Liu Ze set out from the plains, crossed the Yellow River, waved the banner of Dong Zhuo, traveled unhindered along the way, and arrived at the sour jujube a few days later. Looking at the company camp in front of him for dozens of miles, people and horses are crowded, and flags are waving.

At this time, galloping from afar, he rode a few horses, the first general, all of them were draped, his eyes were bearded, and when he saw Liu Ze's banner, he asked loudly: "Is it the plain Runde Gong in front?" ”

"It's down there. Who's under the feet? Liu Zeda stepped forward immediately.

"A certain is Xiahou Dun under the command of Duke Cao, and he is specially ordered by Duke Cao to welcome Duke Runde here." Xiahoudun said.

Liu Ze nodded, thinking that this Cao Cao was very meticulous in doing things, these more than a dozen princes were stationed in sour dates, each of them was a camp, and Cao Cao was afraid that Liu Ze would not be able to find a suitable camp when he arrived, so he specially ordered Xiahoudun to wait outside the camp to welcome Liu Ze's arrival.

So Xiahoudun led Liu Ze's men and horses to camp near Cao Cao's military camp. This vacant land was apparently left behind by Cao Cao's behest, and adjacent to it was the military camp of Qiao Mao, the Taishou of Dongjun, and Bao Xin, the prime minister of Jibei. The handsome and tall Yuan Shao's camp was far away on the northern highlands, corresponding to Cao Cao's side.

"Brother Rundexian, you want to be a brother!" As soon as Cao Cao met, he smiled and bowed, and he was as enthusiastic as ever, and he took Liu Ze's hand for a long time and did not let go. "Jinan is close to the plains, but you have to blame the virtuous brother for being a brother, why haven't you come to meet for a long time?"

Liu Ze said with a smile: "When the junior brother arrived in Ren Pingyuan, he was so busy with a lot of things that it was dark, and when he went to visit Brother Meng De in advance, he didn't want Brother Meng De to have already entered Beijing and was promoted to military captain." ”

"What exaltation? For his brother, he is now a key criminal in the court, and Dong Zhuo Zhang Bang painted a heavy reward for his brother's head. Brother is now penniless, only this head is worth 10,000 taels of gold. Cao Cao laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Brother Meng De is now full of talents, strong soldiers, Dong Zhuo just wants it, I'm afraid he is hopeless in this life." Liu Ze said with a slight smile.

Cao Cao laughed and asked, "What is the position of the virtuous brother now?" Thinking that the five hundred light cavalry commanded by the virtuous brother galloped vertically and horizontally, and repeatedly performed miraculous feats, today I look at the cavalry of the virtuous brother, and the soldiers are neat and tidy, which is better than in the past. It can be called the best team in the world. ”

"The younger brother is now serving as the Governor of the Plains Kingdom. When Lin Hai, the minister of state, heard that the war had started, he was reluctant to get involved in it, so he returned to his hometown, so the younger brother temporarily took the post of minister of state. Compared with Brother Mengde, Brother Huai Sharp Blade punished the country thief, and spread the feat of holding high the banner of righteousness in the world. The little brother is really ashamed. Liu Ze really admired Cao Cao at this time. Full of blood and pride. plotted to assassinate Dong Zhuo alone, wanting to follow Jing Zhuo's dedicatedness, putting his personal safety, honor and disgrace aside. This kind of open-mindedness and courage is not something that ordinary people can have.

Cao Cao laughed heartily a few times, and then sighed: "Cao is not afraid of life and death, he just wants to ask for his life for the country, but it's a pity that Dong thief's life is big, otherwise he would have been able to return the road a long time ago." ”

Then Cao Cao prepared a banquet to wash the dust for Liu Ze, and Qiao Mao, the Taishou of Dongjun, and Bao Xin, the prime minister of Jibei, also came to accompany him, and greeted Liu Ze with each other. Among the princes of all walks of life, Qiao Mao and Bao Xin can also be regarded as Cao Cao's hardcore allies.

During the banquet, Liu Ze inquired about the situation of the sour jujube coalition army. Cao Cao's face became a little colder at this time.

The princes who raised troops to fight against Dong this time claimed to have as many as eighteen roads, but in fact they sent troops to fight on the fourteenth and fifteenth roads, and the generals Nanyang Taishou Yuan Shu, Jizhou Thorn Shi Han Fu, Yuzhou Thorn Shi Kong Ling, Yanzhou Thorn Shi Liu Dai, Chen Liutai Shou Zhang Miao, Dongjun Taishou Qiao Mao, Shanyang Taishou Yuan Yi, Jibei Xiang Bao Xin, Guangling Taishou Zhang Chao, Shangdang Taishou Zhang Yang, Hanoi Taishou Wang Kuang, Wucheng Hou Changsha Taishou Sun Jian, Qixiang Hou Bohai Taishou Yuan Shao, plus Cao Cao's headquarters people, and Liu Ze, the acting minister of the plains who just arrived, There are only fifteen people who can survive to die.

Qingzhou Thorn Shi Jiaohe and Beihai Xiang Kong Rong promised to send troops over in advance, but because the Qingzhou Yellow Turban was chaotic again, they were flawless at all, and there were still extra troops sent to the sour dates. Xuzhou Thorn Shi Tao Qian was also on the list of Dong Qian, but later there was news of illness, but Tao Qian did not send combat troops, but sent a logistics force of thousands of people, and sent 200,000 Hu of grain and grass, which was regarded as a friendly support for the action of the Dong coalition army.

As for Sun Zhan, the Taishou Gonggong of Youbeiping, and Ma Teng of Xiliang, although they responded to Dong Weiwen and promised to send troops to the battle, in the end, they only listened to the thunder and did not see the rain.

However, this is not the point, what worries Cao Cao is that although all the candidates from all walks of life have sent troops to fight, more than 30,000 or 40,000, as little as 120,000, and together they are also known as 300,000 people, but all the candidates are afraid of the courage of the Xiliang soldiers and are hesitant. After all, the fact that Yingchuan was too guarded by Li Min and was thrown into the pot by Xu Rong to cook was really shocking, and the brutality of the Xiliang soldiers made the princes shudder when they heard it, and a few dared to enter the army.

At this time, a herald came to report outside the door, saying that Yuan Shao, the Taishou of Bohai, had summoned all the princes to discuss the matter of the alliance in the camp.

"The princes are coming, the dragons are leaderless, and how can they succeed, this matter of jointly promoting the alliance leader is urgent." Cao Cao said to Liu Ze, Qiao Mao, and Bao Xin.

Qiao Mao and Bao Xin nodded yes, and Liu Ze said: "Brother Meng De raised the banner of righteousness for the first time this time and passed it on to the world, and the position of the leader of the alliance should be the best choice." ”

When Cao Cao heard this, a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes, and then he disappeared again, and said lightly: "Fighting the thief is really to help the Han family and save the people, not to seek power and profit." Among the princes, the first to recommend the Marquis of Qixiang Yuan Benchu, the fourth and third dukes, many old officials, the voice of the sea, I am afraid that no one can be the leader of the alliance. ”

Liu Ze secretly looked at Cao Cao's expression, saying that Cao Cao had no ambition to be the leader of the alliance, that was fake, Cao Cao was a generation of heroes, although he was now fledgling, but this time he raised his arms and shouted, and gathered the heroes to fight together, which shows his political ambition. But he is self-aware now, and in terms of strength, he is not enough to compete with Yuan Shao. However, if you want to think that Cao Cao admires Yuan Shao, it is very wrong, the fourth world, the third duke, and many old officials, this is Cao Cao's evaluation of Yuan Shao, just a second-generation official, relying on the prestige accumulated by the ancestors of the successive ministers, Cao Cao did not look down on Yuan Shao in his heart.

"Brother Meng De looks down on Yuan Shao, although this person is the third duke, but he is scheming, he is fierce and inward-looking, he forgets the righteousness when he sees small profits, if he is in the position of the leader of the alliance, this time he will definitely be a tiger and a snake, and it will end hastily. From all the candidates, Brother Meng De is the only one who has the ability to command the army, and if Brother Meng De intends to win the position of the leader of the alliance, the younger brother can help him. ”

Cao Cao was indecisive, and Qiao Mao and Bao Xin also said: "The two of us are also willing to help Meng De." ”

"I'm in a hurry, I'll wait until I get to the camp and then act on camera." Cao Cao did not answer or object.

Liu Ze and Cao Cao and others came to Yuan Shao's camp, worthy of the Yuan family of the fourth and third dukes, even the big tent was built with a high-end atmosphere, the tents were sewn with the whole cowhide, tall and spacious, the scarlet carpet of pure wool, and several cases of mahogany, showing the identity and style of the owner everywhere.

Even killing a cow is a felony for ordinary people, but look at Yuan Shao's big tent, there are no more than 100 cowhides that can't be built. Liu Ze looked at the tent that was blown by the wind, and suddenly had a desire to laugh - bragging, haha, it is really suitable to stay in this tent and brag nonsense.

This is the first time Liu Ze has seen Yuan Shao, don't say it, Yuan Shao's dog-like appearance is also very similar to the material of being the leader of the alliance, sitting upright, and standing tall. When Cao Cao introduced Liu Ze to Yuan Shao, he also mentioned Liu Ze's exploits in breaking the yellow scarf, Yuan Shao bowed his head slightly, and only asked: "Why hasn't Lin Hai, the minister of the Plains Kingdom, arrived?" ”

"Lin Guoxiang was sick and couldn't come, so he was ordered to temporarily take his place, and the commander of 3,000 men and horses came to help in the war." Liu Ze also noticed Yuan Shao's coldness, but he never meant to befriend the powerful, even when Yuan Shao and his father Yuan Feng were extremely flattering in Luoyang, Liu Ze did not have the slightest idea of making friends with the Yuan family, so he didn't care about Yuan Shao's lukewarm, salty and indifferent attitude.

Yuan Shao sighed lightly, gave up his seat, and said no more. One is that Liu Ze's official position is low, and the second is that he has only 3,000 people and horses, and the princes who come here are none other than Shi Taishou, and there are more than 30,000 or 40,000 people and horses, and less than 10,000 or 20,000.

Cao Cao and Liu Ze broke the yellow scarf together, so they naturally knew the power of Liu Ze's cavalry, and they were about to argue with Yuan Shao, but Liu Ze pulled him and said, "With so many heroes and heroes gathered, how about Brother Meng De introduce the younger brother?" ”

For a character like Yuan Shao, Liu Zecai didn't bother to answer.

Cao Cao introduced all the princes in the tent to Liu Ze one by one.

Chen Liutaishou Zhang Miao can be regarded as an old acquaintance with Liu Ze, but unfortunately Liu Ze still recognizes him, but he forgets Liu Ze completely. It is no wonder that it was only an occasional glimpse outside Chen Liucheng back then, and how Zhang Miao connected the plain minister in front of him with the small merchant who sold horses. Zhang Miao just said hello to Liu Ze, and said a few words without being salty or light.

When he was introduced to Hanoi Taishou Wang Kuang, Liu Ze's heart continued to hate him. Wang Kuang looks round and chubby, kind and purposeful, and looks very friendly, but Liu Ze understands the ruthlessness of Wang Kuang's methods, it is precisely because of him that Liu Ze lost his beloved woman, Liu Ze has long sworn not to take revenge, and swear not to be a man. However, in the big tent, it is not the place to turn his face, Liu Ze suppressed the hatred in his heart, and greeted Wang Kuang calmly.

Xiang Guangling Taishou Zhang Chao, Shanyang Taishou Yuan Yi, Yuzhou Thorn Shi Kong Ling, Yanzhou Thorn Shi Liu Dai and others are also very cold, and they politely give each other a few words, which can be regarded as acquaintance. However, the party is too protective of Zhang Yang's enthusiasm, and he has obviously heard of Liu Ze's prestige as a yellow scarf, and he praised him and praised him repeatedly. (To be continued......)