Governor please stay

Chapter 426
"Cousin, you're being polite. This time I'm going to fight against Qingxu, it's all up to my cousin to take care of me!"

In the other courtyard of Duanfu in Yecheng, Gao Cheng took Zu Teng to salute Duan Shao who had just returned to Yecheng from Jinzhou in a serious manner.This time, his father, Duan Rong, was suffering from an old illness and was recuperating in Jinzhou, so he did not return with Duan Shao.

"See Shizi."

Duan Shao saluted respectfully, appearing very humble.Judging from the position he currently holds, Duan Shao can already lead an army to fight alone, and his authority is far higher than that of Gao Cheng.But in many cases, the status of two people cannot be distinguished by just looking at their official positions.

Gao Cheng is Gao Huan's eldest son, and with this status alone, he is invincible.Gao Huan is dead, isn't the state of Wei already owned by Gao Cheng?
Duan Shao saw it very clearly.Although Gao Cheng basically has no power now, he should not be underestimated.

Before the expedition this time, Duan Rong also taught Duan Shao by ear, saying: The son is frivolous, his heart is higher than the sky, and his mood for making contributions is high. He may give some unreasonable or even completely wrong orders.

As the general, you must judge the situation and fulfill the military order of King Gao, while also satisfying the vanity in your heart at the same time.If you can only choose one of the two, then it must be based on Gao Wang's military order, and Gao Cheng can't do whatever he says.

Otherwise, once something goes wrong, it is naturally impossible for King Gao to dispose of his eldest son, and then you will have to bear the blame.

Duan Shao never dared to underestimate the words of his father Duan Rong, and secretly kept them in his heart.

Unexpectedly, just after the greetings, Gao Cheng enthusiastically pulled Duan Shao aside, and asked in a low voice, "How sure are our troops of capturing Pengcheng this time?"

Ok?
Duan Shao thought he had heard wrong.Wasn't Gao Wang's order to guard Qingxu and monitor Liang Guo for the Northern Expedition?When will Pengcheng be attacked?

Gao Cheng is not very familiar with Qingxu's terrain, but Duan Shao knows it well. After all, the last time he went deep into the territory of Liang State, he hit Xiang Yu's hometown.

"My son, to take Pengcheng is not to fight for one city or one place. If you really want to do it, it will involve a lot of things, so it's not appropriate to move lightly."

Duan Shao said humbly.

Gao Cheng raised his eyebrows. He was obviously very unhappy to hear such disappointing words, but he didn't say much.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit stiff, Zu Ting quickly came over and said in a low voice: "General Xiaoduan doesn't know something. King Gao worries about state affairs day and night, and the son wants to share his worries for King Gao, but he can't get him. If he can capture Pengcheng this time, it will definitely make people happy." Gao Wang feels relieved. What is the opinion of General Duan?"

Duan Shao didn't know Zu Ting, but when he saw that this person looked a little wretched, he didn't like it.

He said neither humble nor overbearing: "Now King Gao is still preparing to send troops from Jinzhou to attack Jinyang, it is really inconvenient to start a war on both sides. After Er Zhu Rong is put down, it will not be too late to concentrate his forces to go south to Huaiyang.

The son really has filial piety in wanting to conquer Pengcheng this time, but whether this move will relieve King Gao's worries is still in doubt.Liu Yishou's entry into Jiankang was tantamount to usurping the throne, and it was time to establish his prestige.I'm waiting to lead the troops to attack Pengcheng, and I'm afraid he will use the power of the whole country to fight against it.The enemy is outnumbered, and the odds of winning are quite low. I hope the son will see clearly. "

Duan Shao's words were very polite, but he also made the truth clear.Liu Yishou is now in Jiankang and is worrying that no one can beat him to show his ability. If you put your head in front of him, you are afraid that you will be beaten into a pig's head. Why bother?
Gao Cheng's face darkened, and he heard the warning from Duan Shao's mouth.If ordinary people talked to him like this, Gao Cheng would have lost his temper.

But this person is his cousin, not ten years older than Gao Cheng, he will definitely be a leader with both left and right hands in the future, there is no need to offend him to death now.

"Hmph, cousin is afraid of that Liu Yishou, right? Is this man superhuman? Or can he lift a cauldron like Xiang Yu?"

Gao Cheng asked with a look of disdain.It seems unreasonable, but it actually turns off the topic and goes down the stairs.

Duan Shao was speechless for a moment, and he replied embarrassingly: "Then Liu Yishou can't ride a tall horse, can't draw a strong bow, and can't lift a tripod. His strength is weaker than that of ordinary elite soldiers. If it comes to fighting alone, this person is not worth it. carry."

After probably understanding Gao Cheng's temper, Duan Shao can only pick up nice words.

"Let me just say, this person is so unbearable, why is my cousin afraid of him like a tiger?"

Gao Cheng has not experienced battles now, and he still doesn't understand the essence of the saying "bravery lies in strategy".As long as you know how to command and fight, even if you have no hands, you can't beat the opponent.

There are too many examples in history, isn't the most recent one being Chen Qingzhi?

Duan Shao didn't know how to explain it, he couldn't let other people's ambition destroy his prestige.

He had no choice but to bow his hands and salute: "It's not a bad thing to be cautious when facing the battlefield." He didn't mention the last time Liu Yishou sent Yang Zhong to attack Rencheng and let them suffer a crushing defeat.

After all, speaking out is just a slap in the face.

"Cousin, choosing a date is worse than bumping into it. Today, I will be the host. How about taking my cousin to visit Yecheng?"

Seeing that the atmosphere had eased, Gao Cheng asked meaningfully.

Duan Shao had a strange face, and it was hard to refuse, so he had to ask: "I lived in Yecheng for a long time before, is there anything new here?"

"Hey, my cousin is just looking at the flowers on horseback. He still doesn't understand what kind of scene Yecheng is. The mystery of Yecheng lies not in the flowers and objects, but in the people!"

Of course Duan Shao knows what "person" means, isn't it just about the lower body?

But Gao Cheng can mess around as he pleases, and Gao Huan will cover him up if something goes wrong.Duan Shao himself can't play around, his father Duan Rong's health is not very good, he may pass away someday.This family still needs him to support it. It is really not suitable for more troubles at this juncture on the eve of the expedition.

"It's boring in the army. The prince should relax before going out. I still have a lot of Qingxu's military situation to check, so I won't disappoint the prince."

Duan Shao declined.

Are you kidding me, the incident of Gao Cheng's adultery with his concubine Zheng Dache made a lot of noise.Now if you go out to play with women with Gao Cheng, what do you make Gao Huan think?
"Oh, my cousin is just a boring person. Then I'll go first." Gao Cheng waved goodbye to Duan Shao in a dispirited manner, and left Duan Mansion with Zu Ting.

After Gao Cheng left, Duan Shao's face darkened, and he paced back and forth in the yard.In the past, it was his father Duan Rong who suppressed him, not allowing him to take care of military affairs alone, but now that no one is in charge of him, Duan Shao did not feel the ease and casualness he once thought.

On the contrary, there is a lot of pressure on the shoulders!
Because although no one will hinder your decision, but no one will help you take the blame!Every word and deed, you are responsible for what you do, and you may have pig teammates around you.

"Liu Yishou... how can this person want to take Pengcheng for nothing? He really thinks too much."

Duan Shao sighed with emotion, Pengcheng is Liang Guo's support point in Qingxu, and there are copper and iron mines in the Tongshan Mountain next to it!To capture Pengcheng, unless Liang Guo fell into endless civil strife, he would have a chance to do so.

"On the contrary, Liang Guo's Northern Expedition to Qingxu is somewhat incomprehensible."

On the way back, Duan Shao kept thinking about why Liu Yishou sent troops to Qingxu. After thinking about it, he felt that it might be similar to Liu Yu's Northern Expedition.

Gathering military power, preparing to usurp the throne... that's all.

But is the other party's plan really that simple?

Duan Shao couldn't believe it.Only those who have been beaten by Liu Yishou will know how terrible this person is.

……

"Tell me, what do you think?"

Liu Yishou looked at Xu Du with a half-smile, under the light of the fire, his expression seemed a little unpredictable.

"Uh...His Royal Highness King Wu, it's a bit taboo for me to speak, don't be offended."

Xu Du wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. Anyway, there is no one else here, so he plans to fight it out.

"Go ahead."

"Your Highness, it's like this. The reason why Qingxu is going to send troops this time is actually because the emperor has just ascended the throne, and His Highness's position is not yet stable. If the Northern Expedition to Qingxu succeeds, His Highness will be able to gain a firm foothold in Jiankang. And His Royal Highness's troops and territories are all in Lianghuai, so we can only send troops from Lianghuai, so this is why we plan to attack Qingxu in the north..."

Xu Du observed Liu Yishou's expression while talking, and saw that the other side was calm, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

"Go on."

Seeing Xu Du stop, Liu Yishou urged.

"His Royal Highness actually has doubts about going to Qingxu, so..."

"My mind has never changed, and I have no doubts."

Liu Yishou shook his head and said.

You've already said that, how can I answer?

Xu Du was so bullied that he didn't know what to say.

Liu Yishou sighed in disappointment and said, "Your Excellency, you're just a middle-aged man. It's getting late, so please go back. If there is an official position in the imperial army, I will send someone to notify you. I think it's not a big problem."

Hearing this, Xu Du became very anxious, if he was only a captain in the Forbidden Army, why did he bother to talk so much to Liu Yishou, a "rogue official and traitor"?Don't you expect to be able to ride the wind and become a trusted general?

It's better to drink in Jiankang's wine shop than to hang out in the imperial army!
"Your Highness, I have a plan for the Northern Expedition, please take a look at it!"

Xu Du took out a thin booklet from his bosom, put it in front of Liu Yishou with both hands, and lowered his head, not daring to look at him.

Liu Yishou took the booklet, flipped through it casually, frowned slightly, and then returned the booklet to Xu Du.

"Follow me to the study."

Liu Yishou put the fishing rod on the big rock and ignored it, stood up, stretched himself, turned and left.

Xu Du followed cautiously like a little daughter-in-law who just entered the gate of her in-law's house.

The two came to the study room of the house by the Xuanwu Lake. Liu Yishou ordered Yuan Shikang to guard the courtyard, and no one was allowed to come near it.He poured Xu Du a glass of wine, and the two sat opposite each other in front of the desk.

"There are so many good ministers in the south of the Yangtze River, but the late emperor didn't know people well, so many heroes couldn't find a way out, and their lives were wasted."

Liu Yishou sighed deeply.If it is about Xiao Yan, his son-in-law may say that outsiders must never say it face to face.Xu Du just laughed and didn't respond.

Soon, Liu Yishou got up and took out a map from the hidden compartment of the bookcase, and spread it out on the table.

"Please feel free to watch."

Xu Du leaned over to take a look, and the expression on his face changed in shock.This map is a partial map of the Nanyang area. The mountains, rivers, cities, and roads marked on it are very clear. Obviously, it has been surveyed and mapped recently by a special person.

He thought of the "Strategy of Nanyang" presented in his booklet, and couldn't help but feel ashamed.

Xu Du is a smart person, he quickly connected all kinds of things together and clarified the logic.

"Your Highness is really ruthless, even his own people are kept in the dark."

Xu Du's mouth was full of bitterness. He never thought that the "shocking" strategy of the Northern Expedition he thought was a child's trick in the eyes of the other party.Not laughing out loud is considered excellent self-restraint.

"If you can't even fool your own people, how can you fool the enemy? Now that you know this, what can you say? I didn't even tell the advisers personally about this strategy."

Liu Yishou said with a smile.

"I am willing to serve His Highness on both ends! I have no second thoughts!"

Xu Du immediately knelt down to express his loyalty, if he didn't say anything at this time, he might not be able to get out of the Wu Palace!
"Where does your family live? I'll send someone to call your cronies. Tomorrow, you and my subordinate Yang Zhong will go to Xiangyang to obey orders. Just follow Yang Zhong's orders."

Liu Yishou patted Xu Du on the shoulder, helped him up and said.

"Good my lord."

Xu Du is overjoyed, if you are not afraid of others asking you to do things, if you don't even have to do things, it will be over.

"You should take up the position of infantry captain first, as Lieutenant General Yang Zhong. This is a false position, you should take it first. After the success of this raid on Nanyang, I will make other arrangements for you."

"But it's driven by the lord!" Xu Du couldn't hide the joy on his face, and he was now on the right track.

Before, he scolded Liu Yishou as a "rebellious minister and traitor" with his servants, because he knew that Liu Yishou was aiming at usurping the throne.But now that he joins him, Liu Yishou is no longer a "rogue minister and thief" but a "who can give up to me".

The environment is different, the choice is different, and the natural view is completely different. This is the so-called "this time, that time".

"I'll arrange for you to stay in my residence first. If you need anything, let your servant bring it over."

Liu Yishou said calmly, now he is also one of the top "superior people", he speaks his words naturally, and does not allow the other party to question or deny at all.

Although the tone was flat and casual, those who heard it did not dare to ignore it.

The reason is not in the loudness of the voice, but in the size of the fist.

Liu Yishou felt sad, as expected he had become the kind of person he hated the most.

……

What happened to Xu Du was just a small episode.In fact, Liu Yishou didn't expect this person to make much meritorious service.It's just because the other party's ancestral home in Anlu County, he may have some contacts in Jingxiang, so he did it casually.

After Xu Du settled down, Liu Yishou worked alone in the study.He took out a letter from under the paperweight, which was written by Dugu.

In the letter, Duguxin told Liu Yishou that Xiao Ji had now settled down in Jiangling, and he had completely controlled Xiangyang City and the surrounding areas. The scouts reported that the Wei army in Nanyang area did not seem to have changed, and there was no sign of increasing troops.

Although his troops are not strong enough to conquer Nanyang, he has enough food and grass to defend Xiangyang.

Duguxin also didn't know that Liu Yishou planned to attack Nanyang, so he wrote this letter just to reply to Liu Yishou's letter asking about the defense of Xiangyang City and any changes in Nanyang area.

This wave of Jiankang Center spread all kinds of false news, and transported food and troops to Lianghuai.Not only Gao Huan and his gang believed that Liang Guoguo would send troops to Qingxu, but even Liu Yishou's generals believed that they would go north to Qingxu.

"The move that uses the knife first is used first. Now, it's not yet time."

Liu Yishou put the letter on the oil lamp and burned it, muttering to himself.

(End of this chapter)