On the second day, he still couldn't hold back the worry in his heart, and after Cao Wenzhao woke up, he went to tell him about his worries. But when Cao Wenzhao heard it, he didn't care, waved his hand again and again, and said with a smile: "Brother Dong, what you have for my brother, I understand, brother, I accept your affection." But you, how much you think! ”

He smiled, lowered his voice, leaned into Dong Ce's ear and said, "Your Excellency the Governor can't do without me now!" ”

After finishing speaking, there was a burst of laughter, very proud.

Seeing this, Dong Ce was also helpless, knowing that it was useless to say more, he smiled bitterly twice, and then said goodbye and left.

He found Cao Bianjiao again and told him his worries, Cao Bianjiao was much more sober than Cao Wenzhao, and he was also worried: "This, I also see some clues, but my uncle can't listen to anything now!" ”

The two looked at each other and sighed.

In the end, I had to discuss it, and Cao Bianjiao slowly persuaded him.

Hong Chengchou didn't stay in Sanshui County for long, in fact, he now has more important things to do. At this time, Hong Chengchou was also under a lot of pressure, during this time, Cao Wenzhao fought outside Guanzhong, and he led tens of thousands of officers and soldiers to confront Gao Yingxiang in Guanzhong, and he didn't know how many battles, and they won and lost each other.

But on the whole, it was the officers and troops led by Hong Chengchou who had the upper hand.

If it weren't for him confronting Gao Yingxiang, I was afraid that the situation in Guanzhong would have been out of control. The battle situation in Guanzhong is inseparable from him for a day. This time, if it weren't for this time to save Cao Wenzhao, he would not have led the army to come in the starry night.

Before leading the army to leave, Hong Chengchou set up a few mazes, believing that those little tricks could hold Gao Yingxiang for a while, so that he would not be able to see any clues within a few days, and he would not be able to figure out the reality of his side. Maybe Gao Yingxiang thought that he was feigning an empty force and luring him to attack!

Therefore, Gao Yingxiang will definitely not dare to act rashly in a few days, but Hong Chengchou knows very well that those little tricks can't buy him too much time, and it will be over in five days at most.

And once Gao Yingxiang on the opposite side figured out the reality of his side and waved his army to attack, the men he left behind would definitely not be able to resist. So he was very calm and calm on the surface, but in fact, he was already anxious in his heart.

On the second day after he led the army to Sanshui County, before noon, the whole army set off from Sanshui County again, and this time, Cao Wenzhao and Cao Bianjiao naturally led those soldiers and horses under his command to follow him away. Although there are only about 900 cavalry left, this cavalry team composed entirely of elite veterans who have survived a hundred battles is still a formidable force to be reckoned with. If it is used well, it can even play a role in turning the tide of the battle.

And they now have quite a lot of war horses, all of them are one person and two horses, so that the mobility has been greatly improved, and it is not an exaggeration to describe it in the four words "like the wind".

Cao Wenzhao wanted to follow them away, but Dong Ce did not follow.

In fact, at the beginning, Hong Chengchou hoped that Dong Ce could follow him.

Hong Chengchou had already asked Dong Ce about the details of Dong Ce's rescue of Cao Wenzhao and Cao Bianjiao, and after listening to it, he was very admired, and felt that this person was a rare general. Moreover, with his previous merit of following Liu Ruozai to subdue the Chahar Department, Hong Chengchou still admired Dong Ce a lot, and even wondered if he could get him from Liu Ruozai's hands and get him under his command.

There is another very important reason why he wants to ask Dong Ce over, that is, because of what happened to Cao Wenzhao.

At this time, Cao Wenzhao was indeed unique and irreplaceable under him. His prestige, his ability, his personal combat effectiveness, and his past exploits were the first of these generals under Hong Chengchou's command.

So even if Cao Wenzhao is like this, he doesn't attack Cao Wenzhao because there is no replacement for Cao Wenzhao under his command at present. But if Dong Ce can be pulled over, a replacement for Cao Wenzhao will appear. Although Dong Ce's official position is far worse than Cao Wenzhao's, except for his official position and prestige, Dong Ce is not inferior to Cao Wenzhao in any other aspect. Even after Hong Chengchou learned all the things that happened on the night of the sudden change in the Chahar Department, Hong Chengchou felt that Dong Ce was stronger than Cao Wenzhao in many aspects.

As for the official position being a little lower, that's not a problem at all, under the command of Governor Hong, I'm afraid that I won't be able to get promoted?

Dong Ce only thought that this was Hong Chengchou's appreciation of himself, and seeing that the governor admired his brother so much, he wanted to take him with him, Cao Wenzhao was also very happy, and strongly persuaded Dong Ce to follow Hong Chengchou.

Neither of them could have imagined that Hong Chengchou had such an idea.

However, Dong Ce still politely rejected Hong Chengchou's woo after all, he had his own ideas and plans. Now that his career is developing in a good direction, who knows what will happen after following Hong Chengchou?

Judging from the current situation, even if nothing changes, and if it continues to develop like this, it won't be long before his official position will be upgraded by a considerable level. And if he follows Hong Chengchou, can he improve so much?

Dong Ce didn't want to take this risk, besides, he had been operating in Datong Town for a long time and had a deep foundation, and once he followed Hong Chengchou and came under his command, he would be a lonely man, which was not good.

His attitude was very resolute, and Hong Chengchou had no choice but to give up.

Hong Chengchou led the army to leave, Cao Wenzhao Cao Bianjiao also said goodbye to Dong Ce, not long after Hong Chengchou led the army away, Dong Ce took his family, packed his bags, and marched in the direction of Chengcheng County. He's going there to pick up a treasure he's buried a few months ago.

This large contingent, composed entirely of cavalry, advanced at a very fast pace, and arrived in Chengcheng County in the evening of the second day.

Before arriving in Chengcheng County, Dong Ce had already sent a fast horse to arrive in Chengcheng County first, and then entered the city and reported the news of his imminent arrival to Li Keshou, the county commander.

A few months ago, when Dong Ce and others defended Chengcheng County, the original Chengcheng County Commander had been killed by a knife in the chaos, Li Keshou was the county seat at that time, and later he was the acting county commander, he organized the people, supported the army, and made great contributions to the defense of Chengcheng County. His credit Liu Ruozai had already reported it for him, and with those things that happened during that time, coupled with the fact that Li Keshou was a local, his prestige among the gentry and common people in Chengcheng County had reached an extremely high level.

There are meritorious and prestige officials, as well as high-ranking officials such as Liu Ruozai, who vouch for him, but even so, after Dong Ce and the others left for more than two months, the official appointment of Li Keshou as the document of the Chengcheng County Order was released. There is no way, although it is the last years of the Ming Dynasty at this time, the set of rules that this old empire has been running for more than 200 years will not change. The appointment and dismissal of his county order also has to be approved by the officials, and he has to go through the officials no matter what, and even has to go through the emperor's imperial approval.

Now Li Keshou is already a dignified seven-grade civil official and magistrate.

Dong Ce and Li Keshou had a very deep affection, and when they heard that Dong Ce was coming back, Li Keshou was overjoyed and immediately went out of the city to greet him.

It's just that he didn't bring a few people, he just brought two more trusted henchmen, and he didn't make much of a battle, and he didn't even wear official robes but civilian clothes. A carriage quietly went out of the back office, quietly went out of the city, and came to the west of the city to wait. Because Dong Ce came over, not according to the official order, and it was not the official process, it stands to reason that he should go back to Hebei Province directly at this time, he is not qualified, and there is no need to come here again. In other words, he came here purely because of personal matters, and since this is the case, Li Keshou can't make too much trouble, because he also knows very well what Dong Ce came here for.

Since the purpose is to do such a thing, it is even more difficult to make the battle too big, and it is better to let everyone not know about it.

More than ten miles away from Chengcheng County, Dong Ce ordered his troops to be stationed in a rather hidden river valley. This river valley was originally formed by a river deep cutting into the land, but due to the continuous drought of the Xiaoice River era, the river has long dried up, leaving only the valley more than 30 meters deep and nearly 100 zhang wide. The soil at the bottom of the valley is still relatively rich in moisture, and the soil is relatively moist, so it is lush and green, with a large shrub. The camp was nestled in the bushes, and it was so secret that if you didn't look closely, you wouldn't be able to see it.