On the ninth day of March, Chen Caozhi, Xie Daoyun, Xie Xuan, Zhang Xuanzhi, and Gu Kai arrived in Gushu. In the afternoon of that day, Huan Wen hosted a banquet for the officials of the Western Prefecture at the General's Mansion. After drinking for three rounds, Huan Wen's face darkened and he said: "As you know,
Is Huaibei in danger?"
Everyone looked at each other, and the whole hall was silent.
Huan Wen glanced at the officials with his purple stone eyes majestically, and said in a deep voice: "Yesterday, after receiving urgent documents from six hundred miles north of Huaibei, Yan Taifu Murong Ping and Long Xiang General Li Hong attacked Xuchang and Runan. Our army was defeated by Xuanhu and Yingchuan.
The prefect Li Fu died in battle, the prefect of Runan Zhu Bin went to Shouchun, and the prefect of Chen County Zhu Fu withdrew to Pengcheng. The Yan army is coming fiercely and wants to take all of our land in Huaibei. I have urgently ordered Xizhong Lang to guard Yuan Zhen and others. Tomorrow
, I will personally command the navy division to station in Hefei to supervise the battle." Looking at Chen Caozhi, he said: "Chen Yu will lead the envoy to set off with me the day after tomorrow. The situation is critical. If Di Qin takes the opportunity to invade Hanzhong southward, Jingxiang, then
The war continues and the country has no peace. Chen Yu has a heavy responsibility on his shoulders during this mission, so he should not hesitate to work hard."
Chen Caozhi bowed and said: "I obey."
After the banquet was over, Chen Caozhi returned to his residence in Fenghuang Mountain. Ran Sheng, Lai De and Shen Chiqian were already waiting there. Ran Sheng was now the military governor of a thousand people. His military uniforms were neat and majestic. He bowed and said: "Brother, recently
Do you want to go north with Da Sima?"
Chen Cao said: "We are going to leave the day after tomorrow. Have you selected the three hundred sergeants who will accompany you?"
Ran Sheng said: "Three hundred Xifu elites are ready and ready to go at any time."
When Shen Chiqian heard that he was going north the day after tomorrow, he couldn't hold back his excitement. Seeing Chen Caozhi looking over, he quickly bowed and said: "Master Chen, Chiqian has also prepared his gear, and twenty skilled archers and horses are on standby at any time.
." After a pause, he added: "If I had known that I would follow Master Chen northward, I should have brought three hundred troops from Wukang." Last year, Shen Chiqian's father, Shen Jin, led a thousand warriors to the north of Luoyang.
Most of them belong to the Shen family, so there are not many private soldiers of the Shen family left in the Shen family manor.
Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "I am on a mission this time, not on a campaign. It's just that I am in a hurry to set off the next day. It is a pity that I can't meet the Cavalry Superintendent Duan Si before the mission."
Duan Si belongs to the Xianbei lineage of the Duan tribe. His father, Duan Mobo, Duke of Liaoxi, once established himself as a Chanyu and later surrendered to Shizhao. After the demise of Shizhao, Ran Min came to power and the Central Plains was in chaos. Duan Si followed his brother Duan Qin and led his troops to surrender to Murong.
At that time, Murong Chui's name was Murong Ba. He accidentally fell off a horse and broke his tooth while training the army, so he changed his name to Murong Chui. After the Duan clan surrendered to the Murong clan, the leader Duan Qin married his two sisters to Murong Chui, and Murong Chui was granted the title of Wu.
Wang and the Duan sisters were called Da Duan Concubine and Xiao Duan Concubine respectively. The Duan sisters were talented and fierce, and they were at odds with Murong Chui's brother Murong Chui's brother Murong Chui.
Xi and Murong Jun were also very jealous of the brave and talented fifth brother Murong Chui. They connived at the queen's connivance and sued the Hun family for witchcraft and forced the elder concubine Duan to death. Brothers Duan Qin and Duan Si led their troops to rebel.
In order to win Murong Jun's trust, Murong Chui personally suppressed Duan's tribe and killed Duan Qin. Duan Si fled south and went to Huan Wen. Huan Wen awarded him the sixth grade of cavalry governor. Now Huan Huo in Jingzhou is training cavalry. Chen Caozhi learned that he was about to go on a mission.
Di Qin once asked Huan Wen to meet Duan Si in order to learn more about the situation between Qin and Yan. However, Huan Wen had not mentioned it before at the General's Mansion, so Duan Si must have not arrived from Jingzhou yet.
Unexpectedly, Ran Sheng said, "Brother, do you want to see Duan Qidu? Duan Qidu came here by boat from Jingzhou the day before yesterday. He is now at the Zicheng military camp. I will accompany my brother to see him."
Chen Cao was overjoyed. After dinner, he followed Ran Sheng to the Zicheng where troops were stationed in the north of Gushu City. At the foot of Fenghuang Mountain, he met Xie Daoyun and Xie Xuan. He asked Zizhong where he was going. Chen Cao said: "Go visit Murong Chui's wife."
Brother Duan Si."
Xie Xuandao: "Who is Duan Sirai? Zizhong needs to know his enemy and his friends." He then came closer and whispered: "Dong Huan is moving to Hefei. My sister is joining the army from the military government and she has to go with her. Zizhong will take my place."
Take care of my sister."
Chen Caozhi looked at Xie Daoyun and said with a smile: "It's very good. I can ask Brother Yingtai all the way for advice on everything in Yuzhou." The Xie family of Chen County has been operating in Yuzhou for many years.
I listened to Xie An and Xie Wan talk about the people of Huaihe and Huaihe in Wuyi Lane at night, and I benefited a lot. But after all, I was only in a hurry for an hour and didn't understand much. I wanted to ask Xie Daoyun for advice in detail after thinking about Xifu, but I didn't expect that I would set off north the day after.
, now I heard that Xie Daoyun is also going to Hefei, of course I am happy.
Xie Daoyun and Xie Xuan watched Chen Caozhi and Ran Sheng go to the north of the city. Xie Xuandao said: "Zizhong spared no effort in serving Duke Huan."
Xie Daoyun said: "Zizhong's mission to Di Qin was an imperial edict, not just to serve the Huan family."
Xie Daoyun's words unconsciously revealed his intention to protect Chen Cao. Of course, what Xie Daoyun said was reasonable. Xie Xuan smiled and said: "Huan Gong wants to get involved in Yuzhou and Xuzhou. He has spent many years trying his best to abolish Fanwang and demote him.
My fourth uncle still failed to extend the power of the Huan family to Yuzhou and Xuzhou. These two states are the gateway to Jiankang. If Duke Huan cannot control the military strength of the two states of Yu and Xu, he will not dare to usurp the throne. Now it is the west that Duke Huan wants to deal with.
The Zhonglang generals Yuan Zhen and the North Zhonglang generals Yu Xi and Murong Ping invaded the south. Perhaps they were playing into Duke Huan's favor. Duke Huan moved to Hefei just to exclude the forces of Yuan and Yu, and then further control Yuzhou. In this way, Duke Huan's usurpation of the throne is not far away.
, This is what my third uncle and the other big families don’t want to see. If Zi Zhong is determined to serve Duke Huan, he may be criticized by the big families.”
Xie Daoyun said: "A'er and Zizhong have known each other for several years. Don't you know what kind of person Zizhong is? Zizhong relied on Duke Huan to develop his ambitions. Duke Huan was over fifty years old, and none of his five sons had a reputation for virtue. And I think Duke Huan's eldest son was
Huan Xi and Zizhong were not on good terms. Duke Huan was kind to Zizhong, but Huan Xi was not. Zizhong would do his best for Duke Huan, but he would not work hard for the Huan family!"
Xie Xuanqi said: "Are Huan Xi and Zizhong not on good terms? I have never heard of it."
Xie Daoyun: "There are some things that you have to watch with a cold eye. Where can you go to hear about them!"
Xie Xuan smiled and said: "My sister is the one who knows my son's thoughts best, and I am not as good as my brother."
Xie Daoyun changed the subject and said: "Ah Li, I will go to Hefei the day after tomorrow. When will you and Zhang Xuanzhi go to Jingzhou?"
Xie Xuandao: "I will set off after my sister sets off."
Xie Daoyun said "hmm".
Chen Caozhi was slightly surprised when he saw Duan Si. Don't they say that Xianbei people have many handsome men and beauties, but the Duan Si in front of him is really ugly. Duan Si is in his thirties, tall and thin, with a hawk-like nose and deep eyes, and brown hair.
, there is also a scar on his left cheek, which looks ferocious when he smiles, like a purple centipede wriggling.
Duan Si heard about Chen Caozhi last year and knew that Sima Huan valued Chen Caozhi very much. When he met him today, he found that he was indeed an outstanding person. He was more elegant than the Murong men who were famous for their handsomeness, and he was also in line with the popular men in Jiangzuo.
Different from the beauty of frailty, Chen Cao was so dignified and elegant, with a free and upright air in his movements, which made Duan Si involuntarily lament that there was such a person in Jiangzuo.
After the conversation, Duan Si admired Chen Caozhi even more. Chen Caozhi saw the conflicts within the Murong royal family more clearly than he did. Chen Caozhi knew Murong Ke and Murong Chui's talents and strategies better than Huan Wen.
It was so powerful that it really surprised Duan Si!
How could Duan Si know that Chen Caozhi's knowledge of the demise of Qian Yan and the merits and demerits of the Murong Ke brothers all came from the historical theory of later generations?
The longer he talked with Chen Caozhi, the more Duan Si felt that Chen Caozhi was wise and insightful, and that of course he knew everything Chen Caozhi asked about the Yan State.
Duan Si knew the conflicts between Taishi Mu Yugen, Taifu Murong Ping, Murong Ke and Murong Chui better than Duan Si, so what else could he hide? It was Duan Si who killed Murong to avenge the Duan family.
What he was looking forward to, and having a talk with Chen Caozhi, made Duan Si feel that the powerful Murong family was completely likely to fall apart in just a few years. He had a great hope of revenge for the Duan family, so when Chen Caozhi offered to lend him Duan Si's
One of Si's cronies accompanied him to the north. Duan Si immediately agreed and called out a clever and capable domestic slave and ordered him to serve as Chen Cao's master. This domestic slave was named Duan Zhao. Four years ago, Duan Si led more than a thousand tribesmen.
He defected to the Eastern Jin Dynasty and was chased by Murong Chui all the way to Pengcheng. There were only two hundred riders left, and Duan Zhao was one of them.
Chen Caozhi's purpose of visiting Duan Si was achieved. After talking for a while, he and Ran Sheng stood up and said goodbye. It was already midnight.
Duan Si was sent out of the military camp and said to Chen Cao: "In the future, Duan will be the pioneer in the Northern Expedition to Murong."
Chen Caozhi said with a smile: "Gong Huan has his own use for Duan Cavalry Supervisor." He thought to himself: "Gong Huan used Duan Si as the leader in his third Northern Expedition. Fangtou was defeated. Duan Si was also captured alive by Murong Chui and was sent back to Yan.
The beheading in Dulong City is very tragic, but tonight I have a long talk with Duan Si, and the flapping of butterfly wings should be able to change a lot of things."
The next day, Chen Caozhi asked to see Huan Wen about a private matter, which was about his sister-in-law's brother Ding Licheng. Chen Caozhi made a petition to Huan Wen, saying that his widowed sister-in-law only had this one biological brother, but he was far away in Jianwei County, Western Shu.
As the county magistrate of Yang County, I was only able to return to my hometown once every five or six years. I wanted to be transferred to a small county closer to my hometown as an official, so I asked Huan Wen's permission.
Huan Wen was quite pleased that Chen Caozhi asked for personal help. This was also a sign of Chen Caozhi following him, Huan Wen. Only he, Huan Wen, was the backer of the Chen family in Qiantang.
Huan Wen said with a cheerful look: "I have also heard that your sister-in-law is a virtuous and respected sister. Since Cao Zhi has made such a request, how can I deny it?" He also said: "Tomorrow I will lead the navy to move to Hefei. I am afraid that I will forget about the complicated affairs.
Today, I ordered someone to send a letter to Zhou Chu, the governor of Yizhou, asking him to send the magistrate of Ding County back to Jiankang to wait for his appointment. It is difficult to have vacancies in the counties of Yangzhou, so he can be the chief official in a certain county in Jiangzhou. If he has political achievements, he will be appointed again.
I'm going to be promoted." That is to say, he ordered his subordinates to write down the name of Ding Licheng for the officials and counties.
Chen Caozhi had something on his mind and thanked Huan Wen deeply.
