Cao Shuo returned to Shouchun, and Pang Tong and Chen Gong went to the city gate to greet him.

ordered Chen Zhi and Deng Zhan to send Zhen Mi back first, and he went to the official mansion with Pang Tong and Chen Gong.

In the study in the backyard of the official mansion, Cao Shuo took a sip of the tea bowl and asked the two of them, "How have Shouchun and other places been lately?" ”

"When Childe is away, it's still the same as before." Pang Tong said: "Step by step, everything is going on steadily. ”

"How many men are there in the standing army?" Cao Shuo asked.

"It has been handed over to General Zhao to take over." Pang Tong said: "Before Gongzi came back, the number of standing troops had reached 16,700 people, and now there are still strong soldiers rushing to Shouchun. ”

"Sixteen or seven thousand?" Cao Shuo was stunned: "There are so many soldiers and horses, ...... raise them"

"It's a little difficult." Pang Tong said: "But it's not completely unfed, the harvest in the first half of this year is good, if the wind and rain are smooth in the second half of the year, even if you raise so many soldiers and horses, the warehouse will still be full of grain." ”

"The standing army is only 20,000 people, but I feel overstretched." Cao Shuo said: "It's still the same sentence, we need people." The more people we have, the more taxes we will be able to collect in the future, and the more strong soldiers we will be able to recruit in the army. ”

"The old and weak have been eliminated?" Cao Shuo asked again.

"The old and weak soldiers have now gone to the people." Pang Tong said: "Those who have skills return to their old jobs, and those who do not have skills go to the fields to farm. When they are not in use, they are people, and when they are in use, they are soldiers. ”

"That's what it is." Cao Shuo said: "In addition, we must also encourage the soldiers to have children. While there is no war yet, let them each have another family. As soon as the war began, all the women who had started a family here were settled in the villages outside the city, and those who were pregnant waited for childbirth, and those who were not pregnant waited for their husbands to triumph. If a soldier dies in battle, let the women go with them. But before getting the exact news of the death in battle, anyone who dares to have evil thoughts about the women of the soldiers will be killed! ”

"I'll arrange it later." Pang Tong responded.

"On the way back, I got a message." Cao Shuo said: "Huowu, who was lurking in Yecheng, found out that Yuan Shao imprisoned Tian Feng only because Tian Feng persuaded him not to send troops. ”

"Tian Feng is also a character, but he is too strong." Chen Gong said: "Before the son came back, we also got the news, thinking about Tian Feng, it is really sad and lamentable, he did his best for the Yuan family, but ended up in prison." ”

"Do you think what Tian Feng said makes sense?" Cao Shuo suddenly asked Pang Tong and Chen Gong.

The two glanced at each other, and Pang Tong said, "Actually, I also think that the Yuan family is the most suitable time to start a war against the Cao family at this time. ”

"Why?" Cao Shuo asked.

"The Yuan family recently broke through Gongsun Zhan, and the morale of the generals of the three armies is high. Moreover, today's Yuan family not only has many soldiers and horses, but also the treasury is very full, compared with Hebei, the Cao family is much more stretched. Pang Tong said: "Although the Yuan family wants Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao to fight for many years, all parts of Hebei have not suffered too much from the war. The Yuan family's revitalization of Youzhou is much simpler than the Cao family's revitalization of Xuzhou and other places. ”

Listening to what Pang Tong said, Cao Shuo couldn't help nodding.

"It is said that Tian Feng asked Yuan Shao to gather heavy troops along the Yellow River, and then send a small number of soldiers and horses to attack and harass them, so as to reach the tired Cao family, and wait for two years before using troops when the gap between them is greater." Pang Tong continued: "He may not have thought that the Yuan family could send people to attack the Cao family, so couldn't the Cao family send people to attack the Yuan family?" Gongzi has worked hard in Huainan and other places, and there have been earth-shaking changes in just a few months. Cao Gong was also prospering in Hanoi, Hedong and other places, while the Yuan family only occupied the north. Further north they are the desolate land, and the only one they can crusade against is Gongsun Du of Liaodong. Liaodong is a bitter cold place, where will there be wealth in the Central Plains? ”

"Shi Yuan is right, in fact, I think so too." Cao Shuo said: "If Yuan Shao really follows the advice of Tian Feng, Fu Zhu and others, and then postpone two years to use troops against the Cao family, then the strength of the two sides will become smaller and smaller, and it will be almost impossible for the Yuan family to engulf the Cao family." ”

"Gongzi also thinks that it is appropriate for the Yuan family to use troops with the Cao family at this time?" Chen Gong asked.

"I think it's appropriate." Cao Shuo said: "The overall strategy can be said to be correct, but fighting a war is not a good strategy to win, the most important thing is how to use tactics in specific battles." ”

"After the water thieves are exterminated, are there any thieves in various places who are causing trouble?" Cao Shuo asked the two again.

"Nope." Chen Gong said: "Soon after the prince left, some fish who were caught in the net came to surrender, and none of us killed them, and they were all settled. Nowadays, there are more and more thieves who surrender to Chengcheng, and many of them don't want to fall into the grass, but only because they can't survive, they choose that path. ”

"Those who fall into the grass for the sake of survival can leave them a way to live." Cao Shuo stood up: "Now that the Yuan family is eyeing the Cao family, maybe the big war will come one day." You should all pay attention to it, not only the thieves who gather will be dealt with, but also those who are rampant in the market and the countryside will also be suppressed. The more chaotic the world, the more we need to keep this place in order, so as to attract more people to Huainan, Xuzhou and other places. ”

"Obey Childe's orders." Pang Tong and Chen Gong got up and responded.

Cao Shuo said: "Things have come to this point, and the most difficult thing to do is my eldest lady. Once the Yuan family and the Cao family go to war, her situation will be very delicate. I'll go back and see her first, it's not something that has to be handled by me, you can just watch it. ”

Leaving the official residence, Cao Shuo was escorted home by Cai Ji and several guards.

When the people along the way saw him, they all let him go to the side of the road and bowed down one by one.

Cai Ji whispered to Cao Shuo: "I'm afraid that the prestige of the prince is not comparable to any heroic man in the territory. ”

"How do you say that?" Cao Shuo said: "I'm not a hero, I'm just the son of the Cao family." ”

"Childe is a hero, of course not a hero." Cai Ji said: "When the people saw Gongzi, they saluted on the side of the road, which shows their heartfelt reverence for Gongzi. Some heroes go out, there are many guards and special people to open the way, although the people will also get out of the way, but in the bottom of their hearts they are only afraid, not respectful. ”

"You're talking one thing at a time now, and you're getting better and better." Cao Shuo grinned and said.

"Definitely not sycophancy." Cai Ji said seriously: "Since we were in Wancheng, Wei Tu and I have followed Gongzi and are the earliest subordinates around Gongzi. What happened to the son in the past two years, we all saw it. ”

"Then tell me how I am." Cao Shuo asked, "Are there any shortcomings?" ”

"Nope!" Cai Ji said: "Childe is flawless, where will there be any shortcomings?" ”

"It seems to be the same." Cao Shuo smiled: "I am not only very heroic, but also handsome, and I have such a great ability, how can I have shortcomings?" ”