Chapter 354: Going Your Own Way
After breakfast, Zhen Mi didn't want to go out.

Hei Xiong went downstairs to meet the important officials of the shogunate in the main hall of the pavilion. The chief secretary Cui Zhouping led the way in, holding two scrolls of bamboo slips in his hands.

After a spring and summer of operation and development, mulberry fields gradually appeared in various parts of Guanzhong.

After mulberry fields are planted, mulberry trees need to be regularly cut and replanted. The mulberry seedlings in the fields do not need to be very tall, so it is convenient to just pull off the leaves when picking them.

Only at that time will a large number of cut tree branches appear in the mulberry fields, producing an endless supply of mulberry bark.

There is also hemp, which grows rapidly and the main harvest is the hemp skin, so there is no need to wait for the fruits of the hemp field to ripen.

The hemp fields planted in spring have been harvested, but the hemp in autumn is still growing.

The first batch of paper will probably be harvested in the spring or summer of next year.

Black Bear waited for everyone to sit down before speaking: "I can concentrate on conquering the Western Chui, all thanks to the public security and pacification of Guanzhong, which allows me to focus on my work without distractions."

"Your Majesty is wise and brave, and your officers and men have died for you. How dare we, your subjects, take credit for it?"

Cui Zhouping responded by pushing the two bamboo scrolls in his hand forward: "Now that the King of Huainan has broken his promise, all the officials and soldiers are indignant. Your Majesty must punish him."

A personal soldier stepped forward, picked up the bamboo slips and handed them to Black Bear.

At this time, Cui Zhouping and Kong Rong looked at each other and finally confirmed that the chief clerk Yang Fu and the Huangge clerks were all in Hexi and did not come together.

As a result, Black Bear was surrounded by a group of personal soldiers and warriors selected from the army.

Black Bear flipped through the first bamboo slip, which contained Cui Zhouping's inferences on the affairs of Jingzhou.

Cui Zhouping believed that promoting the establishment of a state by the Liu family of Changsha would not gain reliable vassal states. After the establishment of the state, the Liu family of Changsha would quickly merge with the scholars of southern Jing. Once they had established a stable foothold, they would naturally abandon their relationship with Guanzhong and pursue their own interests like Liu Fu of Huainan did.

The reason is simple. They are too far away from Guanzhong, which makes the rulers and ministers of these newly established vassal states feel lucky.

Cui Zhouping's response was also simple. Having learned from the lesson of Liu Fu of Huainan, he this time ordered the Liu family of Changsha and the big families in Jingnan to send their children to Chang'an to study and serve as hostages.

In this way, even if Changsha State becomes independent with Jingnan in the future, it can rely on some hostages to divide and alienate the enemy and lay the foundation for attacking Changsha State.

After reading the bamboo slips, Black Bear put them aside and asked, "Where is Changsha's envoy Huan Jie?"

"Just wait at the pavilion outside Ganquan Mountain."

"Send someone to tell them."

After saying this, Black Bear picked up another scroll of bamboo slips and read it. This was a letter with more secret contents. Cui Zhouping led some Hebei scholars to rebel, and he hoped to attack the east while making a pretext to attack the west this winter.

He took the Xianbei with him and attacked Hebei from three sides with the cooperation of Zhang Yan and Xianyu Fu, trying to capture Yecheng directly.

Yecheng is the core of Hebei's rule. As long as the Yuan family advances as quickly as possible and surrounds Yecheng, it will be difficult for them to mobilize Hebei's forces.

Besiege and kill Yuan Shikai, or force him to surrender under certain conditions, and then Hebei can be conquered.

In this case, isn't it a foregone conclusion that he will become emperor?
After reading this, Black Bear felt that it was really inhumane for these people to gamble their own interests with their own foundation.

Hebei is right there and it won’t run away.

Gobbling down food without thinking will do you any good.

Killing enemies on the battlefield is always a simple thing, but finding enemies from within is much more difficult.

Black Bear really doesn't like Cui Zhouping's behavior.

The victory and the success of the operation are all due to Cui Zhouping's planning. He will also become the leader of Hebei scholars and a real big boss inside.

After swallowing Hebei, Black Bear felt that Cui Zhouping gained more benefits than himself.

Anyway, my daily food and drink expenses are limited, and I have so much official business to deal with.

As far as personal enjoyment is concerned, there is no difference between occupying Guanlong and occupying the entire north.

Compared to before, he will be free in the future. No matter how large the territory he conquers, his personal enjoyment of food and drink will come to an end.

Cui Zhouping was worried, not because he was worried about being punished by Black Bear, but because the plan had too much impact and would involve huge gains and losses for him personally.

Although I have never obtained it and cannot say that I have lost anything, the opportunity is already in front of me and I can get it if I reach out.

If you don't reach out, you will lose. Unfortunately, the decision-making power is not in his hands, but in the hands of Black Bear.

What’s even more regrettable is that it is difficult to predict what a black bear will do.

Even if black bears suddenly invaded Jingzhou in large numbers this winter, Cui Zhouping would not be surprised.

The eight counties in Nanxiang cannot effectively protect Guanzhong’s interests in Jingzhou.

At least thirty or forty counties and a garrison of twenty to thirty thousand troops are needed to ensure that civilian commercial activities are not exploited and harassed by the people of Jingzhou.

Cui Zhouping waited calmly, but Black Bear felt the situation was difficult after reading the official document from Hebei.

I also began to reflect on myself, always wondering if I was a little petty.

Just unify the north quickly and sort out the internal affairs... But then again, there is no strong and uncontrollable external pressure.

There is no need to rush to make a quick decision.

If you don't make quick decisions, there's no need to compromise on everything.

When it comes down to it, you are the one causing pressure to everyone, so there is really no need to take shortcuts.

Crush it step by step, the crushed wheat flour is easier to digest.

After his mind was firm again, Black Bear said, "Mr. Changshi is old, is it better to eat beans or tofu?"

Cui Zhouping smiled stiffly and unnaturally: "Your Majesty, I like coarse meals."

“I just like tofu.”

Black Bear said he was going to see Kong Rong and Zhang Ding, but Zhang Ding didn't remember having eaten any tofu.

When we first moved to the Central Plains, the situation did not allow it. Later, after entering Guanzhong, where could we find fresh and tender tofu?
Only near Xiangyang is there a mature tofu manufacturing industry, and other places do not have sufficient supplementary foods.

Black Bear held up Cui Zhouping's bamboo slip and shook it. "I will send someone to negotiate. If the talks don't go well, there's nothing to regret."

"Yes, I will assist you with all my strength."

Cui Zhouping didn't mention Hebei, and neither did Hei Xiong. If it is brought up now and the news leaks out, Hebei will inevitably split and there will be a civil war.

So the bamboo slip was sealed on the spot and handed over to the guards to be stored in the warehouse.

At this time, Huan Jie was called in, walking quickly, his clothes soaked with sweat.

"I am Changsha Huanjie, paying my respects to the Grand Marshal."

Huan Jie stepped forward and kowtowed before he was allowed to sit down.

Then he also sent the letter from Changsha Liu to Black Bear, who picked it up and read it.

It may be that the news that Huainan was about to become emperor stimulated the Liu family of Changsha, and now the arrow is on the string and has to be shot.

If the Liu family of Changsha failed to establish a state, the tense atmosphere of the scholars in southern Jing would be relieved, and they would only be greeted with crazy revenge from Liu Biao and the scholars in northern Jing.

In this situation, they must get the solidarity and support of Guanzhong.

Only in this way can internal opinions and resources be integrated as much as possible and Liu Biao's military pressure be minimized.

Therefore, this is a hostage form.

Black Bear didn't expect these people to be so sensible. It seemed that the conflict between the people in southern Jing and northern Jing was more cruel and profound than he realized.

Putting down the scroll, Black Bear said with a smile: "I agree, you can rest assured. I also know that the King of Huainan was coerced by his right and left, and he is suspected of wearing the yellow robe. I will treat his son well and will not harm him. The same is true for Changsha State. I support you, not because we have deep feelings for each other, but just to check Liu Biao and Pang Tong."

Huan Jie was stunned for a moment and didn't know how to respond.

Cui Zhouping was already used to it. He sat aside expressionlessly, not in the mood to help Huan Jie guide the conversation.

Kong Rong couldn't help laughing. In Kong Rong's eyes, behavior like that of Black Bear was what a powerful monarch should be.

He has no petty thoughts and regards external enemies as insignificant.

(End of this chapter)