Three Kingdoms: At the beginning, Lu Bu was mistaken for his father-in-law

Chapter 375 Crisis of disintegration

"My lord, this time we put down the unrest in Yizhou, and we lost 58,000 shi of food and grass!"

"My lord, this time the chaos was put down, one thousand and eight people were killed, and more than two thousand were seriously injured. Pensions have not yet been paid."

"In addition, the loss of ordnance is very large. The armors, crossbows, weapons, etc. of each department are being further counted and need to be replenished as soon as possible."

Jingzhou, Xiangyang City, in the political hall.

Fazheng, Zhang Song, Meng Da and others came back and did not disappoint Cao Cao. They divided their troops into five groups and put down all the unrest in less than three months.

"This time, there were riots in five and twenty-eight counties. You were able to put down the rebellion in just three months, with only a thousand people killed. You did a good job. Your contributions have been recorded in the credit book. I thank you very much. Come on!" Cao Cao, with his hands behind his back, did not hesitate to praise him in front of the Yizhou faction.

It's a pity that this is not Xuchang, and there is no emperor around. Otherwise, several of them should be received by the emperor and rewarded to show his attention.

"Thank you, my lord!"

After everyone bowed, Cao Cao said with a smile: "As for the filling of vacancies and rewards for each department, it is a small matter. It will be issued after the ordnance department has completed the statistics."

The civil and military officials of the Yizhou faction looked at each other and smiled happily. This was the happiest time.

This money cannot be saved. The soldiers need to be rewarded for their meritorious service. The soldiers who died on the front line also need pensions. This is the guarantee for maintaining the stability of the army.

Of course, it is also the source of motivation that inspires soldiers to be brave and fearless of death.

"Okay, everyone has worked hard. Let's go back and rest first. The celebration banquet is ready. Let's go to the banquet hall tonight and not come back until we get drunk."

After Cao Cao waved his hand, Yizhou Wenwu smiled from ear to ear and said, "I will retire at the end of the day."

Before anyone could go out, Cheng Yu hurried in, holding a bamboo slip in his hand, "My lord, please take a look!"

"I have been ordered by heaven to live a long and prosperous life. The national thief Cao Cao has caused chaos in the government and poisoned all living beings, causing the world to be in darkness and the country to fall. Now Meng Taiwei Lu Bu and Sikong Linmo lead the king's army to drive away the thieves and support the world from falling. Yi and Jing Civil and military officials, you can hold on to this slip and surrender, abandon the darkness and turn to the light, so as not to make your own mistakes. Those who are stubborn and ineffective will be punished with the same crime!"

This was an edict-like document written in the name of the Emperor. There was nothing new about it. Cao Cao looked at the bamboo slips which were still wet, looked at Cheng Yu and asked, "Where did it come from?"

"Thousands of bamboo tubes are floating along the upper reaches of the Baihe River, Hanshui River and Yangtze River, and the bamboo tubes are all filled with such reward invitations!"

After Cheng Yu finished speaking, Cao Cao realized the seriousness of the problem, and a chill spread down his spine.

It is enough that those who previously supported the Yingchuan faction rose up to divide themselves, but at least the scope of the impact was not too outrageous.

But if he plays like this, it will definitely be impossible for the civil and military officials in Yi and Jing states to say that no one will be interested in him.

Can such a large area and so many people be comforted?

The most terrible thing is that they can keep such bamboo slips with them for safekeeping, but do not express it openly, leaving themselves a way out. But if everyone thinks so, how can they compete with Lu Lin?

"Lin Mo's move is intended to hurt his heart." Fazheng muttered with half-squinted eyes.

This move was really powerful, especially since the Yingchuan faction who had fled back to Xuchang were not only restored to their posts, but also received awards. It had a huge impact on the civil and military forces of Yi and Jing where people's hearts were at a loss at this time.

"Before attacking the city, attack the heart first. Lin Yunwen, you are really awesome." Even though his heart was in confusion, Cao Cao still had a happy face.

At this time, anyone can panic, but he cannot panic.

"Father, I will take people to destroy these bamboo slips right now!" Cao Ang said he couldn't bear it anymore and wanted to take people there himself, so as to have a certain deterrent effect.

"What a big deal."

Cao Cao waved his hand casually, "Okay, you go down and rest first, and we will go to the house on time tonight to celebrate."

"Here!" The Yizhou faction bowed and retreated, but at this time, their expressions were obviously much more solemn than before.

This was the psychological effect of this letter of challenge. Even if they didn't pick it up with their own hands, they all felt uneasy just listening to Cao Cao's narration just now, let alone the civil and military officials who had obtained the document at this moment.

After they all retreated, Cao Cao could no longer stand firmly and slumped down on the steps in front of the handsome case.

"Father, lord!"

Cao Ang, Xu Chu and Cheng Yu were frightened and hurried forward to help, "Father, are you okay? I'll call the medical officer over immediately!"

"No need!"

Cao Cao held Cao Ang with his right hand and pressed his temple with his left hand. His expression was ferocious and painful. He gasped and gritted his teeth and said: "If people know that I am not feeling well at this time, they will be even more uneasy!"

After saying this, Cao Ang was extremely anxious and did not dare to take any further action.

This is indeed the case. At this time, as long as Cao Cao dares to fall ill and stay in bed, it is very likely that the people below will be unable to sit still.

Cao Cao leaned on Cao Ang's shoulder, with cold sweat on his face and a headache, both physical and psychological.

"Jingzhou will be in chaos, Yizhou will also be in chaos, and I will be defeated before the war begins."

He couldn't tell whether Cao Cao had a headache or a broken heart at this moment. The left hand that was pressed on his temple drooped and fell on Cheng Yu's arm. He squeezed it almost unconsciously, "Zhongde, Zhongde, I am completely out of control of this situation.”

"Lord, a mere declaration of war will cause some civil and military officials to become disloyal, but the situation will not get out of control. Lord, are you worrying too much?" Cheng Yu was a little confused.

It is undeniable that such an overwhelming number of battles are indeed emboldening those who are willing to surrender, but to say that the situation is out of control is far from being such an exaggeration.

unless

Unless Cao Cao has something else he is hiding!

As expected, probably knowing that he could no longer hide it, Cao Cao said in frustration: "Zhongde, the treasury is completely empty. In order to launch the Sizhou War, I emptied the Yizhou treasury. In this battle, I lost troops and generals. It was a waste of food and grass, and it lost two states in the Central Plains. It lost all its foundation, and now the treasury is empty!

I can no longer even afford the pensions for the soldiers who died in the battle, as well as the funds for the supervision of the production of ordnance and armor this autumn, and the monthly salary of the soldiers. Now, I have encountered this flood of war warnings to persuade me to surrender. Jingzhou will be in chaos, Jingzhou will be in chaos. ! "

Hearing this, Cheng Yu was so frightened that his hands trembled.

Oh my god, no money?

That's really not a joke. Today's Jingzhou can still be stable. On the one hand, of course, it is afraid of Cao Cao, but more importantly, everyone can still get money. If you don't have money, let alone these aristocratic families, you are your subordinates. People will also rebel.

If you think about it, it's not surprising that such a problem occurs.

War is the most expensive game. Only by winning can you make a profit. The battle against Lu Lin has not been won for a long time. No one cares about how much money is lost, but Cao Cao must face it.

Moreover, the 80,000 navy troops in Jingxiang are also a bottomless pit. In the past, they were in the hands of Liu Biao. After all, the full version of Jingzhou was raising them in captivity. They could afford to raise them, and the income from taxes and farmland was enough.

But now, Jingzhou is nominally in Cao Cao's hands, but in fact there are only two counties, Nanjun and Nanyang.

Besides, there was another rebellion in Yizhou not long ago, and no one knows how much money was burned.

The machinations on the battlefield may not be effective for a while, but if you have no money, it will only be a matter of a moment before the situation gets out of control.

Now he finally knew why Cao Cao was so excited just now. The money matter has not been resolved yet, and he has encountered trouble with the war table. The situation is really likely to fall apart.

Lin Mo's intentions are really vicious!

Perhaps, he doesn't know that Jingzhou is an empty shell now, but he can probably estimate that money here is very tight.

After all, the land under Lu Lin's rule is the land of ten states. There are so many powerful families below who are willing to support it, and they have so many industries of their own. After all, they can't afford to burn money.

But if it falls apart like this before the war begins, it would be too disappointing.

"Father, please speak to the four major families. Now, only they can solve this problem together!" Cao Ang said excitedly, holding Cao Cao's hand.

"Once we let them know the truth, they will sell us immediately!" Cao Cao was sweating in pain now, and he was not in the mood to educate Cao Ang.

In fact, if the four major families can work together to support it, it will be able to mobilize the powerful families below, and of course they can survive this difficulty.

The problem is that if they know that the internal problems are so prominent now, they don’t need to do anything. As long as they don’t pay, the company will collapse immediately.

This group of people can be the icing on the cake, but they will never provide help in times of need.

In the hall, the only sound in the silence was Cao Cao's heavy breathing, and even this breathing became weaker and weaker, seeming to declare Cao Cao's despair.

Cheng Yu, who had been thinking for a long time, rolled his eyes and said in a deep voice: "My lord, there is only one plan that can be done now."

Cao Cao hurriedly pulled Cheng Yu, his breathing became rapid again, "Zhongde, please speak quickly!"

Cheng Yu looked at Cao Cao, his eyes full of hesitation and uneasiness. Cheng Yu has always had a straight-talking temperament. Cao Cao has already felt that this is what he is doing. Otherwise, he would not be like this.

"When it comes to life or death, any method can be used, just say it." Cao Cao gave Cheng Yu the confidence.

Now, it is no longer the time to talk about morality and etiquette. Cao Cao is willing to do anything as long as he can get through the difficulties.

Cheng Yu took a deep breath, leaned over and whispered.

Cao Cao took a breath, Cao Ang looked horrified, and even Xu Chu's eyes were as wide as copper bells.

This is a bit too much for you.

"Lord, this will not only solve our urgent need, but also allow the civil and military forces in Jingzhou to work together to resist Lu Lin. This is really a plan that kills two birds with one stone!"

Seeing a hint of hesitation on Cao Cao's face, Cheng Yu said bluntly: "Apart from this, there is no other way, my lord!"

"But."

Cao Ang swallowed, "Once the news of this matter leaks out, even if only one person leaks it, we will immediately become the target of public criticism. We don't even need Lu Lin to take action, Jingzhou's civil and military forces will be able to kill us."

He didn't even dare to say the next words.

Cao Cao's face was as dark as water and his eyes were deep. This matter was indeed disgraceful, but Zhongde was right. Apart from this, there was no other way to go.

After a while, Cao Cao sighed heavily, put a hand on Cheng Yu's shoulder, and said in a deep voice: "You go and choose the person yourself, and when the matter is done."

Cao Cao didn't finish his words, but there was a flash of coldness in his eyes.

Cheng Yu nodded when he heard the words, "Don't worry, my lord, we will deal with them later when the matter is settled, and no one will know the inside story."

"Go." Cao Cao put his hands on his knees, his expression still a little painful.

It's a big gamble.

If the bet is won, just as Cheng Yu said, the current difficulties will be overcome.

But if he loses the bet, his power will collapse without Lu Lin taking action. No, not even one of the Cao family will be able to leave Jingzhou alive.

However, I have no choice but to gamble, so let’s gamble.

"Here."

When Cheng Yu stood up to leave, Cao Cao did not forget to call him. With Cao Ang's support, he walked forward slowly, "Zhongde, choose your people carefully. I will never forget your contribution in this life."

"Lord, don't worry!"

Cheng Yu swung his clothes and left, and the figure on his back was engraved in Cao Cao's heart.

Hopefully, this can happen.

In Xuchang City, at the Sikong Mansion, Lin Mo sat cross-legged on a cushion in the house and read the secret letter written by Wei Yan with a very subtle expression.

"As expected of you, Jia Taichang, you can take care of Liu Qi with just one move. The angle is good, and the selection of candidates is also very good. It's amazing."

Lin Mo pressed the letter, poured a cup of tea for Jia Xu with a smile, raised his eyebrows and said, "Recently I heard that there were countless battle reports persuading people to surrender floating on the other side of the river in Jingzhou. Is it you who did it?"

Jia Xu twirled his beard and said with a smile: "There is a limit to what we can do, but in fact, I have always felt that Cao Cao's territory should be easier to break, but it's just that unilateral letters are not very interesting anymore, so I will simply give him a blanket. Let everyone be distracted."

Lin Mo nodded happily.

This method can be called a conspiracy. It does not require immediate results, but everyone will carefully collect the bamboo slips to save their lives at critical moments.

Cao Cao expected such a group of people to help him win the final battle, which was obviously a dream.

The right time, right place, right people, and the most critical person ruined him.

He is worthy of being an old scumbag. If he doesn't take action, he will do it. Once he does, it will be a big move.

"To be honest, I am Cao Cao and I don't even know how to resolve this crisis. Originally, the civil and military forces in the two states had mixed feelings. The events that have happened in recent days have made them even more tempted. Now if this happens again, Cao Cao's It’s probably a headache.”

After Lin Mo finished joking, Jia Xu said seriously: "What do you think of that in Changsha?"

"What do you think?" Lin Mo pursed his lips, indicating to listen to his opinion first.

"Liu Qi's intention of surrender should be genuine. To really play a big role, he should be kept lurking until he suddenly rebels during the final decisive battle between us and Cao Sunliu. That way, the tripartite alliance can collapse immediately with one blow. .”

Jia Xu sighed, "But Liu Qi is really a bastard, not capable of planning big things. If he alone is allowed to support such a big action plan, something bad will happen sooner or later.

In my opinion, it is better to strike while the iron is hot and let him capture Liu Bei. By then we will lose the protection of this river area, and we can deal with Cao Cao, and we can advance both by land and water.

As for Sun Ce, it is not enough. "

Lin Mo twisted a corner of the silk cloth sent by Wei Yan, nodded and said: "Indeed, and if we send people there, it is probably difficult to completely avoid Liu Bei's eyes.

What worries me the most is that although Liu Qi is most respected in these four counties, if you ask him to lead troops to attack Liu Bei, whether he can succeed is a big question.

What Wei Yan said is not unreasonable. One of the reasons is that he does not have strong generals under his command to support the battle. Liu Bei has more or less prestige in the eyes of the scholars in the four counties. Once a large army is used, if it is not secured, someone will leak the news. "

"Yes."

Jia Xu also nodded and muttered: "I have also thought about it. If I send someone to help him, the news will be leaked. If I don't send someone to help him, just rely on him alone. Don't take care of Liu Bei. Instead, I will help him." Get in."

"How about a Hongmen banquet?" Lin Mo asked with a smile.

"The risk of capturing the thief first will be smaller, and the chance of success will indeed be much greater." Jia Xu had a look of approval in his eyes.

The trouble with this matter is that it is difficult to go to war. Liu Qi himself does not have such ability.

But if troops are sent from Jiangxia, it is impossible to avoid Liu Bei's spy. And smart people like Zhuge Liang are likely to be able to deduce the ins and outs of the whole matter at a glance, and they will not be able to defeat it.

"Or save some effort and let Uncle Zhang lead the army directly to take over the territory. As long as the four counties are obtained, it doesn't matter whether Liu Bei escapes or not. It can also cut off the linkage between Sun Ce and Cao Cao."

"But in this case, I am worried that Liu Bei will strike first and annex Liu Qi in turn. Moreover, if the war is delayed and Cao Cao's navy arrives, we will not be ready for anything now." Jia Xu said with a wry smile.

This is true.

The gambling is a bit too much.

Lin Mo put his hands on the desk, "I understand what you are worried about, and it is actually right. We just need to act steadily now. It will be a matter of time to deal with them. There is no need to rush. If you make a mistake, you will easily lose the opportunity.

Then let him do it himself. "

"I think so too. Let's hold a Hongmen Banquet. I hope he's not stupid enough to disappoint us." Jia Xu still agreed with this method of causing civil strife in the other party.

There is no risk, the main focus is stability.

The only thing that makes people worry is that Liu Qi's personal ability is so poor.

However, no matter what, I will not suffer any loss.

"Then the old man went to reply to the letter?"

Jia Xu looked at Lin Mo and when he saw the latter nodded, he stood up, waved his sleeves and left.

Looking at the old scumbag's back, Lin Mo felt a little emotional. Fortunately, this guy was in his own camp. If he were on Cao Cao's side, he didn't know how much trouble he would be in.

At present, although the battle has not started, the balance of the war situation is already tilting.

The capital side must also make final preparations quickly, so that it can be seamlessly connected as soon as the battle is over.

Lin Mo stretched and stood up to go find his old father-in-law.

(End of this chapter)