Chapter 508 Shortcomings and Strategies
Chang'an University, Cai's Academy.

Cai Zhaoji, who got married again but maintained a single life, felt many things not adapting to her current life.

I always felt that I should go to Hexi instead of staying in Chang'an and hanging out with scholars and students all day long.

Recently, she had the idea of ​​teaching a group of female students, but there was a strict distinction between men and women.

Given her current age and experience, she has fewer concerns in this regard.

If female students are to be taught, a closed campus must be set up to avoid contact with men.

Having a bad reputation is not only a social death for a woman studying, but also a political death for her parents and family.

Therefore, in order to promote this matter, there must be enough female teachers.

While she was thinking about this, a student came to the door and said, "Sir, the Minister Yuan Changgong comes to see Wei Liangzhou."

Cai Zhaoji frowned slightly: "Why is that?"

"It was Mr. Yaoqing's student who came to inform us."

After the student finished speaking, he bowed, and when he saw no response from Cai Zhaoji, he stepped back and left.

Cai Zhaoji was suspicious, but she still stood up, put on a coarse gauze collar, and led the maid out.

In the spacious hall where documents were placed, Wei Duan, wearing a short shirt, was wiping the sweat from his forehead.

I was just moving the bamboo slips documents here, sorting and recompiling the collected bamboo slips, when Zhong Yao came.

This is Cai's Academy, and Wei Duan is not afraid that the other party will do anything to embarrass him.

But it still alarmed Cai Mu and Yuan Huan. Everyone knew that Wei Duan had led his two sons and Guanlong scholars to attack Zhong Yao before.

Now that the Grand Marshal is away, it is very likely that Zhong Yao, who has a bad temper and no offspring to care about, will suddenly take revenge.

Zhong Yao didn't want to make the matter known to everyone, but no matter how he invited Wei Duan before, he pretended not to see it.

He was also aware of Wei Duan's concerns, but at the moment Zhong Yao had no choice but to break into Cai's Academy.

In the hall, Zhong Yao signaled Wei Duan with his eyes, but he remained unmoved and did not want to go out at all.

It was Yuan Huan who took the initiative to dismiss the Guanlong scholars and Cai Xue Shi in the hall and cleared the venue.

Seeing that the people who stayed behind were all familiar faces, Zhong Yao said, "I received military reports from the front line saying that the Grand Marshal has passed Feihukou and entered Zhuojun, and Liu Xuande has stationed troops in Pingcheng, Daijun."

Wei Duan was slow to react, and Yuan Huan perked up, looking horrified: "Didn't the Grand Marshal go to meet Lord Xuande? Why did he take a different route and enter Youzhou alone?"

Wei Duan also thought of the dangers involved. He looked around and said, "The Grand Marshal is a powerful man. He has been allied with the general for many years. Even if there are some misunderstandings, I think they can be cleared up. Besides, Jingzhou is in a military crisis right now. How could the Grand Marshal..."

As he spoke, he became less confident. Perhaps his Grand Marshal was not going to fight, but the war in Jingzhou was not going well. Would Hebei make excessive demands or take the opportunity to take ruthless action?

But Wei Duan was still not too worried about the black bear's safety, as his son followed him around, but there was really no danger.

After all, he had been the governor of Liang Province, and he knew very well that if the cavalry wanted to leave, it would be difficult for the infantry to catch up.

Even if Yuan Shang had enough cavalry, as long as he pursued, his formation would inevitably be stretched and the front and back would lose coordination.

That's chasing after Da Sima. How many people dare to chase him at all costs?

As for the more than 5,000 elite troops, even if you search all over Youzhou, you cannot find elite troops of the same quantity and quality.

In the hands of these five thousand elite soldiers, there are at least fifty thousand lives of the various Hu people.

The combat effectiveness of an elite army cannot be measured by the number of kills, but it is enough to illustrate the mental state of the army and its adaptability to war.

Seeing Wei Duan's disapproving look, Zhong Yao was about to express his own speculation when he heard footsteps. He turned around and saw Cai Zhaoji leading a maid at the door.

Zhong Yao just nodded slightly and said, "The safety of the Grand Marshal is not a question, but what I am wondering is why the Grand Marshal would leave Feihukou for no reason? Based on my understanding of the Grand Marshal, he must have a reason and must have done it."

Wei Duan frowned. Yuan Huan reacted at this time and looked at Zhong Yao: "Does Yuan Changgong refer to the "Law of Titles and Salaries"? "

All officials were looking forward to the promulgation of the "Title and Salary Law", but it was not issued at the end of last year. There were several debates at the beginning of the year, and details were deliberately added. The longer it was delayed, the more anxious everyone was.

More importantly, the "Law on Titles and Salaries" was issued through the Shangshu Xingtai, and theoretically covered Youzhou, and even Jizhou and all other prefectures and counties that respected the Jian'an court as the legitimate government.

If the Grand Marshal didn't even want the burdens of the royal family and nobles of the Han Dynasty, how could he possibly take on more burdens?
He had some conflicts with Yuan Shang, ended the alliance, and declared him a traitor to the Jian'an court.

In this way, the "Law on Titles and Salaries" issued through the Shangshu Xingtai would only include the prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of the Grand Marshal's Office, and would not allow others to take advantage.

Seeing that Yuan Huan had guessed it, Zhong Yao said, "If the Yuan family in Hebei breaks the alliance and sends troops, they will definitely fight to the death and will do everything they can to encircle the Grand Marshal. I think the armies under the shogunate will also be mobilized to the north."

"Going north?"

Wei Duan also realized that if a war broke out, Feihukou would definitely be blocked by Yuan’s army.

The best route for the shogunate's main reinforcements would be to take the Qinzhi Road to Wuyuan, then go east across Yunzhong and enter Dai County; the detachment would definitely take the Taiyuan and Yanmen Roads, attack Dai County from both sides and force Liu Bei to join the war.

Even if we do not participate in the war, we must exert pressure to make Liu Bei let him go.

Only when Kong Rong was present could he not understand the importance of military affairs. Even though Cai Mu had wandered in Jingzhou before, he was clear about the basic logic of the army's operation.

Seeing that everyone understood, Zhong Yao said: "This time, I think Qinghua Guard must participate in the war. We must not let it have all the glory. I want to call on the scholars in Chang'an to join the army and form a volunteer army to go north to help."

There was silence, and the other people looked at each other.

Although during previous wars, counties were allowed to mobilize volunteers to assist in the transportation and escort of prisoners, these were tasks proactively assigned by the front lines.

There are rewards for joining the volunteer army.

This time we are mobilizing the scholars in Chang'an to form an army of volunteers, and the scale must not be small. If there are huge casualties, how should we explain it?
Zhong Yao had already grasped the main idea, but Wang Can, Cai Zhaoji, Yuan Huan, Wei Duan and Zhang Song shared his influence on the scholars.

Without the support of these people, this would not be possible.

Calling upon five or six hundred men to form an army of volunteers would not have any influence on the front line.

It is necessary to organize a volunteer army of three to five thousand people. Given the quality of the soldiers, they are naturally capable of growing very quickly.

He watched these people, but no one was willing to be the first to agree.

Cai Xuehui called on his students to join the volunteer army?
Will Wei Duan organize the Guanlong scholars to join the volunteer army?
They were already the beneficiaries of the shogunate's rule, so there was really no need for them to take risks with Zhong Yao.

Zhong Yao also had a group of scholars under his command, mainly from the four states of Guandong.

It would be difficult for these people to enter officialdom without special achievements, and forming a volunteer army is currently the quickest way for them.

Cai Zhaoji, who was listening at the door, became displeased when she saw Zhong Yao make such a proposal.

This hasty meeting, which Zhong Yao had held with great ambitions, came to an abrupt end.

But for the scholars in Chang'an, or the soldiers and civilians in the three prefectures, life remained the same.

They were not aware of what was happening in Hebei, and there was a delay of about five days in the news.

Zhong Yao was angry and finally left.

After leaving Cai's Academy, Zhong Yao sat in the carriage, fuming. It took him a long time to sort out his thoughts: "They are short-sighted, but I can't sit back and wait like them."

The Chief Clerk Yang Guang was driving the car. He looked back and said, "Mingsir, without the strong support from all parties, we can only recruit a thousand men at most."

"No, there is another person. Let's go meet him."

"Are you talking about Zhang Song?"

"We are eager to fight, and the people in Shu are worried about where to live. Moreover, the people of Shu are rich, and have many servants and guards. If we unite with them, we will surely succeed!"

Zhong Yao's tone was firm. He must seize this last chance.

As for Wang Can, there is no need to go and see him. He has been living in seclusion in Shanglin Garden since last year's Double Ninth Festival banquet. He must have done nothing good.

(End of this chapter)