Geng Yan and Wu Han immediately went north after receiving the order.
However, the county officials along the way refused to send troops. It turned out that Youzhou Mu Miao had already taken precautions and had firmly controlled the military power in their hands in advance, strictly ordering all counties not to participate in the expedition. Geng Yan discussed with Wu Han,
Deciding to split up, Geng Yan went to his base camp in Shanggu, while Wu Han went directly to Mu Miaozeng's rule in Youzhou.
Wu Han led 20 elite cavalry to Wu Zhong and met with Miao Zeng.
Miao Zeng heard the news and said: "Wu Han is here. Wu Han was just a horse dealer a few years ago, and a few months ago he was just a magistrate of Yuyang County. His officials were weak, his people were stupid and his soldiers were few, so he could just install a general.
You want to overwhelm me as a Youzhou shepherd in terms of reputation? It’s really funny!”
Then he personally led more than a hundred personal guards to meet Wu Han in a swaggering and showy manner.
The two teams met at the foot of the city. Miao Zeng looked at Wu Han and sneered: "The general is here, you can go into the city to rest!"
Wu Han asked: "King Xiao ordered you to recruit troops, why did you delay?"
Miao Zeng said: "The land of Youzhou needs to be on guard against the Xiongnu, and there is not enough food and grass to send troops!"
Wu Han sneered: "That means disobeying orders?"
When Miao Zeng opened his mouth, he continued to explain his reasons.
"kill!"
Wu Han shouted, drew his saber and charged towards him. The twenty horsemen behind him were like sharp blades, attacking him.
Miao Zeng was caught off guard, and his cavalry was not strong enough, so he was rushed in immediately. Wu Han took the lead and rushed in front of Miao Zeng. He raised his knife and dropped it, and blood shot out. Miao Zeng's head rolled off the horse.
The process is simple and straightforward.
One knife kills!
A look of astonishment flashed in Miao Zeng's eyes. Shouldn't he continue to argue and delay? How could he kill at the very beginning?
Wu Han held Miao Zeng's head, but he was extremely disdainful.
King Xiao was very busy, busy attacking the rebels in Hebei, so he had time to hang out with him, engage in official talk with him, and then directly settle the matter with one blow and kill him with one blow.
Force cannot solve the problem, but it can solve the person who caused the problem.
Simple and crude, simple and practical.
All Youzhou soldiers were turned to stone. What's going on? This Wu Han didn't play his cards according to the routine. Why did he kill Youzhou Mu as soon as they met? What should we do now?
Go forward directly and chop Wu Han to death?
Sorry, Miao Zeng has just taken office and his prestige is shallow. It is simply impossible for his soldiers to fight bloody battles for him.
Wu Han held the knot in one hand and held Miao Zeng's head high in the other, and said loudly: "King Xiao ordered him to recruit troops, but Miao Zeng supported the army and rebelled and refused to recruit. Now I will kill him in honor of the festival to serve as a warning to others. You guys still don't obey the order quickly."
"
All the soldiers were heartbroken and hurriedly knelt down and said in unison: "I am willing to obey the general's orders."
In this way, Wu Han killed the Miao and captured the army, which shocked Beizhou. All counties looked out for the wind and stopped, and all sent out sudden cavalry to meet them.
At the same time, Geng Yan used the same method in Shanggu, successfully killing Liu Xuan's minion Shanggu prefect Wei Shun, and regained his father Geng Kuang's army and territory. After Geng Kuang returned to power, he sent another army to Geng Yan.
He easily killed Cai Chong, the governor of Yuyang, and Peng Chong, the former governor of Yuyang who was loyal to Liu Xiu, returned to his position.
Just like that, the local snake took action and killed the airborne senior official in one fell swoop.
At this point, 80% of the surprise cavalry in the ten counties of Youzhou were captured by Wu Han, and 20% were captured by Geng Yan. Each county sent out a surprise cavalry, totaling more than 50,000 people, marching south to join forces with Liu Xiu.
…………
In Handan City, Liu Xiu read the letter and handed it to Deng Yu and then to Feng Yi.
Deng Yu is equivalent to the chief of staff and director of organization; Feng Yi is the captain of the guard.
After the two read the letter, Deng Yu said: "It's time to deal with Xie Gong. There is no time to argue with him. We should join forces with Wu Han, Geng Yan and others to destroy Qushe!"
As the wrangling continued in Handan, Liu Xiu had no time.
The battle in the world is about playing time.
The one with quick hands wins, the one with slow hands loses.
Continuing to linger in Handan, there is no time at all.
Feng Yidao: "Kill Xie Gong!"
Liu Xiudao: "Then let's have a Hongmen Banquet!"
Submit the invitation and invite Xie Gong to come.
Xie Gong frowned, but he still came resolutely, taking Ma Wu with him; he also ordered the military camp in the city to be on guard, so that if something unexpected happened to him, he would take action to counterattack.
At the banquet, fine wine and delicious food were served. Liu Xiu sat in the east and Xie bowed in the west, accompanied by many generals.
Liu Xiu talked and laughed happily, talking about embarrassing scenes and bloody battle experiences; Xie Gong was taciturn, rarely speaking, and only occasionally responding.
"Your Majesty, drinking alone is boring, why don't we have some singing and dancing?" Deng Yu said.
"The war has not yet subsided, how can we indulge in singing, dancing and beauty?" Liu Xiu refused.
Yao Qi stepped forward and said: "In troubled times, how can there be the sound of Mi Mi? I am willing to step forward and perform a sword dance?"
Liu Xiu nodded: "That's fine!"
When Yao Qi pulls out his sword, he will perform a sword dance.
At this time, Ma Wu, who was sitting nearby, stepped forward and said, "Isn't it boring to be alone!"
With that said, Ma Wu pulled out his sword and stepped forward.
Ding-ding-ding-ding!
The swords collided, and the two sides clashed together. There was no sword energy surging, but the atmosphere suddenly became heated.
Xie Gong's face was slightly sweaty.
The confrontation lasted for a long time, and the two sides were extremely fierce.
"Okay, let's stop for now!" Liu Xiu said.
Immediately, Ma Wu took a step back; Yao Qi also took a step back.
“Reward with fine wine and delicious food!”
The two of them immediately stepped back and sat back in their original positions.
Liu Xiu said: "Shang Shu is a good official!"
Xie bowed and said: "Your Majesty, you are also a good prince!"
Liu Xiu sighed and thanked Gong for finally rejecting the solicitation.
Xie Gong is a good official. If he were in a peaceful and prosperous time, he would be a wise minister. But in troubled times, he is not proficient in the art of war and cannot lead troops to fight, which is a fatal flaw.
As the saying goes, those who understand current affairs are heroes.
Many civil servants and military generals defected to a certain lord when they saw that he had a promising future.
Many civil servants and generals chose two or three lords, but no one would say that they were disloyal.
But Xie Gong was still loyal to Gengshi Emperor. Even though he knew that Gengshi Emperor had no future, he still swore allegiance to him... This can be called foolish loyalty.
"Let's go!"
Liu Xiu said.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xie bowed and said.
"I am going to lead my troops north to conquer Qingdu. I will leave Handan to you so that you can take care of it!" Liu Xiu said calmly, "I will attack Qingdu's army, and you attack Youlai's army. Let's see who can defeat the enemy first!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xie Gong said again.
With that said, he bowed his thanks and left.
Liu Xiu drank wine and felt a little melancholy
"Xie Gong is a great talent and should be killed!" Deng Yu said, "My lord, you missed your opportunity!"
Liu Xiu said calmly: "Xiang Yu can't kill Liu Bang at the Hongmen Banquet, and I can't kill Xie Gong. Political enemies can die on the battlefield or in prison, but they can't die at the banquet!"
This is the difference between a king and a minister!
Why Xiang Yu can become the overlord, but Fan Zeng cannot be the overlord and can only be a strategist. This is the gap.