The Jagged Cavalry of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 698 Chapter 697

"Please forgive me, Your Highness. Just now, I lied on purpose. Because there are outsiders around, I said those words to outsiders on purpose. Zhang Lu has been in Hanzhong for many years, and he has collected money and food. He is very rich. I just now The treasury is empty, but I just want Yan Pu to go back and pass on a message. If Zhang Lu wants to use our troops to help him put down Zhang Fei, he must give him money and food support. In addition, the humble minister has another intention, that It is to confuse the enemy and make the enemy look down on our army. Once Zhang Lu knows that our army can't even pay for marching and fighting, he will definitely not be negligent in guarding against our army, and our army can also take advantage of this opportunity to go out Raiders, take Zhang Lu down in one fell swoop, and take Hanzhong back into the hands of the court." Chen Qun said calmly.

After Zhang Yan listened to Chen Qun's words, the gloom on his face just now disappeared, replaced by a look of joy, pointing at Chen Qun and said: "This king was almost deceived by Chen Shangshu, I thought it was because the national treasury was really empty, hahaha...I never thought that Chen Shangshu would be so witty to come up with such a plan at this time."

Chen Qun said: "Your Highness is over-reputed. I am just doing my best. After all, if we really want to go west, the frontline soldiers are the protagonists."

At this time, Ma Chao, who came to Pengcheng with Zhang Yan, suddenly walked out from the crowd, cupped his fists respectfully towards Zhang Yan and said, "I want to report to the Regent, since Meng Qi surrendered to the Regent, he has not made an inch of merit. The Western Expedition, might as well be the vanguard from the end of the future, and the end will also sweep the southwest for the regent. What Zhang Lu and Zhang Fei are, in the eyes of Meng Qi, are just clowns. Within three months, the end will be settled. Bring back the heads of Zhang Lu and Zhang Fei and present them to the Regent!"

Zhang Yan said with a chuckle: "General Ma is so heroic and courageous. I'm not worried about Zhang Lu, but that Zhang Fei is really a powerful character. He was able to capture Yizhou in just over a month. It's really impressive. Moreover, Zhang Fei is an out-and-out enemy, not to mention his high martial arts skills, and now he has more than [-] soldiers and horses under his command. If he wants to take him, the strength of General Ma alone will be overwhelming. Not enough. How about this, I will send Pang Tong to serve as your military adviser, and go with you to attack Zhang Fei, so you can have someone to take care of you on the way, how about it?"

Ma Chao glanced at Pang Tong, he knew this man, and knew that Pang Tong was highly resourceful, and felt that with him following him, he would definitely be able to get twice the result with half the effort, so he nodded and said, "The last general can only wish for it!"

When Pang Tong was personally called by Zhang Yan, he was naturally happy from ear to ear, and his hands began to itch, and he wanted to use this opportunity to show his grand plans.

So, Pang Tong stood up directly, clasped his fists and said, "This minister will definitely not disappoint His Highness's expectations. I won't kill Zhang Fei and win Yizhou. I am willing to come and see you!"

Zhang Yandao: "Don't talk too much first, the western expedition that this king has decided on is a secret, and the soldiers and horses that can be given to you are very limited. After all, this king has to deal with the matter of moving the capital in the near future, and the army should not be transferred. too much……"

"Your Highness, I don't want your Highness to have one soldier. As long as the general returns to Liangzhou and raises his arms, there will be hundreds of thousands of people for the general to drive." Ma Chao began to brag.

"Really? That's a good relationship. As long as General Ma can capture Yizhou and kill Zhang Fei, I will definitely not treat General Ma badly." When Zhang Yan said this, a strange light flashed in his eyes. fleeting.

And Ma Teng, who was also among the officials, kept winking at Ma Chao after hearing his son's bragging, but unfortunately, Ma Chao's mind was paralyzed by alcohol, and he didn't look at his father at all.

After a while, Zhang Yan gave the order to march west, with Ma Chao as the vanguard, Pang Tong as the military adviser, and Xu Huang who was stationed in Yongzhou as the deputy vanguard. However, in terms of military operations, Ma Chao and the others were given full freedom, and he didn't have to play everything. He only wanted the result, not the process.

Since returning from the Southern Expedition, Ma Chao has been longing for the opportunity to make meritorious service. He was not the main force during the Southern Expedition, so he received very little credit. Most of his meritorious deeds fell into the hands of others.Moreover, during the Southern Expedition, he also really saw the strength of Zhang Yan's subordinates. He was a little cautious at first, but after returning from the Southern Expedition, he decisively chose to continue to be loyal to Zhang Yan, and did not dare to make any more mistakes.

Ma Chao was determined to win this Western Expedition, not to mention Pang Tong following him. If the Southwest could be pacified this time, the whole country would be unified, and his name, Ma Chao, would go down in history for future generations to look up to.

Thinking of the great significance of this Western Expedition, Ma Chao couldn't help laughing.

After the meeting was over, all the ministers left one after another, and Ma Chao was no exception.However, when Ma Chao was leaving Yanwang Mansion, he suddenly heard someone calling him from behind, and when he looked back, the person calling him turned out to be his father.

Ma Chao's father, Ma Teng, has been serving as Wei Wei since he entered Beijing. After Zhang Yan's reform, Ma Teng changed from Wei Wei's position to a minister of rites with no real power. But Teng still couldn't find the feeling of being an official back then, and always felt a little aggrieved.

"I don't know why my father called me?" Ma Chao bowed to Ma Teng respectfully.

Ma Teng looked around, grabbed Ma Chao's hand, walked straight forward, and said as he walked, "This is not a place to talk, follow me."

Before Ma Chao could react, he let Ma Teng take him to a far away place, and stopped in a relatively secret room.

"Father, what is this place? What did you bring me here for?" Ma Chao asked.

Ma Teng said: "Meng Qi, don't ask so many questions, you got into trouble today, do you know?"

"The child doesn't know, so I ask my father to teach me."

Ma Teng glanced at Ma Chao, who smelled of alcohol, sighed heavily, and said slowly: "Today at the banquet, you actually said in front of the Regent that you could raise your arms and attract hundreds of thousands of people. People, this should not be said..."

"What the boy said is the truth, what's wrong with it?"

Ma Teng said: "Even if this is the truth, you shouldn't say it in front of the regent! Sigh, you are still too young, young and vigorous, not calm enough..."

"Father, what's wrong with the child?"

"It's more than a mistake, it's a big mistake. What the regent is most worried about is to support his troops, so the generals stationed in various places generally use his cronies. He appointed you as General Zhenxi before, but it's not There is Xu Shu by your side, and I want Xu Shu to watch over you. If you continue to stay in Liangzhou after you released those nonsense today, you will be jealous sooner or later. When you come back from the Western Expedition, no matter what you get Don't stay in Liangzhou if you don't have a good record, and take the initiative to hand over the soldiers and horses in Liangzhou, maybe only in this way can you live longer." Ma Teng said earnestly.

(End of this chapter)