In Yangzhou in March, spring is warm, flowers are blooming, everything is resurrected, and it is the time of vitality again.
Large-scale spring plowing has begun in various parts of Yangzhou, especially the two locations of military settlements in Wan County and Jusi County. Lu Xuan paid the most attention to them. He personally visited the local areas and met with Guoyuan, who was in charge of the military settlements, to learn more about the situation of the military settlements.
The whole of Yangzhou and Xuzhou are busy.
Today, the area under Lu Xuan's rule is already full of vitality.
Last year, both Yangzhou and Xuzhou were laying a solid foundation, working hard on their internal strength, and stabilizing their places. Through Chen Deng, Lu Xuan executed hundreds of local officials and many powerful families were executed.
Because of Chen Deng's investigation, officials in Yangzhou and Xuzhou were able to govern themselves to the Qingming Dynasty, and no one dared to risk corruption.
Local governments encouraged farming, built water conservancy projects, and stabilized agriculture.
In the Five Classics Hall, scholars from poor families were constantly recruited to cultivate talents for Lu Xuan.
The large market operated by the government played a regulatory role in stabilizing food prices and adjusting commodity prices. Especially in the cold winter last year, Yangzhou had sufficient food and attracted many people.
The people who entered Yangzhou were all moved to the southern areas of Yuzhang County and Kuaiji County where there were relatively few people. Land was allocated and they were all resettled.
The population of Yangzhou is increasing.
In terms of business, Feixian wine continues to be brewed, Zuo Bo paper continues to be sold, and ticket numbers are thoroughly implemented. In addition to Shuxian, Dantu and Chaisang, branches have also been opened in various county offices. Institutions are conducive to business transactions.
The establishment of the ticket office further promoted the prosperity of commerce.
In addition, according to the memory in his mind, Lu Xuan introduced the pedal reeling to Mi Huan and Zhen Mi. The original hand-operated reeling was changed to a pedal, which was more convenient and more conducive to weaving cloth and satin. .
The Yun brocade mentioned by Lu Xuan cannot be truly weaved by just a few words. It requires countless hours of improvement and research and development. Lu Xuan didn't care anymore. He told Mi Huan and Zhen Mi the general direction and let the two girls figure it out on their own.
On this day, Lu Xuan stood in the study, looking at the ten-foot-tall map of the territory of the Han Dynasty hanging in front of him, and looking at the surrounding areas of Yangzhou and Xuzhou.
In the Xuzhou area, Lu Xuan controlled the southern area.
The Langya Kingdom area in the north of Xuzhou is controlled by the Taishan thief Zang Ba. If Zang Ba alone is not something to be afraid of, Lu Xuan can directly destroy him. However, to the north of Zang Ba was Qingzhou controlled by Yuan Shao, and to the west was Yanzhou controlled by Cao Cao.
The key is that Zang Ba has some vague relationships with Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, so Zang Ba is difficult to fight here.
Lu Xuan patrolled Yanzhou and Jingzhou one by one, focusing on Jingzhou, because this land in Jingzhou, in his early plan, was to attack Jingzhou.
However, Lu Xuan gave up after weighing it.
Attacking Liu Biao now would be equivalent to completely pushing Liu Biao towards Cao Cao. Even if Lu Xuan can use the Kuai family and the Cai family, the relationship between the Cai family and Cao Cao is also very good, so it is hard to say whether there will be a fight, and there are still many variables.
To attack Liu Biao, we must first cut off the connection between Jingzhou and Cao Cao in the north.
When Lu Xuan thought of this, his eyes suddenly fell on Nanyang County.
Nanyang is a strategic location connecting north and south. Going north is to Chenliu County and you can also enter Guanzhong. From Nanyang County, go south to Xiangyang and enter the Jingchu area. Once Lu Xuan took control of Nanyang County, he cut off Liu Biao's connection with the north and controlled Liu Biao in a cage.
It will be easy to deal with Liu Biao again.
Nanyang County!
Lu Xuan looked at it for a while, then turned his eyes and landed on Runan County again.
This is the largest county in Yuzhou and also the most complex. Because there are still many Yellow Turban thieves entrenched in Runan County, the place is in chaos. Although Cao Cao had previously arranged for people to capture the northern area of Yuzhou, Runan County in Yuzhou had not yet been captured by Cao Cao.
Cao Cao's focus was directly transferred to Luoyang in Guanzhong, so Runan County was an ownerless territory.
Lu Xuan's eyes became lively.
Runan borders his Yangzhou, and Lu Xuan's army can directly enter Runan County from Jiujiang County, so it is not difficult for Lu Xuan to capture Runan County. Once Runan County is captured, Cao Cao's Yanzhou can be intimidated, and Nanyang County can be further captured.
Lu Xuan thought about this direction.
"Boom! Boom!"
A knock on the door sounded outside the study, and Lu Xun's voice came, reporting: "Uncle, Military Advisor Lu wants to see you."
Lu Xuan ordered: "Please!"
Lu Xun went to deliver the message. After a while, Lu Su entered the study and saluted: "Lord!"
He saw Lu Xuan staring at the map and said directly without waiting: "My lord, I have three things to report to you."
Lu Xuan asked: "What three things?"
Lu Su looked serious and said: "First, news came back from Liaodong that Pang Tong and Gan Ning have set up in Liaodong. After they arrived in Liaodong, they did not reveal their identities, but pretended to be sea pirates and came ashore to plunder."
"Pang Tong and Gan Ning have seized a piece of land in the southern port of Liaodong and have begun operations. According to the news from Pang Tong, a specialized horse merchant has been found, and the horses will be transported south from Liaodong."
Lu Xuan had a bright smile on his face.
What he lacks most is war horses. Without war horses, there is a big gap in overall strength between Lu Xuan and Cao Cao and Yuan Shao.
If the battlefield is not in the north but in the south, Lu Xuan is not afraid of Cao Cao and Yuan Shao at all, and his troops will have a great advantage. But the future battlefield was in the north, and Lu Xuan needed enough war horses.
Only with enough war horses can we equip cavalry and march in the north.
Lu Xuan asked in a deep voice: "Pang Tong's letter did not say when the war horses would be sent back?"
"not yet."
Lu Su shook his head.
Lu Xuan was not in a hurry. He was very satisfied with the progress of Pang Tong and Gan Ning, and asked: "What about the second thing?"
Lu Su explained: "The second thing is about Jingzhou. Zhang Ji, the Xiliang army entrenched in Guanzhong, was short of food and went south to attack Nanyang County in Jingzhou, but was defeated by Liu Biao's men and died."
"After Zhang Ji died, Liu Biao accepted Zhang Xiu, Zhang Ji's nephew, and promised to support Zhang Xiu with food and grass, allowing Zhang Xiu to stay in Nanyang County."
"The south of Xinye in Nanyang County is still under Liu Biao's control. Now that Zhang Xiu is in Nanyang County, the situation in Jingzhou is a little more complicated. Liu Biao's intention is to use Zhang Xiu as a barrier to the north of Jingzhou."
Lu Xuan's eyes lit up. Zhang Xiu's arrival in Nanyang County meant that Jia Xu had also arrived in Nanyang County.
Jia Xu is a very powerful counselor.
If Jia Xu can be taken in, the overall strength of Lu Xuan's counselors will be further improved.
Lu Xuan suppressed his thoughts and asked, "What about the third thing?"
Lu Su said: "Third, Cao Cao arranged for someone to provoke a fight between Li Jue and Guo Si of the Xiliang Army last year. In the end, Guo Si was killed and Li Jue won miserably. In addition, Cao Cao has welcomed the emperor to Luoyang and controlled Yang Feng, who escorted the emperor from Luoyang, took control of the emperor."
"Last month, Cao Cao sent troops to annihilate Li Jue and completely wiped out the Xiliang army entrenched in Guanzhong. The remaining Xiliang army has fled back to Liangzhou. Cao Cao has established a foothold in Guanzhong and is making every effort to develop Guanzhong. .”
"It stands to reason that Guanzhong is actually not suitable for development because the people have fled south to Jingzhou or Yizhou."
"But after Cao Cao left, he adopted military camps to raise troops, and the people who fled into the mountains came out. Moreover, Cao Cao was migrating some people to Guanzhong, so Guanzhong began to develop."
Lu Su looked solemn and said in a deep voice: "Cao Cao's strength is also improving rapidly."
Lu Xuan nodded and said: "Cao Cao is indeed powerful. He defeated the emperor, controlled Guanzhong, and completely established himself on one side."
Lu Su said: "In view of the development of Cao Cao and the changes in the situation in Jingzhou, I humbly suggest that the lord attack Runan County in Yuzhou to seize this place where the Yellow Turbans are entrenched, and then further seize Nanyang County, destroy Zhang Xiu, and cut off the connection between Jingzhou and the north. .”
"After capturing Nanyang County, my lord's next step is to capture Jingzhou or go north to start a large-scale war with Cao Cao."
"Now that the situation has changed, we will adapt to the situation and adjust our plans."
Lu Su's eyes flashed with wisdom.
When he got the news, he was already thinking about how to deal with it.
Lu Xuan said with a smile: "It is true that a hero knows everything. Zijing will not say it, but I am ready to say it. We have rested for more than a year, our foundation is solid, we have abundant food, grass and money, and our soldiers are high-spirited. It's time to go to war."
"I also plan to capture Runan and further capture Zhang Xiu. Under Zhang Xiu, there is another talent I need, Jia Xu. This person must be in my hands."
Lu Su was a little confused and asked: "My lord, who is Jia Xu?"
Lu Xuan said: "Jia Xu is a poisonous person who has troubled the world. Because of his words, the imperial power was completely trampled to the ground."
Lu Su asked curiously: "What's going on?"
Lu Xuan replied: "When Dong Zhuo died and Wang Yun came to power, he began to liquidate the Xiliang army. At first, Li Jue, Guo Si and others were very afraid and planned to flee back; they went to their hometown of Xiliang to take refuge."
"Jia Xu stood up and urged Li Jue and Guo Si to counterattack, and finally killed Wang Yun, defeated Lu Bu, and took the emperor into his hands. From then on, the emperor became even more miserable than when he was in Dong Zhuo's hands, like a plaything , was wantonly insulted."
"The current situation in the Han Dynasty is due to this Mr. Jia."
Lu Su's expression changed greatly, and he said: "Jia Xu's suggestion has indeed caused the world to lose control. Although Wang Yun is headstrong, if Wang Yun is here, the majesty of the imperial power will not wither to this point. Jia Xu is indeed called the one who is in chaos in the world. The poisonous man."
Lu Xuan said: "So during my trip, I not only want to capture Runan and Nanyang, but also Jia Xu."
There was a thoughtful look in Lu Su's eyes, and he said: "Although Jia Xu is the poisonous person mentioned by the lord. In fact, after the counselor makes a plan, whether it benefits the people or harms the common people mainly depends on the lord."
"For example, Li Jue, Guo Si and others caused chaos in the imperial court and were ruthless and cruel people. Therefore, Jia Xu's strategy led to great chaos in the world."
"If Li Jue were the hero and he captured Chang'an, the result would be different."
Lu Su said: "The fundamental reason is that Jia Xu is Dong Zhuo's Xiliang subordinate. He made suggestions for personal self-protection. In order to avoid being liquidated by Wang Yun, he suggested that Li Jue and others counterattack."
Lu Xuan praised: "Zijing's words hit the point. Jia Xu is not someone who worries about the country and the people. He is an extremely self-interested person, so he has such an arrangement."
Boom! Boom! !
There was a knock on the door, and Lu Xun entered.
He saluted Lu Xuan and said, "Uncle, Cao Ang, the envoy of the imperial court, is here to announce the summons."
Lu Xuan thought for a while after hearing it.
If Cao Cao dared to send his son Cao Ang to preach, it was definitely not a bad thing. The most likely possibility is that Cao Cao has controlled the emperor and has taken control of the government, so he wants to give Lu Xuan an official position to further win over Lu Xuan and avoid conflicts between the two parties.
After Lu Xuan thought about it clearly, he no longer worried, stood up and said, "Let's go, let's go and take the call."
Lu Su and Lu Xun both followed Lu Xuan and headed towards the hall of the Prefectural Mufu.
