stabilization of Jizhou and the joint efforts of You, Bing, and Yan, the imperial court no longer had to worry that the conquest would fall into a long war of attrition, and could only defeat them one by one.
At this time, Zhang Xiu came from not far away and said to Zhao Yun: "General Zhonglang, five thousand good horses are ready."
Zhao Yun nodded and said to Cao Cao: "General Cao, do you need anything else?"
Cao Cao naturally knew about Zhang Xiu. Seeing his fierce momentum, he smiled and said: "Captain Zhang, how about going out with my general?"
"Hmph!" Zhang Xiu snorted coldly and turned his head with disdain on his face.
Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai and others were startled, what does this embroidery mean?
You know, Cao Cao was not only favored by the Holy Spirit in the past, but now he is the long history of the Great Sima Mansion. I don’t know how many people have said that he will be the next Great Sima.
Who dares to underestimate such a person?
So rude!
Zhao Yun was equally puzzled, but as his subordinate, Zhang Xiu naturally wanted to relax. Just when he was about to explain to Cao Cao, Cao Cao spoke first.
"If you don't want to, then give up."
Cao Cao remained calm and said with a smile: "Zilong, prepare more arrows."
Zhao Yun nodded and ordered people to prepare.
Half an hour later, after Cao Cao inspected all kinds of equipment, food and grass, he held a brief swearing-in meeting, and then set off straight to Jizhou.
In the face of the imperial court's conquest, the Montenegrin Army would naturally not sit still and wait for death. They gathered as much as possible in order to resist.
Jizhou Mu Yingshao, Zhonglang General Zhang Liao naturally would not let them get what they wanted, and sent many troops to pursue and intercept them, trying to divide them in various places, unable to keep track of them.
Jizhou, which was originally peaceful, suddenly became turbulent again.
Just as Cao Cao was preventing the Heishan Army from joining together in Jizhou, Cao Cao led his troops eastward and just entered Hanoi County. Bai Rao, the commander of the Black Mountain Army in Puyang, suddenly sent troops to attack Yanzhou East County.
"General, we have to speed up the march. Dongjun cannot make any mistakes." Le Jin rode behind Cao Cao and said.
His shape is like a blazing fire, but his face is as white as a scholar.
Cao Cao was riding a horse, trimming his beard with a knife in his hand, and said nothing.
Seeing this, Cao Ren stepped forward and said, "General, it's not too late."
Xiahou Dun and others did not speak, just stared at Cao Cao.
Cao Cao trimmed his beard very seriously, and the horse walked very slowly, looking careless.
Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun, Le Jin and others looked at each other and looked at the carriage behind them.
In the carriage, Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai were waiting for the "civilian officials".
In the entire army, the only one who could make Cao Cao listen was Guo Jia.
Cao Cao seemed to feel their actions, a coldness flashed through his narrow eyes, he put down his knife, touched his beard, and said: "I won't go to Dongjun."
At this time, Xiahou Dun, who had always been cautious, couldn't help it anymore and said, "Where are you going?"
Cao Cao turned his eyes in the direction of Puyang and said with a loud smile: "I chatted with Zilong last year, and he told me that he copied the old lair for nothing, and I want to do it again."
Le Jin reacted immediately and said: "The general is brilliant!"
Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun stopped talking. Cao Cao's intention was simple: surround Wei and save Zhao!
Bai Rao and others are attached to their "old nest". Once their "old nest" is in danger, they will have no place to stand and can only return to the army.
In the carriage not far away, Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai had a panoramic view of the conversation between Cao Cao and others.
Xi Zhicai was very sick. Looking at Guo Jia who kept drinking, he smiled and said, "Fengxiao, what do you think of General Cao's plan?"
Guo Jia was lying on his back, maybe because he drank too much, his face was a little pale, and he said nonchalantly: "It's just a white guy, why should you care."
Xi Zhicai observed Guo Jia calmly and said: "The total number of Heishan troops exceeds one million. In addition to Jizhou, they are also scattered at the junction of Sili, Yanzhou, Bingzhou, Youzhou, etc. There are hundreds of large and small. If you want to Complete annihilation is probably not something that can be accomplished in a year or two.”
Guo Jia couldn't see the purpose of Xi Zhicai, so he laughed and said: "The Qingzhou Yellow Turban Army has more than one million, and they were wiped out at General Cao's fingertips."
Seeing that Guo Jia was unwilling to say more, Xi Zhicai stopped asking, looked ahead and said, "Jizhou has been a place where great things have happened since ancient times."
Guo Jia was drinking alone and didn't seem to hear.
Cao Cao made a plan and turned his army to Puyang.
Marching with great fanfare, as if afraid that everyone would not know.
But even so, Cao Cao's army arrived in Puyang first and surrounded Luyang Mountain.
After some testing, Le Jin returned to the camp and said to Cao Cao: "General, we are all out again. There are only a few old, weak, women and children in the stronghold, no more than a thousand people."
Cao Cao held the sword in one hand, turned his head and looked in the direction of Dongjun, and said: "At the latest, Bai Rao will arrive early tomorrow morning."
Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun immediately raised their hands and said: "General, please order us to set up an ambush!"
Cao Cao stroked his beard and said, "Leave an opening to escape north."
Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun looked at each other and said, "I obey!"
The two men took the command arrows and began to order their troops, preparing to ambush Bai Rao.
Guo Jia came up from behind and said, "It's best to ask the envoy Yingjun to let General Zhang Zhonglang go."
Cao Cao glanced at Xi Zhicai out of the corner of his eye. Seeing that he was silent for a while, he said: "Okay, I will repair the book right now."
Xi Zhicai ignored it, put his hands in front of his lower abdomen, coughed slightly, and said, "I am Ye Zhe."
The so-called "Ye Zhe" refers to the official.
Xi Zhicai was affiliated with Yushitai, and the imperial court sent him to accompany Cao Cao. In essence, he was to 'supervise the army', which also showed distrust of Cao Cao.
Or maybe, not only Cao Cao, but all the leading generals, the court did not trust him.
When Cao Cao heard Xi Zhicai's words, he was not ashamed or annoyed. He laughed loudly and came over and said, "Zhicai, are you willing to join my shogunate?"
Xi Zhicai's eyes flashed with surprise, and he smiled and said: "The general fell in love with the wrong person."
Cao Cao has always been "longing for the great talent of Yingchuan". When he saw Zhicai, he was unwilling and did not force it. He said: "Zhicai, I intend to wipe out the Black Mountain Army as soon as possible. Please tell me truthfully."
Xi Zhicai's official position was not high, but he was a "new rich man" in Yushitai. At the same time, because he was from Yingchuan, he had a close relationship with Er Xun and others.
No one can underestimate it!
"Of course." Xi Zhicai said neither humble nor arrogantly.
At this moment, Guo Jia came forward and said, "General, it's getting late, why not light a fire to show the way to Bai Rao, so as not to go astray in the dark night."
Cao Cao knew that Guo Jia was here to interrupt, so he smiled and said: "The words of filial piety are very much to my liking, happy to advance!"
Le Jin raised his hand and said: "The last general takes orders!"
Le Jin immediately turned around and went up the mountain, preparing to attack Bai Rao's stronghold.
Xi Zhicai said no more, just watched with cold eyes, secretly recording everything in Cao Cao's army.
Not long after, the village, where only a thousand old, weak, women and children were left, burst into flames.
When it got dark, the fire burned even more intensely, lighting up half the sky.
Bai Rao returned faster than expected. When he saw the conflicting flames on the mountain top, his eyes suddenly widened and became ferocious.
"Cao Cao, if I don't kill you, I swear I won't be a human being!"
Bai Rao was furious, riding a horse, galloping and galloping.
His stockade was also plagued by disasters. It was raided by Zhao Yun once the year before last, and it was finally built with great difficulty, but he didn't want Cao Cao to steal it again because he didn't follow martial ethics.
A guard next to him followed closely and said loudly: "Qu Shuai, be careful of fraud!"
Bai Rao couldn't listen anymore and beat the horse with all his strength.
In the defeat in Jizhou the year before last, everyone suffered heavy losses. Although he had reservations, he also lost more than half.
As the imperial court's power in various states continues to grow, if he loses his hometown, he will have no place to stand!
Seeing the village getting closer and closer, Bai Rao became even more anxious and said, "Go and explore the movements of the Cao thief!"
Bai Rao was not completely confused, and he also knew how to send reconnaissance cavalry.
When they rounded a hilltop, the flames soaring into the sky were right in front of them. Bai Rao had a terrifying expression, as if he wanted to eat someone.
"kill!"
Before Bai Rao could get too emotional, loud shouts suddenly erupted from the mountains and forests on both sides, the fire suddenly lit up, and countless officers and soldiers rushed out like a tide.
Bai Rao was very frightened and angry, but he also knew that he was ambushed. Looking at the hilltop of his hometown, he didn't know how long it had been burning and how much was left, and his heart was bleeding!
"withdraw!"
Bai Rao roared angrily, turned the horse's head, hit the horse and fled.
Cao Cao's original intention was not to completely annihilate the Bairao tribe. Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun then covered up the killings and pursued them.
The pursuit lasted from late at night to dawn, from Puyang to Dongjun.
Cao Cao followed with his army and headed north.
(End of chapter)
