Chapter 1 External Disasters

Tongguan.

"Governor, great...thank you...thank you, great...thank you...ah!"

Cao Zhen raised his head, and when he heard the stuttering voice, Cao Zhen knew that Deng Ai was coming.

Cao Zhen curled his lips slightly. It was strange that although Deng Ai was a stuttering, he always stuttered. Every time he was discussing things, Deng Ai stopped stuttering, but when he was chatting on weekdays, Deng Ai started stuttering.

At this time, Deng Ai had already run in, and Cao Zhen asked, "Shi Zai, what is the joyful event? Did your Deng Ai's wife give birth to?"

"No...no. It's better... good... for several months."

"What's that happy thing? It seems that the only general in the military is your wife who is pregnant." Cao Zhen was in a good mood and continued to joke.

"Governor, Liu Bei is dead!" Deng Ai said.

Cao Zhen suddenly stood up: "This is true, is the news reliable?"

"Governor, this news should be true. The scout who just came from Chang'an City returned, saying that white silk had been erected in front of Chang'an City, and the defenders were wearing mourning clothes. After the scouts inquired, they found out that Liu Bei was dead." At this time, Deng Ai's speech became strangely smooth, without any stuttering.

"Is Liu Bei dead?" Cao Zhen's face suddenly froze, and he kept murmuring: "Is he dead like this? Liu Bei died like this..."

When Liu Bei died, Cao Zhen could not accept this reality for a while.

A year ago, Liu Bei was still full of energy and captured Yongzhou with lightning speed and forced Cao Zhen back to Chang'an City. At that time, Liu Bei was still in battle himself. Cao Zhen even remembered the confident smile of the heroic man wearing golden armor and brocade robe under the emperor's ceremonial guard in front of the Shu army. However, in just a year, Liu Bei, the biggest enemy of Cao Wei, died like this.

It was so sudden! Cao Zhen secretly shook his tongue and felt the pain. Only then did Cao Zhen confirm that he was not dreaming.

Could this be Pang Tong's plan again? Cao Zhen shook his head again. Pang Tong should not be joking about such things. After all, Liu Bei's death had a great impact on the morale of the Shu army and the people, so such a thing would be more deceptive than the loss.

It seems that Liu Bei is really dead...

Suddenly, Cao Zhen discovered that in his subconscious, he did not want Liu Bei to die. Cao Zhen deeply felt that he even had a very urgent hope in his heart that he could take back Yongzhou from Liu Bei.

"It's hard to meet an opponent!" At this time, Cao Zhen suddenly felt what Cao Cao felt when he faced Liu Bei.

The sentence "The only heroes in the world are the envoys and Cao Cao" contains Cao Cao's complex mood. Cao Cao is the person in the world who most hopes that Liu Bei will die, but at the same time he is the person who least hopes that Liu Bei will die. An opponent is not so easy to find.

Cao Zhen, who was hesitating, did not feel that it was not difficult to find an opponent in this chaotic Three Kingdoms era where heroes emerged. This time, Cao Zhen had to face much more opponents than Liu Bei was difficult to deal with.

Seeing Cao Zhen stunned, Deng Ai did not disturb Cao Cao, but just stood quietly aside. Not long after, the generals who had died in Liu Bei came one after another. After a while, a large number of people gathered in the hall. Cao Zhen simply announced the matter with the opportunity.

As the first general under Cao Zhen's command, Zhang He was the first to stand out and said, "Governor, the general thought that Liu Bei was newly destroyed, and the Shu army would inevitably be in panic and his morale was depressed. The general felt that now was the best time to regain Yongzhou. I hope the general sent troops to Chang'an. Zhang He was willing to be the vanguard and pave the bridge and road for the governor!"

Guo Huai and Deng Ai and others next to him gave Zhang He a blank look. From Tongguan to Chang'an, as long as you go west along the Wei River, it will be only one day's journey. With such a short distance, there is no need to pave bridges and build roads.

Guo Huai then stood up and said, "Governor, the general thinks what General Zhang He said is the ultimate, but the general thinks it is a two-pronged approach. Nowadays, there are victims everywhere along the Wei River in Yongzhou, and many people starve to death every day. Many vicious people gather to rob. As long as these vicious people are used, they will definitely be our help. We can use these vicious people to disrupt Yongzhou, so that the Shu army cannot take into account both the head and tail."

Cao Zhen nodded, and the two of them were talking about what Cao Zhen was thinking. Then Cao Zhen remembered that Deng Ai, who had always been very insightful, had not spoken yet, so he asked specifically: "Shizai, what are your good plans?"

"Governor, what the two generals Zhang He and Guo Huai said is very wonderful, but the last general thought that one of the Shu troops could control the situation in Yongzhou. If this person helps us, we will be able to retake Yongzhou." Deng Ai said confidently.

"Who is Shi Zai talking about?" Cao Zhen asked hurriedly.

"Ma Chao, Xiliang!"

"It's that Ma family traitor!" Cao Zhen frowned slightly.

No one in the Cao family had a good impression of Ma Chao. At that time, Ma Chao not only captured Chang'an, but also killed Cao Cao, who cut his beard and abandoned his robe. Cao Cao never lost in his life so embarrassingly. Although this made Ma Chao's heroic, it was always regarded as a shame by Cao Cao. Because of this, everyone in the Cao family hated Ma Chao very much, so Cao Zhen directly called Ma Chao a "rebel thief".

"Governor, Ma Chao was originally a prince, but later surrendered to Liu Bei because of the situation. Now that Liu Bei is dead, Ma Chao happens to be in Liangzhou, Liangzhou is the foundation of Ma Chao back then. We only need to say that we are against Ma Chao, and the Shu army in Yongzhou is controlled by both the east and west sides, and will inevitably be defeated by internal and external difficulties!"

"What Shi Zai said makes sense, but Ma Chao and the late emperor have an irreconcilable grudge. If Ma Chao gained power, I am afraid that my Yongzhou will never be peaceful!" Cao Zhen participated in the battle between Cao Cao and Ma Chao and Tongguan, so Cao Zhen still remembers Ma Chao's heroic spirit to this day.

"The governor doesn't have to worry. Ma Chao is just a brave man. When Lord Yang Fu defeated Ma Chao alone, it can be seen that Ma Chao is not very smart and not afraid. Besides, the governor can send someone to assist Ma Chao and make suggestions for Ma Chao. After we take back Yongzhou, we will withdraw this person, and Ma Chao is not at our mercy."

Cao Zhen nodded with satisfaction. Deng Ai was thinking very carefully. Cao Zhen continued to ask, "Shizai, who do you think it is better to send to Liangzhou?"

"Governor, the people who go to Liangzhou must first persuade Ma Chao to rebel, and then help Ma Chao seize Liangzhou. This person must be smart, good at making changes and extraordinary eloquence. If the Governor does not abandon him, he will be willing to go there in person." Deng Ai answered.

"You go in person? No, this is too dangerous!"

"How can I get a tiger's son if I don't enter the tiger's den? Ma Chao and Mo Zheng have never met each other, and have never confronted Ma Chao on the battlefield. Compared to Ma Chao, Ma Chao will have less hatred for the last general, so it is most appropriate for this matter to go to the last general. Moreover, the last general is well versed in martial arts. Even if Ma Chao wants to be unfavorable to the last general, the last general will have the power to protect himself." Deng Ai answered.

Cao Zhen knew that everything Deng Ai said was reasonable. In this big tent, only a few people could take on this important task. But only Deng Ai had never fought with Ma Chao, and Deng Ai was not well-known. Sending Deng Ai to eliminate Ma Chao's vigilance and easier to gain Ma Chao's trust.

"Shizai, this trip is very dangerous, and you will die for a lifetime. You are about to become a father. I think you should think carefully." Cao Zhen was a little reluctant to leave Deng Ai as a talent.

"A man should be killed in the Bianye, and he would be buried in a horse's corpse and be buried in his ears. How can he be buried in bed in the hands of his children?" Deng Ai said.

Deng Ai's words were said by General Fu Bo and Ma Yuan, and Cao Zhen also heard Deng Ai's determination, shook his head helplessly, and agreed: "Okay! But Shi Zai, you must be careful when you go here. If you can do it, you can do it. It doesn't matter if you can do it. Everything should be kept first."

"I will obey the order!"

Only Zhang He and Cao Zhen were left in the hall.

Looking at Deng Ai's departure back, Zhang He asked, "Governor, do you really want to send that stuttering boy to Liangzhou? How can that stuttering guy motivate Ma Chao? I think it would be better to send an eloquent person to go."

"General Zhang He, you have also seen that Deng Ai did not stutter just now, but it can be seen that Deng Ai still stutters at critical moments." Zhang He is a five-son general, and is of the same age as Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren and others. He is higher than the governor of Cao Zhen by seniority, so Cao Zhen has always respected Zhang He as a general.

"That kid's stuttering is bursting, and it's hard to guarantee when he will get sick again... Deng Ai is a kid with good martial arts skills and a talent that can make him a great general in the future. If he dies like this, it would be a pity." Zhang He said with a frown.

"General Zhang He, you are only half right. I think Deng Ai is not just a general, but also a handsome man!" Cao Zhen said.

"Shi Cai? Then why did the governor let him go to Liangzhou? This is a life-and-death matter."

"I also know that this is very dangerous, but young people always need to go through some training. If he can come back alive this time, he can lead his troops alone to guard one side."

Adou's throne ceremony was held very simple, but there were still some things that were inevitable, such as the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven and ancestors.

The ancestor worship must be ranked first before the sacrifice of heaven. According to the great scholars, A Dou inherited the great Han dynasty, so he must first pay homage to the ancestors of the Han dynasty. The great Han dynasty began with Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, and passed on for four hundred years. After dozens of emperors, he inherited such a long-standing dynasty. He must first comfort his ancestors. After the consent and recognition of the emperors of all generations, the ancestors and ancestors agreed that A Dou inherited the throne before he could worship the heaven and ascend the throne. Among these great scholars' thoughts, filial piety must even be higher than the so-called "way of heaven".

Of course, it is impossible for those dead Han emperors to jump out of their graves to oppose Adou.

After worshiping ancestors, worshiping heaven is worshiping.
Chapter completed!