While Cao Cao was still thinking, Zhang Han stood beside him without interrupting, but he couldn't help but feel grateful to Jia Xu in his heart.
That is to say, people like Mr. Jia usually have nothing to do and seem to be taking care of themselves. In fact, he has a lot of energy and time to study others. Zhang Han cannot do that. Zhang Han still has to go around and play, and he is not as professional as Jia Xu.
No, although it didn't work last night, as soon as I arrived at Sikong Mansion today, it had a miraculous effect. Apart from saying I was lucky, I couldn't help but feel coughed.
"Actually, I have asked Fengxiao and Zhicai. One said they would kill him secretly, and the other said he would be transferred to another place. They are not as good as what you said. They asked him to send troops to Yangzhou with him."
Cao Cao couldn't help but sigh, but in fact he could vaguely feel that this strategy was not Zhang Han's style, and he had never paid attention to Liu Bei and hadn't mentioned it in the past year. Of course, it couldn't be what he thought.
Well, it's probably Jia Xu's idea.
It seems that Jia Xu is already in Shaoqing's house and has begun to take charge of spying on intelligence, otherwise he would not have noticed Liu Xuande.
Brother Xuande is really both loved and hated.
…
Liang Guo, Gushu County.
Liu Bei took his brothers to live in this government office, and in accordance with the common practice of various prefectures and counties, they irrigated the farmland with winter water to maintain the moisture of the soil in case of severe drought in the coming year.
At the same time, water conservancy is being built in Gushu County, mountain hills are built, and streams and wells are built. If this last county is completed, the entire territory will be built and farmed, and the harvest will be more in the coming year.
Because Liu Bei worked tirelessly and regardless of his own image, he worked with the people day and night to build the country. Moreover, he knew a lot about farmers and could weave straw shoes, straw mats, dustpans, backpacks, etc., all at his fingertips.
It adds a lot of intimacy, just like ordinary farmers. When working in the fields, they always roll up their trouser legs and carry a bamboo hat on their backs, and never say anything about hardship.
At this moment, they were drinking in the government office. Liu, Guan, and Zhang were among them. Jian Yong was behind Zhang Fei. The four of them were wearing thick clothes and drinking soju. All of them had blushes on their faces, and they were feeling hot and cold. .
"This year, the harvest is excellent. It should be a merit to spread it to Emperor Xudu. Our brother is awesome and can be admired everywhere."
"Third brother, I'm serious. This is not my fault. We just extended Cao Gong's policies." Liu Bei smiled openly, touched a bowl with Zhang Fei, and then said with emotion: "But, this policy can allow the people to live and work in peace and contentment." , it’s not a bad thing.”
"The achievements we have made now are insignificant. Compared with those great sages who stabilized the court and wiped out bandits in Xudu, we still have a lot to do."
Liu Bei knew in his heart that he was still far away from those princes, but he could win the hearts of the people by working hard and praying for the people.
There is nothing wrong with being so cautious in your words and deeds.
"My lord, I heard some time ago that many elderly gentry from the countryside sent Wanmin's letter to Xudu. They also asked for credit for my lord."
"Oh, that really makes the folks in the countryside miss you..."
"I heard that the situation in Xudu is now stable, and Cao Cao has become Sikong."
Jian Yong smiled lightly and nodded: "Yes, Cao Sikong's administration has the support of most of the officials in the court and the trust of His Majesty. There is peace in the court."
Liu Bei suddenly felt a sense of loss in his eyebrows, and he was worried about gains and losses in his heart.
But it was only for a moment, and I was quickly suppressed by his magnanimity. I laughed to disperse the gloom in my heart, and said loudly: "I met Duke Cao in the early years. Since the alliance with Dong, I have thought that he is a hero in the world. The other princes are completely different."
"Now it has been proven that it is indeed the case. He is the only one who chased the Han Emperor and welcomed the Emperor back east. He is also the one who can manage the court in an orderly manner."
"I'm happy for him, but I wonder if Mr. Cao can still think of me when he is proud of the spring breeze! Hahaha!"
Liu Bei laughed boldly. Anyway, he has been ignored and forgotten too many times in his life, and he has long been accustomed to it.
Moreover, the princes all have the intention of being independent and not serving the court. I don't know if Cao Cao also has this intention, but Liu Bei does not dare to completely rely on Cao Cao. He is afraid of taking another roundabout way.
"Huh, there is no way in this huge world that there is no place for the three of us brothers."
Zhang Fei raised his glass of wine loudly, his face was red, but he still had pride overflowing.
"What the third brother said is absolutely true."
Guan Yu raised his glass in agreement, his face even redder, and the hall was also very lively. Although there were not many people here, the three brothers had been friends in Jinlan since they were poor. After many years of life and death, they no longer distinguish between you and me.
In this troubled world, being able to chat with a close friend in the same room makes me feel comfortable and can talk about everything.
When Liu Bei was sighing, a guard came hurriedly from outside the door. It was his guard commander Chen Dao. This man was brave and courageous. He also started as a small soldier in the army and protected Liu Bei from fire and water several times.
Well loved by their brothers.
Chen Dao pushed the door open and came in. He shook the cold rain off his body, clasped his fists excitedly and said, "My lord, your order has been sent."
Well, the three brothers immediately stood up and stared at him expectantly.
That arrives so fast!
It seemed that the petitions from the elders and wealthy families in the village were really effective. At least they reminded Cao Cao of an old friend from Liang State.
"Where is the envoy? Can you tell me whose order it is?" Liu Bei asked quickly.
"Yes, Sikong Cao Cao."
Liu Bei felt disappointed, but hope soon emerged. At least Duke Cao still remembered me.
He originally thought that the emperor already knew about his political achievements and expected to be favored by the court officials.
After all, Liu Bei traveled through mountains and rivers, went through countless hardships, and came here just for their favor.
However, even though he has been walking in the wind and waves despite the reputation of being a clan member of the Han Dynasty, those nobles only praised him instead of having any substantive friendship.
To put it in Zhang Han's words: I have climbed thousands of miles to reach the same level as you, but you are not willing to call me handsome.
Now, it has to be Cao Gong.
"What is Sikong's order?"
"Please, my lord, send troops to defeat the traitor Yuan Shu together!"
"Yuan Shu? Wow! I have long disliked him and couldn't stand the arrogance of the Yuan family. In recent years, Yuan Shao has wanted to usurp the throne, and Yuan Shu has recruited thieves. He is simply harboring evil intentions!"
Zhang Fei immediately beamed. His achievements must have been on the battlefield, and these achievements were hard enough.
Because he was not qualified to ascend to the court, even Zhang Fei would practice calligraphy hard in private, thinking that his calligraphy was much better than that of Qingtinghou Zhang Han.
"See you quickly."
Liu Bei packed up his clothes and went to the door to see the man who came to deliver the order. It was Lu Bu's old general Zhang Liao.
He and Guan Yu were old acquaintances. After they surrendered to Cao Cao, they both led troops together. They talked happily and fell in love with each other, so they were old acquaintances.
Guan Yu was overjoyed when he saw it and hurriedly greeted him: "Who is this messenger? It turns out that Brother Wenyuan is here to deliver the order! Go to the hospital quickly. You and I haven't had a drink for a long time. We just finished filling the winter water today. We have no errands tomorrow." Can you rest after getting drunk?"
Guan Yu rarely treated someone so warmly, but he was really pleased with Zhang Liao's temperament. Although he was secretly not ashamed of Lu Bu's behavior, he was always loyal.
When he was captured by Cao Cao, he did not surrender, but was willing to die for his old master.
This man, regardless of his age and unwillingness, is willing to die for a mediocre master, which actually shows his integrity.
In Guan Yu's eyes, Zhang Liao was not considered a surrendered general because he only surrendered to Cao Cao for the future of hundreds of his disciples after Lu Bu was captured and died.
"Yun Chang! Ah, Mr. Xuande..." Zhang Liao first greeted Guan Yu with arms crossed, then to show respect, he cupped his fists and bowed to Liu Bei, and finally nodded and smiled with Zhang Fei.
When the four of them strode into the courtyard, Zhang Liao quickly talked about the situation, "My lord, I have never forgotten Duke Xuande."
"Because the situation in the court was very chaotic at that time, many of the ministers secretly communicated with Yuan Shao and conspired to send the emperor to Jizhou, so a lot of energy was spent on stabilizing the court."
"At that time, my lord said that Xuande is a righteous man in the world and a clan member of the Han Dynasty. It is not suitable for him to be involved in such disputes. Therefore, we can only force Xuande to be a minister of the country and accumulate merits."
"That's it," Liu Bei suddenly smiled and nodded quickly, "Wen Yuan's words are serious. Whether Mr. Cao remembers it or not, Bei must fulfill his duties and ask for orders for the people."
"I just heard that a military order was issued to dispatch us to attack Yuan Shu, and Yuan Shu usurped Huainan. What do you mean?"
Liu Bei's face was solemn, and his expression was quite solemn after deep thought, and he looked at Zhang Liao in confusion.
After several people sat down, Zhang Liao was invited to the head of the guest table, while Zhang Fei went to the other side to sit across from Guan Yu.
Zhang Liao gently stroked the tip of his sharp beard and said in a deep voice: "Three months ago, the border patrol sentry received military information. Yuan Shu deployed 100,000 troops and horses near Guangling and Nanyang, and then entered Shucheng to capture Lujiang River."
"With this, the Lu family of Lujiang was defeated and fled, leaving his way to Yuan Shu. From this, he placed his troops and horses on this line within a month."
Guan Yu and Liu Bei looked at each other, and they both reacted almost at the same time. Guan Yu turned around and pointed out, saying softly: "This is... to guard against Nanyang, Xuzhou, and Jingzhou at the same time."
"Not bad," Zhang Liao nodded lightly, his smile full of approval, "Yun Chang is still so good at judging the situation."
"Yuan Shu's actions showed that he had evil intentions, so our army sent more than 2,000 overt and secret agents, plus Bao Xuzhou to investigate day and night. We got the news that a sacrificial temple was being built in Jiujiang and he wanted to open an altar for worship. sky."
"The local people are not allowed to leave the country, but rumors are everywhere. Most of these rumors are spread by people, and they are used to spread lies about the destiny of Yuan Shu. There are many troublemakers, nursery rhymes, private unofficial histories, etc."
"At the same time, most of the officials in Huainan, who were members of the gentry, seemed to send their families out of the city privately, but no letters were leaked. From this, it can be concluded that Yuan Shu wanted to rebel and did not obey the emperor's orders."
Zhang Liao looked at the distance outside the door and said thoughtfully: "So, more than a month ago, the emperor issued an edict urging him to pay tribute, but there has been no response so far. It should be delaying the opportunity and waiting for something big to happen."
"That's it. The traitors who usurp the Han Dynasty cannot live together. Liu Bei will definitely obey the order and send troops."
Liu Bei handed over his hand and agreed immediately and decisively without any hesitation.
They raised more than 6,000 troops in the Liang Kingdom, 2,000 of whom were brothers from the old army who had followed them south. They also gained about 4,000 new recruits for Guan Yu to train, and they were no longer afraid of war.
If Yuan Shu really committed treason, it would be unacceptable in heaven. Such a feat would be equivalent to fighting off the rebels who rebelled back then. This would be a feat that would make him famous all over the world, and no one would refuse it.
However, Liu Bei has not yet figured out why Cao Cao specially sent Zhang Liao to inform him.
"Okay, Mr. Xuande is really righteous," Zhang Liao said with admiration on his face, "My lord also said that after hearing about this, he couldn't help but think of the famous princes in the world when he was fighting against Dong. They are fighting among themselves, watching from the sidelines, only fighting for territory, and ignoring the emperor of the Han Dynasty."
"There are only three people who have been tasked with wiping out Dong's rebels and bringing back the emperor. One is my lord Cao Gong, who returned after Bian Shui was defeated; the other is Jiangdong Sun Jian, who can be called a fierce tiger. He chased Dong Zhuo several times and fought to the death without end. , almost victorious.”
"The third one is Duke Xuande. Although at that time he did not have a large number of soldiers or generals, nor did he have a reputation that was widely spread throughout the country, you three brothers were among the best in the world. Your face did not change, your heart was not hesitant, and you had three heroes fighting against each other. Lu Bu has such a good reputation that he has never had any selfish desires from beginning to end."
"Now, Yuan Shu is plotting a rebellion, and my lord knows that the princes of the world will not come to help, and he will still watch from the sidelines. However, he is the emperor in Xudu, but he has to fight; as Xuande Gong is a member of the Han Dynasty, he also has to fight. "
boom!
Liu Bei banged the table Mengran, his eyes bright, and he immediately said loudly: "Wen Yuan's words are very popular in my heart! Yuan Shu usurped the throne. If no one dares to suppress the thieves, then the Han Dynasty will really be dead! In this world, I don't know what will happen. How many new dynasties will come out!"
"Be prepared, understand what Duke Cao is doing, and be grateful to Duke Cao for leading the army to fight, so that we can follow closely and beat this thief hard!"
"Wen Yuan, please tell Duke Cao when you return that Liu Bei will never evade laziness when ordered to do so! I know that Yuan Shu claimed to have an army of 500,000 in Shouchun, but the bravery of an ordinary man is unyielding, and my three brothers will never back down."
"hehe,"
Guan Yu and Zhang Fei both smiled together, with no fear in their eyes.
"Okay, that's the case, I will directly pass on the orders of Sikong and Your Majesty," Zhang Liao looked overjoyed, "Actually, before I came, my lord had already predicted that Duke Xuande would never refuse. He knew very well how much you wanted the Han Dynasty to do. Loyalty.”
"Mr. Cao understands me."
Liu Bei looked at him with a smile.
Zhang Liao took out a large piece of cloth from his arms, on which a rough map from the south of Yan and Xu to Yangzhou was simply drawn.
Pointing at the map, he said: "We have sent Chen Yuanlong to garrison Guangling before, and now we ask Duke Xuande to lead troops to Qiaojun, then go south to Lujiang River and capture the northern part of Yuan Shu."
"good."
Liu Bei thought deeply and nodded in agreement. The march route here is intact, there are no difficulties and obstacles along the way, and it is easy to transport food.
"As for the food and grass, the Lord will build granaries along the way, so it's guaranteed to be worry-free."
"good."
…
In the winter months of that year, Cao's soldiers and horses slowly advanced. The cavalry was transported by amphibious transport and rushed to the three counties near Jiujiang.
All the soldiers who went on the expedition were hardly over the age of 18, and they only lived in the army on the basis of communication, so they had the right to survive this day.
Cao Cao's central army began to march in November. The march was slow and difficult. Halfway through, many soldiers were frozen and unable to walk.
Waterways and rivers are also blocked by ice and need to be cut through the ice.
For a full month, the army consumed a huge amount of food and fodder, but could not march more than a hundred miles. Even so, the morale of the army remained stable. At the end of December, they passed through the difficult situation. Zhang Han, Dian Wei, Gao Shun and others took the lead in marching from Yingchuan. As far as the Runan border, all the important roads in Xia'anfeng were sealed.
In this climate, the merchants and horses had already changed their ways. There were no pedestrians on the road, and there were only many frozen corpses on the mountain trails.
The north of Anfeng County is mostly plain terrain with few river branches, while the south is a confluence of mountains and rivers, so Yuan Shu and his troops are all in the north.
So when we arrived at the Runan border, we hibernated down and waited for the beginning of spring.
…
In the same month, a letter was sent to Yuan Shao in Hebei. It was sent from Shouchun in Huainan. Yuan Shu wanted to inform Yuan Shao in advance that he would not follow the orders of the Han court and invite Hebei to join him in hegemony.
In this way, Cao Cao will undoubtedly be defeated.
Yuan Shao read this letter, thought about it over and over, and summoned the three civil and military factions to discuss it.
(End of chapter)
