Due to the influence of the Holy Decree of Emperor Liu Hong of the Han Dynasty, the entire Shuofang was busy until the end of February.

Therefore, the affairs not only delayed Xiang Ao to take over the affairs of Wuyuan and Yunzhong counties, but also delayed some arrangements for Xiang Ao's preparations for a large-scale attack on Xianbei years ago. In desperation, Xiang Ao had to transfer Jiang Lu to be appointed as a waiter, and the waiter had no official rank and was only responsible for Xiang Ao.

Jiang Lu, who appointed the waiting, had the first task of recruiting treacherous and fickle people to infiltrate the Xianbei tribes, listen to the military and political affairs of the Xianbei tribes, and lay a good outpost for Xiang Ao's army to enter Xianbei. He also ordered Jiang Zhuo to intensify the investigation of the people of all ethnic groups in Shuofang, not only Xianbei, Xiongnu and other foreign races, but also the Han people.

Both affairs are in urgent need of manpower, and Xiang Ao even took out a lot of money for the two to get this matter done. In order to prevent too many people from abandoning agriculture and business, Xiang Ao had to change the land lease policy. The people who were willing to lease the land were left alone for the time being, and Xiang Ao took back all the land that had not been leased out and recruited the people to work by asking for labor.

The recruited people have a guaranteed salary every month, and if the harvest is not bad at the end of the year, Xiang Ao will give some food as a reward. As for Wuyuan and Yunzhong families, Xiang Ao would spend a huge amount of money to collect land, and use the coal group and the right to trade with foreign clans as bargaining chips to force the other party to comply.

Although many families complained a lot, after Xiang Ao gave him all the rights and earned money, the family did not say more. It can benefit more than annexing land and oppressing the people, so why not. Besides, there are not too many families in Wuyuan and Yunzhong, and with Xiang Ao's current strength and power, it is easy to pick up such a family. The merger of Wuyuan and Yunzhong is also under Xiang Ao's control.

It is worth mentioning that because of Xiang Ao's recommendation, Lu Bu still gained a lot of merits, and was appointed by the imperial court as the governor of Yanmen County to guard Yanmen, and Xiang Ao was also happy for Lu Bu. Originally, Wuyuan County was also borrowed from Ao Shunfeng, and they were all transferred by the imperial court and promoted to the court.

For this reason, Guo Hong, the Taishou of Wuyuan County, also wrote to Xiang Ao before leaving, expressing his gratitude. It is also recommended to Xiang Ao a talent in the clan, informing him that this person will visit soon, and hoping that Xiang Ao can have some fate with this person in the clan. And Yunzhong Taishou Luan He did not have such good luck, after all, his father Luan Ba was killed and committed suicide.

Although Luan He does not have too many family relationships, he relies on his talents and a few friends of his father during his lifetime, and he is too guarded in the clouds. Although he failed to take advantage of Xiang Ao's momentum to enter the court, what will happen after he can follow Xiang Ao for the rest of his life, who knows? Blessings and misfortunes depend on them, and they are accompanied by blessings and misfortunes, and it is indeed difficult to determine whether they will be good or bad in the future.

For Luan He, Xiang Ao did not arrange it for the time being, and the investigation and understanding was a poor door, and his ability was also extraordinary, so he stayed in the post of Yunzhong Taishou.

After Xiang Ao discussed with Hu Zhao and Xu Fu, Xiang Ao moved the Northern Regions Protectorate to Wuyuan County and Jiuyuan City. However, when Xiang Ao rushed to Jiuyuan after finishing Shuofang's complicated affairs, Lu Bu and Guo Hong had already taken office and left. couldn't see Lu Bu drinking and talking, Xiang Ao regretted a lot in his heart.

In fact, Xiang Ao still has a lot of selfish intentions, Lu Bu is so brave and good at fighting, and the two are extremely close to each other, if he can recruit Lu Bu to be such a general, Xiang Ao will be much easier to completely defeat Xianbei. Of course, for Xiang Ao himself, Xiang Ao is more willing to get along with Lu Bu's brothers than Lu Bu becoming his general.

Xiang Ao originally planned to use force against Xianbei at the beginning of the year, but this time the main forces were arranged to gather the main forces in the clouds to the east. The newly established Rongcheng Han had few people, so Xiang Ao had to send a thousand cavalry to garrison it, and sent his calm brother Jiang Zhuo to sit here. Jiang Zhuo is young and old, plus the 1,000 elite horsemen under his command, it is expected that no one will dare to be too rampant. What's more, with the assistance of Linrong and Sanfeng's troops, it should be fine.

Sanfeng did not arrange too many troops in the city, but ordered Zhang Long to place a thousand cavalry in Jilusai as a countermeasure. As for the Gaoque Fortress, in addition to the 800 elite infantry of Gaoshun, more than 1,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry were placed to make up 3,000 people to be stationed in the key garrison.

Xiang Ao even ordered Jiang Yan to deploy 3,000 elite cavalry in Wuquan County, Yunzhong County, and send scouts as soon as possible to find out the military situation near Danhan Mountain. Xiang Ao was stationed in the Manyi Valley north of Jiuyuan County and south of Yinshan Mountain to train heavy troops, in addition to the original 10,000 full of the remaining 2,000 elite cavalry, the rest was the newly recruited 5,000 recruits, 2,000 heavy cavalry, 2,000 archers and 1,000 infantry.

In fact, there were many people who were good at shooting in the original establishment of Xiang Ao's army, but they were not formed and failed to form lethality, which was extremely wasteful. Xiang Ao put forward the cavalry from the original army, and then the newly recruited cavalry from Shuofang formed an independent battalion. The heavy cavalry cost Xiang Ao a lot of money and silver, and the heavy cavalry armor of only 1,000 cost Xiang Ao Shuofang several months of money and income.

"My lord, Fu has completed the deployment of troops according to the results of the previous discussion! It's just that in this way, the troops of Xianbei in the north are a little weak! Xu Fu was slightly worried and reported to Xiang Ao the results of this period of arrangement. In his heart, he was very worried about Xiang Ao's troops going north to crusade against Xianbei, after all, the northern grassland desert was vast and cityless, so he had to attack with cavalry, which was not conducive to defense.

Xiang Ao didn't take Xu Fu's worries to heart: "Yuan Zhi doesn't have to worry about it, Jiang Yan wrote a few days ago, saying that Xianbei Shan Yu and Lian have no prestige to lead the Xianbei people's department, and at this time it has become chaotic. ”

After Xiang Ao finished speaking, he took out the extremely poorly drawn Xianbei map, beckoned Xu Fu and Hu Zhao to his side, pointed to the city north of the state on the map, and said: "Besides, it is not the Xianbei people who are plotting to send troops this time, but this city. ”

Although Hu Zhao is good at government affairs, he is also a well-educated person after all, and he also has a view of the overall situation that cannot be underestimated. And Xu Fu also nodded slightly after hearing this.

"The lord is doing this for a long time. At this time, if Xianbei is indeed in civil strife, the Protectorate of the Northern Regions does not have to participate in it, as long as he takes the surrendered city and guards it, he can sit on the mountain and watch the tiger, and the seconds will be seconds! Hu Zhao stroked his chin that was not yet bearded and nodded frequently.

Xu Fu was indeed pondering on the side, and after a while, he looked at Xiang Ao solemnly and confirmed: "Lord, can you confirm the civil strife in Xianbei?" ”

"There will be civil strife during the year, but for the time being, there will be no specific time." Xiang Ao said firmly.

"That being the case, there is a plan for blessing that can hit Xianbei hard."

"Oh? Can you tell me? Seeing Xu Fu say this, he was very interested, and his heart was definitely extraordinary to discuss this plan. Xu Fu was already obsessed with the way of military strategy, and in the past, he fought against the Southern Xiongnu and Xianbei with swords and guns, and rarely strategized, which made it difficult for Xu Fu to exert his wisdom, and most of the time he was assisting Hu Zhao in handling political affairs.

"Most of the civil strife in Xianbei is because of its disagreement, and Helian does not have the majesty of his father, so it is difficult to convince the public, and there must be many leaders of Xianbei who want to replace him."

Xu Fu's expression was not too fast, and he seemed to be sorting out his thoughts: "The information of the lord cannot determine the specific date of his civil strife, and the reason for this is that Yu Wei of Tanshi Huai is still there." If Helian dies at this time, what about Xianbei? ”

Xiang Ao and Hu Zhao stared at each other, and they were extremely amazed in their hearts, since then, wouldn't the time of civil strife in Xianbei be determined by Xiang Ao?

Before Xiang Ao could ask, Xu Fu opened his mouth again and said: "After Helian is killed, my capital protectorate can not only sit on the mountain and watch the tiger, but also send secret envoys to fall into the well, follow the example of the former Qin's vertical and horizontal techniques, and let the Xianbei departments fight among themselves." ”

"In this way, not only can we continue to consume the property of the Xianbei population, but also let the border of the Han Dynasty enjoy peace for many years, and the capital of the northern region of our country can develop steadily for more time." Hu Zhao was frightened at this time, and he couldn't control Xu Fu's words: "When His Majesty responds to His Majesty's edict in the future, my capital protector will be more threatening to the court's treachery!" ”

"What Brother Kong Ming said is extremely true!" Xu Fu didn't blame Hu Zhao for snatching his words, and nodded yes.

"You two are really my Xiao He and Zi Liangye!" Xiang Ao sighed.

"It is my duty to share worries for the lord, and the lord has a reputation!" Hu Zhao and Xu Fu both bowed to each other.

Xiang Ao originally planned to devote all the resources of the Northern Regions Protectorate to build more soldiers and horses to attack Xianbei with all his might, although they were also defeated one by one during the civil strife in Xianbei, but he never thought that it would be so deep. Today, with Xu Fu and Hu Zhao's strategy, it doesn't take too much to win Xianbei, Xiang Ao is extremely happy, and he relies on the two of them even more in his heart.

"The strategy is very good, but it is difficult to find the person who has the vertical and horizontal strategy in the palace at this time!"

"The lord doesn't need to worry, it will take some time to die, and the candidates for the vertical and horizontal affairs can still wait for some time." Xu Fu comforted Xiang Ao, although the strategy was offered by Xu Fu, Xu Fu was helpless to enter the enemy camp to do such a cautious thing.

"That's the only way, then we will decide to attack the city first!"

Xiang Ao said, and the three of them began to rehearse the arrangement of the surrendered city on the map.

Time flies, two months disappear in a flash, and it is April of the fifth year of light and now. Half a month ago, Xiang Ao had ordered Jiang Yan to go north to Xianbei, and the defense of Wuquan was replaced by the original Yunzhong Lieutenant with a thousand cavalry and a thousand infantry who had completed training.

Except for the newly trained 2,000 archers and 2,000 veterans who participated in the war to enter Xianbei in the previous year, they were taken out of Manyi Valley by Xiang Ao and entered Xianbei, and the rest of the recruits were placed by Xiang Ao in the counties of Wuyuan Yunzhong to be armed, and when Xiang Ao left, Hu Zhao led the county captains to temporarily manage it. The cavalry was not good at attacking the city, and Xiang Ao, in order to seek insurance, ordered Gao Shun to lead 800 traps from the Gaoque fortress and lurk near the surrendered city.

"It turns out that this general of the expedition to the north is not in vain!" At this time, a heroic man in his early thirties in Linrong City, Shuofang County, was wandering on the streets of Linrong, and from time to time he was judging with people who looked similar to him.

"Brother, don't say anything, this place is the chassis of the general of Zhengbei, be careful!" It should be his younger brother who persuaded him, and when he saw his brother making such a loud noise, he was very worried that he would be misunderstood.

"Brother Jin is afraid of what he will do, so don't you just conquer the northern general? It's not hypocritical like other families! The person who was called Ah Jin did not appreciate it, and shouted loudly.

As soon as the elder brother finished shouting these words, he suddenly felt that his body was covered with an extremely murderous aura, and even with the burly bodies of the two, he was scared out of a cold sweat. But when the two of them paid a little attention to their surroundings, they realized that such a murderous aura actually came from the people wandering around, and even some bold people stared at them with eyes like bull's eyes, and their expressions were vicious.

"These two people slandered our General Xiang so much, and ruined the reputation of the Northern Regions Protectorate, there must be no doubt that they did it." Before the two of them could react, a big man suddenly jumped out, rolled up his sleeves and shouted: "Come and cooperate with me, take down the two of them, and remove the scourge for the general!" ”

After the big man said that, several big men jumped out of the crowd and surrounded the two. The weak people on the periphery not only watched the excitement, but also found the people who were born in the mobile phone to report to the yamen.

"Brother Jin, I didn't say anything!" At this time, the so-called Ah Jin looked at his eldest brother with a look of grievance, not knowing what to do.

"Don't resist, if you are misunderstood, the two of us can be explained here." Ah Jin hurriedly instructed his brother to avoid further trouble.