Han Dao world

After handing over the escorted books, Hao Zhao rushed to the camp with Xia Houlan immediately and reported to Zhao Yun.

Seeing Xia Houlan, Zhao Yun was very happy.He asked about the situation in northern Hebei, and learned that Yi Jing was destroyed and Gongsun Zan died, Zhao Yun was quite emotional.Gongsun Zan was an excellent general, but not a qualified official.

"The Zhen family in Zhongshan rejected Yuan's marriage." Xia Houlan told the story of Zhen Mi again.Zhen Mi and Zhang Hong went to Beiyue of Yanmen to worship the God of Xuanwu. Based on the schedule, they should be on their way now.

Zhao Yun didn't know Zhen Mi, but he knew Zhang Hong and Zhang Hong's sister, Zhen Mi's biological mother Zhang, and of course he knew the strength and situation of Zhen Mi in Zhongshan.He appreciated Xiahoulan's decision very much, and then recommended Xiahoulan to Liu Xie.

He told Liu Xie that Xia Houlan's martial arts were not very good, but he had studied law for many years and was a rare talent.

Liu Xie chatted with Xiahoulan for a while, and then asked Jia Xu to test Xiahoulan's knowledge. Jia Xu also admired Xiahoulan, thinking that he was a suitable candidate to be a supervisor or a military officer, and invited Xiahoulan to be a member of the Military Academy Teaching assistant, specializing in teaching law.

Military law is the embryonic form of the art of war, and it is still an indispensable and important part of the art of war.

Xia Houlan was right in her arms, feeling that her trip was worthwhile.

Xia Houlan introduced the situation in northern Hebei to Liu Xie and Jia Xu in detail.In order to defeat Yijing, Yuan Shao showed his favor to the big families in northern Hebei, got married, and promoted to rank.However, Tian Feng and the judges who are in charge now are all from southern Hebei. They mostly use the attitude of northern Hebei people, and it is difficult to pay attention to it psychologically.After breaking through Yijing, new changes are likely to emerge.

Liu Xie has not received any news from Jizhou, but after hearing Xia Houlan's introduction, he couldn't help laughing.

Yuan Shao has been kidnapped by people from Jizhou—more precisely, people from southern Hebei.He was in a hurry to attack Yanyu. Apart from saving Yan Liang, he also wanted Yanyu's support to check and balance the Jizhou people.

But the ideal is plump, and the reality is skinny.Although Yanyu has many talents, there are few generals, and most of them come from poor families that Yuan Shao doesn't like.Even if Yuan Shao can control Yanyu, he will not be able to resolve the existing conflicts, it will only aggravate them.

This kind of structural contradiction may not be able to be resolved by Yuan Shao.Being in a situation with vested interests, there is no way to break the situation.Even if he finds a way to break the situation, he won't be able to stop and use himself as a knife.

To put it bluntly, this is just another form of conflict of interest.If you can't balance interests, you will never be able to break the game.

For Zhen Mi, Liu Xie didn't care too much.He knows that Zhen Mi is a famous beauty in this era, but does he lack beauty?As long as he stays calm, what kind of beauty is there?

Liu Xie decided to set off as soon as possible to complete the trip to the West Sea.

Yuan Shao ended the war in northern Hebei and moved his troops to the south. The war in the Central Plains was imminent.He will soon return to Guanzhong to take command, so that Han Sui can attack with confidence.

-

Zhou Zhong rushed to Xiangyang.

Liu Biao went out of the city to meet him personally, and held a banquet in Xianshan to welcome Zhou Zhong.

In addition to the local celebrities in Jingzhou, there are also many celebrities who have lived in Jingzhou.Among these people, Zhou Zhong saw a familiar face, Shi Sun Meng, the son of Shi Sun Rui.

Zhou Zhong was somewhat surprised, and the officer Sun Meng called to him. "Why are you still in Jingzhou?"

Shi Sun Meng looked embarrassed, and Liu Biao was also a little unhappy.Just because of his demeanor, he didn't change his color, just looked at Zhou Zhong with a smile.

"Let's go to Taiyuan. You Aunt has a heavy responsibility and urgently needs someone to help you." Zhou Zhong said bluntly.He is a few years older than Shisun Rui, and once served as a Taiwei, he is very good at teaching Shisun Meng as a junior.

"Here." Shi Sunmeng replied in a polite manner, not daring to reply.

Liu Biao said with a smile, "Jiamou, he is a young scholar who can't carry a sword or ride a horse. What's the use of going back to Taiyuan?"

Zhou Zhong glanced at Liu Biao and smiled slightly. "Jing Sheng, he is different from you and me. He is still young, he can't carry a knife, but he can practice. Will Sun Junrong be short of warriors who are proficient in martial arts? He can practice without being able to ride a horse. The most important thing is a horse. Young people are flexible, as long as they are willing to endure hardships and practice for a year or so, they will naturally be proficient in bowing horses."

Liu Biao's expression froze.He heard Zhou Zhong's warning, the emperor has no shortage of warriors, more horses, and tens of thousands of elites.Once he strikes, it will be thunderous, much stronger than Dong Zhuoke back then.

"It's been so many years, but brother Jiamou is so proud, it's eye-opening."

"What kind of arrogance do I have?" Zhou Zhong said unhurriedly: "There is a talented person in Jingzhou, that's called arrogance. Like everyone here, he was originally a scholar, and he couldn't carry a knife or ride a horse. After walking, practice martial arts hard. In less than half a year, together with Lu Bu, he rode across Mobei with a hundred horsemen, traveled thousands of miles, beheaded over ten thousand, and became a marquis in one battle."

"Really?" The Jingzhou people present were all surprised and looked at each other in blank dismay. "Which one?"

"Who knows, he must be a humble scholar." Someone muttered in a low voice, with a little bitterness in their disdain.

Zhou Zhong sneered: "You guys are so ignorant and ignorant that people wonder if Jingzhou is still in the Han Dynasty. This person is not from a poor family, he is a descendant of the Huang family in Jiangxia, Huang Yi and Huang Zimei."

Everyone was stunned.

Even in Jingzhou, the Huang family of Jiangxia is a well-known high school. Such a person would actually run rampant in the desert with Lu Bu and become a marquis with his military exploits.If the person who spoke was not Zhou Zhong, no one would believe it.

Shi Sun Meng couldn't help asking: "Duke Zhou, what...is this going on? Huang Yi Scholar, how can you be named a Marquis with military exploits?"

"You guys, you really have grown a pair of ears for nothing." Zhou Zhong pointed at the crowd with a look of anger that hated iron but not steel. "I don't know about Huang Yi, how can you not know about Ding Chong? He is in Nanyang. During the first battle in Huayin, he walked with the emperor and slashed people. Maybe Chong can also be named a Marquis with his military exploits."

The crowd was stunned.

Of course they knew about Ding Chong.Ding Chong is in Nanyang, and he has recruited talents on a large scale in the past few years. There are not a few people who have been poached by him. Liu Biao hates him to death.Several times I wanted to raise troops to attack, but I was worried that I would not be able to defeat Zhang Ji, so I had to swallow my anger.They originally thought that Ding Chong was relying on Xiliang soldiers to show off his prestige, but after hearing Zhou Zhong's words, they realized that Ding Chong himself was a ruthless person.

What shocked them even more was another sentence: The emperor beheaded Li Jue with his own hands.

During the Battle of Huayin, the emperor was only 15 years old, but Li Jue was a battle-tested Xiliang warrior.In the battle of Huayin, the Son of Heaven won, and many people thought it was a fluke.Unexpectedly, this luck came like this. The emperor not only went into battle in person, but also killed Li Jue with his hands.

"Duke Zhou, this... is this true?" Shi Sun Meng asked regardless of Liu Biao's ugly face.

"Why did you lie to you?" Zhou Zhong squinted his eyes and scolded angrily, "You don't know how to write a letter to Taiyuan to ask your father? During the Battle of Huayin, he was ordered to command the imperial army to fight against Li Jue, and he was also blood-stained. The battle robe is for watching the emperor enter the battle and defeat Li Jue with his own eyes."

Kuai Yue, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke. "Since the scholar Sun Junrong has made such great achievements, why did he abandon Weiwei and live in Taiyuan?"

Chapter 568 Contradictory Interests

Zhou Zhong glanced at Kuai Yue, his eyes were a little cold.

Kuai Yue bowed to salute, and smiled slightly, with a hint of complacency.

Although Zhou Zhong was appointed as the shepherd of Yuzhou, he never really performed his duties and has been living in Jiujiang.Shi Sunrui made great contributions in the battle of Huayin, but failed to be promoted to rank. Later, he led the infantry battalion and Shesheng battalion of the Northern Army to garrison Taiyuan, which was not destined for the subsequent battles.

This inevitably makes people feel that the emperor is indifferent to the veterans, and Zhou Zhong's advocacy for the court is somewhat wishful thinking.

"Who said that Sun Junrong was relegated to Taiyuan?" Zhou Zhong sneered.

"Scholar Sun Junrong was originally a Weiwei, but now he is a Marquis of the Northern Army. Isn't it Zuoqian?"

"Do you know how many troops there were under the emperor's command when he marched north?"

Kuai Yue shook his head.How did he know these details.

Zhou Zhong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.Since you don't know, it's easy to handle.The matter of Shi Sunrui was also a thorn in his heart, but when Kuai Yue said it, he felt even more upset.

"During the Northern Expedition of the Son of Heaven, apart from the generals from Xiliang, the troops under his command were the Northern and Southern Army. The Southern Army's strength was limited, with only a thousand men in Huben and Habayashi. Later, the elite cavalry of the Northern Army was added, making a total of 3000 men."

Zhou Zhong raised three fingers and looked around with awe-inspiring eyes. "The Son of Heaven used these 3000 people as the main force to defeat the Xiongnu rebels in northern Xinjiang first, and then defeated the 20 people in Xianbei to help Luo Han, and beheaded [-]."

Kuai Yue's complexion changed slightly, a little ugly.

Liu Biao also frowned and remained silent.

They all knew that the emperor had few troops during his northern expedition, but they never believed that the emperor had only three thousand cavalry.Now that Zhou Zhong said it himself, they couldn't help but not believe it.

The emperor first defeated the Xiongnu rebels with [-] steps, and then defeated the Xianbei to help Luo Han, beheading more than [-] people. Such a record is really frightening.Now that the Son of Heaven breaks through Xianbei in the west again, the main force under his command has already exceeded [-]. Once they go east, who can resist?

"The Son of Heaven's Northern Expedition, Hedong was handed over to Xun Wenruo, the generals of Xiliang were responsible for the safety, and Taiyuan was handed over to Shi Sun Junrong. Shi Sun Junrong commanded the main force of the Northern Army. He not only had the important task of guarding Taiyuan, but also had to respond to Hedong at any time. Such a heavy responsibility, how can a person who lives in exile be able to undertake it?"

"Having said that, the Marquis of the Northern Army with [-] shi is not the Wei Wei who has [-] shi." Kuai Yue insisted.

"Idiot!" Zhou Zhong couldn't help but yelled: "If the name is not correct, the words will not go well. It is more suitable for Sun Junrong to command the main force of the Northern Army. OK. The Son of Heaven marches north, how can Wei Wei stay in Taiyuan and command the main force of the Northern Army?"

Kuai Yue raised his eyebrows lightly, and was about to argue again, but was stopped by Liu Biao.

"Brother Jiamou, after listening to you, the doubts in our hearts have finally been resolved." Liu Biao raised his wine glass and toasted Zhou Zhong. "Come, you and I have a drink together, and wish Hande will last forever."

Zhou Zhong laughed. "Heroes come from youth. The son of heaven is not a weak crown, but he has the spirit of Gaodi and Guangwu. It is expected that the great Han will rejuvenate. Jingsheng is a clan, so he should set an example for the officials and know how to return when he is lost."

Liu Biao's cheeks twitched twice, he raised his wine glass and covered his face with his sleeve.

-

After receiving the wind for Zhou Zhong, he arranged Zhou Zhong to live in the post house, and ordered someone to wait on him. After Liu Biao returned to his inner house in Xiangyang City, he sat alone in the hall and did not speak for a long time.

The eldest son, Liu Qi, came in and stepped forward to salute.

"Arranged?" Liu Biao put his mind away and asked.

"It's been arranged, and Kuai Qi will be in charge of it himself, and the idlers are not allowed to get close." Liu Qi was a little uneasy. "Ah Weng, the Duke of Zhou is a minister of the imperial court. How should he treat him? If he goes to the emperor to say that he is wrong, in the future..."

Liu Biaoyang raised his hands, looking anxious. "Okay, I got it." After a pause, he continued: "I don't know that Zhou Jiamou is a minister, but I have no other choice. Yuan Benchu ​​will go south soon. This time, he will not be as hasty as last time. Daddy The probability will be to take Liu Xuande first, and then take Cao Mengde. Once he defeats Cao Mengde and invites me to attack Nanyang, what should I do?"

Liu Qi looked at Liu Biao in surprise. "Ah Weng, Zhang Ji is the court's hussar general, attacking him...isn't it treason?"

"What rebellion?" Liu Biao snorted angrily, "The generals in Xiliang are cruel by nature and killed innocent people indiscriminately. Zhang Ji was originally under Dong Zhuo's command and joined forces with Li Jue and others. Now that Dong Zhuo and Li Jue are dead, he You're still from Xiliang, so what's the difference?"

Liu Qi opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.He knew that Liu Biao was hesitating, but he never expected that Liu Biao would join forces with Yuan Shao to attack Zhang Ji.

Liu Biao sighed. "The emperor wants to use the force of the Liangzhou people to revive the great man, which is tantamount to drinking poison to quench his thirst. I have received news that Han Sui will lead the troops eastward. I have met Han Sui before. He is an ambitious Liangzhou native." , no less than Dong Zhuo. Once he makes great achievements, the government will be controlled by him, then the emperor will definitely become a puppet, and the entire Kanto will become a pasture for Xiliang people, so there is no revival to speak of."

Liu Qi remained silent.

Liu Biao thought for a while, and then said: "Do you know why the scholar Sun Junrong was dismissed as a Weiwei, and the Northern Army Zhonghou guarded Taiyuan?"

"Didn't Duke Zhou say..."

"That's just a lie." Liu Biao waved his hand dismissively. "Scholar Sun Junrong was dismissed from Wei Wei because he disobeyed the will and accepted Wei Gu and Fan Xian's request to surrender, so that the Wei family and Fan family escaped the fate of the clan."

Liu Qi was taken aback. "The Son of Heaven wants to punish the Hedong Wei and Fan families?"

"Not only the Wei family and the Fan family, but also other big families from the east of the river." Liu Biao patted his knee. "The Son of Heaven is in Guanzhong, and he has a very clear intention to rectify the powerful. Do you think Kuai Yue, Cai Mao and others are willing to support the court? Do you believe that if I surrender to the court today, I will be driven out of Jingzhou tomorrow?"

Liu Qi closed his mouth tightly and didn't say another word.

He understood Liu Biao's concern.

The emperor wants to save the fields, which is a problem with the world's great families.Liangzhou doesn't matter, and Guanzhong after the war doesn't matter, but Shandong can't do it, and Jingzhou, which has a wealthy household registration, can't do it either.The worries of Kuai Yue and Cai Mao are also Liu Biao's worries. After all, the Liu family in Sanyang is also a wealthy family with a large amount of land.Whoever wants to take their land is their enemy.

In this way, the emperor's Zhongxing road was not as smooth as expected.

Liu Qi thought about it carefully, and then asked cautiously: "Ah Weng, Han Suidong is coming out, can Yuan Benchu ​​be the opponent?"

Liu Biao was silent for a moment, then smiled slightly. "That depends on whether Xun Wenruo agrees or not."

"What if Xun Wenruo agrees?"

"I don't think he will agree." Liu Biao narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and said, "Even if he wants to agree personally, the Ruying clan behind him will not agree. If he wants to be an enemy of the Ruying clan, he will fight against the world The family is the enemy, what awaits him is ruin."

"Xun Wenruo... will be ruined?" Liu Qi frowned.

Liu Biao cast a sideways glance at Liu Qi, with a narrow smile on his lips. "Zhuzi, what do you know? It's too easy for three people to become tigers. It's too easy to destroy one person. Even if he is really a saint, as long as he offends the world's aristocratic families, he will have no place to stand."

He laughed, and said again: "Besides, the Yingchuan Xun family has never been a saint."

Chapter 569 Windfall

Zhou Zhong lived in Xiangyang for two days, and the food was very rich, but he didn't see any of the people he wanted to see.

Liu Biao sent people to guard the post house, called protection, but actually under house arrest.

Kuai Qi, who led the troops, was very polite and respectful, but he didn't let Zhou Zhong go out.If Zhou Zhong wants to see someone, he can also send someone to pass on, but in the end, no one came.Either he is not in Xiangyang, or he can't find anyone. As for the real situation, no one knows.

Zhou Zhong was not surprised.He quickly gave up his efforts and chatted with Kuai Qi.

Kuai Qi is Kuai Yue's concubine, young and weak, just married, his wife is Zhuge from Langya.

Zhou Zhong immediately thought of one person: Zhuge Xuan from Langya.When he was in Shouchun, he heard Yuan Shu mention this person. Yuan Shu had appointed Zhuge Xuan as the prefect of Yuzhang in order to control Yuzhang County.However, Zhuge Xuan's governance ability was limited, and he was not good at military affairs. Because of the rebellion of the mountain people, he abandoned the county and left. It is said that he went to Jingzhou to join Liu Biao.

When Zhou Zhong asked, Kuai Qi laughed.His wife is Zhuge Xuan's daughter-in-law, but Zhuge Xuan died of illness not long ago.

Zhou Zhong smacked his lips, sighing secretly.

He also met Zhuge Xuan once, Zhuge Xuan was a few years younger than him, unexpectedly he passed away.

"Aside from your wife, are there any other members of the Zhuge family in Xiangyang?"

"My wife also has an elder sister who married Pang Shanming, the son of Lord Pang De. In addition, there are two younger brothers, one is Zhuge Liang, whose name is Kong Ming, and he is seventeen years old. The other is Zhuge Jun, who is thirteen years old and has no name yet. "

Zhou Zhong wanted to see Zhuge Liang.But Kuai Qi said that Zhuge Liang was not in Xiangyang City, and the two brothers were in Longzhong, studying by themselves.

Zhou Zhong was very surprised, and asked some more about Zhuge Liang.Although Kuai Qi is Zhuge Liang's brother-in-law, she is not very interested in Zhuge Liang, and after a few words, she asks three questions.

Zhou Zhong was very surprised and didn't ask again, but remembered it in his heart.

Two days later, Zhou Zhong bid farewell.Liu Biao personally sent him out of the city, and seeing Zhou Zhong boarded the boat, he felt relieved to go back.

After crossing the Han River, Zhou Zhong hurried all the way and stayed overnight in Deng County that night.

He asked his son Zhou Fang to go to Longzhong with his famous assassin. He must find Zhuge Liang and invite him to Deng County for a meeting.

Zhou Fang was very puzzled, so many talents gathered in Xiangyang City, you didn't see it, what's the use of meeting a 17-year-old Zhuge Liang?

Zhou Zhong smiled and asked Zhou Fang: "If it was you, you left your hometown and came to Xiangyang. You didn't know the place where you were born. The elder died, and your two sisters married a rich family in Xiangyang. Would you take your younger brother to live outside the city? "

Zhou Fang said without hesitation: "Since you are married to a local rich family, you naturally want to use it to make a living. Why do you want to live outside the city?"

"This is where you are inferior to him." Zhou Zhong said with emotion: "If it were Gong Jin, he would probably make the same choice. Depending on others, it is inevitable that he will be influenced by others. Only by studying by himself can he remain independent. Although Longzhong is outside the city, it is not very far away, it is not difficult to ask for help if something happens, but this distance is enough to deter those who do not want to meet."

Seeing that Zhou Zhong compared Zhuge Liang with Zhou Yu, Zhou Fang didn't dare to neglect, and went with Zhou Zhong's famous assassin.

At noon on the third day, Zhuge Liang followed Zhou Fang to Deng County and met Zhou Zhong.