Three Kingdoms: From Hulaoguan to Global Hegemony

Chapter 434 Talking About Cooperation ([-])

Cao Cao drank the second bowl of wine in one gulp. The spicy wine made him feel slightly drunk. He vaguely felt a large number of figures moving not far away. When he looked carefully, he found that it was wild grass swaying in the wind.

"The second bowl of wine has been finished, the regent will talk about the cooperation."

Liu Yu didn't come up to talk about cooperation, but pointed to the mountain in the east with a smile.

"Following this direction, cross the Taihang Mountains and you will be Jizhou! Although it is separated by a mountain, this Jizhou is much richer than Bingzhou."

Cao Cao couldn't guess what Liu Yu was thinking for a while, so he responded casually.

"There are thousands of hectares of fertile land in Hebei, which has always been a major grain-producing area. Naturally, the barrenness of Bingzhou cannot be compared."

Liu Yu nodded noncommittally, and the next moment he suddenly became serious.

"I went to Jizhou to do business, but Yuan Shao sent troops to chase me down. How can such a rebellious person be the shepherd of Jizhou!"

"I want to send troops to conquer Jizhou and re-divide the ten thousand hectares of fertile land. I wonder if Meng De is willing to help?"

Liu Yu's words were like thunder on dry land, Cao Cao stayed on the spot and didn't know how to reply.

It turns out that the cooperation Liu Yu mentioned was to attack Yuan Shao in Jizhou!
Cao Cao had a good personal relationship with Yuan Shao, and Bingzhou and Jizhou were allies, so Cao Cao had to think carefully about Yuan Shao as an enemy.

In other words, Liu Yu must have absolute certainty of victory, and Bingzhou can also get enough benefits in this battle, only in this way can Cao Cao participate.

"Yuan Benchu ​​dared to send someone to hunt down and kill the regent, that's too bold!"

"Assassinating the great Han prince is like treason. If the evidence is convincing... it should be punished. It's just evidence... Is there some misunderstanding in the middle?"

With Liu Yu's back to the imperial court, as long as he is famous as a teacher, he is on the side of justice, which makes Cao Cao very envious.

But Yuan Shao is an ally of Bingzhou after all, and he is powerful, so Cao Cao doesn't want to offend both of them for the time being.

Liu Yu heard that Cao Cao seemed to favor Yuan Shao, so he sneered on the spot.

"Evidence? Does Meng De still want to cover up your little boy?"

"Yan Liang and Yuan Xi's army just left a few days ago, did Meng De really think they came to help you fight the black bandits?"

"...Don't dream, they are here to hunt me down, and they are also plotting against you. If Yan Liang and the others can't find me in Bingzhou, they will resort to borrowing a knife to kill me. Let Bingzhou replace Jizhou Take the blame."

Many things need not be stated clearly. Yuan Xi once proposed to go to the southern part of Bingzhou to find the black bandits. This unruly request was actually implying to Cao Cao that their Jizhou army had other secret missions here.

Yuan Xi thought that this was enough to attract Cao Cao's attention, and a hero like Cao Cao would definitely be able to find out the real purpose of their trip through clues.

Liu Yu entered Bingzhou alone. Cao Cao should not miss such an attractive opportunity.

Fortunately, Guo Jia reminded him that Cao Cao was indeed better than Yuan Shao, and he was not swayed by the temptation in front of him. In the end, he gave up chasing and killing and chose to show his favor.

Cao Cao had also seen through Jizhou's tricks and doubts, and now Liu Yu helped him sort out it again, and Cao Cao immediately resented Yuan Shao's childhood.

"In this way, Yuan Shao is really rebellious!"

"If the regent goes on an expedition, Bingzhou must donate food and grass as a support."

In fact, Cao Cao was not partial to Yuan Shao just now, he mainly did not want to intervene in the conquest of both sides, and Bingzhou is still too weak, so sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight is the most reasonable way to deal with things at present.

It's just that Cao Cao's idea can't be hidden from Liu Yu, and since Liu Yu has spoken, he must have a way to persuade Cao Cao to send troops.

"Hehe, Meng De only pays food and does not send troops, so is he not optimistic about this war?

"Actually, I don't need to send troops to both states. I am absolutely sure of winning this war."

"You must know that I have saved Gongsun Zan's life, and Youzhou Mu Liuyu is my royal family member. As long as the imperial court issues an edict, the princes of the two parties will definitely send troops to help each other, and the armored warriors under my command are even more heroic. Incomparable, it is enough to deal with Yuan Shao."

"Originally, I wanted to conquer Jizhou and share Hebei with Meng De equally. Since Meng De was unwilling to send troops to help, I had no choice but to discuss this matter with Gongsun Zan."

"Forget it, it seems that Youzhou also produces cattle and sheep. The previous transaction of replacing the secret recipe of refined salt with Dang County is over. I'd better get a place from Youzhou."

Liu Yu didn't give Cao Cao any chance to interrupt, and got up and left after finishing speaking in one breath.

Of course, this was just playing hard to get. Liu Yu concluded that Cao Cao would definitely be tempted by Jizhou after hearing these words.

Sure enough, Liu Yu was about to leave, Cao Cao immediately panicked and grabbed his arm.

"Prince Regent, don't worry. I told you that we have delivered food and grass for support. How could we not send troops to help? Gongsun Zan is brave enough to accomplish great things, so don't ask him to cooperate. Also, the wool of Shangdang County is stronger than that of Youzhou. hundred times……"

Cao Cao wanted to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, but he didn't expect Liu Yu to kill Jizhou with a few simple words.It is true that there is Liu Yu in the north and Gongsun Zan in the east. If Liu Yu sends troops to Weijun, Yuan Shao will really be in danger.

The big cake in Jizhou is right in front of you. If Cao Cao doesn't take it, he will be taken by others. At this time, he can't care about sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight. Cao Cao must make a decision immediately.

"Otherwise, let me expose and spread Yuan Shao's evil deeds of chasing and killing the regent, and then take the lead in sending troops to Yangquan Pass as the vanguard to conquer Jizhou!"

Cao Cao vowed to be a pioneer, but Liu Yu put up the airs.

"Meng De and that Yuan Benchu ​​are young children, isn't it against morality to act like this! And can I trust you?"

Liu Yu's remarks were purely sarcastic, because he disliked that Cao Cao just wanted to sit on the mountain and watch tigers fight, but now he sold his old friend immediately when he heard that it was profitable.

Cao Cao's true nature, he didn't feel blushed at all when he was slapped in the face, and he expressed his opinion impassionedly on the spot.

"Since ancient times, loyalty comes first and righteousness comes later. Yuan Shao wanted to kill the regent. This move is tantamount to rebellion. How can I not distinguish between public and private? I sent troops to punish my friends and warn the world. It is an act of justice!"

He was able to kill the whole family of Lu Boshe, the savior, and he also said clearly "I would rather bear the world than the world bears me", so he naturally wouldn't take the friendship of a child so seriously.

Besides, Cao Cao really didn't regard Yuan Shao as a friend in his heart.

Liu Yu was not surprised by the change in Cao Cao's attitude. Cao Cao was such a hero in history. He could swallow the territory of Zhang Miao, the prefect of Chenliu who had helped him, and completely defeated his old friend Yuan Shao in the Battle of Guandu.

It's not that Cao Cao is unkind and unrighteous, but that if he wants to make contributions in troubled times, he must never be benevolent.

Cao Cao only had three counties in Bingzhou, so he was already struggling to raise troops, not to mention he had the grand ambition to dominate one side and lead his army westward.

If we only rely on slow development and accumulation, I don’t know how long it will take to realize our wish, but if we can cooperate with Liu Yu to conquer Jizhou and get a new territory, we can definitely save more than ten years of hard work.

(End of this chapter)