Cao Ang arrived in Dongguan County and quickly handed over the city defense with Xiahou Yuan.

Xiahou Yuan led 3,000 men and horses out of the city with great fanfare, and found valleys called Shili Valley and secretly stationed them in ambush.

After Cao Ang officially took over the defense of Dongguan County, he first went to the military camp to inspect it, so that people could know that this Dongguan County was now guarded by his eldest son Cao.

When Cao Ang was on patrol, he unexpectedly found that the morale of the soldiers was much lower.

In this era of cold weapons, fighting a war is about morale, and the weak side with high morale defeats the superior side with low morale, and this kind of war examples abound.

There are many aspects that affect the morale of soldiers and soldiers, such as money and food, leading troops and commanders, and so on.

Cao Ang knew that the decline in the morale of the soldiers at this time was mainly affected by the current situation.

Previously, Dongguan County was guarded by Xiahou Yuan, but at this time, it was replaced by himself, and in the sergeant's heart, his own force naturally could not be compared with Xiahou Yuan.

Moreover, most of the soldiers were suddenly taken away. Such a large city that has just been captured, the people's hearts have not yet been attached, and only 2,000 people are left to defend it, who is not panicking?

But Cao Ang couldn't say what he was suffering about.

I can't tell you that in fact, Xiahou Yuan did not lead the army and horses to leave, and the current city air defense is only used to confuse the enemy.

Who knows if there are enemy scouts in the city?

Cao Ang knew that it would not be possible to let such morale go on, otherwise when the enemy army attacked, the people's hearts would be scattered before they could fight.

In desperation, he could only convene his generals to discuss.

In fact, at this time, he did not have a named general under him.

Two thousand men, led by four lieutenants.

In the garrison general's mansion, Cao Ang sat in the center, and the four captains were lined up on both sides.

"Now that the morale of the sergeants is not high, do you have a countermeasure?"

The four captains looked at each other, if it was normal, they didn't have the opportunity to see Cao Dagongzi, and when they heard Cao Ang ask, they couldn't help but tremble.

"Returning to the eldest prince," a lieutenant said tentatively: "It is not difficult to boost morale, under the so-called heavy reward, there must be a brave man, why don't the prince transfer a sum of money from Yanzhou to distribute it, then the sergeant will naturally be grateful to the eldest prince......"

"Presumptuous!" Cao Ang slapped the table angrily and said sharply: "Isn't the military salary paid in full?" If the reward is indiscriminately distributed here, what will happen to the sergeants everywhere? ”

Giving out money is indeed an immediate method, but it creates unfairness.

The salaries of all the sergeants in Cao Jun are the same, and in order to boost morale, he can't open his mouth to Cheng Yu when he sends money to his subordinates.

The lieutenant was so frightened that he quickly lowered his head and closed his mouth tightly.

"Why don't you ......" another lieutenant whispered: "The eldest prince ordered to force the gentry to work the army?" ”

"Lao Jun?" Cao Ang asked with a frown.

"I'm afraid the eldest prince doesn't know, the sergeants have a single ration, and they don't see meat all year round, if the gentry can work for the eldest prince, they will be able to make the sergeants grateful."

Although the Dongguan guards burned all the grain, it was impossible to kill all the livestock raised by the gentry and common people in a hurry, and if they could kill these domestic animals and labor troops, it could also play a role in boosting morale.

But Cao Ang hesitated, how could the gentry be willing?

If you are reluctant, isn't it a robbery?

Cao Angyu remembered that last time because of the gentry, his father was furious.

If he robbed the gentry of Dongguan County now, who knows if his father will be blamed for this.

Suddenly, Cao Ang remembered that when he left, Liu Ping told him that if there was anything, he could ask the local gentry for help.

What did he mean by that?

Anyway, give it a try.

"You take my name and go to the houses of some of the larger gentry," Cao Ang then admonished, "Remember, if you speak well, don't be rude." ”

If he went to rob the army, then it would be easier to boost morale.

Robbing the gentry's money and distributing it to the sergeants ensured that the morale was greatly boosted, but Cao Ang couldn't do that.

Each of the four lieutenants took a copy of Cao Ang's name and stabbed it out.

As soon as they got out of the door, the four of them complained to each other.

"What do you say you are doing with this bad idea, can your pigs and sheep be taken out for nothing?"

"That's it, the eldest prince doesn't let us be rude, and we are like beggars begging for food."

"Forget it, the eldest prince doesn't dare to disobey his orders, if those misers refuse to give alms, we can't do anything."

"The alms have all come out, and it's not a door-to-door begging?"

Although the four of them were full of complaints, they still went to visit the gentry with their own names.

A lieutenant surnamed He took Cao Ang's name and stabbed the Qin family, the largest gentry in the city.

These low-level officers of the garrison did not have the opportunity to deal with the local gentry, and the military discipline of the Cao army was relatively strict, so He Duwei was still a little timid when he stood at the door of the Qin family's mansion.

After all, legend has it that some squires are hand-eyed, and they have just been stationed in Dongguan County for two months, and they still can't figure out the details of this.

He nervously handed the thorn to a small man at the door.

"Please wait a moment," the little man at the door didn't dare to slack off when he saw that he was covered in armor, but he didn't know what was written on the name tattoo, so he hurriedly took it and entered the house.

At this time, the Qin squire was meeting guests, and the guests were all the leading figures in the county.

"Hey, I haven't thanked Liu Fujun yet, Liu Fujun actually went back to Yanzhou without saying goodbye," the white-haired Qin Squire couldn't help shaking his head and sighing: "It's a big pity!" ”

Originally, Cao Cao had already made up his mind to move all the people of Dongguan County to Xu County.

If it is really moved, not only will these squires lose their land and property, but I am afraid that the lives of the whole family will be on the road to migration.

What is even more unacceptable to them is that they cannot worship their ancestors and cannot be buried in their ancestral graves after death.

This is worse for them than dying immediately.

It is said that there were really a few people who were old at that time and could not accept the migration, and they really wanted to cut themselves off and enter the ancestral tomb in advance.

Unexpectedly, Liu Ping later smelted iron here, completely dispelling Cao Cao's idea of moving the people of Dongguan County, which was naturally equivalent to saving their entire family's lives and preserving their property.

So these people have always been grateful to Dade and want to wait until Liu Ping returns to Dongguan County to thank him.

Unexpectedly, Liu Ping did not return to Dongguan before Chinese New Year's Eve, and returned to Yanzhou directly, which made a group of gentry regretful.

"Liu Fujun is benevolent, save my whole family from being displaced," another gray-haired old man stood up and said with tears in his eyes: "But he didn't even drink a glass of water and wine for me, a good man."

Now that the Shangyuan Festival has passed, the old man wants to send someone to Yanzhou to thank Liu Fujun, and the old man is willing to take out half of the family wealth as a thank you gift, which of you responds? ”

This old man was originally to be buried in the ancestral grave, and he planned to break it in advance, and at this time, he would live for the rest of his life, so the thank you gift was extremely heavy.

"The old man responded," Squire Qin also nodded: "If it weren't for Liu Fujun, even his life would be gone, what would the family wealth be?" ”

"The old man responds!"

"The old man also responded!"

Seven or eight old men should all be reconciled.

At this time, a small guy hurriedly ran in......