Soldiers come to the world

Longzhong Wharf is just a small wharf, which can only moor a dozen ferries at a time, but the business is very good. Most of the scholars from Longzhong Town go to Fancheng for shopping and entertainment. Especially on school holidays, the wharf is crowded with people and it is very lively. .

But since Cai Jin burned more than [-] ferry boats in Fancheng, the Longzhong Wharf has become very quiet, and there is basically no one in sight, and the wreckage of the burned ships is still floating in the river beside the wharf.

But before dawn, the old man guarding the pier was almost fainted by the scene in front of him. He saw that in the looming mist, the river outside the pier was densely packed with warships, covering the sky and the sun. The grand occasion was unprecedented. A sight never seen before in the pier.

The old man hurriedly rode on the little donkey and hurried to the military camp several miles away. General Cai told him that if he had any visions, he should report them immediately.

Not long after, Cai Jin came galloping with a few entourages on horseback. He got off his horse, waved his hand and shouted to the nearest boat, "I am Cai Jin, the Yajiang General, the old friend of Taishou Liu. May I ask if Taishou Liu is here?"

After a while, a small boat was put down, and a sergeant came to the boat, cupped his hands and said with a smile: "General Cai, my prefect welcomes you!"

Cai Jin boarded the boat, and not long after, Cai Jin was brought onto a large ship, which was the main ship of the Jiangxia Navy. Cai Jin was led to the door of the cabin, and the soldiers reported, "Report to the prefect, General Cai is here."

"Please come in!"

Cai Jin walked into the cabin and saw a model of the camp on a table in the cabin. Beside the table, Liu Jing was discussing the details of setting up the camp with several generals.

Seeing Cai Jin walk in, Liu Jing smiled at Gan Ning and said, "Let's set up camp according to this plan! Pay special attention to the guard tower defense. It's better to be tedious than careless."

"Follow the order!"

Gan Ning was transferred by Liu Jing from Chaisang because of Li Jun's unhealed injury to be the deputy general of Cao's army in this western expedition. He saluted and left in a hurry.

Liu Jing smiled at Cai Jin, "We haven't seen each other for two years!"

"Yes! It's been more than two years and one month. Last time I came to Jiangxia for business."

Liu Jing nodded, waved his hands and said with a smile: "Please sit down!"

The two sat down by the window, Liu Jing glanced at him again, there were three shocking bloodstains on Cai Jin's face, and on his neck, it could be seen that they were whipped, and the marks were very new, it should have happened recently.

"What's the matter with the wound on your face?"

"Alas! It is my Patriarch who is angry."

Cai Jin then talked about the burning of the boat, but he didn't say the reason, and finally said sadly: "The Patriarch was furious and beat me with more than a dozen whips."

Liu Jing glanced at the wreckage of the ferry that was faintly visible outside the window. In fact, this was the first thing he cared about. Why did Cai Jin burn the boat?He really couldn't figure out Cai Jin's motives.

"Can you tell me why the ship was burned? Is this an order from General Wen?"

Cai Jin felt bitter in his heart, sighed and said: "Speaking of which, I should have cut it off. The boat is a public property of Jingzhou, but I burned it because of family interests. I am really ashamed in my heart. When Shuai Wen comes back, I will apologize to him!"

"Burning the boat is what your family means?" Liu Jing asked puzzled, why did the Cai family want to burn the boat.

Cai Jin nodded, "It was my grandfather's idea. He was worried that the Patriarch would not be able to withstand the pressure of Cao Jun and surrendered to Cao Jun, so he ordered me to set fire to the ferry boat, to put an end to the Patriarch's idea. Unfortunately, there were still more than [-] people left in the end." No ship burned."

This reason made Liu Jing very surprised. He also knew that the Cai family was the same as the Tao family. Cai Mao was the head of the family in name, but in fact the power of the family was in the hands of the previous head of the family. Liu Jing also knew that Cai Xun was an extremely powerful person. A wise elder of the Cai family.

He thought to himself, "This man is quite knowledgeable, I would like to visit him when I have time." '

Thinking of this, Liu Jing asked with a smile: "Are you going to see your grandfather recently?"

"I'm going in a few days."

"You might as well call me when you go, I also want to visit Ling Zu."

"The prefect wishes to go, I will definitely tell."

The two chatted casually, and then the topic turned to Wenpin. Cai Jin was more concerned about Master's situation, and he asked cautiously, "I don't know how my Master is doing now? He should be in Jiangxia, right?"

"General Wen has already arrived in Jiangxia. He set off almost at the same time as me, but he has to avoid Zhang Yun. He will probably arrive in Xiangyang two days later. He should arrive in Xiangyang tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."

"I can rest assured that!"

Liu Jing pondered for a moment, and then asked in a joking tone: "If one day, Cao Cao personally led the army to go south, under pressure, your master surrendered to Cao Cao, I wonder if brother Cai will follow? Honestly, please Brother Cai, don't blame me!"

Liu Jing's question was extremely rude to a certain extent, and it was a bit of an insult to the head of the Cai family in disguise, but Cai Jin was not angry. Liu Jing's words hit his heart. He knew that the head of the family would surrender sooner or later in order to protect the interests of the family. Cao Cao, so what should Cai Jin do?

After a long silence, Cai Jin sighed and said, "I will go with Master, where is Master going? I will go there."

Cai Jin's answer was within Liu Jing's expectation. He made such a big circle not for Cai Jin, but for Wenpin. The person he really wanted was Wenpin.

But Liu Jing also knew that Wenpin was loyal to Liu Biao, and as long as Liu Biao was around, Wenpin would not consider any place to go.

But Liu Biao's time is running out, and the time for Wenpin's decision is getting closer, and Wenpin is a loyal person, will he continue to be loyal to Liu Cong, or switch to Liu Qi?

This made Liu Jing very worried. Now that Cai Jin was sitting in front of him, could he know something about Wenpin's plan from Cai Jin?

Or use Cai Jin as a breakthrough point, and finally recruit Wenpin to his subordinates through Cai Jin. To put it bluntly, the death of Liu Biao is the beginning of the great division of Jingzhou.

Liu Jing sat up straight, looked into Cai Jin's eyes and said slowly: "Brother Cai, have you considered coming to Jiangxia and fighting against Cao with me?"

Cai Jin was silent. In fact, he wanted to join Liu Jing three years ago, but because of his master, he didn't choose to go to Jiangxia, but stayed with his master.

Now that Liu Jing formally proposed this hope to him, Cai Jin had mixed feelings in his heart and didn't know how to answer for a moment.

Finally he sighed, "Please let me think about it for a while, the prefect. Once I make a decision, I will follow faithfully!"

Liu Jing nodded, "I'll wait for the good news."

. . . . . . . . . .

While Liu Jing and Cai Jin were discussing in detail, Xu Shu also appeared in Zhuge Liang's mansion. Since Xu Shu went to Jiangxia County five years ago, he has never seen Zhuge Liang again. Although he had returned to Longzhong three years ago, At that time Zhuge Liang happened to go to Shuzhong, and the two missed each other.

Not seeing each other for five years, both of them felt a little bit of vicissitudes in their hearts. Too many things happened in the past five years, which made it difficult for the two of them to describe in words.

In the study room, Zhuge Liang and Xu Shu were sitting across the table, and Huang Yueying was sitting next to her. She was also Xu Shu's old friend, and they hadn't seen each other for several years. Everyone felt the joy of seeing their old friend again.

Zhuge Liang's precious daughter, Zhuge Guo, is only four years old. She also sits solemnly beside her father, but she is practicing calligraphy, holding a small pen in her delicate little hand, and imitating her mother's handwriting stroke by stroke.

After writing for a while, she quietly drew a kitten, and took a peek at Xu Shu. Seeing that Xu Shu had short beards, she also drew a cluster of short whiskers under the kitten's chin, and the kitten's eyes were also drawn in harmony. Xu Shu has a certain resemblance.

The adults didn't notice the child's naughtiness, Zhuge Liang asked with a smile, "When is Jiang Xia going to attack Fancheng?"

Xu Shu took a sip of tea, smiled and said, "It hasn't been decided yet. With the strength of Jiang Xia's army alone, it is very difficult to defeat Cao Jun. The three families need to work together. We are also waiting for the army from Nanjun to go north. It should be in the next few days." gone."

"Actually, Jiang Xia's army is not weak. They have fine cavalry and heavy armored infantry. They may not be able to defeat Cao's army. The key is to deploy troops properly, such as using cavalry to attack Nanyang or cut off Cao's food road. It will inevitably withdraw to the north.

At that time, Jiang Xia's army occupied Fancheng, which was the first victory in Jingzhou. It would have a huge impact on boosting the morale of the army and the prestige of your prefect in Jingzhou. Why didn't Yuan Zhi suggest to Prefect Liu? "

Xu Shu nodded, "My brother's plan is good, but it's a pity that the cavalry has been used elsewhere."

Zhuge Liang also laughed, "If I'm not wrong, I should go to Runan or Yingchuan, but this move is not very clever, maybe it's what Cao Cao hoped for."

"How do you say that?"

Zhuge Liang smiled faintly, "At this time, Cao Cao led an army on an expedition to Wuhuan, the Central Plains is empty, and the Jingzhou cavalry marches northward, although it will not be able to capture Xuchang, it will definitely cause shocks in the Central Plains.

Some people who are dissatisfied with Cao Cao will take the opportunity to contact, especially there are many anti-Cao ministers in the court. If they make any changes, they will definitely be noticed by the spies deployed by Cao Cao.

When Cao Cao returns with his army, they will be eradicated one by one, so as to relieve his worries when he goes south to Jingzhou. Do you think Cao Cao will thank your cavalry for going north? "

Xu Shu was speechless. He had to admit that Zhuge Liang had a higher level of knowledge, and he really didn't think of it.

At this time, Huang Yueying also sighed and said: "The past few years have changed a lot. Most of the old friends in the past have gone their separate ways. I often persuade Kong Ming to go out to serve as an official and benefit the people of the world so as to realize his ambition. Don't end up in the mountains and forests, but he is If you don’t listen, Yuan Zhi, you can persuade him too!”

"I'm here for this!"

Xu Shu hurriedly took out a letter written by Liu Jing, put it on the table, pushed it in front of Zhuge Liang, and said with a smile, "I don't know if Kong Ming is willing to become an official and serve as Jiang Xia's military advisor. Mr. Jing has long admired the reputation of your virtuous younger brother, and I would like to serve as your virtuous younger brother." As a military adviser, we will conspire to help the great cause of the Han Dynasty!"

Zhuge Liang raised his head and chuckled, "Yuan Zhi is ten times better than Kong Ming, why doesn't Mr. Jing use Yuan Zhi as his military adviser, and insists on thinking about me, a mountain villager?"

"My virtuous brother made me blush. I have self-knowledge. My talent is far inferior to my virtuous brother. I often say to Mr. Jing that Kong Ming has the talents of the world. If he meets the master of the Ming Dynasty, he will be like Jiang Shang who was in Xingzhou 800 years ago. In Zhang Zifang in the 400th year of the Xinghan Dynasty, Mr. Jing is also fascinated by Kong Ming, if he is not busy with military affairs today, he will definitely come to visit in person."

Zhuge Liang shook his head and said with a smile: "Yuan Zhi thinks too highly of me. I am lazy by nature and don't want to be busy with government affairs. I'm afraid I will disappoint Yuan Zhi."

Seeing that her husband declined Xu Shu's kindness, Huang Yueying felt a little sorry, and persuaded Zhuge Liang, "Young Master Jing should be very good, otherwise Yuanzhi and Shanmin would not be loyal to him. Looking at Jingzhou, Jiangxia is the only one who is prosperous. My concubine also heard that the people of Jiangxia live and work in peace and contentment, they don’t pick up things on the road, and they don’t close their doors at night. This is the sign of a Ming ruler governing the country, and my husband also praised Jiangxia’s good governance. Since Mr. Jing sincerely invites you, why don’t you give it a try?”

Zhuge Liang smiled and said nothing, no matter how Xu Shu and his wife persuaded him, Zhuge Liang refused to agree, Xu Shu had no choice but to leave.

Zhuge Liang sent the guest back to the study, Huang Yueying had already packed the tea set, she complained to her husband, "I really don't understand what you think, didn't you say that you can consider going to Jiangxia as long as Mr. Jing invites you sincerely? Now they invite you To be a military adviser is above Yuanzhi, but you don't agree."

"Sincerity?" Zhuge Liang sneered, "I can't see where he has sincerity!"

"Ugh!"

Huang Yueying knew her husband very well, and was stubborn and proud in her bones. She sighed and said, "It's nothing more than that he refuses to come to the door in person. Didn't Yuan Zhi say that? He is busy with military affairs, otherwise he would definitely come to visit."

Zhuge Liang smiled and said nothing, he put his arms around his daughter, picked up a pen and drew a cat, but his face was a bit long, and he added long beards, just like himself, Zhuge Guo giggled, grabbed the pen and wrote "Zhuge Cat' three words.

Huang Yueying didn't notice the small actions of the father and daughter. She was still thinking about what happened just now. Although she defended Liu Jing, she was really a little strange. Liu Jing was stationed in Longzhong, why didn't he come to the door in person?You know, this is not a small official like Shuzuo, but a military adviser.

She asked inexplicably: "Young master Ming Mingjing is in Longzhong, why didn't he come to visit your husband in person? He insisted on sending the mountain people first, and then Yuan Zhi. In fact, I think that since he wants to use your husband wholeheartedly, he should come here in person." Come on, don't you seem more sincere?"

Zhuge Liang smiled, "This is the cleverness of Mr. Jing. He has to consider Yuan Zhi's feelings. After all, Yuan Zhi has followed him for many years. It is reasonable to say that Yuan Zhi should be the military adviser, but he came to invite me. If he is too enthusiastic , it will hurt Yuan Zhi's heart, so he asked Yuan Zhi to come, if Yuan Zhi is willing to accept, he will come in person in a few days."

Huang Yueying nodded silently. In fact, she thought Liu Jing was very good. She had come here several times to invite her husband to become an official. She had done her best. She also hoped that her husband could help Liu Jing. Moreover, as Tao Zhan's husband, it was a good thing both in public and in private.

"If Mr. Jing came to invite my husband personally, would my husband agree?"

"To be honest, I don't know either."

Zhuge Liang sighed, "It's hard to describe this matter. Liu Jing is really good. He is young and practical, with great ambitions. He is a master. But after observing him for several years, I think Liu Huangshu is also good. He is generous, benevolent, and famous all over the world. He is worth following. , they are all people with lofty ambitions, to tell you the truth, I really can't make up my mind!"