"Zhongde, don't you think highly of me too?" Cao Cao's eyes were like a sharp sword that could pierce through people. He felt betrayed by Cheng Yu.
"My lord, Zhongde has been with you for many years, and you still don't believe in my loyalty?" Looking at Cao Cao, Cheng Yu's face was full of grief and anger. If Cao Cao dared to say that he didn't believe it, he would die immediately in front of Cao Cao.
"Of course I know your loyalty, but..." Cao Cao gritted his teeth and said, "What you just said really discouraged me."
"Lord, what I'm telling you is the truth." Cheng Yu was not afraid of Cao Cao. He lightly twirled his beard and said: "Loyal words are harsh to the ears, and good medicine is bitter to the mouth. If the Lord is wrong, I will dare to say it no matter how ugly it is. If the Lord kills me, I can still fight."
A reputation for loyalty and admonishment, why not?"
"You, you, where do you want to put me?" Cao Cao shook his head and said: "Zhongde, to tell the truth, I admire Liu Zhang from the bottom of my heart, but I don't want to admit defeat. Thinking back then, I once said that I wanted to be on the tombstone
Inscribed on it is the tomb of Cao Hou who conquered the West. Now Liu Zhang has wiped out not only the foreign tribes in the northwest, but also the foreign tribes in the south. But what am I doing? I can't even govern the people of the five states well, and I have to rely on sending my daughter to curry favor with the enemy.
How can you make me feel so embarrassed, and how can I face Liu Zhang in the future?"
"My lord, why do you care about temporary honor and disgrace?" Cheng Yu said: "In the past, King Gou Jian of Yue suffered hardship while lying on his salary, and the Marquis of Huaiyin endured the humiliation of his crotch. Even Emperor Gaozu still had the siege of Bai Deng. As long as you dominate the world, everyone will say that you are talented and have great strategies.
Endurance becomes steel”
"Alas..." Cao Cao sighed and said, "Only Zhongde can talk to me like this."
"My lord, it's not that we have changed, but you have changed." Cheng Yu said: "Who do you trust among the first few people who followed you? Wen Ruo won't talk about it. Even Gongda has been alienated by you for various reasons. He often has something to say.
I dare not say it. My lord, even if you are dissatisfied with us, you will have to wait until Liu Zhang is defeated before you become suspicious again."
"Zhongde, you..." Cao Cao said helplessly: "You have seen it thoroughly, so I will leave this matter to you. I sent an envoy to see Liu Zhang and asked him to attack Jiangdong together. After the victory, he and I
"Half and Half"
"Yes," Cheng Yu asked with a smile, "May I ask, Prime Minister, who is the best person to send?"
"Man Boning, I remember that he has an old relationship with Liu Ye and Guo Jia, so there should be no danger." Cao Cao sighed: "I heard that Liu Zhang is quite a trickster and likes to poach people the most. Send someone else there, just in case.
It would be bad if he takes a fancy to him."
"What my lord said is true, please trouble Boning to go there." Cheng Yu bowed and said, "If my lord has nothing else to do, I will take my leave."
"Go." Cao Cao waved his hand, feeling quite powerless in his heart. The more he didn't want to show weakness, he had to show weakness. Liu Zhang had become a lingering shadow in his heart. In fact, it wasn't just him, even Sun Quan and Sun Ce were unwilling to do so.
She fell under Liu Zhang's coercion. Unfortunately, nine out of ten people are not happy with their lives. Even as an emperor, he still has a lot of helplessness.
Half a month later, Liangzhou welcomed two groups of guests. The first wave was naturally Zhang Hong's messenger, who brought Sun Quan's orders and replies. The second wave was Cao Cao's messenger headed by Man Chong. I heard that
When an envoy from Cao Cao arrived, Zhang Hong became anxious and immediately wanted to find Guo Jia and Jia Xu to discuss sending troops. However, the two men who accompanied Zhang Hong Yueyu were ordered to preside over the annihilation of the Qiang and Rongdi tribes in Liangzhou at this time, and they had no time.
After meeting with him, Zhang Hong knew that the annihilation of the foreign tribes in Liangzhou was just an excuse. Guo Jia and Jia Xu must be receiving Cao Cao's envoys. So Zhang Hong gritted his teeth and wandered around the city guard's house, hoping to interview Liu Zhang.
Zhang Hong succeeded. On the third day after Jiangdong's messenger arrived, Liu Zhang was about to take little Jiang Wei out for an outing. He stopped Liu Zhang at the gate of the city guard's house. Hearing that the person coming was Zhang Hong, Liu Zhang asked in surprise
: "Sir, haven't you returned to Jiangdong yet?"
"Uh..." Zhang Hong was stunned. He didn't understand what Liu Zhang meant. He thought Liu Zhang had some dissatisfaction with Jiangdong. He quickly apologized and said with a smile: "To inform the champion, your army and our army have not yet sent out troops to attack Cao Cao."
It was settled, so I haven’t left yet.”
"It hasn't been negotiated yet?" Liu Zhang counted the days and found that it had been more than a month. He couldn't help but smiled and said: "Although it has been a while, sir, I don't seem to be in a hurry. We just want to talk slowly. Anyway, the battle will not last ten and a half days."
It can be finished in a month.”
"Marquis Champion, I also want to talk, but gentlemen Guo Jia and Jia Xu have recently gone to preside over the annihilation of foreign tribes in Liangzhou. I really have no choice, so I came to you." Zhang Hong quickly explained the purpose of his visit, for fear that Liu Zhang would
He sent him away.
"Oh? I remembered it," Liu Zhang said, pretending to suddenly realize: "Recently, the Qiang people and Rong Di seem to have learned a lot, and they always lead our troops in circles. Yuan Zhi and Zilong couldn't find them for a decisive battle, so they went to
I ask for advice, and I will ask the two gentlemen to go and help to defeat those naughty foreigners. I also ask Zigang to wait patiently for a few days."
"Wait? If you wait any longer, Jiangdong will be done with it." Zhang Hong knelt down on the ground, kowtowed to Liu Zhang and said, "Marquis of Champion, please save Jiangdong. My Lord has said that as long as you agree to send troops to help, he will send his younger sister Sun Shangxiang to
I will be your concubine"
"Ah?" Liu Zhang was stunned. He didn't expect that his words came true and Jiang Dong really wanted to give him a woman.
"Humph" suddenly, a cold snort sounded, and a scholar wearing a Confucian robe walked out from the shadow of the corner and sneered: "What kind of person is the champion? Even if you want to find a woman, you must be virtuous and virtuous.
Gentle and charming, Xiao Ji from Jiangdong is only qualified to be the wife of a common man, how can she be qualified to be the concubine of a hero?"
Liu Zhang was a little puzzled when he heard this and couldn't help asking: "Who is sir?"
"My name is Man Chong. I have seen the Champion Marquis." The visitor bowed and saluted. It turned out to be Cao Cao's envoy Man Chong. He waited for three days in the post house but no one received him. He also imitated Zhang Hong and waited at the gate of the city guard's mansion.
Enemies meet on a narrow road. When he heard Zhang Hongtian shamelessly using Sun Shangxiang as a bargaining chip, he made sarcastic remarks.
"Could it be that Shanyang is doting on Boning?" Liu Zhang said with a smile: "I've heard about his name for a long time, but it's a pity that I haven't seen him. In the past, I asked Ziyang to leave a letter to you, but I didn't expect you to defect to Cao Cao. I'm here today.
What's the point?"
"Marquis Champion, there are outsiders here, it is really inconvenient to discuss important military matters..." Man Chong looked at Liu Zhang with a smile, implying that he wanted Zhang Hong to leave.
"Yes, it is indeed inappropriate to talk about important military matters at this time." Liu Zhang ignored Man Chong's thoughts. He smiled slightly and said: "I have handed over these matters to Guo Jia and Jia Xu. If I interfere again, wouldn't it be disrespectful to them?"
Trust? Please wait patiently for a few days, and you will surely gain something. Today, I agreed to my adopted son's request and accompanied him on an outing. Please don't blame me and say goodbye."
"The Champion..." Man Chong looked surprised. He didn't expect to miss an opportunity like this.
"Some people are just smart enough to steal the chicken but lose the rice." Zhang Hong clapped his hands and laughed, with a look of gloating on his face that even a non-blind person could see.
"You..." Man Chong sneered: "What are you proud of? Jiangdong Xiao Ji is known to everyone to be overbearing. You want to use her to impress the champion, how is it different from dreaming? Our Prime Minister Cao is **, only 28 years old, in the prime of youth
Young, not only beautiful in appearance, but also gentle and virtuous, do you think Xiao Ji can be compared with her?"
"You..." Zhang Hong was shocked when he heard about his own affairs, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He even wanted to kill Cao Cao's envoy.
"Guys, this is Wuwei." Just when the atmosphere between Man Chong and Zhang Hong was getting tense, the general standing guard at the gate of the city guard's mansion walked up to them and said: "My lord is not a Xiongnu Chanyu. Please pay attention to all your careful thoughts."
Put it away, otherwise don’t blame my Lord for being ruthless.”
"Yes..." Man Chong and Zhang Hong were nervous. They both wanted to kill each other to force Liu Zhang to submit. After being reminded by Liu Zhang's general, the two of them remembered that Jiangdong and the Cao family might not be able to defeat Liu Zhang if they teamed up. Now.
, the decision-making power was in Liu Zhang's hands, and it was not something they could force. The two men immediately lowered their heads to admit their mistake, and returned to the posthouse to face the wall and think about it.
In Liu Zhang's view, Man Chong and Zhang Hong were just a sideshow, but some people didn't think so. Xiao Jiang Wei held Liu Zhang's hand in shame and didn't speak for a long time. It wasn't until Liu Zhang asked that he blushed and said: "
Foster father, the child has delayed your management of politics."
"Uh..." Liu Zhang was stunned for a moment, then asked with a smile: "Weier, you have been studying the art of war and strategy for some time. Do you think I came to Liangzhou just to deal with the Qiang, Rong and Di tribes?"
"Children don't dare to guess the thoughts of their adoptive father." Jiang Wei, who is five or six years old, has already shown a mind that is beyond ordinary people. Not only does he have a strong memory, but his learning ability and acceptance ability are also extraordinary. Therefore, while teaching him to read and calligraphy,
Liu Zhang was also instilling in him some politics, human behavior, and even thick black knowledge. Liu Zhang did not want Jiang Wei to be like Han Xin, who was obviously very capable but did not know how to advance or retreat, and ended up dying a miserable death. However, judging from Jiang Wei's performance
Come, Liu Zhang's education was very successful.
Rubbing Jiang Wei's head, Liu Zhang smiled and said: "To deal with the Qiang people and the Rong Di, it is enough to send a few generals. I came to Liangzhou and wanted to calm people's hearts. As for sending troops to deal with Cao Cao, or sending troops to deal with Jiangdong?
As far as I am concerned, there is no difference. Besides, since I have handed over this matter to Mr. Guo Jia and Jia Xu, I should fully trust them, and do not trust those who employ them, and do not trust those who doubt them."
"But isn't it too domineering for my adoptive father to do this?" Jiang Wei was still young and felt that Liu Zhang was domineering just now, but it was far different from what the teacher who taught him knowledge said.
"Domineering?" Liu Zhang said with a smile: "Weier, from now on you have to be as domineering towards your relatives as you are as a father. You can be as gentle as water, but when dealing with your enemies, you are sharper than a steel knife. Whether it is an internal enemy or an external one.
You must not be merciful to your enemies. You must know that if you kill a snake, you will be bitten by it.”
"Father, didn't you say that you should be benevolent and treat your enemies with kindness?" Jiang Wei frowned, and the thoughts in his head seemed to be somewhat contradictory.
"Who taught you this?" Liu Zhang frowned. He didn't want Jiang Wei to become a corrupt scholar. What he needed was aggression. Otherwise, how could Jiang Wei become a general? Isn't it a joke that a general wants to influence his enemies?
?
"The gentleman who taught me how to read." Seeing Liu Zhang's expression change, Jiang Wei was startled and asked, "Father, what did I say wrong?"
"You're right, the teacher is wrong. Let's not talk about this. Let's go play." He held Jiang Wei's hand and left Wuwei City. However, Liu Zhang was thinking about killing the teacher who taught Jiang Wei how to read. The Confucian scholar really couldn't think of it.