Han family achievements

Chapter 539 Backhand
One day later, they were less than a hundred miles away from Luoyang City.

Cao Cao's army suddenly stopped, saying that it needed to rest.

After meeting Liu Shao and comforting him, Cao Cao hurried to the camp and said in a deep voice, "Tell me in detail!"

Cao Hong, Cao Ang, Le Jin, Xiahou Yuan and others were all there, looking at Cao Hong.

Cao Hong took a deep breath and said, "News came from Luoyang City that Zhang Yang's men suddenly killed Zhang Yang and presented his head to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has ordered the Imperial Guards to take over the Yulin Army. Now, Luoyang City is under the control of the Prime Minister!"

Cao Cao narrowed his eyes and thought rapidly in his mind.

This was something he had not expected. He had thought that he could take advantage of the defeat of Zhang Yang to smoothly occupy Luoyang. But now that the imperial court had put down the rebellion of the Yulin Army, the problem became his.

At that time, Xun Yu asked him to leave the army outside the city and escort the prince into the city alone. Would he go in or not?
If he enters, he will be at the mercy of others; if he doesn't enter, he will be conspiring with the prince to rebel and the whole world will punish him!

The others also frowned and were nervous.

Their tacit plan has already reached the outskirts of Luoyang city. What should we do?
Seeing that Cao Cao did not respond, Cao Hong continued, "The Prime Minister has put those who were originally released by the Yulin Army back into the Tianlao, and has released all those who were captured by the Yulin Army. He is restoring the six ministries and nine temples, and at the same time has issued a letter requiring the troops sent by the states and counties to return to their original places."

"Ah."

Perhaps because he felt it was too quiet, Cao Cao nodded calmly.

Cao Hong looked at him and said, "There is also movement in the Imperial Army camp. Huangfu Jianshou, Zhao Yun and others have led troops to defeat the rebels in Xiaopingjin and are about to enter Xiaopingjin."

When everyone heard this, they were secretly shocked and stared at Cao Cao.

Xiaopingjin, like Mengjin, is one of the eight passes guarding Luoyang City. Xiaopingjin is in the northeast and Mengjin is in the east. The two are not far apart and are almost the same distance from Luoyang.

Not surprisingly, Huangfu Jianshou and Zhao Yun would definitely rush to Luoyang as soon as possible. Once the troops of the Imperial Guards camp arrived in Luoyang, Cao Cao would no longer have any chance!
In fact, even if Huangfu Jianshou and Zhao Yun stationed their troops in Xiaopingjin, it would be like being attacked from both sides for Cao Cao!

The only way they can break the impasse now is to rush into Luoyang first, support the prince to ascend the throne, and thereby consolidate Cao Cao's position!

At that time, even if Huangfu Jianshou, Zhao Yun and others had tens of thousands of troops and the emperor in their hands, they would have to obey orders!

They held their breath, their eyes fixed on Cao Cao's face, waiting for him to speak.

Dong dong dong

Suddenly, a personal guard strode in and said, "Sir Cao, the old housekeeper of the old courtyard is here."

Cao Cao was startled and asked in confusion: "Old housekeeper? But what happened to my father? Take me to see him!"

Having said that, Cao Cao left in a hurry.

Cao Hong, Le Jin, Xiahou Yuan and others looked at Cao Cao's back, seeming to want to say something but stopping themselves.

Why did Cao Cao hesitate when a big event was about to happen?

This is not the character of Cao Cao that they know!

Cao Ang knew something more or less, but he just couldn't say it out loud.

When Cao Cao received the old housekeeper, he couldn't help but ask, "Is father ill?"

The old housekeeper smiled slightly and said, "Youzhou Senhan, the old master's legs and feet are not very good, but there is nothing else wrong."

Cao Cao immediately felt relieved, pulled him aside, waved away his guards, and then asked, "Did father give you any instructions?"

The old housekeeper said, "The old master collected some money and food and asked me to bring it to you, young master."

Cao Cao's expression softened slightly, and he said, "That's good."

In his current position, he actually doesn't have to worry about money and food. It is still very easy for him to raise money and food for an army of only 20,000 or 30,000 for one or two months, and now countless people are offering money and food to him.

The old butler looked at Cao Cao's expression and said, "Sir, are you in trouble?"

Cao Cao nodded and said, "I originally wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to attack Luoyang, and with the Queen Mother, the Queen, and the Crown Prince in my hands, I would follow the example of Qi and Jin and restore the Han Dynasty. But now, Luoyang City is in the hands of the Yingchuan Party, and I..."

"Young Master is in a dilemma?"

The old butler pointed out Cao Cao's predicament.

Cao Cao frowned and said, "That's true."

The old housekeeper said, "Even if there are Yulin Army and Imperial Guards, Luoyang City is only a small city, how can they stop you, young master?"

Cao Cao did not hide anything when facing this old butler who had served the Cao family for decades. He said, "The Yingchuan Party is in the imperial court and all over the country. They have great prestige. If I take Luoyang by force, the Yingchuan Party will fight to the death. Even if I take Luoyang by force, my reputation will be ruined and I will not be able to sit in Luoyang. The whole world will surely attack me."

The old housekeeper understood and said without hesitation: "The old master often told me that the late emperor wanted to move the capital."

Cao Cao opened his eyes slightly, his face was calm, as if he was worried.

Liu Bian's desire to relocate was not a sudden idea. He had mentioned it to court officials from time to time since a few years ago. As the Grand Marshal, Cao Cao naturally knew it very well.

But, if we forcibly take the prince to another place, what will people in the world think?

Especially since the imperial court in Luoyang City was still intact, with the empress dowager and the queen still alive, this did not make sense from a legal perspective.

Seeing Cao Cao's hesitation, the old housekeeper smiled and whispered, "Sir, in Luoyang City, if the prime minister participated in the rebellion, would it make sense?"

Cao Cao narrowed his long and narrow eyes and flickered violently.

If the Yingchuan Party participated in the rebellion, and he led his troops to kill all the Yingchuan Party members, and then found an excuse to kidnap the Queen Mother, the Empress, and the Crown Prince and leave Luoyang, a place of trouble, would this be a long-term solution?

Cao Cao was quite excited for a moment and started to calculate quickly.

The old butler took in Cao Cao's expression, smiled slightly, and said, "Sir, the old master can't leave me, so I will go back."

Cao Cao quickly said, "I'll take you there."

The old butler did not refuse, and left Cao's camp, walking one step ahead of Cao Cao, talking about family matters.

"Send troops!"

Cao Cao turned around and shouted loudly.

"Here!"

Le Jin, Xiahou Yuan and others, who had been impatient for a long time, responded loudly.

As soon as Cao Cao's army moved, Liu Shao, Xun You and Huang Zhong naturally had to follow.

They were 'escorted' behind Cao Cao, in the center of the army, and were well protected.

Xun You looked around at Huang Zhong's guards and whispered to Liu Shao, "Your Highness, when you arrive at Luoyang, follow my instructions and do not conflict with Cao Cao."

Liu Shao looked at Luoyang which seemed so close at hand. His expression became sadder and his face looked tired and pale. He nodded silently.

Huang Zhong was worried and asked Xun You, "Xun Gong, do you have any plan?"

Xun You was quite calm and said, "Don't worry, the Prime Minister has already made arrangements."

Huang Zhong did not ask any more questions, holding the big knife in his hand, and followed Liu Shao. Xun You turned his head and looked at Cao Cao not far away, his eyes cold.

He didn't know what Xun Yu's plan was, but if Cao Cao insisted on doing it, no one in the entire Han Dynasty could stop him!

Cao Cao has always been a rebellious, unruly person who tramples on etiquette and laws.

What can't this kind of person do?
Cao Cao's army continued to march towards Luoyang. Unknowingly, the number of troops in this troop had increased by nearly 40,000!
Various "loyalist troops" continued to join in, and they gathered together and marched towards Luoyang in a mighty force.

As Cao Cao sent his troops, various news continued to spread and ferment over time.

Whether they were in rebellion or loyal to the court, their eyes were focused on Luoyang.

This is the center of the world. Every move here affects the whole world and the nerves of people all over the world.

Some rebels even stopped their actions and began to wait and see, waiting for changes in Luoyang City.

The reaction of the government troops was almost unanimous. They stopped fighting, withdrew their troops, and waited anxiously and restlessly.

Compared to the whole world being in a state of panic, the city of Luoyang was calm as usual.

After just one day of calm, some people have dared to go out, and there seems to be a bit of vitality regaining.

But at night, there were still not many lights. Even in the imperial palace, it was pitch black with little movement.

The huge city of Luoyang is as quiet as a ghost town.

The next morning, Cao Cao's army was less than five miles away, but it stopped.

Cao Cao, Liu Shao, Xun You, Huang Zhong, Le Jin and others stood in front of the army formation, looking towards the direction of Luoyang City. Each of them had a strange and alert look on their faces.

Cao Hong stood behind them and said, "Your Highness, Grand Marshal, since the gates of Luoyang City suddenly opened half an hour ago, no one has entered or left, and there are no guards on the top of the city walls, not even flags."

Cao Cao stroked his beard and suddenly turned to Xun You and asked, "What do you think, Lord Xun?"

Xun You had not received any news about Luoyang in advance, so he looked thoughtful and asked, "Grand Marshal, are you worried that there is a trap in Luoyang?"

Cao Cao remained calm and said, "I have no idea what is happening in Luoyang."

Xun You remained calm in response to Cao Cao's "advice" and said, "I don't know either. Just send a group of soldiers in to test it out."

Le Jin suddenly said loudly: "I object. Luoyang City has set up a false formation to delay time. The Yulin Army or the Imperial Guards are lying in ambush around, waiting for an opportunity to strike. What should we do?"

Xun You glanced at him and said calmly, "Then you should withdraw to Mengjin. I will escort His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in at the risk of my life."

Le Jin was choked and speechless. With his status, he couldn't snatch it from Xun You.

Now that they had arrived in Luoyang, Cao Cao would naturally not withdraw his troops. He narrowed his eyes and kept calculating in his mind.

He knew that there was something wrong with Xun Yu's previous letter. After Xun You read it, his attitude changed. There must be some hidden meaning behind it.

"Is there really a trap in Luoyang City? With 50,000 troops at my disposal, what trap is unbreakable?"

Cao Cao was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice: "Le Jin, take 300 people and go to explore. Remember, don't go too deep. Find out the situation first."

"As ordered!"

Le Jin responded loudly and rode away on his fast horse.

A cavalry of 300 men headed straight for Luoyang City.

Liu Shao looked at Le Jin's back, pursed his lips, and looked sad again. His eyes were red, his fists were clenched, and his small body couldn't stop shaking.

He has been bad at speaking and expressing himself since he was young. Now, all his emotions are expressed in his body.

Cao Cao was looking down from a high place and took in Liu Shao's expression. He couldn't help but hold his breath and suppress the discomfort all over his body.

Compared to Liu Shao's sorrow over the loss of his father, Cao Cao was obsessed with the city of Luoyang.

Looking at the nearby Luoyang City, Cao Cao's temples bulged, veins on his head throbbed, and he felt even more anxious inside. He fell into a state of irritability and restlessness.

Even if that emperor died, died in front of him, Cao Cao would still feel fear from the bottom of his heart when he came to Luoyang again.

'What is his back-up plan?'

Cao Cao took a deep breath and kept thinking about this problem in his mind.

Ever since he put down the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou, both the government and the public have been impeaching him in attempts to put him to death.

Later, he fought many battles in the south and the north, and made countless military achievements. His power was large enough to threaten the Han Dynasty. At that time, both the government and the people were extremely wary of him and tried every means to kill him.

Even at this point, the person who 'favored' him did not change at all, and as always, he forcefully protected him, even going so far as to confront the government and the public!

A man who ascended the throne at a young age, and when he was alone for one day, he wiped out the eunuch party that had been plaguing the Han Dynasty for nearly a hundred years, suppressed and subdued the foreign relatives, eradicated the rebellion of the Yuan family, and pulled the Han Dynasty back from the brink of extinction. Would he really be completely unguarded against Cao Cao and not have any backup plan in place?
No one believes it!

Especially after that emperor was assassinated and Cao Cao safely left the palace and fled to Mengjin, Cao Cao's inner fear was infinitely magnified!
Cao Cao could never figure out what method that Majesty used to check and balance the situation! ?

At the same time, he was also very clear that once that backup plan appeared, it would be the end of his life, there would be no second possibility!
This is Cao Cao's basic judgment of Liu Bian. This judgment comes from years of getting along with each other and the mutual trust between them as two people who are equally cunning and suspicious.

Cao Cao's imagination ran wild and he kept making guesses.

Xun You was standing aside and was not idle at all.

Cao Cao has a large army, and his troops are everywhere in Hanzhong, Youzhou, Bingzhou, and Yuzhou. Who can stop him from entering Luoyang?

What methods did Xun Yu have to control Cao Cao at this time?

At this moment, Liu Shao blinked, turned to look at Cao Cao, and said in a childish and hoarse voice: "Cao Qing, do you still remember the three questions that your father asked you when you were stationed in Qiao County to fight against Yuan Shao?"

Cao Cao was instantly frightened and looked at Liu Shao with his eyes slightly opened.

He naturally remembered it and discussed it with Guo Jia for a long time, but he didn't figure it out. Guo Jia seemed to have thought of it, but didn't tell him!
Until now, Cao Cao was horrified and alert. He felt cold all over and his face turned ashen.

Liu Bian’s first two questions are actually not important. The most important one is the last one - Xu County!
In the past, Cao Cao was puzzled, but now he suddenly realized it. After the realization, a chill surged from the bottom of his heart.

Your Majesty, did you plan for this moment many years ago?

Cao Cao tried hard to suppress the coldness in his heart, but his temples kept throbbing and hurting.

Xu County!

Before this, he had been struggling over whether to go east or south.

Going east means naturally returning to Luoyang, and going south means taking the prince to Xu County!

Without Liu Shao's reminder, Cao Cao would have long forgotten the three questions Liu Bian asked him. After Liu Shao's reminder, Cao Cao fell into great fear!
If, if His Majesty had anticipated what would happen today, would he still be able to enter Luoyang City?

What on earth is that back-up plan!?

(End of this chapter)