All in all, I haven’t seen Deng Ji for three years!
After not seeing each other for three years, Deng Ji looks much older, and his temples have turned slightly gray. However, this makes him look more calm and capable, and his pair of black eyes are as bright as stars.
It is a profound and unfathomable splendid feeling.
One-armed, green shirt.
There was a faint smile on his face.
If one had not seen it with one's own eyes, who would have thought that the one-armed man in front of him, who looked like everyone else, was just a minor official in Jiyang County back then.
"Afu!"
Deng Ji saw Cao Peng on the doorstep and smiled immediately.
He walked up, stretched out one arm, and hugged Cao Peng forcefully.
However, Deng Ji was shorter than Cao Peng and a little thinner. So he wanted to hug Cao Peng, but Cao Peng stopped him and picked him up.
"Brother-in-law, you are fine."
Deng Ji smiled even brighter.
Looking at the handsome young man in front of him, he couldn't believe that the young man who was sick and fled from Zhongyang Mountain ten years ago was the same person. Time was like a knife, and in the blink of an eye, the young man who followed him to join the army in Jiunu City was the same person.
, then moved to Nanyang, and then went to Haixi to take up a post. The young man experienced countless storms and hardships and has now become the world-renowned 'Cao Gongzi' with outstanding military exploits.
Although, the title "Gongzi" became widespread in the late Eastern Han Dynasty.
However, during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States centuries, the unique meaning given to the word "Gongzi" still meant that not just anyone could receive this title.
"Gongzi" was a noble title during the Warring States Period.
It cannot be obtained by those who are not princes, nobles, or people of very high status.
Although it is no longer as prominent as before, it still has extraordinary significance.
Being called a "gongzi" also represents a kind of recognition from the upper class. Therefore, the children of the gentry and local tycoons may be able to call themselves "gongzi" locally, but when they arrive in the city, they immediately cease their activities. For no other reason,
If you pretend to be a 'gongzi', you will not only be ridiculed by others, but may even be killed. Especially in the presence of celebrities, you must pay more attention to details.
Cao Peng is now a well-known ‘gongzi’.
Yanzhou is also a place where the strength of the aristocratic families is rampant. When Cao Cao killed Bian, it aroused the anger of the Yanzhou scholars and almost caused Cao Cao to lose his foundation. But even so, it still caused Chen Gong to defect and Zhang Miao to rebel. As a result,
It can be seen that the power of the scholars in Yanzhou is huge. Deng Ji is in Dongjun, which is also the place where Yanzhou is located. Of course he knows how the scholars in Yanzhou view Cao Peng.
Young Master Peng!
This is the honorific title given to Cao Peng by the scholars in Dongjun.
In the eyes of Dongjun scholars, Cao Peng was worthy of the title of "gongzi".
Is this the sick young man back then?
Deng Ji even felt a little dazed.
"Afu, let me introduce you."
After a brief exchange of greetings, Deng Ji turned aside and made way for the person behind him.
He was also a young man, and he looked about the same age as Deng Ji. There was a hint of aloofness between his brows, but in front of Cao Peng, he behaved quite politely. He took two steps forward, and the young man bowed his hands.
He bowed respectfully to Cao Peng.
"Deng Bomiao has met the young master."
Deng Zhi?
Cao Peng laughed!
"Brother Bo Miao, are you alright?"
Deng Zhi did not dare to neglect at all and thanked him repeatedly.
From the arrogant and arrogant young man who first defected to Deng Ji to his current job in Dongjun, which is calm, capable and restrained in temperament, Deng Zhi has gone through many twists and turns in the past few years. At the beginning, he defected to Deng Ji, but in his heart
He still looked down upon Deng Ji. In his eyes, Deng Ji was just a very lucky guy who somehow managed to become the magistrate of a county and secure his position in Haixi.
Therefore, at the beginning, Deng Zhi appeared to be helping, but in fact he had selfish motives.
He even wanted to evacuate Cao Peng's power in Haixi, strengthen Deng's control, and eventually replace Deng Ji...
It is precisely because of this that Deng Zhi was very active in the beginning.
When Cao Cao tried to persuade Deng Ji to leave Haixi, Deng Zhi also strongly opposed it.
But in the end, he was persuaded by Pu Yangkai, and Deng Ji finally chose to leave. Then Bu Zhi took over Haixi, and Deng Zhi wanted to have a fight with Bu Zhi. But he didn't want to be suppressed by Bu Zhi and could hardly gain a foothold in Haixi. Fortunately, this
At that time, Deng Ji was stationed in Yanjin, so he transferred Deng Zhi away, which relieved him. At this time, Deng Zhi had lost his pride, but he was grateful to Deng Ji from the bottom of his heart.
Then he was appointed as the city gate Sima and asked him to assist Cao Ji.
At that time, Deng Zhi looked down on Cao Ji, thinking that he was a rough man and a mean man...
In the end, except for his old retainer, Chengmen Xiaowei Yamen, he could not mobilize even a single soldier. Cao Ji seemed to be ignoring Chengmen Xiaowei Yamen, but the eight soldiers and horses of Chengmen were firmly in control.
In his hands, Deng Zhi felt extremely depressed and frustrated... He felt that what he had learned over the years was not as good as that of a blacksmith, and he felt so depressed and aggrieved.
It was Deng Ji again who transferred him from Xudu and went to Puyang to take up his post.
At this time, Cao Peng had already begun to explore Hexi, and Deng Zhi began to focus on the land of Hexi.
He was always unconvinced, how could Cao Peng gain such a great reputation? However, after paying attention, he was gradually convinced by Cao Peng.
It doesn’t matter if you say Cao Peng is lucky, or if you say Cao Peng is talented and learned!
Anyway, the land in Hexi was controlled by Cao Peng, and then his power was revealed, causing the entire Liangzhou to tremble...
Turn your hands to become clouds, turn your hands to become rain!
This is roughly the case.
Deng Ji's reliance on Deng Zhi did not weaken at all, and he appointed him to work for Dongjun.
This also made Deng Zhi respect Deng Ji more and more. At the same time, he was even more shocked by the power of the Cao family in Xudu.
If you don't go deep into it, you will never know Cao Peng's energy.
I originally thought that Cao Peng would be silent for a while after being demoted. Who would have thought that this guy would run a huge business in a blink of an eye... The appearance of the Fu Paper Building shocked the people of Yanzhou. And that piece of paper as white as jade,
It has become a capital for everyone to admire and even show off. Dongjun County suddenly became a lot more lively. Powerful gentry from all over Yanzhou came to visit Deng Ji one after another.
Some want to get some Bailu paper from Deng Ji, while others hope to cooperate with Fu Paper House and set up a store in Yanzhou...
Deng Ji's prestige seems to have improved a lot.
From the beginning to the end, Cao Peng didn't even show up. He only used a piece of white deer paper to knock on the door of the Yanzhou family that Deng Ji had worked hard for two years without knocking on.
It was only then that Deng Zhi was completely convinced!
When I was in Haixi, and even later when I followed Deng Ji around, I always heard people say what Cao Peng was like. But to be honest, I had never seen him before, so Deng Zhi didn't believe it. But now he believes it! Cao Peng always said
He can accurately capture everyone's pulse, and he can make the world go crazy without even saying a word. This is a kind of wisdom and a method! Cao Peng seems to be demoted, but his status, and even
His influence has not weakened much because he was good at killing Wei Duan, but has become stronger.
Just in time, it’s the New Year’s Eve!
Deng Zhi's parents died young and he never got married.
So Deng Ji invited him to go to Xingyang with him, saying that he would stay up late during the New Year.
Deng Zhi did not refuse and accompanied Deng Ji to Xingyang...
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The Cao family seems to have not been so lively for a long time.
Although Cao Ji is not here, Cao Peng is. Now in the Cao family, Cao Peng's importance has long surpassed that of Cao Ji and has become the backbone of the family. In the past three years, he had failed to conquer Hexi.
Returning home made everyone feel that something was missing.
Now, he's back!
"If your father is here, if Brother Wang is here, if Hutou and Big Bear are here, our family will be truly reunited."
Mrs. Zhang shed tears and murmured during the banquet.
Cao Nan hugged her mother and comforted her softly, "Mom, don't be sad. Although my father is in Liangzhou, his thoughts are with us.
Two days ago, Ah Fu had someone send freshly braised beef to Lintao. My father must be eating meat, drinking wine, and having fun with Bo Dao and the others."
"Yeah, yeah... Look at me, I'm older and I just like this.
Shusun, Ah Fu, Sister-in-law Lao Hong, and Brother Deng, let’s drink this cup to the fullest and hope that everything will go smoothly and peacefully in the coming year.”
"Wine, ma'am!"
"Invite the old lady to drink!"
"Please give me a drink, mother!"
Cao Peng and others raised their glasses together and drank with Mrs. Zhang...
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After the New Year's Eve banquet, the old lady drank some wine and felt a little tired, so she went back to her room to rest.
Huang Yueying and others gathered together, whispering to each other about the secrets of her daughter's family. Cao Peng, Deng Ji, Deng Zhipangde and others gathered together again, drinking wine and chatting. They chatted all over the world.
, the topic gradually led to the battle against Bingzhou next year.
"Brother-in-law, what do you think of the Battle of Bingzhou?"
Cao Peng became Deng Ji, and he was promoted to the first rank.
Deng Ji pondered for a moment and then said: "I will go to Xudu in the next year and am about to discuss this matter with my lord.
The high-ranking cadres in Bingzhou are just clowns. If you want to get rid of them, it will take no effort. However, I think it will not be easy to use troops against the high-ranking cadres at this time."
"oh?"
Cao Peng couldn't help but be startled and looked at Deng Ji doubtfully.
Deng Ji smiled and glanced at the silent Deng Zhi, "Actually, this is also the conclusion that Bo Miao mentioned and we discussed several times. I think that the most urgent task for the lord at present is to eliminate Yuan Xi as soon as possible, rather than high officials.
.Yuan Xi is also a thief of the country. Although Youzhou is a bitter and cold place, it cannot be underestimated. Yuan Shao has been running the north for a long time, and his power is very strong. Although Yuan Shao is dead, he has left behind many parts. And these parts,
After Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang were killed, most of them defected to Yuan Xi. Yuan Xi occupied a state, contacted the barbarians externally, and accepted the remnant troops internally. If given time, it was bound to happen. If he wanted to eliminate it again, he would have to spend a lot of effort.
, on the contrary, the gain outweighs the loss.
Therefore, I think the top priority is to eliminate Yuan Xi as soon as possible.
This is one of them."
Cao Peng looked at Deng Ji with surprised eyes.
He can be 100% sure that there is no such person as Deng Ji in his memory.
And looking at his pride in guiding the country now, is there any trace of the dejection of that little official back then? Therefore, life is the best partner to temper people. Disasters can make people grow faster. Deng Ji lost an arm and was destined to
He was unable to climb to the top of the court. However, he was able to sink his mind and ponder his knowledge, vision and knowledge. Compared with before, he has grown much more, and his outlook on the overall situation has also become much stronger.
"Want to hear the second one."
"The second thing...let's let Bo Miao do the talking."
Deng Zhi nodded and said seriously: "Master, do you know how many people there are in Bingzhou? How many Han residents are there? How many Huru residents are there?"
"this……"
"Bingzhou has eight counties and a vast land, mostly plains and grasslands... Bingzhou has a population of about 800,000. If the unregistered population is included, it is at least about 1.5 million. Among them, only 40% are Han people, and
There are as many as 60% Hulu. Not to mention, the Southern Huns who have occupied Wuyuan and Shuofang have hundreds of thousands of people and countless people to control them. Moreover, they have been fighting for many years and the land is barren... It is easy for the Lord to destroy high-ranking officials.
But if you take Bingzhou, you will face huge troubles. First of all, after Bingzhou is collected, it will not be self-sufficient for at least three years. Therefore, the lord must be prepared to import two million dendrobium of grain and grass to Bingzhou every year to achieve stability.
situation.
Secondly, Bingzhou is vast and has scattered passes.
After the lord takes over the Bingzhou, he must add troops to the Bingzhou to prevent harm. But the problem is how to defend the thousands of miles of border from Shangdangxihe to Yanmen Yunzhong. Think about the time when the Qin Dynasty conquered Henan,
We drove out the Huru, but were quickly recaptured by the Xiongnu. The difficulty lies in the fact that the border is too long... If we capture and merge the state, we will have to station at least 200,000 soldiers and horses, and the daily consumption is astonishing."
After Deng Zhi finished speaking, he glanced at Cao Peng.
It can be felt that Deng Ji and Deng Zhi really put a lot of effort into Bingzhou.
It is said in the book of war: The method of using military force is to use thousands of chariots, thousands of leather chariots, a hundred thousand armors, and food supplies for thousands of miles. The internal and external expenses, the use of guests, the materials of glue and paint, and the support of chariots and armor, are
Spend a thousand gold. Then, a hundred thousand troops will be raised.
This was the cost of using troops during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
If it were placed today, I'm afraid it would be even more amazing!
Although Deng Zhi did not say anything about the consumption of the 200,000-strong army, he could estimate it roughly.
Cao Peng couldn't help but nodded repeatedly, "Is there a third one?"
"Third..." Deng Zhi took a deep breath, "The barbarians are greedy and cannot be relied upon. Now, the Southern Xiongnu and the high officials have joined forces to gain a foothold. However, Xianbei seems to have formed an alliance with the lord, but Kebineng cannot.
I believe. The Southern Xiongnu are here, and they won’t be able to cause any serious trouble. But if the Southern Xiongnu are not here, my lord will face the entire Xianbei army. Do you think, with your current abilities, you can resist the Xianbei army?"
Cao Peng raised his eyebrows and shook his head after a while.
It seems that immediately withdrawing the annexed state is not a good thing.
He glanced at Deng Ji and asked after a moment: "But if high officials interfere, it will be a trouble after all. How can we solve it?"
Deng Ji smiled slightly and said, "What's so difficult about this?"
"Appreciate further details."
"My lord only needs to send one wise general to defend Huguan, and then tens of thousands of soldiers and horses will not dare to act rashly.
If the pot is closed, Gaogan will not be able to stir up any trouble. Bingzhou is like a gourd. If the mouth is blocked, the water in the gourd cannot flow out. There are three thousand soldiers and horses, one wise general, plus the governor Cao and the
While General Li is here, senior officials are like turtles in an urn, they will die sooner or later.
Three years, only three years.
As long as Qingzhou, Yanzhou and Jizhou recover their strength, the combined states will be destroyed without attack."
