After Xiang Ao and Zhao Yun discussed the governance of Hanoi, Xiang Ao left Zhao Yun to follow, and the remaining more than 3,000 Danyang elite soldiers and all the regular soldiers and horses were stationed in Hanoi.

He led his subordinates to kill Yu, 5,000 Xiaoyue cavalry and more than 1,000 Yulin troops crossed the Tianjing Pass between Wangwu Mountain and Dahao Mountain, and rushed towards Shangdang.

After Xiang Ao ended Dong Zhuo's crusade, he did not rush back to the Northern Regions. First, Xiang Ao is not sure whether the current Jizhou Mu Hanfu will still allow his more than 10,000 troops to transit Jizhou is still unknown, and second, it is that since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Shangdang has been a strategic place, and soldiers must fight for it. If the situation is chaotic today, the princes will begin to fight against each other. Xiang Ao didn't want to go to the party and fall into the hands of others.

Shangdang is blocked by Taihang Mountain in the east, which makes it extremely difficult to communicate with the Jizhou Thorn History Department; In the south, there are Wangwu Mountain and the southern section of Taihang Mountain in the southwest, which form an obstacle to communication with the neighboring counties of the Division; There are Taiyue peaks in the north, which makes it difficult for Shangdang to communicate with Taiyuan and Yanmen. Shangdang County is surrounded by mountains, the terrain is high, the dangerous peaks are steep, and it is a natural fortress, overlooking Henan and Hebei.

The mountainous terrain in the territory is rugged, the ravines are deep and obstructive, and there are turbid Zhangshui, Qinshui and Danhe river water systems across the entire territory of Shangdang, Shangdang has become a relatively independent regional system.

As for the main roads in and out of Shangdang, they mainly rely on mountain canyon passes and official road stations. In this way, the main road used for interactive communication is long and narrow, condescending, dangerous to follow, conducive to going out and not conducive to attacking. However, if you want to attack the party, it is an attack from the back, and it is easy to be blocked.

There are four ways in the Quartet of the party. One is the Taihang Road, which is an important channel for Shangdang County to communicate with Luoyang, and it is also the main road for communication between the north and the south since ancient times. Tianjing Pass, also known as Taihang Pass, is named after the unfathomable three Tianjing Springs nearby. strangle, you can drive straight into the Central Plains; Stick to it, then there is a husband who is the pass, and the momentum of ten thousand people can dominate one side.

The second is the Yanmen Pass Road, starting from the Changzicheng of Shangdangzhi, along the northeast of the turbidity Zhangshui Valley to Tunliu City, passing through Xiangtan and Tongluo, turning over Jiashan, and then following the Fenshui Valley to smash Taiyuan County to govern Jinyang City. Then Jinyang goes north, passes through Yanmen, and goes straight to Yinshan through Mayi and Yunzhong.

The third is Huguan Road, Huguan Road is centered on the eldest son of the county, and goes east to Lu County, which can go to Handan, the capital of Zhao Guoguo, Jizhou, and Yecheng of Wei County. The last is Wuling Road, the so-called north and south of the mountain has a long ridge, and there is a passage on the east and west of the ridge, which refers to the Wuling Road in Shangdang County.

Wuling Road goes west by the eldest son of Zhizhi, and passes through Wuling Pass to the area of Linfen and Anyi in the east of the river. The Wuling Mountains stretch for more than 100 miles from north to south, the terrain is precipitous, and it has been a majestic barrier between Hedong and Shangdang since ancient times, and it is the throat and strategic pass of the east-west road. During the Warring States period, the Battle of Changping took place after the main force of the Qin army entered the hinterland of Shangdang through Wuling Road.

Now under the rule of Xiang Ao, the entire territory of Taiyuan and the southern part of Xihe and Shangjun are occupied by Baibo. Shangdang, east of Taiyuan, was occupied by a million Montenegrin troops, so that the state army could not move. Being able to recover Shangdang can not only assist Xu Fu in attacking the raging Baibo, but also use Shangdang as a front-line fortress to fight against Yuan Shao and other princes.

Such a hinterland made Xiang Ao have to pay attention, even though Hanoi is richer and has a large population, but Xiang Ao attaches more importance to the strategic places of the party. It is also why Xiang Ao hurriedly arranged the affairs of Hanoi, and then led the army towards the party. As for why he dared to pass directly through Tianjing Pass, first, he had to go north to Shangdang only by this way, and if he made a detour, he would either enter Hedong controlled by Baibo, or march into Jizhou and enter Shangdang from Huguan. But can Han Fu allow it? Or even a big fight with Montenegro?

The most important thing is that after Xiang Ao and Xi Zhong separated at the beginning of the year, Xi Zhong had recovered most of the county towns of Shangdang, and now the Montenegrin army east of Huguan Pass has not been able to take it. Before Xiang Ao rushed to Shangdang, Xi Zhong sent a scout to Xiang Ao in Hanoi, informing Xiang Ao that if he entered Shangdang, he could pass through the Tianjing Pass directly. In the territory of Shangdang, except for the opening of the Huguan Road, the other three roads are already under the control of Xi Zhong, but the troops are a little insufficient, which makes Xi Zhong worry day and night.

Tianjing Pass in the southern part of Shangdang County.

"Lord!" Xi Zhong led Li Jin and the two brothers to wait at Tianjing Pass for several days, and they hadn't seen each other for nearly a year, and Xi Zhong seemed extremely excited.

Xiang Ao stepped forward to help up Xi Zhong, who was making a salute, patted the shoulders of the two Li Jin brothers, and said with relief: "Hard work, hard work, Bojie!" ”

"Serve the lord, don't work hard!" Xi Zhong just nodded a little excitedly, but the two Li Jin brothers hugged their fists and said excitedly. Xiang Ao patted everyone's arrows again, and under the leadership of Xi Zhong, he left Tianjing Pass and headed towards the Gaodu City behind Tianjing Pass. Maybe I haven't seen each other for a long time, maybe Xi Zhong is like this, along the way, Xi Zhong explained the folk customs of Shangdang County to Xiang Ao interestingly.

Xiang Ao nodded frequently, and Dian Wei was also curious. In just a few words, Xiang Ao has understood that after more than half a year of governance, most of the people in Shangdang County have begun to identify with Xiang Ao and the Zhenguo Gong canonized by the imperial court. As for the family in Shangdang County, Xi Zhong did not do it. It's not that I don't know how to do it, but I still don't dare to do it. After all, Xi Zhong is also a member of the family, although the whole family has been hidden for many years, Xi Zhong doesn't want to offend people too much.

While Xiang Ao was satisfied with Xizhong's governance of the party, he was also full of emotion: Perhaps, the difference between Zhicai and Yuan Zhi is here. Yuanzhi's family is poor, and there are no too glorious people in the ancestors, although they are a little tied to the family, but after all, they have not been recognized by the family, and they have not been able to enter the family.

Before worshipping the lord Xiang Ao, Xu Shu, like the rest of the Han people, also had the ambition to be among the family, and struggled towards such a goal all his life. But after following Xiang Ao, Xu Shu has changed, and compared with the family's lofty mentality, Xu Shu is more humane.

Tianjing Pass is only thirty or forty miles away from Gaodu, and Xiang Ao and the others rushed to Gaodu in less than an hour. Xi Zhong knew that Xiang Ao didn't like to be too exaggerated to greet him, so he just notified the county officials from all over Shangdang County to come to Gaodu to meet Xiang Ao a little, and after a hasty banquet for the officials from all over the country, Xi Zhong asked the officials from all over the country to return to you. As for letting Xiang Ao rush to the eldest son's office, Xi Zhong planned to delay in Gaodu for two days, so that Xiang Ao could understand the entire Shangdang, and then go to the eldest son to take over the party after making some preparations.

It's night, Gaodu County Yanei.

"The matter of the family that the lord is most worried about is still more optimistic in terms of the party."

Xi Zhong took out the specially collected family information and handed it to Xiang Ao, and said slowly: "Shangdang is loyal to the terrain and doesn't say much, and the lord also has a general understanding. However, due to the topography, the party is also isolated from the outside world most of the time. In addition, the hinterland of Shangdang has many water flows, fertile land, and many fertile fields, so it can be self-sufficient. It also led to the fact that the Shangdang was almost able to independently leave the imperial court and become a country of its own. ”

At the same time, Shangdang has been a strategic place since ancient times, and wars are frequent. Not only did the Han people fight among themselves, but Shangdang was also plagued by the Xiongnu in the past. In this way, although there are many families in the Shangdang, there are not any deep-rooted families or heroes. Since the founding of the Han Dynasty, the Shangdang has gradually stabilized, and it has been difficult for foreign forces to intervene in the Shangdang, resulting in a number of small families having mistaken roots, contacting each other, and attacking each other. Xi Zhong kept talking, paused, took a sip of the tea cup on the table and continued: "The only thing that needs to be valued by the lord is the Shangdang Bao family." ”

"Bao's?"

"Yes, Bao!" Xi Zhong smashed his mouth, moistened his throat and continued: "The ancestor of the Bao family is not a native of Shangdang. His ancestor Bao Xuan was a Bohai person, and Emperor Wai of the Western Han Dynasty was a doctor. Be upright and dare to criticize. Due to official awards and other reasons, Bao Xuan's family moved to the party. Several generations have been appointed in the imperial court, as high as Jiuqing Dasi Nong. Although there is no official in the Bao family in the court, Bao's reputation in the party is not low. ”

"Now the Bao family is now destined for Bao Yi, the word tree virtue, and the year of establishment, there is filial piety and righteousness. During the time of Emperor Ling, several expeditions were rejected on the grounds of filial piety. It is rumored that Bao Xin, a native of Taishan, and Bao Shi of Shangdang are of the same clan, which cannot be verified. ”

Xiang Ao looked carefully at the book in his hand, and with Xi Zhong's explanation, he secretly thought in his heart.

"Zhicai is a great talent, and it is hard work to let Zhicai deal with such affairs!" Xiang Ao smiled lightly: "Since I have come to the party, I can handle the affairs of the family." The matter of the party's military defense has to be bothered by Zhicai. ”

When Xi Zhong heard this, he quickly got up and bowed and said: "It is a duty of loyalty to serve the lord. However, he failed to deal with the troublesome family affairs for the lord, and he was very guilty. ”

Xiang Ao waved his hand, signaling that Xi Zhong didn't have to care: "I know the difficulties of Zhicai, so there is no need to be like this." Xiang Ao thought for a moment and then said: "If there is chaos today, the princes of all walks of life will definitely crusade against each other for their own ambitions or aspirations. After Montenegro and Bai Bo are disposed of, Shangdang is the gateway to the state, and there is no delay in the affairs of the family, so Zhicai will bother to analyze the situation in the world. ”

"Don't worry, my lord, I will do my best!" The play was loyal and solemn. Although he is busy dealing with the conflicts of the family and preparing for the implementation of the state decree in the party in the future, Xi Zhong will think about the situation in the world when he has a little free time in the near future. The world is big, each has its own policy, and it is inevitable that all the princes will compete for the world. Xi Zhong is very clear about the ambition of his father-in-law, and the difficulties he faces are geometric.

Even if Xi Zhong is unwilling to be an enemy of the family, but due to loyalty and ambition, Xi Zhong will still rack his brains to give advice to Xiang Ao.

For Xiang Ao now, the most important thing at the moment is to recover all parts of the state, so that Xiang Ao's forces have a stable rear. While analyzing the situation in the world, Xi Zhong is now full of thoughts about how to solve the matter of Montenegro. As for Chen Bing's Taiyuan and Hedong's Bai Bo, I believe Xu Shu can solve it. Xi Zhong thought so, his eyes lit up. is both a handsome man and a strategist under the main public account, how can he not distinguish between high and low?