Cai Tu was a little indecisive in Wuyin back then, but after years of tempering, ups and downs, now his personality has changed, he is a decisive person, since he has an idea, he is resolute.

On the second day, he had a banquet in Yanyulou, the largest wine shop in Xiangyang, to make friends.

As a member of the Cai clan.

Or successful in studying, once out of the official career, successively served as Jiangxia County officials, Wuyin County Order, Nanyang County engaged in and other official positions, in Shilin, it can be regarded as a wide range of friends, especially some of the same family of concubines, successful in reading, but out of office, depressed friends, not in the minority.

"Brother Meng Ting, why are you so expensive today?"

"Meng Ting, we are brothers, we don't have to stick to the place, just get together in your house!"

More than ten scholars, to be able to make friends with the down-and-out Cai Tu, are not those unbearable people, Yanyulou, this elegant wine shop is one of the best wine shops in Xiangyang, the cost is very much, they also know that Cai Tu is now down, and they don't want Cai Tu to waste here.

"Friends, it is my best friend, in the past, I was depressed, depressed, everyone did not give up, it was a blessing, today's table of wine, is for the righteousness of all us, you don't have to be polite!"

The maid next to him had already warmed the wine, and Cai Tu took the lead in raising the wine cup and toasting with a smile.

"You're welcome!"

"We scholars are like-minded and heart-to-heart!"

More than a dozen readers raised their glasses.

After three rounds of drinking, one of them suddenly opened his mouth and said to Cai Tu: "Meng Ting is gathering me today, and he is not interested in wine!" ”

"Zi Su's observation is outstanding!"

Cai Tu nodded with a smile.

This is his classmate when he was studying, belonging to Cai's relatives, named Mingling, Zisu, born in a poor family, ten years of cold windows, was called by Cai's son-in-law, and had a bright future, but offended Cai's descendants, and was demoted to a small official in Xiangyang County, who was also a down-and-out person, and Cai Tu has always been good friends.

Cai Tu said in a deep voice: "Some, tomorrow will be out of office, today's table of wine, is to say goodbye to you, but also to thank you for your care over the years, so as not to let a cold heart of the world is cold, this is a grace, not forget, if the deceased has something in the future, you can come to find me, I Cai Tu as long as I can, there should be!" ”

"It turns out that Meng Ting is going to come out!"

"Meng Ting has worked hard for several years, and finally waited until today!"

"For Meng Tinghe!"

This group of scholars raised their wine cups to congratulate Cai Tu, this is a true friend, although a little envious, but there is no jealousy.

"Meng Ting, the head of the Ling family is now the governor of the Jingzhou Navy Army, if he recommends you to be a leader, it will be a good thing, but as far as I know, he is quite disgusted with you, why is he willing to recommend you to be a leader?"

A middle-aged man in a gray robe asked.

His name is Kuai Wu, the word Yongli, is the person of the Kuai family, although he is a scholar and has been successful in reading, but he has practiced martial arts since he was a child, and his ambition is to emulate Di Qinghuo to go to the sick, expel foreign races, and defend the country.

It's just that his background and personality are destined for the future, and the concubine who is next to his ability, because his personality is too upright and inflexible, is not loved by the family, and it is more difficult for him to become a son of a poor family.

"Yongli, I am here, not recommended by the head of the family!"

Cai Tu shook his head.

"Oh?"

"Who's that recommend?"

Everyone couldn't help but ask.

Most of them are depressed and want to find a way out, so they are very concerned.

"Ming Hou Zhengbi!"

Cai Tu said faintly.

"Minghou?" Kuai Wu's pupils changed color: "But that rare young male lord in the world, Minghou Mujing!" ”

"Exactly!"

Cai Tu nodded: "I am deeply involved with the Mu family, although I was hung up and returned, but because of this, I was not loved by the family, and I have been neglected for many years, and now I have no way to seek office, and my son is sent to the army by the family because of my relationship, I am a scholar, but I can only run for my life on the battlefield, I and the family, have long been like fire and water, and now the Ming Marquis is heavy, I am willing to conquer me as the Taishou of Xiangyang County, I don't want to waste, I am willing to offend the Jingzhou scholars, and I am not willing to give up!" ”

"Xiangyang County Taishou?"

"I heard that Yizhou wants to Xiangyang Xinye Fancheng, establish Xiangyang County, and completely separate Xiangyang from Jingzhou, it turned out to be true!"

"In this way, wouldn't it offend the entire Jingzhou!"

Everyone looked at Cai Tu, envious and worried.

Cai Tu stood up, faced you, bowed and saluted: "This is my choice, I should have borne it, but you are all my friends, and I am deeply implicated, I know that if I act in the future to provoke criticism, you will be implicated by me in the future, this is an unrighteous act, a certain here, first with you to make amends, but also please forgive you for a heart unwilling to serve the people, but also to walk out of a road in the troubled times!" ”

"Be so!"

Mingling said in a deep voice: "Meng Ting is a talented person, in the past, he acted with too many scruples, and Fang fell into such a situation, now Jingzhou has changed greatly, and it is in chaos, Meng Ting wants to set up his own door and start a new stove, and a certain first support!" ”

He has long had a deep grudge against the Cai family, the children of the head of the family, the first thing to look at is the background, the good background must be good, and it is more important to be good, which is what he is dissatisfied with.

"At the beginning, the Kuai clan went away with the younger brother of the lineage, but left us, knowing that Xiangyang was broken, and the Kuai family was more guilty, but he never ignored it, and now I have no shame to call myself a child of the family!" Kuai Wu also smiled bitterly: "Meng Ting, I support your decision, now that the Han Dynasty has collapsed, the world is in chaos, we are all born in troubled times, no one can predict tomorrow, today is the king, he is the Kou, today is the Kou, he can also be crowned the king and ascend the palace, how to choose, it is all up to the individual!" ”

"You also understand that these people of ours, the family is unwilling to be promoted, and there is no way to seek office, so we can only show what we have learned!" This is the second purpose of Cai Tu's call to these friends today: "If you are willing to go with me, I am willing to protect you!" ”

He said carefully: "The meaning of the Ming Hou using me as the Taishou of Xiangyang, you should all have some ideas, it is nothing more than to use my identity as a child of the Cai family to oppose the Jingzhou Shi clan, so that it can attract some children of the Jingzhou Shi clan to take refuge in the Ming Hou Mansion!" ”

"Although it is meant to be used, it is also our opportunity!"

"We people don't have the opportunity to be descendants, if we want to succeed, we can rely on ourselves!"

"The eleven counties of Xiangyang County, I am too guarded, and I have the authority to recommend the county commander and the county lieutenant, and the Ming Marquis has made it clear that in order to stabilize Xiangyang County as soon as possible, he is willing to use the Jingzhou people to govern the Jingzhou people, and pass through Xiangyang County!"

"So I'm sure that I can control the quota of four or five county orders, and presumably Minghou won't refuse!"

"In addition, my strength for a day is quite thin, and I can only be trusted, not those who are famous in the family, but those who will not abandon you even when I am down, so I hope that you can advance and retreat with me today!"

"Of course, this matter is not forced, I am also a child of the family, to this point, forced to break with the family, it is helpless, the family people, one lineage, it is difficult to separate the two families, there are concerns, and it should be, so I will not force it, no matter what you choose, we are all brothers, how difficult it will be in the future, it will help!"

Cai Tu is very eloquent, and he has already said everything he wants to say in one breath, making everyone look a little dumbfounded, this huge news makes them a little difficult to digest, and the boundless temptation makes it difficult for them to resist.

Cai Tu knew deeply that Mu Jing used his intentions to use nothing more than to use his identity to tear apart the unity of the Jingzhou Shi clan, and he was willing to do so.

He didn't want to just be a person to be taken advantage of.

Since Mu Jing recruited him as the Taishou of the Xiangyang Army, then he has to make a little achievement, he wants to be famous in the world, since he has already followed the Ming Marquis Mansion, he should put down other thoughts, the only thought, the marquis and worship the prime minister.

So he needs the help of these people.

"The position of the Taishou?"

"Recommend?"

Everyone became a little silent.

They were unexpected, not because of the accident that Cai Tu was out, but because of the accident that Cai Tu could transform into the Taishou who was in charge of Xiangyang, as for Cai Tu to recommend them for their careers, they were indeed excited, but they also had many scruples in their hearts.

After all, most of them are children of the scholar clan, and not everyone has Cai Tu's courage to turn his face with the head of the family, so they seem a little timid.

"If you are depressed for a lifetime, I am unwilling!" Kuai Wu suddenly gave up his hand and said to Cai Tu: "I am willing to advance and retreat with Brother Meng Ting in the future!" ”

"When you advance and retreat with Meng Ting!"

Mingling also spoke.

Someone takes the lead, and naturally everyone can't help but have a pounding heart, and the career is beautiful, like that beautiful flower, which makes them want to stop.

"Advance and retreat with Brother Meng Ting!"

They finally made up their minds.

"In the future, we will rely on all brothers, and we should advance and retreat together and govern Xiangyang together!"

Cai Tu smiled, get these people, then he is too guarded, he has already succeeded halfway, Xiangyang has experienced two major disasters, one is when the pastoral army broke through Xiangyang, Liu Biao went south, took away a lot of descendants, the second is the rebellion in the city some time ago, so that many of the wealthy families of Liu Biao came to the fore, and a group of them were destroyed.

Now in Xiangyang, although the power of the wealthy family can still control the hearts of the people, but the descendants have long been gone, most of them are supported by the sidelines, as long as he pulls these people together, this Xiangyang family will not dare to oppose him.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

On February 2, the dragon raised its head.

It is the beginning of spring, when everything is rejuvenated, the streets and alleys of Jiangzhou City are filled with the breath of spring, even the dead weeds on the roadside are gradually becoming green, some seeds germinate, open the soil, and drill out to welcome the gentle sunshine.

In the courtyard of the Minghou Mansion, Mu Jing stretched his arms, took a deep breath of air, and felt refreshed.

It's been a rough winter.

But I finally got through it, and I ushered in spring again, and I felt a lot better.

"My lord, the Yi nationality has handed back the secret letter, Jingzhou is excited!"

Hu Zhao couldn't find anyone from the front yard, chased to the backyard, and said hurriedly.

"Heartbeat?"

Mu Jing squinted: "That is, he hasn't been able to make up his mind yet?" ”

"It's normal for them to have concerns now, and they may want to knock us off!" Hu Zhao said: "But this is also a smooth start, as long as the matter in Xiangyang can be resolved peacefully, we can go south without scruples!" ”

"I can pay the price of 400 horses, which is already very face-saving, if it is not for the southern expedition and the unification of Yizhou, I will not say 400 horses, even if it is one, I will not give it to him!" Mu Jing said coldly: "Send the Yizhou Covenant Silk Book stamped by me to the Iraqi nationality, and tell the Iraqi nationality that you don't have to follow Jingzhou too much, sign it if you want to, and if you don't sign it, I don't have so much time to spend with them!" ”

He thought for a while and said, "In addition, order the First Army to march directly, and the Second Army, cross Wuxian, and them, go straight to Yiling, and put some pressure on them!" ”

"No!"

Hu Zhao nodded, but was a little worried: "Will it look aggressive!" ”

"It depends on who it is!"

The corners of Mu Jing's mouth raised slightly: "If it is Dong Zhuo, if I force him like this, it will definitely be a fight, because Dong Zhuo will not show weakness for half a point, he is a martial artist, he will never suffer such a shame, he will fight when he fights, but against Jingzhou, he has to be tough!" ”

"Because Jingzhou's soldiers are weak?"

"Definitely!"

Mu Jing shook his head: "Jingzhou is the land of fish and rice, rich, academic, scholarly, talented, how can it be weak, the weak is only Liu Biao, Liu Biao is a scholar after all, he has the city, talent, ability, means, but lack of enterprising courage, I forced him, he can only retreat, because he has no determination to break the net!" ”

"The lord has touched Liu Jingsheng's heart!"

Hu Zhao thought about it for a while, but he thought that what Mu Jing said was very right, if Liu Biao said that he was worse than the princes of the world, he was inferior to a breath of anger, a fierce spirit that would not hesitate to lose both.

"But this Liu Jingsheng is not easy to deal with!"

Mu Jing squinted: "If I can, I want to send troops directly and kill him, the longer he runs Jingzhou, the more difficult it will be for us to seize Jingzhou in the future. ”

"But now we can't unify Yizhou, and we can't suffer the enemy's battle on our backs!"

Mu Jing finally shook his head.

The principle of settling inside first, not afraid of how big the strong enemy is, is afraid that someone inside will stab the knife, when he was in Luoyang, if the Mu clan had leveled the scourge of Dong Zhuo first, and then encountered the contest of the Kwantung princes, he would not have fallen into such a situation.

One mistake must not be made twice.

"Lord, it is difficult to have both sides, when we conquer the south, we will definitely be able to expand our power, even if Jingzhou is a more difficult stone to gnaw, he will be gnawed down!"

Hu Zhao said comfortingly.

"Hopefully!"

Mu Jing smiled.

Hu Zhao reported another thing: "Lord, there is one more thing, Xiangyang Cai Tu has promised to be our Xiangyang Taishou!" ”

"That's great!" Mu Jing squinted: "Then we will have one less fire!" ”

"No!"

Hu Zhao said: "Cai Mengting has already burned, after he received the order to receive the Taishou seal in Xiangyang, he immediately took the former state pastoral mansion as the Xiangyang Taishou Mansion, entered the mansion, and recruited fourteen children of the family as officials in one go, and the war within the Jingzhou clan that has been ignited!" ”

"What a speed!"

Mu Jing was a little surprised: "This Cai Mengting not only understands my intentions, but also cooperates seamlessly, the family still ignores it, and is quite ambitious, if it is used well in the future, it will be a sharp blade!" ”

"Lord, if you are ambitious, shouldn't you be on guard?" Hu Zhao asked.

"Ambition also means self-motivation!" Mu Jing shook his head: "Why should I be on guard, as long as he doesn't go beyond my "Mingke" method, no matter how big his ambition is, I can tolerate it, of course, I have to see if his ability is worthy of the ambition, there is no ambition in the heart, it is not enough, there must be real materials!" ”