Han Dynasty Achievements

Chapter 297 How about Xu County?

Chapter 297 How is Xu County?

As soon as Zhang Wen finished speaking, the historian beside him stared at Cao Cao closely.

Unknowingly, Cao Cao has become an important figure who can not be ignored. Not only is he the favored one of the current emperor, but most importantly, he has 50,000 troops under his command and can completely control the current war situation!

Just like the last time he suddenly seized Qiao County, the situation in the south changed drastically.

It is the same now. Any unusual movement on his part may cause the war against Yuan Shu to come to an abrupt halt, or even lead to his sudden death!

Cao Cao was stern in response to Zhang Wen's straightforward remarks. He raised his hand and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Zhang, I request that you take the initiative to attack Pei State to prevent Dong Zhuo from supporting Yuan!"

Zhang Wen kept observing Cao Cao's expression, but couldn't see anything from his face.

After a moment of silence, Zhang Wen asked, "If I don't allow you, will you act on your own?"

"Don't dare!"

Cao Cao answered very straightforwardly, saying: "I will obey Mr. Zhang's orders!"

Zhang Wen's face twitched slightly, and he said, "You are not allowed to advance without my order. Go ahead."

He had already seen that Cao Cao would not obey him.

"I'll take my leave." Cao Cao showed great respect. After bowing, he took his leave.

Watching Cao Cao leave, Zhang Wen pinched his eyebrows with his right hand and sighed with a headache.

Seeing this, the historian hurriedly said, "Mr. Zhang, can I go and persuade General Cao again?"

Zhang Wen waved his hand and ignored it.

This person was sent by the Grand Marshal's Mansion, so it's obvious that he has some purpose.

The historian bowed and quickly chased after him.

When they arrived at the gate, Cao Cao jumped on his horse and shouted to the historian, "Wait a minute, General Yangwei."

Cao Cao paused, turned his head to look over, and signaled to Xu Chu beside him, stopping his horse's head as it was about to turn.

The historian came over, smiled and raised his hand and said, "General Cao, don't you recognize me?"

Cao Cao sat on his horse, narrowing his eyes. He felt vaguely that this person was familiar, but he couldn't remember who he was. He got off the horse and raised his hand, saying, "Cao is short-sighted..."

The official historian raised his hand hastily and said, "I dare not. I am Zhang Li, the official historian of the Military Intelligence Department of the Grand Marshal's Mansion."

Cao Cao suddenly remembered and asked, "Is he the cousin of General Zhang?"

General Zhang, Zhang Liao.

Zhang Li saw that Cao Cao had remembered, so he extended his hand respectfully and said, "General Cao, can we chat for a few minutes?"

Cao Cao looked normal, having already sensed the unusualness of this man, especially since he came from the 'Military Intelligence Department', which made Cao Cao even more wary.

Cao Cao stayed in the Grand Marshal's Mansion for more than a year and had a deep understanding of this institution.

Simply put, this organization is responsible for spying and monitoring the military intelligence of "threatening forces", and this "threatening force" was defined by Cao Cao himself.

In this definition, Cao Cao is most likely also included!

Especially seeing this tension, Cao Cao eliminated the word "maybe" from his mind.

Cao Cao smiled calmly as he followed Zhang Li out of the gate.

"Yes, is it Mr. Liu's arrangement?" Cao Cao looked at Zhang Li and asked tentatively.

Zhang Li didn't shake his head or nod, and said, "General Cao, what do you think caused the world to move and what will happen?"

Cao Cao was startled, his narrow eyes flickered slightly, but he still couldn't figure out what Zhang Li was asking.

Zhang Li waited for a while and said, "General Cao, do you think there is another hero in the world besides General Cao?"

Cao Cao narrowed his eyes and did not respond.

Naturally, he had thought about this question a long time ago. In his eyes, there was no hero in the world except him, Cao Cao!

But Cao Cao had already understood that Zhang Li was not asking him to answer, nor was he sent by Liu Yu!

Cao Cao knew exactly who it was, and he couldn't help but feel nervous.

Zhang Li waited for a while, then suddenly looked around and said, "General Cao, what do you think of Xu County, which is not far away?"

Cao Cao's brows slowly frowned, and he kept thinking deeply with nervousness in his heart.

He could answer the first two questions, but why the last one, 'Xu County'?

Xu County is only a hundred miles away from here, in Yingchuan County.

But even in Yingchuan, a city rich in cultural heritage, Xu County is just an inconspicuous little place.

'Gongli, why are you asking this?'

Cao Cao knew something about Xu County, but he understood that there must be some deeper meaning behind the palace asking this question.

Cao Cao thought hard for a while, but still didn't know how to answer. He raised his hand and said to Zhang Li, "I don't know, do I need to make a report or the angel return?"

Zhang Li shook his head repeatedly and said, "It's just a casual question from your humble servant. General Cao, don't worry about it."

Cao Cao looked at Zhang Li and saw that it was indeed not that urgent. He breathed a sigh of relief and raised his hand and said, "May I ask the angel..."

Zhang Li suddenly slapped his head and said, "General Cao, I am confused. Lord Liu also asked me to bring a message to General Cao. You can do whatever you want, but destroying Yuan is the first priority."

After saying that, Zhang Li left in a hurry.

Cao Cao looked at his back with a look as hard as iron.

The palace asked him three questions, which seemed unrelated and confusing. He couldn't figure them out, but they were obviously some kind of warning.

What did Liu Yu mean by "acting according to his own discretion"? Did it conflict with the three issues in the palace?

"General."

Xu Chu came over and saw his serious expression. He whispered, "Should we leave as soon as possible?"

Cao Cao took a deep breath, suppressed his doubts, and said, "Go back first."

Xu Chu responded, and he and Cao Cao mounted their horses. They looked around carefully and rode away at full speed.

As soon as Cao Cao left, Zhang Wen appeared at the door, with his hands behind his back, looking towards the south.

He was thinking about what Liu Yu had said to him in Luoyang City.

Those words were all extremely treasonous. If they were actually done, all nine generations of the clan would be implicated.

Zhang Li stood next to Zhang Wen and became that inconspicuous person in history again.

Zhang Wen was silent for an unknown period of time before he asked, "Can the Grand Marshal still control the situation?"

Zhang Li bowed and did not answer.

Zhang Wen waited for a while, then turned and looked at him.

Zhang Li was startled for a moment, then he reacted and said quickly: "Don't worry, Mr. Liu, everything is under the control of the Grand Sima Mansion."

Zhang Wen sneered and said, "If this is true, why would the court wait until now? Liu Yu is too arrogant and will drag our Han Dynasty into an irretrievable situation!"

Zhang Li didn't know why Zhang Wen suddenly acted like this, so he could only say, "Mr. Zhang, we just need to do our part."

Zhang Wen became more and more angry and said, "Do you know that if you do this, your entire clan will be destroyed! Don't think that Zhang Wenyuan can do whatever he wants just because he is favored by His Majesty! Your Zhang family is nothing!"

Zhang Liao's Zhang family was indeed inconspicuous at first. Even though Zhang Liao gained Liu Bian's trust, it only showed signs of taking off. Compared with those aristocratic families that had been passed down for decades, hundreds of years, or even thousands of years, they were insignificant!

Zhang Li was a little stunned. He had no idea what Zhang Wen was talking about. Why did he mention nine clans?

As soon as he opened his mouth, a fast horse came hurriedly, and the messenger fell to one knee and said loudly: "General Zuo, Yuan Shao defeated Yuan Shu in Danyang County. Most of Yuan Shu's troops surrendered, and Yuan Shu retreated to Kuaiji with the remaining troops."

Zhang Wen showed no joy at all when he heard this, but instead frowned deeply.

After Yuan Shu's defeat, the various princes in Jiangdong were no longer under control, and the court was in real trouble!

Another one is Dong Zhuo.

How will he react?