Pang Tong immediately summoned Jiang Wan and Lu Bu in the study to inquire about the recent situation, and Jiang Wan replied: "At present, there are 890,000 people in the city, most of whom have fled back from Chang'an, and Luoyang Giant City has once again become the most populous and densely populated city, and as far as I know, the total number of people in a small state like Qingzhou does not reach 800,000. A huge man can be described as a prince. ”

Pang Tong shook his head and said, "Don't imagine it like this, otherwise we will be in danger." ”

Lu Bu asked puzzledly, "Why?" ”

Pang Tong got up and said: "Brother, I don't know, we don't have the foundation, unlike Liu Yan who is a relative of the Han family, not like Yuan Shao IV and the third duke, and not like Cao Cao's family background. In the eyes of those princes, we are just people who take advantage of the opportunity to gain power. If we see that we are gradually getting bigger, and we do not know how to deal with diplomatic matters carefully, it is easy to set ourselves on fire. ”

Lu Bu said loudly: "Don't worry, brother Xian, now we have 120,000 soldiers and horses, and we are not afraid of others. ”

Pang Tong asked directly: "Who is the strongest in Sizhou now?" ”

Lu Bu was stunned. Jiang Wan replied: "If we talk about the city, we are the largest and strongest in the country. In terms of population, we have the most in Sizhou. In terms of military strength, Cai Xuan of Hongnong County, Sizhou, has always been obscure, with more than 100,000 soldiers, I don't know how much, and he is close to us. When it comes to foundations, we are not as deep as others. In terms of the economic situation, we are still in the infancy. When it comes to diplomacy, we are almost isolated and incommunicado with the outside world. ”

Pang Tong nodded and said: "We must keep our eyes on the clouds, and we must not make too many enemies, and we need great sages to lobby the surrounding forces to make friends with us." ”

Jiang Wan said happily: "Your Excellency already owns Luoyang City, and you can receive the county order of Luoyang County, although this is the territory of Henan County. But as long as you apply for merit to the imperial court, you can ask for this title without worry. ”

Pang Tong groaned for a while, and said: "That is Cao Cao's power, send an envoy to go quickly." ”

Jiang Wan arched his hand and said: "I am asking for diplomacy to help adults solve their worries." ”

Pang Tong shook his head abruptly and said, "No, political affairs need to be troubled by Lord Jiang." Today's problem is that there are too few counselors for me, and if I am afraid of being ridiculed, if you go, I will have no one to help. I have to go on a wandering tour and worship some Magi. ”

Jiang Wan was stunned and said, "No! Cannot! Adults are now the core of Luoyang, if there is a mistake, we are like a leaderless dragon. ”

Pang Tong said with a smile: "The eldest husband will inevitably die, rather than sitting and waiting for death, it is better to strike first." If I am unlucky, Lord Chiang can take this fortified city and territory by himself. ”

Jiang Wan bowed and said, "Don't be embarrassed, please go back quickly." ”

After the two left, Pang Tong opened the scroll that he had been cherishing, although it was densely written, most people had never seen it. Only Dian Wei and Zhao Yun have already ticked and marked. He looked at it carefully, and studied the historical age, and if he could find a few famous people who had not been reused recently, and who could have diplomatic talents, there did not seem to be many. He put the scroll away, and he already had a candidate in mind.

He and Dian Wei left the city without any of their men, so as not to attract unnecessary attention. This trip to the southeast, through Yuzhou, over the mountains and mountains, across the water and bridge, it took a full six days to arrive at the boundary of Xuzhou, straight to Dongcheng County, Xiapi County. Along the way, I saw the people of Xuzhou living and working in peace and contentment, which seemed to have nothing to do with the troubled times. In addition to the Yellow Turban Rebellion that once disturbed here, the people here are still well-fed, which shows the lenient governance of Xuzhou Mu Taoqian. At this time, Xiapi County was under the jurisdiction of Yuan Shu. It is worth mentioning that Yuan Shu led his troops from Nanyang County, Jingzhou to this place. Because he took advantage of Dong Zhuo's rebellion, the imperial court had no interference with the princes, and he was in the position of a rear general, commanding 200,000 troops. Tao Qian had no choice but to cede the rich Xiapi County to him.

Pang Tong came to Dongcheng County and asked about the way to the county office, so he went directly. After arriving at the county office, I asked the guards to report, and after a while, I was led in. Pang Tong stayed outside the palace and entered the mansion alone. He saw a man in the lobby, seven feet tall, a goat with a black beard, about thirty years old. The man approached and said, "What's the matter with Lord Yuan?" ”

Pang Tong shook his head and said, "I lied about being the messenger of Yuan Shu, but in fact, my name is Pang Tong, and I am the one who now occupies Luoyang. When I heard that Lord Lu was here, I came to see him. ”

It turned out that this person was Lu Su, a famous strategist in the Three Kingdoms period, whose name was respectful, and who had followed Yuan Shu and Sun Quan successively, and played a pivotal role in Eastern Wu. But in the early years, it was overused by Yuan Shu.

Lu Su was taken aback when he heard this, and said with a loss of color: "Pang Shiyuan of Luoyang? How did you come to a place like this? ”

Pang Tong smiled: "I came to seek talent." ”

Lu Su shook his head in confusion and said, "I really don't have any talents here. ”

Pang Tongyi pointed his finger over, and said with a straight face: "Lord Lu, the word is respectful, I have been famous for a long time." I heard that you are a county magistrate here, which is really humiliating. Why don't you come with me? ”

Lu Su was stunned for a moment, and said coldly: "How do you know about me?" I'm just a prefectural magistrate. And as a servant of others, how can you betray the Lord? ”

Pang Tong laughed and said: "Yuan Shujun's lawlessness, government affairs are chaotic, politics and law are lax, and sooner or later there will be a disaster of killing and destroying the city." ”

Lu Su was speechless, and said in his heart: "How could this person say everything in my heart and get to the point." It's not ordinary. I'll give him a try. He made a blank face and said, "Full of nonsense!" Lord Yuan was born in a famous family and is well known to the world. You are a little nameless, how dare you insult the merits of others? ”

Pang Tong knew that he could not hesitate, this person's wisdom needed to be skillful, so he smiled and said: "The accumulation of virtue by the ancestors does not mean that the heirs are wise." Don't you see the situation of the big man today, is it an ancestral matter? The Han Dynasty is in danger, and the virtuous should control the world and support the people. Lu Su was stunned when he heard this, and hurriedly bowed and said, "I want to live and die!" ”

Pang Tong actually knows that little bit of history. Lu Suhuai didn't meet him, and he saw that Yuan Shu was immoral and incompetent, so he followed Sun Quan. Moreover, Sun Quan established the Eastern Wu regime because Lu Su proposed that the Han dynasty would be ruined and would perish, and it was necessary to hold the royal road on its own in order to support the people. So his words were all on Lu Su's mind.

Lu Su left a letter, resigned, and left the city on three horses. Pang Tong smiled at the sky, and said in his heart: "Sun Quan, I'm sorry, I took the lead." He knew very well that Sun Quan was still a young man who didn't know how to fight at this moment, and now that Sun Jian was in charge of their family, even Sun Ce hadn't taken his turn yet.

The world is unpredictable, and when Pang Tong and others arrived in Runan County in Yuzhou, they learned bad news. Guo Yuan of Hedong County of Sizhou, Wang Kuang of Henan County, and Cai Xuan of Hongnong County besieged Luoyang City with troops. Pang Tong was sullen in the inn in Runan County, anxious and anxious. Lu Su entered the house and said: "I have inquired, it should be six days ago, Guo Yuan sent a document asking the huge number of people to withdraw, otherwise the city will be attacked." ”

Pang Tong invited him to sit down and said, "In this way, it should be a matter of some time, I don't know what the situation is, we must leave now." Dian Wei stood behind him, and he said: "How can people not rest, the adults haven't slept for two days, and the horses are tired and lie down." ”

Lu Su also advised: "The big thing is in the body, if the body is sick first, then the big thing will fail." Adults need to think long-term. If a few of them defend the siege too much, I believe that they will not be able to capture Luoyang Jiancheng in a while. And the leader of the army, Lord Lu, is a well-known fierce general, and he will not easily lose the city. With the assistance of the predecessor Jing Zhaoyi Jiang Wan, he will definitely be able to hold out for several months. ”

Pang Tong had no choice but to nod when he heard this, and slept comfortably that night. The next morning, as soon as there was light, he woke up sensitively and sat up. Dian Wei slept on the floor. Pang Tong said with satisfaction in his heart: "In the troubled times, how can there be a time when you don't lose your footing, there are such good generals and loyal ministers gathered around you, the world is not afraid, and you don't worry about life and death." ”

An hour later, the three of them gathered in the house to discuss the matter again. Lu Su said first: "Is there a soldier guarding the Tiger Prison Pass?" ”

Pang Tong shook his head and said: "The west side is Cai Xuan's Xuanyang County, and there is no point in guarding the Tiger Prison Pass." Unless Xuanyang County is brought down, it can be guarded. And to defend the pass with the current strength is simply in vain. Looking at the offensive of these three counties, you can know one or two. ”

Lu Su said: "I heard that they gathered 300,000 troops, but I know that Guo Yuan and Wang Kuang should each have tens of thousands of people. ”

Pang Tong said: "Count him 250,000, which is also incomparable to us." He stood up and said, "Come with me, I have a plan in my heart, if I can't solve this crisis, Luoyang City will only have blood-stained Sizhou." Till death rests. ”

Dian Wei said: "Where to go?" ”

Pang Tong replied: "Xiangyang." ”

Lu Su said: "That's Liu Biao's territory in Jingzhou, what do you mean?" He finally curled the corners of his mouth and realized, "You might as well give it a try." ”

The three of them set off, arrived at Wancheng in two days and nights, and after resting for one night, they went west to wade through mountains and rivers, and arrived at Xiangyang County four days later. When the city gate opened in the early morning, the three of them ran directly towards the state capital. The palace is as tall as a palace. After the insider reported it, the three were led in. But in the end, only Pang Tong was allowed to enter the house. Entering the lobby, I saw two rows of chairs full of people, and on the big seat was Liu Biao, the state pastor, Pang Tong arched his hand and said: "I am Luoyang Pang Tong, the younger brother of Lu Bu, and I have come to see Liu Zhoumu today." ”

Liu Biao said: "You are a nameless person, and you also occupied Luoyang. It's really insulting to a big man, come on, pull me down and hit a hundred boards. ”

Pang Tong was not shocked when he heard this, and said loudly: "The dignified Han family clan, with royal blood, can ascend the throne, he is so magnanimous, I laugh to death!" ”

Liu Biao hurriedly stopped the guards and said, "You go down." He smiled a little and said, "Emperor Xian is on the throne, but he said that I can ascend to the throne, this is the crime of bullying the king!" ”

Pang Tong said coldly: "The Ming monarch rules the country, and the people are prosperous." Seeing that the people of Jingzhou are rich in things, this is the great prosperity of the people. Why should adults hide it? He stole Liu Biao's psychology of wanting to be the emperor.

Liu Biao raised his jaw and said, "Then what are you doing here?" ”

Pang Tong said: "Now Cao Cao is holding the imperial court hostage, and the emperor is like a puppet. Huaxiong occupied Chang'an, and the counties of Sizhou coveted Luoyang. If you can get the land of Luoyang and Chang'an, you will occupy the royal lineage, and it is justifiable to ascend to the throne! ”

Suddenly, on the left side of Pang Tong, someone slowly got up from his seat, which attracted everyone's attention, and that person sat in the first place on one side, which must not be simple. This person took two steps forward towards Pang Tong, arched his hand and said with a smile: "I am the chief bookkeeper of the state, I heard that you once served as the chief bookkeeper in Youzhou, and you must not be a reckless man in the mountains." You Luoyang is besieged, but you come to me to preach, what do you mean? ”