Although Sun Ce's defeat was very complete, almost destroying his foundation, in fact, after Huainan experienced this battle, it would be best for Lin Mo to be in charge of restoring order. .
At present, his territory covers the seven states of Xu, Qing, You, Ji, Bing, Yang and Si. However, the most fierce war is in the three Huainan counties of Yangzhou.
In addition, among the scholars here came Liu Ye, who only held the position of prefect. The scholars in Huainan would inevitably feel like a stepmother.
From this point of view, we can't blame them for acting like cowards after Sun Ce came in.
Even now, Lin Mo's way of stabilizing the chaos in the three counties of Huainan is to put Chen Gong in charge and Liu Ye as his assistant.
This is really not because Lin Mo was stingy and unwilling to give Liu Ye a false official position. The blame lies with the court's three mutual laws. As a relative of the emperor, Liu Ye was from Yangzhou and could not pretend to be the governor of Yangzhou.
When it comes to transferring him to other states to serve as governor, Lin Mo is worried that Chen Gong has just arrived and may not be able to fully grasp the connections of these aristocratic families.
Lin Mo didn't dare to take this issue lightly. After all, the scholars in the three counties of Huainan and the aristocratic families on the other side of Jiangdong were of the same lineage. It was obvious from the indifferent reply to the letter he wrote last time that they still If he wants to be a local overlord, he is very likely to use Sun Ce as capital to plunder resources.
Therefore, Liu Ye cannot leave yet. Based on this, he can only be the prefect now. There is no way.
However, the news about his marriage to Er Qiao has spread, and coupled with Qiao Gong's behavior of taking sides in the battle of Huainan, this father-in-law is definitely one of his own. With him and Liu Ye in charge, Chen Gong should be able to cut off Jiangnan. There may be a tacit understanding between the two sides of the Yangtze River.
The troops and horses remained as usual, with 20,000 soldiers stationed at Anfeng, and the rest Lin Mo took back to Xuzhou.
The same goes for the generals, who asked Yan Liang and Wen Chou to continue garrisoning.
After the normal battle, the only person who was promoted was Hao Zhao, who was promoted directly from the captain to the general of Pingnan Zhonglang. This was regarded as a three-level promotion in a row, but no one in the army dared to have any objections. After all, if it weren't for Hao Zhao , Anfeng City was lost.
Being able to hold off Jiangdong's attack with five thousand troops and then Guan Yu's attack, this kind of domineering power is not something that can be achieved by just picking out one person.
What's more, Lin Mo knew very well that in his plan to instigate Huang Zu, he actually helped a lot indirectly. Regardless of the final success or failure of this matter, he still had credit for it.
Therefore, according to military rank, Hao Zhao suddenly became the same level as Wen Chou, half a level higher than Yan Liang. Of course, the command power must still be in Wen Chou's hands.
On this point, I believe Hao Zhao wouldn't dare to have any ideas. After all, his qualifications are far inferior to those of Yan Liangwen.
"Ling'er, of course it's my fault that I didn't discuss this matter with you in advance, but after all, I'm not a person who takes advantage of others. The situation was quite urgent at that time, and I was worried that Cao Cao would take advantage of the opportunity for my father-in-law to suppress the chaos in Sizhou. To use troops against Xuzhou, it is necessary to attack Shucheng urgently.
As a great scholar in Huainan and the head of a leading aristocratic family, Duke Qiao couldn't lure him with a famous title. He could only make him willing to take risks by becoming a family member.
Moreover, this matter will be of no harm to us in the long run. After all, it can be regarded as giving hope to the Huainan scholars.
I say this, can you understand? "
Pengcheng, inside the general's mansion.
Lin Mo was like a child who did something wrong when he was young, explaining the reason to his parents.
No matter in name or in fact, Lu Bu was Lin Mo's father-in-law, like a father, and Lu Lingqi was his wife, so the concubinage must have their consent.
This is not a fear, but a rule.
The old father-in-law is easy to explain, and he is very open-minded about this kind of thing. Lin Mo is just worried about what Lu Lingqi will think.
"Okay, I didn't say anything."
Lu Lingqi wore purple leather armor, and her elegant outfit could not hide her arrogant figure. No matter how she looked at her plump breasts, she would not make Lin Mo tired. She glanced at Lin Mo and said casually: "Those sisters are spending time at your poetry club." I also helped you sometimes, I know, how do you look?"
"Hey, this is not nonsense. It is not an exaggeration to say that the country is beautiful and fragrant. Ling'er, have you ever heard of a saying called Jiangnan Xiaoqiao and Hebei Zhenmiqiao?"
Seeing his wife being so generous, Lin Mo became bolder. Perhaps the girl who grew up on a horse had such a bold personality because she didn't like red clothes and preferred military uniforms since she was a child.
But before he finished speaking, Lu Lingqi's eyelids sank. He immediately reacted and coughed twice, "Of course, if compared to Ling'er, she is still far behind after all."
Lu Lingqi chuckled and said, "It's not formal at all. Don't worry, it's common for a man to have three wives and four concubines. I won't ignore this. Bring her in and let me take a look."
"Don't be in a hurry, don't be in a hurry. Although it's not yet time for the ceremony, the newly entered concubines will be left alone for half an hour, so they can know who is their master after entering this house." Lin Mo walked up to a princess with a smile. He picked up Lu Lingqi.
Women always say it doesn't matter, but if you really want to make them happy, you have to do something.
"Then I guess it won't take half an hour, right?" Lu Lingqi pursed her lips and smiled.
"Who are you looking down on!" Lin Mo hugged Lu Lingqi and entered the bedroom.
I don’t know whether it’s because she has practiced martial arts since she was a child, or because Lu Lingqi has taken good care of herself under Diao Chan’s guidance. After giving birth, her figure did not lose shape at all, but instead added a bit of charm.
A quarter of an hour later, Lin Mo was lying on the mountain peak, panting and smiling awkwardly.
"Actually, I really like the way you looked when you explained it to me just now. You were so silly and silly."
Lu Lingqi's eyes glowed softly, and she murmured in a rare coquettish tone: "I can't control whether you take concubines in the future. I just hope you can care about me like this in the future."
Lin Mo didn't speak, but gently kissed her forehead.
Although three wives and four concubines are the main theme of this era, as a time traveler, after all, you have been influenced by the education of later generations. Being a sugar cane will always make you feel a little guilty when facing Lu Lingqi.
"Get up, don't let people think I'm so difficult to get along with." Lu Lingqi urged with a smile.
"What a sensible elder sister." Lin Mo was deeply moved.
Lu Lingqi took on the attitude of a big sister when meeting young and old Qiao. Maybe it was her innate aura, not to mention the little girl like Qiao Wan, but Qiao Ying who was usually a bit arrogant. All the women couldn't help but feel a little bit frightened when they saw him.
Lin Mo could only wait in the yard. According to etiquette, he couldn't get involved in setting rules or anything like that.
"Yunwen, Yunwen!" Gao Shun ran in quickly from outside.
"Why is Uncle Gao here? But Xiao Guan is hostile?" When he saw Gao Shun, Lin Mo subconsciously felt worried.
"No, it was reported that Cao Hong, who was originally stationed in Xiang County, suddenly withdrew, perhaps in batches at night. I only received the news now, but I dare not march rashly, so I will come back to discuss it with you immediately. .”
After Gao Shun finished speaking, he added, "Oh, by the way, Mr. Yuanzhi must have said that Cao Cao's war in Sizhou was unfavorable and he is now shrinking his troops. Once Cao Cao is defeated, he will immediately abandon the two Central Plains states and retreat to Jingzhou and Yizhou. The two places are rising from each other."
Hearing this, Lin Mo breathed a sigh of relief and thought something had happened. Looking at it this way, it was good news.
"Reducing troops at this time may indeed be a matter of life and death. When Cao Cao chose to go to Sizhou, he had already bet on the two Central Plains states. If he loses, he can leave more easily."
"Then do we need to move our troops forward to Qiaojun first?" Gao Shun asked.
"Let me think about it." Lin Mo slowly stood up and walked out of the pavilion, snowflakes falling on his cloak.
In fact, the question of whether the military line moves forward is not critical at all. If Cao Cao is really defeated and wants to withdraw, there are so many passes along the way. It is obviously impossible to pursue them all the way. Wait until you clear these areas. I'm just afraid that everyone will run away.
Apart from Sizhou, the only one who can pursue and kill him is the old scumbag. But with his character, he probably wouldn't dare to rush into the army rashly, and there is no need for him to risk the danger of being a trap for the enemy. .
The most critical part of this matter is that if Cao Cao is really defeated, should he take back the emperor Liu Xie at all costs on the road? This is the only action that did not defeat Cao Cao but had a chance to take back the emperor.
On this issue, Lin Mo was actually in a dilemma.
Over the years, I have long been accustomed to the fact that Cao Cao used the emperor to command the princes, but as the forces disappeared, the emperor's role was actually constantly weakening.
Of course, Liu Xie's banner is still the most appealing. Among other things, the emperor's role in suppressing aristocratic families and attracting talents is absolutely irreplaceable.
The problem is that Lin Mo has not yet figured out where his future lies.
The current emperor has been controlled by Cao Cao for many years. It is unrealistic to say that he has not gone dark. It is estimated that he will no longer trust all the warlords in the world.
Then this will involve a problem of his own. Of course the emperor can greatly suppress Cao Cao if he gets it. The question is whether to return power to the emperor after bringing him back, or to control the government like Cao Cao?
The old father-in-law is a Han official at heart, and the most domineering thing he said is that he wants to lead the world's troops. That is the position of a general. Therefore, he may not be willing to let him be Cao Cao. At least, it has never been discussed between his father-in-law and his father-in-law. this problem.
Because I am second to Cao Cao, what should I do in the future? Should I imitate Cao Pi and depose the emperor? I dare not say anything else. My old father-in-law will definitely not agree to this.
If he returns to power as the emperor, no one knows what kind of person Liu Xie will become after the humiliation he has suffered over the years.
If the so-called loyal ministers of the imperial party start to plot against him, Lin Mo is not even sure whether there will be civil strife in the foundation that he has worked so hard to build.
After all, there are still more people who prefer the orthodox Han Dynasty in their hearts.
Not to mention others, Chen Gong, Xu Shu, Lu Su and others, the generals of the ten tribes in Guanzhong, are definitely loyal to Liu Xie, let alone the aristocratic families.
As for Zhao Yun, Lin Mo couldn't guarantee whether he would support him.
Of course, Lin Mo is not without a way to check and balance this shortcoming. He can even make a major change to cultivate a force that is absolutely loyal to him to replace some people who are unwilling to surrender.
The problem is that such a big move requires the approval of the father-in-law and the cooperation of the father-in-law and son-in-law, otherwise something will happen.
To be honest, Lin Mo had never thought about usurping the Han Dynasty, and being an emperor might not necessarily mean how comfortable he would be;
But if you want to talk about supporting the Han Dynasty, the old Liu family's tradition is all about helping the country. Even if it is to help the country, after Liu Xie really takes power, the biggest threat is Lu Lin and his father-in-law. If they say they can tolerate Lin Mo, I don't believe it.
What will we do then, seize power again? Isn't that redundant?
In the long run, we still have to find a way to get Liu Xie back first. As for the follow-up, we still have to find a suitable opportunity to discuss it with my old father-in-law.
If the negotiation fails, then we can only ask Lao Yinhuo and Zuo Rong to come back. If these two people are tied together, they can do something.
"Uncle Gao, please take your people to Qiao County. Remember, advance slowly and use Xiang County as an opportunity to advance. It doesn't matter how much territory you recover. Just make Cao Jun panic and uneasy." Lin Mo calmed down and said.
Gao Shun nodded, "This is easy to handle. Every time we conquer a city, we will first heal the people and switch to defense. The speed will be much slower, but the victory will be stable enough."
"Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Gao."
"Then I'll go first."
During the brief exchange, the two didn't say much. Originally, Gao Shun was a dull person, but for a non-drinker like him, he must be one of the stable ones.
After Gao Shun left, Lin Mo immediately sent someone to tell Zhao Yun that he was here.
"Yunwen, what's so urgent?" Zhao Yun, who had just come from the academy, got straight to the point.
"I'm sorry, Zilong. I originally promised you to spend time with your sister-in-law, but now there is one thing that only you can do." Lin Mo poured a cup of hot tea for Zhao Yun and said sincerely.
"Do you need to be polite between you and me? Let's talk." Zhao Yun was straightforward.
"Take the Bingzhou Wolf Rider back to Huainan."
Hearing this, Zhao Yun frowned instinctively, "Didn't you just come back?"
"Go to Anfeng."
"What are you doing in Anfeng?"
"Save the emperor and come back."
After Lin Mo finished speaking, Zhao Yun first took a deep breath, and then said in surprise: "The emperor is in Xuchang, even if Cao Cao is defeated, I will still be thousands of miles away from Anfeng.
What's more, there are so many passes along the way, so cavalry alone may not be feasible. "
Lin Mo chuckled and nodded, "This time, it is indeed a thousand-mile run, but I have a way for you to pass through these areas. When the time comes, just let Yan Liangwen Chou follow you."
Afterwards, Lin Mo took Zhao Yun into the hall, where there were sand tables and maps, and he made strategic arrangements.
"This kind of thing is big or small, how could he agree?" After hearing Lin Mo's plan, Zhao Yun was a little stunned.
"I don't know either, let's try it."
Lin Mo smiled bitterly and shook his head, "But I think it should be fine."
After pondering for a moment, Zhao Yun nodded simply, "That's it, I'll go put on armor and order troops now."
"There's no need to be in such a hurry."
Lin Mo still felt a little guilty, as if Zhao Yun had never stopped after following him, "There is still plenty of time. You should go to the academy to say goodbye to your sister-in-law first. We will set off in two days."
Zhao Yun scratched his head and chuckled, "She's not your sister-in-law yet."
"It's only a matter of time. Okay, I won't disturb you anymore. Remember the route and plan."
After Lin Mo finished his instructions, Zhao Yun handed over his hand and said, "Don't worry, as long as they really show up, I will definitely succeed."
After Zhao Yun left, Lin Mo immediately wrote two letters and handed them to the sergeant.
After doing all this, Lin Mo let out a breath. This action could be regarded as directly determining the future of himself and his old father-in-law, and even related to whether they could die well. It seemed to make him even more nervous than before for no reason.
In fact, it seems a little too early to do all this now, because the current arrangements are based on the premise of Cao Cao's defeat in Sizhou.
But so far, the only news that Lin Mo knows is that the fighting general in front of Cao Cao's army was killed by his father-in-law and his men, and then Cao Cao built an ice city to form a confrontation.
There is no way, the communication in this era is too slow.
Even so, it would allow Cao Cao to shrink his troops, and the war at Sizhou would be in an unfavorable state.
According to time calculation, the ice city will melt in another two months, so the result of the battle should come out during this time.
In the Ice City outside Tongguan City, Cao Cao paced back and forth with a frown on his face, uneasiness spreading freely on his face.
"According to the time calculation, Uncle Zhi and the others should have succeeded long ago. Why hasn't Zhong Yao's people come to report the news?"
The original plan was that after Chen Dao succeeded, he would enter Chang'an City to take over the defense, and then Zhong Yao would send someone to notify him. The advantage of this was that he would not be taken advantage of if Chen Dao failed.
But so far, no one from Zhong Yao has come to inform him, which means something went wrong along the way.
Cao Cao did not panic when the general was defeated in front of the battle line. After the camp was destroyed and the ice city appeared, he still did not panic.
However, Zhong Yao's people didn't come for a long time, and he was really panicked.
Because no matter whether Chen Dao succeeded or not, even if the sneak attack on the grain and grass camp failed, Zhong Yao should get the news to tell him.
Now, there is probably only one possibility, either Chen Dao made a mistake or Zhong Yao was exposed.
No matter which outcome it is, he will be in a desperate situation.
Even if Chen Dao burned the grain and grass, if he could not seize Chang'an City with Zhong Yao's cooperation, Lu Bu could still retreat back and continue to wait for reinforcements to rest.
Fazheng himself understands this truth very well, so his expression is no better than Cao Cao's.
"Xiaozhi, tell the truth, what's on your mind." Cao Cao, who sat back on the handsome chair, lowered his head and asked sadly.
"Sikong, it's been so much later than expected and there's still no news. I estimate that they may have indeed missed the point."
Fazheng swallowed his saliva. He also wanted to know what happened on the other side of Guan. His calculation was a series of calculations. He even considered that the unstable factor of the Ma family might motivate Lu Bu and Pang Tong. conflict.
One was a counselor who had just surrendered from the ten tribes in Guanzhong, and the other was a headstrong and suspicious master. Pang Tong saw through the divisive plan and persuaded him, and then Lu Bu became suspicious. This is reasonable.
In the end, he moved the camp and transferred the food, and then used the power of the alienation plan to move the defenders away, thus succeeding in one blow.
Fazheng really doesn't understand which link caused the problem.
However, instinctively, he knew that Cao Jun was now in extreme danger.
After all, once the ice city melts, they will be exposed to Lu Bu's cavalry. Half of the 70,000 people who fled eastward may not be able to return.
"Do you want to withdraw?" Cao Cao lowered his head and couldn't see his expression clearly, but his voice was obviously sad.
"Sikong, send another scout to investigate. If Zhong Yao is no longer seen in Chang'an City, then we must withdraw immediately. If we withdraw now, there is still a way to retreat." Fa Zheng let out a long sigh.
He originally wanted to show off his talents in Xuzhou, but he failed in Sizhou.
After all, it was a bit rushed, but life is like this, and there is nothing that gives you enough time to prepare.
When the unexpected happens, there is never any advance notice.
Cao Cao didn't speak, he just looked at Fazheng deeply, and thought of those words in his mind for no reason, if Fengxiao was here, why would I be like this?
Finally, he nodded heavily.
(End of chapter)
