Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 727 Another Three Thousand
However, just as Dong Zhuo was planning to break out, the feint attack by the allied forces became more and more fierce, and the defenders of Chang'an gradually became unable to hold on. Seeing this, Dong Zhuo became anxious and finally decided to take the risk and break out from Bingzhou.

When Dong Zhuo led his army out of Chang'an and fled towards Bingzhou, Jia Changsheng and Zhao Yun had been waiting for a long time at the ambush site. Seeing Dong Zhuo's army entering the valley, Jia Changsheng gave an order: "Shoot!" Immediately, thousands of arrows were fired from both sides of the valley, shooting at Dong Zhuo's army like raindrops.

Dong Zhuo was horrified and hurriedly commanded his troops to resist. However, they were already trapped in an ambush and attacked from both sides, and suddenly they were in chaos. Just as Dong Zhuo was panicking, Gongsun Zan's Youzhou cavalry rushed out from the flank and, together with Jia Changsheng's ambush troops, surrounded Dong Zhuo's army.

Dong Zhuo fought hard and tried to fight his way out, but the coalition's offensive was as fierce as the tide and he gradually became unable to resist. At this time, other princes also learned that Dong Zhuo had fallen into a trap and rushed to support him.

Under the fierce attack of the coalition forces, Dong Zhuo's army suffered heavy casualties. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Dong Zhuo looked up to the sky and sighed: "My life is over!" In the end, Dong Zhuo was beheaded in the chaos and his head was chopped off by the soldiers under Gongsun Zan's command.

With Dong Zhuo killed, his troops surrendered one after another. The various princes won a great victory, and Chang'an City was occupied by the coalition forces. This battle against Dong Zhuo ended with the victory of the princes' coalition forces, and the situation in the world changed dramatically. Jia Changsheng and his Jingzhou army performed well in this battle, made great contributions to the victory of the coalition forces, and also won higher prestige among the princes.

Under the fierce siege of the allied forces, Chang'an City fell into chaos. Seeing that Dong Zhuo's luck was over, Lü Bu secretly made plans in his heart. He knew that if he continued to follow Dong Zhuo, they would be destroyed together. In order to protect himself, Lü Bu made up his mind and took advantage of Dong Zhuo's unpreparedness, holding the Fang Tian Hua Ji, and stabbed Dong Zhuo fiercely. Dong Zhuo was completely unprepared, and blood splattered everywhere, and a generation of heroes died.

After killing Dong Zhuo, Lü Bu knew that he could not stay here for long. He made a prompt decision, abandoned the emperor he supported, summoned the remaining 50,000 troops, took advantage of the chaos, broke through the siege, and fled far away. Lü Bu knew that although he had escaped temporarily, he had become the target of public criticism, and he had to find a new foothold as soon as possible to accumulate strength again.

Cao Cao saw that Lu Bu was escaping with the remaining troops, and he had no intention of chasing him. He was sharp-eyed and realized that it was a great opportunity to control the emperor. So Cao Cao led his men to quickly find the emperor and firmly control the emperor in the name of protection. Cao Cao knew that "holding the emperor hostage to command the princes" would bring him a huge political advantage in his future hegemony.

After resolving these issues, Cao Cao said to his men, "Now that Dong Zhuo is dead, Lu Bu has fled, and the emperor is in my hands, this is a godsend opportunity. Let's return to Yanzhou immediately and make good plans." All his men responded, so Cao Cao took the emperor and led the army to Yanzhou in a mighty manner.

At this time, other princes also learned that Dong Zhuo was killed, Lu Bu fled, and Cao Cao took the emperor away. Yuan Shao was very upset when he learned that Cao Cao had kidnapped the emperor, but he could do nothing about it. He sighed and said to his men: "Cao Cao is a smart guy. Well, although Cao Cao has the upper hand in this campaign against Dong Zhuo, I have a deep foundation in Jizhou, and I will compete with him in the future. Pass the order, the army returns to Jizhou." Yuan Shao knew that the most urgent task was to go back to consolidate his power and wait for the opportunity to compete with Cao Cao for the world.

After Sun Quan learned that Cao Cao had taken the emperor away, he said to Zhou Yu: "Gongjin, Cao Cao's move shows his ambition. However, our Jiangdong land is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and our army has also reaped a lot of rewards from this expedition against Dong Zhuo. Let's go back to Jiangdong first, train our troops, develop our strength, and wait and see how the situation in the world changes." Zhou Yu nodded in agreement, so Sun Quan led the Jiangdong army back to the court.

Gongsun Zan looked at the direction where Cao Cao left and snorted coldly: "Cao Cao's behavior is really shameful. However, my Youzhou cavalry is famous all over the world. Although I did not gain the advantage in the fight for the emperor this time, after I return, I will continue to expand the cavalry and strengthen the training. One day I will definitely compete with Cao Cao and other princes." After that, Gongsun Zan led the Youzhou army and set off on the journey back to Youzhou.

Liu Bei also learned of this series of events. He said to Zhuge Liang, "Kong Ming, Cao Cao is holding the emperor hostage and will become a great threat in the future. But my Yizhou has just been settled, and our foundation is not stable. It is not appropriate to confront Cao Cao head-on at this time. We should return to Yizhou first, recuperate, develop our strength, and wait for the opportunity." Zhuge Liang nodded in agreement, and Liu Bei led the Yizhou army back to Yizhou.

Jia Changsheng was also aware of the dynamics of all parties. He said to Xu Shu: "Although Cao Cao's move may gain temporary benefits, it will also make him the target of public criticism. Our Jingzhou is rich in resources and has a large population. After we return, we will continue to implement new policies, develop the economy, and train the army. No matter how the situation in the world changes, we must make Jingzhou a force that cannot be ignored." Xu Shu agreed, and Jia Changsheng led the Jingzhou army on their return journey.

Along the way, the various princes had their own concerns. After Cao Cao brought the emperor back to Yanzhou, he immediately settled the emperor and began to issue orders in the name of the emperor, recruit talents, and expand his power. Yuan Shao returned to Jizhou and stepped up the reorganization of the army and selected talents, preparing to compete with Cao Cao for world hegemony. Sun Quan returned to Jiangdong and vigorously developed the navy and consolidated the river defense. At the same time, he actively developed the economy and enhanced the comprehensive strength of Jiangdong. Gongsun Zan returned to Youzhou and increased investment in cavalry training and expanded the scale of cavalry, intending to occupy a place in the troubled times with powerful cavalry. Liu Bei returned to Yizhou and, with the assistance of Zhuge Liang, implemented a series of policies for recuperation, appeased the people, developed agriculture, and stabilized the situation in Yizhou. Jia Changsheng returned to Jingzhou and continued to improve various governance measures, encourage farmers and merchants, strengthen military training, and enhance the overall strength of Jingzhou.

The situation in the world has changed dramatically due to the death of Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao's holding the emperor hostage. The princes are preparing for the future hegemony, and a more intense competition is about to begin. In this turbulent world, each prince is trying to find his own way to survive and dominate. The wheel of history rolls forward, heading towards an unknown and variable future.

Jia Changsheng led the Jingzhou army back in triumph, and the people of Jingzhou lined the streets to welcome him, with cheers resounding through the sky. Back at the Jingzhou mansion, everyone was still immersed in the joy of victory. However, the counselor Chen Gui had doubts in his heart. After everyone had a short rest, he came to Jia Changsheng's study and asked, "My lord, during this campaign against Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao took the opportunity to hold the emperor hostage to control the princes, and gained a great political advantage. And our army is also strong, why didn't we participate in the fight for the emperor?"

Jia Changsheng smiled slightly, motioned Chen Gui to sit down, and said: "Han Yu, you asked a good question. In fact, under the circumstances at that time, it was not a wise move to fight for the emperor. On the surface, holding the emperor hostage can take the initiative in politics and command the princes, but there are many hidden disadvantages."

Chen Gui frowned slightly, thought for a moment and said, "My lord, I would like to hear the details. The emperor is the common ruler of the world. If you hold the emperor in your hands, you will have the name of orthodoxy, and you can use it to recruit talents and conquer the four directions with justification. Why do you think this is not a wise move?" Jia Changsheng stood up, paced slowly, and said, "Han Yu, you only saw one thing, not the other. Now that the Han Dynasty is declining, the emperor has no real power. Cao Cao holds the emperor hostage, which seems to be unlimited, but in fact puts himself at the forefront. Other princes, such as Yuan Shao, Sun Quan, Gongsun Zan, etc., will not be willing to be controlled by Cao Cao's orders issued in the name of the emperor? This will inevitably cause dissatisfaction and vigilance among the princes. Cao Cao will become the target of public criticism and fall into conflicts among all parties."

Chen Gui nodded thoughtfully and said, "My Lord, you are right. Although Cao Cao's move has political advantages, it has also aroused the hostility of other princes. But even so, having the emperor is still very attractive in recruiting talents."

Jia Changsheng sat back in his seat and said, "Yes, holding the emperor hostage does have certain advantages in recruiting talents. But we in Jingzhou can also attract talents from all over the world with our own development strategies and good governance. We are based on benevolence, promote new policies, develop agriculture and commerce, and let the people of Jingzhou live and work in peace and contentment. Such governance concepts and actual results are also attractive to those with lofty ideals. Moreover, the talents we recruit are those who truly recognize our philosophy and are willing to work hard for the development of Jingzhou and the welfare of the people of the world, rather than just coming for the title of emperor."

Chen Gui pondered for a moment and asked again: "My Lord, although that is true, with the emperor here, we can always act with more confidence. If we encounter disputes with other princes, we can take the moral high ground with the emperor's edict as our basis."

Jia Changsheng shook his head and said, "Han Yu, the moral high ground does not rely solely on the emperor's edict. We are fighting against Dong Zhuo to eliminate harm for the world, which is a just act in itself. This is the real morality. In troubled times, strength is the foundation. If you are not strong enough, what can you do even if you have the emperor's edict? On the contrary, because of the emperor's existence, you will be restricted in making decisions. Although Cao Cao is holding the emperor hostage, he must take into account the emperor's identity and the reactions of the princes of all parties when he acts, and it is difficult for him to let go. We in Jingzhou do not have this constraint, so we can formulate strategies more flexibly and make decisions based on the actual situation."

Chen Gui suddenly realized and said, "My Lord is very far-sighted. I really didn't see through it before. In this case, not competing for the emperor will be more beneficial to the development of our Jingzhou."

Jia Changsheng smiled and said, "That's right. If we want Jingzhou to rise in troubled times, the key lies in improving our own strength. We must continue to develop the economy, make the people prosperous, and accumulate a strong material foundation; strengthen military training, build an elite army to ensure the safety of Jingzhou; recruit talents and let knowledgeable people make suggestions for the development of Jingzhou. When our own strength is strong enough, the situation in the world will naturally develop in a direction that is beneficial to us, and there is no need to use the name of the emperor to show ourselves."

At this time, Xu Shu happened to walk into the study room. Hearing Jia Changsheng's words, he bowed and said, "My Lord, what you said coincides with what I think. Although Cao Cao holds the emperor hostage, he also faces many challenges. We in Jingzhou should seize this opportunity and focus on development. When we are strong, it is still unknown who will win the world."

Jia Changsheng nodded and said, "Yuanzhi, you came just in time. We were discussing this matter. Next, we will continue to promote various development plans. Yuanzhi, you will be responsible for coordinating the recruitment of talents, and absorb talents from all sides without sticking to one pattern. Hanyu, you will assist other officials to further develop the agricultural and commercial economy of Jingzhou and ensure that the people's lives are getting better and better."

Chen Gui and Xu Shu responded in unison: "We will obey the Lord's orders!"

After that, Jia Changsheng continued to implement a series of development measures in Jingzhou. In terms of economy, he built water conservancy projects, reclaimed wasteland, and promoted advanced agricultural technology, which greatly increased the grain output in Jingzhou. He encouraged the development of commerce, set up markets, reduced commercial taxes, and attracted merchants from all over the country. Jingzhou's business was increasingly prosperous. In terms of military, generals such as Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun stepped up the training of soldiers, improved weapons and equipment, and enhanced the combat effectiveness of the Jingzhou army. In terms of talents, Xu Shu issued notices and sent people to search for talents everywhere. For a time, Jingzhou gathered many knowledgeable people, injecting new vitality into the development of Jingzhou.

As time went by, under Jia Changsheng's governance, Jingzhou became more prosperous and stronger. After Cao Cao held the emperor hostage, although he expanded some power in the early stage with the help of the emperor's name, as Jia Changsheng expected, he triggered a joint boycott by other princes and fell into open and secret struggles with all parties. The situation in the world became more complicated in the competition among various forces, and Jia Changsheng was leading Jingzhou steadily forward, gradually emerging in this chaotic world and moving towards the peak of hegemony.

After Lü Bu killed Dong Zhuo and fled Chang'an with 50,000 remaining troops, he headed north, thinking about finding a new place to stand. He knew that Bingzhou was his hometown, where the terrain was dangerous and the people were brave and martial. If he could occupy Bingzhou, he could recuperate, accumulate strength, and then make great achievements.

Along the way, Lü Bu disciplined his troops very strictly and prohibited his soldiers from harassing the people. He knew that in this chaotic world, the support of the people was crucial. Although the troops had just experienced a great defeat, Lü Bu relied on his prestige and leadership to stabilize the morale of the troops. Although the soldiers were exhausted, they still maintained a certain fighting capacity under Lü Bu's encouragement.

After many days of marching, Lü Bu's army finally entered Bingzhou. Ding Yuan, the governor of Bingzhou, had an old relationship with Lü Bu, but by then Ding Yuan had died, leaving Bingzhou leaderless, with each county acting on its own, and the situation in chaos. Lü Bu saw this opportunity and decided to start with some counties in the southern part of Bingzhou.

Lü Bu led his army to Yanmen County. Han Rong, the prefect of Yanmen County, was shocked when he heard that Lü Bu was coming. He knew that Lü Bu was extremely brave and that his army, although defeated, was still strong. Han Rong hurriedly summoned officials in the county to discuss countermeasures.

(End of this chapter)