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

Chapter 213 Crossing the River

How to return to Chang'an from Jizhou?

After first eliminating the high-risk option of Bingzhou, the question can be simplified to: From which direction can you enter the Sili Xiaowei Department?

Originally this was not a problem - Jizhou and Sili Xiaoweibu were adjacent to each other, and even Yecheng was near the border between the two states, very close to Hanoi County.

However, Wang Kuang, the prefect of Hanoi, had previously killed his brother-in-law Hu Wuban (one of the five ministers who were envoys to Guandong), which led to a joint attack by the Hu family and Cao Cao (seemingly instructed by Yuan Shao), and this territory was empty. Down, it has been occupied by Yuan Shao as his base camp. Therefore, Hanoi County and Jizhou are in a state of war at this time.

So the envoys could only retreat and do the next best thing, crossing the Yellow River south, taking Yanzhou and Yuzhou to enter the customs. It was a small circle on the map, and the location of crossing the river was Puyang, which is the seat of Dongjun and Yanzhou. It is an important hub town, facing Jizhou across the Yellow River, and is also the most suitable ferry crossing.

On the other side, according to Lu Zhi's order, Liu Bei led the Jizhou army and began to sweep around Yecheng, and sent Xu Zimao off. However, everyone was surprised to find that there were not many troops under the banner of Yuan Shao remaining in Wei County. On the contrary, many dilapidated and uninhabited villages quietly appeared.

With great difficulty, everyone found a half-dead injured person and learned the reason for all this from his mouth.

The Black Mountain bandits came down the mountain.

The so-called Black Mountain Bandits refer to a large group of bandits with the Taihang Mountain area as the core.

"Book of the Later Han Dynasty" says: "Since the Yellow Turban Thieves, there have been Heishan, Huanglong, Baibo, Zuo Xiao, Guo Daxian (Guo Tai?), Yu Digen, Qingniujiao, Zhang Baiqi (Zhang Sheng?), Liu Shi, Zuo Mustache Zhangba, Pinghan (Tao Sheng), Daji, Sili, Chuzai, Lei Gong, Fuyun, Feiyan (Zhang Yan), Baique, Yang Feng (Yang Feng?), Yu Du (Chaoge Renshi), The disciples of Wulu, Li Damu, Bai Rao, Qi Gu (a native of Jizhou), and Kuchou are all in the valley, and they are countless..."

Among them, Zhang Yan once begged for surrender from Emperor Ling, and was awarded the post of General of the Lieutenant General who was in trouble, managing all parts of Montenegro, and thus became the nominal leader of this huge bandit force that spread throughout Hebei.

During the long winter that just passed, hundreds of thousands of Black Mountain bandits also fell into a food crisis. As soon as the weather got warmer, they all started to plunder the surrounding areas, including Bingzhou, Jizhou, and even those across the river. Yanzhou was hit hard at the same time.

And this is just the forerunner of the upcoming wave of bandits in the Central Plains in the second year of Chuping.

When the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans complete their internal division, except for a small number who stay in the territory and follow Guanhai to besiege Beihai County, most of the rest will also spread to the surrounding areas.

Historically, the Black Mountain Bandits and the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans suffered heavy defeats at the hands of Gongsun Zan, Yuan Shao, Cao Cao and Lu Bu respectively, and finally disappeared under the joint efforts of several warlords. Among them, Cao Cao even jumped from Yuan Shao's subordinate to Yuan Shao's subordinates with his military exploits. Becoming the actual master of Yanzhou truly completed primitive accumulation.

In other words, as expected, Cao Mengde’s gift package for beginners is already on the way.

The Yellow River had thawed. When Xu Jiashu and others came to the ferry, they saw boats on the river like ants gathering. Boatmen were coming and going, transporting truckloads of grain, grass and ordnance to the other side. They asked a boatman: "Boatman, what's going on here?" Which general is going to cross the river in such a grand manner?"

The boatman glanced at him, shook his head and said, "Where do we care about this? The prefect asked us to come, so we came. But from what they said, it seems that the general is called Cao Fenwu, but I don't know what his name is."

General Fenwu, Cao Cao's official position at this time, was just like Yuan Shao's Chariot General. Basically, only the princes participating in the coalition would recognize it. As for the name, the soldiers under his command naturally did not dare to call him by his first name. .

"Here," the boatman said with a slight shake of his head toward the other side, "that short-built guy should be him."

Xu Jiashu followed and looked, and there was indeed a faint figure on the other side of the river. He was staring at his food, grass and weapons, for fear that a grain of rice or a knife would be missing.

Cao Cao was a little uneasy.

This was the opportunity for him to lead an independent army again after being dependent on others for a long time since the defeat of Xingyang. His mission was to rescue Puyang, the seat of Dongjun, which was under siege.

Yanzhou is located in the heart of the Central Plains. Although its governor Liu Dai is a clan member of the Han Dynasty, he has always looked up to Yuan Shao. Therefore, Cao Cao's march was not hindered, and Liu Dai's attitude was even quite welcoming.

There is no way, Yanzhou is facing too much pressure.

Although Jizhou is a piece of fat, it is also the strongest among the states in Hebei. In addition, Yuan Shao and Lu Zhi are famous, so the Black Mountain bandits did not dare to use their main force in the direction of Wei County. They just took the road south and looted villages on the way. It's just a manor, and there is no idea of ​​​​taking the city.

But things were different in Yanzhou. At this moment, nearly 100,000 people gathered in Dongjun. Leaders such as Yu Du, Bai Rao, and Sui Gu participated in the grand event, and directly beat Liu Dai's direct descendant Wang Gong to the point of panic. Yuan Shao took the opportunity to let Cao Cao In the name of supporting the friendly forces, he crossed the river south to resist the Black Mountain bandits.

Yuan Shao's most important thing at the moment is to concentrate on fighting for Jizhou with Lu Zhi. He urgently needs a die-hard ally on the south bank of the Yellow River. Liu Dai's simple siding with the party is not enough. He has to be 100% himself. His younger brother and younger brother Cao Cao Just a good candidate.

For Cao Cao, this was also the last chance to make a comeback.

With Yuan Shao's current power, almost all the princes in Guandong are on his side. As long as Cao Cao performs in the war against the Black Mountain bandits, the reward given by Yuan Shao will definitely not be shabby - anyway, it is all Yuan Cheqi's pretense. There is no need to worry about the territory gained not being recognized.

The great achievements you make are the great official achievements you make. This is not a pot of raw rice, it is a buffet! No wonder Cao Cao is so nervous about his weapons and supplies. These are the capital for a comeback, and they will be earned back thousands of times in the future!

The late winter sun shone warmly on his body. As he considered the belongings in his hands, Cao Fenwu was so ambitious that he couldn't help but want to compose a poem on the shore.

Oh, at this time, Cao Cao was so poor that he couldn't afford to use it, so that's okay.

Behind him, his eldest son Cao Ang and the generals of the Xiahou clan followed closely. These are the core members of Cao Cao's small group.

The Cao family and the Xiahou family have been married for generations, and the two families are almost inseparable from each other. No matter how miserable Cao Cao is, these people will never abandon him, and after experiencing the Battle of Xingyang and subsequent military training, they have gradually gained some skills.

It can be said that Cao Cao's team was led by him personally from the beginning, with this group of brothers as the core, and gradually fought out of the chaos of the late Han Dynasty. It is a classic family business, with no cohesion, but over-reliance. Cao Cao's carry also led to the fact that in the later period, Cao Wei could only take charge of one aspect of the game, and there was no commander who took charge of the overall situation.

Moreover, the founders of the Cao family and the Xiahou family all grew up with Cao Cao, so although this generation is powerful, the time of growth and death is also very close. A large number of the entrepreneurial generation died, leaving Cao Wei in the late period and unable to suppress it. The boss of the place.

But at least at this moment, Cao Cao's team is still strong enough.

Except for the fact that the adviser group was captured first.

Here, Cao Mengde took stock of his assets like an old farmer who had a good harvest, and suddenly discovered something was wrong - when did he have so many elite cavalry under his command? Looking at his fierce and capable appearance, he couldn't afford it by asking for help from Yuan Shao. Could it be that Yuan Benchu ​​had given him some extra surprises in view of his previous achievements?

The altitude was too low to see clearly, so he turned and asked Cao Ang, "Zixiu, have you ever seen those people on the boat?"

Cao Ang shook his head.

On the other hand, Cao Hong next to him looked more and more strange. He touched his chin and recalled that this outfit and temperament looked familiar to him.

"Brother, he is from Liangzhou! He is a cavalryman from Liangzhou!"

Cao Hong slapped Cao Cao on the shoulder, startling him. When he heard the Liangzhou cavalry, he would mount his horse and run away as a habit. What a pity. After the war in Xingyang, he had a dream, and in his dream he was surrounded by these Liangzhou cavalrymen. The big horse is chasing me!

"Meng Dexiu needs to panic!"

Cao Ren held him down again and said, "Why are there Liangzhou cavalry in Puyang? Isn't there a new Liangzhou man named Ju Yi under Yuan Benchu's command? He's probably from Yuan Benchu, maybe." After thinking about it, he still decided Four words were added at the end.

After all, Xu Rong cast such a huge shadow on them that it would not be an exaggeration to say that they were suffering from PTSD.

"Ok?"

Hearing this, Cao Cao calmed down - mainly because Cao Ren couldn't move even if he held him down. "Well, my filial piety is right. You must not panic and don't move."

"So, Yuan Benchu ​​also sent people to Yanzhou?" Cao Cao looked at his Liangzhou horse and said with emotion: "He is indeed Yuan Benchu. Heroes from all over the world under his command gather to serve him. If one day."

The following words were not spoken, but Cao Cao knew it in his heart.

If he were to gain power one day, he would have to create an even more spectacular scene. Let alone a Liangzhou native, even a poor scholar, as long as he had talents, why couldn't he display his ambitions? Do you have to bow your head and obey the orders of the world in order to get the scraps they reward?

Starting from the Early Han Dynasty, Long Xungui held the high position, and the marriages between each other became intricate. Although the Later Han Dynasty had an additional path to inherit Confucian classics, the degree of solidification was even worse.

Take the Yuan family in Runan, for example. From Yuan An's generation to the current generation of high-ranking officials and generous salaries, can his Yuan family really produce wise men from generation to generation? Are all generations worthy of sitting on the throne of the Three Lords? Nowadays, the world is in chaos and heroes are rising together. Isn’t it because normal channels cannot accommodate them at all?

He also knows very well that if you want to break the stereotypes, shouting slogans of benevolent government will not work. Only when the rulers recruit people of insight regardless of their origins can the world's heroes have a way to go, and only in this way can the world be peaceful.

As the saying goes, when the Duke of Zhou vomits food, the world returns to its heart.

"If one day," Cao Ren's younger brother Cao Chun took over, "we can afford to raise this kind of cavalry, then we will be able to stand out!"

"Hahahahahaha, Zihe has a far-sighted vision." Cao Cao laughed and turned around, hitting Cao Chun's chest, "If you really raise this kind of cavalry, you will be my personal soldier and I will leave it to you to lead!"

"Brother, you must keep your word!"

"Brother never lies to anyone."

The boat of Xu Jiashu and others gradually approached. Cao Cao glanced at it and first passed over Dong Bai, who looked too young. His eyes stayed on Lu Lingqi for a moment, and then he shook his head regretfully - although he was in good shape, it was a pity that he was too heroic. It's heavy, and it looks a bit childish, making it unappetizing.

In this era, women can talk about marriage at the age of twelve, and often they have already given birth to a child when they are still a child. No one else knows about the scene. Anyway, Cao Cao felt that it was quite embarrassing, so women still have to wait until around twenty-three or four. Only when they are fully developed can they have an attractive character, and the best age is around thirty years old. The taste of this cannot be explained by outsiders.

I understand everything I understand.

It's a pity that women in their twenties, let alone thirty years old, have probably been wives for many years. Therefore, his extremely normal hobbies seem out of place among the lolicons in the Han Dynasty. Sometimes, Cao Cao would also be puzzled - wouldn't the bones irritate his hands? Really not enjoying it!

The generals of the Cao family and the Xiahou family behind them drew their swords out of their scabbards just in case, and looked like they were ready to fight. They only waited for Cao Cao's order to beat this group of cavalry before they were able to gain a firm foothold.

When Xu Jiashu saw the forest of swords flashing on the shore, he habitually pulled Dong Bai behind him - the little witch in the simulation who was under pressure and grew rapidly was good, but if she could, she might not be able to choose to continue to be a heartless person. The little princess Dong of Lung.

When Dong Bai saw this scene, he hid his body behind him honestly, but muttered softly, "Why are you not welcome wherever you go?"

"Yes." Xu Jiashu nodded and replied as if he was confused: "A good young man like me who abides by the law should be loved by everyone."

"You are talking nonsense again." Dong Bai covered his mouth and chuckled, "You are not loved by everyone."

She was in a good mood, no, very good.

The Dong family's attempt to integrate into the imperial court was very successful. According to the political system of the Eastern Han Dynasty, relatives could legitimately assume imperial power.

In other words, if nothing serious happens, even if we lose power in the future, the lives of the entire clan will not be wiped out with one click.

In this case, it doesn't hurt to be a little more arrogant.

She tugged on Xu Zimao's sleeve and asked him to lower his head, "I have something to tell you."

Xu Jiashu squatted down.

silence.

"Didn't you have something to say?" Xu Jiashu turned to look at her with a puzzled expression on his face, "You just forgot about it when it came to your mouth, right?"

"Forget it," Dong Bai lowered his head and tugged at his collar, and said in a low voice, "I will tell you when the day comes."

She wanted to tell Xu Zimao that he didn't have to worry about Dong's revenge in the future. If he wanted, he could even come and sit at her door, meet her relatives and pet her puppy.

However, even the most wild fantasies seem to be unable to reach this level.

It is not difficult to make those short-sighted philistine tribesmen change their tune. They only want to cling to Grandpa's power. As long as the benefits are enough, they don't care about the death of a distant relative. But the key is the attitude of Chi Yangjun and Dong Min. One is The ancestors, one of whom is the current head of the Dong family, would never agree to reconcile with the murderer of his direct descendant.

Just wait a little longer, Dong Bai looked at the looming ice edges in the river. Even if this long winter seemed to never end, wouldn't it be over in the end? Then his wish may not be just a murmur in his dream.

"Okay then," Xu Jiashu asked casually, "which day?"

"When it snows."

If it snows again, it will be another winter. Dong Bai feels that she has left herself a long time.

(End of this chapter)