Three Kingdoms: I don’t want to fall in love in troubled times

Chapter 192 Looking for Liu Xuande

The location of Guangning County almost coincides with that of Zhangjiakou in later generations.

The Yinshan Mountains run through it, and the Great Wall leaves a pass in the steep and gentle part of the mountains. One on the left and one on the right guard the two counties of Ning and Guangning respectively. There is also a mobile force of Colonel Wuhuan stationed nearby.

In peacetime, it is a window for trade exchanges with the foreign tribes in the north, but in wartime, as long as you defend this place, you can use the terrain and the Great Wall to resist large-scale invasions of foreign tribes and keep the enemy outside the wall. It can be said that this pass is the defense center of the entire Shanggu County, the so-called gateway.

After the group gathered together and rested for a while, the envoy Sun Zi came forward to see the Guangning County Magistrate with the talisman given by the imperial court.

"I didn't expect to see an envoy from the imperial court here." The county magistrate did not wear official uniform, but wore a suit of armor. He was dusty and looked like a junior officer who could be seen everywhere in the border army. "I don't know. What did the angel come for?"

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Sun Zi had never seen a county magistrate dressed like this before, and he thought he was being tricked into trading for the prince. He looked back at Xu Jiashu, with a hesitant look on his face, wondering whether he should reveal his mission.

"We have to be on guard against the Xianbei people here in Xiaguan at all times, so the armor cannot be left behind." The county magistrate explained lightly, "I don't mean to be disrespectful. I hope the angel will forgive me."

A counter-intuitive thing is that behind Gongsun Zan's repeated defeats of Wuhuan and Xianbei, it actually reflects the decline of the northern border defense of the Han Dynasty - it is precisely because of the power of the foreign tribes that border counties need to take the initiative to eliminate the tribes they gathered on the border.

In the years when the Han Dynasty was strong, the Xiongnu and Wuhuan tribes honestly used the Xiongnu Zhonglang General and the Wuhuan Colonel Guard as obedient citizens and mercenaries. How could there be so many wars? It is said that those who are good at fighting have no great achievements, and only the chief officials who are on the border can experience this first-hand.

As an important border town, Guangning County must be cautious in peacetime, not to mention that now the defense line is leaking everywhere, and it can only compete with Ning County, which is also isolated in the north of Shanggu County, so no amount of precautions can be taken.

After all, there is only one General White Horse.

"Where." Sun Zi was just starting out and had not learned the bad habit of putting on airs to pick on Qiao in the officialdom. He just waved his hands and said: "The county prince's concern for state affairs is a blessing to the great man. How can he be blamed?"

The county magistrate still just nodded, looking neither salty nor indifferent.

Xu Jiashu, who was standing behind Sun Zi, looked at him with interest and thought deeply in his heart.

In the past, no matter how upright a local official was, he would never have had such an attitude towards the imperial envoy holding a talisman - Sun Zi had neither asked for bribes nor made things difficult for him, so why would he reject people thousands of miles away like this?

Ultimately, it is because the central government has lost its authority.

In the more than two hundred years of Eastern Han Dynasty, no matter how the imperial court fought internally and how much the emperor was persecuted by his relatives and scholars, it was still an internal matter that Nangong dealt with behind closed doors. No matter how dirty and dirty the family scandal was, it would not be publicized.

After leaving the gate of Nangong, Luoyang is still the center of the world. The emperor is naturally aware of everything, all ministers are loyal to the country, and the majesty of the imperial court is supreme and inviolable.

But now, the capital city that has been built for hundreds of years has been burned to the ground, the emperor has been easily deposed, and his officials and ministers have been displaced. When the mysterious veil on the imperial court was lifted, the world began to react.

It turns out that you are also members of the Caotai team.

Taking this county magistrate as an example, we can see that once the imperial court loses the power of rewards and punishments and exposes its weak and powerless nature, it will inevitably be regarded as a symbol or symbol and be kept at a distance.

"We have been ordered by the emperor to come to Shanggu County to look for Mr. Lu." Xu Jiashu took a few steps forward and said directly: "I wonder if the county can inform Mr. Lu of his whereabouts?"

Hearing this, the Guangning County Magistrate's heart tightened - what was supposed to come had finally come.

"The official is busy with military affairs all day long, but he doesn't know Mr. Lu." While dealing with the envoys, he was thinking about how to inform Lu Zhi. "Can the angel make it clear?"

At first, Lu Zhi opposed Dong Zhuo's abolition of the throne, argued head-on with him, and then retired and returned to his hometown. This matter was known to the world. What's more, he was almost assassinated by someone sent by Dong Zhuo on the way. Before he understood the purpose of the imperial envoy's visit, the county magistrate could not decide whether he should know the whereabouts of Lu Zhi.

Xu Jiashu winked at Sun Zi, who nodded and took out the official documents from the Chancery's desk.

"Don't worry, county magistrate. I am not here to harm Mr. Lu." Xu Jiashu comforted the obviously nervous magistrate and said: "The emperor has an edict, please ask Mr. Lu to come out and save the people of Hebei from fire and water."

"Is that so?" The county magistrate took the official document and read it carefully, raised his head, and finally showed his emotions, "Gong Lu is finally going to be reused!"

State animal husbandry!

Throughout Lu Zhi's life, although he was able to write books and establish theories, and his military skills were able to help danger and calm chaos, his official career was never prosperous. In his early years, he served as the prefect of Jiujiang and Lujiang, and later wrote history in Luoyang Nangong. He was not at his peak. He served as Beizhong Langjiang, and was slandered on the way to pacify the Yellow Turbans in Jizhou. In the end, his official career ended as a mere minister.

Unexpectedly, after retiring from old age and returning to his hometown, he finally broke through the ceiling of two thousand stones and was appointed as a feudal official!

"Didn't the county gentleman just say that he didn't know Mr. Lu?" Sun Zi smiled and said, "I wonder if we can be honest with each other now?"

"The angel didn't know something." The county magistrate then took a new look at this "angel" and told him bluntly: "Gong Lu and his tribe are living in seclusion in Jundu Mountain."

Hearing this, Xu Jiashu showed an expression of sudden realization - no wonder this person had refused to tell the whereabouts of Lu Zhi before.

Jundu Mountain is located at the junction of the Yanshan Mountains and the Taihang Mountains. It is adjacent to the Yanshan Mountains at Gubeikou to the east, and faces the Taihang Mountains at the Juyongguan Pass to the west. It is a first-class choke point within Youzhou. If you occupy this mountain, you will control it. The only way to pass through Shanggu County and Guangyang County.

Even a child cannot be deceived by saying that he is living in seclusion in such a pass, let alone being stationed with his clan members. It is not an exaggeration to say that he has evil intentions.

"I wonder if the county gentleman is willing to introduce us to us?" Xu Jiashu asked: "Let's go to Jundu Mountain to visit Mr. Lu tomorrow?"

The county magistrate was overjoyed - this was an opportunity to burn the cold stove that came to his door.

"It's what you wish for!"

The next day.

At the foot of Jundu Mountain, Xu Jiashu saw a large flag with the character "Lu" fluttering in the wind from a distance, and Xu Jiashu knew that he had finally found the rightful owner of this trip. In order to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, they decided to let the Guangning County Magistrate go up the mountain to report first, while the remaining more than a hundred people waited for the news at the foot of the mountain.

Not long after, the person who came out to receive the envoys turned out to be a little young lady. He was wearing a green shirt. His thin body was shivering in the cold wind, but he still managed to steady his breath and saluted everyone.

"I am Lu Yu, the son of Duke Lu," the future Sikong of Cao Wei, the Marquis of Rongcheng County, introduced himself, "Everyone, please wait here for a moment. My father invites an angel to go up the mountain to talk."

The meaning was obvious. This samurai, who knew at a glance that Bai Laihao was not easy to mess with, should continue to stay at the foot of the mountain. In other words, only three people, Sun Zi, Xu Jiashu and Lu Lingqi, could go up the mountain.

The captain of the guard wanted to come forward to argue, but Lu Yu just insisted on his father's order and refused to let go. Finally, under Dong Bai's stop, the captain of the guard had no choice but to give up.

Xu Jiashu followed Xiao Zhengtai up the mountain from the foot of the mountain, and saw that the camps along the way were lined up in rows and neatly arranged. At first glance, they were the work of a veteran military expert. In addition, the planning for water collection and planting is also clear, and the Lu people live in it and each has their own division of labor.

To put it bluntly, if war comes, as long as the key point of Jundu Mountain is defended, even if thousands of troops are sent out, they will not be able to capture this fortress.

Anyone with a little discernment can see that troubled times are coming. Many families have made the decision to avoid chaos. For example, the Xun family and the Chen family have taken their people away from the hinterland of the Central Plains. However, compared with Lu Zhi's response, these top The whole family was put down.

This is not a seclusion, it simply laid the foundation of the Lu family in one fell swoop.

You must know that when troubled times come, the initial chaos and killings are often indiscriminate, and the more powerful the family, the easier it is to bear the brunt.

Deep-rooted families such as the Yuan and Yang families still suffered disaster in the political struggle, but as long as they got through the initial period of chaos, they could choose sides and bet when the situation became clearer.

The garrison in Dushan was a masterstroke - it not only avoided the war, but also firmly occupied the chokepoint of Youzhou, which accumulated valuable bargaining chips for the family. No matter who wanted to get Youzhou later, they had to buy it off first. Only Lu can do it.

Compared with the foolish and loyal Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun who were still fighting, Lu Zhi had seen through everything as early as Dong Zhuo's dethronement, and returned to Youzhou to lay out the plans for the following troubled times. It can only be said that there is a gap between the three heroes of the late Han Dynasty. Lu Zhi's decision directly contributed to the continuous prosperity of the Fanyang Lu family, which has lasted for thousands of years.

"Gong Lu is truly worthy of being a famous general in the world!"

Xu Jiashu couldn't help but praise loudly, which made the young lady Lu Yu turn around frequently. She didn't know why the deputy envoy from the imperial court suddenly said such words.

Lu Zhi's residence is on a platform halfway up the mountain. It has a wide view and convenient communication. It is simply a natural tent for the Chinese army.

Before he entered the house, Xu Jiashu felt a strong smell coming to his face - it was a strange smell that mixed the bitterness of herbs and the smell of charcoal smoke. Looking in through the front door, Lu Zhi was sitting at the top. , his face was bloodless, and he coughed slightly from time to time.

This is not a model of a scholar who has achieved immortality through meritorious deeds and words. He is just a dying old man.

The winter in Youzhou is already difficult, not to mention that Lu Zhi has to lead his people to race against time to prepare for the coming troubled times. He cannot let go of the burden on his shoulders for a moment, at least he cannot die until he has completed paving the way for future generations.

Xu Jiashu reached out and patted the young lady Lu Yu on the shoulder, and asked in a low voice: "Mr. Lu, is there hot tea here?"

"Yes," Lu Yu nodded, "Angel, wait a moment."

When the young lady brought the hot tea, Xu Jiashu quietly took out a petal from his pocket, crushed it with his fingertips, and soaked it into the tea - this little yellow flower was neither an elixir of death nor a computer accessory, but at least it had some health benefits. benefit.

Although he didn't know the specific time of Lu Zhi's death, seeing was believing, so it was better to help him out. Otherwise, let alone leaving the mountain, the old man was afraid that he would be buried soon.

"Xu Zimao, the younger generation, has heard about Lu Gong for a long time, and today he got to meet the real person." Since the people who went up the mountain together were all his own people, Xu Jiashu didn't bother to hide his name and directly reported his name. The county prince has already told Mr. Lu to come out of the mountain immediately!"

Although both of them lived in Luoyang for a period of time, Xu Jiashu was still copying the "Xiping Stone Classic" at home when Dong Zhuo was deposed and had not officially embarked on an official career, so he had no chance to meet this famous person in the world. .

"I'm still wondering why there are still people in the court who want me." Lu Zhi picked up the hot tea and took a sip. He suddenly felt much better. "It turned out to be Xu Zimao's handiwork."

"Gong Lu is so powerful that there is no need for brats to advocate." Xu Jiashu shook his head quickly, "There is chaos in Hebei and Yuan Benchu's ambitions. Unless Lu Gong comes out, who else can control it?"

Lu Zhi endured the boiling temperature and drank the hot tea in the cup in one gulp. He took a long breath and narrowed his eyes with satisfaction. After a long time, he calmly replied: "It's rare that the court still needs this old dog of mine to bite people."

"Why did Lu Gong say this?" Hearing this, Xu Jiashu smiled bitterly and said, "It's too unpleasant to say so."

He didn't deny it.

Throughout the battle for Jizhou, the court in Chang'an was only concerned about one thing, that is, the princes of Guandong had begun to regard the power of sealing borders and splitting the land as private property.

This is the most intolerable thing as the central government - Han Fu giving up Jizhou? What qualifications does he have to give up Jizhou? Wasn't his position as state pastor awarded by the imperial court? What is the difference between such behavior and rebellion?

Therefore, this example must not be used. Once the princes of Guandong follow suit and regard the prefectures and counties in the world as their own private property, the imperial court will be reduced to an ordinary separatist force occupying a corner of Chang'an, and the emperor of the Han Dynasty will be reduced to the city of Chang'an. long!

In order to avoid this situation, even if it was a minister like Lu Zhi who had been abandoned like a worn-out shoe, the court would lick his face and invite him back to compete with Yuan Shao.

Lu Zhi saw this clearly, so he could openly express his grievances and dissatisfaction.

"Humph!"

The old man snorted coldly again - he was completely different from Xu Jiashu who was so angry when he entered. He raised the cup with hesitation and found that not a drop was left, so he continued: "Only a piece of paper, let me go and talk to Yuan Benchu." In the competition, the imperial court is too stingy."

"If you want anything else Lu Gong wants, just ask, I will do my best." Xu Jiashu came closer and took out the silk book written by Liu Yu from his arms, "There is just one more thing, so that Lu Gong knows."

"Not long ago, two groups of people did pass by from the east." After reading the silk book, Lu Zhi sighed, "Unexpectedly, Liu Bo'an would be in such a disaster!"

"This letter is a request for help from the Jizhou Korean Festival." Xu Jiashu concealed the outrageous details of Hongyan's letter and continued to ask: "Now that the affairs of the two states are involved, I wonder what Mr. Lu will do?"

"I'll go and dissuade Bo Gui myself," Lu Zhi pondered for a moment, "Zimao is going to help with another thing."

"Don't hesitate to give Lu Gong's orders." Xu Jiashu nodded, "This junior should obey you without hesitation!"

"In today's world, nothing can be accomplished without soldiers." Lu Zhi said slowly: "My clansmen are not from the military. It is okay to guard this military capital mountain, but it is of no use. Zi Mao needs to go there." Qingzhou, find someone."

"Who?"

"Although this person is unknown, he has the ambition to revive the Han Dynasty."

As if he was afraid that Xu Jiashu would look down on the unknown, Lu Zhi rarely praised his incompetent older disciple.

"Liu Xuande, the commander of Gaotang, is the same."

(End of this chapter)