Zhong Yao had been dealing with grain and grass operations in Huai County before. This time Liu, Guan, Zhang and Chen returned to Luoyang. Liu Yu had to express his feelings, so he issued an edict to express comfort and condolences.
In fact, it was a simple letter of concern. On the one hand, he praised Liu Bei as a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty, and on the other hand, he said that Liu Yu and other ministers of the Manchu Dynasty were eagerly waiting for him in Luoyang.
But Chen Mu could still hear a hint of urgency in the edict, because there was a sentence in it to destroy Yuan Shao as soon as possible.
It seems that Luoyang has indeed made some preparations. They will only wait for Yuan Shao's death, or in other words, even if Yuan Shao is not dead, they will start taking action.
This time when Liu Bei goes back, he has to be prepared to find a time to have a showdown with him on the way.
Zhong Yao greeted Zhong Yao at the city gate. In addition to the officials of Huai County, there was also an official in his forties. The official seal was hung around his waist. The official seal was wrapped and the color could not be seen, but the rope tied with the official seal was blue.
astringent.
"Book of Han: List of Hundred Officials and Ministers": "All officials with a rank of more than 2,000 stones have a green ribbon with a silver seal, and there is no Guanglu official. Zhong Yao, the minister, only has a thousand stones, and he wears a black ribbon with a bronze seal around his waist.
.In other words, this is a senior official with a rank of more than two thousand stones.
Chen Mu guessed that these were the officials sent by the imperial court to greet them. After all, Zhong Yao had been in Huai County before. Liu Yu sent someone to announce the decree. Facing a general of Wei, Qingzhou Mu and a young minister, how could he
In this way, an official with sufficient weight should be sent. Two thousand stones is enough to welcome him.
"This is the servant Dong Zhao, named Gongren, who has come to greet you two by order of the emperor."
Zhong Yao introduced.
Dong Zhao cupped his hands and said, "Zhao has met General Wei, Minister of the Shaofu."
"It turns out to be the servant."
Liu Bei returned the gift.
Chen Mu's heart moved, it turned out to be him.
Historically, Dong Zhao persuaded Zhang Yang to welcome Liu Xie, first becoming the Cavalry Commander, and then becoming Yilang.
The rank of Cavalry Commander is two thousand stones, but this is a temporary position. If necessary, he will be appointed and if not, he will be removed. Therefore, being appointed Yilang becomes a formal position.
Later, after he defected to Cao Cao, Cao Cao met him very happily and immediately promoted him to Henan Yin, officially becoming a member of the Two Thousand Stones.
But now that Dong Zhao escaped from Yuan Shaona and went to Luoyang, it stands to reason that without the meritorious service of helping Liu Xie, he should not be promoted to a servant with a rank of two thousand stones.
However, when he was in Jizhou, he was very close to Xun He and others. Later, when he returned to Luoyang, he acted as a bridge between the party members and Luoyang. In addition, Zhong Yao was friendly with them, so in fact, his role was to serve as a bridge between the party members and Luoyang.
As an intermediary between party members and the imperial court.
At present, Dong Zhao's political direction is not very certain, but based on his historical status as the founding figure of Cao Wei, he is probably a target that can be won over. Besides, since he himself stayed in Luoyang and did not go to Cao Cao, it is also worth pondering.
After all, Dong Zhao's younger brother Dong Fan is now an important general of Cao Cao.
Chen Mu has so many spies on Yuan Shao's side, how could there be no spies on Cao Cao's side? At present, he has a thorough understanding of Cao Cao's entire internal situation, including the fact that Xu You defected to Cao Cao, but he also knows exactly where they are.
What they are planning is unknown.
Dong Zhao did not go to Cao Cao. Instead, he used his relationship with the party members in Jizhou to serve as a liaison between the court and the party members. Obviously, he was still willing to stay in the court. He was always better in the court than in the local area.
Much more.
The group entered the city chatting and laughing, while the army stayed outside the city. After arriving at the county government residence, Zhong Yao hosted a banquet for everyone. In addition to Dong Zhao, there was also an angel, Liu Yu's only one.
Always serve.
When Liu Yu came to power, it was already after Dong Zhuo's rebellion. All the original maids and eunuchs of the Luoyang Palace were moved to Chang'an. Later, when the minister came back, the maids and eunuchs of Chang'an also came back, but most of them were missing. After that, Liu Yu gave
After paying the resettlement fee, most of the people were sent home, leaving only a few.
From Yuan Shao's entry into the palace to kill ten regular attendants, to Dong Zhuo's chaos, and then to the Chang'an Incident, after several turmoils, most of the thousands of eunuchs and maidens had withered away. By the time of Chang'an, only a few hundred were left. Liu
Yu dispersed 90% of them, and now there are only more than 20 maids and eunuchs in this huge palace.
These people were grateful for Liu Yu's generosity, and their small number made it difficult for the Military Intelligence Department to penetrate. Therefore, the Military Intelligence Department had spies in the Yulin Guards and Huben Army guarding the palace, but there were no spies among the palace maids and eunuchs, making it difficult for the Military Intelligence Department to break in.
None of the group dared to speak too casually.
After the banquet was over and it was getting dark, Zhong Yao arranged for everyone to rest. Chen Mu was arranged in a single-family house in the backyard. After a while, Zhong Yao came to visit with Dong Zhao.
"Shang Shu Ling, Attendant."
Chen Mu politely invited them in. Zhong Yao boarded his pirate ship because he helped him escort him all the way. He recommended him as a minister from a young minister. Dong Zhao's promotion had nothing to do with him and had nothing to do with him.
He had a lot of connections with the party members, so he didn't get too close and waited until he made his attitude clear.
The two of them entered the house and sat on the floor. When Chen Mu sat on the main seat, Zhong Yao said: "Young Master, Gongren has always admired the Young Master for a long time, so I brought him to visit and recommend him. I hope that the Young Master will not
Blame.”
Chen Mu said with a smile: "If there is a situation where the minister and the minister come to see me, I can't help but ask for it. Now that the world is in chaos, we need loyal and upright ministers like the minister to help the Han Dynasty, don't you think so?"
"Natural, natural."
Zhong Yao smiled in agreement.
Seeing that the atmosphere was good, Dong Zhao also smiled and said, "Young Master is overly praised."
Chen Mu then said: "Your Majesty, at this time there is a lot of commotion from all directions. The princes are everywhere and the imperial court is weak. I wonder if I have any advice?"
Dong Zhao immediately said solemnly: "Heroes emerge in troubled times. There should be a powerful person who rises up in times of crisis, sweeps the world like a mighty warrior, wipes out bandits, and reorganizes the country. Only then can he support the court and save the people!"
"oh?"
Chen Mu asked: "Then where is such a hero?"
Dong Zhao said: "It's right in front of you."
"I?"
"General Wei and Shaofu are the same."
"Ha ha ha ha."
Chen Mu laughed and said, "The waiter is joking. My eldest brother and I are just vulgar figures. How can we sweep the world and redefine the country as the waiter said?"
Dong Zhao knew that he was testing himself, so he thought for a moment about what he should say.
In fact, he first hoped that Zhong Yao would help introduce Liu Bei to see Liu Bei's talents. Advisors like them often like to decide whether to defect to a monarch by looking at his abilities and character.
For example, after Guo Jia glanced at Yuan Shao, he shook his head in disappointment, and then turned to Cao Cao.
Dong Zhao understood that the current forces in the DPRK were seemingly controlled by a group of veterans, but those old men were all in their 70s and 80s. The youngest ones were all over 60 years old. How many years they would live was unknown. If you followed them, there would be no future.
?
Therefore, it is necessary to make a bet in advance and find someone who can control the government in the future. Just like before the Shi Changshi Rebellion, Yuan Shao and others invested in General He Jin.
The target of Dong Zhao's bet was naturally Liu Bei, who had now defeated Yuan Shao. He had been friends with Zhong Yao before and already knew that Zhong Yao was a person placed in the court by Liu Bei's group.
In fact, not only Zhong Yao, but most of the young men in the imperial court were from the Qingzhou Group.
Young factions such as Yang Xiu, Chen Qun, Sima Lang and other young factions, as well as mature factions such as Zhong Yao, these people control some of the deputies of the three ministers and nine ministers in the court, and official positions below a thousand stones. They are intertwined, including descendants of party members, the Yingchuan group, and Taishan.
Disciple of the academy.
After Dong Zhuo's Rebellion, the entire court's power was beaten to pieces. Chen Mu helped the court recruit a large number of middle and low-level officials. These officials were all from the Qingzhou faction, which had already formed a large scale and could not be lost.
Even the children of many high-ranking officials are from this faction, and many high-ranking officials are even sending their nephews to this faction. As a result, the Qingzhou Group has a very powerful influence in the court. In addition, Guan Yu and Zhao Yun have been running the army for many years.
Most of them are their die-hard loyalists.
Therefore, anyone with a discerning eye can see who will be the ruler of the imperial court in the future.
However, Zhong Yao knew that Liu Bei's city was not that deep, and Chen Mu was behind all the trades, so instead of taking Dong Zhao to see Liu Bei, it was better to take him to see Chen Mu first. Only after Chen Mu approved, could Dong Zhao join.
The Qingzhou Group...oh no, the team.
After hearing Chen Mu's test, Dong Zhao understood that it was time for him to pay the certificate of surrender. He pondered for a long time and said slowly: "Although General Wei and the Shaofu are from humble backgrounds, they have the opportunity to conquer the universe and conquer Dong Zhuo."
, rescued the imperial court, established an unparalleled honor, and now defeated Yuan Shao, the land of Hebei has been shaken, and he will be able to sweep the world and redefine the country."
Chen Mu said, "But I heard rumors from the imperial court recently. It is said that some officials have asked the emperor to call my eldest brother to the capital to serve as a prince. Hebei and Qingzhou have to re-appoint their prefectural shepherds. An army of 200,000 people should be recruited."
It is in charge of a general sent by the imperial court. I wonder if this is true or false? Have you ever heard of this?"
Dong Zhao said with a smile: "What the young master is talking about is about Doctor Guanglu. As soon as this statement came out, the whole court was opposed to it. Doctor Guanglu has also been dismissed. There is no need for the young master to worry about this. But here, maybe
It has the meaning of the emperor and the ministers."
"Then in the opinion of the servant, how should my elder brother respond?"
Chen Mu asked.
Dong Zhao muttered: "Play it openly and reject it secretly."
"oh?"
Chen Mu asked: "What is the meaning of this statement?"
Dong Zhao continued: "General Wei can report to the court and plead guilty. However, the matter in Jizhou has not yet been concluded, and Yuan Shao still has more than 100,000 troops. When the chaos in Jizhou resumes, the court will naturally still use General Wei."
Well, Yuan Shikai’s gameplay.
Chen Mu nodded: "What the servant said makes sense. I have written a memorial and plan to ask my eldest brother to make a memorial to the imperial court, asking the imperial court to send a new shepherd of Jizhou and select an heir from Hejian to inherit the throne."
Dong Zhao was confused for a moment and wondered: "Why is General Wei doing this? If this is the case, wouldn't he be giving up the newly acquired Hebei?"
Chen Mu said calmly: "My eldest brother is a benevolent person. He has served the country all his life and will never care about personal gains and losses. Although the court is jealous, the four of my brothers are unswervingly determined and loyal. They should have their stomachs removed."
Make your ambition clear and prove to the world who is the loyal person."
"I see."
Dong Zhao thought quickly in his mind and realized what he had never said before. As the saying goes, it is a taboo to talk lightly and talk deeply. He has not yet joined Liu Bei's group, and he has not gained trust. The other party does not know whether he is an undercover agent of the imperial court, so what he said makes sense.
It sounds a little more grand, but it's normal.
The three of them chatted for a while, and Chen Mu used the excuse of getting late to see off the guests. Zhong Yao and Dong Zhao left the courtyard. On the way back, Zhong Yao asked: "Gongren, what do you think when you meet the young minister?"
?”
"Yingjie."
Dong Zhao couldn't help but praise: "Young Master, there is no flaw in your words, and every move can lead to retreat. If my allegiance is to the imperial court, and I tell the truth to the emperor, I'm afraid the emperor will also praise me for my loyalty."
"Does Gongren think that the young minister is disloyal to the court?"
Zhong Yao asked.
The two of them also had some friendship in Luoyang, and sometimes they could talk a little more. Unlike when talking to Chen Mu, no matter how much they praised the Liu Bei Group, they had to be humble to each other and show off.
Dong Zhao said: "I proposed the strategy of openly announcing it and secretly rejecting it. If it was true that the Shaofu said that the army and power should be returned to the imperial court, the Shaofu would have scolded him long ago, but now he is letting it go, secretly meaning,
Isn't he resisting the imperial court? I even suspect that the fact that Yuan Shao is still alive is probably the young man's delaying strategy."
"Um."
Zhong Yao nodded, the two looked at each other, and suddenly they both laughed.
The imperial court doesn't care about it for now, but there are so many smart people in the world, how can they not see that Qingzhou is besieging Wei County, but only besieging it without attacking, is it not delaying time?
It's just that Liu Bei also had a high-sounding excuse, so neither the court nor the people in the world could blame him.
Now many people in the imperial court believe that Liu Bei will definitely be able to control the government in the future. Dong Zhao, including Dong Zhao, saw that Chen Mu was already planning to have Liu Bei write to the emperor to request that he go to Hejian to adopt an heir. He couldn't help but sigh: "The young master's
We still have a long-term vision. Let General Wei submit a letter to go to Hejian to have an heir. I am afraid that I will not be able to escape the position of general in the future."
"All the general positions in our Han Dynasty are usually held by relatives. It is rare to hold the position of general as a member of the clan. However, in extraordinary times, we can only do extraordinary things. At that time, the Marquis of Huaiyin made countless meritorious deeds and was recognized by Emperor Gaozu.
Being established as a general is proof of that."
Zhong Yao added.
They also acquiesced that Liu Bei should serve as a general in the future as a powerful minister and then manage the government.
In fact, it's not just them, most people think so.
Because following Cao Cao's route in history, controlling the government and plotting slowly is the right way.
If you are too anxious to eat hot tofu, Liu Bei will want to succeed Liu Yu as soon as he dies. That is impossible, and no one will think about it.
Therefore, many people want to join Liu Bei's group, because Liu Bei's age and his meritorious service are enough to make him become a powerful minister like Huo Guang in the future after he takes over the court.
If everyone knew what Chen Mu was thinking now, they might have been afraid to avoid joining the Liu Bei Group.