Cao Cao, Cao Chong, Zhe Lanying, Lingju, Lingju's mother Diaochan and Guan Yinping, as well as other members of the Cao family and Xiahou family, paid homage to the Cao family members who lost their lives this time.
Cao Cao came to see Liu Zhang. Liu Zhang smiled and asked, "Father-in-law, what are your plans for the future?"
Cao Cao sighed: "When the Battle of Guandu ended, I, Cao Cao, never imagined that I, Cao Cao, would be defeated. During the Battle of Guanzhong, I, Cao Cao, never imagined that one day I would sit face to face with you, Liu Zhang, and talk casually like this.
Forget it, I have figured it out now. Not only are you, Liu Zhang, superior to Cao Cao in terms of tactics and troops, but you are also much smarter in politics.
It would be better for the Han Dynasty to be in your hands, Liu Zhang, than in my hands, Cao Cao. Policies such as the Four Civil Service Examinations, the Land Order, and the Price Limit Order are what the Han Dynasty needs today.
I, Cao Cao, am not qualified to compete with you for the world, nor do I have the energy to do so. Cao Cao is now in his sixties, and he just wants to be with Ling Ju, live a good life, and live like this for the rest of his life.
All the worrying things in the Han Dynasty should be left to you, Liu Zhang, to worry about."
Liu Zhang smiled and said loudly: "In those days, the prime minister Xu Shao once said that Duke Cao is a capable minister in the world and a hero in troubled times. Now, after more than ten years of turmoil, the world is about to be unified and the world is about to usher in peace. If Cao Gong is willing
, Liu Zhang hoped that Duke Cao would become a high official in the border areas and bring benefits to the Han Dynasty."
"A capable minister in governing the world." Cao Cao recited a sentence and said with a smile: "If I were ten years younger, I would really like to try to implement the new policies of the King of Shu, the four-level official examination, and the land order. These are what Cao Cao wants to do.
I didn’t dare to think about it, but in the end I found out that it was the correct decree.
However, I am already old, and my hair is all gray. A year ago, I thought about becoming a frontier official, but now after so many things, I no longer think about it.
Lingju is only a teenager, and she follows an old man like me. If I still want to be a border official and waste my time on politics, wouldn’t I be very sorry for her? "
Liu Zhang was silent for a while: "What a pity. It seems that the big man no longer has this blessing."
"If the King of Shu can trust me, my son Cao Chong is smart and wise, and I think he can be put to good use." Cao Cao said solemnly. Although Cao Cao has relaxed many things now, it does not mean that he is a political idiot.
Although he was held hostage for a year and his power has been basically destroyed now, his influence for more than ten years is still there. Except for Zhe Lanying who is Liu Zhang's wife, the rest of the Cao family. Cao Cao is not confident that Liu Zhang will use it.
Cao Cao thought to himself that if it were him, if he destroyed the Sichuan army, he would definitely not use Liu Xun or Liu Kang.
"Hahaha." Liu Zhang laughed loudly: "What are you talking about, my father-in-law? Cao Chong is now my brother-in-law. How can I not believe it?"
"Hahaha." Cao Cao also laughed.
At this time, Cao Cao really felt that it was too late for him to meet Liu Zhang. Although the two men had different acting styles, Cao Cao felt that they still had many things in common.
The reason Liu Zhang agreed was because he was confident that the Sichuan Army's foundation could not be shaken by Cao Chong, and there happened to be a big thing that Cao Chong needed to do, and someone else would not be able to do it.
…
Eleven-year-old Cao Chong walked into Liu Zhang's study. Liu Zhang was looking at a newly drawn map. This map was a map of the Han Dynasty, but it was different from before. The Western Regions, northern grasslands, and Goguryeo were included, even in some places.
The labeling is very unclear, but at least it is marked.
"Meet His Highness the King of Shu."
"No need to be polite." Liu Zhang looked at the eleven-year-old Cao Cao. There was such a big age difference. He thought he was his brother-in-law, and he was really not used to it.
Liu Zhang put down the map and looked at Cao Chong: "Last time you said so many things about refusing to become an official, it was just to avoid suspicion. Now that the Wei army has been destroyed, there is no barrier between me and your father, Cao Cao. Now can you become an official in the Sichuan army?"
"
"If the King of Shu trusts me."
"It's quite concise, okay then." Liu Zhang threw the map in his hand into Cao Chong's hand, "Look at this map."
Cao Chong didn't know martial arts, so the map was so big and heavy that he had to spread it out on the ground and bury himself to look at it carefully. It looked like a child playing with mud.
"The map is much larger, reflecting the aspirations and ambitions of the King of Shu. I just don't know what the King of Shu meant by showing this to Cao Chong."
"Sigh." Liu Zhang sighed: "If I ask other people to discuss it, they will definitely be refuted completely. Even Yueying will definitely not understand, so I can only ask you. I want to ask you, look at this map
, where do you think it is best to locate the capital of my great Han Dynasty?"
Cao Chong looked at the map and read it carefully for a long time: "According to the geographical situation, we should stay in Chang'an or move to Luoyang. This way we can take care of the western regions and capture the east at the same time. But in this case, places like Goguryeo will definitely not become the territory of the Han Dynasty.
If the capital is in Yecheng, the Western Region is not easy to manage, and it depends on where the strategic center of the King of Shu is."
"That's right. Where is the strategic center? If it were Yueying, she would definitely tell me to focus on controlling the Western Region. Outside the Western Region, it borders the Kushan Empire. The Western Region is the center of the Han Dynasty and the three western empires. Goguryeo
What.
However, I feel that the eastern territory should be preserved. The eastern part is close to the ocean. If we stabilize the eastern part, it will be our territory for generations to come.
Of course I will not give up on the Western Region, but the environment, resources, and population of the Western Region are all barren, and it borders a big country with many variables, so it may be a frontline battlefield. Where can I find the rich resources on the eastern edge of the ocean?"
"What resources does the ocean have?" Cao Chong asked in confusion.
Liu Zhang looked at Cao Chong's confused look and then remembered that people's ideas at this time were different from those of later generations.
People in later generations will know that, regardless of culture, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and the ocean are much richer in resources than the Western Regions.
Moreover, except for the remoteness of Japan, Liu Zhang felt that the Korean Peninsula and Northeast China could definitely be incorporated into their inherent territories. They were separated by an ocean and would be difficult to change after assimilation.
Unlike the Western Regions, due to constant interaction with Central Asia, poor environment and few resources, the Central Plains dynasty did not pay attention to it and did not assimilate it for thousands of years.
Although they are all territories, Liu Zhang felt that the focus should be on the east, which would be conducive to China's future development.
"Take land as an example. Liaodong and Goguryeo can produce more than the western regions. The ocean can not only provide fishermen with fishing, but also has many resources.
Therefore, I want to focus on the east."
"Cao Chong doesn't quite understand the other meanings of the King of Shu, but Cao Chong knows one thing. If we develop to the east and are surrounded by the ocean, we men will be safer."
Cao Chong pondered for a while: "To be honest, Cao Chong didn't understand what King Shu was thinking about why he expanded the territory of the Han Dynasty to such a large extent. Many places, such as Goguryeo to the west of Yarkand, were basically burdensome and would cost the Han Dynasty a lot of money.
To control, the gain outweighs the loss.
However, given the ambitions of these kings, and now that the Han Dynasty is under the rule of King Shu, the people live and work in peace and contentment, with abundant food and strong military strength, then expansion is inevitable and there is nothing unreasonable.
If the King of Shu must move his strategy eastward and develop it to the extreme. All the eastern territories are close to the ocean, then the capital must move northeast from Chang'an in order to control Liaodong, Goguryeo, and even conquer the countries south of Goguryeo.
I think Ji County is good."
"You and I thought of going together." Liu Zhang said. He really didn't expect that Cao Chong was so smart that he suddenly thought the same thing.
But Cao Chong shook his head: "Forgive me, King Shu. Cao Chong just guessed. King Shu changed Ji County to Beiping County and Yuyang County to Beiping County. He also made great efforts to improve the situation and transferred Jiang Wan there as a prefect."
Thinking about what King Shu just said, Cao Chong made a guess."
Liu Zhang was a little embarrassed, these child prodigies must have been too quick in their reactions.
Cao Chong continued: "Although Beiping County used to be the capital of the Yan Kingdom, it is still far behind compared with the capitals of other countries, such as Handan, Yecheng, Beihai, etc., let alone Chang'an, Luoyang, Chengdu, and is only a little better than the three cities in Jiangdong.
."
It is unbelievable that the King of Shu could think of Beiping County, but Cao Chong looked at the map now and really felt that this place was in line with the ambition of the King of Shu.
Beiping County is located in the west of Youzhou and is relatively close to Goguryeo. If this place were the capital, it would not take much effort to manage it after conquering Goguryeo.
Cao Chong predicted that as long as the policy continued and the Han Dynasty did not change, Goguryeo would inevitably become the inherent territory of the Han Dynasty. It would not be difficult to expand further south. As expected, the eastern ambition of the King of Shu would be easily achieved.
Secondly, in terms of strategic position, Peiping can be said to be the emperor's gatekeeper, and the Shu king's ambitions include the northern grasslands, so Peiping just controls the northern grasslands.
To the north of Peiping, Horqin Grassland (also called Huoershen, Guifang, and Horqin at that time had already appeared, and familiar place names were adopted here) and other fertile grasslands in the east have been the birthplace and development place of northern peoples since ancient times, second only to Hetao.
.
If the Han Dynasty makes its capital here, the northern grasslands will be in the palm of its hand, just..."
Cao Chong sighed when he said this: "Everything has advantages and disadvantages. First of all, Youzhou is poor, and it will consume a lot of manpower and material resources to be the capital.
Beiping is to the north, and the control of Dianzhou and the Western Regions in the southwest will definitely be affected.
But this is not the most important thing. With the influence of the King of Shu in Yizhou and Dianzhou, the complete protective model of the Western Regions, and the Han Dynasty's current abundant material resources, it is not difficult to solve it.
The most difficult thing is." Cao Chong said, looking up at Liu Zhang, and said solemnly: "It is not in the interest of all the ministers under the Sichuan Army to make Peiping the capital."
Liu Zhang listened to Cao Chong's words and sat on the ground. When he heard Cao Chong's last words, Liu Zhang's heart moved. Cao Chong really saw the key to the problem, and it was also the biggest worry in Liu Zhang's heart.
Cao Chong was a man from the Three Kingdoms era. He could only analyze the benefits of establishing his capital in Peiping, which was control of the Korean Peninsula and the northern grasslands.
But Liu Zhang knew deeply that the eastern cities of Dingdu, facing the ocean, played a vital role in the development of China. The west of the Western Regions was simply a place where birds did not poop.
But this is indeed not in the interest of all ministers and workers.
First of all, now under the Sichuan Army, especially after the grain harvest, a large number of merchants have emerged. In addition to domestic business, these merchants rely most on the Southwest Silk Road and the Western Silk Road.
If the capital is Peking, they can still continue to trade, but after all, the capital is the center of a country and the gathering place for merchant headquarters. If it is transported to Peking, it will be a lot of waste.
Businessmen would not approve of moving the capital to Peking.
Speaking of ministers, despite the fact that so many civil servants under Cao Cao surrendered to the Sichuan Army, in fact most of the civil servants of the Wei Army did not surrender. Most of the civil servants of the Sichuan Army came from the west.
Everyone has a hometown complex, and no one is willing to go all the way to Beijing.
Liu Zhang didn't think that this measure of moving the capital would get much support. Not only those ministers and businessmen who considered their own interests, but also people like Huang Yueying would definitely not understand him.
But Liu Zhang had to do this. First, the eastern region had more resources than the Western Regions and Central Asia and should become the center of gravity. Second, it was to control the northern grasslands and the Korean Peninsula. Third, it was beneficial to the development of later generations of China. Fourth, as Cao Chong said, facing
To the sea, the territory is stable.
Fifth, why did Liu Zhang not want to weaken the current civil and military influence of the Sichuan Army? The Sichuan Army originated in the west and developed in the west. The east settled the tripod too quickly, and it will definitely divide into the east and west in the future.
If the capital is Beiping, this effect will be well balanced and conservative forces in the west will not be formed, which will be more conducive to unification.
These reasons were enough for Liu Zhang to make up his mind to move the capital.
This was also the reason why he ordered Wang Yue to capture Goguryeo. If the capital was Chang'an, Goguryeo would not be able to hold it even if it was captured. But if the capital was Peking, it would be completely different.
"This is why I came to discuss with you." Liu Zhang said to Cao Chong.
Cao Chong looked at Liu Zhang with wide eyes. His eyes were very clear, but his expression was very complicated. After a while, Cao Chong said: "King Shu, you are using me as a spearman."
Liu Zhang wanted Cao Chong to take charge of moving the capital. Cao Chong didn't understand that as long as he accepted this task, all the opposing forces would target him.
Obviously, the former Sichuan Army officials were not willing to move the capital. He, an easterner and Cao Cao's son, came to support moving the capital to the east and to the remote Youzhou.
It is easy for others to think that they are weakening the original Sichuan Army Group and then seeking benefits for the people in the east and north. Isn't this putting themselves on the fire?
"Do you dare to use this gun?" Liu Zhang asked.
"Can we move the capital to Yecheng first?"
"No, just one step." Liu Zhang said firmly.
Cao Chong frowned. As a studious and talented person, Cao Chong didn't want to be wasted and live an ordinary life from now on. He always wanted to show off his talents.
Therefore, Liu Zhang was willing to entrust him with important tasks, and he was happy to accept it.
But this mission is simply a hot potato. If not, you may die at the hands of those Sichuan Army officials. Since ancient times, those who take the lead in such actions that offend everyone's interests will die.
However, with Liu Zhang's strength, Cao Chong was at least not very worried about Liu Zhang changing his mind during his lifetime. (To be continued.)