Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3518: The Most Lack of Smoothness

In the spring of the tenth year of Taixing of the Han Dynasty.

The news that Jizhou was in chaos due to Cao's army reached Xu County, causing an immediate uproar.

Of course, Cao's army said that they were tracking down and clearing out the cavalry troops that had been in Jizhou before, as well as the thieves and bandits who had sabotaged Cao's food supply routes.

But this thing is like a little blue pill. Whether it’s just endurance or a skill, only those who use it will know!

For the Han Dynasty, Jizhou and Yuzhou were like two legs that supported the entire Shandong Central Plains system. From the Yellow River to Henan and Hebei, everyone, from the emperor to the common people, knew that these two places were too important for the Han Dynasty. Especially in Xu County, which was at the foot of the emperor, there would be more children of the noble families gathered there than in other places, and they would pay more attention to current affairs than people in other places.

The Han Dynasty, or the Eastern Han Dynasty, was built on the foundation of Jizhou and Yuzhou!

Although in the past hundred years, people from Jizhou and Yuzhou had some competition and exclusion with each other, but on the whole they cooperated. They once cooperated well in suppressing Shanxi and conquering areas outside the Great Wall, and expanded the vast territory of the Eastern Han Dynasty from the Western Regions to the Northern Border, from Liaodong to Jiaozhi!

But who could have imagined that now, these counties and states that seemed like brothers would now raise their swords and guns against each other!

Moreover, when the news came out, the statements of Jizhou and Yuzhou were completely inconsistent!

It is completely different from the previous unified, standard and official appearance!

Previously, the news about the cavalry or Guanzhong was always covered up, and even if it was mentioned, it was vague, generally saying that the people were in dire straits, poor and backward, barbaric, etc. As for some local events in Shandong, they were always temporary workers, too eager, and the communication was not in place, etc.

Anyway, the specifics, details, and real situation will not be mentioned at all, and there will be no explanation of the cause and effect. The consequences will be delayed as much as possible until everyone forgets about it, and then the matter is over.

But this time, it’s really different!

Not only are there detailed characters, places, and events, but there are also specific pieces of evidence!

Whether it is the news from Yuzhou or the news from Jizhou, they are all extremely detailed, accurate and true!

It’s like the news about the big man was originally covered with a filter, but now it’s suddenly revealed!

Of course, it describes the reality on the other side...

The Yuzhou faction would describe in detail how many people were dragged down by the Jizhou people, how much money and food were embezzled, how many soldiers were killed, and how the entire battle was failed.

As for Jizhou, the focus was on how many forts Cao's army had captured, how many civilians had been taken hostage, how much land had been abandoned, how many families had been massacred, and so on.

Yuzhou began to talk about Jizhou's tricks on food and fodder, the fake swords and guns, the hidden war horses, and the procrastination of personnel. Then Jizhou began to talk about Yuzhou's disregard for the lives of others, the suffering of the people, and the cruelty of enslaving the able-bodied men.

These news are circulated vividly among the people.

Then the people of Xu County felt the pain in their stomachs while eating the melons...

In the past, there were no melons to eat, and everything was covered up. Even if you took a bite, you would be immediately tempted or diverted to other things. As a result, now countless large melons are stuffed into your mouth, and even when you can’t eat any more, they keep stuffing you with more!

At the beginning, people were happy to spread these rumors, but as more and more news came out, even ordinary people felt that something was wrong.

Those who are concerned understand that in this situation, if there is no one secretly fanning the flames, it would be a miracle.

How many people in Xu County are there who are willing to take action in secret?

The people on these two sides cannot be offended. If you can get out of it, do it quickly. Wait until they fight to the death and the dust settles before making any further decisions!

As a result of the Jizhou and Yuzhou factions' actions, the news from the Cavalry became a background.

In fact, in Shandong, among the lower-class people, there are still some vague legends about the cavalry...

After all, Fei Qian's experience and achievements can be called a legendary story. Especially after those youth stories were spread to Shandong, some people could not help but compare the current cavalry with the cavalry before the Han Dynasty.

Everyone has a heart of admiration for the strong, especially children and teenagers. After hearing these exciting stories, who wouldn't applaud and exclaim, "What a hero!"

Unfortunately, the leaders in Shandong don’t care about the praise from the common people.

It can even be said that these upper-class rulers in Shandong have become accustomed to fooling the people. They feel that they can manipulate the people's emotions and play with people's feelings anytime and anywhere. It would only take a few minutes to discredit any praise for the Cavalry. What they care about are the things that involve their own interests and the hidden things behind these things.

When Dong Zhuo entered the capital, Yuzhou and Jizhou were already in a state of division. If Cao Cao had not won in the end and destroyed the two Yuans, but instead allowed the two Yuans to successfully gain a foothold and divide the north and south of the Yellow River, then the Jizhou faction and the Yuzhou faction would probably have fought each other to death by now!

You must know that the Han Dynasty is no longer what it used to be. Countless of the eighteen kinds of princes in the past have fallen into dust and become corrupt. The fierceness of the struggle among them is not much less than when the Han Dynasty was founded!

This struggle and trend between the Jizhou faction and the Yuzhou faction may be incomprehensible to bystanders. The Han Dynasty's imperial court is already in turmoil and on the verge of collapse, but the brothers in the court are still engaging in factional struggles and infighting? !

Isn't this like lighting a lamp in a cesspool?

But those ink-colored spots in history have told later generations again and again that Bald Qiang will never be alone!

The storm in Xu County became increasingly severe and also affected the military farming camp outside Xu County.

Transportation on both sides of the river was almost cut off, so the military camp on the outskirts of Xu County naturally became an important military force to defend Xu County at this point in time.

These soldiers stationed in the fields are naturally not as well-equipped and well-organized as the Zhongling Army and the Zhonghu Army, but their rusty swords and guns can still kill people!

Therefore, for the Yuzhou faction in Xu County, they felt that no matter how big the storm was, there were Ren Jun's garrison soldiers stationed nearby to protect them, so they felt somewhat at ease...

Inside the military farm camp, Ren Jun sat in the big tent with a sullen face.

The storm in Xu County was the most dangerous situation he had ever seen since he took office.

The Jizhou faction and the Yuzhou faction had quarreled and fought against each other before, but when they quarreled before, the General of the Cavalry had not yet become a powerful force. Now the General of the Cavalry may rush out at any time, making the current situation like dancing on a tightrope, with a bottomless abyss below the wire.

Ren Jun was not a particularly brave general, and could even be said to be more of a civil servant. After all, in the military camp, what he faced was definitely not fierce fighting, but all kinds of trivial matters. So Ren Jun was in this position not because of his personal ability, but because he was a die-hard pro-Cao faction.

Without Cao Cao, Ren Jun would have nothing!

But everything that happened in Xu County in the past two days made him shocked and angry!

What is shocking is the Shandong area of ​​the Han Dynasty. Even Jizhou and Yuzhou have fallen out. What kind of unity is there? Is there any chance of joining forces to deal with the Hussars?

What’s infuriating is that in Jingzhou, even when the Cavalry Army had unusual movements at Shangyongwu Pass, these guys were still thinking about fighting for power!

However, Ren Jun's confusion had little impact on the garrison soldiers, because most of them were isolated from the news, and many of them had already started preparing for spring ploughing out of inertia...

As for military farming, farming is still the main focus, and soldiers are secondary.

Ren Jun felt the anger in his heart almost bursting out!

If these people stood in front of him, he would definitely choose to chop these guys into meat paste!

……

……

Liu Xie, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, who was at the center of the storm, was also very worried about the current situation.

Emperor Liu Xie also knew that at a moment like this, he had to remain calm and stable. However, seeing the howling storm, it seemed that even the imperial palace was crumbling in the storm. He just couldn't maintain this stable aura no matter what, so he hurriedly invited Shi Sun Rui to ask for countermeasures.

"My dear, what should we do now?!"

Liu Xie rubbed his hands, like a tinker who had just started his business.

In order to make a little extra money, he secretly knocked the leaking pot twice more. He originally thought that it would crack a little more so that he could show off his ability. However, he did not expect that the hammer would actually create a hole!

Tinker No. 2, Shisun Rui, also had a headache.

However, since the emperor Liu Xie asked, Shi Sun Rui certainly couldn't show panic, so Shi Sun Rui coughed lightly, and then said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, don't worry. How can we settle the current situation without making a fuss?"

Liu Xie frowned.

Isn't it noisy enough now?

Shi Sun Rui saw Liu Xie's face and said, "It is unexpected that the Prime Minister has led his army to Jizhou, but... Jizhou may not be completely unprepared... Your Majesty, this is actually a good thing... If it weren't for this incident, who would know the hidden means behind it?"

Liu Xie took a breath.

It is indeed as Shisun Rui said. From this perspective, the more trouble Jizhou and Yuzhou make, the greater the consumption, which means that Liu Xie is more important. At that time, Liu Xie may need to come forward to end it...

Of course, this is the most ideal state, but eight out of ten things in the world are not as we wish.

"If it's Guanzhong..." Liu Xie said halfway, and it was not easy to continue. After all, as the emperor, he was afraid of Jizhou, Yuzhou, and Guanzhong cavalry. This was simply a shame for the emperor of the Han Dynasty!

Shi Sun Rui bowed again and said, "Your Majesty, the north and south of the Yellow River are connected by a strip of water, and the scriptures are passed down. Moreover, this is the case... The people in Guanzhong are mixed, and the north is barbaric. How can they unite? As long as this matter is resolved, Jiyu will return to your Majesty's control. Why worry about Guanzhong? The cavalry is stationed in Chang'an, and there may be no trouble. If the troops are far away... Isn't Xu County today Chang'an tomorrow? "

Liu Xie was stunned when he heard this and smacked his lips.

Shi Sunrui's words seem to make some sense...

But after careful consideration, something seemed to be wrong. However, at this point, Liu Xie could only hope that things would develop as they had originally planned.

But, can this matter really develop smoothly?

……

……

In early spring, the weather is still freezing cold.

At the junction of Qing and Xu, a group of troops were moving out of camp.

Those walking in the front still looked somewhat like regular troops, but the further back you went, the more old, weak, sick and disabled people there were. There was a huge mix of people, and they weren't in formation. They were shivering in the cold spring wind and struggling to move forward.

This is the famous Taishan Army.

The predecessor of the Taishan Army was also bandits.

The original foundation of the Taishan Army was the bandits hiding in Mount Tai.

Later, when the Taishan Army heard the Yellow Turbans' slogan, they started to make trouble together, and were then recruited by Tao Qian, the governor of Xuzhou...

In other words, the Taishan Army gained benefits again and again from the "disturbance" again and again.

However, with the rise of Cao Cao, the good days of the Taishan Army came to an end.

Some died, some were disabled, some were demoted, some were demoted, and the only one left was Zang Ba, who was barely holding on by relying on the secrets he learned from the thousand-year-old turtle...

However, now, the "disturbance" in Xu County has arrived.

Zang Ba smelled the sweetness of opportunity.

Zang Ba looked back.

The soldiers of the Taishan Army obviously still haven't gotten rid of the peasant soldier model. The soldiers not only have swords and guns, but also all kinds of tattered belongings. Even the whole family, young and old, followed the troops, dragging the vehicles and moving forward together.

The road in spring is not easy to walk on.

The road ahead for this team is also not easy.

But it doesn’t matter, we’ve come this far over the years, so a little bit of muddy ground won’t hurt us!

The troops directly under Zang Ba looked more presentable, at least the soldiers were slightly more orderly when they marched. Whether they were wearing leather armor or iron armor, at least they were armored soldiers, and they looked somewhat imposing.

The relationship between the Taishan Army and Cao Cao was also very ordinary.

Cao Cao once wanted to incorporate the Taishan Army, similar to how he incorporated the Qingzhou Army. However, when Cao Cao dealt with the Qingzhou Army, his methods were too brutal, and none of the middle-level officers of the Qingzhou Army had a good end, which naturally frightened the Taishan Army.

The Taishan Army and the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans are quite different.

The Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou really had no long-term plans and ate up all the grass around their own backyard.

Under Zang Ba, the Taishan Army more or less knew how to preserve some of the grass on the edge of the nest. Under Zang Ba's management, the people of Taishan County could at least survive in the chaotic times, so the Taishan Army had the ability to recover. Even if Zang Ba lost some troops in the war, he could still get some replenishment. This was also the fundamental reason why Zang Ba could travel around the periphery of Tao Qian, Lu Bu, Cao Cao and other forces without being consumed and defeated in the war.

Cao Cao's biggest pressure before was undoubtedly Yuan Shao in Hebei. At that time, he had no intention or ability to uproot the core members of the Taishan Gang, such as Zang Ba, Wu Dun, and Yin Li. If they were not handled properly and could not be eradicated, the Taishan Army would revive. Therefore, Cao Cao and the Taishan Army once made peace, which was a helpless move. Even so, Cao Cao still used some means in the later period to divide and alienate the generals in the Taishan Army, leading to mutual infighting and killing...

Zang Ba rode his horse and walked slowly in the queue.

The villages along the way were deserted and the fields were overgrown with weeds.

These places used to be populated with people, laughing children, and rising smoke from cooking fires. Now, all that's left are some weeds and white bones.

Zang Ba couldn't help but look up and sighed softly, "I wonder how many more wandering ghosts will be added to this chaos!"

"General..." Zang Ba's confidant couldn't help but ask after hearing this, "Whose side are we...supporting this time?"

Zang Ba groaned, his face showing a bit of coldness, "Which side God is on, we are on that side!"

"General, are you talking about the emperor?" the confidant asked.

Zang Ba couldn't help laughing, "Son of Heaven! Son of Heaven! I'm talking about God! Not God's son!"

"Who is God then?" the confidant asked.

Zang Ba laughed and did not answer directly. Instead, he raised his hand and pointed forward, "Prime Minister Cao must have gained a lot in the past few days... I will lead the troops here as he wishes... But the people of Jizhou are not easy to deal with... Once Prime Minister Cao's soldiers turn around, Jizhou will definitely be in chaos! At that time, it depends on whether Yecheng falls first or Xu County falls first! Of course, it is also possible to attract the cavalry here..."

"General..." The confidant scratched his head, "This...why does it sound so confusing to me..."

Zang Ba laughed, "It's just right to be chaotic!"

If there is no chaos, how can the Taishan Army stand a chance?

If it weren't for the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Taishan Army could only be bandits on Mount Tai at best. How could they be recruited?

If there had not been a war among the princes in the Central Plains, how could the Taishan Army have benefited from it and become an independent army?

If the world had not been in turmoil and the wars had not continued, how could Zang Ba have transformed himself from a fugitive into a general of the imperial court?

For Zang Ba, he never thought about surviving in the cracks between the two powerful armies of Fei Qian and Cao Cao, and then dreaming of building an unparalleled foundation. He just wanted to take advantage of the chaos to expand his momentum and gather strength.

As for whether it is Fei Qian or Cao Cao who wins in the end, it doesn’t matter to Zang Ba.

What’s important is that at the last moment, does Fei Qian give more chips, or does Cao Cao give greater benefits!

Even if Fei Qian and Cao Cao didn't offer a high price in the end, Zang Ba could still make a good profit in Yuzhou!

The more he makes, the more powerful he becomes. When he negotiates the price in the future, he can ask for a higher price...

Therefore, Zang Ba just wanted to make the situation in Yuzhou more chaotic and add more variables.

Only in this way will his chances of success in the future be greater!

The confidant pondered for a while, and seemed to understand a little bit of Zang Ba's idea, and said: "General... in this case, will they... ask us to charge forward first? In this case, we can't stand back and reap the benefits!"

Zang Ba glanced at his confidant, "Ha, kid, that's fine... But since you've also thought of this problem, why don't you think more about how to solve it?"

"This..." The confidant stared. He had racked his brains to come up with this, and it would be even more difficult for him to come up with a solution.

"Hahaha..." Zang Ba laughed, "Have you forgotten? How did we get here?"

"We?" The confidant was puzzled.

Zang Ba showed a somewhat mocking smile, "We follow Prime Minister Cao! Wherever he goes, we go there! However, look at us, we have families to support... so isn't it normal for us to be one step behind Prime Minister Cao?"

Zang Ba raised his head and gazed into the distance.

Yuzhou is about to fall into chaos!

The Central Plains is also about to be in chaos!

This big guy is probably finished!

But, hahahaha…

What does this have to do with me, Zang Ba?