Under Pingtao City, Xiahou Yuan, who was wearing armor, led his subordinates at the gate of the city, quietly waiting for Cao Cao's army from afar.

Just an hour ago, Xiahou Yuan led a thousand soldiers from his headquarters to suddenly launch an attack on Pingtao City.

The Pingtao county commander was caught off guard, but he still led the crowd to resist, and none of the 500 soldiers in the city fled, all of them together with the county commander, in order to resist the invasion of the Cao army, and fought a bloody battle with the Cao army in the streets and alleys.

However, Xiahou Yuan was too brave, and his subordinates were all elite soldiers in a hundred battles, and after a fierce battle with the Pingtao County Commander for about half an hour, the battle ended and the Pingtao County Commander and 500 soldiers were all killed.

Then, Xiahou Yuan led his army to rush into the home of a large family in the city, and under his coercion and temptation, the big family reluctantly agreed to come forward to pacify the people in the city.

It took Xiahou Yuan nearly half an hour to gradually pacify the people in the city, and let the army block the east and west gates, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

Cao Cao rode his beloved mount, walking at the front of the army, surrounded by Xiahoudun, Cao Hong, Cao Xiu, Xun Yu, Xun You, Guo Jia and other henchmen, behind him were all cavalry wearing Xuan armor, there were 1,000 horses, and then behind was the 3,000 elite infantry allocated to him by Yuan Shao, led by Yuan Shao's general Han Meng, the whole army was orderly and so majestic.

Cao Cao saw Xiahou Yuan leading the army waiting at the gate of Pingtao City from a distance, so he accelerated his speed, and in a moment, he came to the gate of the city.

"My lord, the last general has been waiting here for a long time, this city has been completely occupied by our army, and all the treasury in the city. They were all mothballed. Waiting for the lord to come and deal with it! Xiahou Yuan bowed first.

Cao Cao said: "Very good. Most of this is your credit along the way, and after capturing Jinyang, eliminating Zhang Yang, and capturing the state, I will definitely reward you heavily. ”

"The last general does not ask for rewards, but only wants to be able to follow the lord's side, and he will not hesitate to live and die for the lord!" Xiahou Yuan said very sincerely.

Cao Cao listened. There was a burst of emotion in his heart, and his eyes showed a little tenderness, and he said to Xiahou Yuan: "With a general like you by my side, I am really fortunate to have three lives!" ”

Xiahou Yuan brought Cao Cao into the city, Cao Cao led a large army into the city, and then ordered people to open the granary in the county office, open the warehouse to release grain, and distribute the grain to the poor people in the city.

Along the way, Cao Cao successively conquered Yuanping, Loufu, Lishi, Zhongyang, Zishi and other counties, all of which adopted the method of opening warehouses and releasing grain. Buying hearts and minds.

Because it is located in the border area, it is often attacked by the Xianbei people. However, the incompetent annexed state government only knew how to avoid without fighting, and cowered within the Yanmen Pass, without caring about the lives of the people outside the pass. Not only that, but last year's great drought in the world, and Bingzhou was not spared, so that all places except Taiyuan and Shangdang counties suffered from famine. But the government sat idly by and left those hungry people to fend for themselves, so that bandits broke out in the prefecture, burning, killing and looting, and doing all kinds of evil. At this time, Xianbei also took the opportunity to enter the state and make a copy, which made the state even worse.

For this reason, most of the people moved south. Therefore, Cao Cao passed through several counties in a row along the way, but most of them were ten rooms and nine empty. Especially when I arrived at Lishi, I felt more and more desolate and pathetic.

It was under such circumstances that Cao Cao listened to Xun Yu's suggestion, and every time he went to a county, he opened a warehouse to release grain, relieve those poor people, and buy people's hearts.

In the four counties of Yuanping, Loufu, Lishi, and Zhongyang, this effect was the most obvious, and the people received Cao Cao's favor, and then concealed Cao Cao's whereabouts. Therefore, even the scouts sent by Hao Zhao did not ask for any news when they inquired about the news, which made Cao Cao's army disappear for three days without reason in the territory of Bingzhou.

When he arrived at Zishi, Cao Cao felt a watershed, Zishi belonged to Taiyuan County, and was on the bank of the Fen River, so the land was fertile and densely populated, which formed a great difference from Zhongyang and Lishi counties west of Luliang Mountain.

The Zi clan has a lot of mouths, no matter how careful Cao Cao is, no matter how secret the march is, he was still discovered by the scouts.

Therefore, Cao Cao directly attacked the county seat of Zishi with lightning speed, and after occupying the county seat of Zishi, he opened a warehouse again to release grain.

However, the gap between the rich and the poor is large, and this practice can only envelop the hearts of those poor people, but it has no effect on those rich gentry.

In order to be able to further buy people's hearts, Cao Cao spent a day sending people to secretly investigate who were the bullies in the city and which rich gentry were rich and unkind. After the statistics, Cao Cao ordered the arrest of these rich gentry who were rich and unkind at night, and killed them all, which can be regarded as removing several scourges for Zishi County.

This move not only won the poor people, but also made the rest of the people afraid of Cao Cao, and those rich gentry were trembling, and took the initiative to send people to Cao Cao to ask for goodwill, and offered money and food to comfort the army.

This time, Xiahou Yuan conquered Pingtao, and Cao Cao was ready to use this method again to set off a bloody storm in Pingtao City.

After Cao's army entered the city, Cao Cao issued an arrest warrant based on Xiahou Yuan's previous investigation.

As a result, the city of Pingtao suddenly fell into a panic, and Cao Cao's soldiers arrested people everywhere, making the people in the city panic.

Wang Ling had already made Cao Cao's evil deeds public, and said that Cao Cao was a demon who could only kill, and even if he captured a city, he would slaughter the city.

Therefore, there was a great chaos in Pingtao City, chickens and dogs jumped, and the people were hiding in their homes, the doors and windows were closed, and they were huddled together, and they didn't dare to come out of the atmosphere, for fear of being caught and killed by Cao Cao.

After a night of arrest, Cao Cao finally arrested all the local rich gentry who were unkind, and then sent people to beat gongs and drums to inform the people in the city, so that they could watch the scene of Cao Cao's punishment of these rich gentry.

Until this time, the people in the city were still skeptical, and they didn't dare to believe that Cao Cao, a demon, would actually do something to punish evil and promote good.

At noon, Cao Cao asked people to read out the crimes of these rich gentry in public, and then with an order, he beheaded all the rich gentry and showed them to the public, and blood was splashed on the spot.

After that. Cao Cao opened a warehouse to release grain. confiscated all the property of the rich gentry's family. It is regarded as a military salary.

Cao Cao's various behaviors were all looked at by Yuan Shao's subordinate Han Meng, he is a smart man, although he didn't say it, but his heart is like a mirror, this Cao Cao is buying people's hearts.

When everything was almost settled, the people in Pingtao City had a better impression of Cao Cao and appreciated Cao Cao's approach.

This time. Han Meng couldn't stand it anymore, walked to Cao Cao's side, and asked, "General Cao, you have been buying people's hearts all the way, did you come to capture Jinyang this time, is it for the sake of my lord, or do you have other selfish motives?" ”

Cao Cao was stunned for a moment, but he didn't expect Han Meng to be able to see his intentions. However, Cao Cao replied: "The purpose of my doing this is naturally for the sake of Brother Ben. Otherwise. According to my old practice, the city must be slaughtered! ”

Han Meng sneered. said: "I don't think so...... The people all know that it was General Cao who opened the warehouse to release grain, and it has nothing to do with my lord, so what did General Cao say was for the sake of my lord? ”

"General Han, what do you want to say if you are so-for-tat?" Cao Cao said impatiently.

Han Meng smiled: "I'm just reminding General Cao, don't forget your identity, if it wasn't for the kindness of my lord who took you in at that time, I'm afraid you would have been homeless!" Although my lord appointed you as the main general, I am at least a deputy general, have you discussed with me when you did these things? ”

Cao Cao smiled: "Oh, it turns out that General Han is angry about this matter." General Han, when we captured Yuanping City, you agreed to this matter of opening a warehouse and releasing grain, why, do you want to regret it now? ”

Han Meng said angrily: "Don't call me haha here, you should know what I'm talking about!" I didn't have any objection to opening the warehouse and releasing grain, and it was completely to hide the traces at that time. Now, we have been discovered in Zishi, if you don't rush into Jinyang, but kill the rich gentry here and open a warehouse to release grain, wouldn't you want to delay the fighter? As the so-called soldiers are fast, you have delayed all the fighters, and when everything is ready in Jinyang City, wouldn't it be even more difficult for us to attack Jinyang again? ”

After Cao Cao heard Han Meng's words, a trace of murderous intent flashed in his deep eyes, if he had stayed in the past, if Han Meng had dared to contradict him like this, he would have already killed Han Meng. But now that he is sending people under the fence, he has to endure Han Meng, for the sake of his great cause, he has to endure it first, as the so-called small intolerable will make a big plan!

"Han Meng! How dare you be so rude to my father-in-law? Xiahoudun, who was standing beside Cao Cao, couldn't bear it any longer, and pulled out the saber in his waist, but when he saw the cold light flashing, he put the saber on Han Meng's neck, and his only eyeball burst out with great killing intent.

"Yuan let the assistant!" Seeing this, Cao Cao immediately scolded.

Xiahoudun said to Cao Cao: "Lord, Han Meng, he ......"

"Stand down! Don't be so rude to General Han! Cao Cao's brows were furrowed, his eyes were staring at Xiahoudun tightly, and his tone was so stern!

Xiahou snorted coldly, then removed the saber on Han Meng's neck, glared at Han Meng fiercely, and said angrily: "Next time, if I see you rude to my lord again, you see that I won't cut off your dog's head!" ”

Han Meng is also a bold person who is a master of art, and in Yuan Shao's army, he is also one of the generals in the number, and he is also annoyed when he sees Xiahoudun treating him like this.

"Yuan Rang, shut up! If you dare to say one more word, I'll cut out your tongue! Cao Cao scolded Xiahoudun.

Immediately afterwards, Cao Cao turned his face, and said with a smile to Han Meng: "General Han, Cao has no way to discipline his subordinates, and I ask General Han to forgive me." ”

Han Meng looked around, and saw that all the people standing around him were Cao Cao's generals, and everyone had some displeasure on their faces, and he was the only one here, if there was a real conflict, he would definitely be the one who suffered!

So, Han Meng accepted it when he saw it, and left in a hurry under the pretext that he had something to do.

After Han Meng walked away, Dian Wei, who had been guarding Cao Cao's side, said: "Lord, Han Meng is so rude, Weishenme won't let General Xiahou kill him?" ”

"Fighting dogs still depends on the owner, now we send people under the fence, if it weren't for Yuan Benchu, we don't know where to wander now. However, I will remember Han Meng's rudeness to me today, and I will repay it twice in the future. Cao Cao said. (To be continued......)