Chapter 748 Double-faced

  People are greedy.

  Especially for people like Sun Quan who took advantage of both sides.

  No account, no account.

  Anyway, if you occupy it, you won't die.

  What if the other party doesn't care about himself?

dont you agree?

  Only this time, Chen Zhen severely criticized Soochow’s proposal to cede Youzhou, one of the three states in Hebei:

   "Liangzhou, Bingzhou, and Youzhou, these three are all bitter and cold places, where people suffer and thrive, and the great Han belongs to them all."

   "East of Hangu Pass, south of Dahe, the land of Guandong, the confidant of the Central Plains, is the most prosperous place in the world. Now it is all part of Wu State, is it not enough?"

   "Lord Wu's actions are nothing more than pottery tiles that are holding gold and wanting to steal people, not a sincere oath!"

  After what Chen Zhen said, even someone like Sun Quan's face was a little hot.

   It's just that Wu Guo is good at boats and can easily contact Liaodong. Naturally, it is impossible for Sun Quan to give up Youzhou easily.

   "The two countries pledged an alliance, and what they did was to destroy Cao Wei. Now that Cao Wei is not destroyed, but they first fight for the land that has not yet been obtained. Does the Han envoy think this is also the way to make an alliance?"

  Prime Minister Gu Yong knew Sun Quan's intention and asked.

  Chen Zhen shook his head, "The big man vowed to destroy Cao's bandits, so I decided to fight. If we don't make an agreement at this time, the Han army will go east, and the Wu army will go north."

   "The two countries meet in the Central Plains and have a dispute, so what should be done? And since the world is divided equally, it should be fair and just, and it cannot be prevaricated with words that have not yet been obtained."

  He looked at Sun Quan meaningfully, "In the past, Han and Wu jointly defeated Cao Cao at Chibi, do you still remember, Your Majesty?"

  Not to mention Sun Quan, even the eyelids of Lu Xun who was sitting next to him jumped.

  Because of the Jingzhou incident, he is still one of the masterminds.

  Usually, it is fine for Wu to brag about it internally, but bragging in front of Shu is not only risky, but also requires a thick skin like a city wall.

   After all, the matter of betraying the alliance is really a sensitive topic for now.

  Sun Quan was very displeased when he heard Chen Zhen's words:

  So after all, you Han people just don’t believe us, right?

  Now that the conversation has come to this point, Lu Xun has no choice but to say, "The matter of making an alliance really requires sincerity."

   "However, next to Youzhou is Liaodong. Gongsun Yuan in Liaodong has always had contacts with my country of Wu."

   "If we can get the help of Gongsun Yuan in Liaodong, wouldn't it be much easier for Wu to take Youzhou than Han?"

  When Chen Zhen heard this, he frowned slightly. He really didn't know the news.

   "Chen Weiwei also said just now that the Han vowed to destroy Wei, and our country of Wu has no heart to seek thieves? Therefore, this Youzhou, our country of Wu, has no choice but to take it."

  Chen Zhen knew that Lu Xun would not lie to him, but he was unwilling to let go easily: "However, if this is the case, I will lose a whole state in vain, which is inconsistent with emotion and reason."

  Sun Quan, who took the main seat, finally said, "How about exchanging Yanzhou for Youzhou?"

   "Chen Weiwei, please take a look." Sun Quan pointed to the map of the thirteen prefectures in the world, "Although this Yanzhou is located in the south of the Dahe River, it is close to Jizhou, so it is very convenient to contact."

   "Besides, the Kanto of the Central Plains is rich and prosperous. This Yanzhou is much better than a bitterly cold place like Youzhou. If you exchange it, Han will not only lose money, but also take advantage of it."

  Anyway, Yanzhou is located in the center of the hinterland of Wei State, separated from Wu State by Xuzhou and Yuzhou. If you really want to take it, it will be too difficult.

  Unlike Youzhou, with the support of Gongsun Yuan, the state of Wu can sail directly to there.

   How could Chen Zhen not know what was going on in Sun Quan's mind, but for the big man, Youzhou and Yanzhou were equally far away.

  One is in the north of Jizhou, and the other is in the south of Jizhou.

   In the future, if the great Han can really come to Jizhou, it doesn't matter which one he takes.

  So after a little thought, he agreed.

  Han and Wu countries set up high altars, publicly swore an alliance, and the news of their efforts to deal with Cao Wei spread to the north, which made Cao Rui, who was able to stabilize the domestic situation, very angry.

   But that's not the worst news.

   After all, the two captives of Shu and Wu have joined forces for a long time.

   What made his mood worse was that he heard the news from Hanzhong and Longyou that the Shu people sent troops to Liangzhou a few months ago.

  Some people say that Liangzhou had to surrender under the invasion of the Shu army because of insufficient troops.

  Some people say that it was Liangzhou officials who took the initiative to lead the Shu army into Liangzhou.

   Some people even said that it was the Qianghu rebellion in Liangzhou, which gave the Shu people a chance...

   There are all kinds of news, and there are different opinions.

   It's just that there is no news from Liangzhou and Guanzhong. The official news from the government between the two places has to go to the desert in the north of Anding, which can only be exchanged once in several months.

   More is to use the caravans between Longyou and Guanzhong to inquire about news.

  The Shu brocade produced in the land of Shu is a rare and luxurious color in the Central Plains.

  Even Cao Rui himself liked it very much.

  Wool materials are even more necessary in the winter in the army.

  So although the two sides are at war, the caravan exchanges are becoming more and more frequent.

  Of course, in these caravans, there is also the careful work of both sides.

   It’s just that no matter which caravan the news came from, no matter what the content is, there is one thing in common, that is, the Shu people marched into Liangzhou, and the situation in Liangzhou was very unfavorable.

  Sun Quan proclaimed himself emperor and swore an alliance with the people of Shu, Liangzhou is very likely to have been lost. Although there are many people who have already been psychologically prepared, they still make Cao Rui upset.

  It was only the third year since he ascended the throne, so he transferred the three auxiliary ministers who held real power out of Luoyang, leaving only one Chen Qun who did not hold military power.

  Using this to quickly reduce the influence of the auxiliary ministers on the DPRK and China, so as to monopolize power.

   Such methods can be regarded as being well versed in the way of checks and balances, and understand the emperor's mind.

  If there is no matter about the Shu and Wu captives, the next thing Cao Rui plans to do is to learn from the emperor of martial arts, bypass the nine-rank Zhongzheng system, and issue an order to seek talents, so as to weaken the family's control over the court.

   It's just that the sky fails to fulfill people's wishes.

  The two big defeats in the west and south last year forced him to continue to compromise with the aristocratic family in order to secure the stability of the Cao Wei regime.

  This year, he had just settled down a bit, and before he could breathe a sigh of relief, bad news came one after another, and he was so angry that he smashed several teacups in the West Hall.

  The expensive woolen carpet on the ground was splashed with tea, making it a little dirty.

  So Cao Rui began to summon important ministers in the court to discuss matters.

   "Great Wei, the righteousness of the world; the captives of Shu, who stole the western frontier; Wu Kou, the barbarians across the south of the Yangtze River. I am the Son of Heaven, and I live in the world, but I am bullied by the rats."

   "I think back in the day, Emperor Wu raised weak soldiers to pacify the world, Emperor Wen repeatedly pressed down on the riverside, and Sun Quan bowed his head. If I didn't cut off the heads of Shu and Wu rats, why would I have the face to sacrifice in the ancestral temple?"

  Cao Rui was still angry, and said to the ministers below.

   The first person to stand up against it was Ting Wei Gao Rou.

   "The two captives are cunning, secretly intending to spy on the Central Plains, plotting to fight, unwilling to let go, and using poor troops to expand their arms in remote places, the people are unbearable."

   "The Great Wei is located in the Central Plains. It is suitable to raise soldiers, repair armored soldiers, and treat them with leisure. Your Majesty is in charge of state affairs. Instead of rushing to use force, it is better to stop building palaces and live with the people."

   "Just waiting for the two captives to change, and then attacking them with elite soldiers, will get twice the result with half the effort."

  After Cao Pi usurped the Han Dynasty and proclaimed himself emperor, he built a large-scale construction project in Luoyang, changing the two palaces standing side by side since the Han Dynasty, and forming a palace pattern centered on the Taiji Hall.

   Just because of the short time and the unrest in the war, the palace has not been completed.

  After Cao Rui ascended the throne, he wanted to move the four gods, Gaodi, Taidi, Wudi, and Wendi, from Yecheng to Luoyang.

  So began to build the royal ancestral temple.

  At the same time, I want to take this opportunity to expand the Tai Chi Hall to a few more palaces.

   What Gao Rou said was this matter.

  Cao Rui was already angry, but when he heard that Gao Rou not only did not support him, but advised him to stop recruiting civilian husbands.

  He immediately said sharply: "The affairs of the ancestral temple, the major affairs of the country, Gao Tingwei, you have passed!"

  Gao Rou refused to budge an inch: "Your Majesty, what I'm talking about is building a palace."

  Cao Rui couldn't hold back his anger anymore:

   "In the past, Emperor Wen conquered Wu, and the empress dowager stayed behind in the palace. When heavy rain fell, the palace was flooded."

   "The empress dowager, with her noble body, is the heart of the people, and she has to live in the water."

   "Nowadays, there are many leaks in the palace courtyard. If the previous incident happens again, does Gao Tingwei want the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager to live in the water again?"

   "If you want to trap me in an unfilial place and be abandoned by the world?"

  Gao Rou hurriedly fell to the ground: "I dare not."

   "Don't dare to back down?"

   Cao Rui scolded.

  Central leader Yang Ji got up, stood up and bowed: "Your Majesty, the two countries of Shu and Wu have just made an alliance, and it is the time when morale is sharp. I think that Your Majesty should wait for a while and wait for the opportunity."

   "Furthermore, Wu has great rivers and Shu has mountain passes. If Your Majesty moves his troops to the south, Shu will come from the west; if Your Majesty moves his troops to the west, Wu will come from the south."

   "No matter which side is the first to attack, once the military situation rises, it cannot be stopped suddenly, and it will only give the other side an opportunity to take advantage of it."

  The leader of the central government commanded the imperial army, with a high position and authority, and only the royal cronies could be appointed.

  As a general, Yang Ji is different from Gao Rou in terms of the right to speak in the military.

  Cao Rui also had to pay attention to his words.

   "Moreover, the Luoyang Forbidden Army suffered a lot of damage in the Battle of Longyou last year, and they have not recovered yet."

   "Forbidden soldiers are the elite of the country and the foundation of protecting the country. If the damage is too much, how can we shock the generals in charge of the army?"

  Cao Rui was at a loss for words.

   "The lord can't provoke the army in anger, and he can't go to war in anger. Now His Majesty is angry, his mind is blocked by anger, and he speaks lightly of war. It is not the action of the lord."

  Yang Ji argued hard without giving Cao Rui any face.

  Cao Rui became more and more angry: "Since the generals are armed with strength and sharpness, they should fight against the stubborn bandits. How can they stop fighting for fear of injury?"

  Yang Ji asked again: "The two kingdoms of Shu and Wu may be separated by dangerous mountains or separated by water. I wonder which country Your Majesty wants to conquer first?"

  Cao Rui replied:

   "The state of Wu was blocked by a great river. First, Emperor Wu withdrew his troops from Chibi, and later, Emperor Wen tried to attack several times but was unable to cross the river."

   "What the state of Wu relies on is only the advantage of boats and ships. Water warfare is possible, but land warfare is not possible. Therefore, there is more than enough to defend, but not enough to advance."

   "But Shu is different. Zhuge Pingfu is vicious. Taking advantage of Wei's unpreparedness, he seized me in Longyou, cut off Liangzhou, and peeped into Guanzhong. This must be guarded against."

   "In addition, my great Wei Jingqi is the best in the world, and it is my strength to fight the Shu Kingdom on land, so I attacked the Shu Kingdom first."

  Yang Ji retorted loudly:

   "Emperor Wu began to conquer Zhanglu, with a crowd of 100,000 people, he personally visited the army, instructed the strategy, and first collected the folk wheat beans as military rations."

   "Zhang Wei (Zhang Lu's younger brother) is just a mediocre man, leading the army to guard the dangerous pass. Although Emperor Wu has elite soldiers and generals, the army can't use it."

   "For three days, I wanted to withdraw the army and return it. I looked at Zhang Lujun and sighed: I have been in the army for 30 years, and once I hold it to others, how about it!"

   "Fortunately, in Tianzuo Great Wei, Zhang Lu's garrison collapsed on its own, so it was determined. Also in the battle of Hanzhong, Emperor Wu reorganized the army in half a year, and only two months after entering Hanzhong, he led the army and retreated."

   "After this battle, Emperor Wu once said that Hanzhong is really a heavenly prison, which shows how difficult it is to enter Shu. I don't know how your Majesty compares to Emperor Wu. How dare you speak lightly to attack Shu?"

  Cao Rui argued: "If Emperor Wu can't, how dare I say that he can? But the soldiers asked for a fight, thinking that if they don't march to take them, the two captives will not be able to destroy themselves."

   "So I want the soldiers to try it to the end, so as to see the flaws of the thieves. If not, the time has not come. Is it okay to follow Zhou Wuwang to join forces and return?"

  …

  During this discussion, most of the ministers advised Cao Rui to put the people's lives at ease, and not to use weapons lightly.

   Although Cao Rui knew that what the officials said was quite reasonable, but as a monarch, he already felt a sense of urgency.

  The two big defeats last year, coupled with the death of Chief Sima Cao Xiu, he had to compromise with the aristocratic family in order to stabilize the domestic situation.

   If this continues, the imperial power of the Cao family will only be further threatened by the aristocratic family. This is what he does not want to see.

  So in order to establish his authority and at the same time reduce Longyou's pressure on Guanzhong, he had to fight another battle, and it had to be a victory.

  Cao Rui noticed that Liu Ye was the only one among the officials who did not speak out.

  Cao Rui had no choice but to temporarily cancel the court meeting when the important ministers were all against it.

  After all the ministers left, Cao Rui had Liu Ye summoned to the study.

   "It was discussed just now. Everyone in my audience disagrees with the attack on Shu. Only Liu Gong does not say a word. I wonder if we can know what Liu Gong is thinking?"

   Cao Rui asked.

   Liu Ye looked around.

  Cao Rui retreated from the screen.

  Liu Ye then said: "The minister thinks, it can be defeated."

  When Cao Rui heard this, he was overjoyed: "All the ministers in the court are good at learning, so they know about military affairs? Only Liu Gong has the courage and wisdom, and his words are tangible, which is very in line with my wishes. Please try to say it."

  Liu Ye said: "The Jincheng Tangchi in Guanzhong, the fertile land in Shuzhong, Qin unified the six countries because of it; Han Gaozu lived there for more than 400 years in the Han Dynasty."

   "Now the Shu captives have all the land of Shu, and they have stolen Longyou to peek into the Guanzhong. How can they guard the Guanzhong without Longyou? If there is a loss in Guanzhong, the Shu people will be in power!"

   "Therefore Longyou must be taken, and Shu must be attacked."

  Cao Rui nodded again and again: "This statement is very kind!"

  Cao Rui talked with Liu Ye for a long time before releasing him from the palace.

  Unexpectedly, as soon as Liu Ye returned to the mansion, the porter reported: "The leader of the Central Committee is visiting."

  Yang Ji valued Liu Ye very much, and had a good personal relationship with him, so he often came to Liu Ye's residence.

  Seeing Liu Ye finally came back from the palace, he asked, "Zi Yang really made me wait."

  Liu Ye put on a smile on his face, and said affectionately: "It's my fault for waiting so long."

  Yang Ji had a little anxiety on his face: "Today's court meeting, everyone advised His Majesty not to attack Shu easily, but Zi Yang remained silent."

   "I'm here this time to ask Zi Yang what he thinks in his mind: Do he agree with the attack on Shu or not?"

   Liu Ye said solemnly: "Today's court meeting, all the officials said that they should not be defeated, and they talked about the harm of defeating Shu, how could I not know?"

   "Especially Xiuxian, it is right to persuade His Majesty with the words of Emperor Wu, so the land of Shu must not be conquered!"

  Yang Ji heaved a sigh of relief, and looked at Liu Ye with a smile:

   "After the court meeting, His Majesty left Ziyang alone, which shows how much His Majesty attaches importance to Ziyang."

   "I think the one who can persuade His Majesty to stop using the sword lightly is none other than Zi Yang."

   "Since Zi Yang said that he should not be attacked, must he have persuaded His Majesty?"

  Liu Ye nodded: "That's natural."

  (end of this chapter)