When Cao Cao first arrived in Jianghuai, he immediately visited the Lujiang Zhou clan, hoping that the Lujiang Zhou clan could help him, after all, the Zhou clan had a high prestige both in the land of Jianghuai and in the court.

If Cao Cao wants to gain a foothold in Jianghuai, he can't completely use his former subordinates and a group of people, and he must use local heroes and strong clans in Jianghuai, including Jiangdong in the future, but at the same time, he can't let the power of these local strong clans expand too much......

Therefore, he also has to use the talents of his hometown to contain the local heroes, and form several forces that can balance each other, so that he can balance in the middle.

Cao Cao's vision is very vicious, after his analysis, Yuan Shao's family private military system in Jingzhou, although it can maximize the potential of the local noble clan for his own use, but the follow-up constraints are too many to be advisable.

On the contrary, it was Liu Jian's absolute centralized system, which Cao Cao admired very much.

But people can't become fat in one bite, and some things have to be done down-to-earth, building little by little, in order to finally achieve the ideal in their hearts.

So, Cao Cao decided to start by conquering the Lujiang Zhou clan first.

In fact, the Lujiang Zhou family really didn't think too much about Cao Cao at first.

The Cao family is indeed very important in the whole world, but after Cao Cao is a eunuch after all, there is a little gap between him and the Lujiang Zhou family in terms of roots.

But Cao Cao is a very persistent person, as long as it is something he recognizes, it must be achieved, no matter what method is used.

Especially in the rising period of this kind of career, Cao Cao can do many things that ordinary people cannot.

So, Cao Cao personally took people to visit Zhou's former residence.

The current Zhou Yu is still young, and although he has some reputation among the Lujiang Zhou family, he is still a lot worse than the other elders of the Zhou family.

However, Cao Cao did the opposite this time, he came to Lujiang Zhou, and the person he asked to see was none other than the youngest person in the Zhou family.

Cao Cao knew very well in his heart that the Lujiang Zhou clan was still quite disdainful of his status as a eunuch.

But no matter what, there is Yuan Shao standing behind him, and the Zhou family can't give himself too much face, but let the old guys in the Zhou family who are well-known in the clan support themselves, those old things are definitely unwilling.

Therefore, he deliberately retreated and came to visit, wanting to recruit Zhou juniors like Zhou Yu.

This face, Zhou still wants to give him...... Otherwise, it will really tear his face, and the faces of Lujiang Zhou and Yuan Shao will not look good.

As for whether Zhou Yu himself is talented or not, this has little impact on Cao Cao, he just needs to make Zhou recognize his leadership in Jianghuai, as for how much help Zhou juniors can help him, this does not delay Cao Cao's plan.

It's better to raise an idler yourself.

……

Cao Cao came to visit and personally sought to recruit the young hero Zhou Yu into the office, which made the old guys of the Zhou family unable to refuse.

After all, the other party has already achieved this level, and it can be said that it is extremely face-saving for the Zhou family.

So, under the arrangement of a group of Zhou elders, Zhou Yu of the Zhou clan in Lujiang was recruited by Cao Cao to the Yangzhou Assassin History Department.

This move also shows that Cao Cao reached a political agreement with the Zhou clan in Jianghuai.

The Zhou clan can also be regarded as admitting the dominance of the Yangzhou Thorn History Department led by Cao Cao in the Jianghuai region.

In this way, Cao Cao's goal can be achieved.

It's just that Cao Cao never expected that there would be an unexpected gain this time!

After the young man of the Zhou clan in Lujiang was recruited to the Yangzhou Assassin History Department, out of custom, Cao Cao personally had a detailed discussion with Zhou Yu.

This is also to see how many skills this young man of the Lujiang Zhou clan has, so that he can be appointed to a suitable position.

It's just that he never thought that this conversation would surprise Cao Cao!

This is a treasure found!

This Zhou young man's insight, as well as his wisdom, as well as his views on many forces in the world, actually made Cao Cao feel that he hated to see each other late.

Although Zhou Yu's thinking in some aspects is still a little immature, I have to admit that this young man is absolutely talented, even if it is called "the talent of heaven", it is not an exaggeration.

Zhou Yu's evaluation of Cao Cao is not far behind.

Zhou Yu had seen Yuan Shu with his elders, and when he saw that the descendants of the fourth and third princes were just straw bales, he was very disappointed in his heart, and felt that there was no hero in the world.

But this time, after meeting Cao Cao, Zhou Yu immediately decided that Cao Cao was a hero in the world and a hero in the world!

The two of them hit it off.

……

This time, Yuan Shao summoned Cao Cao to go north to Sizhou with him, Cao Cao didn't want to go, but because of Yuan Shao's face, it was difficult to refuse.

So, he found Xi Zhicai, Cheng Yu, and Zhou Yu to discuss the matter together.

Cheng Yu followed Cao Cao when he was in Dongjun, and Xi Zhicai was under Cao Cao after he settled in Yuzhou.

Both of them are long-term visioners, and in their opinion, although Sizhou is not a good place, Cao Cao's power has not been fully developed at present, and he still needs to maintain a good relationship with Yuan Shao.

Of course, it would be a pity to give up Jiangdong now, but in terms of priorities, it is politically correct to support Yuan Shao.

However, Zhou Yu meant to divide the troops.

Zhou Yu's meaning is that the local forces in Wujun and Yuzhang are not strong at present, although they are complicated, it does not mean that others except Cao Cao cannot be subdued.

According to Zhou Yu's observation, Cao Ren, Xiahou Yuan and others under Cao Cao led their troops to Jiangdong and pacified the counties, and there was absolutely no need for Cao Cao to go there in person.

The only difficulty is that once the counties and counties in Jiangdong are pacified, how to communicate with the local Haoyou, which can not only suppress them, but also achieve a certain pacification effect.

The Jiangdong counties are far away from the Central Plains, although they are also full of wealthy families, but compared with the Central Plains, the regional identity and influence of the Jiangdong wang clans are somewhat more unique and complex, and many things that are applicable in the north are not applicable in Jiangdong.

Therefore, it may be easy to pacify Jiangdong, but how to deal with the prominent families in Jiangdong may be a real difficult matter.

At this point, Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ren are not very good.

However, Zhou Yu told Cao Cao that it was not a big deal.

He Zhou Yu was willing to assist Cao Ren with Xi Zhicai, go to Jiangdong, and while subduing the county, he dealt with the local Haoyou, and used both grace and power to pacify the rear for Cao Cao.

As for the front-line Sizhou, Cao Cao could personally bring people over to assist Yuan Shao, so that he would not delay the subjugation of Jiangdong, and at the same time, he would not delay Cao Cao to assist Yuan Shao to go to Sizhou.

Moreover, what Zhou Yu meant was that this could also exercise the ability of Cao Cao's subordinates to a certain extent, such as a general like Cao Ren, which required some experience in taking charge of himself.

Cheng Yu and Xi Zhicai are relatively old, but after listening to Zhou Yu's opinion, they also feel that this young man has a long-term vision and is really a material that can be created.

Finally, after some deliberation by several people, Cao Cao finally adopted Zhou Yu's opinion.

Cao Ren, Zhou Yu, Xi Zhicai and others divided their troops to Jiangdong to pacify the counties.

As for Cao Cao himself, he will accompany Yuan Shao to Sizhou with him.

……

Cao Cao's actions were fast, and he did what he said.

He ordered 20,000 horses and horses, went westward, and went to Jingzhou to make peace with Yuan Shao.

Over the years, Yuan Shao's power has been growing since he pacified Jingnan.

Jingzhou and Jiangdong, although the strength of the infantry and cavalry is far inferior to the north, but the bow and arrow level of these soldiers, including the naval army, have very high attainments.

Yuan Shao has carefully built a powerful Jingzhou army over the years, waiting for the chaos in the north to take advantage of the situation.

Now, for him, the opportunity has finally come.

During this time, Yang Biao and Wang Yun have maintained close contact with Yuan Shao.

Lu Zhi's vision is very accurate.

Behind the troubles made by the students of Luoyangtai, it was indeed secretly supported by the Yuan family and the princes of the DPRK and China.

Only they have the ability to make Sizhou a mess.

By the time Cao Cao and Yuan Shao rendezvous, Lü Bu had already arrived in Xingyang.

Yuan Shao immediately showed Cao Cao a letter written to him by his secret agents in Sizhou.

The letter said that Lu Zhi was seriously ill with wind and cold, and he was currently living in Xingyang, and could not return to Luoyang to govern for the time being.

How sensitive was Cao Cao's political sensitivity? He saw the problem in an instant.

"If you don't get sick in the morning, you won't get sick in the evening, Lu Zigan is sick at this time, is it because the matter of the students of Luoyang is too disturbing? Did he deliberately hide out of it? ”

Yuan Shao laughed: "If he really wants to avoid trouble, it's fine, I'm afraid that Lu Bu thinks he is in the way and deliberately puts him under house arrest." ”

Cao Cao's face showed a look of surprise.

"Can Lu Bu really do such a stupid thing?"

Yuan Shao sneered and said, "In Meng De's heart, isn't that Lu Bu a foolish person? ”

Cao Cao smiled: "Yes, this thing is indeed something he can do, but this matter is a guess for you and me, but it may not be accurate." ”

No, Yuan Shao looked extremely confident at this time.

"Meng De rest assured, I have a reliable source on this matter, Lu Zigan's cold is fake, it is true that he was detained by Lu Fengxian, Lu Fengxian intends to solve the Luoyang Rebellion by himself, and he does not adopt Lu Zigan's words of loyalty, this time Sizhou will be in chaos, and the opportunity for you and me has come."

Seeing that Yuan Shao was so confident, Cao Cao did not ask him about the source of the news, with Cao Cao's understanding of Yuan Shao - with the profound background of the Yuan family in the north, coupled with Yuan Shao's wisdom, it was indeed not particularly difficult to find out the specific situation of Lu Bu.

"In this way, the thing that Lu Zi did was deliberately spread by Lu Bu......"

Yuan Shao nodded and said, "That's right." ”

Cao Cao sighed: "It's really stupid." ”

Yuan Shao sneered: "On the Tai Student's side, there is no good reason to make things bigger, and now, Lu Bu has put Lu Zhi under house arrest, which is just the right thing to make the Tai Student's side more fierce." ”

Cao Cao asked, "Originally, when did you and I go north?" ”

Yuan Shao said seriously: "Don't be in a hurry first, just wait for Lu Bu to dare to make a move on Tai Xue, and it will not be too late for you to raise troops to go north, and then there will be thousands of reasons on the part of the imperial court, and it will be impossible to prevent you and me from entering Sizhou." ”

Cao Cao smiled suddenly.

However, he looked at Yuan Shao with a smug look, but he sighed slightly in his heart.

Originally, this person is good at everything, but sometimes once he has a will, he is easy to think about things too simply.

Although for now, he did make a precise layout.

But Cao Cao felt that this game might not be unbreakable.

Things may not go as smoothly as Yuan Shao thought.

Of course, from my own point of view, I still have to accompany Yuan Shao to play this experience.

But Cao Cao had already made up his mind in his heart that he couldn't let himself fall into the mud because he played with Yuan Shao.

Strength still has to be preserved.

……

……

In Hebei, Liu Jian's spies also quickly reported the news to him.

When he learned that Lu Zhi was seriously ill, Liu Jian's first reaction was, was Lu Zhi angry about the matter of the students?

But he immediately dismissed the idea.

Things shouldn't be as simple as he thinks.

How could it be so coincidental that Lu Bu had just arrived in Sizhou, and Lu Zhi was sick? He was also sick in Xingyang.

After figuring out this key point, Liu Jian immediately made a decision and immediately counted troops and horses in Jizhou.

Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Huang Zhong and others are now in northern Xinjiang, fighting wits and courage with foreign races for the great cause of China.

Gao Shun, Cheng Pu, Han Dang and others guarded Qingzhou.

Xu Rong needs to stay in Yecheng and guard the foundation for himself.

In this way, Liu Jian roughly estimated that the main general he could use when he went to Sizhou this time was the Hebei Gang.

Who is the Hebei Gang?

Liu Bei, Zhao Yun, Xia Houlan.

Plus Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Zhang He, Gao Lan Hebei Siting Zhu.

After planning the layout, Liu Jian immediately ordered troops and horses in Yecheng and prepared to enter Sizhou!

(End of chapter)