Han family achievements

Chapter 528 Concentric
Sima Lang lowered his head and left Cao Cao's duty room without making a sound. However, even though his back was turned, he still pricked up his ears, wanting to hear more inside information.

Everyone who works in the palace knows that this small palace hides countless secrets, and only at times like this can one or two be revealed.

The Sima family is a great aristocratic family of the time. In times of great change, they naturally need to know more secrets of the court so that they can move freely and seek greater benefits.

Le Jin waited for him to walk away, took two steps forward, and whispered in front of Cao Cao: "Grand Marshal, there are also unusual movements in the Three Qiang. Xiahou is stationed in Hanzhong, which is a very critical position."

Cao Cao had no expression on his face. He asked, "What do you want to say?"

Le Jin couldn't tell what Cao Cao was thinking. He hesitated for a moment and then said, "Cao Ren is in Youzhou and can send troops south at any time. Jizhou's 'military reform' has not been completed. Ying Shao has only 30,000 troops at most..."

Cao Cao glanced at Le Jin calmly and said, "Did you come up with that, or did someone use your words to say that?"

Le Jin was suddenly speechless, his mouth twitched, and he stood there in a daze.

The advisers and generals under Cao Cao had long been dissatisfied with Cao Cao's unfair treatment. This dissatisfaction, in the chaotic times, naturally evolved into "hatred" towards the court.

Therefore, there has always been a constant stream of people who have openly or secretly advised Cao Cao to establish himself as the emperor.

Now Cao Cao has been promoted to Grand Marshal, and his status is extremely noble. He has both prestige and ability. More importantly, he has grown strong and has plenty of troops at his disposal!

To put it bluntly, Cao Cao's attitude has determined the direction of the Han Dynasty, and its rise and fall only depends on his thoughts!
Le Jin was puzzled. Cao Cao, did he really have no thoughts about it?

Now that it has come to this, shouldn’t we give these trusted subordinates a little hint?

Seeing that Le Jin was silent, Cao Cao's eyes suddenly became sharp and he said, "You are all court officials. Without the order of His Majesty, no one is allowed to move. Otherwise, it will be considered as treason!"

Le Jin was startled and quickly stepped back, saying, "I'll keep this in mind!"

In that instant, he saw a hint of murderous intent in Cao Cao's eyes!
Cao Cao seemed not to have heard it, opened the document and continued processing.

Le Jin's heart trembled, and he slowly left the duty room.

Sima Lang lowered his head, but his eyes were always on Le Jin. After he left, he was full of doubts.

Others could see the special nature of Cao Cao's status, and so could Sima Lang.

So, what is Cao Cao's attitude? What choice will he make in this great change?

Nobody knows.

Cao Cao’s trusted generals didn’t know about it, no one in the palace knew about it, and no one outside the palace knew about it.

The chaos of the Han Dynasty that started in Luoyang City was evolving at an accelerated pace. Every day, a rebellion was put down and a new one broke out.

Originally, the Han Dynasty court hoped that the world would be stable and give them enough time to concentrate on promoting the "Jian'an Five-Year Policy Outline".

Now, everything was disrupted by the sudden "rectification of official administration". Everyone was busy as hell. The Han Dynasty seemed to have returned to the time before the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out again. A deep sense of crisis permeated the city of Luoyang.

It was not until the end of May that people thought that the increasingly powerful Han Dynasty would be able to quickly put down the rebellions. However, instead of extinguishing the rebellions, the rebellions gradually spread like wildfire, with smoke of war spreading across the seven northern states of the Han Dynasty. In addition, three of the eight passes were threatened, as if the rebels would break through the three passes and enter Luoyang city at any time.

The noble families in the capital were all terrified and fled with their families.

An unprecedented atmosphere of panic and anxiety enveloped the city of Luoyang.

The rear hall of Chongde Hall is filled with a serious, tense and cold atmosphere.

Liu Bian sat on the chair, expressionless, his eyes moving back and forth between Xun Yu and Cao Cao's faces.

Both of them lowered their heads and remained silent.

The development of the situation was beyond their expectations, making them feel the crisis and become nervous and uneasy.

Liu Bian looked strange, as if he was deeply puzzled. He said, "I, I can't understand it. It's just Zuo Rong, how did it turn into the current situation? Zhang Liao had 30,000 elite soldiers. If he recruited them with all his strength, he would have at least 50,000 or 60,000, if not 100,000. How did he suffer a crushing defeat and have to retreat to Qingzhou!?"

Xun Yu didn't say anything, his mature face full of solemn expression.

The prime minister, who was usually calm and composed, became flustered at this moment.

Cao Cao wanted to speak, but Liu Bian spoke again, saying, "How come Liu Bei led an army of 20,000 to attack Pengcheng, but was stopped? Pengcheng is not a strong city, and Zuo Rong's main force was confronting Zhang Liao in Langya County. How did he resist Liu Bei? My two lords, I am really confused! What happened in the past six months? How did it come to this? "

Cao Cao waited for a while, and when Liu Bian stopped questioning him, he said, "Your Majesty, Zuo Rong's troops have been raised by him for many years, and perhaps they have received help from Yuan Shao, Liu Biao, the remnants of the Yuan family, Dong Zhuo, and other evildoers."

Liu Bian narrowed his eyes and said in a cold tone, "Just a bunch of defeated soldiers? Can they conquer Xuzhou with overwhelming force? All the painstaking planning that I and the court have put forward for so many years is just a piece of paper that can be blown away by others in one breath?"

Cao Cao lowered his head and said nothing.

The incident did not happen suddenly, but it was certainly unexpected. The Han court felt a threat similar to that faced by the Yellow Turban Rebellion, or perhaps even more serious.

This rebellion was not as massive as the Yellow Turban Army, which attacked states and plundered counties, but it also caused disturbances all over the Han Dynasty. The rebels who had been dormant for seven or eight years poured out from their dark nests and attacked from all directions, making the Han Dynasty full of smoke and danger.

In this regard, Cao Cao, as the Grand Marshal, has an unshirkable responsibility.

Liu Bian looked at the two of them calmly and said, "Tell me, what are your plans?"

Xun Yu pretended to think for a moment, raised his hand, and said: "Your Majesty, the reason why the rebellion has not been quelled is mainly because there is no one to lead the army, and the priorities are unclear. I request that you appoint Liu Bei, the right Sima, as the General of Wuwei, and command the troops of all states to quell the rebellion and put an end to the rebellion in one fell swoop!"

"Imitate Huangfu's official duties?"

Liu Bian looked thoughtful and said, "But, can he take on the important task?"

The greatest impression Liu Bei left on the court and the public was his benevolence, not his military achievements. Looking at his military career up to this point, he had more defeats than victories, and had no outstanding record.

Xun Yu was also hesitant, but he couldn't let Cao Cao go again, so he said: "Your Majesty, all the states are loyal to the court and hate rebellion. As long as there is someone to lead and coordinate properly, it is only a matter of time to suppress the rebellion."

Liu Bian pondered, nodded, and said, "That's it, Grand Marshal, you make the arrangements."

Cao Cao remained calm and said, "I obey your order."

Liu Bian's face relaxed a little, but his eyes were still solemn and he was full of worries.

Cao Cao observed Liu Bian's expression and said, "Your Majesty, there is news from the south. Yuan Shao has conquered Jiaozhi and is returning to Yangzhou."

Liu Bian narrowed his eyes, stared at Cao Cao, and said, "So, Yuan Shao will get involved soon?"

"Yes." Cao Cao said calmly.

Xun Yu, however, lost his temper and said, "Your Majesty, Sun Ce is dead, and Sun Quan is young. I am afraid he cannot suppress the three generations of elders in Wujun. He cannot check and balance Yuan Shao. If Yuan Shao and Zuo Rong join forces, not only Wujun, but also Yuzhou will be in danger."

Liu Bian raised his eyebrows fiercely and asked, "Has the situation gotten so bad?"

Yuzhou is adjacent to Sili and Yanzhou. Once Yuzhou is occupied, it will be a fatal threat to the Han court!
Xun Yu said in a deep voice: "I am not exaggerating. We need to make arrangements as soon as possible to deal with all possibilities!"

Liu Bian's expression was as hard as iron, and he seemed to be angry and indignant. After a long while, he sneered and said, "I have worked hard to plan for so many years, but I never thought that it would end up like this! Could it be that what I have done over the years is really as what Zuo Rong and others said in their manifesto, that I am stupid, incompetent, and a tyrant? " Xun Yu and Cao Cao looked solemn and lowered their heads, not daring to respond.

The reason why there is war everywhere now, apart from Tian Feng's ruthless actions, is another important reason - the imperial court detained Cao Cao, making it difficult to put down the rebellion.

Just now, the Han Dynasty court appointed a commander to quell the rebellion. Before that, everyone was fighting on their own and was unable to gather military strength. At the same time, local people had different opinions, which caused things to gradually ferment and reach this point today.

Seeing that they were silent, Liu Bian felt angry, but he could only suppress his anger and asked, "What do you think about the Eight Passes?"

The eight passes surrounding Luoyang City are the last line of defense to protect Luoyang. Once any of the eight passes is broken, the rebels can march straight in and kill their way to the city of Luoyang.

If the rebels were allowed to reach Luoyang, the imperial court would lose all face, and "the end of the Han Dynasty" might once again become the consensus among scholars.

Cao Cao said, "Your Majesty, I have already mobilized the Sili and nearby prefectures and counties to provide support. I am also planning to mobilize 5,000 soldiers from the Yulin Army to be stationed at various passes."

"Yulin Army?"

Liu Bian frowned, his expression thoughtful, and said: "Are you going to mobilize the Yulin Army?"

The Yulin Army has a total strength of 20,000 soldiers. It is the largest army in Luoyang City, the largest armed force guarding Luoyang City, and the most important source of confidence for Luoyang City or the Han Dynasty.

Xun Yu looked at Liu Bian's expression and said, "Your Majesty, the Eight Passes are much more important than the Yulin Army. If we divide out 5,000 soldiers and add the imperial guards, there will still be 20,000 soldiers in Luoyang City. Ordinary banditry is nothing to worry about."

Liu Bian was still pondering and calculating in his mind. After a moment, he said, "Don't move. Can't the Imperial Guard camp be mobilized?"

Cao Cao observed Liu Bian's expression with his narrow eyes, paying attention to every detail.

"His Majesty,"

Cao Cao calmly withdrew his gaze and said, "Minister Huangfu wrote to say that the Imperial Guard camp is still not stable enough, and they are trying their best to suppress and identify them. They cannot be reused for the time being."

Liu Bian still frowned, but shook his head and said, "The Yulin Army cannot move. Let's leave it at that. In a few days, I will inspect Luoyang City to encourage people. In a few days, I will personally inspect the eight passes. Then I will send an order to Liu Bei, ordering him to gather the army and wipe out Zuo Rong first! I don't believe it. How can a mere Zuo Rong cause such a big storm!"

Xun Yu, when Cao Cao heard Liu Bian say this, he could only remain silent for a moment, raised his hand and said: "I accept your order!"

Liu Bian nodded and waved his hands in annoyance.

But Xun Yu did not raise his hand to leave, but said: "Your Majesty, the court officials who went out of the capital to inspect the local areas have not returned for many months. Should we summon them back to the capital?"

Liu Bian became more and more impatient and said, "The place is so chaotic, what are you doing here? Ask them to cooperate with the local authorities and try their best to pacify the situation. That's it."

Liu Bian stood up and said, "Let's go to Da Qiao."

"Let's get going!" Pan Yin shouted sharply.

Xun Yu and Cao Cao looked at each other, raised their hands and said, "Farewell, Your Majesty."

After Liu Bian left, Xun Yu and Cao Cao walked out of the back hall side by side. They walked very slowly and talked carefully with each word.

Xun Yu sighed and said, "Your Majesty, things are a bit messy after all."

Cao Cao remained silent, deep in thought.

As things developed to this point, he was filled with doubts and felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

Everything happened so quickly and so naturally that Cao Cao was confused and clueless.

He reached for the wine flask at his waist, took a sip, and said, "I heard that your majesty has been a little addicted to wine and women recently."

Xun Yu's expression slightly changed, and he said, "It's not that I'm obsessed with it."

Cao Cao glanced at him and said, "Prime Minister, the situation has become so critical. Is there anything you should say to me?"

Xun Yu stopped and looked directly at Cao Cao, saying, "Lord Cao, the country is in danger now. You and I should work together to eliminate the thieves and stabilize the country."

Cao Cao narrowed his eyes and said, "The Prime Minister is right."

Xun Yu said: "In the past, the people of Yingchuan were indeed a bit harsh to Cao Gong, Cao Gong should not take it to heart."

Cao Cao just looked at him, waiting for Xun Yu to "speak his mind".

Xun Yu knew that Cao Cao was not an easy person to deal with, so he said thoughtfully, "Tian Feng acted too aggressively, and the Secretariat was caught off guard. This is not the intention of the Secretariat, nor is it the intention of Your Majesty. I hope Lord Cao understands this."

"Of course." Cao Cao said.

Tian Feng did such a big thing in Yuzhou. Although he covered it up afterwards, he only hid it from other people. As for Cao Cao's status and position, he saw it clearly.

Tian Feng is truly a ruthless man!

Xun Yu said: "Lord Cao has many brave generals under his command, and they have made countless military achievements. I would like to transfer them to help quell the rebellion."

Cao Cao was a little surprised, but his expression remained unchanged. He asked, "Who does the Prime Minister want to transfer?"

Xun Yu's eyes suddenly lit up, and he looked directly into Cao Cao's eyes and said, "Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren."

Cao Cao immediately understood that Xun Yu was unwilling to let him leave the capital, and was also worried that his generals might have some plans, so he wanted to transfer him away.

Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren were undoubtedly the most capable and powerful generals under Cao Cao.

Even though he was angry, Cao Cao nodded calmly and said, "Okay. Prime Minister, you can draft the order and I'll stamp it."

Xun Yu could not see anything in Cao Cao's eyes, so he raised his hand and said sincerely: "Mr. Cao has an open mind and is loyal to the country. Xun Yu admires you!"

Cao Cao calmly returned the greeting and said, "It's just my duty."

The Prime Minister of the Secretariat and the Grand Marshal of the Grand Marshal's Mansion greeted each other, then had a few polite words and then parted ways.

Beneath the calm, there are intrigues that no one can see, and beneath the intrigues, there are faintly visible flashes of swords and sabers.

That night, the moon was at the top of the sky, and the coolness was reflected in the water.

From spring to summer, a slight heat has permeated every corner of Luoyang County.

A person, whose whole body was illuminated in the darkness, was sneaking slowly in the shadow of the corner. If he was not close, he would not be able to be seen at all.

He turned a few corners and, under the guidance of a guide, came to a secret room in the backyard.

In the secret room, a burly, but rather fat middle-aged man, who was obviously pampered, was drinking by himself.

The man in black came in, knelt down opposite him, slowly took off his hood, and said with a smile: "The Grand Marshal's Mansion is going to mobilize the Yulin Army."

(End of this chapter)