Three Kingdoms: The Reverse Son of the Guan Family, Dragon Blessing Jingxiang

In a corner of Xuchang City, a restaurant stands quietly on a street corner.

The afterglow of the setting sun shines on the wooden lintel of the wine shop, and the mottled light and shadow reveal a sense of vicissitudes of time.

In the wine shop, the fire was beating slightly, and the tea boiling on the stove gave off a faint fragrance. The rising steam looked particularly soft under the dim light.

But in sharp contrast to this softness, the group of merchants sitting around the stove, their faces reflected the warm light of the fire, looked embarrassed.

They were dressed in gorgeous brocade robes, with exquisite jade pendants hanging from their waists. These high-spirited and treacherous black market merchants in the past, at this moment, only had their brows furrowed, as if they had encountered some difficult problem. An inexplicable problem!

"You can't do anything like this..."

A middle-aged businessman sighed, his voice revealing exhaustion and helplessness, "Send the food from the Central Plains to the Hanzhong battlefield, and also to Uncle Liu Huang's army. How many checkpoints are there in between, and how many soldiers will inspect you? If people really find out, we are openly resisting Wei! Although we are black market merchants, we have always done head-turning business, and we are not aboveboard, but this time it is too risky! If one is not good, maybe we will learn from it. That Zhou Lang from Jiangdong 'lost his wife and lost his troops'!"

"That's right..." Another businessman echoed, his brows were also furrowed, as if he was thinking about how to solve the predicament at hand. After thinking for a moment, he opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but the words came to an end. mouth, but swallowed it all.

But look at the wandering and hesitant eyes of everyone.

It seems that what he wants to say... everyone understands, and it is also what all the merchants here are most worried and hesitant about.

It is true that if it is just a checkpoint along the way, there are still ways to solve it, such as bribery, bribery, or hiding food under handicrafts to get through. As long as you are dealing with people, as long as you make good use of the two "greed" Words, there is always a way.

But the most difficult thing is the thoughts of all the black marketeers here!

Speaking of which, everyone who can come here has more or less traded arms with Fu Shiren before, and has also made huge profits from Fu Shiren's subsequent business.

The trust between each other is understandable...

But I can’t stand the special situation now. Even if there are merchants who have such connections and can clear the checkpoints along the way, they will never dare to accept it, because once they accept it... it will definitely become a thorn in the eyes and flesh of all other merchants, and they will definitely be If other merchants join forces to cause trouble, it is still unknown whether Shu Jin's life can be saved, let alone Shu Brocade.

It is precisely because of this that at this moment, the merchants who are sitting around the stove making tea in this wine shop are all frowning. Although you and I are talking about each other, it is obvious that they all have their own agenda...each of them has his or her own agenda. thought.

Their voices echoed in the wine shop, intertwined with the crackling sound of the fire, creating an extremely unique atmosphere.

But everyone's face was full of unwillingness, and their eyes shone with the light of "not giving up" and "unwilling".

It seems... they are sincerely lamenting that they don't want to do this batch of Shu brocade, but the profit from this business given by Fu Shiren is too much!

So many that even if they take desperate risks, they don’t seem to be unable to accept it!

Still have to do it——

Finally, the most senior black market merchant stood up and said: "Actually, although it is not easy to transport the food there, it is not completely impossible! Unlike the generosity of the general Xiahou Dun, the commander-in-chief of the Western Front battlefield Xia Houyuan He is a simple man, and to put it bluntly, he is a stingy person... He is not only stingy about himself, but also has extremely strict requirements on the salary of his soldiers!"

"It is also true that the salaries of soldiers and officials on the Western Front battlefield are generally not high, and there is not much money to be made. However, they are either in Guanzhong, Yongliang, or hundreds of miles behind the Qinling Mountains. Hanzhong...it is a very cold and difficult place! Based on this, we bribed the soldiers along the way, promised huge profits, and then disguised the food in the carriages and horses as some handicrafts. It is still easy to get through!"

Having said this, all the merchants nodded.

Different from traditional businessmen, they are black market merchants, dancing on the edge of a knife. Every order they make must be returned several times. Taking risks is commonplace for them.

only…

All the merchants raised their eyes, these words... did not touch on the most fundamental issue.

However, the old businessman continued, "You don't dare to agree to General Fu Shiren. This... I understand, you also understand, we know it well... We are afraid that the business will not be completed, but will be ruined by others. Damn it. So...I have a proposal!"

"What?" everyone asked anxiously.

The old merchant paused for a moment, "General Fu sold it to me and other Shu brocade at the original price. As long as it is shipped to the Central Plains, it will be twenty times or thirty times the profit. Even...if we join forces, it will be fifty times the profit." It's not necessarily impossible. Have you all forgotten the story of the old Han Ling Emperor's donkeys, and the price of donkeys soared a hundred times? With such a huge profit, there are less than ten companies present. I have an idea, let's do it together with ten companies? Profit How about sharing it equally?"

The meaning of these words is very clear... In order to prevent being tricked by other merchants, we simply... everyone participated in it and sent food to Hanzhong and Uncle Liu's military camp together. We were all grasshoppers in the same boat, and everyone was prosperous. We all suffer...or in other words, if we are going to suffer together, we will suffer together, and if we are going to die together, we are going to die together——

this…

Needless to say, this old businessman's proposal sounds a little creepy and unbelievable at first, but if you think about it carefully... it's actually a good idea!

Many merchants lowered their heads and began to calculate silently... wondering whether the risks and rewards of this order could be directly proportional! This one is not worth the risk.

The answer is yes. In the eyes of capitalists, as long as three times the profit is enough for people to trample on the law and risk hanging, let alone twenty or thirty times the profit.

Who can deal with money?

"That's a good suggestion. I'll join this order! I already have a lot of dry goods there, so it doesn't take extra time to raise food!"

A businessman's words immediately caused a chain reaction.

"Count me in. I have some connections in Guanzhong. As long as everything is in place... it won't be too difficult to transport a batch of goods!"

"I have a lot of food in Shangyongtun. It is easier to transport it there... As long as it passes the interrogation, it will be delivered to Uncle Liu Huang on the 20th!"

"You have to count me in. I will make a specific carriage and ensure that the food can be hidden in it, so that the soldiers who check along the way will think it is an ordinary handicraft, which is harmless..."

In this way, these black market businessmen have begun to divide labor and cooperate.

They are all elites in this world, with connections, routes, methods... everything. As long as the profits are big enough, they can take any risk!

On the other hand...Fu Shiren's conversation with these merchants still reached the ears of Guan Yu and Xu Shu.

The two of them stood at the top of the city, and the topic of discussion naturally couldn't escape this topic.

At this time, Guan Yu stroked his long beard and said calmly: "Use the grain from the Central Plains to solve my brother's food supply problem... I don't know whether Yun Qi and Shi Ren take it for granted? Or are they ingenious, but undoubtedly... this is a step A risky move! It’s not easy to succeed!”

Xu Shu asked softly: "How?"

Guan Yu stroked his beard harder, and then said calmly, "With so many merchants, how could the Central Plains and the North not notice how they were dispatching such a large amount of grain? If they were discovered, they would be in vain. But if this method doesn’t work, it’s not necessarily the case... If it were me, there would be nothing to lose. As long as there is a 10% chance of winning, I would do the same... Ru Yunqi and Shiren would do the same!"

I heard Guan Yu say this.

"Haha..." Xu Shu suddenly laughed, very easily.

This smile stunned Guan Yu. He quickly asked: "Yuan Zhi? How do you laugh?"

"Yun Chang, take a look at this..." Xu Shu handed over a letter.

Guan Yu took a look at the signature on the letter and exclaimed, "A letter from Yun Qi?"

"I just received it, so I came to look for Yunchang. Upright Yunchang is sentimental here..."

Following Xu Shu's words, Guan Yu quickly unfolded the letter.

It didn't matter if it wasn't unfolded. Once it was unfolded, Guan Yu was shocked when he swept over it...

He became a little surprised, no... it was rare, and his red date-like face revealed a look of great surprise.

"Yuanzhi... Yunqi means..."

Before Guan Yu finished speaking, Xu Shu said first: "Yun Qi's meaning is very clear. In two days' time it will be the first day of the new year. By then... the situation in Luoyang will change. Cao Cao will have no time to take care of himself, let alone the Central Plains." The actions of these merchants, and..."

Speaking of this, Xu Shu's eyes changed from gentle to serious, sharp, and sharp.

"Yun Chang, you should be fully prepared in two days. If Luoyang changes... it is very likely that there will be a short-term fighting opportunity. Yun Qi said so, Yun Chang, you must seize this fighting opportunity!"

call…

Following Xu Shu's words, Guan Yu let out a long sigh...

Just after taking this breath, he suddenly felt the long-lost passion suddenly surge, and his heart kept colliding with the resonant sound of "Leng Yansaw".

It seems that...the time when thousands of armies take the lead will be reshaped before our eyes again, at this moment!

That was the glory that belonged to Guan Yu;

That is the glory that belongs to Guan Jiajun!

…

…

The night was hazy, and the moonlight shone on the desolate Yangpingguan, reflecting Xia Houyuan's lonely figure.

Finally, he led the remaining defeated soldiers and returned here with heavy steps.

In the past, the majestic Speed ​​Battalion, which numbered eight thousand, now had less than five hundred people left, and all of them were in ragged clothes and looked tired.

Defeated, defeated, defeated.

This was a defeat that Xia Houyuan had rarely encountered in the past few years, and his mood was extremely heavy. His eyes were flashing with anger and unwillingness. He was sighing almost all the way while riding.

At this moment... there was a "creak", and the gate of Yang Pingguan slowly opened like a dormant beast.

Jia Xu, Zhang Ji, Zhang He, and Cao Xiu quickly left the border to meet Xia Houyuan.

"Dad..." Xia Houheng, who was especially wounded by an arrow, pointed to the open door and said loudly: "Mr. Jia and the soldiers are here to greet dad..."

When Xia Houyuan saw Jia Xu's calm figure under the city tower from a distance, he finally couldn't help but let out a long sigh, turned over and dismounted, and then sat down slumped on the ground.

"Tick-tock...tick-tock..."

His emotions could no longer be contained, and tears welled up in his eyes, staining the land in front of Yangping Pass, but were quickly dried by the night wind.

With a "boom" sound, Xia Houyuan punched the ground hard.

At the same time, a sigh of "Alas! Alas..." came out from his lowered head...

Bitter, helpless, hesitant, at a loss...

Xia Houyuan punched his chest hard with his fist, "I am ashamed of my lord's trust, and I am ashamed of my brothers in the Speed ​​Camp!"

Jia Xu frowned slightly when he heard this. He was well aware of Xia Houyuan's pride and arrogance. To see him lose his composure at this moment showed how tragic the battle was.

He stepped forward, helped Xia Houyuan up, and persuaded softly: "General, victory or defeat is a common thing for military officers. If you lose this time, you will fight back the next time. Didn't you lose first and then win when you faced off against Liu Feng? But, I'm a little curious, what happened? How could the general be defeated so miserably?"

Jia Xu was also confused...

Logically speaking, although Xia Houyuan was underestimating the enemy, Cao Wei was famous for his marching speed, and he definitely should not have been at a disadvantage in the speed battle with Huang Zhong at Micang Mountain.

But...both the previous emergency report and the disastrous defeat of Xia Houyuan in front of him all confirmed the fact...this battle was a disastrous defeat, with no chance of winning at all, so much so that the Speed ​​Battalion collapsed and was defeated!

"snort…"

Xia Houyuan, on the other hand, snorted coldly, with a flash of anger in his eyes, and said through gritted teeth: "It's Huang Zhong! That old thief was extremely cunning. He crossed Micang Mountain with 800 troops first, and actually set up an ambush at Mianshui. Our army was caught off guard. He was attacked halfway across the river, so he suffered heavy losses...even...even my Naba'er fell into the hands of the enemy."

Xia Houyuan said his words through gritted teeth.

After hearing this, Jia Xu was shocked.

Although he knew that Huang Zhong was brave and good at fighting, he also imagined that... Xia Houyuan might not be Huang Zhong's opponent in the decisive battle at the top of Micang Mountain.

But...defeating the Eight Thousand Speed ​​Battalion in such a fast way...that's a bit!

No wonder, these returning soldiers were extremely depressed.

In such a battle, not only will the battle be lost, but morale and confidence will also be lost...

After listening to Xia Houyuan's words, Jia Xu was silent for a moment, and then while helping Xia Houyuan up, he comforted him: "The top priority is to regroup as soon as possible and prepare for the next war."

Xia Houyuan nodded heavily, knowing that what Jia Xu said was right.

And he also knew... Under the current situation, the only person who could turn the tide for him on the Hanzhong battlefield was this poisonous warrior of the Wei Dynasty - Jia Xu Jia Wenhe!

"Mr. Jia..." Xia Houyuan stood up and solemnly raised his hands towards Jia Xu, "From now on, Yuan will definitely act according to Mr. Jia's plan, and will never underestimate the enemy or make arbitrary decisions again!"

this…

You know, Xia Houyuan's words were originally nothing, but when he said it in his capacity, it meant a lot... The implication was that he wanted to place all his hopes on Jia Xu and Jia Wenhe for the battle in Hanzhong.

Hearing Xia Houyuan's words, Jia Xu thought for a moment. In fact, this was what he expected.

Winning is certainly beneficial to the situation;

Losing this battle is not necessarily a bad thing. At least... it will make Xia Houyuan no longer careless and underestimate the enemy, and it will also give him, Jia Xu, a stronger voice.

The old poison--he's hiding in the dark!

With this in mind, Jia Xu quickly helped Xia Houyuan, who had held up his hand, "The general has said it before, now that I'm here, how dare I not use my full strength?"

"Mr. Jia..." Xia Houyuan couldn't wait to ask. "Now, what should our army do? Should we defend the military mountain? Or... take the initiative to attack?"

"Micang Road has been lost, and Liu Bei's army has advanced. Dingjun Mountain is too big. With our current military strength, in addition to Dingjun Mountain, it needs to be divided into three parts. Jinniu Road and Chenchang Road need to be stationed... Therefore To guard Junshan, it is better to learn how to deal with Liu Feng before, just guard the lower mountain pass, build protection there, and hold a stalemate with the enemy!"

ah…

Listening to Jia Xu's proposal, Xia Houyuan's expression was a little complicated. He didn't know whether it was surprise or disappointment...

In other words, Xia Houyuan's expression seemed to be asking: "That's it?" 』

It seems that, in his opinion, Jia Xu's persistent strategy is substandard. Compared with the previous plan to surround Liu Feng and Ma Di, it is... much substandard!

Who would have thought that Jia Xu could see what Xiahou Yuan was thinking at a glance. He stroked his beard slowly and said lightly, "Does General Xiahou know the population of Shuzhong?"

this…

Xia Houyuan shook his head.

Jia Xu then asked, "Does General Xiahou know how many miles it takes to send food from Chengdu to Dingjun Mountain? And how many miles are mountain roads?"

this…

Xia Houyuan scratched his head and shook his head.

Jia Xu smiled and explained with a smile: "There are a total of 200,000 registered households in Shuzhong and 900,000 people. This number of people is far behind the Central Plains. Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang also promoted the idea of ​​"sharing the income". Mu, abolish the poll tax? So? Where does the food in their treasury come from? And how much can it be?"

hiss…

Xia Houyuan seemed to understand immediately. What Jia Xu meant was...the grain and grass reserves in Shu could not supply the Northern Expedition of this 200,000-strong army!

Jia Xu's words continued, "And from Chengdu to Dingjun Mountain, it is more than 1,500 miles, and the mountain road is more than 300 miles. The food in Sichuan is limited, and then transport it here? Throw away the losses along the way, How much is left? Haha...hehehe..."

At the end of the sentence, Jia Xu smiled lightly. This smile made people look scary.

Looking back at Xia Houyuan, he suddenly realized: "According to what Mr. Jia said, the food of this big-eared thief can't support such a war! For at least three months, as long as I strengthen the wall and clear the fields and defend according to danger, they will leave in despair." Go, the situation will change by then, they will run out of food and support, it is a good time for our army to beat the drowned dog!"

Because of Jia Xu's words, Xia Houyuan, who had been looking gloomy just now, seemed to suddenly change his expression, "Hahahaha..." He laughed heartily, "What a brilliant idea, Mr. Jia can defeat the enemy without fighting. Now, It’s a clever idea…”

"Haha..." Listening to Xia Houyuan's praise, Jia Xu also laughed lightly. He said lightly, "In war, it is never about winning more, but about living longer! This longevity... is The 'long' of the Shu army's stretched front line is the 'long' of the Shu army's long journey, haha... Sometimes, it is easier for us to live longer by doing nothing!"

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