Wait, please don't call me Emperor Zhaolie

Chapter 215: Dragons can be big or small
Not only Jizhou, but also Li Jue, Guo Si, Jia Xu and other Liangzhou princes in Guanzhong Chang'an received the news.

Li Jue, who was already the Grand Marshal, hosted a banquet at his mansion to discuss matters with Guo Si and Jia Xu. It happened that Zhang Ji's army stationed in Hongnong County was short of food, so they came to Chang'an to purchase food and fodder. Li Jue simply invited him to his mansion as well.

The female musicians played stringed instruments and bamboo instruments at the banquet. Everyone was drunk and excited. When they were drinking, Li Jue asked, "Wenhe, will Liu Xuande's killing of the nobles in Xuzhou lead to a dramatic change in Guandong?"

Jia Xu, the palace secretary, was somewhat puzzled. He bowed and asked, "What is the Grand Marshal worried about? I really don't know. Please tell me clearly."

Li Jue put down the wine bottle and looked at Jia Xu, and said: "Wenhe, I am asking, will Liu Bei's killing of so many nobles in the fields cause the nobles and nobles in the world to rise up and attack like Dong Gong? If Liu Xuande is easily defeated by Yuan Shao, we may have a deep hatred with the Yuan family of Runan. If Yuan Benchu ​​sweeps across the world, he will definitely attack Guanzhong to avenge the Yuan family. Liangzhou may be in great trouble."

Li Jue was very worried that Liu Bei would go too far in Xuzhou, causing internal chaos and allowing Yuan Shao to take advantage. It would be best if the Yuan and Liu families continued to fight in Hebei so that the princes of Liangzhou could stay in Guanzhong and Chang'an for a long time.

He thought for a moment, and then said, "If Yuan is weak, we will help Yuan. If Liu is weak, we will naturally help Liu."

Li Jue became the Grand Marshal, a position above the Three Dukes, and his perspective finally changed. He understood clearly that he was unable to annex the princes of Liang Province, big and small, let alone send troops to Guandong to occupy the world.

After recognizing the reality, he just wanted to stay in Chang'an safely. No matter what happened in Guandong, as long as it didn't affect Guanzhong, he would have to intervene in advance if it was involved.

Before Jia Xu could reply, Zhang Ji, who was stationed in Hongnong County, could not help but frown and said bluntly: "Grand Marshal, what you said is wrong. Liu Xuande's troops are all elite troops. Even in terms of morale, military discipline and formation training, the Liangzhou army is far inferior to the Qingzhou army."

Zhang Ji glanced at Li Jue and Guo Si, and seeing that they seemed to be in deep thought, he cupped his hands and said, "I was stationed in Hongnong County, and fought many times with Zhang Yide and Xun Gongda who occupied Henei and Henan counties. The two cooperated well and repelled me many times. If it weren't for the need to restore the livelihood of the people in the two rivers, I'm afraid I would have rushed into Guanzhong and brought back the emperor long ago."

Guo Si looked suspicious and asked, "I heard that the soldiers in Heluo were mostly trained by powerful families. They have only been in the army for a year. How much blood can they have seen? They are just farmers who were given a few acres of land. Why is the General of Chariots and Cavalry exaggerating?"

Speaking of the latter part, Guo Si himself could not help laughing. He absolutely did not believe that in just one year, the powerful tribes could be made more brave and skilled in fighting than the Liangzhou Army. One must know that the soldiers under his command had fought in the barbarian land with real swords and guns, and had fought bloody battles.

The Henei soldiers have only fought a few battles, and they can be used to compare with the Liangzhou army. Zhang Ji wanted to defraud food and grass but couldn't find a good excuse. How could he believe such nonsense?

Guo Si pointed at Zhang Ji and said jokingly, "General Chariot and Cavalry, are you deliberately making up a lie because your nephew Zhang Xiu was nearly captured and killed by Zhang Yide? You want us to be so anxious that you will lead your troops to Hanoi and kill Zhang Fei to avenge your nephew?"

"I advise the general not to think of using us to avenge his humiliation. Since Zhang Xiu was defeated by Zhang Fei, he can lead his army to win back in the future. Are the people of Qingzhou the only ones who are brave and reckless? Are the people of Liangzhou not brave and valiant?"

"General Huoqi, you..." The bearded Zhang Ji's face turned pale. He slammed the table in anger and glared at him.

You are hiding in Guanzhong and don't know anything, but you still think that the people of Liangzhou are the best in the world in terms of military preparation. I kindly tell you that times are different now, and the soldiers under Liu Bei's command are the best.

Several times, he joined forces with the Baibo bandits in Hedong County to attack Mianchi, Yiyang, Dongyuan and other places, trying to recapture these counties, but was defeated by the Qingzhou army every time.

Even my most valiant follower, Zhang Xiu, was nearly stabbed to death on the battlefield by Zhang Yide. While you guys are far away in Chang'an enjoying yourself, I am the only one standing here making sarcastic remarks in the face of the world's truly powerful army.

Thinking of this, Zhang Ji's face turned purple. He just bowed slightly to Grand Marshal Li Jue, glanced at Guo Si, and left in anger.

They were all warriors who had come from fighting, so he didn't care about Guo Si at all. If he had the guts, he would bring his men out to fight him in battle.

When Guo Si saw that Zhang Ji had offended him with a casual remark, he left angrily.

His eyes were as cold as a knife, and he fiercely cut Zhang Ji's back, thinking something silently in his heart.

"Alas..." Jia Xu sighed in his heart. The people of Liangzhou were just such a makeshift group. It was common for them to speak without thinking and draw their swords against each other. Zhang Ji was already extremely restrained. Since the death of Mr. Dong, no one could control this group of reckless men and soldiers. At most, Jia Wenhe could barely use interests to stitch them together and let this broken carriage continue to drive forward.

Sooner or later, this carriage will collapse, and the remaining people will either die inside the carriage or fall to the ground and die outside the overturned carriage.

"If Xu dies without a burial place, how can he rest in peace in the underworld?" Jia Xu sighed quietly.

The people of Liangzhou have been caught up in the world's situation and are now in a difficult situation. If Wang Yun had been willing to give them a way out, how could the Liangzhou army have attacked Chang'an and humiliated the emperor, stepping into a desperate situation step by step?

At this moment, except for the Yuan family who have a blood feud with Liangzhou, the rest of the princes in the world have the possibility of turning enemies into friends. He can choose the one who is most capable of competing for the throne and show goodwill, but he must not let the three dukes and nine ministers of Chang'an and the emperor rise to power, otherwise the warriors of Liangzhou will be killed, and Jia Xu will naturally not escape.

Previously, Liu Xuande's proclamation to attack Liangzhou frightened him. Finally, after seeing the Qingzhou army wipe out Zhang Yang and the Xiongnu Chanyu, he stopped in Heluo and rebuilt the ancestral temple to worship his ancestors.

Jia Xu realized belatedly that Liu Bei had no intention of assisting Emperor Liu Xie, which immediately surprised him.

During the Xinmang Rebellion, Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu recovered Luoyang and offered sacrifices to the ancestral temple. He later achieved great success in Hebei and continued the Han Dynasty's prosperity for another two hundred years.

Liu Bei rose to power in Qingzhou, but Emperor Liu Xie showed him no favor. Instead, Lord Dong, despite opposition from the three dukes and nine ministers, recommended Liu Bei as the governor and prefect of Qingzhou.

Later, when Liu Xuande attacked Liu Dai and Yuan Shao, Liang Province provided help, and even now he was allowed to govern the four provinces of Guandong, Ji, Qing, Yan, and Xu, and was also granted the title of Marquis of Ye.

If it weren't for the fact that Liang Province controlled the government, any petition submitted by Liu Xuande would have been rejected by the three dukes and nine ministers due to his humble background. How could he have fought against Yuan Benchu ​​who was entrenched in Hebei until now?

They were all subtle movements in Liangzhou.

Jia Xu suddenly felt terrified when he thought about it. Ever since Mr. Dong had a complete falling out with the gentry in Luoyang, the person who benefited the most was not the famous scholar, but Liu Xuande, who happened to be of humble origin.

"Guangwu rode a dragon and controlled the sky. A dragon can be big or small, can rise or hide. When it is big, it can raise clouds and spit out fog; when it is small, it can hide its shape, just like a man who has achieved his ambition and can travel across the world..."

Just as Jia Xu was lost in thought, Grand Marshal Li Jue interrupted his thoughts and asked, "Wenhe, the Baibo bandits often interact with the Black Mountain bandits. Why not use the name of the court to enfeoff and recruit the Black Mountain bandit Zhang Yan, so that he can attack Yuan Shao from a high position when Liu Bei's army is defeated? What do you think?"

In order to prevent Liu Xuande from attacking Guanzhong, Li and Guo used the emperor's edict to recruit the Baibo bandits who were causing chaos in Hedong County. They conferred official positions on them, rewarded them with money and cloth, and bestowed various general titles on them as if they were free. This finally moved the Baibo bandits and they finally surrendered to the court.

Now, he can contact Zhang Yan, the leader of the Black Mountain bandits who is said to have a million bandits, through the Baibo bandits. As long as he is willing to obey the call of the court, he can choose any official position.

After hearing this, Jia Xu thought for a while and nodded, "This is a good plan, Grand Marshal. As long as we can stop the Yuan and Liu families from fighting, Guanzhong will be safe."

"Good!" Seeing that Jia Xu also agreed, Li Jue couldn't help but laugh and clapped his hands, saying: "No matter how powerful the princes in Guandong are, as long as the emperor and the court are in our hands, we can use anyone to serve us."

"Mr. Dong used the emperor to control the princes. This is really a good strategy."

As he spoke, Li Jue raised the wine jar and invited Guo Si and Jia Xu to hug the dancing maids, sing and laugh, and drink to their heart's content.

(End of this chapter)