After all, Gongsun Du did not take the holy decree from Chang'an and rushed thousands of miles to take Liaodong, but stopped and stopped by the war, and dragged on for more than half a month in the plains and the Bohai Sea alone.

Therefore, the appearance of Gongsun Du is not sudden for Mi Zhu.

As the first wealthy businessman in the East China Sea, Mi Zhu's official business has been getting bigger and bigger in recent years, especially before Li Su handed over the work to him, he helped him open a little small hanger and improve the shipbuilding technology of sea ships.

From the mouth of the Qiantang River to the north, all the way to Liaodong Bay, and even the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, it is the world of the Mijia merchant fleet. Because of the dual use of the river and the sea, it will occasionally go deep into the large rivers along the coast to trade in inland ports. Huiji along the Qiantang River, Guangling and Moling along the Yangtze River, and commercial ports along the Huai River and the Yellow River all have traces of Mijia boats.

Just a while ago, when Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zhan were fighting, and Cao Cao and Zang Ba were fighting, Mi Zhu had a merchant fleet quietly carrying some Northeast specialties of rosin, musk, schisandra and other medicinal materials into the Yellow River to Pingyuan County to peddle in the consideration of humanitarian attention. Some of these herbs are used to heal gold sores, and some are used to prevent epidemics.

Anyway, as long as there is a war, the profit from selling medicinal materials must be considerable, and I have been a maritime merchant for many years, so I still have this keenness. Mi Zhu's goods were sought after by both Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, and they were sold out quickly. Yuan Shao, who was wealthy, also increased the price to buy all the wound medicine, so angry that the little brother Cao Cao secretly scolded the original brother for not being righteous.

When his subordinates returned after selling the medicine, Mi Zhu also got the information that "Gongsun Du was stranded in Pingyuan County, and the imperial court had a holy decree appointing him as the Taishou of Liaodong".

Because it takes time to return by sea, when Mi Zhu got the news, it was actually half a month later, and he hurriedly sent out a detailed investigation again, and learned that the latest progress was that Gongsun Du had taken refuge in Gongsun Zhan.

Mi Zhu was quite anxious when he heard the news, and secretly wondered in his heart: "How can this be good?" It is very possible for Gongsun Chan to help Gongsun Du, after all, Gongsun Du has a holy decree, as long as the conditions he promised to Gongsun Chan are good enough, it is a famous teacher.

We have always been the only one to make the monarch and the horse look forward, so that the monarch has never raised the banner to fight Dong, and all the counties in our Youzhou have not moved. If you don't please Dong, there will be no reason to refuse to carry out Dong Zhuo's holy decree...... There's no way, why don't you immediately pull the flag in the name of our Liaodong County and announce that you want to ask for Dong, but we just have to find a way to win the trust and support of the envoy and let him know that we have no choice but to do so. ”

People who don't understand the current situation in Youzhou may be puzzled by Mi Zhu's worries: Isn't Gongsun Chan a good brother with Liu Bei? Mi Zhu has not offended Gongsun Chan in the past few years, and there is no shortage of gifts and gifts that should be given during the New Year's holidays, so Gongsun Chan should not plot against him, right?

However, there is a key to this, that is, in real history, whether it is Liu Yu of Youzhou, or Gongsun Zhan, the Taishou of Liaoxi, and the general of Duliao, they did not pull the flag to fight for Dong. Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei participated in the discussion of Dong, which was the plot in the romance.

Without asking for Dong, the legitimacy and possibility of appointing and dismissing personnel in accordance with Dong's holy decree were retained. On the other hand, since the war between Gongsun Chan and Yuan Shao, the contradiction between Gongsun Chan and his boss and Youzhou Mu Liu Yu has become more and more intense.

Liu Yu has always not supported Gongsun Zan to start a war with Yuan Shao, nor did he want Gongsun Zan to go south to seize the territory of the Jizhou people (in fact, Gongsun Chan did not dare to play the name of grabbing the territory of Jizhou from the beginning, and he initially sent troops south in the name of crusading against the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans)

At the same time, Liu Yu did not support Gongsun Zhan's cold slaughter of a Wuhuan tribe and the distribution of their property in the past two years, and felt that Gongsun Zhan just wanted to destroy his policy of encircling the Hu people, and the two became more and more stiff, according to the original historical development, Liu Yu had lived less than two years, and he was about to be killed by Gongsun Zhan. And because Mi Zhu inherited Liu Bei's attitude, he reaped some benefits from it-

Some of the attached tribes that were slaughtered by Gongsun Zan fled from Liaoxi to Liaodong to take refuge in Mizhu. Mi Zhu has also been Huairou, to raze and control the use of these Wuhuan people who can farm the land, and the Xianbei people who can't farm the land, and also pay them wages to go to the Buyeo people and the Goguryi dog-eat-dog, and clean up the external border troubles.

Liu Bei in history directly took refuge in Gongsun Zhan, and failed to get in touch with Liu Yu, so he was able to support Gongsun Zhan. But Liu Bei in this life belongs directly to Liu Yu, and has always been grateful to Liu Yu for his kindness and promotion. When Gongsun Chan was rescued from the siege of Guanzi City in Liaoxi, Liu Bei had already been promoted by Liu Yu to be only half a level behind Gongsun Zhan.

This means that Mi Zhu took over Liu Bei's foundation in Liaodong, and he also had to inherit Liu Bei's posture of "supporting the monarch, trying not to mix with each other, and not offending Senior Brother Bogui" in the contradiction between Liu Yu and Gongsun Zhan.

So in the past two years, Mi Zhu has basically given some money on both sides, and when he has fulfilled the courtesy, he has given more money to Liu Yu. However, Gongsun Chan will not be provided with weapons and military funds, and will not provide military support.

Gongsun Zhan has long been dissatisfied with the fact that they are more inclined to Liu Yu.

"Let's find a way to see if it's possible to dispose of Gongsun Zhan's ambitions without tearing his face. I still sent too many things in the past few years, which made him feel weak and bullied, and wanted us Liaodong to completely turn to support him instead of envoys, but unfortunately this is impossible. ”

Mi Zhu thought about it again and again, and decided to use a way of thinking similar to "proxy war" to stop Gongsun Zhan's obscenity.

In other words, don't go to war directly with Gongsun Zhan's troops, but if Gongsun Chan dares to lend a small amount of troops to Gongsun Du and let Gongsun Du enter with the power of the Holy Decree, then the forces lent to Gongsun Du will be defeated. In this way, at least the two sides do not directly tear their faces, and show that they are not weak and can be bullied. If there are still captives, the captives still have to be returned to Gongsun Zhan, just to return face and stop at the point, so that Gongsun Zhan's hatred will continue to be sprinkled on Yuan Shao, and Mi Zhu will not be able to wade into this troubled water.

Although Mi Zhu had never heard of the phrase "peace is peace if you seek peace through struggle, and peace is death if you seek peace through compromise", the businessman's natural mediation mentality made him very clear about this truth.

You have to blappe when you bargain in business, how can you blindly show weakness. I've been giving gifts for several years, and I have to be tough occasionally.

Fight with one punch, lest a hundred punches come.

As soon as he got the news, Mi Zhu quietly stopped the business of the sea fleet, preferring to make less money, but also to divide the transportation capacity first, and go to Donglai to take over the troops of Tai Shici, the commander of Donglai--it is also thanks to the fact that Cao Cao had just knocked Zang Ba to death in extreme anger last month, and beat Zang Ba a little crippled. Therefore, Tai Shici doesn't have to worry about the Qingzhou Yellow Turban Army in Donglai at least this year, and he can pull out his hand.

At the same time, Mi Zhu also sent a secret envoy to prepare a heavy gift to ask to see Liu Yu, and the small Dongzhu alone brought two full buckets, expressing his bitterness, hoping that Liu Yu would not prevent Liaodong County from pulling up the banner of Dong alone.

After Tai Shici came back, Mi Zhu also had to finally confirm Xu Rong's position. In order to know Xu Rong's true thoughts, Mi Zhu invited Xu Rong to a meal on the day after Tai Shici was recalled, and did not let Xu Rong know that Tai Shici had returned.

Xu Rong was also righteous, and he didn't think much about it, and went straight to the Taishou Mansion in Xiangping for a banquet.

"Summoned by Meng Fujun, I don't know what is important?" After Xu Rong entered the door, he saluted and greeted, and noticed that there were other guests in the spare eye.

"Captain Xu doesn't have to be polite, sit." Mi Zhu pointed to the seat on the right-hand side for Xu Rong to sit, and then introduced him, "This Liu Beijia, can Xu Duwei know?" ”

Xu Rong paused: "Rong Yijie Wufu, neglect to greet,"

Mi Zhu: "This is to make Jun's henchmen, Youzhou don't drive Liu Ye Liu Ziyang, when the general of Zhengxi raised troops to fight against Zhang Chun, General Guan went to Yangzhou to recruit Danyang soldiers, and suppressed the handsome Zheng Bao of Danyang. ”

Mi Zhu introduced while Liu Ye greeted Xu Rong, and Xu Rong naturally returned the salute, which can be regarded as acquaintance.

Mi Zhu continued: "I want to announce to Xu Duwei today a decision of this county, that is, we are going to officially raise the flag to ask for Dong, and I have secretly asked the envoy for this discussion, so that after weighing it, I am determined to agree to let our Liaodong County discuss Dong alone, which has nothing to do with the attitude of the other counties in Youzhou. ”

It turned out that Liu Ye was the person who sent the reply from Liu Yu, and he brought Liu Yu's attitude over.

Mi Zhu didn't say much else in the secret recital to Liu Yu, but pointed out two points of interest: So far, the four counties of Liaodong have always firmly supported Liu Yu in the contradiction between Liu Yu and Gongsun Zhan. And Gongsun Chan also had other impatient ideas about Liaodong because of this, although he didn't dare to tear his face directly and end up in person, he was willing to cultivate an agent.

Therefore, if Liu Yu does not support Liaodong to raise the banner to fight Dong alone to resist Dong Zhuo's holy decree, then he will have to bear the adverse consequences that Liaodong may be swallowed up by Gongsun Zhan's puppet, and Liaodong's people, military and financial resources may also be swallowed up by Gongsun Zhan's war machine.

For Liu Yu, who doesn't want to see Gongsun Chan messing around, it is already very clear how to choose.

Coupled with the effect of the two pearls sent by Mi Zhu, Liu Yu's final attitude was that the faction drove Liu Ye to privately express support for Mi Zhu's separate flag to ask for Dong, but he did not express his position in public. In this way, Liu Yu's support can be used by Mi Zhu to calm the hearts of the people inside, but it cannot be used in diplomatic occasions.

Xu Rong listened to Liu Ye's statement on behalf of Liu Yu, and was really shocked: "Even the envoy supports the prince of the government to raise the flag to fight for Dong?" But...... We are located in the border of Liaodong, thousands of miles away from the place where Dong thieves robbed the Son of Heaven, how can we please Dong? ”

Even in Youzhou, those counties closer to Guanzhong and the Central Plains did not ask for Dong, but Liaodong was the first to pull the flag, and there were so many neutrals in between...... It's unreliable no matter how you look at it.

Fortunately, Mi Zhu quickly solved his doubts: "Xu Duwei, there is an opportunity to ask Dong right now - Dong Thief is trying to rely on the edict to disrupt the place, I wonder if Xu Duwei is willing to lead troops to intercept Dong Thief's rebellion against Gongsun Du?" ”

"Gongsun Du!" Xu Rong was taken aback, after all, he was only a lieutenant, and those naval ships and merchant fleets Mi Zhu had always been in charge of another person, so Xu Rong did not have many intelligence sources, and it was really the first time he had heard the news that Gongsun Du had been sent.

Mi Zhu: "Up to now, I don't hide it from Xu Duwei, I know that Xu Duwei and Gongsun Du have an old relationship, and Dong Thief is to let Gongsun Du take over Liaodong and mess with me Liaodong this time." What does Xu Duwei think. ”

Xu Rong thought for a while and sighed: "The prince of the mansion has treated me with kindness in the past few years, how can Rong not know." And the government implements benevolent government, and the people live in peace in Liaodong, which is obvious to all. But that Gongsun Du and Rong are indeed fellow villagers, and there are some family friends.

If the prince of the government has doubts, he is willing to hand over the military power, and the prince of the government sends another person to lead the army to refuse. Although Rong did not lead the troops to fight for the prince, he helped the monarch train in the past two years, strictly disciplined the army, and now the soldiers who are in battle are all trained by Rong, and he has done his duty, and he is worthy of the grace of the monarch. ”

It is definitely impossible to resist Mi Zhu, firstly, Mi Zhu is very polite to him, and secondly, Tai Shici has a lot of troops in Donglai in the past two years, and Tai Shici's personal bravery is even higher than him, and the families of the officers and soldiers in the army all live in Yushi County and have been allocated a lot of fields.

And. Liu Yu hopes that he will please Dong, so there is no suspicion that "Mi Zhu is speculating against Dong for his own selfish interests", and he has been endorsed by the credit of "the light of the Han Dynasty". Out of loyalty, Xu Rong could not choose anything else.

Mi Zhu: "How can I not believe that Xu Duwei meant, if Xu Duwei was willing to serve the country, he could have done more." If you lure them with 'leading troops as an internal response', they will definitely not be prepared, and we can capture them with one drum, and we can also create less slaughter. ”

Xu Rong: "Thank you for employing people, but it is really an unlucky thing to betray friends and seek glory, although Gongsun Du and I do not have a deep friendship, after all, there are some old friends." If I had booby-trapped him, would I not be laughed at by the whole world? Yu Fujun's reputation, I'm afraid there are many disadvantages. ”

Mi Zhu got up, personally gave Xu Rong a few cups, stroked his back and persuaded: "Let's put it this way, I see that Gongsun Du should not be able to borrow many soldiers from Gongsun Zhan." If you travel hundreds of miles and fight with my Liaodong Army, Gongsun Du will definitely not be an opponent, but it is not my intention to kill and injure many innocent soldiers.

If you are willing to be lured by the snake, I promise not to kill Gongsun Du after the deed is completed, and I can even give him a peace and a transfer to another official position, as long as I can ensure that his ambition no longer threatens our Liaodong.

If you have to choose a bloody battle with swords, then there is no room to be a human being, and you will definitely not be able to spare his life in the end. Whether Gongsun Du lives or dies, it depends on how Xu Duwei chooses. ”

Xu Rong raised his eyebrows: "Fu Jun wants to put him under house arrest afterwards?" Or is there something else to dispose of? ”

Mi Zhu: "I respect Xu Duwei's opinion, how do you think you can deal with it, you can accept it, I think it's okay, then do it." If you don't think you are under house arrest and put him in a place where you can't come back for ten or twenty years to fight for the safety of Liaodong, I can also discuss it. ”

Xu Rong immediately felt a lot better: we are not betraying our fellow countrymen, we are preventing our fellow villagers from going further and further on the wrong path, so help him rein in the precipice and save his life.

"That being the case, how dare Rong disobey his orders, and ask the prince to keep his promise at that time."