activa-t Chapter 289 Liu Bei, Governor of Xuzhou
Chapter 289 Liu Bei, Governor of Xuzhou
Chapter 289 Liu Bei, Governor of Xuzhou
Everyone looked at Liu Bian's strange expression and couldn't help but look at each other.
The Majesty in front of him didn't seem to be furious, but more amused?
Liu Bian indeed found it interesting.
History always repeats itself in a surprising way. Yuan Shu was capable of doing anything when he got excited.
Even though the Han Dynasty declined and almost everyone believed that "the Han Dynasty would end", the Han Dynasty was still "what the people wanted". The "Han Dynasty" in the hearts of the aristocratic families was deeply rooted and had not completely collapsed.
At this time, anyone who jumps out to claim to be emperor will definitely be the target of public criticism!
Amid the strange looks of the crowd, Liu Bian couldn't help but laugh. He looked at the people in front of him and said, "You tell me, Yuan Shu is the legitimate son of a noble family, how could he be so stupid?"
As he said this, he handed over the letter in his hand.
Lu Yu took it and handed it to Xun Yu who was in the front.
For the first time, a look of horror appeared on Xun Yu's calm face - he never expected that Yuan Shu would actually proclaim himself emperor!
Liu Bian held the teacup and said with a smile: "Send it to me like this, it won't be fake. Then show it to Sima Junqing's family."
To Lu Yu, Cao Cao was a special person.
Liu Bian looked at him curiously and asked, "What does Sima Qing's family mean?"
Xun Yu seemed to have lost his mind. His face was as firm as iron, his eyes were as sharp as swords. He said, "Your Majesty, Yuan Shu is a thief and must not be tolerated. Order the generals to mobilize the army to suppress him immediately. The court will mobilize all the money and food to supply the army!"
In particular, Dong Zhuo, Lu Bu and Yuan Shu were secretly connected. If Dong Zhuo could not be controlled, the destruction of Yuan Shu would definitely add variables.
Once Cao Cao was transferred away and the army went to Jiangdong, Dong Zhuo would be left without anyone to control him, and the consequences would be disastrous.
"I object."
He is a man of few words, does things very carefully, is always cautious and never oversteps the line.
The situation that had finally been stabilized was instantly dragged into chaos.
Liu Bian was about to drink tea when he heard this and snorted coldly, saying, "No need for that. Send an order to Cao Cao and Huang Zhong, order them to organize the troops, and grant them the power to make decisions on the spot. If Dong Zhuo makes any moves, send troops immediately!"
For a period of time before his death, Lu Zhi strongly supported Cao Cao and almost gave all his legacy to Cao Cao, hoping that Cao Cao would inherit his position in the future.
Zhong Yao said: "Sun Jian will be on the list of those to be conquered."
Xun Yu held the letter in his hand, his face sullen, and raised his hand, saying, "Your Majesty, I request that you issue an order to send troops immediately to destroy this villain!"
Liu Bian subconsciously picked up the teacup, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said, "There is another question."
Sima Jun's meaning was both subtle and direct, pointing out another hidden threat - Dong Zhuo.
"I second the motion." Sima Jun spoke without any hesitation, before Xun You finished speaking.
Zhong Yao understood very well that Liu Bian wanted to restrain the princes in the south and prevent them from taking advantage of the opportunity to become more powerful.
Among the Thirteen Prefectures of the Han Dynasty, Jiaozhi could be said to be the "poorest", because it was sparsely populated, far away from the central government, and far behind in strength in all aspects.
Zhong Yao, Xun You, Sima Jun and others looked surprised and suspicious, their eyes were all on Xun Yu's face.
Liu Bian looked at him, knew what he meant, and said, "Okay. The Shangshutai will make the decision, and Shi Xie will be the governor of Jiaozhou."
Xun Yu responded, "Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to strictly order Cao Cao not to move."
Liu Bian seemed to be thinking about something, his eyes hesitant.
Zhong Yao understood and raised his hand and said, "Your Majesty, I request your permission to personally go to Pei State."
The issue of the Yangzhou governor had been delayed for a long time, and Sun Jian had tried very hard to get it. To this end, he not only used military force against Lu Bu and Yuan Shu to gain great credit, but also sent his son Sun Ce to Luoyang. Wu Jing also secretly contacted and bribed ministers in order to get the Yangzhou governor position, but he never got Liu Bian's consent.
Not only Liu Bian, Xun Yu, Zhong Yao, Xun You and others were all frowning. Suppressing the rebellion was the most important thing. Why did Sima Jun oppose it?
Sima Jun had a blank expression on his face and spoke calmly. He ignored the gazes of Xun Yu and others, looked at Liu Bian, and said, "Your Majesty, Cao Cao should not be moved."
The court cannot be in chaos now!
But there seemed to be something hidden in Sima Jun's words?
Liu Bian was also thinking and soon realized a problem.
The impression that this new prime minister gives to the outside world can be summed up in two words: calm.
Liu Bian groaned, and couldn't help laughing, saying: "How come this was originally a good thing for the court, but it ended up being a situation where we are surrounded by enemies while the nobles were discussing it?"
After hearing this, Xun Yu and the other two felt relieved and couldn't help but look at each other.
Sima Jun, who had always remained silent, suddenly spoke.
"I obey your order." Lu Yu replied.
Can Liu Bei handle such a grand scene now?
Sima Jun seldom spoke, but when he did, his words always hit the mark.
Xun You was so shocked that he couldn't believe it. He looked up at Liu Bian and said, "Your Majesty, is this true?"
It's on the list, but it won't actually be there.
Xun You was still worried that Sun Jian was addicted to killing prefects. During the most chaotic years of the Han Dynasty, Sun Jian killed as many as seven or eight prefects and equivalent officials under various pretexts. The court had no way to deal with this and could only win them over. Although his ambition was not as obvious as Dong Zhuo's, it was just a pretense.
Throughout history, various princes basically grew stronger under the condition of "protecting the Han Dynasty", but later they became too powerful to be eliminated, and eventually the Three Kingdoms coexisted, ending the 400-year Han Dynasty.
'Besieged on all sides' is not a good word, it foreshadows the word 'destruction'!
Xun You paid attention to Liu Bian's expression. Seeing that he was indifferent, he felt a pang in his heart and quickly said, "Your Majesty, since the rebellion was suppressed, the idea of 'the end of the Han Dynasty' has been deeply rooted in people's hearts. It is only with your painstaking efforts and the assistance of our ministers that the court has been able to ease the situation. Don't take any risks!"
Xun Yu took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and handed the letter to Zhong Yao.
Zhong Yao analyzed it carefully again and again, but still couldn't understand it, so he couldn't help but ask: "What does your majesty mean?"
The imperial court can completely free up its hands and take the opportunity to destroy Yuan Shu first!
Sima Jun seemed to want to intimidate Dong Zhuo. Was he intentionally reminding him that Yuan Shu had now isolated himself, and Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu would never dare to form an alliance with him, let alone express their support and had to condemn him out loud?
Zhong Yu raised his hand without hesitation and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I recommend Grand Marshal Liu Yu to personally lead the troops to the battle and mobilize troops from all the southern states. Within a month, we will wipe out Yuan Shu and exterminate all the nine clans of the rebels!"
Who dares to lag behind in this kind of topic?
Liu Bian was satisfied with the expressions of the crowd, but he himself remained calm and did not show much anger. He said, "I have always said before that you should not think too highly of Yuan Shu. Although he comes from a noble family, he is narrow-minded, short-sighted, timid, suspicious of others' talents, and is not a man who can accomplish anything. Regarding Yuan Shu's claim to the throne, the court must have a clear and resolute attitude and a high tone, but in terms of specific tactics, there must be a clear understanding."
The fact that he suggested to Liu Bian to send troops without hesitation when the treasury of the Han Dynasty was empty could only mean that something big had happened!
Liu Bian smiled as he picked up the cup to drink tea. Seeing Xun Yu holding the letter, he said, "Show it to all the ministers."
Sima Jun spoke again at this time, saying: "Your Majesty, Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor and brought about his own destruction. You might as well order Liu Bei and Sun Jian to attack Lü Bu in Xuzhou first to frighten him."
If you say that Liu Bei was incompetent, it was because in history, at least before he asked Zhuge Liang to come out of seclusion, he had been running around all the time; if you say that he was capable, he had led troops, won battles, and made many contributions.
The most important thing for Cao Cao in Qiao County was actually to intimidate Dong Zhuo.
Zhong Yao reacted the fastest, and said in a deep voice: "This is too risky. If it fails, or if it is delayed, the court will not be able to support it. If the northern states rebel again, the court may be... surrounded by enemies."
Lu Zhi's funeral was almost entirely arranged by Cao Cao.
Liu Bian nodded, looked at Lu Yu, and said, "Lu Yu, you go there for me and tell him clearly that unless Dong Zhuo openly rebels, we can only give him a warning and not send troops."
Liu Bian agreed with Sima Jun's words and said, "Your words make sense. I will follow your advice and appoint Liu Bei as the governor of Xuzhou. Then tell Sun Jian that the governor of Yangzhou is vacant. Well, let's talk about it after we defeat Lu Bu."
"Liu Bei?"
He guessed that Yuan Shu must have done something big, but it was too outrageous, so outrageous that he couldn't believe it!
Yuan Shu actually proclaimed himself emperor!
Xun You and Sima Jun clearly understood that Yuan Shu must have done something unforgivable!
Liu Bian smiled without saying anything, and motioned Zhong Yao to continue circulating it.
Sima Jun bowed and said, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, with Yuan Shu in front of him, even if the imperial court destroyed Lu Bu, Dong Zhuo would not rebel, but would just sit back and wait for the outcome of the expedition against Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu's morale is high now, and once he becomes emperor, he will have unparalleled momentum. Dong Zhuo will not openly rebel at this time, otherwise he will become the enemy of the world! Yuan Shu is already the enemy of the world, and Dong Zhuo will never be second!"
In the past, whenever Liu Bian wanted to use troops, Xun Yu and others would use the excuse of lack of money and food, hoping that the court would reduce the number of troops and allow them to recuperate and recover as much as possible.
As for Yuan Shu, the imperial court can actually ignore him completely, as the various princes in the south will take the initiative to attack.
Cao Cao was too worrying for the imperial court, especially after he seized Qiao County, which led to a major change in the situation in the south. The court and the public were terrified about Cao Cao and impeached him, and the incident has not stopped to this day.
Xun Yu, Xun You and Zhong Yao couldn't help but change color, looking at Sima Jun without saying a word.
Sima Jun looked at the letter quietly without changing his old face.
Liu Bian looked at Sima Jun and nodded.
With the addition of Yuan Shao's troops from Jiujiang County advancing into Danyang, the city was surrounded on three sides.
To the east of Yangzhou is the sea, so Yuan Shu was trapped in a corner.
However, with Shi Xie attacking from the south and Liu Bei sending troops from Wujun, this was already a pincer attack from the north and the south.
Lu Yu regarded Cao Cao as his half brother, and Cao Cao was very grateful to the Lu family. He never forgot Lu Yu during festivals or other occasions.
"I accept the decree."
Xun Yu carefully analyzed the situation, and after the two men finished speaking, he raised his hand and said, "Your Majesty, I recommend Liu Bei as the governor of Xuzhou and Lu Bu as the prime minister of Pei State. I order Lu Bu to move to Pei State to defend it."
Perhaps because of this period of buffering, Sima Jun was not all surprised. After reading it carefully, he pondered and said, "Your Majesty, Yuan Shu's usurpation is intolerable. I'm afraid that without waiting for the imperial court to issue an order, many people in the south will take the initiative to raise troops to attack him."
Xun You hesitated to speak, feeling an indescribable strangeness in his heart, and slowly handed the letter to Sima Jun.
I always feel like something is not quite right.
Even if the Shi family owned the entire Jiaozhi, they would not have much strength.
"I accept the decree."
"I second the motion!" Xun You followed without hesitation.
Xun Yu meant that Zhang Wen was the nominal commander, while Yuan Shao and Cao Cao would check and balance each other to ensure that the rebellion was quelled smoothly and that no one could dominate.
Sima Jun's meaning was very simple. Taking the initiative to launch an attack might not be out of loyalty to the Han Dynasty, but it might also be an opportunity to expand strength and seize territory.
Xun Yu bowed, and then said, "Your Majesty, would you like to ask the Grand Marshal to discuss this with you?"
Xun You and others suddenly came to their senses and seemed to be trapped in Sima Jun's words.
"His Majesty!"
This is a bottom line that cannot be crossed!
Liu Bian glanced at the others and asked, "What do you think?"
Even now, Liu Bian has already refused to give it to him.
Xun Yu didn't know Liu Bei very well, so he said, "Your Majesty, I think the change of Jiaozhi to Jiaozhou can be implemented now."
This "risk" is too costly and the consequences are too serious!
Liu Bian thought about it, shook his head and said, "I will personally ask the Grand Marshal to take charge of this matter. The Shangshutai will do two things next. One is to ensure the logistics of the army, and the other is summer grain!"
The three of them began to ponder over his words.
Are they worrying too much?
If Liu Bei and Sun Jian attacked Xuzhou from both sides, it would certainly alarm Dong Zhuo. But once Dong Zhuo felt dangerous, he would definitely fight back. At that time, the imperial court would have to go to war on two fronts.
After Xun You finished reading it, his hands were shaking and he was so shocked that he couldn't speak.
Compared to Cao Cao, who was a lifelong minister of the Han Dynasty but was only half a step away from usurping the throne, Xun Yu was the real lifelong minister of the Han Dynasty.
His reaction to Yuan Shu's declaration of emperorship could be summed up in four words - absolutely incompatible!
Zhong Yao took the letter from Xun Yu and kept observing his expression. Seeing that his expression did not ease at all, but rather became gloomy, he took it silently and just glanced at it. He almost subconsciously raised his hand and shouted, "Your Majesty, this traitor should be cut into pieces. I request that you send troops to wipe out the traitor Yuan!"
Xun Yu understood it instantly, and after a moment's hesitation, he said, "I agree. Anyone who dares to act recklessly can be punished for 'plotting something unlawful'. I recommend that former Grand Marshal Zhang Wen be the commander, and Yuan Shao and Cao Cao be the two generals as deputies. Send out 100,000 troops to fight against the rebels."
Liu Bian sat up straighter, his expression became serious, and he said, "My meaning is that you can order the troops to go to war, but you cannot actually call up the troops from the southern states. You must strictly order them not to move."
Liu Bian raised his eyebrows, then nodded slightly, his face thoughtful.
Liu Bian frowned, somewhat surprised, but not too surprised.
"Liu Bei."
Zhong Yao was furious, and his usually serious face was rarely filled with murderous intent.
In the silence, Zhong Yao said with a serious expression: "Your Majesty, Liu Bei of Langya County can replace Cao Cao. Go through Guangling County, pass through Wu County, and go straight to Danyang and Kuaiji!"
But now, Yuan Shu was plotting treason, and Xun Yu really couldn't tolerate it anymore.
"We obey your command!" Xun Yu and others raised their hands in response.
Xun You hesitated a little and asked, "Then Sun Jian, can you let him go?"
After hearing this, Xun You, Zhong Yao and others secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Yuan Shu's declaration of himself as emperor was an intolerable treason. This time, the imperial court would destroy Yuan Shu no matter what.
If Cao Cao acts recklessly at this time and causes chaos, the consequences will be unimaginable!