On the battlefield of more than 200 miles from Tongguan to Jiashan Road, weapons and flags discarded by Cao Jun can be seen everywhere along the way, as well as the corpses of Cao Jun lying in a pool of blood.
In this battle, although Dian Wei fought with his life and the death of all three thousand dead men delayed Ma Chao and others, and even slowed down the pursuit of Lu Jun's infantry, they could not stop the cavalry led by Ma Teng at all.
Moreover, when it comes to strategy, Ma Teng may be treated as a child by Pang Tong for entertainment, but his ability to control the ever-changing situation on the battlefield is truly the result of more than ten years of military service, and there is no doubt about it.
After seeing the infantry at the rear of Cao's army, he was not in a hurry to kill or capture them. Instead, he asked Cheng Yin, Man Chong and others to lead the cavalry to cut them in blocks, in order to break the connection between Cao's army and the front and fall into In panic.
The effect was so good that with only the 5,000 cavalry on hand, more than 20,000 Cao's troops were left behind. This was because Xu Chu, Zhang He and others tried their best to obstruct it, otherwise more than half of them would be blocked. Outside the mountain road.
By the time the infantry from the rear arrived, they were basically capturing prisoners everywhere.
Just by bringing back prisoners from the Jiashan Pass, those who tried to escape with a sense of luck were often treated as prey and shot down with an arrow.
During this process, Lu Bu just rode the red rabbit horse and watched indifferently, feeling a little dazed in his heart.
After this battle, the Central Plains could finally be settled. A map emerged in my mind, including the eight states of Qing, You, Bing, Ji, Yan, Yu, Xu, and Si, right?
In addition, Zhang Xiu went to Xiliang, so Jiangdong was not a concern. Liang and Yangzhou would be within his grasp sooner or later.
In other words, it won't take long for him to own the land of ten states. Although the world is not completely settled, the land left to Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Ce is just Yizhou, Jiaozhou and Jingzhou.
In fact, if we really talk about the size of the territory, these three places together account for one-third of the territory of the Han Dynasty. The problem is that there are few plains in these three places, either the water system is too prosperous, or there are many mountains, cultivated land, common people, and scholars. People's conditions in all aspects are incomparable to their own.
When people are at a high place, it is often easier to think of themselves in times of suffering.
When he came out of Jiuyuan, he just hoped that being a forward general under Ding Yuan would be enough to comfort his parents in heaven. Later, when he came to the prosperous and charming land of Gyeonggi, he really lost himself for a time.
After all, even Dong Zhuo, who was willing to divide the family property among his subordinates at the beginning, was so corrupted by the extravagant life in the capital that he wanted to take advantage of the Han Dynasty, not to mention Lu Fengxian, who had never seen such prosperity.
However, he never thought that one day, he would be able to conquer such a large territory, but he felt a little bit overwhelmed at the top.
Perhaps because of his mistakes in the past, Lu Bu now feels that he should be more cautious, because Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, and Cao Cao all fell on this road, and he does not feel that these people are corrupt heroes.
On the contrary, because he had been in contact with them, Lu Bu knew in his heart that these people themselves had great ambitions and talents. Perhaps because of their temporary confusion or because they made a wrong choice, they all ended up regretting it on the eve of victory.
Lu Bu saw his troops escorting Cao's prisoners towards Tongguan in front of him. Man Chong, Ma Chao, and Pang De were taking command, and he felt uneasy in his heart for no reason.
Even the red rabbit horse neighed loudly. Lu Bu stroked its head and said softly: "Old man, have you walked too far and are you tired?
It's okay, it's okay. When we meet Yunwen, our hearts will calm down. "
He was lamenting that everything in the world is like chess, and Ma Chao, who was commanding his troops to gather the prisoners, took advantage of the gap and ran to Ma Teng's side, claiming credit: "Father, I personally captured Dianwei, and captured so many prisoners of Cao's army in front. You shouldn’t have to worry about Marquis Wen’s trust in our Ma family this time, right?”
Ma Teng glanced at him and said seriously: "The Ma family still has a long way to go. It won't be long before Marquis Wen will be in control of ten states, and there will be so many ministers and generals under his rule. We want to stand in the undercurrent." Keep your footing, this merit alone is not enough.”
"not enough?"
Ma Chao was a little surprised. Let's not talk about the feat of shaking the sky, it can be regarded as a great achievement. "I also want to take advantage of Marquis Wen's happiness and ask him to give him guidance on marksmanship."
"Absolutely not!"
Ma Teng immediately refused and said solemnly: "You are extremely brave and are a powerful weapon under Marquis Wen. However, if you lead an army alone, it will easily make people jealous. If you want to take a further step in martial arts, don't you know that I am innocent?" Bi's crime."
After all, Ma Teng still felt that the Ma family did not have enough weight in Lu Bu's heart. Of course, Ma Chao could tell and sighed: "It's hard for that kid to gain anything."
Ma Teng turned his head and glanced at Lu Bu, who was holding his head high in the wind in the distance, and chuckled, "But you can't. If you want Marquis Wen to give you advice, you must let him treat you as one of his own.
Only in this way can he give everything he has to him. "
Although Ma Teng was a little disdainful of his stupid son's martial arts fanatic behavior, the goal of entering Lu Lin's core was the same between father and son.
In the past, Ma Teng was not so persistent. Ever since Cao Cao used the divorce plan, he became worried.
Essentially speaking, the reason for Lu Bu's suspicion is still fear. Comparing one's feelings with one's own will not lead to good results in the end for a subordinate who will be feared.
"How to make Marquis Wen treat us as one of his own?" Ma Chao asked.
"I have already made arrangements for this. You just wait a moment. If this is done, you can ask Marquis Wen for advice. I think he will not only refuse, but he will probably give him everything he has."
"Seriously?" After Ma Teng said this, Ma Chao's eyes lit up. Not only did he give me all his money to teach me, but just learning how to play Dian Wei from him would be of endless benefit.
"When did father lie to you?"
Ma Teng smiled, then raised his forehead and said, "Go and do your work. Be more positive in front of Marquis Wen during this time."
"Understood!"
Watching Ma Chao ride away, Ma Teng let out a long sigh. He understood that it was impossible to be alone in this situation. Lu Bu's territory was getting bigger and bigger, and the undercurrent of power struggle within his rule would become more and more turbulent.
Even though he had assumed the identity of General Fubo Ma Yuan and made some achievements, after all, the two sides fought a bloody battle, and the Ma family lost a lot to others based on this alone.
Fortunately, I already have a good direction, and we can still put on a good show together when the time comes.
He turned to look at Lu Bu's position again and said with emotion: "Perhaps we are all the same, we are just poor people trapped by fate. There are not many things we can do as we want."
The city of Xuchang has been in a state of turmoil recently, with all kinds of rumors flying all over the sky.
First, Cao Hong reduced the troops in Taishan County and Qiao County and returned. At the same time, the tens of thousands of troops stationed in Baima City also returned, and the people of Yan and Hezhou began to be driven south. Many people speculated that Cao Cao was there. The battlefield in Sizhou must be very unfavorable. It seems that the capital can only be moved in a matter of days.
This was not groundless. Cao Ang personally took command and first sent out 30,000 soldiers and horses in the name of protection, but in fact to urge the people to move to Jingxiang. Furthermore, he also contacted the major families to prepare for the departure.
Even at this time of year, some people still have a sense of luck, thinking that this is just the worst plan, and that as long as that day does not come, everything will turn around.
The people had no choice but to move away, and the government said they had to move.
But most of the children of the aristocratic family are unwilling to leave. After years of land annexation and cultural monopoly, they have long taken root in their one-third-acre land, and they cannot leave just by saying "leave".
The worst case scenario is that those who are officials in the court will leave with them, but the family property cannot be moved, so the clan members have to stay.
In this way, an extremely unfavorable situation will arise. The person who joins the official position is on the opposing side, but the foundation is under the control of the other side. The risk index is foreseeable.
Just like the Xin brothers, Guo Tu and others under Yuan Shao, they were from Henan, but their family was once suppressed by Cao Cao because they followed Yuan Shao.
You know, at that time when Yuan Shao was in power, Cao Cao still dared to make some small moves, but the Lu Bu in front of him had a huge power. If he wanted to take action, he didn't have to be as tied as Cao Cao in the past.
Therefore, if possible, the scholars above the imperial court are actually unwilling to leave, especially the largest Yingchuan scholars. The capital of Xuchang has made the soil where many geniuses of the Han Dynasty were fertilized by the nearby water towers. Now it is no longer possible. Look, it's like useless.
Of course, they would still be willing to leave for only one reason: the emperor is in Cao Cao's hands.
In any case, the Emperor is like a buffer barrier between Cao Cao and Lu Lin. They can say that they are loyal to the Emperor, not Cao Cao. You, Lu Bu, can't be so unreasonable and loyal to the imperial party.
This can be regarded as standing above morality. Although I feel uneasy, I also have a sense of comfort.
Compared to their uneasiness, the real imperial faction was crazy about joy.
Because in their hearts, the only evil person in the world besides Dong Zhuo is Cao Cao. Oh, by the way, there is also Yuan Shu who blatantly usurped the throne and proclaimed himself emperor. Others such as Yuan Shao, Lu Bu, and Liu Bei are all true loyal ministers who help protect the Han Dynasty. All right.
Liu Xie didn't even sleep for several nights because of this. He really hoped that Lu Bu could kill Cao Cao in Sizhou. That would be the blessing of his ancestors.
Although news of Cao Cao's defeat did come in the end, Cao Cao himself was not dead. He crossed the Yellow River first, then joined the army on Jiashan Road, and is now leading his troops to withdraw eastward.
Once he returns to Xuchang, he will have to be pushed forward by the torrent of the times again. Whether he is in Xuchang or not is no longer important.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I am so happy that our ancestors have appeared!" On this day, just after he retired from the court, Dong Cheng took the opportunity of the court meeting to come to Liu Xie's palace for a secret meeting.
"What makes Aiqing so happy?"
Seeing Dong Cheng, who had white hair and beard, grinning from ear to ear with joy, Liu Xie instinctively felt that he had a chance of escaping. At the same time, he reflexively looked outside and made a 'shh' gesture, "Love." Is there anyone who notices your visit?"
Dong Cheng closed the door first, then stepped forward and explained: "Your Majesty, don't worry, Cao Ang is leading his troops to the west to meet Cao Cao, and with the sergeants previously sent to coerce the people south, the defense in Xuchang City has been greatly relaxed.
What's more, everyone in the court is in danger now and can't care about us. "
Hearing this, Liu Xie breathed a sigh of relief.
That's right, in the past, it was not easy for Dong Cheng to secretly see him. If something happened, he would even have to go to the Ancestral Temple to meet him through several big sacrifices in the middle of the year.
Opportunities to see each other secretly in broad daylight like today are really pitiful.
There is no way, Cao Cao's eldest son Cao Ang is not a fuel-efficient lamp, and he is keeping a close eye on him.
"That's very good. What did you mean by the great joy you just said?" Liu Xie, who was wearing a black python robe and a golden dragon pattern, was not as majestic as the emperor. He was more like the mood of a jailed prisoner when he heard that he had a chance to escape. His eyes were bright.
"Your Majesty, I received a secret letter today." Dong Cheng was obviously in a good mood and was trying to keep it secret.
"Secret message?"
Liu Xie frowned and asked, "But it's Lu Bu's secret message?"
"That's right, Lin Mo sent someone to deliver it."
After Dong Cheng finished speaking, Liu Xie was startled and said quickly: "But Lu Bu's son-in-law, Lin Mo and Lin Yunwen?"
"It's this person!"
Naturally, Liu Xie had heard a lot about Lin Mo's name.
In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that this name is very popular among the thirteen states of the Han Dynasty.
Everyone knows that Lu Bu met Lin Mo when he was at the end of his rope. This coincidence of fate actually led to a good story.
The father-in-law is a godly general who is looking down on the world, and the son-in-law is a genius who has no plans left.
However, although Lin Mo's name was resounding, Liu Xie always felt that this person was too far away from him. When Dong Cheng suddenly mentioned it, he still couldn't react, "What did he say?"
Seeing Liu Xie looking at him, Dong Cheng explained: "The secret letter has been burned. After all, Cao Cao's thieves in Xuchang City have many eyes and ears. This letter is also related to your Majesty's reorganization of the imperial court. I dare not be careless."
"Natural, this is natural."
Liu Xie nodded happily. As expected of the head of the country, he always acted cautiously. "Then what did he say in the letter?"
Dong Cheng first looked back at the closed door, then moved closer and said in a voice as thin as a mosquito: "Teach us how to get rid of Cao Cao's control!"
Hiss~
When Liu Xie heard this, he took a deep breath and couldn't believe his ears. "Are you serious about this?"
Dong Cheng nodded heavily at first, then took the silk cloth and writing brush from the table beside him, drew a route on it, and truthfully relayed Lin Mo's plan.
During the whole process, Liu Xie's hands were trembling with excitement and his eyes were wide open. At the end, he was trembling as if his breathing was blocked, "Is this really feasible? Is Lin Aiqing's plan really feasible?"
"Your Majesty, don't worry. I have considered it carefully. Now that Cao Cao has been defeated, the Central Plains can no longer stay. The only place to go is the land of Jing and Yi. Doesn't moving the people south now confirm Lin Mo's guess? "
After Dong Cheng finished speaking, he smiled deeply, which also made Liu Xie, who was in a daze, sober up.
Perhaps because he had been gloomy about the fate of being controlled by Cao Cao all the time, Liu Xie's eyes quickly dimmed again, and he asked anxiously: "This matter, could this be a trick of the Cao family?"
"Why did your Majesty say this?" Dong Cheng's expression changed drastically.
"Let me ask you, how did Lin Mo's letter get into Aiqing's hands?"
Dong Cheng was startled and replied: "It was someone from the Xuzhou Zuo Chamber of Commerce who contacted me. Your Majesty knows that there are also merchant activities of the Zuo Chamber of Commerce in Xuchang City, and the letter also has the signature of Marquis Lanling. It should not be It’s going to be fake.”
"But."
Liu Xie's expression became more and more uneasy, "Think about it, my dear, we only received the report of Cao Cao's defeat yesterday, so we had to hurry up by walking eight hundred miles. Lin Mo used commercial routes to convey messages in the Xuzhou area, so the speed must be faster." He was much slower, could it be that he predicted Cao Cao's defeat in advance?"
Needless to say, Liu Xie's caution was not without reason. This time difference was actually very unreasonable.
Sizhou is in the west and Xuzhou is in the east. No matter what, he must have received the report of Cao Cao's defeat first, but his letter arrived at the same time as the report of Cao Cao's defeat. This is unreasonable.
Liu Xie had reason to suspect that this was a liquidation operation that Cao Cao wanted to carry out under the move of the capital, and he was fishing for law enforcement.
Dong Cheng smiled and shook his head, "Your Majesty, others may not be able to do this, but Lin Mo can."
"Why did Aiqing say this?" Liu Xie asked with a frown.
"Your Majesty, have you ever heard of the saying that Lin Yunwen, the genius of heaven, can be as powerful as an army of millions?"
"I know, it was Cao Cao's compliment to Lin Mo."
Dong Cheng nodded and continued: "The reason why Lu Bu was able to go from being a dying general to what he is today is entirely because of Lin Mo. It is rumored that Lin Mo knows the method of Liuding and Liujia, and can drive away ghosts and gods, and predict the future. He is a unique talent that has not been seen in thousands of years.
This incident is not groundless. During the Anfeng War, Lin Mo was able to help Liu Bei defeat Cao Cao even though he was in Pengcheng. This shows that he is indeed capable of unpredictable things. "
People in this era believed deeply in ghosts and gods. Even as the emperor, he would go to the Ancestral Temple with prophecies to pray for blessings during the autumn and winter festivals every year.
It is not impossible to say that someone has a glimpse of the secret.
Liu Xie walked to the middle of the hall and paced back and forth for a while before he stopped in front of Dong Cheng and said word by word: "So, Aiqing, you think this is feasible?"
Dong Cheng nodded heavily, "As long as His Majesty approves, the humble ministers can secretly contact the lurking loyal ministers."
History has been rewritten, and the core forces who were supposed to die in the anti-Cao movement have not disappeared, such as Zhong Ji, Wu Zilan, Wang Zifu, Wu Shuo and others. Some of these people even serve in the Royal Forest Army.
Once the joint action is taken, the probability of success of this plan is still quite high.
Over the years, Liu Xie has actually thought about launching a joint operation, but he has never waited for the right opportunity. Moreover, such an operation may only happen once. There are too many ministers around him who claim to be loyal to the Han Dynasty, but they are really willing to throw their heads. There are only a few who shed blood.
Unless he was absolutely sure, Liu Xie would not dare to try it rashly.
At the moment, the letter sent by Lin Mo gave him an opportunity to escape from the tiger's mouth, and according to Dong Cheng's report, the chance of success was very high. Not only did it have the cooperation of external forces, but also the people who took over. I think it's worth giving it a try.
"I have been waiting for too long. I must not miss this opportunity. My dear, go ahead and prepare." Liu Xie held Dong Cheng's hand, trembling slightly, and even his tone changed.
No wonder he was so excited. Since he ascended the throne, he first experienced Dong Zhuo, then Li Jue and Guo Si, and finally stayed in the hands of Cao Cao for so many years. This emperor has never really governed the country for a day.
Dong Cheng also burst into tears with excitement, "Your Majesty, don't worry, I will live up to my trust even if I am a humble minister!"
(End of chapter)
