At the end of the Han Dynasty: a stingy husband from his hometown

Chapter 199 Chaos in Xuzhou
Lujiang County, Shu County, within the prison cell.

The young man's hair was disheveled and his body exuded a stench, but he did not either cry bitterly or huddle on the straw mat like the other prisoners.

Instead, he held a straw, sat cross-legged in the corner, and kept tracing what it was on the ground.

Just when the young man was lost in thought, he heard a noise and immediately turned his head to look.

I saw two people coming side by side.

The leader has a face like a crown jade, eyes like bright stars, luxurious clothes, a sword hanging from his waist, and an inexplicable charm about his body. He is such a handsome and handsome man.

The other person is seven feet five inches tall, wearing powerful clothes, hanging a sharp blade, and looks very heroic.

The young man looked at the two of them with a slight smile on his face.

When Zhou Yu saw this, he was very surprised and asked: "When others are imprisoned, they all frown and cry bitterly. Why are you different from others?"

The young man bowed slightly to the two of them and said, "Since you two are here, I will be released from prison soon. Why bother to look sad like others?"

Chen Wu asked in surprise: "You are an outsider and have no acquaintances in the city. How can you be sure that you will be released from prison soon?"

The young man said with a smile: "My plan may be able to be hidden from the students of Lujiang Academy. However, there are many talents in Lujiang County, and the governor of Lujiang County is also quite famous. Sooner or later, he will be able to see through my little tricks."

"If you two didn't know what I was planning, how could you condescend to come and visit me in prison?"

When Zhou Yu and Chen Wu heard this, they all worshiped him.

Zhou Yu had someone open the cell, bowed deeply to the young man, and said, "Sir, you sacrificed your life for righteousness. Zhou Yu was impressed."

"I already know the reason for what happened before. Sir, you can get out of prison!"

But the young man looked shocked and said, "Is it possible that you are the beautiful Zhou Gongjin who "has mistaken Zhou Lang's attention"?"

Zhou Yu said with some embarrassment: "These are all false praises from others, and I don't deserve it!"

In this era, reputation was very important to scholars.

Zhou Yu was of extraordinary origin, and he was recognized as his nephew by the general Chariot and Cavalry, and he even worshiped Zhou Qi as his disciple.

No matter what status you have, it is enough to be enviable.

Coupled with his extraordinary talents and magnanimity, under the deliberate management of his family, although Zhou Yu was only twenty years old, his reputation had already spread throughout the nearby counties.

The young man looked at his sloppy appearance, and then at Zhou Yu who looked like a figure in a painting. He couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "I didn't expect that I would meet Zhou Lang in this way."

Zhou Yu laughed out loud, not caring at all about the stench emanating from the young man. He took the initiative to hold his arm and said, "I know Mr. Sir's righteous deeds, and I admire him in my heart."

"If you don't give up, sir, you can call me by my cousin. This will make you look more friendly."

The young man was flattered and said: "Lang Zhou is very kind to you, so I will be disrespectful."

"If Gong Jin doesn't give up, you can call me by my cousin's name."

Zhou Yu smiled and shouted: "Brother Yuan Zhi!"

That's right, the man who stepped into the game with his own life and helped the woman raise medical expenses was none other than the famous concubine Xu Yuanzhi in history.

There is no need to say much about his deeds. I believe that anyone who knows this period of history will not be unfamiliar with Xu Shu.

Xu Shu was also one of the most regrettable counselors in the late Han Dynasty.

Just because he missed his old master Liu Bei, he was lured into Cao Ying by Cao Cao. As a result, he was in Cao Ying and his heart was in Han Dynasty, and he never made any plans in his life.

According to the original history, Xu Shu should have gone to study in Xiangyang, Jingzhou.

Historically, Xiangyang was the prefecture of Jingzhou, and due to Sun Jian's defeat and death, Liu Biao regained some cities in the southern part of Nanyang County.

Therefore, Xiangyang was relatively prosperous and stable at that time, and attracted many scholars to settle there.

But now, Xiangyang has become the front line of Jingzhou, and war may break out again at any time, so it is naturally not the best place for a study tour.

For this reason, Xu Shu transferred to Lujiang County, which had a strong academic atmosphere.

Although he gave up martial arts and embraced literature, the chivalrous heart engraved in his bones has not been wiped out. That's why he chose to get involved with his own life. Even if he was infamous, he had to help a woman he didn't know raise medical expenses.

Zhou Yu took Xu Shu to his residence and asked his maid to burn incense, bathe and change his clothes. After he was clean, he held a banquet to entertain him.

During the banquet, Zhou Yu presented a sword with both hands. It was the sword Xu Shu had entrusted the servant to sell, and it had now been redeemed by Zhou Yu.

It's not that Zhou Yu can't buy a better sword for Xu Shu, but it's not necessary.

Although scribes wore swords, they rarely went into battle to kill enemies. Most of them were just decorations like jade pendants.

And if you wear a sword for a long time, you will also develop feelings for it.

Xu Shu thanked Zhou Yu, and they discussed the situation of the world in the palace and drank happily.

The more the two talked, the more they felt it was too late to meet each other. After a banquet, the relationship between the two became obviously much closer.

When the banquet was about to end, Zhou Yu suddenly put down his wine glass and said to Xu Shu: "Today the Han Dynasty is in decline, the world is in chaos, and the princes are rising together, causing the people to be robbed, refugees everywhere, and miserable."

"The chariot and cavalry general has the ambition to help the country and the people, and he is a monarch with great talent and great strategy."

"Since Yuan Zhi is so talented, why not seek an official position? In this way, he can serve the imperial court and bring peace to the people, and he can honor his family and make his wife his wife. He will live up to Yuan Zhi's talent."

Xu Shu pondered for a long time and then said: "Although I have this ambition, I have not found a clear master. Moreover, I was born in poverty and my reputation is not obvious. Even if I join the chariot general, I may not be reused."

When Zhou Yu heard this, he was overjoyed and said hurriedly: "Don't worry, Yuan Zhi. General Chariot and Cavalry is very thirsty for talents. Only those who are qualified will be promoted. If I personally recommend you, I will definitely use you again."

Xu Shu pondered for a long time, then looked up at Zhou Yu and asked: "Didn't Gong Jin always accompany the cavalry general before? Why did he return to Shu County today?"

Zhou Yu did not hide anything, and said truthfully: "The people of Lujiang are impetuous in nature, resolute in their ethos, regard death as home, and have a strong chivalrous style. If they are not restrained, they will be in danger for Lujiang."

"I presented my love to you, so I was named the Captain of the Army Guard. The Lord ordered me to recruit three thousand Lujiang soldiers here. This will not only eliminate the disaster, but also obtain a strong army."

"This is why I returned to Shu County this time."

Xu Shu's expression moved slightly, then he stood up and worshiped: "If the captain does not give up, I am willing to be a front-line pawn."

Xu Shu has a chivalrous spirit and is proficient in military strategy. If he can form an army with like-minded knights, he will be able to fulfill his long-cherished wish when he was young.

Zhou Yu was overjoyed when he heard this. He took Xu Shu's hand and said, "If you can get Yuan Zhi's help, why worry about the big thing happening?"

It didn't take long for Xu Shu to get involved with his own life, and he did not hesitate to destroy his own reputation, but also planned to help the woman raise medical expenses. Soon, Shu County was the center and radiated to the surrounding areas.

Those who had been scolding and criticizing Xu Shu were all ashamed after learning the cause and effect of the incident.

Lujiang County has a strong chivalrous spirit, and Xu Shu's heroic and courageous actions are also in line with the style of light chivalry.

For a time, Xu Shu became famous, and many knights from Lujiang County came to visit him.

With Zhou Yu's status and influence, and Xu Shu's fame and appeal, it only took a few months for the three thousand Lujiang Shangjia to be formed.

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

But it is said that Cao Cao's father, the former Taiwei Cao Song, was dismissed from office because of the Yellow Turban Rebellion. He then fled and took his young son Cao De to Langya County in Xuzhou to escape the disaster of war.

Unexpectedly, Tao Qian, the Mu of Xuzhou, attacked Yanzhou twice and even had a grudge against Cao Cao.

In order to retaliate, Cao Cao invaded Xuzhou and massacred countless people.

Originally, with Cao Song's reputation, even if he only bought the position of Three Lords, he did not worry about Tao Qian's revenge.

However, Cao Cao's massacre of the city did anger Tao Qian and the people of Xuzhou.

Cao Cao was worried about his father's safety in Xuzhou and worried that his father would be kidnapped by Tao Qian, so he wrote a letter hoping that Cao Song could come to Yanzhou.

Cao Song also knew the seriousness of the matter. After careful consideration, he immediately secretly went to Yanzhou with his family, children and belongings.

When Cao Cao heard the news, he couldn't help but be overjoyed and sent his general Ying Shao to greet him.

Xuzhou, State Shepherd's Mansion.

At this time, after being defeated and massacred, Tao Qian no longer had the spirit he had before, but his hatred for Cao Cao became even deeper.

When he learned that Cao Song was planning to move his family to Yanzhou, his eyes immediately showed a fierce look.

"If Cao Cao kid slaughters me in Xuzhou, I will destroy your whole family!"

With a murderous look on his face, Tao Qian summoned his general Zhang Kai and secretly ordered him to lead his Qingqi to rob and kill Cao Song.

But it was said that Cao Song took his family and his family from Langya County to Taishan County.

They had just arrived at the border of Taishan County when they saw a cloud of dust rising behind them and a group of light cavalry approaching.

When Cao Song saw this, he couldn't help being shocked and hurriedly ordered the guards to take precautions.

"kill!"

However, facing this regular army or a group of cavalry, how could the guards led by Cao Song be their opponent?

It didn't take long for those loyal guards to all die tragically under the butcher's knife.

Seeing this, Cao Song shouted loudly: "I am the former Taiwei Cao Song, and my son is Cao Cao, the shepherd of Yanzhou."

"If the general is looking for money, the money in the convoy can be taken away. Just let me go."

"If the general is looking for a future, he only needs to escort us to Yanzhou, and I will introduce him to the general. The general will have a bright future!"

"kill!"

However, Zhang Kai had already received Tao Qian's order and was preparing to take the lives of Cao Song's family.Moreover, he was originally from the Yellow Turban Army. Cao Cao massacred many Yellow Turban soldiers both in the early days of the Yellow Turban Rebellion and in the pacification of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Yanzhou.

As a result, Zhang Kai hated Cao Cao very much.

This is why Tao Qian sent Zhang Kai to kill Cao Song.

The horses galloped, and the knights all raised their butcher knives, and soon they slaughtered Cao Song's entire family.

Before leaving, they also took away Cao Song's countless wealth.

Zhang Kai followed Tao Qian's instructions and did not return to Xuzhou. Instead, he took his money to seek refuge with Yuan Shu, intending to divert the disaster eastward.

When Ying Shao led his troops to the border of Taishan County, they only saw corpses all over the ground.

Ying Shao was horrified. While collecting the remains of Cao Song and his family, he sent people to report back to Cao Cao.

However, he was worried that he would be killed by Cao Cao if he did something bad, so he fled to Yuan Shao to avoid trouble.

When Cao Cao learned that his father and brothers had been killed, his blood suddenly surged. His eyes turned black and he fell to the ground.

When he woke up, his eyes were red, and he gritted his teeth and said: "The revenge for killing my father is as deep as the sea. I must avenge it!"

"I want to gather all the soldiers and horses from Yanzhou, invade Xuzhou, and kill the old thief Tao Qian to pay homage to my father!"

"Who wants to be a pioneer?"

"The end will be willing to go!"

The generals of the Cao family and the Xiahou family all had red eyes and asked for battle.

Although Xun Yu, Cheng Yu and others knew that now was not a good opportunity to attack Xuzhou, when they saw Cao Cao's appearance, they also knew that they could not persuade him at all.

Moreover, the Han Dynasty ruled the world with filial piety, and Cao Cao attacked Xuzhou to avenge his father, and everyone did not know how to persuade him.

However, Xun Yu still said: "Yanzhou has just gone through a great war. Not only did it lose Chenliu County, it also spent a lot of money and food, which is not enough to support the army for a long time."

"Moreover, Sun Jian has stationed troops in Chenliu and is watching with eager eyes. If he knows that Yanzhou is empty, he will definitely lead his troops to invade, and we have to guard against it."

Cao Cao's eyes were red. Even though he was extremely angry, he still retained some sense and asked, "Does Wen Ruo have any good advice for me?"

Xun Yu pondered for a moment, and then said: "I have always heard that Duke Ming had a close personal relationship with General Chaoqi. Now that Duke Cao has been harmed by Tao Qian for no reason, why doesn't Duke Ming wipe out a letter?"

"When the generals of chariots and cavalry get this news, they may lead troops to help."

When Cao Cao heard this, he remained silent.

What Xun Yu said is certainly true. If Cao Cao could lower his face and ask for help from Zhou Qi, the other party would most likely send troops to help.

But in this way, Zhou Qi will definitely get a piece of the pie in Xuzhou.

After thinking about it, Cao Cao still felt that without Zhou Qi's help, he might not be able to capture Xuzhou with Yuan Shu eyeing him in the south.

With this in mind, he finally wrote a letter and sent it to Shouchun on a starry night trip.

But it was said that after Zhou Qi received Cao Cao's letter, he remained silent for a long time.

Logically speaking, Tao Qian's killing of Cao Song was indeed a bit excessive. If it harmed his family in troubled times, I don't know how many people would be exterminated.

However, Cao Cao's previous massacre of Xuzhou also made Zhou Qi quite unhappy.

The most important thing is that Zhou Qi knows how terrible Cao Cao is.

Historically, Cao Cao's attack on Tao Qian this time would be unsuccessful because Lu Bu stole his home.

Now that Lu Bu has been killed by Zhou Qi, Bian Rang has stayed in Jiujiang County, and Cao Cao has not killed Bian Rang, a famous scholar. Zhang Miao, Chen Gong and others may not raise their troops to rebel.

If this is the case, if Cao Cao is allowed to capture Xuzhou, his power will definitely increase greatly, which is not a good thing for Zhou Qi.

"Logically speaking, Cao Cao should have the strength to capture Xuzhou. Why did he write to me asking for help?"

Facing Zhou Qi's inquiry, Xi Zhicai smiled and said: "Sun Jian is leading the army and is watching with eager eyes. Cao Mengde is worried about losses in the rear, so he will not dare to use all the troops in Yanzhou."

When Zhou Qi heard this, he suddenly realized.

Historically, Yuan Shu was beaten to death by Cao Cao, so he didn't worry about the rear at all.

But now, Cao Cao was taken away by Yuan Shu and Chenliu County was taken away. Sun Jian still stationed a heavy army here, and he was naturally very upset.

Xi Zhicai continued: "My lord's expedition to Jingzhou was blocked by the princes, but why?"

"It's just because the princes don't want my lord to become great!"

"Cao Cao attacks Xuzhou. If Tao Qian asks for help from Yangzhou, will the Lord send troops to help?"

Zhou Qi just pondered for a moment and nodded heavily.

Regardless of his personal relationship with Cao Cao, he would not allow the other party to occupy Xuzhou.

Otherwise, Cao Cao's power will expand rapidly and he will border Yangzhou.

Zhou Qi did not want a man like Cao Cao to appear in his north.

Regardless of whether it is Tao Qian or Liu Bei, they can be used as a buffer zone to help resist Cao Cao.

Zhou Qi can also use them to consume Cao Cao's strength.

The reason why Cao Cao wrote to Zhou Qi for help was to prevent Zhou Qi from sending troops to help Tao Qian in the future.

After thinking about this, Zhou Qi immediately asked: "Do you think we should help Cao Cao?"

Tian Feng shook his head directly and said: "Jingzhou has not been conquered, and Tao Qian's destruction will not be beneficial to the lord."

"Moreover, Cao Cao was too violent. His previous attack on Xuzhou and the massacre were excessive, which would be a loss of peace."

"This time, Cao Cao was furious to avenge his father and raised an army. If he were to capture Xuzhou, he would probably massacre more people. How could my lord help Zhou to commit evil?"

When Zhou Qi heard this, he immediately said: "In that case, I will refuse Cao Mengde on the grounds that the army is short of food."

However, it is said that Cao Cao was angry and raised troops to avenge his father. In order to capture the entire Xuzhou as soon as possible, he issued a military order, that is - those who surrender after being surrounded will not be pardoned.

In other words, if Cao Cao besieged the city, even if he surrendered late, he would not be pardoned.

Previously, Cao Cao invaded Xuzhou and massacred him so much that the people of Xuzhou hated Cao Cao so much that no one was willing to surrender.

In this way, if Cao Cao wanted to carry out these military orders, he would massacre every city he conquered.

Cao Cao's massacre of the city finally made him taste the consequences. Both soldiers and civilians in the cities along the way had to fight to the death even if they shed the last drop of blood.

Cao Cao's stubborn will to resist greatly hindered the speed of implementation.

This also made the angry Cao Cao furious, leaving no chickens or dogs behind wherever he went.

Seeing Cao Cao attacking again and starting a mass killing, Tao Qian was horrified.

At this time, Tao Qian's health was getting worse after the previous defeat.

Seeing the people of Xuzhou being slaughtered by Cao Cao, Tao Qian regretted it and sent an envoy to explain to Cao Cao that he was just trying to befriend Cao Cao, so he sent Zhang Kai to lead troops to escort Cao Song.

However, Zhang Kai did not expect that Zhang Kai was born in the Yellow Turbans and had a thief nature that he did not change. Seeing the benefits, he secretly intercepted and killed Cao Song and others.

When Cao Cao heard what Tao Qian's envoy said, he became furious and shouted: "Old traitor Tao Qian, do you think I am a three-year-old child?"

"If Zhang Kai was really just looking for money, how could he kill my father and all the people accompanying him?"

Cao Cao ordered the envoy to be executed and his head was given to Tao Qian.

Tao Qian was terrified, knowing that this matter would be difficult to resolve.

And his health was getting worse and worse, and he had no energy to resist Cao Cao's attack.

Seeing that everyone was in panic, one person shouted sternly: "I have a plan to get rid of Cao Cao!"

Everyone looked around hurriedly, only to find that the person speaking was from Mi Zhu.

Tao Qian asked hurriedly: "What is Mi Zhi's clever plan?"

Mi Zhu said loudly: "Since your Majesty has formed an alliance with Gongsun Zan, why not ask Qingzhou Governor Tian Kai for help nearby?"

When Tao Qian heard this, he hesitated and said: "Tian Kai fought with Yuan Shao many times in Qingzhou, and his troops also suffered heavy casualties. How can he have any spare power to save Xuzhou?"

Another person said loudly: "I know someone who can solve the crisis in Xuzhou!"

Tao Qian looked up and found that the speaker was Chen Deng. He hurriedly asked: "Who can solve the crisis in Xuzhou?"

Chen Deng replied: "The chariot and cavalry general Zhou Qi."

　Cao Song's death is controversial, some say 193, some say 194.

　　All things considered, 194 is more credible.

　　Cao Cao attacked Tao Qian twice. The first time he attacked Tao Qian was in 193, and he massacred the city. Perhaps it was for this reason that Tao Qian killed Cao Song.

　　Cao Cao also massacred the city during his second attack on Tao Qian, but the record was not as detailed as the first time. It only recorded "many massacres". It did not achieve much results, and he withdrew his troops because Lu Bu had stolen his home.

　　This period of history is quite complicated. Today I went to the hospital and got another stab. I was lying on the bed with difficulty moving, and I didn’t do much research. So let’s leave it at that.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)