Wait, please don't call me Emperor Zhaolie

Chapter 164 Cao Bao also wants to be the Prime Minister of Xia Pi
When Liu Bei arrived at Xia Pi County, he dismissed many officials who were in cahoots with Zuo Rong, including Cao Bao, the commander of Xia Pi.

"Lord Xuande, I am innocent! I have never violated the law with Zuo Rong." Cao Bao cried out in panic.

He was dismissed from his military post after Liu Bei entered the city and stayed in the Duwei Mansion for several days. He saw that all the officials in charge of these offices, including Gongcao, Zhubu, Duyou, and Hucao, Tiancao, Shuicao, Cangcao, Caocao, Facao, Bingcao, Zeicao, and Yicao, were not spared and were all dismissed.

However, Cao Bao knew that these people were appointed and promoted by Zuo Rong, but dismissing so many subordinates at one time was unprecedented in Xuzhou. He could not help but sigh at Liu Shijun's extraordinary courage, who would rather take the risk of Xia Pi's policies not being implemented than to make it a new look.

He was still secretly happy that Zuo Rong was gone. As the commander of Xia Pi, Cao Bao would definitely take over as the prime minister of Xia Pi. While quietly congratulating Zuo Rong on his death, he sat in the commander's mansion waiting for the new appointment documents.

After waiting for another five or six days, he finally received the document from the provincial government. After two clerks checked the seal, Cao Bao happily opened the wooden tablet, but the document in his hand fell to the ground with a "snap".

The smile on Cao Bao's face also froze.

What was delivered was not a document of promotion and appointment, but a notice to dismiss him from the position of captain.

He was stunned for a few breaths, then came to his senses and, regardless of his disheveled clothes, hurriedly got on the carriage and headed for the county prime minister's mansion. Unfortunately, the gatekeeper guarding the mansion had already received the news that Cao Bao had been dismissed. The new Xia Pi commander was Taishi Ci of Donglai County, and the Xia Pi county prime minister was concurrently served by Lord Xuande himself.

Cao Bao could not enter the mansion, so he had to save face and cried at the door: "Lord Xuande, Bao is not a follower of the traitor Zuo Rong. Zuo Rong and I are like fire and water. County officials all know that I am innocent. I hope you can see clearly!"

He was a general under Tao Qian, and after Tao Qian's death, he became helpless in Xuzhou.

Now he has neither military power nor his official position. He has worked hard for decades but gained nothing. Who could not help feeling sad?

The gatekeeper was also troubled. After all, Cao Bao was a former captain, and his mansion was crowded with people coming and going. If he left it alone, it would be a loss of face for Lord Xuande, so he immediately sent someone in to report.

"Who? Cao Bao is here crying?!" Liu Bei had just finished dealing with the pile of affairs that the clerks in the warehouse had to deal with. When he heard the gatekeeper coming to report, he was slightly stunned.

He had dismissed countless officials in Qing and Yan provinces, but no one had ever dared to come to him and cry and wail. At least they had some shamelessness. Now Cao Bao had set a precedent and became the first to come and wail and protest.

"He is worthy of being Tao Gongzu's general!" Liu Bei said meaningfully.

Tao Qian thought that by leaving behind his generals Zhang Kai, Cao Bao, Zang Ba and others, he could help Liu Xuande quickly stabilize Xuzhou. Unexpectedly, Liu Bei didn't even think highly of the first two.

As soon as he arrived in Xuzhou, he dismissed Zhang Kai from his post as the commander of Donghai, and then re-selected the Danyang soldiers in Donghai, and transferred some of them to Dongping County, Shanyang County and Jiyin County in Yanzhou for garrison service.

The other part was organized into camps by Gao Shun and Li Dian with mixed troops. Those who failed the training were demoted to auxiliary soldiers, those who did not abide by military discipline were beheaded, and those who abandoned the army and fled were beheaded and displayed to the public.

Liu Bei abolished the Donghai County troops and established a military office to take charge of it.

The Danyang soldiers were helpless. Their weapons and armor were all sealed in the armory. They also had 4,000 auxiliary soldiers recruited from Yanzhou and Qingzhou at their side, keeping an eye on them at all times to see if they showed any signs of rebellion.

When he looked at them, his eyes sparkled, as if he was looking at a walking military achievement. Wiping out the unarmored rebels was more exciting than the winter hunting held by the envoy every year.

After all, it is not easy to kill wild boars, tigers and leopards. If you kill a person with a spear but no armor, he will be a sitting duck.

Archers don't need to look up and shoot left to right or right to left, they can just shoot directly in front.

Now that Liu Bei of Xia Pi has also taken control of the political and military affairs, he will certainly do the same as Donghai, abolishing the county troops and establishing a military headquarters. How could he still place Cao Bao in such an important position?

Liu Bei thought for a moment and said, "Call Cao Bao in. I want to hear why he is crying and howling at the gate of the county government."

Seeing a dozen senior officials in the hall with their heads down at their desks busy re-examining the household registration of Xia Pi County, Liu Bei solemnly warned them: "Don't be rude."

Dian Wei grinned and bowed as he left. After a while, he brought in Cao Bao, who was in disheveled clothes.

"Plop!" Cao Bao fell heavily to the ground, but he didn't dare to look up and curse Dian Wei. It was obvious that he had been beaten by Dian Wei outside. He stood up angrily, enduring the severe pain in his body, and bowed to the envoy.

When he was making a scene outside the palace gate, Dian Wei, who was leaving, pointed at his nose and scolded him, "You rat! The envoy is working in the palace, how dare you be so rude?!"

When Cao Bao heard this, he was immediately furious. He had been a captain for many years and even Tao Gong did not dare to point at him and insult Shuzi like that.

He was so angry that he didn't care about anything else and just swung his fist. However, Dian Wei easily grabbed his arm and kicked him several steps away from the ground. The pain made him almost unable to get up.

But he still kept cursing, "Where did you come from, you bully me too much."

Dian Wei grinned and laughed, then waved his hand provocatively, telling him to come over.

Cao Bao could not help but get even more furious when he saw this. After Lord Xuande came to Xia Pi, not only did he lose his position as commander, but even a despicable man who appeared out of nowhere dared to do something to him.

With a roar, he rushed forward again with gritted teeth.

During the Han Dynasty, there were often wrestling matches in the army, where people fought against each other or against bulls. As long as neither side drew their swords, the gate chief would not want the soldiers to intervene to stop the fight.

Moreover, that was Dian Wei, the guard who captured and killed the Xiongnu Chanyu beside the envoy. It was only because Cao Bao had been hiding in the Duwei Mansion that he did not know Dian Junhou, otherwise he would never have dared to fight with Dian Wei, not to mention whether he could win or not.

Whenever the Marquis of Dianjun appears, he often brings the envoy's orders. Who dares to offend him?
Cao Bao's face was red and his neck was thick. He tried his best to break free from Dian Wei's arms, but he couldn't. It was as if the iron hands were strangling him and making it difficult for him to breathe.

He considered himself a brave man, and he had never met someone who made him so helpless, so he suddenly came to his senses.

This was definitely a brave and powerful warrior brought by Lord Xuande from Qingzhou. He might even be one of his personal guards. Suddenly, he dared not to use any force with his hands and feet.

Seeing that Cao Bao had no more resistance, Dian Wei let him go in boredom, but he didn't expect Cao Bao to turn around and run away.

Dian Wei was startled, and rushed over to catch him, asking puzzledly: "Why are you doing this?"

Cao Bao raised his neck and blushed as he said stubbornly, "Lord Xuande first dismissed me from my post as commander, and then sent his personal guards to arrest me. It's clear that he wants to kill me, Cao Bao. If I don't turn around and run, am I waiting to die?"

"You rat are talking nonsense and trying to ruin the reputation of the envoy. You deserve to be beaten!" Dian Wei cursed angrily.

Two heavy punches hit Cao Bao's chest, making a dull sound. The opponent was in so much pain that he couldn't speak for a moment and lost the ability to resist.

Cao Bao was in so much pain that he had only one thought: this villain’s fist was really hard.

Dian Wei nodded to the gatekeeper, then took the beast's collar and went to see the envoy.

Liu Bei asked about the whole story and then said, "I have repeatedly warned Lord Dian not to act rashly. Now that things have come to this, I will fine you three months' salary to pay for Lord Cao's medical treatment. You must visit him often."

He personally helped Cao Bao up and straightened his clothes, and apologized: "Mr. Dian is a knight-errant who likes to fight bravely. I hope Mr. Cao will not be offended by him."

"Envoy, it's just a misunderstanding. Leopard has nothing to blame you for."

When Cao Bao saw Liu Bei straightening his clothes, he knew that this was a gesture of intimacy, and the pain in his body suddenly didn't seem so severe.

If I can get closer to Lord Xuande, it doesn't matter if I get punched a few more times.

Cao Bao muttered to himself.

(End of this chapter)