Jianming Chaos

After the will was read out, there was constant discussion in the hall.Liu Cong was puzzled: "Uncle, even though my father is gone, brother Qi is still alive, why does he want to abolish the elders and establish the younger ones?"

Cai Mao said: "My father believes that Liu Qi has no virtue and talent, and is not qualified for the post of state leader; only you, my lord, have the potential to govern the state."

"But I'm still a child!" Although Liu Cong is young, he has a quick mind and is good at observing things.Intuitively, he thought there was something wrong with the will. If his father really wanted to make him the governor of the state, why didn't he call him to meet him in advance, but directly made the will and let Cai Mao read it in public?

"You are naturally intelligent, and with our assistance, you will definitely be qualified for this job." Cai Mao encouraged him.

Liu Cong shook his head and said, "I don't think this is appropriate. Although my father is dead, brother Qi is now in Jiangxia, and uncle Liu Bei is now in Xinye. They are full of troops. What should I do if they ask for help?"

Cai Mao said: "This is your father's last order. I expect them not to dare to act recklessly. Moreover, Xiangyang has sufficient troops. Even if they want to rebel, I will raise troops to suppress them. Please rest assured, my lord."

"What if they question the authenticity of the will?" Liu Cong was indeed smart and hit the nail on the head.

"This..." Cai Mao felt guilty and was speechless for a while.

The official Li Gui said: "I think the second son is right. In my humble opinion, it is the best policy to send obituaries to Jiangxia and Xinye immediately, and invite the eldest son to succeed the state governor and Liu Bei to be the director. In this way , the north can reject Cao Cao, and the south can oppose Sun Quan."

Cai Mao shouted: "Li Gui, how dare you talk nonsense here! The new lord is here, and you actually call him the second son?! It is clearly stated in the will that the second son Liu Cong is the governor of the state, how dare you have Dissent, do you want to rebel?"

Li Gui was also furious, pointing and cursing: "Cai Mao, I have long been displeased with you, you look like a villain! I suspect that you forged this will for the purpose of gaining power. Seize the power and boost your power in Jingzhou, so that one day you can also ascend to the throne of the state lord! You are the rebel!"

"You..." Cai Mao was so angry that his seven orifices were filled with smoke, "Come here, drag him out and cut him off!"

Zhang Yun ordered Li Gui to be taken down.Li Gui was escorted out by the guards, yelling and cursing all the way.

Cai Mao said: "My lord, this man is bewitching people with his demonic words. You must kill him. Don't take his words to heart."

Liu Cong nodded, but his heart began to become suspicious.

Cai Mao immediately sent Deng Xi and Liu Xian, who were in charge of governance, to station in counties and counties near Xiangyang to prevent Liu Bei and Liu Qi from rebelling.

That night, Liu Cong asked his mother about the will.Mrs. Cai said: "Cong'er, don't worry, your father's will is true, and I was there at the time. Although your brother Qi is old, he is inferior to you in terms of intelligence and knowledge. Your father's choice is right. Yes, you are truly worthy of the position of governor."

"Then Li Gui said today that uncle wants to be the governor of the state in the future, is it true?"

"This man is talking nonsense, so he will be killed. You are my son, and Degui (Cai Mao's word) is my younger brother. To me, you are the closest. No matter at any time, the interests of our mother and son They are all the same. I grew up watching Degui, and I know his character best. He is not that kind of person, at least he dare not show it in front of me. What you have to do now is to seize this opportunity, Learn how to govern the state well. Only when you have cultivated your internal strength will no one be able to drive you away. In a few years, you will grow up, and your position will be consolidated, and you will be more comfortable in governing. Mother will definitely take care of you behind your back. I support you, don't worry."

Liu Cong nodded dubiously, but he was always worried.

The next day, the state government received a letter saying that Cao Jun had reached Wancheng and would arrive in Xiangyang soon.Liu Cong was shocked, and quickly gathered the crowd to discuss countermeasures, and asked them for advice: "I was afraid that brother Qi and uncle Liu Beixing would ask me to blame, but now Cao Cao is here, what should I do?"

Cai Hao said: "Not long ago, I received a report from Xinye, saying that Liu Bei had led his army and people to evacuate Xinye and settled in Fancheng in order to prevent Cao Cao from killing them all. Don't panic, my lord, I have a plan, which can not only protect the name of the lord, but also protect the people of Jingxiang."

"Oh? What's the plan?" Liu Cong was overjoyed.

"Dedicate Jingzhou to Cao Cao." Cai Mao said the shocking words.

"Ridiculous!" Liu Cong was furious, "My father treats you well on weekdays, but now that his body is still alive, you are going to hand over the foundation he has worked so hard for for several years! I will never let you do this!"

"My lord, calm down, please listen to me." Cai Mao paused and said, "Jingzhou was originally a Han land, and Cao Cao's southern expedition was in the name of the emperor to recover the lost land. There is nothing wrong with returning Jingzhou to the court; we wait If you refuse, it will be tantamount to opposing the imperial court, and the reputation is not right. Besides, the Cao army is so powerful that our army will fight against it like a mayfly shaking a big tree. In addition, the lord has just taken office, and the people's hearts are unstable. If you resist stubbornly, it will undoubtedly be natural Looking for a dead end. 'Keep the green hills, even if there is no firewood', please think twice, my lord."

Liu Cong was silent after listening.He had already expected that Cai Mao would not be reassuring, but he did not expect him to act so excessively.

Kuai Yue said: "General Cai's words are justified. Cao Jun's soldiers are skilled and fierce, and they have repeatedly achieved victories. They have defeated Lu Bu, Yuan Shao, Wu Huanchu and other famous generals. We fought against them, which is no different from mantising arms to block a car; plus this time There is also the White Tiger Squad to help out, like a tiger with wings added, absolutely invincible. In addition, the Lord Liu Biao has just died, and many people in Jingzhou are dissatisfied with the Lord. It can be said that there are internal and external troubles. The Lord should make a wise decision quickly!"

Cai Mao added embellishment and said: "Yes, if my lord doesn't make a decision, Cao Jun's iron hooves will step into Xiangyang!"

Liu Cong knew that he was powerless to support the overall situation, so he could only sigh and said, "I am still young and have no experience in this field, so let General Cai decide."

Cai Mao thanked: "Thank you, my lord. Then it's settled like this. I will dedicate Jingzhou to Cao Cao. First, I will protect the Lord, and second, I will protect the people. I will kill two birds with one stone."

When Liu Cong heard this, he felt very uncomfortable, thinking that his father's foundation would be ruined in his own hands, and suddenly felt ashamed to face his ancestors.

Cai Mao asked everyone if they had any objections, and everyone agreed, and no one dared to say anything.

Liu Cong said: "This matter must be reported to the mother."

Before the words finished, Mrs. Cai turned around from behind the screen and said, "No need, I heard everything, just do as General Cai wants, I'm a woman, I don't have any objections."

Cai Mao said: "Then ask my lord to write a quick letter of surrender."

Liu Cong didn't expect his mother to give Jingzhou away after she finished her encouraging speech last night. The contrast was too great, but in desperation, he had no choice but to write down the letter against his will, and asked Cai Mao to bring it to him. Cao Cao.He didn't expect to encounter such a thing when he first came to power. Not only could he not be the master, but his subordinates were also insensitive, and no one dared to come forward to object—no one wanted to follow in Li Gui's footsteps.

Cai Mao drove his horse to Wancheng, went to see Cao Cao, and presented a letter of surrender.Cao Cao was very happy after reading it, and rewarded him heavily, saying that he would go to Xiangyang to meet the Lord Xinzhou in person tomorrow.

Cai Mao returned to Xiangyang to talk about the past.Mrs. Cai said, "Then let's go out of the city to meet him tomorrow morning."

The next morning, Liu Cong and others burned incense at the gate of the city to welcome him.Soon, Cao Cao came with a team.

Liu Cong saluted and said: "The prime minister has come from a long way, and we have not been able to clean up the dust for the prime minister, so we are really disappointed. I respectfully invite the prime minister to enter the city."

Cao Cao smiled wryly: "Mr. Liu is a man of talent, and he deserves the position of governor!"

"The prime minister congratulates me, let's talk about it at the mansion first." Liu Cong had no intention of boasting at the moment.

Cao Cao followed Liu Cong to the state capital and entered the hall.Liu Cong personally handed over the state seal to him, and invited him to take the seat, saying: "I have dedicated this state to the prime minister, and this seat should be reserved for the prime minister."

Cao Cao sat down unceremoniously, deliberately put the state seal aside, and said: "Mr. Liu, don't get me wrong. In fact, this old man's southern expedition is aimed at defeating Liu Bei, and he does not intend to fight for land with the king. Mr. Liu took the initiative to make a big contribution." Chengjun, the old man is very grateful. After returning to Xuchang, the old man will definitely play the role of the emperor, and protect you as the master of Jingzhou forever."

"Thank you, Prime Minister." Liu Cong bowed symbolically to express his gratitude.

Cao Cao motioned to be excused, and asked, "Where is your father's coffin buried? I want to find some time to worship."

"My father's tomb is just outside the city in the Eastern Hanyang Plain."

"Well, after the old man cleans up Liu Bei, he must go to worship."

"Xie Cheng's affection for my late father." Liu Cong knew that he was hypocritical, so he could only pretend to appreciate it.

"The prime minister is here in person, it's really a blessing for this state!" Mrs. Cai also flattered from the side.

"Haha, Madam can really talk!" Cao Cao stroked his beard and smiled, "This old man's expedition is only to eradicate the alien party under the order of the emperor. As long as it is related to Liu Bei, I will kill it. I hope you don't mind. , the old man just doesn’t want to leave any trouble behind.”

Cao Cao's words made everyone present tremble with fear; the people in the hall were leaving quietly.

Cai Mao said: "Prime Minister, I heard that Liu Bei has abandoned Xinye and led his army and civilians to take refuge in Fancheng. Xinye has become an empty city."

"Oh? Is there really such a thing?"

"Yes, Liu Bei has long been informed of the prime minister's personal conquest, and has arranged for the evacuation of all personnel in advance."

"That's good, our army can be divided into Xinye to garrison, and then attack Liu Bei."

"Why is the prime minister so afraid of Liu Bei that he dispatched the White Tiger Team?" Cai Mao was puzzled.

"Liu Bei currently has a military advisor named Kong Ming, whose general talent is immeasurable, and he is Zhang Liang in this world."

"Could it be 'Fulong' Zhuge Liang?"

"Exactly. What the old man is really afraid of is not Liu Bei or Kong Ming alone, but the cooperation of the two. When Liu Bei gets Kong Ming, it is like dry wood meeting a raging fire. It will burn more and more vigorously; if it is not eliminated early, it will become a serious disaster in the future .”

"The prime minister is right," Zhang Yun said, "Kong Ming is a rare man, like Ziya of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty and Fan Li of the Spring and Autumn Period. It is said that whoever wins him wins the world."

Cao Cao sighed: "It's a pity that such a good mutton was taken away by dogs. I think back then, if the old man hadn't killed Guo Jia (the number one counselor of Cao's army before his death), if the old man hadn't been killed by Xizheng, why would he be afraid of Kong Ming!"

After all, he burst into tears.Everyone present knew Guo Jia's name, and they were all deeply moved.

At this time Xu Shu was also beside him, and said: "Prime Minister, don't be sad. Although Guo Jia is gone, there are still us and the White Tiger Team. So what if Kong Ming has three heads and six arms? Don't worry."

Cao Cao wiped away his tears and said, "Yes, with you here, I won't be afraid of anything!"

He stood up and said to everyone: "I, Cao Mengde, was ordered by the emperor to march south, and I am here to attack the rebellious minister Liu Bei. I hope you can help me to wipe out Liu's army and repay the favor of the court!"

"I will swear to the death to help the Prime Minister eliminate the chaotic party!" Everyone except Liu Cong said in unison.

Liu Cong was in a state of disarray at the moment, his home was handed over to the Han thieves, and his uncle was in danger of being hunted down again, he really didn't know what to do.He thought, it would be fine if his father entrusted his uncle with his foundation. Now that he is in power, he can neither protect his homeland nor his uncle, so how can he feel at ease!

After the meeting, Cao Cao bid farewell to Liu Cong, returned to Wancheng, and gathered people to discuss the next step.

Xu Shu asked, "When will the prime minister plan to send troops?"

"Send troops tomorrow morning. The army is exhausted from a long distance away. They can rest in this city for one night. Tomorrow morning, they will first camp in Xinye and then attack Fancheng. It is not too late, and the battle must be resolved quickly!" Cao Cao knew very well the truth that "soldiers are expensive and quick", but At the same time, I also understand that the march cannot be rushed, otherwise the haste will not be achieved.

Xu Shu said: "I guess the other party has already set up an ambush in Bowangpo. Our army must be careful."

"The old man has already expected it, so the marching speed should not be too fast, nor too slow." Cao Cao said to the generals.

"Yes!" All the generals responded in unison.

Cao Cao ordered Xu Chu to lead [-] troops to lead the vanguard; the first and second teams followed the vanguard, starting from the main road, heading to Bowang, and then to Xinye; Army; the fourth and fifth teams stayed in Wancheng.

…………

Zhiming has been busy arranging work for a day, and finally he can rest for a while.He asked the team members to stop and rest, and then sat on the stone bench with Xiao Cong and chatted.

Zhiming asked: "Jing Heng (Xiao Cong's word), when did you join the army, do you regret it?"

Xiao Cong smiled wryly, and said, "It's not regrettable, I just let others down. I originally had a partner who was planning to get married in the countryside. Later, the army came to the village to recruit soldiers. I could have avoided it, but when I heard that it was When Liu Huangshu was in the army, I joined without hesitation, ignoring her feelings. Later, she left her hometown in a fit of anger. I heard that she went to Xuchang, and she became a romantic woman, just to forget me. "

"Could it be her?" Zhiming thought of the gloomy woman he had seen in front of Cuixiang Building in Xuchang.

"General Lei, you should have seen her. Her name is Xiaoyun. She came to the barracks to look for me before. We happened to meet you when we went to have dinner and said hello. Do you remember?"

Zhiming finally remembered, nodded and said: "Well, the world is unpredictable. Everyone wants to live a stable life at home, but the time is not right. Right now, we must win this battle, otherwise we will not be able to explain to the lord and Military Advisor Kong Ming! "