Picked up a copy of Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 650 Car and Groom
"Cao Aman"

Yuan Shao's voice trembled a little. He looked at the huge map in front of him, his lips trembling slightly, turned his head, looked at Cao Cao, and asked, "Are you crazy? How many canals of this size are you planning to dig?" Years, how much labor will be used, how much money will be used, you...you." He was speechless, looked at Liu Bei and Guo Jia, and hoped that the two of them could say something.

Liu Bei coughed, and said: "Mr. Cao's plan is a thousand-year plan. It's really admirable, but it took a lot of money." He thought for a long time before asking: "Your Majesty really allowed it?" Cao Cao laughed He nodded, and said: "Of course I agreed, let me start the construction earlier." Both Liu Bei and Yuan Shao were silent. The amount of the project is so huge, how could the emperor agree?

Seeing the embarrassment on the faces of the two, Cao Cao looked at Guo Jia who was on the side. Guo Jia looked very calm. Jia was the first to speak, "Mr. Situ, I still have something to do in my house. Let me leave!!"

"Alas" Cao Cao sighed helplessly, looked at the three people opposite, sat down, took a sip of tea, and said just now: "My lords, if the canal can be opened, the merit will last forever, and future generations will definitely remember it, and I know it too. The difficulty of construction, but if you don’t do it because of the suffering, how can you be a Hanchen?? Although I, Cao Cao, have been eunuchs, since the governor, I have never retreated. No matter what I do, I have never.”

"In this world, there is nothing I can't do!!"

"Xing Gong is seventy years old, and he can build a road in the freezing weather, why should we not?"

Hearing Cao Cao's words, Yuan Shao snorted coldly, and said: "You have great ambition?? We are not as good as?? Have you ever thought that if you want to start construction, you must use millions of manpower, and the money accumulated by the treasury , these grains can’t last for a year, and besides, you want all the people to work as laborers, so let me ask you, who will plow the land, and what should be the tax for next year?”

"I will transfer labor from Funan, Chenla, and overseas. As for money and food, I have made up my mind. I will divide the project into small sections and complete them quickly. After that, I will open the canal in the shortest possible time. If it plays a corresponding role, in this way, money and food are not a problem, if it is really not possible, I will call on the world's aristocratic families to raise donations as a Situ, even if I go bankrupt, I will also build the canal!!" Cao Cao said solemnly .

"Situ Gong wants to adopt the method that Dong Gong and Ningzhou built the road?? However, if this method is adopted, I am afraid that the officials in the temple will object and impeach him one after another, which is not good for Situ Gong. In addition, they come here to eat and drink You can’t starve them to death.” Liu Bei was speaking, but Cao Cao interrupted him, saying, “That’s why I invite you here, I need your help.”

"It is said that there are many heroes in the Eastern Palace. We have to show the world that the ministers of Xiping are definitely not idiots."

"Gentlemen, is it possible to help?" Cao Cao asked.

Both Yuan Shao and Liu Bei had hesitation on their faces, and neither said a word.

Seeing them like this, Cao Cao shook his head, and said, "If that's the case, then please come back, if you wish to be the world's first, even if you can't do it, it's better than being a coward and not even daring to try!!", Cao Cao After saying that, he turned around and went into the study room, leaving only the three of them staring at each other. After entering the study room, Cao Cao was not feeling lonely or disappointed. He hung the map on the wall, carefully looked at the situation in various places, and began to write. write up.

He was busy, but before he knew it, someone stood by his side.

"Situ Gong, I have been to Yangzhou. The governor of Yangzhou, Jugong, was also a capable minister. This person built canals in these places. I think that it is better to go to him and go to him in person than to draw up the map here. Explore everywhere." Liu Bei stood beside Cao Cao and started talking, Cao Cao listened and nodded, "Xuande, I didn't expect that you would be willing to help me."

"Situ Gong, although I am not an outstanding person, if it is really beneficial to the country and the people, I will never refuse. As a member of the Han family, for the country and the people, I would rather die than say goodbye!" He said: "In addition, Zhuo County is my hometown. I will inform His Majesty tomorrow and go to Youzhou in person. I know this place quite well, and maybe I can help formulate a more detailed plan."

"Good! The only capable ministers in the world are Cao Cao and Xuan Deer!!"

"Heh, blah blah blah blah!!" Yuan Shao walked into the study, and just as he entered the study, he heard Cao Cao's words. Seeing him coming in, Cao Cao was a little surprised. Yuan Shao went to the map and detailed After looking at it, he said: "The capable minister of the world, the capable minister of the world, don't you know that the best way to get from Yangzhou to Yuzhou is through Jingzhou? You don't even have Jingzhou in this map?? Still want to build a canal?"

"Hahaha, at the beginning, I am not from Runan, how do I know this, fortunately you are here, with your help, great things will come true..."

"Okay, don't praise me anymore." Yuan Shao said displeasedly, he looked at the map seriously, and said: "Yuzhang prefect Yuan Xu, Shanyang prefect Yuan Yi, Jiangxia prefect Yuan Yin, Donglai prefect Yuan Hong , and the county magistrates of Ruyin and Runan in Yuzhou, Yuan Hong and Yuan Zhong are all related to me. I can tell them to start preparing for the canal right now. , the ability is much greater than yours."

Hearing Yuan Shao's words, Cao Cao couldn't help taking a breath, and turned his head. Liu Bei on the side did the same. Cao Cao nodded and said, "This way, it's convenient. Thank you Ben Chu, but Ben Chu Why are you so close in the first place?" Yuan Shao shook his head and said, "There are more in the temple." Cao Cao looked at Liu Bei and said, "This is a bit taboo, you have to remind them One or two."

"What can I do?? There are already a lot of people in the family, and they are all officials who have passed the assessment. Should I stop them?"

"Don't talk about it, let's continue talking about the canal." Cao Cao said, and was about to speak, but saw the last person walking in. Guo Jia licked his lips, looked at Cao Cao, and suddenly asked, "Mr. Cao, Is this drink full?"

"Hahaha, Fengxiao is here, so he will be full of course!!"

"Just now Ben Chu said that Jingzhou is to be added. I see, since Jingzhou has been added, the Sili area should not be wasted. After all, it is close to the sea, so it should be added together. There is also Bingzhou. What a pity, here in Hezhou It can’t be built, by the way, can Liangzhou also be connected? He also relies on the big river!! By the way, there are also areas like Yizhou.” With these people joining, Cao Cao looked extraordinarily excited and couldn’t help but Then I started to randomly point on the map.

"Ugh, I'm saying goodbye!!!"

The four of them were busy in the mansion until the early morning of the next day, when the other three walked out of Situ's mansion in a daze. The matter was truthfully recorded by Yuan Shang and sent to the Hall of Houde. Liu Xi was very happy about Yuan Shang's behavior, and the emperor didn't care about the four important ministers talking about the canal.

Although he has read the heavenly scriptures and knows what Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Liu Bei did in the heavenly scriptures, Liu Xi has no hostility or doubts towards them. Today's temples cannot lack these three people. Cao Cao probably He is now the number one capable minister, and all government orders cannot be bypassed at all. Although his Eastern Palace officials are excellent, they are still far inferior to the wily and calculating Cao Situ.

Although Yuan Shao was at fault after serving as Sikong, he had to say that he was able to fulfill the emperor's orders most quickly. Whether it was disaster relief or anything else, as long as Yuan Shao used the power of his clan, no one could match him at all. , The efficiency even surpassed Lu Zhi, Yuan Feng, Cao Cao, Yuan Shu who served as Sikong. After all, his surname is Yuan, and the family is either headed by him or willing to follow.

Yuan Feng was not the head of the Yuan family back then, so he couldn't do what Yuan Shao did.

As for Liu Bei, he is seriously underestimated by everyone in the temple. Since he took office as Sinong, he has been obsessed with farming and mulberry affairs, and rarely stays in Luoyang. In the wild, he even worked with the common people himself. He cooperated with the master craftsman Ma Jun to distribute a large number of advanced agricultural tools to several states to promote new agricultural tools and even new varieties. Three thousand hectares of arable land for cotton cultivation were provided to provide cold-resistant materials for Dahan.

His political achievements and contributions to the great man are not inferior to the previous two. On the contrary, the emperor feels that his achievements are greater. This year's bumper harvest naturally has the foundation of Xiping, but it is absolutely inseparable. Based on Liu Bei's so-called, as for why he was underestimated, it is very simple. These people who praise others' merits all day long have no shortage of food at home and no shortage of warmth in winter. How would they know Liu Bei's contribution?
Not to mention the last one, Guo Jia, who has always played the role of executor. Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi competed and built a total of eight official schools, but Guo Jia built 57 official mansions alone.
The emperor didn't have any fear of their alliance. Instead, he issued an edict, allowing the four of them to do it freely. The four of them were very happy. Liu Bei went directly to Youzhou to start detection and thinking about manpower. Cao Cao Going to Yangzhou to meet Jushou, Yuan Shao began to mobilize prefects and county magistrates from all over the country to prepare for the canal. As for Guo Jia, he began to formulate construction plans. He is always very good at such things.

Sitting in Houde Hall, Liu Xi couldn't help but smile wryly as he looked at the memorial table full of copybooks.

He has countless ambitions in his heart, he wants to lead the chariot of a big man, rolling forward, crushing all enemies, incomparable, but now he finds that he is not the horse leading the carriage, he is the groom, There are countless horses in front of the carriage, and he does not need to pull the big man himself. All he has to do is hold the reins, control the carriage to gallop in the right direction, choose the best horse, and lead the carriage , rushed to the forefront.

I will be a very good groom.

Liu Xi thought with a wry smile.

(End of this chapter)