Chapter 309 Strategic Determination
"I have never heard of the secret decree of the Regent."

In the pavilion, Black Bear examined these people: "Liu Ai was only sent to Heluo by secret decree. The emperor wanted me to disturb Xudu and create an opportunity for the city to raise troops and eliminate the bandits. More than a hundred of my cavalry broke into the city of Xudu and fought hard to break through, but I never saw any uprising in the city. I could only help Zhang Xiu retreat to Guanzhong."

Everyone was stunned. Black Bear didn't even smile at all. He said seriously, "The emperor wanted to get rid of the thieves, but the loyal people in the city were not careful and were hesitant, so Cao was the thief who took action after he got the upper hand."

As he spoke, Black Bear turned his head to look at the geese on the pond: "If the emperor could have predicted that the plan would fail, he would have issued a secret decree to make me regent early on... Isn't this putting me in an unjust position?"

After saying that, Black Bear narrowed his eyes and looked at Zhong Yao who proposed to "regency". Zhong Yao also reacted and showed a look of horror.

If there really was such a secret decree for the regent, then everything that was happening now could be explained as Black Bear facilitating the emperor's failed attempt to seize power in order to gain the power of the regent.

Regardless of whether Zhong Yao had thought of this before, at this moment he must have realized, awakened, regretted and feared.

Then it was Wei Duan who was extremely surprised and looked at Zhong Yao in surprise: "How did Lord Yuan Chang know the secret decree of the regent? Was it spread by the exiles in Xudu?"

"I have heard something, although there is no solid evidence, but after thinking about it, considering the wisdom of the emperor, this should be the case."

Zhong Yao restrained his expression and explained, "The country is without a ruler now. Even if there was no secret decree to supervise the country beforehand, with the merits of the Grand Marshal, he should be the regent."

Wei Duan nodded slowly and said to Black Bear, "Your Majesty, as the saying goes, in times of emergency, we must make decisions based on our discretion. With the power of the regent, you can pardon Xiahou Yuanrang and easily gain 30,000 people in Heluo. As for the Guandong area, whether to advance or defend is up to your majesty."

Cui Zhouping wanted to speak, but he felt the atmosphere was not right, so he kept silent.

Fu Gan of Xicao also kept silent and did not participate in the discussion of the regent issue.

After hearing this, Sima Zhi of the Eastern Cao raised his head and said to Black Bear, "Your Majesty, whether you are the regent or the Grand Marshal's Office, you cannot sit idly by and watch Xiahou Dun rebel. In my opinion, even if you don't control the Heluo area, you can't hand it over to others. At the worst, you have to let Xiahou Dun occupy Heluo alone."

Chang'an was in their hands, and Luoyang was controlled by Xiahou Dun.

In the future, all parties will jointly elect a new emperor, and it will not be enough to just possess the imperial seal.

If you control the Eastern Capital and the Western Capital, any new emperor in the future will be a lame emperor.

Seeing that no one objected, Sima Zhi continued, "Please send an envoy to Heluo."

Although their side had robbed Xiahou Dun of his summer grain, Xiahou Dun still had more abundant autumn grain.

With the autumn grain in hand, Xiahou Dun would have enough to survive the winter.

Now Zhong Yao and Wei Duan no longer proposed the idea of ​​regent.

Seeing that no one else spoke, Black Bear said, "That's right. We should not be impatient. We are the ones who should not be impatient. When I return from Hetao, we can discuss this together after the envoys from all parties gather. For such a major national event, my opinion alone does not count; but if I don't speak, their opinion does not count either."

Cui Zhouping cupped his hands: "Your Majesty is wise and wise."

No matter how unwilling Zhong Yao and the others were, they could only bow and praise.

If Black Bear doesn't claim the position of regent, who else dares to claim it?
Black Bear's eyes fell on Sima Zhi's face: "Zihua, nominate someone to go as an envoy to Heluo. If Xiahou Dun is willing to defend Luoyang, I can give him the seal of Wumeng Duwei."

Sima Zhi thought for a moment and asked, "Your Majesty, are you going to fight for Hanoi?"

Wu Meng Du Wei was the commander of the Hanoi Knight Battalion and was a trophy that Black Bear confiscated from Lu Chang. The most famous Wu Meng Du Wei was Ding Yuan.

Previously, Hanoi was divided into two parts with Hebei, but Hanoi is long and narrow from east to west, and the western part is at the foot of Taihang Mountains, so the terrain is fragmented.

And Xiahou Dun was in the south, so Black Bear did not send anyone there to manage the western part of Hanoi; and Yuan Shang did not focus on managing the eastern part of Hanoi after Cao Cao's forces withdrew.

Hanoi is empty from the people to the officials, and each county is basically autonomous.

Black Bear didn't even appoint a county magistrate here, simply because he didn't want to be distracted.

After defeating the Huns, Black Bear became more and more fond of fighting annihilation wars.

They are no longer interested in the tug-of-war over every county, township or city, and they have no shortage of tax collectors and manpower in Hanoi.

"I'm not trying to fight for Hanoi. I'm giving the chance to Xiahou Dun to see how he performs."

As Black Bear spoke, he went to see the chief clerk Yang Fu, who immediately picked up a pen and drafted a document.

Since we had never worked with Xiahou Dun before, we should at least give him a chance to show his value. Letting Xiahou Dun fight is simply to give him something to do.

As long as everyone from top to bottom has something to do, basic cohesion can be guaranteed.

As for preventing Xiahou Dun from defecting to Liu Bei or Hebei... this is something very difficult to prevent.

If Liu Bei or Yuan Shang offer a higher price, Xiahou Dun can leave if he wants.

Black Bear took the document drafted by Yang Fu, and signed it when he saw that there was no problem: "Zihua, please stay. You can go back first."

The others looked at each other, and could only stand up and bow to leave.

After these people left on two boats, Black Bear led Sima Zhi to the fishing spot, and they all wore hats to protect themselves from the shade.

Black Bear swung his pole: "I feel a little regretful. I never thought Cao Cao was so weak, nor did I expect that the conflict between him and the royal family and the imperial family was like fire and water."

Sima Zhi had barely been in the officialdom for a year, and his experience was limited.

At this moment, he cast his rod and started fishing, and then he said, "If Liu Xuande had invaded Xudu last year, perhaps this incident would have happened as well."

“Last year there was still some accumulation missing.”

Black Bear also felt a little tricky: "It seems that after midsummer, when the weather turns cooler, Liu Xuande will sweep across the Central Plains. Cao Cao will not sit idly by, and there will be a bloody battle between the two sides."

"Who do you think will win, sir?"

"The battlefield is not in the Central Plains, but in the six counties of Youzhou, with Xianyu Fu and Tian Yu."

After Black Bear finished speaking, he saw Sima Zhi was deep in thought, and he knew that Sima Zhi was not good at military affairs, so he explained: "The dispute between Cao and Liu started at the end of July, the battle started in August, and the outcome was not known until September. When the news of the Xudu Incident spread to Youzhou, people like Xianyu Fu and Tian Yu were able to react immediately. Whether to continue to rely on Cao Cao, or rely on Liu Xuande or me, or even Yuan Shang, is an urgent matter for them to resolve."

The issue of stance cannot be delayed, and a judgment can be made almost without any consideration. The six counties of Youzhou that have resisted Yuan will definitely rise up against Cao.

Sandwiched between the Yuan family, Wuhuan, Xianbei, and Gongsun Du, the six counties of Youzhou had no room for strategic maneuver.

Even if Xian Yu Fu really wanted to do something big, there was really no room for him to make strategic maneuvers.

If Xianyu Fu's party joined the Yuan family, then in the autumn of this year, Yuan Shang's power would increase greatly, and he would be able to raise a group of hunting dogs on the periphery again through diplomatic means alone.

It would be difficult for the other party to surrender to him, and the confrontation with the Yuan family over the years has accumulated blood feud.

Therefore, the six counties of Youzhou would most likely choose to follow Liu Bei. In this way, the alliance between Liu Bei and the Yuan family would be terminated.

If Liu Bei gains the advantage on the battlefield in the Central Plains, Yuan Shang will definitely intervene!

If the six counties of Youzhou surrendered to the Yuan family, the Yuan family would watch the struggle between Cao and Liu and look for opportunities to inflict heavy damage on them; if they surrendered to Liu Bei, as soon as Liu Bei gained the advantage, the Yuan family would send troops to intervene to prevent Liu Bei's advantage from expanding.

Sima Zhi thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, what you mean is that the success or failure of the conflict in the Central Plains will be determined between September and October this year?"

"That's probably the case. Only when they can't get something on the battlefield will they sit down to discuss and divide it. With Cao Cao's experience as a precedent, I don't think Yuan Shang will support the new emperor in Hebei. It's not just Yuan Shang, all parties are like this."

Black Bear smiled and said, "So Yuan Shao was quite foresighted back then, but Cao Cao was just luckier, but his luck ran out."

Sima Zhi was relieved now, and said with a wry smile: "I am just worried that all parties will unite to nominate a new emperor, and the new dynasty will be unfavorable to the monarch."

"Zihua is over-worrying."

Black Bear patiently explained: "There is a nest of 100,000 skeletons in Fenglingdu, and no one inside or outside dares to move rashly."

Sima Zhi asked again: "Then Your Majesty, will you use military force against foreign enemies as usual this winter?"

"Looking at the situation in the Central Plains, if the six counties of Youzhou were to attach themselves to Yuan Shang, Yuan Shang would be able to annex the four states of Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Qingzhou and Xuzhou in one fell swoop..."

Seeing Sima Zhi's worry, Black Bear changed his tone and said, "I will intervene and will never let him have the last laugh. If nothing unexpected happens, we will still have to send troops to the frontier this year. This is related to the stability of both inside and outside the country."

"Yes, your Excellency understands."

(End of this chapter)