Entering Jingzhou from Yuzhou, nearly 100,000 Cao troops were stationed in the city of Yan.

When the army arrived, Yan County sacrificed the city without any resistance.

The government of Yan County.

Pang Tong and Guo Jia walked side by side in the back garden.

"The garden here is more than a little worse than the Wancheng government." Walking on the bluestone path, Pang Tong said: "Whether it is the layout or the plants and trees in the garden, they are not at the same level. ”

"Was the Wancheng Garden as elegant as it is now?" Guo Jia asked casually.

"Childe is not allowed to build an official mansion." Pang Tong said: "What the garden there used to be is what it is now. ”

"Wancheng was also under the rule of Yuan Shu." Guo Jia said: "Yuan Shu is extremely poor and extravagant, and the local government is also doing the same, and the garden of the government is elegant, which is actually not a good thing for the people." ”

"What Guo Gong said is very true." Pang Tong said: "Childe seems to have said the same thing. He also said that those who are officials should do their best for the locality, and they must not let those who are officials live too freely, because if the officials are free, the people will have a hard time. ”

"Childe said something like that?" Guo Jia asked.

"Yes." Pang Tong said: "And it was said above the court meeting. ”

"If you say these things, you're not afraid of scaring people away." Guo Jia smiled slightly: "If you don't have a good time, who else is willing to be an official?" ”

"I don't dare say that." Pang Tong said: "Gongzi said such a thing, but more scholars came to the academy, and many of them did not want to be promoted and make a fortune at all, but just to establish a career. ”

"If you don't get rich if you are promoted, won't you read for many years in vain?" Guo Jia said with a smile: "We are not pursuing merit in order to seal the shadow of my wife and make my family live a better life." ”

"That's what Gong Guo said." Pang Tong said: "Gongzi said this, and there are a lot of benefits to officials. After the prefectural order, each of them was given a large house, not only a house, but also a field and other industries, from which they could also get many benefits. was originally penniless, but he became an official under the command of his son, and since then he has been eating and drinking without worry, and enjoying all the glory. ”

"If someone is corrupt and perverts the law, what will happen to Childe?" Guo Jia asked.

"A few days ago, the Haixi County Order happened, hasn't Guo Gong heard of it?" Pang Tong did not answer directly, but asked rhetorically.

Guo Jia smiled slightly: "I've heard of it, but I don't quite understand why little Haixi has so much energy, and a county order can actually plague there for months before being punished." ”

"Childe can't know everything." Pang Tong said: "There are local considerations, so Sima Zhongda did not punish Haixi County, because he thought it was not enough to deal with the rampant. Frustrated, he went there and stabbed the hornet's nest directly. ”

"If I were a frustrated man, I would do the same." Guo Jia said: "Poisonous sores should be cleared sooner or later, although it will be very painful to clean up early, but the days of pain are short after all. It's better than having a poisonous sore on your body, bearing the pain it brings every day, but not caring how strong it is. ”

"That's what Gong Guo said." Pang Tong said: "If Guo Gong is under the command of Gongzi, he must be able to become one person under ten thousand people......"

"What do you mean?" Guo Jia smiled, lowered his voice and asked Pang Tong, "Could it be that you are still planning to rebel against me from Cao Gong's side?" ”

"I don't dare." Pang Tong hurriedly denied it, and then asked Guo Jia: "Our army has come to Jingzhou, when does Guo Gong think it is appropriate to advance to Xiangyang?" ”

"When does Childe plan to come to Jingzhou?" Guo Jia asked rhetorically.

"It's not clear." Pang Tong said: "When the son comes to Jingzhou, it will take about a month, to say the least. ”

"So long?" Guo Jia asked, "Didn't Shi Yuan get any news about Gongzi's sending troops?" ”

"The news of Bowang should have only been transmitted back to Shouchun." Pang Tong said: "Gongzi has to prepare soldiers and horses, and also raise grain and grass, which will take many days. A month, I've already said less. ”

"We can't wait a month." Guo Jia said: "There is still a lot of way to go from here to Xiangyang, and when we reach Xiangyang, maybe the son will also arrive." ”

"What does Guo Gong mean, we will send troops first?" Pang Tong said: "The military rations brought by our army are not much......

"Shi Yuan means ......" Looking at Pang Tong, Guo Jia only said half of what he said.

"I have to raise military rations, and I'm afraid I will have to rely on Guo Gong to march to Xiangyang." Pang Tong said: "Our army is deep in Jingzhou, and there must be no emptiness in the back. You must know that Liu Xuande still has some soldiers and horses in Xinye. ”

"It's just more than 10,000 people." Guo Jia said: "He suffered a big loss under Shiyuan this time, and he should not have the courage to compete with the army." ”

"But I don't have many soldiers and horses after all." Pang Tong said: "Liu Biao has been operating in Jingzhou for many years, and his soldiers and horses are hundreds of thousands of people......"

"How many people are there in Jingzhou?" Guo Jia smiled and waved his hand: "Even if you count all the men, women, and children in Jingzhou, I'm afraid there are not hundreds of thousands." In my opinion, Liu Biao's army will definitely not exceed 100,000 people. ”

"In other words, we can take Jingzhou in one fell swoop this time?" Pang Tong asked.

Guo Jia shook his head and said: "The meaning of Cao Gong and Gongzi is to only fight to Xiangyang, let Liu Biao give some money, and then return the place we occupy to him." ”

"Since it is not a battle to the death, it is enough for Guo Gong to lead the army." Pang Tong said: "How about I ask the soldiers to raise grain and grass while waiting here for the prince to come and join Guo Gong?" ”

"Not really." Guo Jia said with a smile: "Entering Jingzhou, although it is effortless to occupy Juxian, if you advance to Xiangyang again, the enemy army will definitely make every effort to intercept it." Shi Yuan did a good job, I will bring the troops to Xiangyang, and you and Gongzi will directly get the credit when you arrive. How can there be such a good thing in the world? ”

Pang Tong smiled: "I can't hide anything from Guo Gong, in fact, I expect that after the son comes, this battle will not have to be fought, and I just want to give Guo Gong a chance to make contributions." ”

Looking at Pang Tong, Guo Jia asked, "Why does Shiyuan think that after Gongzi comes, there will be no need to fight this battle again?" ”

"Gongzi and Cao Gong don't want Jingzhou." Pang Tong said: "The army has already invaded the border, and with the ability of the son, it should not be difficult to ask Liu Biao to hand over Liu Bei and give the Cao family some money and grain as compensation." ”

"In this way, I don't have to march into Xiangyang." Guo Jia said: "As long as Gongzi comes to Jingzhou, everything can be easily solved, so why let the soldiers suffer from conquest." ”

"It's still going to be a few fights." Pang Tong lowered his voice and said: "Although Guo Gong doesn't want the soldiers to suffer from the conquest, how can he be willing to let General Xiahou suffer from the trap in Bowang and not let him find it on the battlefield?" ”

(End of chapter)