In Wu County, Yangzhou, across the river from Guangling County, in Qu'a City, the county seat, Liu Yao looked worried and talked to his subordinate generals Fan Neng and Zhang Ying.
Liu Yao, courtesy name Zhengli, was born in Donglai. He was the nephew of Taiwei Liu Chong, the queen of King Hui of Qi Dynasty Liu Fei.
He had little courage. When he was 19 years old, his cousin was robbed by bandits. He sneaked into the den of thieves with more than ten people, killed the bandit leader, and successfully rescued his uncle. He became famous. He was later promoted as Xiaolian and was once promoted.
He has held positions such as county magistrate and imperial censor, but has not yet taken up his post.
In the first year of Xingping, the imperial court ordered Liu Yao to succeed Chen Wen as the governor of Yangzhou. Generals Wu Jing and Sun Ben welcomed Liu Yao to Qu'a and took office. During the period, the imperial court granted Liu Yao the title of Yangzhou Mu and General Zhenwu, commanding tens of thousands of troops.
At this time, Yuan Shu rebelled and attacked Yangzhou counties, especially Sun Ce's attack on Lujiang River. Liu Yao was extremely frightened and asked Fan Neng and Zhang Ying to station themselves on the riverside to defend Sun Ce's army.
At this time, he discovered that Wu Jing and Sun Ben had defected to Yuan Shu, so he rushed them to the north of the Yangtze River. Wu Jing and Sun Ben were not angry and joined forces with Sun Ce's army to attack Fan Neng and Zhang Ying. The two sides have been in a stalemate for more than a year now.
Liu Yao said worriedly: "Why did you two come back together?"
"Is the riverside defense still strong?"
Fan Neng cupped his hands and said, "Because the military situation is urgent, two of my subordinates came here to meet with the envoy."
Liu Yao asked in confusion: "What happened?"
Zhang Ying spoke out: "Report to the envoy, Sun Ce is back!"
Liu Yao's body was shocked, and then Fan Neng's words shocked him even more, "Sun Ce is mobilizing all the ships these days, and it is estimated that he will cross the river to attack within a few days!"
Liu Yao suddenly stood up and said, "Sun Ce Jiangdong Tiger Wolf is really difficult to deal with. I heard that he suffered a loss in Xuzhou and fled back. I thought he could calm down for a while, so why did he come to attack us again?"
Fan Neng and Zhang Ying looked at each other and thought, maybe it was because Sun Zai suffered a loss in Xuzhou and had nowhere to spread his anger, so he took it out on us.
For more than a year, Fan Neng, Zhang Ying and Wu Jing Sun Ben fought against each other, with each side winning and losing. Yangzhou could still support it, but when Yuan Shu sent Sun Ce to join, Fan Neng and Zhang Ying immediately began to be unable to support it. Several times
They were beaten to a precarious position, and the riverside defense line almost fell.
If it weren't for the incompetence of Yuan Shu's navy, Wu County would have been defeated long ago.
When Fan Neng and Zhang Yingzheng were worried, a few months ago, for unknown reasons, Sun Ce took his people away and went north to attack Xuzhou and Liu Bei!
The two of them were overjoyed. While they were lucky to have escaped, they were even more worried. If Sun Ce occupied Xuzhou, he would be able to launch naval forces from Guangling and other cities to cooperate with Wu Jing and Sun Bi's attack. By then, Danyang's defense line would be full of loopholes. How could this be possible?
Can you guard against it?
Danyang could not find a way to deal with the situation, but Sun Ce was overwhelmingly powerful in Xuzhou and occupied the two counties of Xiapi and Guangling. After Liu Yao learned about it, he had already prepared a way out.
Later, the situation developed unexpectedly, and Sun Ce was defeated!
Liu Yao heard that it was the two sons of the Yuan family who came to help Liu Bei, and he couldn't help but secretly rejoice, thinking that he was lucky, right?
He hadn't been happy for two days. The news brought by Fan Neng and Zhang Ying made him dumbfounded again. Sun Ce had come to beat him again just a few days after he came back. What kind of hatred or resentment was there?
He had a headache and said to the two of them: "Do you think the two generals can't stop you?"
Fan Neng and Zhang Ying nodded at the same time and said: "Sun Ce's generals are becoming more and more difficult to deal with. I heard that he has also recruited counselor Zhou Yu. He is full of clever tricks and is extremely difficult to deal with."
"We are here to ask the envoy to send troops for reinforcements."
Liu Yao sighed, "How can I have extra soldiers?"
Fan Neng hesitated and said: "Isn't there Zhu Haorong's troops in Yuzhang County?"
Liu Yao heard this and sighed: "Zhu Hao is competing with Zhuge Xuan under Yuan Shu for the governor of Yuzhang. The two sides have been fighting until now. Although Zhu Hao has the upper hand, he has been unable to defeat Zhuge Xuan and cannot escape."
"Furthermore, Yuzhang County and Wu County are separated by Lujiang County, which is occupied by Sun Ce. Even if they are allowed to return, they can only detour to Kuaiji County first. Far water cannot quench their thirst."
Zhang Ying spoke up at this time: "Do you want to make good friends with Xuzhou?"
"Now Sun Ce and Xuzhou have become mortal enemies. If we go to Xuzhou to ask for help, he should be able to help us to some extent, right?"
Liu Yao was unsure and said: "Liu Bei?"
"Isn't their naval force very good?"
Zhang Yingdao: "It's not Liu Bei, but the fierce tiger of the Yuan family who now occupies Guangling County, Yuan Xi."
After hearing this, Liu Yao hesitated and said: "Yuan Shao's son? He has different intentions for the Han Dynasty. Can he be trusted?"
Fan Neng said hurriedly: "Don't forget, sir, our biggest enemy is Yuan Shu."
"Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu are fighting each other, and they are already on the same level. Moreover, the two sides just fought a battle in Xuzhou, and the feud can no longer be resolved."
Zhang Ying added: "But the fierce tiger of the Yuan family is a man who can't bear to do anything early. This time he helped Liu Bei and took Xuzhou. If the envoy wants him to help, I'm afraid he will have to pay a price."
When Liu Yao heard this, he hesitated. When Zhang Ying saw him, he hurriedly said: "But there is a general who is highly appreciated by the fierce tiger of the Yuan family. His name is Tai Shi Ci. He and the envoy are both from Donglai."
"If you can persuade him, maybe you can get twice the result with half the effort."
After hearing this, Liu Yao nodded and said, "That makes sense, let me think about it."
Fan Neng said: "There is one more thing."
"Wu Commandery's soldiers are able to defend the territory, but they are extremely afraid of fighting. There are fewer and fewer available manpower, and money and food are beginning to be in short supply."
"The Jiangdong nobles are all just profiteering. They have money in their hands and are unwilling to take it out. How can we beat Sun Ce and the others?"
"I hope the envoy will find a way to get the Jiangdong nobles to contribute, otherwise this battle cannot be fought."
This was the real purpose of the two of them. They had been fighting for two years. They were originally at a disadvantage against Yuan Shu on the battlefield, but the Jiangdong gentry were always in arrears of money and food, which made them extremely unhappy.
Liu Yao sighed, how could he not know this situation.
The vast majority of the Jiangdong nobles were like this. For them, it was enough to keep their family property. They didn't care at all who would be the lord of Yangzhou. The worst they could do was to pay more money to save their lives.
He walked around the room a few times and sighed: "In the past two years, I have made good friends with Gu, Lu, Zhu, Zhang and other wealthy families, but they no longer think highly of the Han Dynasty and treat me perfunctorily!"
"Not to mention asking them to resist, even if they get money and food, they are reluctant!"
"I, Liu Yao, the great state pastor, have no one around me except you guys!"
Fan Neng and Zhang Ying looked at each other and thought to themselves that this is indeed true. Jun even dared to take in a capricious villain like Zuo Rong. This shows that he is hungry and will not choose what to eat.
Zhang Ying said: "Among these big families, it is not that there are no mortal enemies of Sun Ce."
"Lu Kang, the prefect of Lujiang, led his people to defend the city for two years and resisted Yuan Shu. Nearly half of his people were killed or injured. When it was captured by Sun Ce six months ago, Lu Kang also died in the city."
"I heard that before the city was destroyed, the remaining members of the Lu family fled to Wu County for refuge. These people have been fighting for two years. Many of them are proficient in the art of war. Why don't you recruit them?"
Liu Yao frowned and said: "I also know about this, but I heard that Lu Kang's youngest son Lu Ji will succeed the family head. He is only eight years old now. How can he expect it?"
Zhang Ying spoke up: "I don't know, but the person supporting the Lu family now is not Lu Ji, but Lu Ji's nephew Lu Xun."
"Although this man is only thirteen or fourteen years old, he is really talented."
Fan Neng agreed: "That's true. When he led his people across the river, he once told me and me how to guard against each other."
"At that time, the two of us were being beaten by Yuan Shu and were in a panic. When we were helpless, with the idea of trying to give it a try, we acted according to this person's instructions. Later, we slowly evened out the situation."
"It's really surprising that he has such great talent at such a young age."
After hearing this, Liu Yao was surprised and said: "Is this happening?"
He thought for a while and said: "I have recorded what the two generals said, and asked the two generals to rush back to the riverside defense line to prevent Yuan Shu's army from attacking."
Fan Neng and Zhang Ying took the order, turned around and went out.
After Liu Yao waited for the two people to leave, he walked into the back hall of the compartment and said to a scholar about forty or fifty years old who was writing: "Mr. Zijiang, are the words of the two of them just now credible?"
Xu Shao, named Zijiang, was from Runan. He was born as a filial and honest man. He had few reputations and was good at evaluation. He regularly held "Yuedan Review". He once served as a meritorious officer in Runan County, but later refused to be recruited by Sikong Yang Biao.
Later, when Xu Shao went to Xuzhou, Tao Qian, who was the state shepherd at the time, treated him politely, but Xu Shao believed that he was different from what he looked like on the outside, saying, "Tao Gong's reputation is externally admired, but internally he is not genuine. Although he treats me well, he is bound to treat me poorly." Therefore,
Left Xuzhou.
Afterwards, Tao Qian indeed attacked the scholar-bureaucrats living in Xuzhou and arrested and imprisoned those who had not had time to leave. Xu Shao escaped with his life.
Later, Xu Shao crossed the river to join Liu Yao and now served as his mastermind.
Xu Shao put down his pen and said: "What Fan Neng and Zhang Ying have said is not problematic, so you can follow it."
After Liu Yao heard this, he said happily: "I will just follow what the teacher said."
Xu Shao snorted coldly, "But if you don't take precautions against that person Zuo Rong, he will become a disaster sooner or later."
After hearing this, Liu Yao said helplessly: "Sir, you also know that Yuan Shu is powerful. If I intend to deal with Zhe Rong, and if he notices it, I will turn to Yuan Shu. This will be the same mistake as Wu Jing and Sun Ben."
After Xu Shao heard this, he shook his head slightly and said, "Sun Ce is so fierce that you must take precautions."
"I believe that Lu Xun and Yuan Xi are both extraordinary people, and they are descendants of aristocratic families. They have been put to good use by the envoy."
He thought for a while and then said: "But I heard that Yuan Xi appointed Tai Shici as Sima of another department, which really made me a little disappointed."
"Taishici is from a humble background and has practiced deceit. I imagine that such a person is not as knowledgeable about propriety, justice and integrity as the children of the rich family."
"Although I am a fellow countryman with him, you must respect your identity and keep your distance from him, so as not to lose the face of the noble family."
Although Xu Shao judged people very accurately, he had a problem, which was that he valued status very much. He looked down upon the children of aristocratic families, but would not comment on, or even belittled, people of lower status.
After hearing this, Liu Yao understood that he still had to rely on the Jiangdong nobles at present, and he should be cautious in appointing officials from poor families to avoid upsetting the Jiangdong nobles. He nodded and said: "Sir, what you said makes sense."
At that time, Yuan Xi and his party had already left Xiapi and were on their way back to Guangling.
Yuan Xizheng was looking through the movements of Wuqinxi in the silk book, and found that there were hundreds of movements, both moving and still. The movements were like the hit aerobics in the previous life, and the quietness was like yoga stretching postures. The subsequent movements were already quite difficult.
If the frequency of movements is adjusted according to the posture, it can indeed help strengthen the body. These movements can not only be used in the boudoir, but can also be used to train soldiers to increase physical fitness and body flexibility.
You must know that the soldiers trained by Yuan Xi are all based on the standards of elite soldiers. Each person has a pair of armor and two weapons, one long and one short. The weak ones cannot even move well.
As for the former, it greatly inspired the idea of writing the Guide to Couples in the Boudoir signed by Yuan Xi, although he estimated that it would be difficult to publish this book to the world before his death.
Thinking of this, he couldn't wait to rush back to Guangling, mobilize everyone to copy the classics brought back this time, organize them into books, and then teach them in free schools.