The journey was difficult. Chen Caozhi was in Yecheng for the 20th day. The weather was always sunny. As soon as he left Yecheng and started on his way home, the autumn rain continued. Although everyone was wearing rain gear and riding horses, there were still several carriages in the team, so The march was not fast. When they passed Chaoge in Jizhou on July 29th, Ran Sheng and Shen Chiqian took a few followers and headed west to Luoyang. Since the Yan State sent envoys to form an alliance with Jin, Luoyang would not be affected for the time being. After the Yan army's attack and plunder, Shen Jin, the mighty general guarding Luoyang, could breathe a sigh of relief——
Chen Caozhi asked Shen Chiqian to bring a message to his father Shen Jin, analyzing the situation between Qin and Yan, and predicting that a rebellion would occur before the end of Qin, and Yan would take the opportunity to send troops to attack Qin. The leader of the troops would most likely be Murong Chui, Fu Jian, and Wang Meng should be able to control the situation in Guanzhong and put down the rebellion. However, because of the conflict between the ruling prime minister Murong Ke and the empress dowager Kezu Hun of Yan State, Murong Chui, who conquered Guanlong in the west, was unable to establish Great achievement, and there will be a big turmoil in the Yan Kingdom next year. Although the timing is perfect, Shen Jin has less than a thousand soldiers and is unable to make big profits from the turmoil in the two countries. What he wants to do is to take advantage of the turmoil in the Qin Kingdom to recruit refugees who have fled. , In addition, we must try our best to win over the various docks in Henan, collect grain, train troops, and strengthen our strength, so that we can cooperate with Huan Wen's Northern Expedition next year or the year after that——
After traveling to Chang'an and Yecheng, Shen Chiqian admired Chen Caozhi so much that he used two nursery rhymes to help Murong Ke and Murong Chui's brothers, who were approaching Luoyang, save tens of thousands of cavalry. His father Shen Jin's life could be saved. It is said that he was saved by Chen Caozhi, otherwise his father Shen Jin would have perished with the city. He could predict events like a god, go deep into a tiger's den, lay traps calmly, and escape unscathed. Master Chen is a god.
Ran Sheng went to Luoyang for the three hundred sergeants he had left in Luoyang. He had to bring back the three hundred sergeants and the six hundred horses, of which three hundred were left behind by the sergeants from the Di Qin mission. It's ridiculous that that When the Qin envoy Xi Bao left Yedu, he asked Murong Ke to return his war horses. Murong Ke only handed over 300 Qin army's bows and arrows but not the war horses. How could he return them to him? He just thought that Xi Bao was being unreasonable and ignored him. Bao's mission to Jiangdong failed, and he ended up in Yedu inexplicably. He was put under house arrest for several days and repatriated. All his soldiers lost their mounts, so they had to walk back to Chang'an. They were so depressed. What made these Di Qin people even more demoralized was: the oracle came from the Ximen Leopard Temple. The prophecy said that Fu Jian, the Lord of Qin, was not the son of Fu Xiong, but the son of Empress Dowager Gou and Wu Zhu from the Ximen Bao Temple when she was swimming in Zhangshui. This rumor has been confirmed to some extent. Some elders in Yecheng said that the Ximen Bao Temple was There was a shaman who once seduced a woman in the temple and was later expelled from Yedu. His whereabouts are unknown. That man should be Fu Jian's biological father——
The Prime Minister of Di Qin, Shi Xibao, and his sergeants returned to Chang'an with this humiliating and depressing news. They were on tenterhooks all the way. They didn't know how furious Fu Jian, the leader of Qin, would be when he heard the news.
Ran Sheng, Shen Chiqian and others quickly rode to Luoyang and led the 300 sergeants and horses to Pingyu Sujiabao to meet Chen Caozhi as soon as possible.
On the first day of August, Chen Caozhi, Yuan Hong, and Huangfuzhen and a group of more than 60 people crossed the Yellow River in the rain and arrived at Junyi, an important town in Henan. Junyi would later be known as Kaifeng. The person guarding Junyi was General Zuo Zhonglang of the Yan State. Murong Zhu, Murong Zhu also came from the royal family and was Murong Ke's disciple.
In Junyi, Yuan Hong, who joined the army in Xifu, met an old friend. This person's surname was Zhao Minghong, who was originally the protector of Nanyang in Jin Dynasty. Because he was seduced by the gold and silk beauties of the Yan Kingdom, he surrendered Wancheng to Yan in the fifth year of Shengping. The Lord of Yan, Murong Weifeng, He was the general of Zhennan. Yuan Hong had met Zhao Hong in Jingzhou. Zhao Hong felt quite ashamed when they met. Yuan Hong despised him for treason and ignored him. However, Chen Caozhi was quite friendly to Zhao Hong. During the dinner, he talked about Jiangdong scenery, such as In late spring in March, there were grasses growing in the south of the Yangtze River, mixed peanuts and trees, flocks of orioles flying around, and various Han customs... Zhao Hong was very melancholy and yearning, and he was not very successful in the Yan Kingdom, so he had the idea of returning to the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
Early the next morning, Chen Caozhi, Yuan Hong, and Huangfu Zhen and their entourage bid farewell to Murong Zhu and set off on the road. When Zhao Hong followed Murong Zhu to see everyone off, he quietly said to Chen Caozhi: "Hong was ignorant back then, but now he regrets it. He doesn't know there is any remedy."
Is there a way back?"
Chen Caozhi looked at Zhao Hong and said: "Lian Po lives in Liang and wants to be restored to the position of Zhao general. It is common for this person to know when he has lost his way and return not far away. This is also praised by the sages. If a general cherishes the thoughts of his homeland, he will have his own destiny."
The road to serving the country begins next year, and the general will cherish it." He said goodbye.
Zhao Hong tried to figure out what Chen Cao meant. It should be that the Jin army will go to the north next year. Huan Wen's first two northern expeditions were against Qin. Is it possible that he will attack Yan next year? If I switch sides and make meritorious deeds at that time, I can atone for my sins——
Zuo Zhonglang General Murong Zhu caught a glimpse of Zhao Hong and Chen Caozhi whispering and looking at each other with frowns and thoughtful expressions on their faces. He became confused and rode his horse over and asked, "What did General Zhao and Chen Xima say?"
As a rebellious Han general, Zhao Hong was very smart and smart. He said displeasedly: "I thought Chen Xima was kinder to me, but unexpectedly he was just like Yuan Canjun. Before leaving, he didn't forget to ridicule me -
—”
"Oh?" Murong Zhu asked: "How can this person ridicule you?"
Zhao Hong said angrily: "Ask me, 'Are you still used to living in Qionglu felt tent?' Isn't this sarcasm?"
Murong Zhu laughed loudly and said: "The Xianbei people in the Central Plains now have the same diet and daily life as the Han people. There is nothing they can't get used to living in Qionglu felt tents. This person must have an ulterior motive for ridiculing you——"
Zhao Hong sneered and said: "Perhaps there is some intention to provoke the general. Since I, Zhao Hong, have surrendered to Dayan, I should be loyal and repay the favor. How can I be swayed by these few words? Do I really think that Zhao Hong is such an unwise person?"
Murong Zhu's suspicion was allayed and he nodded and said: "General Zhao, don't worry too much. I just don't understand why Dazai wants to negotiate peace with Jin, and what's more, he is sending important ministers like Huangfu Shizhong - Fu Yan and Murong Chen. The two generals originally planned to attack
They raided Yingchuan and Runan, and tried to seize all the land in Shanxi and Henan, but now they are ordered to stay where they are."
Zhao Hongdao: "The Dazai is unparalleled in intelligence and strategy, so he must have other plans."
…
Just when Chen Cao was leaving Junyi, rumors about Fu Jian's life experience in Yecheng also spread to Chang'an.
In the palace of Mingguang Palace in Chang'an, Fu Jian summoned Wang Meng for a secret discussion without even summoning his brother Fu Rong. Fu Jian's initial anger had passed. He was now thinking about how to eliminate the influence of this rumor, stabilize Guan, and Long.
situation.
Wang Meng frowned and thought for a long time, and said: "Your Majesty must first deploy heavy troops in Huayin, Shaanxi County, and Tongguan to prevent the Yan army from attacking. The Pucheng and Chengcheng lines must also be prepared for the Yan army's attack. These offensive and defensive areas must be
Arrange loyal and reliable generals, and strictly control the Di chieftains who were resentful of His Majesty's heavy use of Han people. Your Majesty must be prepared to counter the rebellion. It is inevitable that this rumor will be exploited."
Fu Jian said bitterly: "The white slaves of Xianbei are so vicious. They have created such rumors and slandered me. I vow to flatten the capital of Ye and despise this humiliation." He also said: "Xi Bao has entered the pass, and I have urgently ordered him to die."
If you stay in Huayin temporarily, you are not allowed to enter Chang'an. If these soldiers are allowed to enter Chang'an, the rumors will spread even more."
Wang Meng shook his head and said: "Your Majesty's move is inappropriate. Xi Changshi and others stayed in Huayin and did not enter Chang'an, which will only make people more suspicious. Xi Changshi's three hundred people came back from Yecheng. To eliminate the influence of rumors, we must
With the help of them, I immediately wrote a secret letter and sent Dou Lang to Huayin urgently, instructing Xi Bao to strictly restrain the three hundred sergeants and make everyone agree that this rumor was a conspiracy of the Xianbei people and they wanted to disrupt our great Qin Dynasty.
There have been a lot of rumors recently. Isn’t there a nursery rhyme saying that Murong Ke wants to usurp the throne and establish himself? These rumors should also be spread widely in Chang’an, so as to divert the attention of the people in Qin from the rumors about the Ximen Leopard Temple.”
Fu Jian nodded in agreement and ordered Wang Meng to write a secret letter to Xi Bao in Lutang.
Wang Meng picked up his pen to write a letter, and in the middle of writing, he put down his pen and said to Fu Jian: "Your Majesty, I have thought of a way to repay him with his own way. Since the people of Xianbei are slandering your majesty with such rumors, why should I Don't create rumors to make false accusations. In this way, the Xianbei royal family will be suspicious of each other and have too much time to take care of themselves, so they will not be able to send troops to attack Daqin. Moreover, there are too many rumors and the people will naturally get tired of them, so Your Majesty can calmly deal with the crisis."
Fu Jian praised Wang Meng's wisdom and plan, and asked how to dispose of the rumors?
Wang Meng said: "It is said that the Queen Mother Yan was extremely beautiful. When Murong Jun died, the Hun family was less than thirty years old. The white slaves were sexually promiscuous. The Hun family must have been unwilling to be lonely. The Hun family always hated Murong." Chui, we might as well start the rumor from here, say that the Kezu Hun clan wanted to have an affair with Murong Chui, but Murong Chui refused, and the Kezu Hun clan hated him, so he committed himself to Murong Ping, messed up the palace, and so on. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Fu Jian put his hands on his hands and laughed: "Jing Lue is a talented person. Although this is just a guess, I'm afraid this is the truth." Suddenly thinking that he was also involved in a scandal, he changed his words and said, "This rumor is enough to make Murong busy for a while."
At this time, Zhao Zheng, the chamberlain, reported outside the Dew Hall that there were strange phenomena on the Chidao between Xuanping Gate in the east and Zhicheng Gate in the west. The people of Chang'an were talking about it——
Fu Jian asked: "What is this vision?"
Zhao Zheng said: "It's the rumor about the Ximen Leopard Temple in Ye City."
Fu Jian was shocked: "There are rumors again!"
Wang Meng said: "Your Majesty, don't worry. I'll wait for you to come and see me, and I will deal with it properly for you."
Wang Meng left the Mingguang Hall and ran to the nearby Zhicheng Gate with the eunuch Zhao Zheng first. They saw a crowd of people, shoulder to shoulder, and thousands of people were watching. Wang Meng ordered his sergeants to disperse the crowd. When he entered, he saw Chi Dao left. Countless ants, black ants, and yellow ants were densely gathered on the muddy ground on the side, a large area about the size of an abbot.
Zhao Zheng whispered: "Wang Shangshu, please take a look, these ants secretly form sixteen characters -"
Wang Meng was reminded by Zhao Zheng, and when he took another closer look, he couldn't help being surprised. The ants seemed chaotic, but they were clearly in the shape of sixteen large characters, which were the oracles of the Ximen Leopard Temple in Ye City:
——If you use witchcraft to control the water, the river will never be flooded. If you pray to the gods, you will be able to live forever.
