Cao Jun arrived in Xiangyang that night, and Cai Mao welcomed him into the city and told Cao Cao about his past.

Cao Cao called Wen Ping out, rewarded him heavily, and named him a "rebellious general", responsible for pursuing Liu Bei. Wen Ping thanked him and said that he would live up to his trust.

Xu Shu said: "In order to avoid implicating Liu Qi, Liu Bei is not expected to go to Jiangxia, but must go to Jiangling, which is an important place in Jingbei and has sufficient money and grain. The prime minister should chase after him quickly. ”

Cao Cao shook his head and said, "Don't worry. Since they had no boats to use, they would march slowly with the people on foot, and the roads would be difficult, and they would have to walk more than ten miles a day. It was about 150 miles away from Gangneung, and it would take them more than 10 days to reach Gangneung, and besides, it was getting late, and the horses were prone to stumble, and it was not too late to chase them tomorrow morning. ”

Cao Cao asked how many men and horses there were in Jingzhou, and Cai Mao said: "There are about 280,000: 50,000 cavalry, 150,000 infantry, and 80,000 sailors." ”

"How many ships are there, and who is in charge of them now?"

"There are more than 7,000 large and small warships, and they are now under the control of Zhang Yun and me. ”

Cao Cao named Cai Mao as the Marquis of Zhennan and the Governor of the Navy, and Zhang Yun as the Marquis of Zhushun and the Deputy Governor of the Navy, and the two led the Jingzhou Navy. The two were overjoyed and thanked Cao Cao.

Suddenly, Cao Cao found that Liu Cong was not there, so he asked, "Where is the young master? ”

Cai Mao went to the back hall and brought Liu Cong out. It turned out that Liu Cong was very afraid of Cao Cao, and as soon as he heard that he was coming, he quickly avoided him.

Cao Cao deliberately restrained his smile and asked, "Why didn't the young master come out to see me?"

Liu Cong hurriedly replied: "I am derelict in my duties, I don't know that the prime minister is coming, and I am not welcome!"

Cao Cao stared at the other party for a moment and said with a smile: "The young master is really smart!" The old man thought about it for a long time and decided to give the young master a new task. ”

"What task?" asked Liu Cong cautiously.

After careful consideration, the old man decided to play the Son of Heaven and seal the young master as the history of Qingzhou Thorn. The young master will go to Qingzhou early tomorrow morning to take office, how about it?"

Liu Cong immediately bowed to the ground and said, "Prime Minister don't drive me away, I just want to stay in Jingzhou to guard my father's tomb!"

Cao Cao picked him up and said, "Qingzhou is close to the imperial capital, which is beneficial to the young master's career. If you go, the old man will protect the Son of Heaven and let you enter the government as soon as possible; if you stay in Jingzhou, you will be harmed by traitors sooner or later. ”

"However, even if you want to go to Qingzhou to take up your post, it stands to reason that you should wait for the Holy Decree to come down before you go, right? Besides, there are currently incumbents in the Qingzhou Assassin History, right?" Liu Cong argued.

"You don't believe the old man's words? The young master doesn't have to worry about the holy decree, someone will send it directly to Qingzhou; the old man will later write a 'substitute holy decree' for the young master to take to Qingzhou, as a temporary basis for the young master to succeed the assassin history; as for the current assassin Sun Guan, the old man wants to transfer him to the state and make other arrangements. The young master just needs to prepare for tomorrow's packing. "Cao Cao has made up his mind.

Cai Mao helped speak: "The young master is still young, and he has just inherited his father's business, so he has not been able to adapt to the overall situation. Please be gracious to the prime minister, and let him train in Jingzhou for three or five years, I don't know what to do?"

Cao Cao shook his head and said: "Jingzhou is a place connecting Eastern Wu, the Central Plains and Xichuan, and its strategic location is particularly important. The young master can also be honed in Qingzhou, and there are few wars in Qingzhou, which is also a good thing for the young master. ”

When Cai Mao heard this, he was secretly happy in his heart, he didn't expect Cao Cao's southern expedition to promote his millennium plan! But he was good at superficial kung fu and still said: "The prime minister underestimated the young master, and with the wisdom and ability of the young master, he can resist Liu Bei and Sun Quan's generation." The young master is smart by nature, eager to learn and motivated, as long as he is tempered, he will become a great tool in the future. ”

Cao Cao said with a smile: "Of course, this is 'Tiger Father has no dog son', in the past, Liu Jingsheng managed Jingzhou in an orderly manner, and I believe that if the young master stays here, he can do the same." Forced by the situation, in the autumn of the war, the old man could only make this decision, for the sake of the people of the Han Dynasty! Liu Bei and Sun Quan are not eliminated for a day, and my Han country will not be able to stabilize for a day. ”

Liu Cong repeatedly begged to stay, but Cao Cao resolutely refused to allow it.

Cai Mao pulled Liu Cong aside and whispered: "Virtuous nephew, now it seems that you can only go to Qingzhou first, and when Cao Cao is gone, your uncle will find a way to let you come back." ”

Liu Cong was skeptical, but due to the situation, he had no choice but to agree.

Cao Cao called Mrs. Cai out again, said good things about hypocrisy, and asked her to accompany Liu Cong to Qingzhou. Mrs. Cai could only accept it happily on the surface, but she was uneasy in her heart.

After the meeting, Mrs. Cai secretly instructed Cai Mao to be careful of Cao Cao, and to find a way to let their mother and son come back afterwards. Cai Mao verbally agreed, but had other plans in her heart.

The next morning, Liu Cong's mother and son took the luggage they had prepared overnight last night and got into the carriage. Cai Mao sent them out of the city gate two miles away, and said: "Sister, virtuous nephew, the matter has come to this, I don't want to say more, you should all know the calculation in the prime minister's heart." But please rest assured, I will definitely find a way to convince him to let you come back as soon as possible, after all, Jingzhou needs a real state lord. ”

Mother and son nodded. Mrs. Cai said, "It's all up to you, Dejue." ”

Cai Mao nodded, comforted them again, and went back. The carriage set off with only the loyal and righteous minister Wang Wei, two guards and a coachman, and the rest of the soldiers were left behind by Cao Cao and not allowed to be taken away.

On the way back to the city, Cai Mao couldn't help but think of Cao Cao's "teaching" last night: "Those who achieve great things do not stumble with emotions......

"I'm sorry, sister, nephew!" Cai Mao said in her heart.

Wang Wei is Liu Biao's favorite general, a loyal and patriotic man, who has always been dissatisfied with Cai Mao in Jingzhou, so he has become a thorn in Cai Mao's side. This time, he would rather follow the little master to Qingzhou than stay in Jingzhou to work for Cai Mao, so Cai Mao seized the opportunity to propose to Cao Cao that Wang Wei escort Liu Cong's mother and son to Qingzhou and take the opportunity to drive him away.

When the carriage first set off, Liu Cong said to him: "General Wang, you better go back, although Cao Cao drove us away, you can still stay." 'The tiger fell in Pingyang and was bullied by dogs', you went to Qingzhou with us, and you only suffered. ”

Wang Wei said angrily: "I have a life, I don't want to be comfortable, I just want to follow the young master for the rest of my life." I'd rather die than obey Cai Mao, a traitor!"

Liu Cong sighed: "It's rare to have a loyal minister, but it's a pity that my father died early!"

The carriage had traveled five or six miles, and suddenly, there was a lot of dust behind it, and a group of men and horses chased after it.

Liu Cong looked back, it was Cao Jiangban, and said happily: "Could it be that my uncle persuaded Cao Cao to send someone to take us back?"

Mrs. Cai was also happy. Wang Wei felt strange: "If you take us back, why send so many people?"

Cao Jun overtook the carriage and blocked the way. Yu Ban pointed a knife at him and said, "I am on the orders of the prime minister to take the lives of your mother and son!"

The mother and son were shocked. Wang Wei said angrily: "I expected Cao Cao to do this, but unfortunately with my Wang Wei here, you don't want to succeed!"

Yu Ban's men slashed Wang Wei, and several cavalrymen rushed over. Wang Wei sneered, slapped his horse and danced his spear, and used his outstanding marksmanship, and the cavalry fell off his horse one after another.

Yu Ban was taken aback, but he didn't expect an old man to be so capable of fighting, so he went into battle in person. Wang Wei roared angrily and stabbed his horse with a shot. The horse screamed and fell, and Yu Ban also fell off the horse.

Wang Wei stabbed Yu Ban on the ground with a shot, and Yu Ban turned around and stood up.

"Let me get off the horse and play with you!" Wang Wei jumped off the horse.

Yu Ban used a quick knife attack. Wang Wei easily blocked all the attacks and said, "Your sword skills are too tender, it's too early to defeat me!

Although he is nearly seventy years old, in terms of force, Wang Wei has not reduced that year. His marksmanship was sharp, swift as the wind, and he flew away with the forbidden knife before he was ten times.

Yu Ban was startled, pulled out the flying knife on the inside of his combat boots and put it away. Wang Wei lightly blocked the flying knife with his gun.

Yu Ban turned around and wanted to escape. Wang Wei kicked it away, and Yu Ban lay heavily on the ground and ate a mouthful of sand.

Wang Wei pointed a gun at him and said, "You don't want to dodge my golden gun today!"

Wang Wei stabbed with a shot. When Yu Banzheng was helpless, a soldier behind him flew from his horse and jumped in front of Wang Wei and slashed the handle of the gun with one palm. Wang Wei was taken aback.

The soldier helped Yu Ban up and said, "General Yu, you get on the horse first, and I will deal with him." ”

Yu Ban didn't have time to think about it, so he hurriedly got on the horse.

Wang Wei drew his sword and asked, "You are not an ordinary soldier, who are you?"

"Before I die, let me tell you that I am the deputy general of the White Tiger Team - Yue Xin!"

"White Tiger Team!" Wang Wei was shocked, "Cao Cao actually sent people from the White Tiger Team to kill us?"

Yue Xin sneered and said, "Because General Cai said that you are superior in force, I am afraid that ordinary generals are not opponents, so the prime minister specially sent me to solve you." ”

"Cai Mao, he actually wanted to kill his own relatives!" Wang Wei was furious, "Is there anyone from the White Tiger Team in the Cao army who came to Xiangyang this time?"

"I'm not the only one, there are several adjutant general-level figures, all mixed in with the soldiers. Yue Xin said.

"Why did Cao Cao do this?" Wang Wei asked.

"The dying don't have to know so much!"

"You?!... Okay, even if you are a member of the White Tiger Team, I am not afraid!" Wang Wei slashed with a sword.

Yue Xin blocked the sword with his forearm. Wang Wei was surprised: "Hard Qigong?"

"That's right!" Yue Xin grabbed the sword with his palms and broke the sword in one fell swoop.

Before Wang Wei could react, Yue Xin had already inserted the broken sword into his forehead, and the blade of the sword pierced through the back of his head. Wang Wei's eyes straightened, and he fell to the ground and died.

Liu Cong's mother and son were shocked. Two guards rushed forward with guns and shouted, "Avenge General Wang!"

Yue Xin used a trick "Shuanglong Turning the River", and two tornado-like air currents swept the guards out. He walked towards the carriage, and the coachman saw that the situation was not good, so he hurriedly apologized to Liu Cong's mother and son, and drove away.

The mother and son knew that they would not escape death, so they hugged each other and cried. Yue Xin pulled out the knife, and his hand rose and fell......

Yu Ban cut off the heads of the two, wrapped them up, and brought them back to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was overjoyed and said: "The trouble is over, Jingzhou is none other than me! Wen Ze (Yu Ban's word), well done!"

Yu Ban said: "In fact, it was Yue Xin of the White Tiger Team who killed them. ”

"Oh, it's the White Tigers?" Cao Cao pretended to be surprised.

"Yes, I didn't know I had any White Tigers in my army at first. "There is something in the forbidden words.

"Well, it should have been arranged by Xu Shu. It's good to have them, it's easier to get things done. Cao Cao said lightly.

Although Yu Ban nodded in agreement, he was puzzled: "I can understand that the White Tiger Team is going on the expedition, but why do you want to install personnel in my army? Could it be that the Prime Minister doesn't trust his relatives and troops, so he has to let the White Tiger Team intervene? The Prime Minister seems to have trusted Xu Shu very much recently, and Xu Shu had a feud with the Prime Minister because of his mother's death before, and then after he came back from a trip to the White Tiger Village, it was like a different person, which is too weird, right? And the strangest thing is that why the White Tiger Team is so obedient to Xu Shu? Is there a secret in it?"

Cao Cao saw that he had an idea, and said: "Don't think too much about it, the old man doesn't distrust you, but this expedition, the old man vowed to eradicate Liu Bei and his gang, so he deliberately 'added some materials' to the army, and it was easier to realize the plan." ”

After that, he ordered someone to pass on Yue Xin and rewarded the two of them.

Cai Mao, who was beside her, was silent, and she had a lot on her mind. Cao Cao comforted him: "Family affection can be abandoned, and career cannot be abandoned." You are already the de facto lord of Jingzhou, so you should be happy. However, the task ahead is daunting. ”

Cai Mao thanked with tears in her eyes: "Thank you for the grace of Prime Minister's promotion! I will do my best to help Prime Minister eliminate the chaotic party!"

After the generals retreated, Xu Shu said: "Liu Cong is dead, and the lord can rest assured to pursue Liu Bei." ”

"Of course, Liu Bei and Kong Ming don't die for a day, and the old man can't sleep and eat, like a man's back!" Cao Cao frowned and said.

"Prime Minister rest assured, I have specially arranged for the three brothers of the White Tiger Team's 'Strange Man Combination' to mix in the pursuing troops, they are all strangers, and they will definitely be able to take down the heads of Liu Bei and Kong Ming! Jiangling is an important place in Jingzhou, and they must not be allowed to seize the opportunity!" Xu Shu's tone was resolute and full of confidence.

Cao Cao immediately issued an order, and the generals of all armies made arrangements and set off on the same day, limiting themselves to catch up with Liu Bei within one day, and ordered Cai Mao and Zhang Yun to stay in Xiangyang and focus on training the naval army. The White Tigers' "Strange Man Combination" is also in the pursuing force, and its real target is not Liu Bei or Kong Ming, but Zhiming.