The thirteenth year of Jian'an, spring.

After Cao Cao won the victory over the White Wolf Mountain, he stationed troops on the spot until the winter, and received more than 200,000 Han Hu. And the Wuhuan tribe outside the Saiwai was obedient, and Cao Cao moved more than 10,000 Wuhuan from various counties to the Central Plains, and fought with the army. When Gongsun Kang sent the heads of the two Yuan people and promised not to sell horses to Jiangzuo, Cao Cao Fang Zhiman hesitantly led the army south.

Linjie stone, as "stepping out of the summer gate" (viewing the sea); To Yecheng, chisel the Xuanwu Pond to practice the water master; I went back to Xuchang and saw the courtiers of the Son of Heaven.

In the Sikong Mansion Garden, winter has passed, spring has arrived, the greenery is beginning to appear, and the birds are singing lightly.

Cao Cao held the wine bottle, drank with the people on the opposite side, and said with a smile: "Lone can destroy the Yuan clan in the north, kill Gao Gan in the west, and go out of the Sai Qianli Ping Hulu, all of which are the merits of Wen Ruoju's planning in Xuchang." ”

Previously, Cao Cao conquered and annexed the state, and the senior cadres served the Southern Xiongnu, but the Southern Xiongnu did not accept it. Gao Gan had no choice but to go south to Jingzhou, and after crossing the Yellow River, Gao Gan was captured and beheaded by Shangluo Duwei.

I saw that the person on the other side of the couch was more than forty years old, his eyebrows were thin and straight, his facial features were majestic, his eyes were soft, his beard was thick and slightly long, he was well-groomed, quite beautiful, and his gestures were elegant and easy-going.

"The Ming Duke was able to sweep away Hebei, thanks to the loyalty and efforts of the courtiers, Yu did not dare to be greedy." Xun Yu said modestly.

"Huh!"

Cao Cao put down the wine bottle and said with a smile: "Wen Ruo is still so humble, everyone in the group has been rewarded, but you refuse to accept the reward." ”

After the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao added 2,000 households to Xunyu. also wanted to confer the position of the third duke, Xun Yu asked Xun Yu to excuse him more than a dozen times before giving up.

"The Son of Heaven and the Ming Duke treat Yu kindly, there are already 2,000 households in a certain food town, and the children are also rich and noble, and then they are rewarded by the food town, which is harmful to the country." Xun Yu said.

After a pause, Xun Yu asked tentatively: "Zhao Situ (Zhao Wen) is the son of heaven, please abolish the three princes and put him in the position of prime minister, what do you think?" ”

Cao Cao's eyes looked at Xun Yu's expression and said: "The great harm in Hebei has been eliminated, and China is in the beginning of peace, but Bashu Liu Zhang, Zhang Lu, Northwest Ma Teng, Han Sui, Wu Chu, Liu Biao, Liu Bei and other remote groups are not going well. Only by reviving the position of prime minister of the old Han Dynasty and taking full control of the military and political power can we support the Han dynasty and revive the Ji Han (Eastern Han Dynasty). ”

Xun Yu frowned slightly, and said: "Duke Ming, Liu Zhang of Yizhou has sent Zhang Su to Xuchang to meet the Son of Heaven, present Bashu special tribute, and miscellaneous imperial things. And there were 300 elite soldiers who entered Xuchang to fight with the public. ”

Liu Zhang is also a person who will come to things, and when Cao Cao first settled Hebei, he sent an envoy to Xuchang to respect the Son of Heaven. When Cao Cao was in the sea, he gave a generous gift and expressed his heart to Cao Cao. And this gift is more and more valuable every time, which is completely consistent with Cao Cao's rising prestige.

"As for Liangzhou in the northwest, the group of Kou was born, and Ma Teng and Han Sui helped our army to fight. Now the public authority appeases Hebei, the world is Jingsu, a little appeasement, Ma and Han will imitate Dou Rong's affairs, enter the dynasty and return to the country, and enjoy wealth and wealth. ”

"Bashu and the northwest are not worried, and now only Wu Chu is not smooth. If the public raises troops to recruit the south, why do you need to respect the position of prime minister? Xun Yu persuaded.

Cao Cao knew in his heart that Xun Yu did not approve of his abolition of the third prince and put him in the position.

After a little silence, Cao Cao said bitterly: "Wen Ruo, the eunuchs have been chaotic for decades, the court is corrupt, and the atmosphere is declining. It was also Dong Zhuo's chaotic government, and the war was difficult to settle. The lonely desire to set up a prime minister is nothing else, but to want to serve the former Han Dynasty, restore the peace of the world, and rule the world. ”

After Liu Xiu established the Eastern Han Dynasty, he learned the lessons of the Western Han Dynasty, abolished the prime minister system, divided the power into three dukes, and took Shangshutai as the inner dynasty to maintain a balance with the outer dynasty.

Cao Cao served the world to order the princes, but his current official position is commonplace, riding and riding generals, and hundreds of officials always listen. is at the same level as him, but there is Situ Zhao Wen, who records Shangshushi.

Most of the scribes recruited by Situ Zhao Wen, such as Liu Fu, Chen Qun, Guo Jia, Jia Kui and others, entered the Sikong Mansion, just like Cao Cao's talent pool. Cao Cao did not abolish Situ before, but deliberately emphasized his name as an assistant to Han, so as to recruit the world's corporans.

Situ Zhao Wen also knew Cao Cao's purpose, and he cooperated with Cao Cao and never made trouble. But cooperation is cooperation, and there are always people who are carving up Cao Cao's rights.

Today, Cao Cao abolished the Three Princes and centralized power in the hands of the prime minister on the grounds of imitating the Western Han Dynasty system, the purpose of which was to merge Shangshutai and his Sikong Mansion into one, that is, the integration of the two dynasties inside and outside, so as to completely control the military and political power in the imperial court.

As for why Liu Bei and Liu Qi obeyed Liu Biao as the general of the chariot cavalry, it is understandable that they are disgusting Cao Cao. Just as Cao Cao abolished Liu Bei's position as General Zuo, and cousin Sun Yuan as General Zuo. Although it is only a matter of name, it is actually a way to hit the opponent.

Xun Yu was silent for a long time, then looked up at Cao Cao and asked, "Sikong has already enjoyed 30,000 households in the city, and he will enter the prime minister, but do you still have anything to ask for?" ”

Cao Cao laughed a few times and said: "Wen Ruo, what I wish for is to be destroyed, Yiliang will be attached, the world will be peaceful, and the people will be happy." ”

Saying that, Cao Cao said with emotion: "The world has been in turmoil for a long time, and Huaxia should be safe!" ”

Xun Yu temporarily received Cao Cao's assurance, and in his eyes, as long as Cao Cao didn't follow Wang Mang's example, it was enough.

After thinking about it for a long time, Xun Yu said: "Ming Gongwei is outside the plug, and everyone in the world is convinced. The two people in the northwest, Ma and Han, have helped our army for a long time, although they have the heart of chaos, but they have no intention of self-reliance. Yu thought that Zhang could imitate Dou Rong's affairs, and persuaded Ma Teng to enter the court and worship him as a guard. and Ma Teng's entry into the court, he can also make Han Sui enter the court, and if he is unwilling, order his son to enter the court. ”

"Feasible!"

Cao Cao stroked his beard and said, "Han Sui is cunning, but let Ma Teng enter the court first." When the orphan calms down Wu Chu, it will be easy for the northwest to be annexed! ”

Then, Cao Cao said: "What Liu Zhang sent to do is to be worshiped as a Taishou to benefit the hearts of the state." ”

Cao Cao's 20 years of accumulated military exploits have reached the pinnacle of his life. And wherever he goes, almost no one can stop him, and there are eight states such as Ji, You, And, Qing, Xu, Yan, Yu, Sili, etc., which have made the people of the world respect.

As he said, when he solves Wu Chu, not only will the northwest surrender, but even Yizhou will surrender. Moreover, there are also many leading parties in Wu Chu, just waiting for Cao Cao to raise troops to the south.

"I don't know when Sikong wants to go south to Wu Chu?" Xun Yu asked.

Cao Cao groaned a little and said in a deep voice: "Wu Chu has many epidemics, and he wants to send troops from the summer. 150,000 elites, 1,000 good generals and strategists, completely wiped out Wu Chu. ”

After more than ten years of fighting in the south and the north, Cao Cao now has 250,000 soldiers and horses in his hands, covering all parts of the Central Plains, garrisoning dangerous points, and also needs to consider the supply problem. 150,000 can be said to be the vast majority of Cao Cao's power.

Grabbing his beard, Xun Yu thought and said: "Jianghuai has a big river as a danger, and it is difficult to cross the river. Now Xiangyang City Guo has Cai Mao and Kuai Yue, Ming Gong can go between Wan and Ye, go down to Xiangyang first, then take Jiangling, surrender Jingzhou, and coerce Jiangzuo. ”

After a pause, Xun Yu said: "Liu Bei was ordered by Liu Biao to garrison Jiangxia and wait and see Xiangyang. Today, it can be ordered to lead Runan to be too full of favors, and Li Tong, the commander of Yang'an, to go down to the three passes of Yiyang and coerce Xiakou; That is, the land of Jiangzuo, where Liu Beizhi is, can order Zang Ba, Lu Qian, Sun Guan and others to gather 20,000 or 30,000 troops in Jianghuai to Wei Jiangdong. ”

"If what Wen said is reasonable, he should follow it!"

Cao Cao stood up, put his hands behind his waist, and said in a cold voice: "180,000 soldiers and horses are going south, and the soldiers are divided into three routes. With Cai and Kuai as helpers, Liu Biao can't stop it, how can Liu Bei stop it? ”

(End of chapter)