—181 A.D.——

Jinan, the Prime Minister's Office.

Cao Cao was entertaining uninvited people in the hall, claiming to be a friend of the Xun family, and he was about a strategist.

The first question he asked earlier was, "Does Gongzi Cao really plan to talk to Xiaosheng here?" ”

Although this sentence can be understood very commonly, "It is very noisy here, please find another clean place." But it can also be understood more deeply as, "What I want to discuss with you is not suitable for speaking in a crowded place." ”

So, Cao Cao led Xi Zhicai and Zhang Jue to a side hall far away from the banquet hall, ordered the servants to clean up, serve vegetables, fruits and tea, and then retreated far away, and then asked him for advice again.

"Cao Gongzi answered the question of Xiaosheng's attitude towards this Zhang Zhizhi, so you can study the next question," Xi Zhicai said: "What does Cao Gongzi think of 'Taiping Dao'?" ”

"Be kind to others, but have principles, although they are suppressed by the court at this time, they must have a back hand, just like the saying, 'rabbits will bite when they are in a hurry'." Cao Cao replied.

"It's roughly as Cao Gongzi said," Xi Zhicai nodded: "So, if he is at least equal to Zhang Zhi's status, if he wants to be unfavorable to Zhang Zheng, what should Cao Gongzi do?" ”

How to deal with it is not mentioned first, but this drama Zhicai's "strategist characteristic" is quite awkward, he can obviously explain as soon as he comes, "He got the news, and some Taiping Dao high-level officials were dissatisfied with Zhang Jue's arbitrary change of the effect of the rune water and came to him for trouble, please make a decision as soon as possible", but he used a series of "ifs" to express this information, and deliberately strengthened the sense of crisis in the process, as if Jinan was about to be destroyed.

"On the bright side, at least he's smart enough to express his intention to help." "Stand-in" said.

"As I said before, what Zhang Jue did was to help me Cao Mengde, so no matter what kind of trouble, I will bear it," Cao Cao replied to Xi Zhicai: "But Mr. Xi came here on purpose, not just to warn that there is no way to deal with it, please also make it clear." ”

"Xiao Sheng once heard that although Taiping Dao was reprimanded as the 'source' by the imperial court during the Sili plague, its Taoists still tried their best to treat those suffering from the plague during this period, does this prove that they have no reverence for officials in various places, but care about the words of the people?" Xi Zhicai said.

"Oh......" Cao Cao realized slightly: "In this way, I need to accumulate fame among the people of Jinan as soon as possible, so that the 'Taiping Dao high-level' will pay more attention to my opinion." ”

"In addition, it is rumored that the Taiping Dao Dao Ancestor also has many 'immortal arts' that transform runic water into various other functions, why don't his Daoists have any opinions? Xiao Sheng guessed that it was definitely not because of his identity as a 'Dao Ancestor'. Xi Zhicai looked at Zhang Jue this time.

"This ......" Zhang Jue seemed to be accustomed to Xi Zhicai's way of speaking, and responded: "I should show the purpose of this 'transformation', and prove that it is not for my own selfishness?" ”

"That's exactly the case," Xi Zhicai bowed to Cao Cao: "Presumably, Cao Gongzi, who can manage Dunqiu in an orderly manner, can find a way to get the best of both worlds in Jinan." ”

This policy...... Of course, Cao Cao looked at Zhang Jue: "Zhang Zhi can go home to rest today, and he doesn't have to go to the military camp or the Prime Minister's Mansion tomorrow, just report to Cai's family." ”

"Subordinates receive orders." Zhang Jue was not familiar with Cai Wan, and felt that this order was a little abrupt, but he still complied.

"Very good, very good," Xi Zhicai said with a smile: "Presumably, Mr. Cai, who has been praised by the people of Dunqiu, will be able to handle this matter well." ”

"This guy has long known that Dunqiu is not our credit, and the previous compliments were simply temptations?" The "stand-in" was quite dissatisfied: "I really can't relax at all when talking to these smart people. ”

As if you were talking to him, Cao Cao glanced at the "stand-in".

————

After Zhang Jue was ordered to leave, Xi Zhicai did not say goodbye, but just sat in the side hall and drank tea.

Cao Cao guessed that he might still have something to say, and in line with the idea of "talking less and listening more when talking to smart people", he didn't take the initiative to speak except for calling the servants to change some tea and snacks.

As for the guests outside, if necessary, the "stand-in" will naturally show up to see him off, and except for Ang'er and Jeong-hee, probably no one can notice that he is different from himself.

"Haha, that's interesting." After the "stand-in" went back and forth a few times, he said to Cao Cao: "Before leaving, the head of the country hinted that his master was also dissatisfied with the 'Ten Standing Servants', and everyone should be more close, and the county commanders and county officials in various places hope that we will not continue to target the Ten Standing Servants." ”

This...... It can be said that it is due, Cao Cao bowed slightly, as the lord of the feudal country, and the clan of the Han family, as long as Liu Kang does not raise troops to rebel, the ten permanent servants really have no way to take him, but the county officials under the jurisdiction do not have this confidence, like Cao Cao, first Dunqiu, and then Jinan, looking like they were "distributed", if they don't deal with it well, maybe they will be sent to Beihai with themselves.

Oh, that is the territory of the descendants of Confucius, so is the Bohai Sea?

Cao Cao was drawing a straight line on the map in his heart, but when he saw Xi Zhicai put down the teacup, he seemed to want to say something, so he also sat up a little upright.

"My lord." Xi Zhicai stood up and saluted.

Hey?!

"Mr. Drama - oh, Zhicai doesn't have to be polite." Although Cao Cao was taken aback, he still immediately responded appropriately, got up and saluted him and asked him to sit down.

"Wen Ruo told Xiao Sheng, saying that since the lord can get friends and blue eyes, then it must not be a thing in the pool, at this time, the lord is full of some military generals with bad brains, if Xiao Sheng comes, he will definitely be reused," Xi Zhicai arched his hand again: "Xiao Sheng has the courage to test the lord, please forgive me." ”

Test? When? Could it be that Zhang Jue is referring to the matter? Cao Cao didn't know why, but he still made an expression of "that's all a trivial matter".

"Because of what he did to keep you here!" On the contrary, it was the "stand-in" who thought of it first: "He wants to know who is more important than the Shangguan envoy and a group of subordinates - ha!" He couldn't have imagined that I existed~"

"Zhicai, actually-" Cao Cao frowned, and he was about to tell the truth, after all, this matter can be concealed for a while, but it is impossible to hide it for a lifetime, especially in front of smart people.

"The lord doesn't have to say it explicitly," Xi Zhicai directly stopped: "Even if the lord has some remote contact or reception method, the show that the lord doesn't take the people over there to heart at all can't be disguised." ”

“…… Cut, I'll just say I hate smart people. The "stand-in" grumbled and turned to leave the side hall.

————

"So, what does the lord think of the situation in Qingzhou and Jinan today?" After sorting out the relationship, Xi Zhicai's words immediately turned to serious planning, obviously ready to prove himself with an excellent strategy.

Still, it's in the same way that questions are induced.

"This place is rich, whether it is a disaster or bandits, it is rare, so it will be regarded as a place of feud by the emperors of the past dynasties," Cao Cao responded: "Due to the existence of many Liu princes, it is not difficult to make achievements, but great achievements will not be made, because that will make other princes incompetent." ”

"No," Xi Zhicai shook his head and said: "According to Xiaosheng's opinion, the situation in Qingzhou is like a blind man riding a blind horse, approaching a deep pond in the middle of the night. ”

"In crisis and not knowing it?" Cao Cao quickly recalled the situation in Qingzhou introduced by Cai Wan, but did not find anything wrong.

"What Xiao Sheng wants to say next, if the lord doesn't want to hear it, he can directly ask Xiao Sheng to stop talking, then before it really happens, Xiao Sheng will not make any more relevant suggestions," Xi Zhi showed a slightly serious expression, and said word by word: "-This world will be chaotic in three years." ”

"Hmm," Cao Cao, who was not surprised by this conclusion, replied casually, and then found that it was not appropriate, so he added a tone: "-Huh? ”

"It's too fake." The "stand-in" who just came back laughed.

"Hehe-" Xi Zhicai looked very satisfied: "If the lord hadn't expected this, Xiao Sheng would have doubted Wen Ruo's vision." ”

"Can Zhicai teach me?" Cao Cao asked.

Although he expected it and was ready to take advantage of the situation, Cao Cao could not be sure exactly how to do it, and due to the existence of the Ten Standing Servants and Wang Yue, the scale of this "chaos" was also doubtful.

"For example, today, although the people can't live and work in peace and contentment, they are still far from the people's livelihood, so if there is chaos, it must be that the imperial court oppresses the Taiping Dao too much, and they have to rise up," Xi Zhicai said: "Of course, it is also possible that the foreign races in the north or south took the opportunity to enter the court when the imperial court had just pacified Xiqiang and needed to recuperate." ”

So that's why you're so open? Cao Cao nodded slightly, but did not comment.

"This batch of ......'rebellious army'," Xi Zhicai casually took a title: "It is inevitable that they will attack Sili and try to occupy Luoyang, but the Han Dynasty has been around for hundreds of years, which is enough to resist this attack, and then the 'rebellious army' has to scatter and occupy the territory, in order to confront the imperial court, and in this process, Qingzhou, which is the farthest away from Luoyang and the richest, will be treated?" ”

"This ......," Cao Cao frowned, "of course it's the first to bear the brunt." ”

"It's not disrespectful, but those feudal princes will inevitably abandon the country with soldiers and soldiers when the 'rebellious army' just started, leaving all the 'rich' Qingzhou land to the 'rebellious army', and at that time, how will the lord and other county magistrates who have no right to build an army deal with themselves?"

"Of course, it's to close the door and release the old canon, and the original is also released." "Stand-in" laughed.

"Please also ask Zhicai to teach me." Cao Cao gave up his hand to Xi Zhicai.

"It's very simple," Xi Zhicai said: "Through that Zhang Jue and Taiping Dao have a good relationship, so that they will not want to occupy Qingzhou at the first time when they start an incident, and the lord will secretly train soldiers before that, and directly control the entire territory of Qingzhou at that time, and control Yuzhou and Xuzhou with the influence of the Yuan family and the Cai family respectively, Jizhou and Yanzhou can be left to Taiping Dao to attack Si Li, but they are not allowed to enter the territory of the lord. ”

Xi Zhicai paused, and seemed to find that there was no question in these words, so he added: "Isn't it beautiful?" ”

"Stand-in" hammered table laughed.