Han family achievements

Chapter 545: The Enemy
Liu Bian looked at Cao Cao, slowly sat down on the steps, and gently stroked the jade pendant with his right hand.

Liu Bian never wanted to kill Cao Cao, especially since Cao Cao was so famous at the time.

It is no exaggeration to say that the foundation of the Han Dynasty lies in Liu Bian, while its fame lies in Cao Cao.

Cao Cao fought many battles in the past few years and wiped out countless rebels. It can be said that in the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao was the most famous for his military exploits and fame, despite all the criticisms.

How could Liu Bian bear to kill such a precious treasure?
Looking at the Han Dynasty, who didn’t have ambition?
But as long as Liu Bian is alive, Cao Cao can only suppress his ambition in his heart!

"As the saying goes, strong winds reveal strong grass, and turbulent times reveal loyal ministers."

Liu Bian reached out and pulled Cao Cao's arm, just as he had done in the past, and said with a smile: "The storm has passed, the turmoil has subsided, your family is a strong grass, and even more a loyal minister, please stand up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Cao Cao stood up, his tone calm, without a trace of emotion.

Xun Yu was thinking about Liu Bian's "common saying" in his heart, but his eyes were fixed on Cao Cao's expression.

The Yingchuan Party had a consensus that Cao Cao had ulterior motives, otherwise they would not have tried to kill Cao Cao again and again.

Apart from respectfulness, there was no other emotion on Cao Cao's face, no nervousness, worry, or uneasiness at all!

Xun Yu remained expressionless and held his breath secretly.

He remembered what Xun You said - Cao Cao is a man with the eyes of an eagle and a wolf, and he is not the type to be under someone else's command for long. If he is not eliminated soon, he will become a threat to the country!

Sitting on the stone steps, Liu Bian could clearly see every expression on Cao Cao's face.

Cao Cao has changed.

In the past, Cao Cao would be respectful when facing him, but besides being respectful, he would also be cautious.

there's no more.

Liu Bian narrowed his eyes slightly, then smiled and said: "This rebellion is not a bad thing. It can be regarded as clearing many obstacles for the 'New Deal'. I will give the Grand Marshal's Mansion a maximum of three months to quell all rebellions in the seven northern states."

"I obey your order!" Cao Cao said in a deep voice.

Liu Bian turned to Xun Yu and said, "Shangshutai, I don't need to explain anything more, right?"

Xun Yu groaned for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, the Secretariat is ready, but the money and food required are still to be discussed."

Liu Bian said, "How much does the Shangshutai want?"

Xun Yu looked up at Liu Bian and said, "Three years, at least three million strings of cash."

Liu Bian raised his eyebrows and said in surprise: "One million a year? Xun Qing, the court's annual income is only about 100,000. You openly ask for one million. I can't afford it even if I sell the palace."

Xun Yu remained calm and said, "It has to be three million."

Liu Bian smacked his lips and understood what Xun Yu meant.

There were countless rebellions in the north this time. Not to mention other things, just the wealth amassed by Zuo Rong in Pengcheng County alone was more than three million.

Xun Yu was planning on taking the "trophies".

"it is good."

Liu Bian did not hesitate, he stood up, patted his butt and said, "Three million is three million. However, I have to say this in advance. Those who deserve severe punishment for this rebellion will not be pardoned; and as for the court, especially the chief officials of the six ministries and nine temples and above, no one should be implicated!"

Xun Yu understood his intention and said, "I will obey your order."

After saying this, Liu Bian smiled again, raised his head and looked towards the south, and said, "I heard that the Shi family has joined forces with the southern barbarians and is planning a counterattack against Jiaozhi?"

Cao Cao said, "Yes."

Xun Yu was worried that Liu Bian was planning to take advantage of the situation to destroy Yuan Shao, so he quickly said, "Your Majesty, Liu Biao sent Cai Mao to march out of Nanyang, and he seems to be planning to take Runan."

Liu Bian raised his eyebrows and glanced at Xun Yu.

He had no idea about this news.

He did not try to guess where Xun Yu got the news. He put his hands behind his back, looked towards Jingzhou, and said to himself, "Cai Mao, the Cai family is also a big family."

Xun Yu heard this and said, "The Cai family is quite famous in Jingyang."

"It's more than just a reputation..." Liu Bian smiled, his eyes looking towards the direction of Jingzhou, with strange colors flashing in his eyes.

The Cai family is a prominent family in Xiangyang, with a great reputation that far exceeds that of ordinary noble families. It can even be said that in the Jingyang area, if not the best, they are more than qualified to be in the top three.

Cai Mao's aunt married Zhang Wen, his eldest sister married Huang Chengyan, and his second sister married Liu Biao.

Xun Yu obviously noticed that Liu Bian was thinking, so he glanced at Cao Cao and said calmly, "Your Majesty, do you have any ideas?"

Liu Bian hummed and said, "I have ordered Zhou Yu to lead the navy southwards. This is to intimidate Zuo Rong, support Sun Quan and Liu Bei, intimidate Yuan Shao, and more importantly, to target Liu Biao. I want to test him."

Xun Yu pondered the word "try" in his mind and said, "Your Majesty, should the navy be placed in Wujun?"

Liu Bian fumbled for the jade pendant again and said slowly, "Yes. If we go south from Weihai, we will arrive just in time for Zhang Liao to pacify Xuzhou and deploy troops in Wujun. By then, we will have defeated Yuan Shao, moved the army westward, and prepared to march south to Jingzhou."

Xun Yu was startled and looked at Cao Cao again.

Cao Cao looked calm and said, "Your Majesty, whether you want to attack Liu Biao, the Grand Marshal's Office and the Military Department should make arrangements early."

Liu Bian suddenly opened his eyes, let go of the jade pendant, patted his thigh, and said with a smile: "Liu Biao is a loyal minister. How can the king's army attack a loyal minister? Prime Minister, send a letter to Liu Biao and order him to report to the capital. Even if he is seriously ill, he will be carried to Luoyang."

Xun Yu then breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I understand."

This was to force Liu Biao to further surrender, rather than actually sending a large army to attack Jingzhou.

This chaos has already severely damaged the vitality of the imperial court. It has to mobilise money and grain, and mobilize tens of thousands of troops to conquer the vast Jingzhou. Yuan Shao and Liu Zhang are also involved. The wars continue uninterrupted. It is simply a nightmare for the imperial court!
Liu Bian glanced at the two of them, smiled broadly, and said, "Okay, that's how it is. Let's proceed according to the plan. You are all tired, so I'll give you a day off."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave."

Xun Yu, Cao Cao understood, raised his hand, and stepped back.

Liu Bian stared at the backs of the two men, looking thoughtful.

He has already cleared away all the obstacles that should be cleared away. With the abilities of Xun Yu, Xun You, Zhong Yao and others, it will not be a big problem to further implement the "New Deal". It is only a matter of time to stabilize people's livelihood and allow the people to have land to farm.

However, Cao Cao and Liu Bian were somewhat hesitant.

The Han Dynasty had no shortage of talent, but if one wanted to defeat Yuan Shao, Liu Biao, Liu Zhang, etc., at the moment, Cao Cao was the only one who could do it.

As for Liu Bei, Zhang Liao, Zhao Yun and others, they are still far behind.

As for Cao Cao, according to Liu Bian's opinion, he would not give up Luoyang for quite a long time.

"Then we have to train Liu Bei and others."

Liu Bian whispered to himself.

It may be easy to train a good general, but it is not so easy to train a commander. It requires time to gain experience and more opportunities!

Xun Yu and Cao Cao, who were standing not far away, seemed to have a few words with each other before heading to the Shangshutai and the Da Sima Mansion respectively. Liu Bian watched the two men disappear, pondered for a while, stretched out his hand to beckon Huangfu Jianchang, who was not far away, and whispered, "How far has Liu Biao come?"

Huangfu Jian said in a low voice respectfully: "There is absolutely no problem with the decapitation operation. Not only Liu Biao, but also the counselors, generals, and high-ranking officials of Jingzhou are ready."

Liu Bian nodded slightly, thought for a while, and asked, "Did Sima Yi go to Zhang Liao's army?"

"He has already left with General Zhang." Huangfu Jian said.

Liu Bian hummed, thought about it for a while, smiled and stretched his waist, and said: "Okay, next, I have something to do."

He faked his death and staged such a big drama. Next, he needs to show up more often to calm people's hearts. At the same time, he needs to further refine the "new policy" and implement various policies, especially those related to land and refugees.

Huangfu Jianchang took out the apple and took a bite.

Next, he also has something to be busy with.

Outside the palace and the city, all officials had already started to get busy.

The officials who did not have time to return to the capital rode their horses as fast as they could, while those who were waiting outside the city, such as Wang Lang, were even more impatient.

Those who were already in the city either welcomed "visits" from countless officials and citizens, or visited others everywhere.

For example, Kong Rong and Xu You rushed to visit Cai Yong, and the heads of the six ministries visited each other and exchanged various information.

This matter was very strange from beginning to end. With Cao Cao escorting the Crown Prince back to Luoyang, it seemed to have come to an end, but anyone could see that it was not over!
The next morning, Liu Bian began to move around Luoyang City, meeting with officials at all levels, speaking kindly, making promises, and trying to appease people's hearts.

With Liu Bian's public appearance, the rumor of "being assassinated" and various other rumors were refuted.

The Secretariat and the Grand Marshal's Office held meetings one after another, and even held court meetings, to make arrangements for matters such as quelling the rebellion and dealing with the aftermath.

The city of Luoyang was bustling with activity. As the news that Liu Bian was alive spread, orders from the Grand Marshal's Office and the Secretariat came out of Luoyang one after another. The panic in various places was stabilized, and they began to organize troops in an orderly manner and suppress the rebellion in a targeted manner.

Langya County.

Outside Liu County.

Zhang Liao personally led an army of 20,000 to confront Zuo Rong's army of 30,000.

Both sides deployed their battle formations and a war was about to break out.

In front of the central military tent, Zhang Liao was riding a horse, with Guan Yu and Sima Fang beside him.

Sima Fang's face turned pale, and he said, "General Zhang, this Zuo Rong is quite cunning. I tried to attack him several times, but was blocked by the back. I also wanted to cut off his food supply, but was also discovered. This man should not be underestimated."

Sima Fang was unaware of the conspiracy in Luoyang City and did not retreat on purpose. He always wanted to defeat Zuo Rong, but he never expected that Zuo Rong was not an ordinary person and was difficult to deal with.

Guan Yu narrowed his eyes upon hearing this, and looking at Zuo Rong's army from afar, he said disdainfully: "Zuo Rong is just a mere general. Give me three thousand men, and I will take this bandit leader!"

Sima Fang said hurriedly: "Absolutely not! Zuo Rong is powerful and has already established his power. His morale is high. We must win this battle and must not take any risks!"

Guan Yu clenched his sword tightly, glanced at Sima Fang coldly, and said to Zhang Liao: "General, I want to fight. If I don't take Zuo Rong's head, bring it to me!"

When Sima Fang heard Guan Yu say this, he tried to dissuade him even more: "General Zhonglang, if we cannot win this battle, it will be bad for Langya County and will endanger Qingzhou. We must not take it lightly!"

Guan Yu glanced coldly at Sima Fang, and said solemnly to Zhang Liao: "I am willing to issue a military order!"

Sima Fang wanted to say something else, but Zhang Liao asked, "Are you sure, Yunchang?"

Guan Yu sneered and said, "In my eyes, they are nothing but a bunch of chickens and dogs, not worth mentioning!"

Zhang Liao raised his head and looked at Zuo Rong's army. They were well-organized and clearly lined up, and were not just a hodgepodge of soldiers.

After a moment of silence, Zhang Liao suddenly shouted, "Guan Yu, receive the order!"

Guan Yu knelt on one knee and said loudly: "I am here!"

Zhang Liao handed over the command arrow and shouted, "I will allocate three thousand troops to you and order you to march out immediately to crush the rebels' spirit!"

"Yes, sir!" Guan Yu took the command, mounted his horse, and led three thousand men directly to the opposite army of Zuo Rong.

Sima Fang did not expect Zhang Liao to make such a quick decision. He said with a worried look on his face, "General, Zuo Rong is no ordinary man. If he is defeated, it will definitely hurt the morale of our army, which will be very detrimental to the suppression of the rebellion!"

Zhang Liao stared at Guan Yu's back and said, "The order has been issued. Please do not say anything more, as it will damage the morale of the army."

Sima Fang was blocked by Zhang Liao and opened his mouth, feeling even more uneasy. But he could only suppress his emotion and looked at Guan Yu who was gradually walking away.

Guan Yu, who led his army, was ready to attack, but he did not rush forward recklessly. Instead, he ran left and right, observing Zuo Rong's army formation.

Zuo Rong's army was divided into three parts: left, center and right. They did not take Guan Yu's mere 3,000 men seriously. They set up a defensive formation and waited for Guan Yu to charge and die.

Zhang Liao's army also did not move, waiting for Guan Yu to charge.

Once Guan Yu charged into the battle formation, Zuo Rong's army would inevitably take action. As long as he found a flaw, Zhang Liao would not hesitate to send his troops to charge forward with all his strength.

Both sides are ready to go, waiting for an opportunity.

"kill!"

It was unknown how long it had been, but Guan Yu gave an order and charged towards Zuo Rong's right army.

Three thousand men rushed into the battle array like arrows shot from a bow, with unmatched ferocity.

Perhaps they were deceived by the illusion of Guan Yu running back and forth, or perhaps they were disdainful of Guan Yu, or it might be that Zuo Rong's troops were not elite enough. Under Guan Yu's sudden attack, the right army was in a panic and responded hastily.

Guan Yu was brave and invincible. No one could stop him wherever he went. He killed his way forward, charging left and right.

The formation of Zuo Rong's right army was suddenly in chaos, and there was even trampling.

This scene greatly boosted the morale of Guan Yu's three thousand men. They shouted and fought like thunder, following Guan Yu and charging forward with all their might.

Perhaps because they did not expect that the right army would be disrupted by 3,000 people, the central army quickly separated a part of its troops to support the right army.

Guan Yu, sitting on a tall horse, looked at the direction of the central army. His eyes suddenly opened and he shouted, "All the soldiers, follow me and kill!"

During the mobilization of Zuo Rong’s central army, Guan Yu saw flags, umbrellas, and a large golden banner - that was the position of the commander-in-chief!

Guan Yu, discovered Zuo Rong’s location!
Three thousand men, with great momentum, cut a bloody path through Zuo Rong's right army and headed straight for the center army.

The right army had been dispersed and the central army was in the process of mobilizing. Seeing Guan Yu coming to charge, the central army suddenly became chaotic.

Guan Yu's eyes widened angrily, the sword in his hand chopped like thunder, and the white horse under him was as fast as lightning.

Zuo Rong's right army was torn apart, and Guan Yu rushed out with three thousand people and headed straight for the central army.

"kill!"

Guan Yu shouted loudly, swung the sword in his hand, and then leaped on his white horse and stepped into the center of the army.

Who could have thought that a mere 3,000 men could not only break into an army of 10,000, but also fight their way out of it, kill their way to the center of the army, and even kill their way to the center of the army, where the commander-in-chief was!
(End of this chapter)