Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3307: Work together to make the cake bigger

Qinghe County boundary, Daping Mountain.

There is a flat area on the mountain that can accommodate soldiers, and now a barracks has been set up there.

The commander of the barracks here, temporary commanding general Chen Qun, is having a headache.

The former orphan of Liyang somehow knew that Chen Qun was here, so he came to the military camp alone in mourning and impeached the fake county magistrate of Liyang, Cao Ying, for corruption and abuse of power, killing loyal officials, causing the local area to be empty, resulting in the breakdown of military discipline, corruption from top to bottom, and being unable to fight at all.

Chen Qun knew that Cao Ying could take up the job in Liyang because of Cao Pi.

  What talents does Cao Ying have?

He is good at reading people's expressions and changing course according to the wind, but the rest...

He could read some books and knew some meanings of classics, but that was all. He was just a mere copywriter. To say that he had made any achievements in the study of classics would be really bringing disgrace to the great Confucian scholars of the Han Dynasty.

But what can he do about his last name being Cao?

So even though Cao Ying had no special abilities, he could still be a county lieutenant, and even killing the county magistrate would not cause any problems.

Everyone knows there is a problem here, but as long as the people don't report it, the officials won't correct it.

Everything is for the sake of Dahan, as long as the intention is good, the flaws in the process...

Now the flaws have come to the fore.

Cao Ying is unreliable after all.

In fact, Chen Qun really blamed Cao Ying wrongly. It was not that Cao Ying did not want to wipe out the roots, but that Cao Ying was in trouble at the time and had not reached an agreement with Wei Yan. By the time he and Wei Yan became friends and looked back, the enemy had already run away.

Now Chen Qun is having a headache.

Sometimes the reason why Chinese feudal dynasties strictly prohibited people from appealing to higher authorities, filing complaints on the streets, beating drums to file reports, etc. was not because the higher authorities were unaware of the tricks going on below, but because they did not know whether it was necessary to deal with the matter.

  There were certainly some cases in the feudal dynasties where people went beyond the proper level to file complaints and won lawsuits in front of the emperor, but has anyone ever considered how many people were instead sent back to their place of origin for handling, or even handed over to the officials reported by the informants for disposal?

After feeling unbelievable, who would consider the deeper meaning behind it?

Most people who can become high-ranking officials are not stupid. If they are not stupid, they still do things that look stupid...

Chen Qun wanted to reorganize the officials of Jizhou and dismiss all the unqualified and incompetent ones, but in the end he could only think about it and then sigh a few times. After all, these officials were able to take office with the approval of the Prime Minister's Office or the Secretariat. How could they be dismissed because of a "small matter"?

Chen Qun did have some power over life and death, but the more so, the more cautious he had to be. Otherwise, if he really fired all the officials in Jizhou as Chen Qun wanted, would Chen Qun be responsible for the subsequent affairs of various places? What if Chen Qun was the one who fought hard in front of him, and a group of people quietly followed him to pick up peaches? Chen Qun shed blood, sweat and tears, while others smiled and said that Chen Qun was a hero, but in their hearts they mocked Chen Qun as an idiot.

But the victim had already arrived, and there were so many people watching inside and outside the military camp, so Chen Qun couldn't just let him disappear on the spot, or let him walk into a city and be hit by a carriage and die...

Therefore, if Chen Qun wanted the Han Dynasty to prosper, he would have a long way to go and he must not slack off in the slightest, otherwise he would be harming the country and the people.

This was not the only thing that gave Chen Qun a headache. Not long after Chen Qun came out, Yecheng sent out three consecutive documents, which brought Cao Pi's questioning and demanded that Chen Qun must completely eliminate the "bandit problem" in Jizhou within a month.

Isn't this a joke...

Chen Qun called the son of the Liyang County magistrate and told him that he had received an order from Cao Pi. The important task at this stage was to wipe out the bandits. As for his affairs, they could only be dealt with after the military and national affairs. He asked him to go back and wait for further investigation.

This survey is very spiritual.

Perhaps the son of the Liyang County Magistrate had some understanding of the "official terminology" and knew that this kind of waiting might mean waiting for a lifetime, so he just threw out the trump card...

  This time, the son of the Liyang County magistrate not only reported Cao Ying for corruption and abuse of power, but more importantly, he reported that Cao Ying and Wei Yan were colluding!

Chen Qun’s first reaction was that it was nonsense, Cao Ying’s surname was Cao!

But when he calmed down, Chen Qun suddenly felt that Cao Ying...

The word "collusion" may sound unpleasant, but it is not uncommon in Jizhou. It's just that there is usually a fig leaf hanging, and now that it was pulled by the son of the Liyang County Magistrate, some black curly hair was exposed, which was not very elegant.

Therefore, Chen Qun was somewhat skeptical, but this kind of thing required solid evidence, and if the situation was really as the son of the Liyang County magistrate said, then if he rashly entered Qinghe, he might be betrayed to Wei Yan, and Wei Yan would be waiting for him somewhere.

Moreover, Chen Qun was currently stationed in Daping Mountain. He had been sent to various counties in Qinghe to contact the children of local noble families, but there was no news for several days, which made him a little worried. He knew that Qinghe County had not been very harmonious since Lao Cao took over Jizhou, but he did not expect that the situation would be so serious...

"Should we send someone to investigate further?" Chen Qun's confidant asked.

Chen Qun thought for a moment and shook his head slightly.

This is the power, or you can also say the harm, of the old Han Dynasty's manor landlord class economic system.

This measure of binding the people firmly to their hometowns through the household registration system and the village and street baojia system was undoubtedly a favorite of the feudal dynasty. It was simple to manage and easy to govern. It was also easy for the upper class to collect taxes according to household registration and for the lower class to embezzle.

It's just that due to the long period of closure, outsiders are easily and obviously exposed. It's okay for ordinary passers-by. Generally speaking, passers-by don't care too much about the local political situation. No one wants to cause trouble, so once it's a strange face and asking about something...

"The people of Qinghe are not stupid, they will come eventually." Chen Qun said in a deep voice.

It is better to be still than to move.

He was stuck here, so even if there were any bandits in Qinghe County, they couldn't invade the north...

At least there is no way to go directly north, you have to take a detour.

"Then... the prince..." the confidant asked again, "He keeps urging us... if we don't move, I'm afraid..."

Chen Qun nodded, and after a moment of silence, he said, "Are there any bandits nearby?"

"Nearby?" The confidant was puzzled, and then suddenly realized, "This is possible."

Chen Qun hummed, "I will send some soldiers tomorrow to kill the bandits."

The confidant immediately agreed.

With the head of the "bandit", there would be no problem in delaying for a few more days.

We can't let Chen Qun advance alone while surrounded by bandits. This is a taboo in military strategy and is too unreasonable. Not to mention Cao Pi urging us, even if Cao Cao came, it would be untenable.

The confidant was about to leave when he suddenly thought of something and stopped and said, "So... the son of the Liyang County Magistrate..."

Chen Qun frowned slightly, "Let's keep it for now."

This thing is a hot potato, but now he has become a key witness, it is not good to just throw it away.

The confidant nodded and was about to leave when Chen Qun stopped him, "By the way, secretly send someone to his hometown to investigate..."

"Check?" asked the confidant.

Chen Qun nodded and said two words, "Taxes."

  The confidant immediately agreed and turned to leave. How many Han officials, especially those who sat in the position of county magistrate, did not tamper with taxes? Eating the Han financial meal, disaster relief and water conservancy, etc., wouldn't it be juicy if they just took a bite?

Chen Qun couldn't help but sigh softly as he watched his confidant leave.

  I wonder if the sons of the aristocratic families in Guanzhong are also so tired under Fei Qian's command?

……

……

Wei Yan felt that he had more say on this point that Chen Qun was confused about.

Wei Yan now felt that the situation had gradually deviated from his original idea and was beginning to roll in an inexplicable direction.

Wei Yan stared at Cao Ying in front of him, his eyes filled with suspicion and scrutiny, which made Cao Ying feel a little shy.

"General..." Cao Ying said, "Why are you looking at me like that..."

  Wei Yan really wanted to ask Cao Ying, "What's your mother's name? Oh, what's your father's surname?"

Your last name is Cao!

Don't you feel heartbroken to see your prince betrayed like this?

  Or is this actually a trap?

In fact, Wei Yan still couldn't fully understand Cao Ying's subsequent changes.

In many cases, people just need an excuse to sleep peacefully, no matter how bad the excuse is.

There are some very big things happening in the world today.

For example, mountains and rivers change hands, cities change, and even the emperor dies and dynasties change. These huge historical events will completely change everything for everyone in a region or a country, leaving mottled colors in the scroll of history, but for someone in this major event, he still has to eat, drink, play, rest and sleep...

For a specific person, the world is far away, but family is close.

For a certain official, the emperor is far away, but the granaries are close.

Everyone’s values ​​and beliefs are different, and the choices they make when facing major historical changes, as well as the trade-offs between personal interests and national interests in times of national crisis, are naturally different.

When he was captured by Wei Yan, Cao Ying thought about dying. This is not a joke, he really thought about it, and if he was really given a chance at that time, he would definitely die in the line of duty, showing the heroism of the descendants of the Cao family.

This is indeed true.

I believe that most of the guys who felt itchy or cold in history wanted to sacrifice their lives for their country at some point. They were full of heroism when they were not killed by swords and axes. They could criticize those surrendering lackeys and show their innocence when they did not need to make a choice.

Cao Ying was no exception.

He really wanted to die, but at that time his hands and feet were tied, tied to the ground like a pig dog, and placed on the back of a horse.

  When personal dignity is deprived, trampled upon, and humiliated, how many people will hold their heads up again?

Instead of smiling and saying, since you can't resist anymore, why not just lie down and enjoy it?

Cao Ying, who wanted to continue resisting, had already died at some point. The one who survived was Cao Ying, who entered the state of a sage after that impulse.

After all, there are only a few people who truly have great courage and determination.

After that period of time, no matter how great the sorrow is, it will fade with time, no matter how great the suffering is, it cannot reduce people's physiological needs, and no matter how great the humiliation is, it cannot prevent the arrival of sleep.

Especially when Wei Yan's sudden appearance broke the fragile mental balance of Cao Ying, Gao Rou and others, their degeneration was naturally inevitable. Once they began to degenerate, Cao Ying, Gao Rou and others would quickly find various reasons and excuses for themselves.

Just like this time...

"I am doing this for the Han Dynasty! For the real prosperity of the Cao family!" Cao Ying said very seriously, "Really! This war can't be fought any longer! Jizhou is suffering from a severe drought, and Yuzhou is not much better. Now there is an urgent shortage of food and grass. If we continue to fight, the Cao family will surely bear the world's infamy! At that time... it would be better for both sides to stop fighting! Since I am a member of the Cao family, I should consider the future of the Cao family! Think about the people of Jiyu! Pray for all the people in the world! Now, the only way is to stop the war and stop the war!"

Wei Yan did not show any expression, but observed Cao Ying carefully, "So... you want to negotiate?"

"That's right!" Cao Ying nodded and said, with righteousness, "Warming the country is definitely not a good thing! The general entered Shandong because he saw that Shandong is now..."

Cao Ying's momentum suddenly dropped, and then he managed to raise it again, "Even though Shandong is suffering from drought now, the population is still large. Under such circumstances, even if the General of the Cavalry came, what can he do?"

Wei Yan sneered, "Why, do you think my lord can't conquer Shandong?"

"No, no, no, no, no!" Cao Ying waved his hands, "You are gifted and wise, how can this small Shandong area stop you? It's just... General, you have seen that the drought is serious now, and our food and grass have been plundered and sent to the front line. If you hadn't come here by chance, pitying the people of Jizhou and moving some food and grass to help them, I'm afraid we would have been left with thousands of miles of barren land! And these food and grass are just a drop in the bucket... General, think about it, if the cavalry really came to Shandong, would they save the drought and the refugees or not?"

"Hmm." Wei Yan frowned, and after a moment, he glanced at Cao Ying.

Cao Ying shuddered, and subconsciously cold sweat broke out on the back of his neck. "General, do you intend to kill me?"

Wei Yan rolled his eyes, and the cold air immediately dissipated, "No, how could it be?"

"General, I'll tell you the truth. Even if the cavalry came and killed us all, we still couldn't gather enough food..." Cao Ying looked miserable. "Who could have thought that the drought would be so severe? This drought is not something that we can stop, right?! Now the food is getting less and less every day. The little food we have saved is not enough for Jizhou's millions of people to get a bowl of porridge per person... So we really can't fight this war. We must stop. That's right, we must stop!"

Wei Yan laughed twice and said rudely: "You have no food to eat, what's my business?! According to what you said, I should be working for my lord!"

Cao Ying retorted, "General, you are wrong! Stopping the war will benefit both sides!"

"Hmph, you say." Wei Yan shook his feet, obviously not believing in Cao Ying's "win-win" situation.

"General... In the past, the Zhou Dynasty was weak, and only Qi, Chu, Qin, and Jin were strong. Jin first participated in the meeting, but Duke Xian died and the country was in chaos. Duke Mu of Qin stayed away and did not participate in the meeting with China. When King Cheng of Chu first took over the land of Jingman, the barbarians set up their own camps and were not allowed to come. Only Qi participated in the meeting with China, and Duke Huan was able to publicize his virtue, so the princes came to the meeting..." Cao Ying said slowly, "General, you should know this?"

"Speak human language." Although Wei Yan probably understood what Cao Ying meant and moved his feet more straight, he still wanted Cao Ying to speak more clearly, "I am a rough man and I don't understand those flowery words!"

Cao Ying laughed, but did not laugh at Wei Yan. Instead, he used Duke Huan of Qi as an example to explain to Wei Yan...

In fact, what Cao Ying said was very simple.

At that time, Duke Huan of Qi was able to unify the alliance among the chaotic countries and become one of the hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period. This was not due to his absolute military advantage, but also due to his emphasis on political means. The Beixing League was obviously the best embodiment of this political means. The countries in the alliance certainly did not coexist harmoniously. On the contrary, there were many contradictions and hatreds left over from history. However, why was Duke Huan of Qi able to successfully form an alliance under such conditions, and then get all the countries to work together and become the leader of the martial arts world? He relied on the four-character secret of "making the cake bigger".

The same is true for Jizhou and Yuzhou now. Originally, they had conflicts and competitions with each other, and there was no harmony to speak of. However, if under the pressure of the external force of the cavalry, the originally loose and chaotic situation will be gathered together...

Therefore, if the Hussars are unwilling to cease fire, or march into Shandong, then it is very likely that under the severe drought, a large number of people will have difficulty surviving. At that time, the second or third generation of Chen and Wu will roar, and the six kingdoms may revolt against Qin. How many soldiers will the Hussars have at that time to suppress everywhere? At that time, it will be like the Former Qin Dynasty. All the counties in the world belong to the Hussars on the surface. When the Hussars are there, everyone is a good citizen. Once the army leaves...

After listening to this, Wei Yan frowned and thought for a long time.

Although Wei Yan knew that not all of Cao Ying's words were true, he had to admit that Cao Ying's words pointed out a serious problem, which made Wei Yan feel that it was necessary to report it to Fei Qian...

Wei Yan rolled his eyes, then put on a smiling face, "I don't understand any of this! I just want to ask you, where is the benefit you said you would give me?"

Cao Ying looked at Wei Yan, seemed a little hesitant, but in the end he gritted his teeth and took out a piece of cloth from his arms.

"What is this?" Wei Yan asked.

Cao Ying stretched out his hand helplessly and handed the towel to Wei Yan, "This is... Alas, this is the defense of Yecheng..."

Before he could finish his words, Cao Ying felt his hands suddenly become empty.

Wei Yan snatched it and unfolded it impatiently. The joy on his face was only a little bit revealed before it turned into anger. He slammed the cloth on the table with a "bang" sound, pointed at the cloth with only half of the pattern drawn on it and shouted angrily: "What's going on? Are you kidding me? !"