Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 717: A Future Together
As they were discussing, a strong wind suddenly blew, and dust flew all over the sky. It seemed that even the heaven and earth were angry at Dong Zhuo's evil deeds. Yuan Shao looked at the dust and said loudly: "This is the wrath of heaven and the resentment of man! Dong Zhuo will be punished for his evil deeds! We must follow the will of heaven, enforce justice on his behalf, and eradicate this traitor!"

Cao Cao clenched his sword and said with a firm look, "Yes! We will lead an army of justice to defeat the rebels. We will surely be unstoppable. However, before we start the war, we still need to solve a few key problems."

Everyone turned their eyes to Cao Cao, waiting for him to continue. Cao Cao looked around at everyone and said slowly, "First, food and supplies are the foundation of marching and fighting. We need to prepare sufficient food and supplies in advance to ensure that the army can move without worries. Second, the coordination between the various armies is crucial. We need to formulate a unified strategy and tactics to avoid fighting alone. Third, we also need to win more support, including loyal and righteous people in the court and aristocratic families from all over the country."

Sun Quan nodded and said, "Meng De is right. Jiangdong can still make some preparations for food and grass. As for joint operations, we can first send envoys to communicate with each other and formulate a detailed battle plan. And to win over the loyal and righteous people in the court, perhaps we can make long-term plans and contact secretly."

Yuan Shao said: "Jizhou has sufficient food and grass, and can take on part of the food and grass supply. As for the aristocratic families, my Yuan family has three dukes in four generations, and has a certain influence in the court and various places. I can write letters to contact them and win their support."

Gongsun Zan said: "Although Youzhou is located in a remote area, we will do our best to prepare food and grass. As for the battle plan, we can discuss it together and make sure it is foolproof."

Ma Chao said: "Although the land of Xiliang is barren, I will do my best to prepare food and grass for the purpose of defeating Dong Zhuo. As for the joint battle, my Xiliang cavalry will obey your command and march forward bravely."

Liu Bei's messenger said: "I will inform my master of the results of your discussion as soon as possible. I believe my master will give his full support and work together to make plans for the defeat of Dong Zhuo."

At this time, the dark clouds in the sky gradually dissipated, and the sun shone on everyone again, as if foreshadowing everyone's determination to fight against Dong Zhuo, just like the sun breaking through the dark clouds, unstoppable.

Yuan Shao looked at the crowd and said with great passion: "Today, we swear an oath here to work together to defeat Dong Zhuo, the traitor. Anyone who breaks the oath will be punished by heaven and earth!" Everyone responded and shouted in unison: "Defeat Dong Zhuo and return the Han Dynasty to us!"

Cao Cao looked at the excited expressions of the crowd and thought to himself that although the crusade against Dong Zhuo was a just act, the various princes had different intentions and it was still unknown whether they could truly unite. However, no matter what, Dong Zhuo must be eliminated, which was the righteousness of the world.

Sun Quan was thinking in his mind that Jiangdong's participation in this crusade should not only demonstrate its strength and expand its influence, but also avoid excessive losses and ensure that Jiangdong's foundation is stable.

Gongsun Zan was eager to show off his prowess on the battlefield and make his Youzhou cavalry famous throughout the world. He also hoped to improve his status among the princes through this campaign.

Ma Chao's mind is filled with revenge for the people of Xiliang, and he will do anything to get a chance to fight Dong Zhuo.

Liu Bei's envoy wanted to bring the news back as soon as possible so that Liu Bei could participate in it as soon as possible and take an important step towards restoring the Han Dynasty.

After everyone finished discussing, they prepared to return. Yuan Shao said to everyone: "Everyone, prepare as soon as possible after you go back. When the time is right, we will raise an army to attack Dong Zhuo. May we succeed soon and bring peace and prosperity to the world!" Everyone said goodbye to each other and set off on their journey home. A storm to attack Dong Zhuo was quietly brewing in this chaotic world.

On the way back, Cao Cao was accompanied by his adviser Guo Jia. Guo Jia looked at Cao Cao and said with a smile: "My lord, although this campaign against Dong Zhuo is full of difficulties, it is also a good opportunity for you to make a name for yourself and expand your power. However, the princes have different ideas, so we need to be careful in dealing with them."

Cao Cao nodded slightly and said, "Feng Xiao is right. Although Yuan Shao comes from a famous family and has high prestige, he is indecisive; Sun Quan is young and promising, but his foundation is still shallow; Gongsun Zan and Ma Chao are brave but lack wisdom. As for Liu Bei, although he has the ambition to restore the Han Dynasty, his current strength is relatively weak. In this alliance, we must rely on the strength of all parties, but also beware of them doing something bad to us."

Guo Jia smiled and said, "My lord, rest assured. With your wisdom, you will surely stand out in this chaotic world. This time, we can observe the movements of all parties to attack Dong Zhuo, and then take action when the time is right."

Cao Cao looked into the distance, his eyes revealing determination and confidence: "Yes, Dong Zhuo must be eliminated. But in the end, the world still depends on strength. After we return, we must intensify the training of the army, expand our strength, and prepare for future hegemony."

Meanwhile, on his way back, Sun Quan discussed the campaign against Dong Zhuo with Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu said, "My Lord, participating in the campaign against Dong Zhuo is both an opportunity and a challenge for Jiangdong. We must occupy a favorable position in the alliance while avoiding damage to Jiangdong's strength."

Sun Quan nodded and said, "What Gongjin said is exactly what I was thinking. We must actively prepare food and fodder, prepare for war, and pay close attention to the dynamics of all parties. If there is an opportunity in the alliance, we must act decisively to expand Jiangdong's influence."

Zhou Yu smiled and said, "My lord, rest assured. I will do my best to assist you. For this campaign against Dong Zhuo, we can first maintain good relations with Cao Cao, Yuan Shao and other forces to fight against Dong Zhuo together. After Dong Zhuo is defeated, we can make long-term plans."

After Gongsun Zan returned to Youzhou, he immediately summoned the generals and said excitedly: "We are about to join forces with various princes to attack Dong Zhuo. This is a good opportunity for my Youzhou cavalry to make a name for themselves. Everyone, after you go back, intensify the training of the soldiers, prepare food and supplies, and be ready to be deployed at any time!" The generals took orders one after another and their morale was high.

When Ma Chao returned to Xiliang, he looked at the devastated land and his hatred grew stronger. He said to his subordinates: "Dong Zhuo has made the people of Xiliang so miserable. We must fight bravely in the war against him and avenge the people!" His subordinates were excited and expressed their willingness to follow Ma Chao and fight Dong Zhuo to the death.

Liu Bei's messenger rode back to Liu Bei's army at full speed. He told Liu Bei in detail about the people outside Luoyang City discussing the attack on Dong Zhuo. After listening, Liu Bei pondered for a moment and said, "Dong Zhuo is a traitor to the country and everyone has the right to kill him. But we have not yet completed the attack on Yizhou, so we cannot send troops immediately. You should quickly reply to the princes and tell them that although I, Liu Bei, cannot participate in the war immediately, I will fully support you in the rear, and I will lead the army to come after Yizhou is pacified." The messenger took the order and left. Liu Bei looked into the distance and swore in his heart, "Dong Zhuo, you have done many evil things and you will be punished as you deserve. I, Liu Bei, will definitely contribute to the revival of the Han Dynasty and the people of the world!"

As the tide of attacking Dong Zhuo is about to rise, all the princes are preparing for the upcoming war. They have different purposes, but they are temporarily united by the common goal of attacking Dong Zhuo. However, in this chaotic world, the interests of all parties are complicated and the future of the alliance is full of variables. But in any case, Dong Zhuo's evil deeds have aroused public outrage, and a contest between justice and evil is about to begin.

After Cao Cao returned from Luoyang City, where he had discussed the matter of attacking Dong Zhuo, he immediately summoned his advisers and generals to his tent. The tent was brightly lit with candles, and everyone had different expressions, some in deep thought, some expectant, all waiting for Cao Cao to speak.

Cao Cao was dressed in a black brocade robe, with an upright posture. He looked at everyone with a sharp gaze and spoke first: "This trip to Luoyang, meeting with various princes, has been fruitful. I believe that you have also heard about Jia Changsheng's method of governing Jingzhou. You may as well speak freely and discuss how to apply its benefits to our Yanzhou and Yuzhou territories to make them better."

Guo Jia, Cao Cao's most trusted strategist, waved his feather fan and spoke first: "My lord, Jia Changsheng puts the people's safety first. He opened the granaries to release grain, which stabilizes the people's hearts. This is the foundation. Our Yanzhou and Yuzhou have been baptized by war and the people are displaced. The top priority is to comfort the people. You can set up porridge stalls in various counties to provide relief to the victims, distribute seeds and farm tools, and encourage the people to return to the farmland and resume production. In this way, the people's hearts can be stabilized and the foundation can be consolidated."

Xun Yu nodded slightly and added: "What Fengxiao said is very true. In addition, Jia Changsheng attaches great importance to agriculture and sends experts to guide the people in farming. We can also follow suit. We can select people who are familiar with farming in the territory, form agricultural technical teams, and go to various places to teach advanced planting methods. At the same time, it is also very important to build water conservancy projects. Yuzhou and Yanzhou are flat and floods occur from time to time. Repairing rivers and building dams can not only ensure farmland irrigation, but also prevent floods."

Cheng Yu stroked his beard and said, "My Lord, the prosperity of Jingzhou's commerce is due to Jia Changsheng's reduction of commercial taxes and organization of trade fairs. Our territory is located in the Central Plains, with convenient transportation. If we reduce commercial taxes, attract merchants from all over the world, and hold large-scale trade fairs regularly, we will surely promote the circulation of materials and prosper the economy. However, we need to strengthen market management and ensure fair transactions, so that business can prosper in the long run."

Cao Cao nodded slightly after hearing this and said, "What you said hits the nail on the head. Agriculture and commerce are the foundation of the territory's development. However, we cannot ignore the issue of education. Jia Changsheng established schools and cultivated talents. This is a far-sighted vision that is worth learning from."

Xun You thought for a moment and said, "My Lord, I think we can set up schools in all counties of Yanzhou and Yuzhou. We should not only teach Confucian classics, but also practical subjects such as arithmetic, military tactics, and engineering. We should select people with both moral integrity and talent as teachers, reward those who have achieved academic success, and recruit them according to their abilities to enrich our army and local governance teams. In this way, we can not only cultivate talents for the territory, but also encourage the children of the people to study and make progress."

Man Chong said, "My lord, in addition to cultivating talents, the system for selecting talents also needs to be improved. Jia Changsheng has established a relatively fair selection system. We can learn from it and recruit talents regardless of their background. Post notices in various places to recruit talents. No matter their social status, as long as they have real talents and knowledge, they can come to apply. At the same time, set up a strict assessment mechanism to ensure that the selected talents are worthy of the name."

Cao Cao said with a firm look, "Yes, talents are the foundation of a prosperous country. We must not only cultivate talents, but also be good at discovering and employing talents. Moreover, in terms of military affairs, Jia Changsheng's Jingzhou city defense is strong, the military equipment is sufficient, and the training is well-trained. We should also do something."

Xiahou Dun stood up and clasped his fists, saying, "My Lord, I think we can increase investment in weapon manufacturing, recruit skilled craftsmen, and develop new weapons. At the same time, we should optimize the training methods of soldiers, increase actual combat drills, and improve the combat capabilities of soldiers. In addition, we must not slack off in the construction of city defenses, strengthen the city walls, improve the fortifications, and ensure the safety of the territory."

Xiahou Yuan then said: "Brother, what you said is very true. In addition, intelligence gathering is also very important. We can follow Jia Changsheng's example and establish a complete intelligence network to keep abreast of the dynamics of surrounding forces in order to respond to various emergencies."

Cao Cao nodded in approval. "Yuan Rang and Miao Cai are right. Military strength is the foundation of our existence and must be continuously strengthened. As for the administrative system, what are your opinions on this?"

Guo Jia pondered for a moment and said, "My Lord, Jia Changsheng established a sound administrative system, divided regions, clarified responsibilities, and made governance efficient and orderly. We can further refine the county administration and set up special agencies to be responsible for different affairs, such as people's livelihood, economy, and military. At the same time, we should strengthen supervision over officials, conduct regular assessments, and severely punish those who are corrupt and inactive. Only in this way can we ensure that policies are effectively implemented and the people can live and work in peace and contentment."

Jia Xu nodded slightly and said, "What Guo Fengxiao said makes sense. But in the process of implementation, we must pay attention to gradual progress and not rush it. The situation in each county is different, so we should take local conditions into consideration and formulate administrative measures suitable for the local area."

Cao Cao looked at him with deep eyes, and said, "Wenhe is right. Any measures should be based on the actual situation and should not be blindly copied. This trip to Luoyang has made me realize that if I want to achieve great things, I must improve the strength of the territory in all aspects. Everyone, we have a heavy responsibility on our shoulders and must not slack off."

Everyone responded in unison: "We are willing to serve our lord at our whim!"

Cao Cao continued, "Then we will implement each measure one by one. Fengxiao, you will be responsible for coordinating education reform and talent selection, and you must formulate a detailed and feasible plan. Xun Yu, agriculture and water conservancy construction will be handed over to you. You must restore agricultural production in the territory as soon as possible to ensure that the people have enough food and clothing. Cheng Yu, you will be in charge of commercial development and make the economy of Yanzhou and Yuzhou prosperous."

Guo Jia, Xun Yu and Cheng Yu all accepted the order.

Cao Cao then looked at Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan and said, "Yuan Rang, Miao Cai, in terms of military affairs, you two must work closely together to strengthen armaments, improve the combat effectiveness of soldiers, and ensure the safety of the territory. Man Chong, you will be responsible for the improvement of the administrative system and the supervision of officials. Make sure to build a team of honest, efficient and pragmatic officials."

Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, and Man Chong responded in unison: "We will obey the Lord's orders!"

(End of this chapter)