I practiced magic in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 174 Gongsun Du, You Are Not Being Obedient
The two secret guards stood in silence, their faces covered by iron masks, making it impossible to see their features and expressions. But the contemptuous look in their exposed eyes deeply hurt Chen Gong's self-esteem.

Then they turned around and left without paying any attention to Chen Gong.

"You really won't kill me?"

Chen Gong was shocked to see that he was not silenced. He refused to believe that Wang Jing was a man who was willing to keep his promise. After all, those who achieve great things do not care about trivial matters. Knowing his own abilities, he still let him go back. Is there really such a fool in the world?
Or, in Wang Jing's eyes, am I just a nobody and not worth worrying about?

"Marquis Qi, if you don't kill me today, it will be the biggest mistake you make in your life!"

Chen Gong had a feeling of being looked down upon. He was the number one strategist in Yanzhou, but in the eyes of Wang Jing, he was so insignificant. He would never accept this.

Not far from Hulao Pass, Chen Gong, who was traveling alone, encountered a caravan.

One of them laughed and said, "Gongtai, you are back alive."

"Mengde?"

Seeing the appearance of the person coming, Chen Gong showed a surprised expression, and then blamed: "You actually came here in person to meet us, aren't you afraid of being recognized and killed here?"

There was a hint of emotion and feeling in the tone of blame.

Cao Cao dismounted, stepped forward and hugged Chen Gong: "I was worried about others coming here, now I see that you are okay, I am relieved, I am glad that you can come back safely."

The journey to Luoyang was extremely dangerous. When Chen Gong volunteered to go, Cao Cao had opposed it.

"Oh, peace..."

Chen Gong had a complicated look in his eyes and told Cao Cao about how he was captured by Xun You and met Wang Jing.

Cao Cao was a wise man, so Chen Gong wanted to hear his opinion and view: "Meng De, you have made friends with Marquis Qi and are more familiar with him. Why do you think he let me go back? I can't understand this matter, and I can't sleep or eat well."

Wise men always consider too much, especially now that the world is in chaos and many heroes are rising up. Yanzhou is close to the capital, and Wang Jing is not a "good neighbor". Facing such a mortal enemy, neither Chen Gong nor Cao Cao dare to be careless.

"I can't guess what Wang Jing's intention is."

Cao Cao thought hard for a long time, but in the end he could only spread his hands to indicate that he could not guess.

"Even Meng De, you can't guess it?"

Chen Gong's expression was gloomy, and he could only sigh in the end: "It seems that we can only act according to circumstances. I hope I am just being too worried."

…………

At General Wei’s mansion, a carrier pigeon with reddish-brown feathers landed gently.

Wang Jing caught the carrier pigeon and took out the secret letter in its claws from the bamboo tube. He quickly read the contents on it. It turned out to be the news that Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, Yan Xing and others had successfully set up military offices in various places.

Several people ran around and achieved remarkable results. Basically, a military office was set up in every county, with several thousand people or several hundred people. They quickly helped Wang Jing recruit 50,000 troops.

Although most of these people are local militiamen with low organization and weak combat effectiveness, they are sufficient for local defense and maintaining public order. Wang Jing does not need to divide the main forces to suppress various places, but can concentrate them to support various places at any time.

Now with 50,000 soldiers who were half farmers and half peasants, Wang Jing's rule over the four counties of the capital was finally completely consolidated. With the help of military offices stationed in various places, his actual control even reached the county and township level.

To some extent, Wang Jing's move can be regarded as a preliminary step in breaking the monopoly of aristocratic families and powerful clans over local power.

What’s even more interesting is that after suppressing the rebellion, Wang Jing seized a large number of people, land and wealth from the defeated aristocratic families and powerful clans.

In this way, there will be capital to promote industrial upgrading.

Looking at the snowflakes falling outside the window, Wang Jing's eyes became deep and melodious: "It's time to push forward the next plan."

Meanwhile, Xun You was reading at home when the housekeeper came to report, "Master, there are guests."

"Who?"

"Yes……"

"Why are you hesitating? Just say what you want to say."

"It's the governor of Hanoi."

"..."

If there is one person in this world that Xun You least wants to see but has to see, it is only Xun Yu.

"Oh, please bring the person in."

"Yes."

Soon, the butler brought Xun Yu to the back hall.

"My dear nephew, it's been a long time since we last met. If you can't show me a big gift, you should at least show me a small gift. Otherwise, it would be rude."

In front of the housekeeper, Xun Yu reprimanded him seriously.

According to seniority, Xun Yu was the uncle and Xun You was the nephew, so they could only be scolded.

The corners of the housekeeper's mouth twitched. He wanted to laugh but didn't dare to. He could only pretend that he didn't hear it, and then quietly retreated, leaving the uncle and nephew alone.

After the housekeeper left, Xun You gave Xun Yu a cold look and said, "Didn't I tell you not to call me nephew?"

"But you are my nephew."

"I am six years older than you!"

"Age is age, seniority cannot be messed up."

Xun Yu had a look on his face that showed he had Xun You in control, and a calm and composed smile was always on his face. He had mastered the temperament of an elder to perfection.

How does it feel to call a kid six years younger than you uncle from childhood to adulthood?
Xun You said that he had a deep understanding of this.

However, Confucianism attaches great importance to etiquette, and no one can stand without etiquette, so no matter how dissatisfied he was, Xun You could only endure it. After inviting Xun Yu to sit down, he asked him the purpose of his visit: "Tell me, Wen Ruo specially came to visit you today, what is the purpose?"

As they started talking about serious matters, their expressions became serious.

Xun Yu restrained his smile and stared at Xun You: "Gongda, you have gone too far this time. Do you know how many people were killed or injured in this battle? How much resentment and anger do the noble families in the world have towards you?"

Although the tone was one of instruction, it was more about Xun Yu's concern and admonition to Xun You.

Wang Jing and Xun You planned and schemed together, and eventually brought in Zhong Ji and Wang Fu to join in, wiping out all potential resistance forces in the four counties.

Even if no one saw through such a plan at the beginning, now that Wang Jing's policies were implemented smoothly and the noble families in the four counties were massacred, the other prominent families must have come to their senses.

The world is so big, and there are many wise men. Through subsequent review and scrutiny, Wang Jing and Xun You's layout will certainly not be hidden from those who are interested.

Wang Jing's actions obviously touched the fundamental interests of the world's aristocratic families and wealthy families.

Many people regarded Xun You's behavior as aiding and abetting the tyrant, and they wanted to kill him as soon as possible.

That's why Xun Yu had to take the opportunity of returning to the capital to personally meet Xun You and remind him to be careful: "Do you know how many people out there want to kill you? Do you really want to put yourself in danger?"

Xun You certainly understood what Xun Yu meant, but he also had his own choice: "Wen Ruo, I am on a different path from you."

"What's the difference? Everyone says that I am the Xun family's talent for assisting the king, but not many people know that in terms of wisdom and insight, you, Gongda, are not inferior to me at all. But why do you want to seek your own death like this? When your hands are covered in blood and your body is covered in filth, aren't you afraid of leaving a bad name in the history books?"

Although the military remonstrance was initiated by Wang Fu and Zhong Ji, it was Xun You who helped Wang Jing plan the war and completed all the arrangements in secret.

Such a plot could be hidden from ordinary people, but not from Xun Yu, who was known as a talented person who could assist the king.

That's why Xun Yu said at the beginning that Xun You went too far.

Just because of his strategy and excessive killing, he will be criticized by Confucian scholars all over the world. A hundred years later, he may still be cursed and infamous for eternity.

Xun Yu felt sorry for Xun You. "You are a wise man, so you should understand that in history books, conspiracies and tricks are not acceptable. With your wisdom and talent, you could have had better choices and a better future. Wouldn't it be better to be remembered in history? Why do you have to make yourself a big conspirator who doesn't want to see the light of day?" Xun You answered Xun Yu's sincere words without hesitation: "In this world, there are always some difficult choices that someone has to make. In this case, why can't that person be me? My lord wants to implement a new policy, and as a counselor, I should plan and pave the way for my lord."

"Because of your scheme, the noble families are silent, the powerful clans are silent, and all the resistance that the reforms may encounter has been eliminated because of this war. But everything has a price. In the past, Lord Father Yan worked for Emperor Wu, and a decree of enfeoffment helped Emperor Wu solve the problem of vassal states, but you must not forget Lord Father Yan's fate."

"My lord is not Emperor Wu, and I will not become Lord Father Yan."

Xun You looked calm. The longer he spent with Wang Jing, the more he felt that serving such a lord was a great blessing in his life.

Wang Jing wanted to reform the dynasty's deep-rooted problems and create an unprecedented era of prosperity.

And with Xun You's assistance, regardless of success or failure, his name will surely go down in history and become a story of eternal harmony between a monarch and his ministers.

To this end, Xun You did not hesitate to use the most drastic but also fastest and most effective means to clear away all obstacles that Wang Jing would encounter in his reforms.

Xun You is not a cruel or cold-blooded person. He just chose the one with the lowest cost among all the options.

But those who were sacrificed will not be grateful to him for this. Therefore, this bloody merit, Xun You's name and achievements are destined not to be made public and will be buried in history, leaving only his name and identity.

Throughout the long river of history, there are always some people who are destined to be hidden in the darkness and never see the light of day.

As top wise men and strategists, both Xun Yu and Xun You had already foreseen all of this in their hearts.

Even Jia Xu wanted to persuade Xun You to think more about himself.
However, Xun You was not someone who would change his mind easily. He had already made up his mind: "The so-called strategy, in the final analysis, is nothing more than a choice between gain and loss. Even if my hands are covered in blood, I will never regret it. In front of my lord's great cause, anyone who dares to hinder me will be eliminated and I will never tolerate it."

Seeing that persuasion was fruitless, Xun Yu had no choice but to leave.

Xun You personally sent Xun Yu out the door. Looking at Xun Yu's back as he left, he already understood that even though they were both from the Xun family of Yingchuan, they were probably destined to take different paths in the future.

Xun You stood firmly on Wang Jing's side and was willing to do anything for the grand vision in his heart.

As for Xun Yu, although he also followed the will of Xun Shuang and even the entire Yingchuan Xun family to join Wang Jing and called Wang Jing his lord, deep down in his heart, Xun Yu may not completely agree with Wang Jing's ideas.

This is the biggest difference between Xun Yu and Xun You, and the disagreement between the two also represents that there are voices within the New Party that are different from Wang Jing's.

Or it should be said that these voices have always been there, but they had never surfaced until Wang Jing used brutal means to wipe out the rebellious families in the four counties.

There is no faction in the party, all weird and strange.

Wang Jing once mocked the old party for being internally divided. Now the new party is facing the same problem. Xun You can't help but worry about it.

After returning, Xun Yu was still in a bad mood, so he asked his good friends Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai to go out for a drink.

Guo Jia was good at observing people's hearts. As soon as he saw Xun Yu's expression, he knew that he was upset. After calculating the time, he immediately understood the reason: "Wen Ruo, have you seen Gong Da?"

Xun Yu raised his head and drank it all, then put the glass down heavily: "Yes."

"It seems you didn't convince him."

Guo Jia showed a look of understanding, and he was not surprised at all about the result.

In fact, Xun Yu had already anticipated this result, but Xun You was a member of the Xun family after all, and he and Xun You had a close relationship since childhood. Although they were uncle and nephew in name, they were actually as close as brothers.

That was why Xun Yu found it difficult to accept such a result. He could not just watch Xun You go astray and do nothing.

"Fengxiao, Zhicai, tell me, whose choice is correct, me or Gongda?"

As the wine entered his heart, Xun Yu's face also looked a little drunken.

Guo Jia held the wine glass in his hand, and thought back to the days when he and Wang Jing were together in Luoyang. Finally, he sighed and said, "There is no right or wrong in this world. There are only choices."

Xi Zhicai recalled some past events and sighed, "Although wise men have the wisdom and vision to see through the fog, human power is ultimately limited, so not every choice can be made willingly. Wen Ruo, don't think too much, just wait and see."

As friends, Xi Zhicai and the country can only comfort Xun Yu in this way, hoping that he can get out of the haze in his heart.

Although it was already night, the General Wei's mansion was still brightly lit.

In front of Wang Jing's desk were several secret reports submitted by the secret guards. He frowned when reading them, especially one of them, which came from Youzhou.

"Something happened in the north."

After reading the secret report, Wang Jing immediately ordered someone to invite Xun You.

Xun You put on a coat and hurried over. Snowflakes were still hanging on his body when he entered the room. He read the secret report at a glance and revealed a shocked and solemn expression: "Gongsun Du dared to call himself the Marquis of Liaodong!"

The north of the Yanhan Dynasty is also not peaceful. Apart from Liu Yu, the most respected governor of Youzhou, there are several other forces fighting each other.

Gongsun Zan dominated Liaoxi, Yuan Shao and Han Fu competed for hegemony in Hebei, and now Gongsun Du was unwilling to be left out. He dared to ignore the authority of the court, openly raised an army to split Liaodong and resist the imperial order.

In the vast land of Youzhou, a battle among five powerful nations is now unfolding, and the one who wins in the end will occupy the most powerful foundation in the Central Plains.

Originally, Wang Jing was happy to see this situation.

However, this information sent from Zhuo County, the hometown of Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, made Wang Jing furious.

You should know that Gongsun Du did not just proclaim himself Marquis of Liaodong. He had wicked ambitions. He also made himself the governor of Bingzhou, registered land, performed sacrifices to heaven and earth, and other imperial rites. He also divided Liaodong into Liaoxi and Zhongliao counties, and appointed his own prefects. He simply disregarded the laws of the court, which was tantamount to directly ignoring the legitimacy of Wang Jing's use of the emperor to control the other princes.

Moreover, Bingzhou belongs to Wang Jing. Currently, Zhang Liao serves as the governor of Bingzhou. He has been vigorously building mines in the local area to mine coal and meteorite iron ore, which has become a key part of Wang Jing's coal-iron joint industry plan. Gongsun Du's declaration of sovereignty over Bingzhou clearly shows that he does not take him and the Northern Army seriously and intends to snatch food from the tiger's mouth.

Xun You knew the seriousness of the matter: "My lord, if this matter is not handled properly, the power of the court and your reputation will probably be gone."

Although the imperial dynasty had lost its authority and deterrent power over the local areas after the Dong Zhuo Rebellion and the siege by the allied forces.

But now Wang Jing is using the emperor to control the princes. Although the princes are unhappy in their hearts, they still obey him on the surface and occasionally pay part of the taxes as money to buy peace.

But Gongsun Du jumped out to make trouble at this time, which was clearly a slap in the face of Wang Jing. If he was not dealt with, it would not only damage Wang Jing's face and reputation, but also many practical interests.

That was why Wang Jing was in a very unhappy mood, not to mention that he regarded Bingzhou as his base camp and rear base. Especially Jinyang was the foundation of the Wang family of Taiyuan and the place where the dragon rose, which absolutely could not be lost.

So Wang Jing asked Xun You for advice: "Gongda, how do you think this matter should be handled?"

Xun You thought for a moment and said decisively, "My lord, you can appoint Gongsun Du as the governor of Liaodong, confer him the title of Marquis of Ningxiang, and order him to attack Goguryeo in the east and Wuhuan in the west, and to exert his power along the coastal areas of Liaodong to block their way south."

Wang Jing tapped the table with his fingers, weighed the options in his mind, and felt that Xun You's strategy of containment was indeed a good one, so he nodded: "Okay."

Then Wang Jing asked again: "Who can take on this important task?"

Xun You replied, "I heard that the Southern Army General Xu Rong is from Xuantu County, Youzhou, and is a fellow countryman and good friend of Gongsun Du. We can send him to Liaodong. In addition, we can write a letter to Gongsun Zan and ask him to lead his troops to approach, creating enough pressure to force Gongsun Du to surrender."

"Okay, I'll follow your plan."

It has to be said that Xun You’s strategy is indeed the most sound.

Wang Jing now concentrates his main forces in the Luoyang area, and is powerless to reach western Liaoning.

Conferring an official title on Gongsun Du was also a temporary measure. After all, when fishing, one had to put down the bait first to lure the fish to take the bait.

The most important thing at the moment is to drive Gongsun Du to expand eastward and northward and consume his strength, so that he will not set his sights on Bingzhou and have any evil ideas, thus disrupting Wang Jing's original layout and plan.

Zhang Liao's troops in Bingzhou were already barely enough to defend against foreign invaders. If he fought with Gongsun Du, he would suffer a heavy loss regardless of victory or defeat.

Therefore, Wang Jing did not want to go to war with Gongsun Du.

"If Xu Rong is to take action, who should be in charge of guarding the Liang County area?"

Wang Jing thought about it for a while, and soon found the most suitable candidate: "Gongda, is Wei Yan back?"

"Zhechou Xiaowei is currently leading his troops to suppress the rebellion in Gaoshi County. Do you want to transfer him to the capital?"

(End of this chapter)