Xi Zhicai sat between a pile of slips, and when he heard footsteps, he raised his eyelids and glanced at Cao Cao, who walked in quickly, and then took it back and continued to be busy. He is in charge of the intelligence work in Cao Cao's camp, and no one knows how much detailed work he has, anyway, he receives a lot of information every day, and the money spent is like flowing water, which makes Ren Jun, who is in charge of logistics, have a lot of opinions.

"Who wrote the note?"

"Zheng Za, Wu Zhou also seconded it."

Cao Cao stood where he was, stunned for a long time. Zheng Za is just fine, his writing is good, but his family background is average, and he is also a poor family, and it is understandable that he is attached to Sun Ce. Wu Zhou is different, he is a Peiguo Yashi, and his vision is very high. How could he be in the same league as Sun Ce? Wu Zhou was an official in the Assassin's Mansion and was stationed in Qian County, he visited Wu Zhou many times, but Wu Zhou never gave him a good face.

What means did Sun Ce use, he didn't fight against the family anymore? Not long ago, he also received news that Sun Ce entered Pingyu City, and he didn't know what means he used, so that Xu Zijiang vomited blood twice in succession, which shows that the conflict is very serious, how the wind direction has changed in a blink of an eye. Wu Zhou actually wrote a recital for Sun Ce and asked for advice for Yuan Shu.

"Also, Sun Ce subdued Xu Chu and Ge Pi thieves."

Xi Zhicai took out one of the slips and threw it over. Cao Cao took it, opened it and glanced at it, and let out another wry smile. Xu Chu, who had thousands of families and hundreds of rangers, also surrendered to Sun Ce. As a native of Qian County, Cao Cao had of course heard of Xu Chu's name, and he wanted to invite Xu Chu with him when he raised the army, but considering his appeal in his hometown, he was embarrassed to say it in the end. Now Xu Chu is actually a vassal to Sun Ce, and it is a pity that he is a fierce general.

Cao Cao sighed. First there was Dian Wei, and then there was Xu Chu, these are all warriors who slipped out from under my nose. Especially Xu Chu, he is my township party, and he actually became Sun Ce's subordinate, which really me off.

Cao Cao sat down and returned the bamboo slips to Xi Zhicai. "Zhicai, looking at it like this, Sun Ce seems to have mastered Yuzhou."

"Almost, no, he's starting to show filial piety." Xi Zhicai smiled: "Guess who he is lifting." ”

Cao Cao shook his head. His mind was in such a mess right now that he couldn't guess at all. Filial piety is an important means to win people's hearts, 200,000 people have a quota, and if it is not true, it will be implicated, so the average person would rather waste this opportunity than easily promote, and those who get the opportunity to recommend will regard the owner as the old king, even if they do not accept the recommendation, they must express enough gratitude, otherwise they will be spurned.

Who does Sun Ce use this quota to envelop?

"Zixiu."

"Who?"

"Ling Lang Cao Ang."

The expression on Cao Cao's face was very complicated, he wanted to laugh, but he couldn't. He tapped the nail leaf of his thigh with his horsewhip, making a soft snapping sound. "What does Sun Ce want to do, want to show me favors?"

Xi Zhicai put down the pen and slip in his hand. "Lord, in fact, this is very simple, just like his reconciliation with Peijun Shilin, it is just a temporary expedient measure. Filial piety is just a false name, and real talents do not need to be filial piety at all, but pay heavy responsibilities. This is the case with Du Xi and Zhao Yan in my younger generation in Yingchuan, and the same is true for Guo Jia. Lord, Sun Ce has similarities with you, but he is better at collecting talents. If the lord does not work hard, it will be difficult to fight against him in the future. ”

"How can I compare to him." Cao Cao sighed: "I was defeated by him not long ago and fled alone. ”

"The lord doesn't have to be like this, he is no less troublesome than you." Xi Zhicai stood up, crossed his hands on his waist, and habitually twisted his neck. He spent too much time reading information at his desk, his cervical spine was not good, he often had symptoms of vertigo, and twisting his neck was still the regimen that Cao Cao taught him, but he rarely had time to do it. Liu Bei accepted Yuan Shao's appointment and wanted to compete with him for the governor of Yuzhou. The Chen family also formed an alliance with Yuan Shao and sent Chen Deng to serve as the Taishou of Lujiang. Lu Kang was driven away, and Sun Ce is now under attack. ”

"Liu Bei wants to be a pastor in Yuzhou?" Cao Cao thought for a moment and shook his head. "Although he is very brave, he is not Sun Ce's opponent. Sun Ce is the most sure of dealing with people like him, didn't Duan Xuan and the others before just follow his way? How is Chen Deng? A good background does not necessarily have means, Chen Yu is also a celebrity, not the same as being beaten by Sun Ce to a bad reputation, and he collapsed without a fight. ”

"Yes, it's not clear whether they can defeat Sun Ce yet, but Yuan Shao's purpose is probably not to let them defeat Sun Ce, but just to let them drag Sun Ce. He is preparing for a decisive battle with Gongsun Zhan, and he will soon find out. After defeating Gongsun Zhan, he would personally go south, how could Sun Ce be his opponent. ”

Xi Zhicai crossed his waist with one hand and patted the back of his neck with the other. "He must have thought so."

Cao Cao looked at Xi Zhicai puzzled. "Is he thinking so wrong?"

"Of course not." Xi Zhicai sneered: "Sun Ce did everything in Nanyang to fight for land, coercion and temptation, why is he so calm in Yuzhou?" He had long been ready to give up Yuzhou, so he didn't want to be an enemy of Yuzhou. His purpose is Jingzhou, running Nanyang, and capturing Sanguan are all signs that he is ready to take Jingzhou as the foundation. Yuzhou has no danger to defend, once Yuan Shao's army goes south, with his strength, he can't hold it at all, so he can only retreat to Nanyang and defend according to the danger. ”

Cao Cao nodded repeatedly. He is a native of Qiaoxian County, knows the topography of Yanzhou and Yuzhou, and knows the pros and cons of Yuzhou too well. Thinking of this, he was suddenly shocked. "Isn't Yuzhou going to become a battlefield?"

"That's right, and the county is probably the right one. I'm worried that Yuan Shao will be frustrated in the Juye and Mangdang areas. It is a place where the water is intertwined, and it has always been a hiding place for thieves. Sun Ce had a close relationship with the Yellow Turbans, and if he sent some elites to guerrilla attacks there to follow the story of Peng Yue, Yuan Shao's grain route would be in trouble. Once the war is unfavorable, he can only intensify the exploitation of the people of Yuzhou. At that time, the Yuzhou family will remember Sun Ce's favor. This is the reason why Sun Ce changed his course and became good friends with the Yuzhou family. ”

Cao Cao's eyes widened and he didn't say anything for a long time. If it is really as Xi Zhicai analyzed, then Sun Ce's vision is too far, and he is actually planning to compete with Yuan Shao for the Central Plains from now on, and Yuan Shao probably hasn't looked at Sun Ce at the moment.

"This son...... Foresight is beyond my reach. ”

"No, this shouldn't be his own idea, but the result of Guo Jia's plan for him." Xi Zhicai waved his hand and signaled Cao Cao not to worry. "My lord, although Jingzhou is good, it has more than enough to dominate one side, but it is not enough to compete for the world. Guanzhong is different, Guanzhong is four stops, the left is annexed to the state, and the back is Liangzhou, there is a sufficient supply of war horses, and the north is enough to compete with Yuan Shao, and the Wuguan is enough to threaten Nanyang. The only regret is that the population is insufficient and food is not self-sufficient. If you can collect the displaced people in Guanzhong Tuntian, and then wait for the opportunity to seize Yizhou, why should the lord worry about the hegemony? ”

Cao Cao narrowed his eyes and muttered for a long time. "It's good, it's a pity that Guanzhong is not up to me. As for Yizhou, Liu Yan is not a good person who is easy to get along with. ”

"Liu Yan's three sons are by the side of the Son of Heaven, and the lord has not befriended them, so he asked the Son of Heaven to issue an edict to recruit Liu Yanqin."

Cao Cao thought about it, laughed silently, and nodded again and again. "Zhicai has a point." He stood up and was about to leave, but was stopped by Xi Zhicai again. "I heard that Ding Chong, the squire of the Yellow Gate, is of the same clan as your wife?"

"Exactly."

"You can talk to him and help Sun Ce."

Cao Cao smiled knowingly. "Giving peach in return, courtesy is still exchanged, I understand this truth."