Yuan Tan was on guard in the plains, but he was not in Yecheng after all.

In various parts of Hebei, government decrees are mainly issued from Yecheng.

At this time in Yecheng, Mrs. Liu accompanied Yuan Shang and was discussing with the staff and generals how to deal with it next.

The trial who returned from the North Sea told everything that happened in the North Sea.

Mrs. Liu said to everyone with a solemn face: "Xiansi asked Guo Gong to go to Beihai, and his purpose is self-evident, it must be to see Yuan Gong. Now that Guo Gongze and Gong Zhen have not seen Yuan Gong, and they don't know what Yuan Gong wants, what do you think should be done? ”

"Madame!" A general sitting there said: "Since Yuan Gong is not here, Yecheng is in the hands of the third prince, and Yuan Gong also had the intention of entrusting Hebei to the third prince earlier. Since you can't see Yuan Gong, it's better to let the third prince take advantage of the situation to take Hebei. ”

Mrs. Liu did not respond immediately, but looked at the trial and asked, "What does the judge think?" ”

"I think it's doable." The judge said: "The eldest son also covets the heart of Hebei, if the third prince is late, the situation in Hebei will be more complicated." ”

"The judge also thinks that Xianfu should lead Hebei first, and then make a plot?" Mrs. Liu still asked with some hesitation: "What if Xiansi refuses to agree?" ”

"It's simple." The judge said: "Cao Zirong obviously refuses to let us see Yuan Gong, even if the eldest son really sends someone to Shouchun, he should not be able to see him." We sent someone to Shouchun, whether we saw Yuan Gong or not, they said that they had seen it, and issued a military order for Yuan Gong. The third prince led Hebei, and if the eldest son got in the way, it would be disobeying Yuan Gong's orders. The crusade against the eldest son is also famous. ”

Looking at Yuan Shang, Mrs. Liu asked, "What does Xianfu think?" ”

"I think it's feasible." Yuan Shang said: "Cao Zirong and I are closer to the eldest brother after all, I sent someone to Shouchun, stay for two days and leave, the news reaches the eldest brother, he must think that the person I sent has seen his father." As soon as the people return to Yecheng, I will immediately receive Hebei, and the eldest brother should not say anything more. ”

"That being said, you still have to beware of Xiansi." Mrs. Liu said: "After all, he is the son of the Yuan family, and he is more qualified to inherit the Yuan family than you." ”

"Mother, don't worry, I'm measured." Yuan Shang responded, and then said to the judge: "Please also ask the judge to arrange for people to go as soon as possible." ”

"Don't worry, Childe, I will definitely arrange competent people." The judge got up and responded.

Cao Shuo led the army back to Shouchun.

Coming to the city gate, Cao Shuo found that Chen Gong and Shouchun officials were already waiting outside the city gate.

"It's better to go back to Shouchun." Grinning at Tian Feng, Cao Shuo said: "It's better to be out and about than to come home." ”

"Home?" Tian Feng asked with a smile: "The world is so big, where is the son's home?" ”

Cao Shuo asked rhetorically: "Could it be that Yuan Hao thinks I'm a homeless person?" ”

"The child's heart is in the world, and his ambition is in the community." Tian Feng said: "The world is the son's home, and the society is the son's home." An ordinary person's home is just a temporary house for the child. Shouchun is not the son's home, the world is! ”

After staring at Tian Feng for a while, Cao Shuo smiled and said, "What Yuan Hao said is that my vision is too narrow, I only see Shouchun, and I don't see more." ”

"It's not that Childe hasn't seen more." Tian Feng said: "It's just that Gongzi doesn't want to see more now." ”

Cao Shuo didn't say anything more.

He just smiled slightly, and led the army in the direction of the city gate.

Chen Gong waited outside the city with a group of officials.

Cao Shuo approached, and everyone greeted him.

Chen Gong saluted and said, "Congratulations on the triumphant return of Gongzi." ”

"A victory is a victory." Cao Shuo said: "It's just that we didn't win all, we only got half of Qingzhou in this battle, and the east of Beihai is still under Yuan Tan's control." ”

"Qingzhou is close to the sea, and it has always been mainly sold for sea salt and other seafood." Chen Gong said: "Gongzi has won half of Qingzhou, and it is still the half of Linhai, and what remains in Yuan Tan's hands is no longer so important. Sooner or later, one day, Gongzi will send troops again, and he will definitely be able to capture the entire Qingzhou. ”

"Now in my hands, except for Xuzhou, the rest is just a few counties." While talking to Chen Gong, Cao Shuo had already entered the city gate, and he said to Chen Gong: "What I want most now is to have a few complete territories as soon as possible, and I can better contribute to the Cao family in the future." ”

"It's been a few months since I set out at the beginning of the year, and Shouchun is still stable?" After entering the city, Cao Shuo asked Chen Gong again.

"Shouchun is in the middle of Gongzi's territory, and the north and south are far away from other forces." Chen Gong said: "If the enemy army can reach here, I'm afraid it will be too late for Gongzi to return to help." ”

"Makes sense." Cao Shuo first responded, and then asked Chen Gong: "Has there been any news from Lujiang, and has Liu Xuande made any recent moves?" ”

"Since Pang Shiyuan went to Lujiang, he has been monitoring Liu Xuande all the time." Chen Gong replied: "He also often asks people to send some news to Shouchun, and coordinates with the defense of various places to prevent Liu Xuande from coveting the territory of the son." ”

"Liu Xuande doesn't die, sooner or later it will be a heart disease." Speaking of Liu Bei, Cao Shuo frowned slightly, and then asked: "Could it be that Liu Xuande has never made any moves recently?" ”

"Nope." Chen Gong replied: "He is just recruiting troops to expand his military strength, according to the report of Huo Wu lurking in Jingzhou, his every move is monitored by the Jingzhou Kuai family and the Cai family, although Liu Jingsheng gave him some power, but the progress of recruiting soldiers and horses is very slow. ”

"In other words, in the short term, Liu Xuande doesn't have enough strength to think of the Cao family's soldiers?" Cao Shuo asked.

"Exactly." Chen Gong asked, "Gongzi suddenly asked him, is it ......?"

Grinning at Chen Gong, Cao Shuo said: "On the way back to Shouchun, I was thinking, the north has not yet been calmed, should I stab the south first, let Jingzhou Liu Biao stop from now on, don't always think about making trouble for our Cao family." ”

"Childe plans to send troops to Jingzhou?" Chen Gong asked.

"I'm not busy sending troops for the time being." Cao Shuo said: "After the battle of Cangting, although the vitality of the Yuan family in Hebei was seriously injured again, it has not shaken its roots. If I make a big move in the south at this time, if the Yuan brothers come back and work together with each other, it will not be so easy to deal with Hebei in the future. Before all matters in the north are resolved, as long as the south knocks on the mountain and shakes the tiger and beats Liu Xuande and Liu Jingsheng, they will not dare to make trouble with our Cao family again. ”

"What about the Jiangdong Sun family?" Chen Gong asked.

"The Sun family hasn't wiped off their butt yet." Cao Shuo smiled: "Let them toss first, and when they solve the internal worries, we have also solved the affairs in the north." ”

(End of chapter)