Wei Ni

The sun in late mid-autumn in western Liaoning was not too hot, and it made people feel warm under the sun, saying that it was a great autumn with clear skies and cool air. Just like the warm smile on Xiahou Hui's face.

"Don't I believe Jun Boxie?"

Upon hearing Zuo Junbo's request, Xiahou Hui immediately understood that he was asking to be monitored in order to avoid being misunderstood as having secretly profited for the Zuo family when trying to persuade the Wuhuan tribe to surrender.

Therefore, Xiahou Hui also showed an attitude of trusting the people he employed.

He first asked a question in return, and then said in a sincere and comforting tone, "The Zuo family is a family that has accumulated a lot of kindness, and Jun Bo is also a righteous man. Now that the matter has been decided, you can just do it, and I have nothing to do with it."

However, faced with this trust, Zuo Junbo showed gratitude but also felt embarrassed.

After hesitating for a while, he finally made another request, "Thank you for your trust, General. But please send someone to accompany me."

Uh?
Why is this?

No matter how slow he was, Xiahou Hui knew that Zuo Junbo had something to hide.

Therefore, although he was puzzled, he still nodded and agreed. While pondering the reason in his mind, he also set his eyes on Han Long and Wei Shu.

Subconsciously, he felt that Han Long was more suitable.

It was not only because Han Long and Zuo Junbo knew each other and could work together more smoothly, but also because Han Long had just been recruited by him and needed to be entrusted with responsibilities to demonstrate his role and to bring them closer as soon as possible.

As for him going to the frontier, it will delay the recruitment of troops~
There is no need to rush.

After thinking it over, Xiahou Hui was about to speak, but he swallowed the words back.

He suddenly understood why Zuo Junbo asked to be monitored.

Zuo Junbo was not worried that he would feel that recruiting the pro-Yuan Wuhuan would benefit the Zuo family, but he was worried that others would make unwarranted speculations and add fuel to the fire.

That's why Xiahou Hui's followers were needed to witness the event and let Xiahou Hui's status and position endorse it.

In this case, Han Long, who is also from Youzhou and knows each other, is naturally inappropriate.

Alas, indeed!

Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes.

Even a powerful family in a remote area cannot avoid many taboos.
Xiahou Hui, who was dealing with a powerful family for the first time, sighed in his heart and took his eyes away from Han Long. He pointed at Wei Shu and said to Zuo Junbo, "This is someone I am close to, Wei Shu, Wei Yangyuan, skilled in archery and horse riding, and of good character. His cousin is a minister of the court, and he was like a son or nephew when he lived in my house. I wonder if he is worthy of following Junbo out of the border?"

"Thank you for your understanding, General!"

Zuo Junbo immediately smiled and thanked him, "I am a talented person to be under your command, how can I refuse to accept you!"

After saying this, he quickly responded to Wei Shu who came over to greet him, and chatted with him as if they were brothers.

After the little incident, Xiahou Hui declined the Zuo family's offer to let him stay overnight, saying that he was in a hurry to meet Fu Rong, and left with the rest of his troops.

Han Long also returned to his hometown, Wuzhong County, and was busy recruiting troops on behalf of the emperor.

He finally took the skin containing the gold.

Xiahou Hui bluntly told him to keep it first and use it to buy war horses, bows and arrows, weapons, clothes and other items for the recruited troops.

Wei Shu naturally stayed in the Zuo family first.

And for fear that he would be lonely, Xiahou Hui specially left two young soldiers to keep him company.

However, the Zuo family was quite friendly to him.

That very night, after Zuo Junbo informed the clan leader of the matter, the Zuo family's father-in-law, who was in his seventies, was very cordial and talked to him for a long time, praising his eight-foot-two-inch height and beautiful appearance. In the end, he asked, "Men should get married when they are old enough. After they have a family, they can start a career with peace of mind. Allow me to ask, can Yang Yuan get married?"

Late autumn, early September.

Xiahou Hui and his party rushed to Guzhu City.

This place was where Guanqiu Jian stored his baggage and fodder for preparations for the war in Liaodong, and it was also the location of the temporary governor's office in Liaoxi County.

Because Yangle County, the seat of Liaoxi Prefecture, was located below the Yushui River (Daling River), it had been the habitat of the Wuhuan tribe in the late period of the previous dynasty, so Liaoxi Prefecture had always been "administered" here. Just like the previous Beidi Prefecture was moved to Zuofengyi after it was lost.

Jizhiji means that the government does not recognize the loss of territory, and it also shows the determination to make Yangle County a "real land" in the future.

Therefore, the prefect's office was also built very simply. At best, it was a large courtyard with a lintel. It had no dignity at all and was far inferior to the Zuojiawu Fort.

But there are a lot of people coming and going.

Since Xiahou Hui entered the city, he met several waves of military messengers passing by on the road, and when he arrived at the gate, he found many minor officials rushing in and out.

One reason was that the autumn collection of the treasury had not yet been completed. Another reason was that Guanqiu Jian had already asked Wang Qi, who was stationed in the city, to lead soldiers and civilians to build a barracks outside the city as a gathering place for the troops to attack Liao the following year.

After letting his troops know, Governor Fu Rong, with a very tired look on his face, quickly came out to greet them.

After a few polite words, he was led into a side room in the courtyard and asked to sit down.

"The office is simple, please condescend and forgive me, General."

After taking his seat, the prefect Fu Rong, who was in his forties, first apologized and then went straight to the point. "Recently, I have been busy with many things. I know that the general is in a hurry to go to Yuguan, so I will not chat with him. Previously, the envoy Guanqiu had already informed me and Captain Wang to support the general. Now that the general is here, if you want to ask about the matter of the traitor Gongsun in Liaodong or need us to prepare anything, please tell me. Captain Wang and I will not refuse."

"Thank you, Lord."

Xiahou Hui liked his neat and tidy style very much. He thanked him first and told him about his trip to Zuo's house to ask Zuo Junbo to persuade the remaining Wuhuan tribes to surrender. Then he asked sincerely, "Master Fu, I have just arrived in Liaoxi and have not yet been to Yuguan, so I cannot tell you what I need. But I know that you have been on a diplomatic mission to Liaodong before, and have served in Liaoxi for several years. You have seen Gongsun the traitor and know the customs of Liaodong. You must have good opinions on the attack on Liaodong. I am still young and have less experience than you. I was able to take the position of leader thanks to my father's merits and the close relationship with Your Majesty. I am worried that I will fail Your Majesty's trust and waste the country's achievements. If you don't think I am stupid, please don't hesitate to teach me good advice on the attack on Liaodong."

After saying this, he stood up and saluted solemnly.

Humble people always make people feel close to them.

Just like Fu Rong now, after hearing Xiahou Hui's words, she immediately felt a liking for him, and her natural smile made the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes deepen a lot.

He had previously worked in the capital city of Luoyang.

Although he had never had any interaction with Xiahou Hui, he knew about Xiahou Hui's early deeds. Moreover, now that he saw that Xiahou Hui's clothes were no different from those of his subordinates and he had none of the demeanor of a nobleman, he certainly would not take it lightly.

"Don't dare to take it! Don't dare to take it!"

Fu Rong also stood up and returned the greeting, smiling, "General, you are too modest. Judging from the fact that you went to Feiru Zuo's family to plan the surrender of the Wuhuan tribe as soon as you arrived in Liaoxi, you can be said to be a master of strategy! I am just an ordinary person, how dare I teach you?" After saying this modestly, he nodded and said slowly, "If you don't mind my chatter, I will tell you everything I know about Liaodong."

"Please tell me clearly, Lord."

Xiahou Hui immediately sat upright and bowed, "I am all ears."

He wasn't pretending.

But I am sincerely seeking advice.

When he was at Zuo's house, after Zuo Junbo told him about the Bai tribe and the Xianbei, he realized that he had previously thought that the expedition against Liao was too simple.

Because among the soldiers and generals that Guanqiu Jian claimed to be recruiting to attack Liao, there were 6,000 cavalrymen from the Xianbei and Wuhuan vassals, including the Bai tribe Xianbei!
And there are still two thousand cavalry!

At that time, he still thought that the Bai Xianbei were one of the eastern Xianbei tribes that had long since submitted to the Wei State and migrated to the southern part of the Yanshan Mountains!
In other words, Guanqiu Jian had actually already noticed the pro-Yuan Wuhuan tribe.

The reason why he didn't bring it up was simply because he was the first to mention it to Emperor Cao Rui, and he didn't want to compete for credit with him.

From this, it can be inferred that the obstacle of Liaoze that he mentioned to Emperor Cao Rui, and his idea of ​​coming to Liaoxi in advance to prepare supplies and let the troops pass through it, might just be a joke!

Guanqiu Jian must have known about the existence of Liaoze, and he must have known that it was difficult to cross.

I didn't explain it to him in detail, perhaps because I didn't want to embarrass him.

This made Xiahou Hui feel that the strategy of attacking Liao that he had mentioned in the rear hall of Chonghua in Luoyang might not have any practical basis for implementation! It was just empty talk and paper talk!
Therefore, he did not choose to go to Yuguan to meet Ding Mi and others, but first visited the prefect Fu Rong.

Having already been appointed as the main commander of the Liaodong expedition, he is now very eager to know everything about Liaodong and Gongsun Yuan, and to find out his own fallacies that are inconsistent with reality.

After all, it was his first time as a commander and he couldn't afford to fail.

Otherwise, all previous plans and efforts will come to naught, and his reputation will follow in the footsteps of his father Xiahou Yuan and the late Cao Xiu.

But, does Fu Rong have any good advice to teach him?
The answer is yes.

As a native of Yuyang, Youzhou, he was very familiar with the past of Gongsun of Liaodong.

After receiving instructions from Guanqiu Jian, he also had several private conversations with Wang Qi, and had already prepared a draft in mind, waiting for Xiahou Hui to come and ask questions.

"You're welcome, General."

He smiled and bowed in return, then began to speak eloquently, "Since the general has asked, I will answer for the time being. Well, I personally think that Gongsun of Liaodong has three defeats."

"The first is the name."

"Liaodong has been incorporated into the unified territory since the capture of King Xi of Yan. This is a foregone conclusion. Even though Dong Zhuo was in chaos and the government was in disarray at the end of the previous dynasty, Gongsun Du was still arrogant and called himself a marquis but not a king. Now the traitor Gongsun is still the Grand Marshal of Wei and the Duke of Lelang. If the imperial court summons him with an imperial decree, he will be a traitor if he does not obey! If his reputation is damaged, the soldiers will not be willing to die!"

"The second one is that no one wants it."

"Gongsun Du was born as a minor official, and was always looked down upon by the prefectures and counties. After he was appointed as the governor of Liaodong, he killed people to establish his authority. He killed Xiangping Magistrate Gongsun Zhao in the market, and found a reason to kill the famous nobleman Tian Shao in the prefecture, and exterminated more than a hundred families of big families. He was violent and without mercy! Afterwards, he indulged in disobedience. The former governor of Henei, Li Min, disliked him and fled to the sea. Gongsun Du even dug up his father's tomb, opened the coffin and burned the body, and killed his clan. He lost all his popularity! When our army arrives, there will be people who will provide food and drink!" (End of this chapter)