Xu Shu met Lu Su in the middle of the road, and he had already changed into clean and refreshing clothes.

When he walked into the front hall, Lu Bu had already stood up, and the eyes of the generals and staff members sitting on both sides were focused on him.

Standing facing Lu Bu, Xu Shu bowed and saluted: "Mountain man Xu Shu, I have seen Chu Hou." ”

"Yuan Zhi doesn't have to be polite!" Lu Bu left the table and walked in front of him, took his hands and looked him from head to toe, and said with a smile: "I have long heard that Yuan Zhi is famous, but I didn't expect to meet in Pengcheng, please sit down." ”

Xu Shu said to Lu Bu with some embarrassment: "The Marquis of Chu is discussing in the court, I am an outsider, sit down here......"

"I heard Zijing say that Yuan Zhi came to vote for me, since he came to join me, he is not an outsider." Lu Bu said: "Please sit down." ”

After thanking Lu Bu, Xu Shu sat down in Keqing's seat.

Lu Bu turned around and returned to the first seat, and after taking his seat, he said to everyone: "There have been a lot of things that have happened in Pengcheng recently, I was about to crusade against Cao Cao, and someone actually stabbed me in the back. Although those people were disposed of, the harm caused to the army was indelible. The army has insufficient armor and armament, and only grain and grass are fully funded. Do you think I should wait until the ordnance and armor are all ready before I go out to fight, or should I fight first and then raise it? ”

"I think Chu Hou should wait until he is fully funded, and then he will crusade." Zhou Yu was the first to reply: "Actually, the Marquis of Chu and all the dukes present know very well that Cao Cao is powerful and cannot be easily defeated. The strength of our army was originally inferior to him. If we rush to send troops when all the ordnance and equipment are not ready, I am afraid that we will suffer a big loss. ”

Looking at the others, Lu Bu asked again, "Does anyone else have other opinions?" ”

What Zhou Yu said is actually what many people are worried about.

Although Cao Cao has suffered a lot in the last few expeditions with Lu Bu, his soldiers are indeed warriors of a hundred battles.

Compared with the military strength of the two sides, Lu Bu is indeed not Cao Cao's opponent at present.

Everyone knows that this is true, but no one will want to emphasize it again when Zhou Yu has already said it once.

Everyone looked at Lu Bu and didn't say a word.

Without getting an answer from them, Lu Bu looked at Xu Shu: "I wonder if Yuan Zhi has a different opinion?" ”

"Dare to ask who is the ...... who spoke just now" Xu Shu did not immediately say his opinion, but asked Zhou Yu with his hand.

Zhou Yu returned the salute: "Zhou Yu in Xiajiangdong." ”

"It turned out to be Jiangdong Zhou Lang Zhou Gongjin." Zhou Yu reported his name, and Xu Shu immediately gave him a big salute: "I don't know if it's respectful, disrespectful and disrespectful." ”

"Yuan Zhigong doesn't have to be polite." Zhou Yu returned the salute.

Xu Shu said to Lu Bu at this time: "What General Gongjin just said is no different from what I thought, and I also feel that it is better to send troops in a hurry than to hold the troops first, and wait until the ordnance is complete before sending troops." ”

"The ordnance is complete, and it is impossible to do it without a month or two." Lu Bu frowned and said, "Those things that happened earlier did give me a salary from the bottom of the kettle. ”

"Dare to ask Chu Hou, but the armor raised by Peng Cheng before was too thin to use?" Xu Shu asked.

"Exactly." Lu Bu said: "There are as many as forty or fifty thousand sets of armor that have been confiscated. In other words, at least forty or fifty thousand soldiers wore armor that could not play a protective role. Letting the soldiers wear these armors into battle undoubtedly pushed them to the battlefield to their deaths. ”

Xu Shu was not in Pengcheng before, and after Lu Bu explained, he asked very suspiciously: "Where did Yuan Zhi hear about this matter?" ”

"This matter is in an uproar, and I have heard about it before I arrived in Pengcheng." Xu Shu said: "Chu Hou did not deliberately cover up this matter, but killed all the relevant people involved in the case in public, which should be to make an example." Although there are many advantages to killing a hundred people, it will also bring a lot of disadvantages to Chu Hou. ”

"Please also ask Yuan Zhi to speak clearly!" Lu Bu motioned for Xu Shu to continue.

Xu Shu replied: "The Marquis of Chu severely punished the relevant people involved, although the news will spread quickly in various places under his rule, so that people dare not have similar thoughts again." But Cao Cao, Yuan Shao and others will also get the news. For the Marquis of Chu, it was not a good thing that the armor was so shoddy that it had to be selected from the army to be destroyed, but for Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, it was the best opportunity. If the Marquis of Chu sent troops at this time, Cao Cao would definitely press on all fronts, and Xuzhou would not have had time to make new armor and put it on the battlefield. ”

"Yuan Zhi and Gong Jin think about the same, in fact, I also think that the expedition is too hasty at this time." Lu Bu pinched his chin and said, "But if I don't go on an expedition, Cao Cao will definitely come to crusade against ......."

"If Cao Cao comes to crusade, I think it's a good thing for Chu Hou." Xu Shu said: "Cao Cao's previous attacks on Xuzhou were repeatedly frustrated, and he was also looking for an opportunity to crusade against the Marquis of Chu. But this time was different from the past, the first few times Cao Cao crusaded, Chu Hou did not have an alliance. This time, if he came to crusade, he could use the Yuan family to contain him. And Chu Hou only needs to deploy defenses in the Dangshan area, and Cao Cao will not dare to go too deep. ”

Xu Shu made these analyses, Lu Bu frowned slightly, thought for a while and said: "Since I don't approve of the crusade against Cao Cao now, I have no choice but to hold my troops for the time being, and wait until the armor and ordnance are fully prepared before making plans!" ”

"Chu Hou Yingming!" The crowd stood up and answered in unison.

"The crusade against Cao Cao is not successful for the time being, what else do we have to do now besides raising ordnance and equipment?" Looking around at everyone, Lu Bu asked.

"Back to Chu Hou." It's still Xu Shu, he said to Lu Bu: "Right now, for Xuzhou, what is ultimately needed is still growing. ”

"How?" Lu Bu asked.

"Heroes from all over the country recruited soldiers and horses, and intensified the exploitation of the people." Xu Shu replied: "I have traveled to many places over the years, and most of what I have seen are starving people everywhere. In addition, the disasters have caused many people to eat up the bark and grass roots. When I came to Xuzhou, I saw that there were indeed crops in the fields and surplus grain in every family. The Marquis of Chu has developed Xuzhou into a rich place that everyone yearns for, as long as he sends out documents and recruits people from all over the country to come to Xuzhou and Yangzhou to settle down, Xuyang and Yangzhou will sooner or later become a large state with a large population and no one dares to covet it. ”

"I probably understand what Yuan Zhi means." Lu Bu nodded and asked Xu Shu, "How should this matter be handled, does Yuan Zhi have a plan?" ”

Xu Shu took out a scroll of silk with words written on it from his arms, held it in both hands and handed it to Lu Bu: "Chu Hou, please take a look." ”

Taking the silk, Lu Bu unfolded it and looked at it.

After reading it, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "According to Yuan Zhi, I will immediately ask people to draft documents and distribute them everywhere." But all the people who are willing to settle down in Xuyang and Yangzhou are provided with housing and arable land. Those who have crafts can provide workshops or bring in factory workers. ”

Lü Bu originally planned to crusade against Cao Cao as soon as possible, but Zhou Yu and Xu Shu both put forward different opinions.

What the two of them said was very reasonable, and although many of the people who participated in the court meeting did not express their positions clearly, their attitudes spoke for themselves.

Except for Lu Bu, I'm afraid that no one thinks it's appropriate to send troops at this time.

After the court dissolved, Lu Bu stopped Xu Shu: "Yuan Zhi wait a minute. ”

Xu Shu stopped, bowed down and asked, "Dare to ask Chu Hou what else he commands?" ”

"On the court discussion just now, Yuan Zhi shouldn't have finished speaking." Lu Bu asked, "Can you go to the study for a while?" ”

"Chu Hou invited, how dare you disobey." Xu Shu responded and accompanied Lu Bu to the study.

On the way to the study, Lu Bu instructed Sun Ce: "Bo Fu instructed someone to prepare a house for Yuan Zhi, and arrange some maids and servants." ”

Sun Ce replied: "I always feel uneasy to let the people below do this kind of thing, so it's safer for me to handle it myself." ”

"Then there's the Lauber Charm." Lu Bu nodded.

Xu Shu bowed to Sun Ce: "Thank you for your trouble." ”

Sun Ce retreated, and Lu Bu asked Xu Shu: "I heard that Yuan Zhi killed a bully in the countryside back then, and since then he has left his hometown, I don't know how he has come over all these years?" ”

"It turns out that Chu Hou also knows about this." Xu Shu replied: "The bully bullies bullies men and women, I can't look past it for a while, so I pulled out my sword and killed him." After so many years of wandering all over the world, I just pity the old mother at home......"

"I wonder if there is anyone else in Yuanzhi's family besides Ling Ci?" Lu Bu asked again.

"I am an only son, my father died early, and there is no one else except my mother." Xu Shu's face showed a touch of desolation: "I want to leave my mother alone at home to suffer, I ...... in my heart."

"Yuan Zhi still doesn't give me advice in public recently." Lu Bu said: "Yingchuan is still under Cao Cao's rule, so it can't be too ostentatious, so that it is not good for Yuanzhi's old mother. ”

reminded Xu Shu not to be too ostentatious, but Lu Bu still felt inappropriate: "I think I should still send someone to Yingchuan to bring Yuanzhi's mother to Pengcheng more securely." ”

"Chu Hou doesn't have to bother, just find a chance for me to bring my mother back." Xu Shu replied.

"It's safer for you to stay with me." Lu Bu smiled slightly: "To crusade against Cao Cao, I not only need a fierce general who charges into battle, but also a wise man like Yuan Zhi." ”

The two of them talked and came to Lu Bu's study.

Entering the study, Lu Bu invited Xu Shu to sit down.

After sitting down, he asked Xu Shu: "Yuan Zhi is in the court meeting, there should be something unfinished." ”

"Chu Hou heard that?" Xu Shu asked Lu Bu rhetorically.

"Of course." Lu Bu replied: "Since Yuan Zhi came to vote for me, how could he not prepare anything? At least there should be an accurate judgment of the general trend of the world. ”

"I don't dare to say that it is accurate, but there is still a judgment." Xu Shu said: "Since the Marquis of Chu twice repelled Cao Cao at Dangshan, and ordered Yuan Shao to withdraw his troops and form an alliance with him, the situation in the world has actually become clear. ”

"Please also speak plainly." Lu Bu asked him to continue.

Xu Shu replied: "Before the Marquis of Chu defeated Cao Cao, there were actually only two forces north of the Yangtze River that were most likely to be unified. One is Yuan Shao in Hebei, the Yuan family in Hebei has hundreds of thousands of troops, and after defeating Gongsun Zhan, there is no heroic man in the north to compete with him. The second is Cao Cao, although he is not as numerous as Yuan Shao, but Cao Cao's foresight is stronger than Yuan Shao. If it weren't for the change of the situation by the Marquis of Chu, I think Cao Cao would have defeated Yuan Shao sooner or later and thus unified the north of the Yangtze River. ”

Xu Shu's analysis was completely consistent with Lu Bu's previous understanding of history, he nodded and asked Xu Shu: "What does Yuan Zhi think will happen in the future north of the Yangtze River?" ”

"For example, the general trend today is no longer the division between the north and south of the Yangtze River." Xu Shu said: "The Marquis of Chu crusaded against Cao Cao, if it succeeds, the world will be divided into east and west. ”

"Please also speak plainly." Lu Bu motioned for Xu Shu to continue.

"The Marquis of Chu crusaded against Cao Cao, even if he captured Xudu, Cao Cao was not completely out of retreat." Xu Shu said: "He can retreat to Zuofengyi, take Chang'an as the foundation, and then occupy Hanzhong, and then enter Yizhou." Even if the Marquis of Chu had the intention to break it in one fell swoop, he had to temporarily withdraw his troops and prepare for war with Yuan Shao because of Yuan Shao's eyesight in Hebei. ”

"If I start a war with Yuan Shao, what are the chances of winning?" Lu Bu asked.

"Eight to ninety percent." Xu Shu replied: "Although Yuan Shao is strong, this person is stubborn and self-serving, and he has never listened to other people's suggestions. So he joined forces with the Marquis of Chu to crusade against Cao Cao, but he didn't take the Marquis of Chu seriously. ”

Xu Shu said this without subtlety, and Lu Bu smiled: "One day, he will regret having such a thought." ”

"Of course." Xu Shu said: "However, Chu Hou has more things to solve at the moment than Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. ”

"I want to hear about it." Xu Shu just arrived, and he divided the east and west of the world, and the statement he put forward was beyond Lu Bu's understanding of history, and Lu Bu certainly wanted to hear what he had to say next.

Since Lu Bu came to this era, history has long been completely different from what he knew before.

According to the original history, he should have died in the White Gate Tower during the Battle of Xiapi.

His arrival changed the outcome of the Battle of Xiapi, after which he ambushed Sun Ce and obtained the entire Jiangdong.

History has long been unrecognizable because of his coming......

"Yuan Shao and Cao Cao are both big trees with deep roots, and many things that Chu Hou has encountered now have happened to them a few years ago." Xu Shu said: "For example, the armor fraud that happened recently, hasn't the same thing happened to the Yuan family and the Cao family?" ”

"What does Yuan Zhi mean that they have encountered similar situations before?" Lu Bu frowned slightly and asked Xu Shu.

"Of course." Xu Shu replied: "No matter who rules the place, in the process of growing, there will always be some people who try to take advantage of it. These people don't care about success or failure at all, they just want their own benefits. There are many ways to deal with them, but the ultimate goal is to completely disappear from the place under their own control. The methods used by the Yuan family and the Cao family may be softer than that of the Marquis of Chu, so they are not known to the world. ”

Lu Bu pinched his chin and nodded: "Yuan Zhi is right, what I want is that from now on, there will never be anything like this happening again, so I didn't leave the slightest way back for those people." I want the world to know that under my rule, those who break the moral and ethical bottom line to profit from it are a dead end. ”