With the passage of time, the clouds of the great war began to drift over Runan County, and the scouts of the Yuan army have successively discovered a lot of Cao Jun's scouts, and in groups of five to eight people, they quietly surveyed the terrain around Runan and collected intelligence, and at the same time, they also continued to have fierce battles with the scouts sent by the Yuan army, and both sides were killed and wounded.

The preparations for Runan are also in full swing to speed up, the inner city wall is still in full speed of reinforcement, nearly a thousand people are busy in full swing, under the order of Yuan Shu, the arsenal is wide open, a large number of military supplies, bows and arrows, armor, and at the same time transported fire oil and other equipment to defend the city, outside the city of Runan, Yuan Shu resolutely ordered his subordinates to implement the strong wall and clear the field, even if it was a drop of water and a stone stone stone was not left.

Under the cover, Yuan Shu was dressed in gold armor and looked solemnly at the outside of Runan City. This is a black-armored general who stepped forward, "Your Majesty, the city has been reinforced, please take a look." Yuan Shu glanced at this person when he heard this, only to see that he was eight feet long, with a tiger's back and a bear's waist, a rough face, and a fierce expression, this person's name is Lei Bo is a tiger general under Yuan Shu, at this time there is a white-faced general, the body shape is very different from Lei Bo, slightly feminine, this person is Chen Lan, and now in addition to Qiao Rui, Yuan Shu is the only henchman general who can get his hands on.

I saw Chen Lan clasping her fists and saying respectfully: "Your Majesty, there is not a single inch of grass outside the city, and even if Cao Jun camps, it will be enough for them to have a headache for a while." ”

Yuan Shu nodded and said: "You two have done a good job, but although you are well prepared, you must not be careless, you must know that Cao Thief is quick to come and scheming, you must be cautious." Lei Bo and Chen Lan looked at each other and hugged their fists and said, "Obey Your Majesty's orders." Yuan Shu patted the two of them on the shoulder and said: "The two generals are my humerus, I just hope that when the Cao thief army invades the border of our dynasty, the two generals will definitely fight to kill the enemy and defend our territory." Yuan said earnestly.

I saw Lei Bo sneered and said, "Your Majesty, don't worry, with the copper-backed broadsword in my hand, I will definitely be able to kill all the enemy generals and raise my great reputation." Chen Lan clenched her fists and nodded heavily, obviously Chen Lan also agreed with what Lei Bo said, and didn't take Cao Jun too seriously in her heart, even if Cao Junsheng captured the prince and Ji Ling, the first general under Yuan Shu, the two still felt that the Cao thief army couldn't help them, and Ji Ling would be captured alive because he had not practiced martial arts at home, and in their hearts, he should have replaced Ji Ling as the first military general of this Dazhong.

Such a reckless and obedient Zhang became the courage of the generals under his command in the eyes of Yuan Shu, and he was a little happy in his heart, and Lang Sheng smiled: "Both of them are my ten thousand enemies." Yan Xiang, who was not far away, could vaguely hear the conversation between the three of them, and sighed, it is often said that Yuan Ben was timid and scheming, but now it seems that Yuan Highway, who is a younger brother, is simply better than his brother.

"What is Uncle Yue sighing about?" Qiao Rui stepped forward and asked.

"Our Majesty and the two arm-assisted generals will talk to each other again." Hearing Yan Xiang say so weirdly, the corners of Qiao Rui's mouth twitched, but he still couldn't help laughing, "Your Majesty, he has always been like this." ”

"Do the people in the city have any intention of organizing a militia to resist Cao's army?" Yan Xiang asked, looking at the desolation outside the city.

Qiao Rui scratched his head and said in a slightly mocking tone: "I can't say that everyone is looking forward to Cao Jun being able to quickly capture Runan, and maybe they will be able to enjoy happiness." Qiao Rui naturally knew that his old Taishan had been disliked by Yuan Shu, but Yuan Shu felt that Yan Xiang would abandon him and go, that's all, in Qiao Rui's opinion, if Yan Xiang wanted to run, he would have run away long ago when Yuan Shu became emperor, so why wait until now? I really thought that Yan Xiang would care about the position of the Great Zhong Xiangguo?

"Loyal ministers don't serve the second master, don't say something useless." Yan Xiang said such things as if comforting himself, he knew that Yuan Shu had sent someone to Hebei, but he didn't know who Yuan Shu had sent, Yuan Shu didn't tell him, in the past, almost everything Yuan Shu would discuss with him, but now he didn't. Yan Xiang had nothing to do at this moment except to comfort himself and smile bitterly.

Huainan City

The people welcomed the people, feasted pots and slurry, and the elderly took the lead, wishing the army a triumph in the conquest of Runan. Cao Ren negotiated with them cordially.

"Look at this Huainan people, they are really close to us." Cao Zhen said with emotion.

Cao Ang patted him on the shoulder and said softly, "If you are good to the people, they will hold you high above your head." Such a simple truth, Yuan Highway didn't understand it, but he didn't want to understand it. ”

"The king regards his subjects as siblings, and the subjects regard him as his heart; The king regards his subjects as dogs and horses, and the subjects regard the king as his countrymen; The king regards his subjects as mustard, and the subjects regard him as an enemy. Cao Zhang, who was on the side, shook his head and chanted in a frustrated voice.

Cao Ang's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed: "That's right, Huang Xu'er, "Mencius: Lilouxia" can be recited completely. Cao Zhang scratched his head and said with some embarrassment: "It was the second brother who taught me." Cao Zhen's face suddenly became strange when he heard this, and he looked at Cao Zhang and then at Cao Ang, who was smiling, but he didn't say anything.

Cao Ang was still smiling and nodded: "It was taught by Zihuan, did he say anything when he taught you?" Cao Chang didn't notice how much trouble his truth-telling would cause Cao Pi, who was far away in Xudu, and when he heard the eldest brother's question, Cao Chang naturally talked about it, and after thinking about it, he said: "The second brother said that Mencius taught us that the superior should treat his subjects well, in short, what is the attitude of the superior to the inferior, then what will be the attitude of the inferior to the superior." ”

Cao Ang asked again, "Do you know what books Zihuan is reading recently?" Cao Zhen really hoped that Cao Zhang would not answer, because he felt worthless for Cao Pi, where would Cao Zhang, who was close to his brother, understand what his conversation meant, I saw Cao Zhang pulling his fingers and counting, "There are "Laozi", "Liutao", "Guanzi", "Shangjunshu", "Shenzi" and "Han Feizi" or something. ”

These books are all books that tell the way the monarch governs the world and the truth of governing the country and using the army, Cao Pi is not avoiding people now, and he has begun to read these essential knowledge for the monarch, what? Is my eldest brother dying soon, or is Cao Cao now willing to inherit his mantle from Cao Pi? Cao Zhen sighed, patted Cao Zhang's shoulder and said, "Ziwen, promise me, don't tell Zihuan about this today." ”

"Why?" Cao Zhang asked in surprise, and Cao Zhen explained earnestly: "Because Zihuan will be jealous." Cao Ang also said: "Listen to your brother Zidan, don't talk to Zihuan." ”

"Oh" Cao Zhang nodded, since the eldest brother said so. He naturally wanted to hear it, Cao Ang said to Cao Zhennunu, Cao Zhen said: "Let's go out soon, go back and rest quickly, so as not to lose energy at that time." ”

"Two brothers, Huang Xu'er farewell." Cao Zhanggong saluted and left the sight of the two. Cao Zhen and Cao Ang glanced at each other. "Isn't my brother angry?" Cao Zhen asked.

"I'm going to say that if you're not angry, you won't believe it, but I really won't be angry because there's no need." Hearing Cao Zhang's words today, Cao Ang realized that Cao Pi must have been studying these books for some time, so who instigated him to do this? A name came to mind, and the family behind him and their allies seemed to have chosen their new spokesperson. Cao Ang drew a line with them from the very beginning, and when he was close to a poor disciple like Guo Jia, the signal had already been transmitted to them.

The idea of the scholars is that since the eldest prince does not like to be close to us and other scholars, then we can only choose the heir of Cao Gong who is most in line with our own interests.

How arrogant are they? Of course, the scholars do have such arrogant capital, without him, just because they have the knowledge, they have the right to speak, which means that they can recommend meritocracy, but this recommended meritocracy must be in line with their own interests.

They hide a large number of people, which means that they have a tribe to keep in case of emergency.

They own a lot of land, which means that they have the wealth and assets to do things that ordinary people can't do.

If others had to admit it in the face of all this, and give them a lot of benefits to prompt them to recognize themselves, didn't Cao Pi in the previous life do this, overthrew Cao Cao's national policy when he was alive, abolished his martial arts, weakened the power of his clansmen, and respected Chen Qun's Jiupin Zhongzheng system, and reused the Hanoi clan headed by Sima Lao Thief to lay a deep foundation for the fall of Cao Wei's forces.

But Cao Ang will not be intimidated, Cao Wei's huge clan power is the basis for him to fight against the Shi clan, and besides, the Shi clan is not monolithic, their interests do not represent the interests of the Shi clan in the world, even if they can't fight in the end, they can temporarily make up for the snake, wait for the opportunity, and if they can't do it, they will break the jar and break everything and start over.

Besides, Cao Cao did not mean to use the Zhuge family to marry Cao Ang and Zhuge Xin to win the favor of the Jingzhou scholars, and the concubine of the Jingzhou Kuai family, Kuai Qi, was Cao Ang's brother-in-law. At that time, it would save a lot of effort to lead the Jingzhou Shi clan and the Hanoi Shi clan to fight each other, and if it weren't for Cao Cao's foresight, Cao Ang would not have vainly used Huainan as a trial point for his own ideas.

In just a few days, the effect is remarkable, exceeding Cao Ang's expectations, Cao Cao has no reason not to support Cao Ang to continue to implement, as long as it is not a large-scale implementation at this stage, it will not make the scholars have too much resistance, and they also need to take care of Cao Cao's will.

Whether it is the final idea of the Hanoi Shi clan or Cao Cao's ultimate goal, it is not achieved overnight, it is necessary to find a suitable heir to continue his will, Cao Pi will definitely hug the thigh of the Hanoi Shi clan for the goal of the heir, then the Hanoi Shi clan will definitely support Cao Pi, which is a win-win situation for both of them.

"If Ziwen hadn't told me what classics Zihuan was reading now, I'm afraid I wouldn't know some things until now." Cao Ang said with a deep look in his eyes.

Cao Zhen realized it later, and he could vaguely guess a rough idea, "Big brother has too many constraints." ”

Cao Ang smiled and said: "There is pressure to be motivated, if everything goes smoothly, how can there be enjoyment of hardship?" Cao Zhen crossed his waist and said: "Big brother, don't worry, we are waiting for your strong arm." ”

"That's nature, why am I afraid of having you waiting by my side?"