"Yuan Shu's way, we still have to be allies with it according to the original plan, otherwise even if our army barely escaped this crisis this time, but with Yuan Shu, the great enemy in the south, threatening the hinterland of our army at all times, how can our army be at ease to conquer the Central Plains and Hebei prefectures and counties? How can you play life and death with the princes such as Cao Ying and Yuan Shao with peace of mind? Lu Bu said coldly.

"But my lord, Yuan Shu has already rejected our army's request for an alliance with him in a letter, and it stands to reason that Yuan Shu should never refute his own face and risk being ridiculed by the world to become allies with our army?" Xun Yu couldn't imagine that the princes of Yuan Shu's side would repent of their promise and become allies with Luoyang's Bingzhou army under the shame of the people of the world.

Lu Bu's eyes slowly closed: "Is the so-called covenant in this troubled world any binding?" As long as a consensus can be reached with Yuan Shu, it doesn't matter whether the covenant is made public or not. And who is Yuan Shu? The reason why he was able to refuse the position of the Three Dukes promised by our army was that Li Yan told him some greater temptations, and Yuan Shu would rather give up the position of the Three Dukes to fight with me and the state army! ”

Speaking of this, Lu Bu clenched his fists with some indignation, and only after a few breaths did he suppress the anger in his heart and continue: "What is bigger than the position of the third prince? It is nothing more than Li Yan using Luoyang City under our feet to fool Yuan Shu. As long as we can use what Yuan Shu prefers as a condition, the alliance is as easy as a breeze!

But before that, there is one that must be removed! Otherwise, with him, even if he becomes an ally with Yuan Shu, I'm afraid that he will be able to crush this fragile covenant! Yuan Hao, I'll give you a talisman, you can draw a hundred brocade guards from the 'Jinyi Battalion' in the west of the city. Li Yan's martial arts are strong, so don't use the way of assassination. Let them go to Nanyang and ruin Li Yan's reputation for me! When necessary, let them use the 'Jade Spring' in Yuan Shu's Mansion to cooperate. ”

"Subordinates obey!" Tian Feng promised.

"Xun Yu, I asked you to go to Jizhou, Yuzhou, Xuzhou, Jingzhou, and Yangzhou to buy grain and grass on a large scale some time ago, how did you do it?" Seeing that a big war is about to be ushered in, of course Lu Bu has to ask more questions about grain and grass.

"Although our army has purchased enough grain and grass from various prefectures and counties for a year's worth of grain and grass, due to the recent natural disasters in various places, and the cross-fertilization of officials and bandits in some places, the caravan we sent to buy grain and grass has only transported back less than sixty percent of the grain and grass. The rest of the grain and grass were all plundered, and some caravans could only flee back with one or two people to report the news. Xun Yu was a little ashamed of the report. He didn't expect that he would accept the task given to him by the main bus for the first time, but he would do it so badly.

"Looted? Where are the grain and grass plundered? "Lu Bu didn't care about the lost thirty percent of the grain and grass, but was very interested in the 'bandits' who plundered his own grain and grass.

"Most of what was lost were caravans from Jizhou and Jingzhou, and those who fled said that those 'bandits' were even equipped with cavalry and crossbowmen. The subordinates speculated that these people were likely to have Yuan Shao and Liu Biao involved in the back. Xun Yu said with some bitterness, an ordinary caravan, but a large number of grain and grass. However, it was transported in the direction of Luoyang, and these princes assigned their subordinates to attack the caravan in order to obtain huge profits and hit the Bingzhou army that was in the limelight, which was reasonable, especially the 'bandits' on the Hebei side as long as they caught the caravan, it was really exterminating! Except for a few horses who fled quickly, the rest were all killed on the spot and none survived.

"Hmph, Hebei and Jingzhou? It's a causal cycle. Forget it, Wen Ruo is not to blame for this matter, we don't have much else but money! What is the loss of a little grain and grass, I can transport back sixty percent, I am already very satisfied. Let's go away first, and when the matter in Nanyang is over, it will be the time for our three armies to send the tiger to prison! Lu Bu waved his hand and motioned for everyone to disperse.

"No!"

Looking at the figures of everyone leaving, Lu Bu still sat there alone. 'Hebei Yuan Shao and Yanzhou Cao Ying, how should these two princes crack it? The soldiers and generals will not talk about it for the time being, just say that the Yuan clan and the Cao clan behind them are all the leaders of the world's families.

What were Cao Ying and Yuan Shao doing at this time in history? Well, Yuan Shao should be fighting against Gongsun Zan in Youzhou, but now he is peeking at Luoyang and aiming at Bingzhou. Gongsun Zhan is very easy to deal with those Wuheng and Xianbei people, but he is a little powerless against heavyweight princes like Yuan Shao. And recently, there was news from the border, saying that Xianbei recommended Kebi to become their new Shan Yu, but I am afraid that Gongsun Zhan's side is under great pressure, and there is no time to take care of Jizhou.

And Cao Ying, who was supposed to avenge his father and conquer Xuzhou. But because of me, a butterfly, but, wait! Avenging your father, Xuzhou, haha, Cao Ying, this time you have to shed your skin if you don't die!! ’

Dividing line

Langya County, Xuzhou.

"Ah Pu really lived up to my expectations, and laid such a big foundation in just a few years, hehehe, it is really my Cao Song's luck to have such a son." Cao Song stroked his gray beard, and said with a smile as he looked at the messenger sent by Cao Song in front of him.

Xiahou Kuang is ranked by generation, but he is Cao Ying's nephew. This time, he was sent to Xuzhou to pick up Mrs. Cao, but it was Cao Ying's next step to prepare to attack Xuzhou, in order to be afraid that Xuzhou would make a fuss about his father when he was poor, so he wanted to take Cao Song, who was in Langya County, back to Yanzhou.

"The lord recently said that he was preparing to attack Xuzhou, for the sake of the old lady's safety, I still ask the old lady to tell his subordinates to pack up, and we will leave for Yanzhou tomorrow." Xiahou Kuang said respectfully.

"I heard that Aman wasn't at war with Lu Bu in Luoyang recently? How could they attack Xuzhou? "Old lady Cao obviously didn't expect Cao Ying's appetite to be so big.

Xiahou Kuang hesitated slightly before whispering: "Yanzhou has had a locust plague this year, and this year's harvest can be as good as the achievements of previous years." If you don't capture Xuzhou and seize grain and grass from the grain depot in Xuzhou, I'm afraid that our army's rations won't survive the winter this year! ”

"I see. However, although this Tao Gongzu has no ambition to expand the territory, he has governed Xuzhou very well. If Meng De really wants to capture Xuzhou, it is best to treat the people of Xuzhou well. Cao Song lived in Xuzhou for several months and knew a lot about the richness of Xuzhou.

"The old lady can rest assured, the lord once said that when he takes Xuzhou, he will move the governance office to Xuzhou. And Xuzhou will become the most important foundation of the lord, and the people under the rule of Xuzhou are the people of the lord, and they will naturally be treated well by the lord. Xiahou Kuang said with a smile.

Hearing Xiahou Kuang say this, Cao Song breathed a sigh of relief: "So I'm relieved." I will let the servants pack up their belongings and the gold and silver, and we will be ready to set out on our journey. ”

"Then I won't disturb the old lady's rest, and I will take my leave." After Xiahou Kuang respectfully bowed, he slowly withdrew from Cao Song's study.

In the early morning of the second day, Cao Song's convoy moved to Yanzhou and officially began to march in the direction of Yanzhou. The fifty elite Cao army sergeants led by Xiahou Kuang and more than 100 servants on Cao Song's mansion were responsible for protecting the safety of Cao Song and several other Cao clans. This made the journey safe and sound, but it made Xiahou Kuang secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

This day, Cao Song's convoy came to the city of Pengcheng, the seat of Xuzhou Governance. Tao Qian, who had always wanted to befriend Cao Ying, who had always wanted to befriend Cao Ying, ignored Xiahou Kuang's resignation and invited Cao Song and Xiahou Kuang to the Assassin's Mansion for a banquet.

Cao Song has always wanted to meet Tao Qian, who will govern Xuzhou rich and healthy, this time when he learned that Tao Gongzu invited him so sincerely to go to the Assassin's Mansion for a banquet, Cao Song was overjoyed and immediately agreed without hesitation, and only took Xiahou Kuang to Tao Qian's Assassin's Mansion, but the rest of the guards only let them stand outside the Assassin's Mansion and wait, obviously Cao Song did not believe that Tao Qian, who had a gentleman's style, would set up a 'Hongmen Banquet' for himself.

"Xuzhou Thorn Shi Taoqian, meet Lord Cao!" As soon as they met, Tao Qian saluted Cao Song from afar. Although Cao Song was once an official to the position of 'Three Princes', he returned to his hometown a few years ago, and Tao Qian's etiquette is now pleasing Cao Song.

"Oh, Tao Thorn Shi, please get up! The old man is not an adult for a long time, Tao Tingshi is too humble, the old man is a few years older than Tao Tingshi, if Tao Tingshi doesn't mind calling me Brother Cao. Cao Song walked forward quickly and supported the trembling Tao Qiandao.

"Hehe, Brother Cao is polite. A feast has been set up in the house, please inside! Tao Qian has been frail and sick recently, and this time he came out to greet Cao Song with his sick body, but he was already very reluctant. After seeing everyone greeting each other, they immediately invited Cao Song to take a seat in the house.

(To be continued)