Jingzhou, the state pastoral office.

"Lord Envoy, our Yizhou is very sincere and live in harmony with Jingzhou, but the final decision is still in the hands of Lord Envoy, whether you want to fight or make peace, it is all up to the envoy to decide!" Yi said with a smile.

"I, are you threatening so-and-so?"

Liu Biao's eyes revealed a cold glow: "Do you think that we in Jingzhou dare not fight with you?" ”

The so-called negotiations have been going on for three days.

But not much progress has been made.

Yizhou is clearly going to eat Xiangyang, but Xiangyang is the main city of Jingzhou, how can he throw it away, but he may not be able to fight, the herdsman army has pulled out the main force, and Jingzhou can't bear it.

That's where the dilemma lies.

"Of course not!"

Yi Zhi Zheng said: "My lord accepted the surrender of Hou Qing, for the sake of stability between Jingzhou and Yizhou, not to underestimate the envoy, in the past, Yizhou under the leadership of the first envoy, and Jingzhou did have a dislike, but now the time has changed, our Minghou Mansion likes to live in peace!" ”

"Peaceful?"

Liu Biao sneered: "Since it is peaceful coexistence, then your Minghou Mansion clearly knows that Xiangyang is an important city in my Jingzhou, why do you want to invade, although my Jingzhou will be outnumbered and weak, but it can also protect the peace of one side, if Yizhou is willing to be a villain, he is not afraid of a war!" ”

"Liu Yuanjun thinks twice!"

Yi Yuan arched his hand and said: "Xiangyang's matter, although there are disputes, but it is not easy to hurt our two families, now Xiangyang has established itself as a county, and we are just conforming to the people's will, presumably Lord Jun should also know that the north is not peaceful now!" ”

The north is not very peaceful, and this sentence is the key.

Yi is reminding Liu Biao.

If Liu Biao really wants to send troops to recapture Xiangyang, then the herdsman army will not be polite, the big deal is not to want the interests of Xiangyang, directly lead the wolf south, and Nanyang Huangfu Song, join forces to attack Jingzhou, then it will not be a simple local war.

"What a guts!"

Liu Biao's fists clenched slightly, a pair of eyes were cold, he stared at this Yi nationality, he had seen a lot of people who were not afraid of death, but it was the first time he had seen such a person who was not afraid of death.

Threatening himself under his nose, even if Mu Long came here, he would not be so bold.

"Please also make Jun think twice, this matter is indeed rude in Yizhou, but since Hou Qing is willing to return to obedience, he can avoid a war on one side, and the Ming Hou Mansion will not give in, for Jingzhou, the Ming Hou Mansion is willing to apologize for this!" Yi's face remained unchanged and indifferent.

"Apologies?"

Liu Biao's resentment was suppressed again.

Until now, it is impossible for him to recapture Xiangyang, unless there is a war, but the war, it is not that he is cowardly, but that Jingzhou really does not have this ability now, after the war, Jingzhou needs more than two years of rest.

Otherwise, if the war continues, then Jingzhou will have to recruit ordinary young people to go to the battlefield, which will cause Jingzhou's population to drop sharply, and it will also affect the development of Jingzhou's economy and people's livelihood.

The essential......

There is another point, and that is the threat from Koto.

In the past, he was not afraid of Jiangdong, that was because the Jiangdong Tiger had not yet risen, but now the Jiangdong Tiger is dominating Jiangdong, and the soldiers have advanced to the land of Chaisang, and the purpose is self-evident.

For this reason, he even had to send Huang Zu and Cai Mao, two naval generals, back to guard against changes in the east.

If at this time, if there is a war with Yizhou again, it is difficult to guarantee that Jiangdong will not take the opportunity to enter, once Jiangxia is also caught in the flames of war, then the entire Jingzhou will be in a place of no peace.

So at this time, if the Minghou Mansion is willing to soften and get his face back, even if he loses Xiangyang, he can only knock out his teeth and swallow it with blood, which is stronger than people.

"Then you Yizhou, how are you willing to pay for this gift?" Liu Biao asked indifferently.

"Jingzhou is willing to give 3,000 gold, 8,000 brocade, and 400 horses at the same time as a gift of reparation for Yizhou, which can be regarded as making amends for these anti-thieves who have disturbed the stability of Jingzhou, and I hope that Yizhou and Jingzhou can establish friendship and spend together in the future!" In fact, Iraq is very heartbroken, and Yizhou is not rich, but this time's strategy is to spend money to buy peace of mind.

After all, Yizhou's purpose is to march south, and he doesn't want to be entangled with Liu Biao in Jingzhou, so if he can, he would rather spend money to buy a Taiping.

"You are generous!"

Liu Biao didn't care much about the gold of 3,000, 8,000 brocades, more of 400 horses, Jingzhou's lack of cavalry is a fact, 400 horses for Jingzhou, is definitely an immeasurable number.

He pondered for a while, stopped bargaining, and said indifferently: "I need to think about this matter!" ”

………………………………………………………………

Xiangyang City.

With Zhou Cang leading the army into Xiangyang, the overall situation has been decided, even some families in the city with different intentions, they do not dare to come forward at this time, you know, the blood at the entrance of this market has not yet dried up, and it is just a matter of stealing the family and destroying the clan.

Xiangyang has become a little quieter.

In the city, in the east city, in Zhuoxingli, in a simple courtyard.

"That's all for today's Analects, wait for you to go back, and study hard!" The middle-aged man who was about forty years old, wearing a long robe, stood up from the bamboo mat, picked up the ring ruler, and said in a deep voice to the six or seven students in the hall: "The students who failed to complete their homework yesterday, stand up!" ”

"Sir!"

Two little boys of about ten years old stood up and obediently stretched out their hands.

"This is a lesson!"

The middle-aged man worked hard, and everyone hit five feet before he said.

"Follow the teachings of Mr.!"

The two students looked a little poor, but they respected their teachers and respected the middle-aged man.

"Class is over!"

The middle-aged man said.

A group of students then packed up their books and left.

Nowadays, although papermaking and printing technology are controlled by a few people because of technology, they have not been completely popularized in the world, and some places cannot even have them, but even so, it has changed the plight of many readers to a large extent.

Jingping Study opened the world, bought and sold books, and made cultural profits, but it can also benefit many poor readers.

"Husband!"

A woman came out of the inner hall, took the meal, and said softly: "It's time to eat, today the Song family brought a string of bacon, which means to bind the belly!" ”

"This Song family is not rich, don't accept it in the future!"

The middle-aged man said softly.

"I'm a little worried about Heng'er!" The woman whispered, "Isn't there any news from the family?" ”

"Heng'er insists on participating in the family army, let him go!"

The middle-aged man whispered: "He can be regarded as having read poetry and books, and most of the people in the army are only for clerical officials, and he will not kill on the front line, and he is such a big person, what is the future, when he goes by himself, you don't have to worry!" ”

"How can you not worry!"

The woman's eyes were full of tears: "The year before last in Jingzhou City, the family fought in Yizhou, the son of the family was killed and wounded, there were fifty or sixty sons, and there were no eyes on the battlefield. ”

The middle-aged man sighed: "Blame me too, if it weren't for my incompetence, the family would not have levied the soldiers of the government, and it would not have been spread to our family!" ”

At that time, the future was bright, but it was defeated overnight, and it became a Mu family, and it was also a Mu family.

Over the past few years, he has thought a lot, when he was in Wuyin, he took in the Mu family, whether it was right or wrong, I can't say it now.

Tuk Tuk !!!

At this time, there was a knock on the door outside.

"It's already evening, who's coming to the door?" The middle-aged man frowned.

"Maybe it's a letter from Heng'er!"

The woman's eyes lit up, and she went to open the door of the front yard in person, but the people outside the door made her a little disappointed, not from the family, if the letter was sent back, it must be the housekeeper of the family who personally sent it to the door.

"Who are you looking for?"

The woman asked softly.

"I'm looking for Cai Mengting!" Li Yan has been fighting for many years, but the evil spirit in his body has not been able to cover his temperament as a scholar, and he is still gentle and elegant.

"Positive?"

Cai Tu heard a familiar voice, put down the dishes and chopsticks, and took a look from inside, and saw the familiar face, slightly surprised.

"Please come in!"

Although the woman is not a woman from a wealthy family, she will also be polite, and after inviting Li Yan in, she went to pour two cups of water.

In the courtyard, Cai Tu and Li Yan sat opposite each other.

"I haven't seen you for so many years, how did Brother Zhengfang find it?" Cai Tu asked with a smile, Li Yan was his staff back then, and he was also quite important to him, but because of fate, no one expected that the relationship between the two had been turned upside down.

Over the years, even if he is not out of office, he is still a child of the Cai family, he has his own news channel, and he gathers with some friends on weekdays to talk about things in the world, and he also knows some of the overall situation in the world, and people who have emerged due to troubled times have also heard of it.

Mu clan from Nanyang to Guanzhong, and from Guanzhong back, into Hanzhong, plundered the southwest, large and small, after countless battles, many people on the battlefield were rumored to be famous all over the world.

For example, Mujing's first military division, a god and a talent in the drama of the gods, is rumored to have gods and ghosts.

For example, the first fierce general of the pastoral army, alongside Lu Bu under the command of the Xiliang Army, is known as the strongest warrior in the world, Nanyang Sword King Huang Zhong.

Li Yan is not ranked.

But he also has a small reputation, after all, as the deputy general of the Violent Bear Army, in Nanyang Jingzhou, his reputation is also bright.

"The lord has an order, ordered me to be the Taishou of Shu County, I am about to return to Jiangzhou, rush to Chengdu, passing by here, some military affairs to deal with, suddenly sound the old man, come to visit!"

Li Yan said with a smile.

"The deceased?"

Cai Tu was slightly bitter: "I really forgot, we are still old friends!" ”

Li Yan was just an unpopular official back then, between an official and an official, and he was not even a legitimate official, but now, he is too guarded by one party and governs a county, but he has fallen so far.

"The lord has never forgotten Brother Meng Ting, when the ancestor was dormant and dancing in the yin, if it weren't for Brother Meng Ting's protection, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to enter the hall so far!" Li Yan said in a deep voice: "It's just that Brother Meng Ting hung up the seal back then, and over the years, the lord has also sent people to look for you, but you can't find it!" ”

"When the first lord was in charge of the court, he did not treat me badly, after the first lord went north, Liu Jin Taishou acted as the chief government of Nanyang, recruited me to engage, entered the Taishou Mansion, and later the death of the first lord, the Mu family was slandered by the world as a national thief, and the pastoral party was liquidated, although I couldn't help it, but I also chose the family, and abandoned the first master, and hung the seal and left!"

Cai Tu said in a deep voice: "This matter has a negative ancestor, and there is no shame to see the young master!" ”

"The general trend is like this, the young master doesn't blame you!"

Li Yan said in a deep voice.

He sighed and said: "Back then, we also had a very difficult time to survive, and everyone in the world already thought that the Mu clan would have died in Guanzhong if it had not been for the fortitude and courage of the young master, and if it was not for the young master's fortitude and bravery, and to take Hanzhong from the impossible, we would have all died in Guanzhong!" ”

"I'm afraid you're not here just to talk to me!"

Cai Tu squinted: "Brother Zhengfang, you and I also have a bit of a friendship, if you have anything to say, you can say it directly!" ”

"I haven't seen you for many years, but I'm too careful!"

Li Yan generously admitted his cautious eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "I am on the orders of the lord to ask Meng Ting to come out of the mountain to help!" ”

"Me?"

Cai Tu frowned a little: "What can I do to help Minghou?" ”

"What does Meng Ting think of the dispute between Jingzhou and Yizhou?"

"You mean Xiangyang!"

"Exactly!"

"Ming Hou is iron-hearted, even if he fights, it doesn't matter, Liu Jingsheng has no hope of recapturing Xiangyang, and in the battle of Xiangyang City, he lost the hearts of the people, otherwise the previous rebellion would not have been thunderous and rainy!" Cai Tu pondered for a moment before he said softly: "It's just that the people of Xiangyang will not return to Yizhou, it is not difficult for the Ming Marquis to get Xiangyang, and it is the most difficult to govern Xiangyang!" ”

"It seems that although Brother Meng Ting lives in the courtyard, he cares about the world!"

Li Yan said with a smile.

"Although the family abandoned me in order to avoid some relationships, they have been reading poetry and books for more than 20 years, and they are not willing to do it after all!" Cai Tu smiled bitterly, in front of Li Yan, he didn't hide how much he didn't care, Li Yan knew himself, he also knew Li Yan, what he couldn't hide, there was no need to do more, he was a little unwilling, so he would care about everything, because he believed in opportunities, never waited, if he could grasp an opportunity, let the family believe again, the future is still possible.

"Then if Brother Meng Ting is allowed to govern Xiangyang, is Brother Meng Ting willing?"

Li Yan asked.

"What?"

Cai Tu's eyes widened, a little unwilling.

"The lord has established Xiangyang County, Xiangyang County has jurisdiction over Xiangyang City, including Xinye City, a total of eleven county seats, but there is a great enemy of Nanyang in the north, and Jingzhou in the south looks down on it, not ordinary people can suppress it, in addition, Xiangyang people are quite xenophobic, the same decree, outsiders and their own people, different effects!"

Li Yan said in a deep voice: "So after the lord considered it, he wanted to recruit Brother Meng Ting, although Brother Meng Ting had no experience in the ruling party, but he was also a talent who walked from the local to the Taishou Mansion step by step, and now he has been studying hard for several years, and he should grow even more!" ”

"I'm from the Cai family!" Cai Tu said quietly.

Li Yan was silent.

"Maybe Minghou means that he wants to use a person from the Cai family, so I am the most suitable!" Cai Tu reacted quickly, quickly got some inspiration from Li Yan's face, and quickly figured things out.

"One party is too guarded, and if you get it, there will be pros and cons!" Li Yan said softly: "Brother Meng Ting's choice, it depends on your own choice, that's it, I won't say more!" ”

Li Yan took out a pot of wine at this time, and said: "The business is over, let's get drunk and rest, Brother Meng Ting is my teacher, I was in Wuyin at the beginning, taught me a lot, Yan always remembers it in his heart!" ”

"I can't teach you anything, on intelligence, on talent, on learning, can judge the situation, you all give me advice, if it weren't for your advice, how could I find a way to get the best of both worlds in the chaos, I'm afraid I have already been killed when the main attack broke through Wuyin!"

Cai Tu said with a wry smile.

His mood was very chaotic, and he had two glasses of wine to calm down, and it was okay, so he drank with Li Yan, and it was not until the third watch that Li Yan left Cai Tu's small courtyard.

They drank quite a bit.

However, Cai Tu never fell asleep that night, so he sat quietly in the courtyard and sat all night......

On the second day, after his wife got up, she saw this scene, and she was quite heartbroken, and scolded while cleaning up the mess on the desk: "Husband, why don't you know how to take care of yourself, the wind and frost are big at night, you have drunk wine, you are suffering from the cold, how is it ......good to sit here?"

"Madam, I'm afraid we're going to turn against the family!"

Cai Tu said calmly.

The decision has already been made.

The opportunity is not easy.

He didn't want to miss it.

Even if the family is in front, it can't stand in his way.