Three great occasions?
Cao Cao's eyes narrowed. He rested his chin in his hand and listened attentively.
Lu Yu's voice carried out.
"The first great occasion is the situation in Hebei. Under the severe drought, the crops have failed, and with the subsequent floods, even the early-ripening rice in the south must have been ruined!"
"The direct consequence is the instability in Hebei. Lord Cao, think about it. Although Yuan Shao has plenty of grain, he cannot sustain his numerous soldiers and people. With the crop failure, given Yuan Shao's petty nature, he will surely be worried day and night... And the best way to eliminate worry is..."
Cao Cao largely agreed with what Lu Yu was saying, particularly his assessment of Yuan Shao's character.
No one understood Yuan Shao, his elder brother, better than Cao Cao. Yuan Shao's magnanimity was no bigger than a fingernail.
With the crop failure, he would go mad!
And... there was only one way to eliminate panic and worry...
"Gongsun Zan!" Cao Cao interjected.
Uh... at this remark, Lu Yu was taken aback. Had Old Cao learned to guess?
Cao Cao's voice continued. "Among the lords of the present world, Gongsun Zan has the most stored grain. It is rumored that he has amassed three million piculs of grain in Youzhou. Yuan Shao wants to eliminate his fear of grain supply... so he will have to launch a major offensive against Gongsun Zan and seize his grain!"
That's right...
Lu Yu nodded.
If there was one province or commandery in the entire Han empire where grain prices remained stable, never rising or falling drastically, it would undoubtedly be Youzhou!
This was largely thanks to the meritorious deeds of the former Governor of Youzhou, Liu Yu.
This man was adept at governing provinces and commanderies. He was benevolent in his policies and deeply loved by the people. He stabilized grain prices... Apart from advocating for a "conciliatory" approach towards the local nomadic tribes like the Wuhuan and Xianbei, there was nothing else to criticize!
However... in this era, lords who were good at governing but poor at fighting often did not live long. Eventually, in the fourth year of Chuping, due to his utter lack of combat prowess, he was defeated and killed in a confrontation with Gongsun Zan!
Along with this, Gongsun Zan gained possession of Youzhou's grain and its exceptionally low prices, boasting of having stockpiled three million piculs...
It was likely that during this drought season, all other lords' grain reserves combined would not equal his alone.
As the saying goes, "An innocent man is often punished for his possessions."
To possess Youzhou was one thing, but to be so wealthy?
Given Yuan Shao's petty nature, how could he ignore this? He absolutely had to seize it!
Youzhou, three million piculs of grain... Only a child would choose. Yuan Shao wanted both!
"As Lord Cao said, the northern frontier will inevitably fall into chaos. Although Gongsun Zan's military strength is inferior to Yuan Shao's, he has the advantage of abundant provisions and valiant cavalry. If Yuan Shao truly intends to conquer him... it would take at least three to four years. During this period, whether Lord Cao welcomes the Emperor or expands his territory, at the very least, the northern frontier can be assured of peace... Lord Cao, wouldn't you say this is a great occasion?"
Huo...
As Lu Yu explained it, Cao Cao's mood instantly became even brighter...
At the same time, he realized that Yu'er was helping him analyze the situation and clarifying the possibility of welcoming the Emperor.
"Haha... it is indeed a joyous occasion!" Cao Cao laughed and gestured. "Lord Lu, please continue. What is the second great occasion?"
"The southern frontier!" Lu Yu replied without hesitation. "Similar to the north, drought, locusts, and floods... the disaster in the south will be even more severe. I heard that Jingzhou is suffering from an epidemic, and Liu Biao is a man who prefers to defend cities... posing no threat to any of Lord Cao's actions! The only... threat is Yuan Shu, whose grain reserves are not insignificant!"
"But fortunately, Lord Cao and Yuan Shu are separated by Lu Bu and Liu Bei as buffer zones. Moreover, Yuan Shu has always looked down upon Liu Bei. Given his style of doing things, he might use his grain to tempt Lu Bu into helping him attack Liu Bei!"
As he reached this point, Cao Cao suddenly thought of something and could not help but interrupt.
"Liu Bei is currently struggling to protect himself, and his grain supply is even more precarious. Therefore... the grain he can provide to Lu Bu's army is meager. In this case, haha... given Lu Bu's opportunistic nature, he might indeed break with Liu Bei over the grain promised by Yuan Shu! He might even counter-attack Liu Bei, hahaha..."
"This means that for the next few years, the southern frontier will not be a concern, haha. We can then free up our hands... to clear the path to Luoyang and focus on welcoming the Emperor!"
Cao Cao burst into hearty laughter...
As he laughed, he continued, "As for Yuan Shu, that dog! He is like a pixiu, only taking and never giving! It is easy to feed grain into his mouth, but extremely difficult to get him to spit it out. The grain he promises Lu Bu will likely be wasted. In anger, Lu Bu will then join forces with Liu Bei to attack Yuan Shu. This is a new story, truly a joyous occasion, even more exciting than the one in the north with Yuan Shao!"
That's right...
Lu Yu had intended to say everything that Cao Cao had already articulated. Lu Yu felt a bit awkward for not having the chance to speak.
He could only offer a slight smile.
"Lord Cao, you are wise. Liu Bei, Lu Bu, and Yuan Shu... these three forces will be locked in a deadly embrace. Perhaps at that time, certain local powers within Xiapi city will see clearly and realize that none of them are capable of great achievements. It's possible... they might even voluntarily pledge allegiance to Lord Cao?"
Hmm...
Cao Cao paused slightly.
It made sense... The powers in Xiapi city were not foolish. Following Liu Bei, Lu Bu, or Yuan Shu offered no future. Only with Cao Cao was the true path.
But... the Danyang faction, the scholar faction, the commoner faction?
Which faction would pledge allegiance to him, Cao Cao? Inwardly, Cao Cao felt a slight anticipation.
"Lord Lu, please continue. I am all ears for this third great occasion, eagerly awaiting it."
"Lord Cao, please have some tea..." Lu Yu proactively offered Cao Cao a cup of tea.
"You'll drink it after you finish speaking? If you speak well, why bother with tea? I'll have someone deliver thirty-year aged tribute wine from Qiaopei!" Cao Cao leaned his head towards Lu Yu, smiling playfully.
Uh...
Lu Yu mused that he seemed to have tasted Qiaopei tribute wine at Xiahou Dun's mansion. Wasn't it the same as Gujing Gong wine?
Lu Yu was considering... when he had free time, he would add more potency to the wines of this era!
The so-called strong liquors of this era were truly not strong, far inferior to Erguotou.
"Lord Cao, the third point concerns the main road from Yanzhou to Luoyang!"
Although Yanzhou and Luoyang were only five hundred li apart...
There were indeed many passes, checkpoints, and fortified passes in between. Although the major warlords did not value Sili after Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang, there were many small scattered troops... It was not that easy to pass through!
Cao Cao's eyes narrowed slightly. He was even more curious about what Yu'er would say next.
"Lord Cao, the closest route from Yanzhou to Luoyang is via Hulao Pass. However, including Hulao Pass, there are quite a few scattered troops in between. Although they are not numerous, it will still take some effort to pass through the checkpoints!"
"However... due to the drought, locusts, and floods, their current situation must be extremely miserable, and their lives even more difficult. The most pressing issue they need to solve is grain. Based on this, Lord Cao, if you have grain... you can use it to negotiate with them. It would be best if they can be incorporated, but even if not, with grain on hand, and with no direct conflict of interest between them and Lord Cao, they will naturally not obstruct the army's advance."
"Thus, under the great disaster, the main road from Yanzhou to Luoyang will actually be easier to traverse. This is the third great occasion!"
Hoo...
After hearing Lu Yu's final point, Cao Cao let out a soft sigh. He stood up and paced back and forth...
Not because the third point was particularly brilliant...
But because these three great occasions were interconnected, exquisitely masterful.
The north was safe, the south was safe, and Cao Cao could act freely...
The nomads and scattered troops in the Sili region were lacking grain, so there was an opportunity.
Who would have thought that a great disaster... could trigger three consecutive joyous events...
Cao Cao's heart fluttered repeatedly... For a moment, he even felt that heaven was helping Cao Cao!
What are we waiting for? Let's just head west and get it done!
Speaking of which, Cao Cao's visit to the Cai residence was not specifically to discuss strategy with Lu Yu. He purely wanted to see his son.
Sometimes, Cao Cao's feelings were no different from those of an ordinary father. His son had made great contributions, and he deserved praise! As a father, how could he not come to offer some compliments?
But... as they talked, and the conversation turned to strategic planning.
Unexpectedly, during their discussion... Cao Cao's entire outlook became clear. This clarity was not about a city or a territory, nor about gains or losses, but about... understanding the entire situation of the world at this moment.
Haha...
The five energies and eight destinies, the yin and yang, the five elements—Yu'er had already brought Cao Cao many surprises. However... the most surprising aspect for Cao Cao remained Yu'er's keen judgment of the situation and his terrifying insight. These were what Cao Cao's camp could not do without.
"Someone..." Cao Cao's footsteps halted, his gaze fixed.
"Lord Cao..." Several armored soldiers walked in.
"Go and fetch two jars of thirty-year aged Jiuniang Chun wine. Today, I will not return until I am drunk with Lord Lu!" Cao Cao announced loudly.
"Yes..."
With that, several armored soldiers hurried away.
Jiuniang Chun wine was another name for Gujing Gong wine, very famous in Qiaopei...
Lu Yu's eyes rolled. He had a strong feeling that he and Old Cao would likely get very drunk today!
"Lord Cao, how about..." To protect his liver, Lu Yu wanted to advise him.
Unexpectedly, Cao Cao directly raised his hand. "What? Are the concubine maids in this room captivating your soul today?"
Uh... Lu Yu was speechless.
"Hahaha..." Cao Cao burst into laughter. "Tonight, we father... no, tonight, we two will not return until we are drunk. Tomorrow, I will help you choose some pretty maids for yourself! You kid, just wait to enjoy yourself! Haha..."
Because he was too happy, and because he was chatting with his son, Cao Cao no longer held back anything and said whatever came to his mind.
Moreover, Cao Cao truly looked forward to having a grandson sometimes!
After all, the tradition passed down in their Cao family was—"affection across generations"!
Hiss...
Suddenly, Cao Cao thought of something else. His expression became a bit more serious. "I remember now, Lord Lu was specifically here today to request the establishment of the Imperial Academy for my virtuous sister? How could I have forgotten this!"
Hahahahaha...
Cao Cao, while laughing, patted Lu Yu on the shoulder.
"You can rest assured, one hundred and twenty percent. As soon as we welcome the Emperor, haha, his first decree will be to rebuild the Imperial Academy and re-engrave the stone classics of the Imperial Academy! Hahahaha!"
Cao Cao laughed exceptionally heartily...
Rebuilding the Imperial Academy was not just the dream of his virtuous sister Cai Yan; Cao Cao himself... also yearned for it!
Just then.
"Lord Cao, Lord Cao..."
A hurried voice came. It was still raining outside, but the footsteps were exceptionally urgent.
Judging by the sound, it seemed to be Xun Yu arriving...
Cao Cao's eyes opened slightly. In this rainy weather, and in the latter half of the night, why had Xun Yu come? Could there be another change in the rice fields?
His expression suddenly became somber...
Just then, Xun Yu entered the main hall. He hurriedly removed his bamboo hat, but it seemed... because he had rushed, his body was still covered in rain marks!
"Commander Xun? Has something happened?" Cao Cao asked urgently.
"Something has happened, a matter of utmost urgency!" Xun Yu frowned... "A spy from Guanzhong reports that the Emperor, the Emperor's carriage has left Chang'an and is already... already heading towards Hongnong County!"
At these words.
Huala...
Lu Yu and Cao Cao's expressions both changed. No wonder Xun Yu was so nervous. Who else in the empire could make him lose his composure if not the Emperor?
Cao Cao turned to look at Lu Yu, wanting to capture some information from his eyes. However... at this moment, Lu Yu's eyes were narrowed, and his expression suddenly became deep and solemn.
According to historical records, the Emperor leaving Chang'an and reaching Hongnong... marked the beginning of his eastward journey.
The entire process of the Emperor's eastward journey was extremely long, as it involved various forces, each with its own hidden agenda. Thus, a journey that originally took one to two months actually took as long as one to two years!
However... Lu Yu mused, this matter of the Emperor heading to Hongnong seemed to be a few months earlier than recorded in history.
Could it be that the chain reaction caused by Lu Yu, this butterfly flapping its wings, had already affected Guanzhong and the Emperor's eastward journey?
Hiss... impossible, right?
Lu Yu lightly tapped his forehead. What did it matter?
Since the Emperor had already taken the first step eastward, now... Old Cao's side should also take this big step!
"Lord Cao..." Lu Yu's expression suddenly became solemn. "The time has come. Make preparations early!"
At these words, Xun Yu also cupped his hands and said, "Although the Emperor has only left Chang'an and is temporarily residing in Hongnong County, it seems like a small step, but it is a big step towards the east. Xun also feels, as Lord Lu suggested, that the time has come for early preparations! Perhaps soon, the Emperor will embark on his eastward journey."
The two most trusted strategists of Cao Cao uttered such similar words...
Now... Cao Cao could not afford to drink anymore.
"Someone! Prepare horses! Return to the manor! Have Zilian and Miaocai come to the yamen to see me immediately!"
At this moment, the moon was high, the rain was still falling... and a tense, critical atmosphere pervaded the entire main hall!
Tonight, Cao Cao had no mood to drink that thirty-year aged Gujing Gong wine.
Clearing the passage from Yanzhou to Luoyang... was imminent.
Cao Cao took the lead and departed. Xun Yu cast a deep glance at Lu Yu, then turned and followed Cao Cao...
At this moment, it was clearly visible that Cao Cao and Xun Yu's clothes were wet, but their steps were exceptionally hurried!
Hoo...
Lu Yu let out a long sigh, his eyes slightly narrowed... "This year! It truly is an eventful autumn!"
...
...
In April, drought; in June, locusts; in July, crop failure; in August, floods.
Some rejoiced, others grieved.
For example, Yuan Shu and Gongsun Zan belonged to the rejoicing category. Although this year saw no harvest due to drought and floods, they had stored grain, so their hearts were not in panic!
Conversely, Yuan Shao, Liu Bei, Lu Bu, and Liu Biao... were a bit panicked.
Especially Yuan Shao... He was feeling utterly dejected.
Damn it, he tolerated the drought and locusts... after all, there was still the early-ripening rice. But... after the drought, another torrential rain poured down, the riverbanks breached... thousands of mu of rice fields were destroyed, and the year's harvest was instantly washed away!
This...
Yuan Shao, with his already narrow mind, was about to explode at this moment!
His mind was filled with thoughts: What to do? My grain is gone! ... Actually... not having grain wasn't a big deal, but damn it, Gongsun Zan still had grain! How could he have grain? Why? Is there still law? Is there still justice? No!
Precisely at this critical juncture...
In the yamen, Ju Shou and Tian Feng were still "chattering"!
"Lord Yuan, in just two years, Cao Cao has risen from having no territory to possessing two commanderies and commanding a hundred thousand troops. In my opinion, he is Lord Yuan's most formidable enemy!"
Ju Shou spoke eloquently... "According to news from spies in Guanzhong and Yanzhou, the Emperor has left Chang'an and is temporarily stationed in Hongnong County, indicating signs of his eastward return. Cao Cao's strategy of sending his clansman Cao Hong westward to Luoyang to welcome the Emperor is obvious. This strategy is exceptionally ingenious, and I surmise there must be a master advisor within Cao Cao's camp!"
"And this strategy, with slight modification, can also be applied to our army. Lord Yuan's distance to Luoyang is even closer than Cao Cao's, and the passage along the way is unobstructed!"
The unspoken meaning was clear: if the Emperor were to return east, with the advantage of proximity, Lord Yuan should be the first to welcome the Emperor!
Hmm... Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao's spirits lifted slightly, but he quickly shook his head.
Cao Cao heading west? The Emperor returning east? What did it have to do with him?
Could the Emperor be eaten as food?
Moreover, given Yuan Shao's proud personality and narrow-mindedness, if he brought the Emperor to Jizhou, what if this Emperor issued an imperial decree with a single disagreement? Would Yuan Shao obey or disobey? Did Jizhou, Bingzhou, and Qingzhou belong to Yuan, or to Liu?
This was a damn nuisance!
Despite thinking this way, Yuan Shao still nodded, "My advisor, please continue!"
The unspoken meaning was: Advisor, you say what you want, but whether I listen or not... that's another story!
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