The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 246 Zhou Yu's Heroic Deeds Capture Lujiang, Cao Cao Faces Powerful Enemies from Both Sides

Meanwhile, Ma Chao's repeated incursions into the borders of Wei drew a series of retaliatory attacks from Cao Cao.

Cao Cao used Ma Teng as a hostage to coerce Ma Chao into handing over military power in Bingzhou.

Ma Chao hesitated and sought advice from Pang Tong.

Pang Tong said:
"Has the general not heard that great deeds do not concern themselves with trivial matters?"

"Now the King of Qi has entrusted the affairs of Bingzhou to you, General, and given you a great responsibility."

"Does the general intend to betray the King of Qi's high expectations?"

"Moreover, this is Cao Cao's scheme to lure the giant turtle into a trap. If you surrender, General, you will surely be cooked alive."

"The reason why Cao Cao dares not harm General Ma is because he fears the general's iron cavalry and the roar of the tiger over Bingzhou."

"If I were to lay down my armor and go to Ye—"

"Then both father and son will be meat on the kitchen chopping block, at the mercy of the butcher!"

Because Ma Teng held military power, Cao Cao dared not touch him out of fear.

With no military power in his hands, Cao Cao had no more scruples, and Ma Teng and his son were both fish on the chopping block.

With Pang Tong's guidance, Ma Chao was able to resolve his inner conflict.

He strengthened his resolve to resist Cao Cao and refused to surrender.

When Cao Cao heard that Ma Chao refused to surrender, he was furious and immediately ordered his men to kill Ma Teng and his son, who were in Ye.

Cheng Yu hurriedly stopped him and advised Cao Cao:

"Please wait, my lord."

“Now Ma Chao is defying orders by taking advantage of the terrain. If we kill his father, we will be giving him the means to seek revenge.”

"It would be better to restrain the Ma family father and son, so that the horse would be cautious and hesitant to move."

Cao Cao then accepted Cheng Yu's advice and temporarily spared the lives of Ma Teng and his son.

He also feared that he would become bogged down in the war with Ma Chao and be unable to extricate himself.

He then left Cao Hong to guard Huguan Pass and led the main army back.

……

The words are divided into two parts.

Now, Sun Quan, having received support from Liu Bei, had the confidence to challenge Cao Cao.

Previously, in the war with Liu Biao, Liu Biao was unwilling to let Jingzhou fall, which allowed Sun Quan to quickly capture Lujiang.

Liu Xun, the governor of Lujiang, surrendered to Sun Quan.

With the State of Qi as his backer, Sun Quan summoned his ministers to discuss how to take Cao Cao's northern Lujiang.

All the ministers said, "This great responsibility can only be undertaken by Zhou Yu."

Sun Quan was overjoyed and immediately summoned Zhou Yu to ask him for advice.

Zhou Yu said:
"When Liu Xun surrendered in Lujiang, he led his troops to surrender."

"Liu Xun is an old friend of Cao Cao. We can have Liu Xun feign surrender to deceive Cao Cao's army."

Sun Quan then followed Zhou Yu's plan and secretly summoned Liu Xun.

He was forced to write a letter and surrender to the northern Lujiang.

He promised, "If we capture Lujiang, you will be the one to achieve the greatest merit."

Liu Xun dared not disobey the order, so he drafted a letter of surrender and sent it to Beilujiang.

The Prefect of Lujiang was Cao Xiu, who was twenty-seven years old at the time.

Cao Xiu was a cousin of Cao Cao. In his childhood, due to the chaos in the world, he fled to the Wu region.

After Cao Cao raised his army, he traveled from a thousand miles away to return to the Central Plains and serve Cao Cao.

Cao Cao praised him as "a thoroughbred horse in my family".

Because he had spent his early years in the Wu region, he was appointed Prefect of Lujiang to gain experience.

Cao Xiu received a letter from Liu Xun, which detailed Liu Xun's forced surrender to Wu.

He hoped to find an opportunity to join Cao Cao's cause.

Therefore, he promised to raise troops as an inside agent three days later to help Cao Xiu pacify Nanlujiang.

Cao Xiu summoned his attendants and asked:
"Liu Xun said he would raise troops to act as my inside man and help me take over Nanlujiang."

Do you gentlemen think this plan is feasible?

Those around him offered their advice:
"The people of Wu are often cunning; they should not be trusted easily."

Cao Xiu replied:

"Liu Xun was an old friend of the Duke of Wei. After his defeat, he had no choice but to seek refuge under the Sun family."

"What doubts do you have?"

People will only believe what they want to believe.

At this moment, Cao Xiu is in the prime of his youth and full of vigor.

They were eager to make a contribution and present a congratulatory gift to Cao Cao when he was granted the title of Duke.

If we can help Cao Cao pacify Nanlujiang, it will greatly expand Wei's power in the south.

So rather than saying Cao Xiu trusted Liu Xun, it would be more accurate to say that he subconsciously hoped Liu Xun was genuinely surrendering.

The people on the left and right said again:
"Even if we want to accept Liu Xun's surrender, we should at least inform Lord Wei first."

Cao Xiu said impatiently:
"The round trip from Lujiang to Yecheng takes at least a month."

"If it is delayed for too long, the people of Wu will be on guard."

Ignoring the advice of others, he insisted on advancing his troops to Nanlujiang.

Someone had informed Zhou Yu beforehand, and Zhou Yu happily told everyone:

"Cao Xiu was appointed based on personal connections; he was not a wise and brave general."

"Now, I have been misled by Liu Xun's words and have ventured deep into this dangerous area."

“If I ambush him, Cao Xiu will surely be defeated.”

"Heaven is helping our Eastern Wu."

Therefore, he ordered Lu Xun to lead 5,000 men to ambush at Yaogui Mountain.

He then ordered Lü Meng to lead 5,000 men to ambush at Longshu.

Cao Xiu followed the advice and led his troops forward, arriving at a reed marsh in the middle.

Cao Xiu secretly suspected that the reed marshes were a good place to ambush his troops.

However, Liu Xun did not mention a reed marsh in the album he presented to himself.

Why?

Cao Xiu felt a bad premonition, just as a horn sounded.

Lü Meng led over a thousand crossbowmen out first, their arrows coated with sulfur, which set the reeds ablaze.

Instantly, flames erupted and black smoke billowed across the ground.

Cao Xiu cried out, "I've fallen into their trap!"

He then ordered his men to retreat.

Lu Xun seized the opportunity to break out from Yao Gui Mountain.

The vanguard they were leading consisted of elite soldiers from Danyang.

All the Danyang warriors leaped out of the haystacks, each wielding a twelve-foot-long spear, aiming to stab the horses in the belly.

The Wei army was caught off guard and forced into the swamp by the fire, where thousands perished.

Cao Xiu's golden helmet fell to the ground, and he personally grabbed a long spear to break through the encirclement. He was wounded six times before he was able to escape the encirclement.

After a night of fighting, Cao Xiu was already disheveled and covered in dirt.

When the remaining troops retreated to Beilujiang, they counted their remaining men and horses and suddenly saw a cloth banner hanging in the woods with the following words:
"Thank you for the armor and provisions you have gifted me. I will personally travel to Yedu to reciprocate in the future!"

Signed: Zhou Lang of Jiangdong

Upon seeing this, Cao Xiu let out a loud shout.

He vomited blood, fainted, and collapsed to the ground.

He was quickly revived by the crowd and regained consciousness after a long time.

Cao Xiu, dejected and in a trembling voice, addressed the crowd:

"I did not heed your good advice, and that is why I have suffered this defeat."

"Having suffered heavy losses, I have no face to return to see Lord Wei."

Everyone said:
"The Wu people have won a battle, and they will surely take advantage of the situation to seize Lujiang."

"General, you must prepare early!"

Left with no other choice, Cao Xiu had to pull himself together, gather his remaining troops, and return to Beilujiang.

Indeed, Zhou Yu took advantage of the great victory and immediately made plans to seize the entire Lujiang region in one fell swoop.

"The Wei army has just suffered a defeat, and their morale has plummeted."

"We should seize the opportunity to advance north and conquer Huainan in one fell swoop!"

"If there is any delay, Cao Wei will be prepared."

Speed ​​is of the essence in war, and Zhou Yu is now trying to create a time difference.

He didn't want Cao Cao to realize what was happening and send troops to rescue Cao Xiu.

Otherwise, with its current strength, Eastern Wu would not be able to contend with Cao Wei.

Therefore, the troops were divided into three routes.

One of his men, Lü Meng, led an 8,000-strong naval force up the Ruxu River to cut off Cao Cao's supply lines.

Lu Xun was ordered to lead 3,000 light cavalry, hiding by day and traveling by night, to launch a surprise attack on Anfengjin.

He personally led an army of 10,000 men, marching forward and pressing directly towards the city of Beilujiang.

Although Cao Xiu suffered a defeat, the city was still relatively fortified.

Cao Xiu dared not go out to fight, and ordered his men to defend the city and not to come out.

On the one hand, he sent another letter, first sending someone to Li Tong in Runan to ask for help, and then reporting to Duke Wei.

Cao Xiu's thinking was very clear.

If we were to report directly to Cao Cao, it would take too long.

Let's prioritize lifting the siege of Lujiang first, based on the principle of proximity.

When Zhou Yu arrived at the city walls, he first ordered his men to surround the city, and then said to those around him:

"Cao Xiu's fortified position and refusal to come out must mean he is waiting for reinforcements."

"If we spend days and months to capture the fortified city, Cao Wei's reinforcements will arrive in a flash."

"I intend to take advantage of the soldiers' high morale and launch a vigorous attack."

"We will advance our troops at dawn tomorrow and breach the city by noon."

So, at dawn the next day, they prepared a meal, and the three armies marched forward with great fanfare.

Arrows and stones rained down from the city walls, but Chen Wu, holding an iron chain, braved the arrows and stones to climb up.

They climbed the city wall early, and the soldiers all rushed up.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Cao Xiu had no choice but to abandon Lujiang and flee north.

At that time, Li Tong of Runan led his army halfway, intending to come to Cao Xiu's rescue.

The scouts reported that Lujiang had fallen, so Li Tong had no choice but to return his troops to Runan.

After Zhou Yu conquered northern Lujiang, he gained control of the entire Lujiang region.

First, he sent someone to report the victory to Sun Quan, and then he rewarded the three armies and held a banquet to celebrate the victory.

Sun Quan was overjoyed to have acquired Lujiang.

Why?

Lujiang is also known as Huainan.

As early as when the Cao-Liu alliance defeated Yuan Shu, the two sides cooperated to build the Shaopi irrigation canal.

This canal was used to irrigate the fertile fields south of the Huai River.

The annual grain production is enormous.

This means that Sun Quan took all the fruits of Cao Cao's years of hard work and put them into his own pocket in one fell swoop.

At the same time, Lujiang's geographical location is also extremely important.

Although it lacks the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, it has a vast network of waterways.

This includes the Huai River, the Ruxu River, the Ying River, the Yang River, and so on.

Such a dense network of waterways would make the army's advance extremely slow.

This gave the defenders plenty of time to prepare.

This is why Cao Cao's army marched much slower than Liu Bei's during the previous campaign against Yuan Shu.

This also explains why they had to attack Jingzhou first before heading south.

Towards Yizhou lies a continuous range of mountains, while towards Yangzhou lies a dense network of waterways.

Of course, Sun Quan's act of snatching teeth from the tiger's mouth included gaining Lujiang as well.

They will also receive the furious traitor Cao Cao.

Sun Quan was also worried about incurring Cao Cao's retaliation.

Before Lujiang could even be properly taken over, it was snatched back.

So he ordered someone to send a letter to Xuzhou, asking Liu Bei what to do next.

On the surface, it was an inquiry, but in reality, it was a request for him to help him withstand the pressure from Cao Cao.

Not long after, Liu Bei replied.

The book briefly states:
"Receiving news of the great victory at Lujiang has brought me immense joy."

"If Cao Cao loses this important town, he will be like a dog with a broken spine, barking and biting back."

"I have ordered Chen Yuanlong to reorganize the Guangling navy, which can be deployed downstream to provide reinforcements at any time."

"If Cao Cao raises his army and marches south, the Xuzhou navy will assist you."

"I hope the general will not have any doubts."

Changing the subject, Liu Bei wrote:
"However, Lujiang is the gateway to Jiangdong, and Cao Cao will come to take it sooner or later."

"You should dig deep trenches and build high walls to await the Wei army."

"We can recruit the old troops from Lujiang to strengthen our forces."

"Widely deploy beacon towers in Shaopi and Chaohu."

Sun Quan read the letter, threw it on the table, and scolded:
Why is Liu Bei so cunning and shrewd?

“In the past, he ordered me to send troops to attack Lujiang, and I did as he said.”

"Now we have offended Cao Cao. All the promises he made were empty words. He didn't mention a single word about providing any concrete assistance."

"Does he want to harm both my family and Cao Cao so that he can profit from the situation?"

Once the honeymoon period was over, Sun Quan couldn't help but start cursing.

Although Liu Bei promised to send the Guangling navy to support Sun Quan.

But how can a promise compare to actually sending troops here, which is a real benefit?

If Cao Cao really attacks and Liu Bei doesn't want to provide support, he can just make up some excuse to get away with it.

Zhou Yu comforted Sun Quan, saying:
"Although the Battle of Lujiang allowed Liu Bei to observe the outcome from the sidelines, a closer look at its benefits also strengthened our army."

"With Lujiang under my control, the Wei navy will find it difficult to sail downstream and spy on my Wu territory."

"The old troops from Lujiang are all battle-hardened veterans; they can be put to good use with a little appeasement."

"We'll take it sooner or later, why bother with Liu Bei's petty scheme?"

Sun Quan frowned and said in a deep voice:

"But without Liu Bei's help, how can we resist Cao Cao's massive army?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Wu, Huang Gai, and the other generals threw down their cups and roared:

"there is always a solution to a problem."

"We risked our lives to capture this city; how can we hand it over to the traitor Cao Cao?"

Sun Quan waved his hand and frowned, saying:

"The traitor Cao is powerful; only Liu Bei can resist him."

"If they insist on sitting idly by and watching the outcome, our Eastern Wu will be destroyed by Cao Cao sooner or later."

Previously, when Liu Bei signed a series of friendly treaties with him.

Sun Quan genuinely benefited from Liu Bei.

This included provisions, equipment, and elite soldiers recruited from Danyang.

At that time, Sun Quan was at the height of his power and ambition, so much so that he didn't even flinch the day before he was to go to war with Cao Cao.

However, after Liu Bei seized Lujiang from Cao Cao, his attitude towards the matter remained somewhat ambiguous.

Sun Quan's pressure suddenly increased.

I feel like I've fallen into Liu Bei's sweet trap.

They tasted a little success at first, but then they really offended Cao Cao.

Then it all depends on Liu Bei's mood.

Seeing this, Lu Xun gently comforted Sun Quan, saying:
"Now that Cao Cao has lost Lujiang, he will surely send his entire army to invade."

"Liu Bei sat and watched, though he harbored the same scheme as Bian Zhuang to kill the tiger."

"However, from Xun's perspective, this situation is fraught with danger but ultimately safe."

Oh?
Sun Quan raised an eyebrow and quickly asked:
"What do you mean by that, Boyan?"

Lu Xun explained methodically:
"Now the state of Wei is strong, while the state of Eastern Wu is weak."

"If Liu Bei insists on sitting idly by and watching the outcome, then Cao Wei will gain control of the Jianghuai region."

"The gates of Xuzhou will also be wide open. Do they not know the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold'?"

"Cao Cao had already moved the capital to Ye City in Wei Commandery, which shows that his focus had shifted to Hebei."

"With Ma Chao and Li Yi in the north, how can Cao Cao afford to waste his time on me?"

"From Xun's perspective, our Eastern Wu only needs to hold out for a hundred days to exhaust Cao Cao's army."

"Then we can invite Liu Bei to join us in attacking them, and Cao Cao's troops can be forced to retreat." Sun Quan was overjoyed upon hearing this, and thus left Lü Meng to guard Lujiang.

He was ordered to pacify the surrendered troops here.

On the one hand, he sent another letter urging Chen Deng to expedite the dispatch of naval forces to aid Eastern Wu.

Ideally, a small fleet should be dispatched to help harass the Wei army's grain transport.

Meanwhile, he also sent people to Yedu to seek peace with Cao Cao.

Although they didn't expect to actually make peace with Cao Cao, they were willing to delay as long as possible.

……

In the eleventh month of winter in 204 AD.

Cao Xiu suffered a defeat in Huainan, losing over 10,000 men and the entire territory of Lujiang.

Knowing he was guilty, he rode alone back to Ye City.

On that day, after the snow had cleared, Cao removed his armor and sword, and knelt before the gate of the Prime Minister's residence, carrying thorns on his back.

Upon hearing the report, Cao Cao flew into a rage, slammed his fist on the table, shattering a teacup, and cursed:
"That scoundrel has caused our army to be defeated and our country to be disgraced. What crime should he be guilty of!"

He immediately ordered the Tiger Guards to escort Cao Xiu into the palace.
The generals in the hall held their breath, and the only sound they could hear was the dragging of iron chains as Cao Xiu crawled on his knees.

Cao Cao threw the bamboo slips to the ground, and they split like knives. He shouted:
"I consider you a fine steed of the Cao family, so I leave you in Lujiang to gain experience."

"How dare you advance your troops without authorization and so easily believe the enemy's trick of feigning surrender?"

"By losing our elite troops in the Jianghuai region, the Wu people have become arrogant and overbearing!"

After saying this, he ordered his men to take Cao Xiu out and behead him.

Everyone was shocked to hear this. Cao Cao turned his back, pretending that he did not want to hear their pleas for mercy.

Cheng Yu immediately understood that his reluctance to hear others plead for him was an implication that they should do so quickly.

Therefore, Cheng Yu stepped forward first and offered his advice:
"Now Liu Bei is eyeing Yan and Yu provinces like a tiger. If we were to execute his general, we would be destroying our own Great Wall!"

"Kuang Wenlie is still young, how could he be a match for Zhou Yu?"

"It would be better to detain him temporarily and give him a chance to redeem himself in the future."

At first, seeing Cao Cao's anger, the crowd dared not plead for Cao Xiu.

When he saw Cheng Yu pleading for mercy, he secretly wondered how Cheng Yu could be so brave.

But Cao Cao, who was originally furious, hesitated, as if he was struggling with whether or not to kill Cao Xiu.

Even a fool would understand what Cao Cao meant now.

Losing Lujiang is a serious crime, and failure to severely punish it will not appease the public.

However, Cao Xiu was a rising star in the Cao family, and Cao Cao could not possibly kill him.

Since Cao Cao wanted to put on this show, everyone had no choice but to cooperate with him.

Therefore, all the civil and military officials stepped forward and bowed to Cao Cao, saying:

"Please, Lord Wei, temporarily pardon his crime and allow him to atone for his sins through meritorious service!"

Cao Cao's expression softened slightly, and he stood with his back turned.

A golden opportunity, and then a long sigh escaped:
"Do you all think he should not be killed?"

He turned around and sighed, "So be it! But the laws of the land cannot be disregarded—"

Cao Xiu was then stripped of his post as Prefect of Lujiang and demoted to Colonel of the Bandit Suppression Division.

In addition, a year's salary will be deducted to compensate the fallen soldiers.

After hearing Cao Cao's punishment, everyone was relieved that they had made the right decision to plead for leniency.

Cao Cao truly had no intention of severely punishing Cao Xiu.

Should the position of Prefect of Lujiang be revoked?

Now that Lujiang has been lost, it doesn't matter whether it's taken back or not.

He was demoted to the rank of Colonel of the Bandit Suppression.

This means that even though Cao Xiu lost Lujiang and suffered heavy losses, he was still able to retain military power.
As for the one-year salary penalty, the problem is that Cao Xiu, as a member of the Cao family clan, didn't expect to support his family with that meager salary.

Now that the show is over, Cao Cao should finally deal with the real problems at hand.

In less than a year, Ma Chao raided the Wei territory and harassed the border.

Eastern Wu raised an army and seized Lujiang.

Losing Lujiang meant losing Shangdang.

While Cao Cao was fighting Liu Bei with all his might, he unknowingly found himself facing a situation where he was attacked from both the north and the south.

This can't be a coincidence.

"...Li Yi".

Cao Cao's eyes narrowed, and he gritted his teeth.

It was a name he both loved and hated.

During the massacre of Xuzhou, this child was unexpectedly rescued by Liu Bei.

Little did we expect that a single misstep would lead to such a terrible disaster.

It's infuriating, it's infuriating...

"...Fengxiao, in your opinion, what is your response?"

Cao Cao asked Guo Jia for advice on how to deal with Li Yi's series of attacks.

Guo Jianai said:

“Li Ziyu used foreign troops to invade our Wei territory, because he had just pacified Youyan and was on a distant expedition to Liaodong.”

"The people are exhausted and it is not advisable to wage a large-scale war."

"Your Excellency should now pacify the internal affairs and cultivate the land to accumulate military resources."

"Only after we have fully recovered our strength can we contend with Li Yi for Hebei."

Guo Jia advised Cao Cao to seize the opportunity while the country was exhausted after the campaign against Liaodong in Hebei to focus on production.

“There are many powerful clans in Youzhou, who have long been detached from the king’s rule.”

“They could secretly send messengers with gold and pearls to bribe local powerful elders and incite rebellion in the various prefectures of Youzhou.”

Cao Cao was overjoyed and adopted Guo Jia's plan.

Zao Zhi was appointed as the Agricultural Commandant and ordered to come to Wei to organize new military farms.

On the one hand, he sent Man Chong to carry out espionage work and secretly funded the landlords and powerful families in Youzhou.

This allowed them to stir up trouble behind Li Yi's back.

As for Lujiang, Cao Cao made a shocking move.

He actually did not retaliate against Sun Quan; instead, he made people befriend him.

It's clear to anyone with eyes to see that Cao Cao wanted to pull Sun Quan out of the Sun-Liu alliance.

Didn't you, Liu Bei, provide Sun Quan with a large amount of grain, fodder, and equipment?
Alright, I'll just cede Lujiang to Sun Quan in exchange for his help.

Let's see who's more ruthless!

Cao Cao's move can be said to have shocked the world.

Some people criticize Cao Cao for being weak and incompetent, wasting land and aiding powerful enemies.

However, some people praise Cao Cao for his ability to be patient and restrained.

By sacrificing Lujiang, they gained a potential ally.

If the relationship between Sun Quan and Liu Bei were to break down as a result, Cao Cao's plan would succeed.

If Liu Bei then wants to attack Sun Quan, he will have the opportunity to bring Sun Quan to his side.

As expected, after learning that Cao Cao would not send troops to Lujiang...

Sun Quan was both surprised and delighted after reading Cao Cao's letter.

Sun Quan also wrote a reply and ordered forty loads of oranges to be picked and sent to Ye City to express his gratitude.

As for Liu Bei, Sun Quan wasn't stupid either.

She still wrote to him, expressing her gratitude.

Since Eastern Wu was weak, it was impossible to offend either Qi or Wei.

The best approach is to slowly develop and patiently wait for an opportunity like this to seize Lujiang.

Liu Bei was quite surprised to see Cao Cao so composed, and asked Kongming:
"What is your opinion on Cao Cao's decision not to attack Sun Quan?"

Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan and smiled as he replied:

"Your Majesty should raise a large toast!"

Liu Bei was surprised, as his original plan was for Cao Cao to conquer Eastern Wu.

This caused the State of Wei to be constantly on the move while competing with the State of Qi for development.

Ultimately, as the gap in productivity between the two countries widened, Liu Bei was able to annex the Wei Kingdom in one fell swoop with overwhelming force.

However, Cao Cao's restraint and silence were indeed somewhat unexpected by Liu Bei.

Zhuge Liang analyzed:

"Lujiang is the key to Huainan, but now it belongs to Eastern Wu, and Cao Cao has lost a granary."

"If an arm is cut off, it will be advantageous to Qi."

“Sun Quan feared retaliation and thus became even closer to me; this is the effect of fearing my power and cherishing my virtue.”

"I predict that Sun Quan will not be won over by Wei."

"The national policy set by Prime Minister Li is to consolidate the foundation and establish the root."

"Ma Chao rose to prominence in Shangdang, while Sun Wu rose to power in Huainan."

"Cao Cao has lost his power, and I predict that the Han Dynasty will surely rise in Your Majesty's hands."

Liu Bei was overjoyed.

He then sent a congratulatory message to Sun Quan for capturing Lujiang, and also gifted him thirty warships, ostensibly to show his support.

Not to be discussed.

……

Jizhou, Bohai Sea.

Just when Cao Cao was extremely anxious about the wars in the north and south.

Li Yi is focusing all his efforts on allowing the people to rest and recuperate, and on restoring the nation's strength.

After the Zhen family moved to Bohai, Li Yi personally received Zhang, Zhen Yao's mother.

This gave the Zhen family ample face and further enhanced their business standing.

Then, taking advantage of this opportunity, Li Yi sought out Madam Zhang alone and asked:

"Madam is truly a remarkable woman, long admired by the Hebei business community."

"Now I would like to trouble you, Madam, to summon the merchants of Ji Province."

“Choose those who value integrity and those from wealthy families to come to my Bohai.”

Zhang then bowed and asked:

"Since my husband passed away, I have single-handedly supported the household, and I am fortunate to have received the kindness and support of my business colleagues."

"If I were to issue a summons, I doubt I would refuse."

"But what is the Prime Minister's true intention in gathering so many merchants in Bohai?"

"I would like to hear the details."

There are also rules in the business world. The more powerful a company is, the less likely it is to openly cheat its competitors.

Especially when it comes to getting involved in politics.

Even though Li Yi was the prime minister, Zhang had to ask about the details with extreme caution.

"……Ha ha."

"Madam Zhang, do not worry, Yi has no ill intentions."

"I simply wish to invite merchants from Ji Province to my Bohai for a banquet, that's all."

A banquet?

Mrs. Zhang's eyes darted around; businessmen are always shrewd.

Of course, she wouldn't believe Li Yi's one-sided story.

He then bowed to Li Yi and said:

"If it weren't for the Prime Minister's protection, my family would have been captured by Cao Cao long ago."

"The Zhen family will forever remember the Prime Minister's kindness and will never rebel."

"I only hope that the Prime Minister will tell me the truth, and that there is any use for my Zhen family."

"The Zhen family will do anything, even risk their lives."

Lady Zhang expressed her loyalty to Li Yi, stating that they would do their best to cooperate with whatever arrangements the Prime Minister's residence made.

But Li Yi simply said:
"I wish to use your influence to host a banquet for the top merchants of Ji Province, that's all."

"Madam should know that Han Jingmi was originally a daughter of a merchant family, and her brother currently holds an important position as a high-ranking official in the State of Qi."

He paused slightly, then casually mentioned it again.

"Your son is exceptionally talented and deserves to be nurtured."

"I have long desired to promote him, but unfortunately the time has not come."

With the implication so clear, Zhang had no more reservations.

Fine, if Prime Minister Li doesn't want to talk about it, then he doesn't want to talk about it.

Even if we gamble with the Zhen family's business reputation and harm our competitors in Jizhou, then you can only blame your bad luck.

Even all of that combined can't compare to her son's meteoric rise to power.

Business and government are inseparable.

The path from the business world to a career in government has always been the same.

Therefore, Zhang, in the name of the Zhen family, sent out invitations to his colleagues in Jizhou.

Prime Minister Yan is hosting a banquet in Bohai and wants to invite the heads of various clans to attend.

Because of Li Yi's reputation, everyone had to attend the banquet simply to curry favor with the powerful.

Not to mention that the Zhen family took the lead.

For a time, merchants from all counties and prefectures in Jizhou flocked to Nanpi in Bohai.

The streets were deserted, and the traffic was heavy.

Inside the courtyard of the Nanpi government office.

Dozens of tables were arranged in a row, and merchants walked in quickly.

They kept whispering to each other.

Each person sits on one side of the table.

A servant then placed a cup of warm wine on the table beside them.

Before long, the merchants were all seated.

Among them were people from Bohai, Zhangwu, Zhongshan, and Julu.

Some even secretly ran away from Cao Cao's Changshan and Julu counties.

This demonstrates the extent of Li Yi's influence in the north.

But no one knew why Li Yi had summoned them so solemnly.

The Han Dynasty emphasized agriculture and suppressed commerce, so the social status of merchants was actually relatively low.

However, by the end of the Han Dynasty, the status of merchants had risen sharply.

Because the world is in chaos and people can't even get enough to eat, who cares whether you're a merchant or a farmer?

This is what is meant by,
When people are well-fed and clothed, they know honor and shame; when their granaries are full, they know etiquette.

If you have money and food to support a surplus population, then you're awesome.

Therefore, many feudal lords either engaged in business indirectly themselves or made important positions for merchants.

In order to access the enormous wealth behind them.

Merchants also needed the powerful military forces of the feudal lords to protect their own businesses.

This led to a delicate social relationship between the feudal lords and merchants at the end of the Han Dynasty.

As the merchants were whispering amongst themselves, they suddenly heard the tinkling of jade pendants.

But then purple clouds emerged from the mountain peaks, and Li Yi appeared, dressed in crimson gauze and purple robes.

Wearing a purple sash around their waists, they complemented each other beautifully.

Her eyebrows were like sharp swords drawn from their sheaths, and her eyes were like the moon reflected in a cold pool.

Upon reaching the hall, he suddenly unfurled his sleeves and laughed heartily, his voice as clear as a chime breaking through the clouds:
"I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting!"

The merchants held their breath, having long heard of Li Yi's elegant demeanor and otherworldly air.

Seeing it today, it is indeed remarkable.

Li Yi had indeed dressed up carefully today, after all, it was an important banquet and he was a guest of honor.

Purple is a very difficult color to dye, which is why it was considered a noble color in ancient times.

Purple is generally worn for important banquets or harvest celebrations.

Li Yi wore purple today to show how much he valued the banquet.

Li Yi bowed to those seated and said:
"I am deeply honored by your presence at my humble abode today."

He then looked around at the room and said in a loud voice:
"Those present are all business leaders, each with their own area of ​​expertise."

"Therefore, I dare not speak falsely. I have invited you gentlemen here today because there are important matters to discuss."

The merchants held their breath and all turned their attention to Li Yi.

Upon seeing this, Li Yi couldn't help but chuckle and said gently:
"Gentlemen, there is no need to be afraid. Han Jing also came from Shangmen and is of the same origin as you."

"Today's meeting is solely for mutual benefit, and there is absolutely no intention to make things difficult for each other."

He paused, then slowly uttered a few more words.

"What you seek—"

"First, food; second, manpower."

……

(End of this chapter)