Lu Bu believed that since one day has passed, one must continue day after day.

Qilin thought that was absolutely impossible. What would it be like for the military advisor to sleep in the master's room every night? As soon as they were finished, the young couple had a big argument with red faces. In the end, Qilin won and moved out with his feet weak.

Lu Bu was still a little worried, so he personally moved Qilin's things, arranged a comfortable cabin next to his bedroom, and made the bed himself before letting Qilin sleep.

That night, Lu Bu quietly walked back and forth outside the door a few times, sneaked in, and slept with Qilin in his arms.

midnight.

"Report——" The shout of the newspaper woke up the whole palace. Lu Bu hurriedly dressed and came out, saying: "What's the matter! Don't scream!"

The letter was covered in dirty black, the same color as the night, as if it had just been dug out of the mud: "Two days ago, a mouthful of dead oil was dug out of the No. A mine in the north and spewed out of the ground. More than ten brothers who were mining were drowned.

Man! Please let me know how to decide!"

Lu Bu was confused and waved around with the lantern. After wandering for a long time, he finally found the man who was completely black. Qilin rushed out in disheveled clothes and said, "Don't get close to him with an open flame!"

"You go take a bath immediately and don't touch the fire." Qilin ordered: "Thank you for your hard work. The brothers who died will be compensated for their families."

Lu Bu asked: "Is there a ghost?"

Qilin shook his head, with a solemn look on his face, and said after a moment: "Go and call the Tiefu Mining Officer. They have dug up something very troublesome, and they must deal with it as soon as possible."

Nearly a month later, when spring was warm and flowers were blooming, a huge stone monument was erected in the center of Longxi City.

The masons were busy hammering away. Qilin's collar was open, and a red rope was tied around his clean neck. Two wolf teeth were passed through the rope, and Lu Bu's golden bead was in the middle of the wolf teeth.

Holding a letter in his hand, Chen Gong got off the carriage next to the stone monument and stopped beside Qilin.

Chen Gong stood aside and said, "What is the name of the oil that you brought from the mines, set up a warehouse in the north of the city, and guarded strictly?"

Qilin nodded and said: "I really didn't expect that mining could actually dig out... I guess there is an oil vein that is too close to the surface, and they happened to dig through it."

Chen Gong asked doubtfully: "What's the use?"

Qilin shook his head regretfully: "I haven't thought of its use yet. Maybe it can assist with fire attacks in the future. That kind of oil can easily catch fire..."

Qilin vaguely had a bold idea, but the battle in Chibi took too long to put it into practice.

Chen Gong looked up at the stone stele. The craftsmen climbed to the top of the stele with ropes. There was a constant clanging sound. The stele was transported from the northwest Gobi. The process was complicated and time-consuming.

"On it are engraved the names of soldiers who died in battle and those who sacrificed their lives in the days of opening up the northwest." Qilin said slowly: "The day when the world will be unified..."

Chen Gong nodded and continued: "Move it outside the Meridian Gate of the capital for people to pay their respects."

"Yes, what's the matter?" Qilin smiled.

Chen Gongdao: "Maybe this is the biggest thing this year. Let's talk about it first after we get in the car."

Chen Gong asked Qilin to get on the carriage. In the Marquis Mansion, Lu Bu finished his military training outside the city. He came in sweating profusely and sat down towards the throne. Advisors and generals were already there.

In the fifth year of Jian'an, Yuan Shao organized his troops in Yecheng and garrisoned 100,000 troops, aiming directly at Xuchang.

Jia Xu said slowly and calmly: "Cao Cao has less than 50,000 troops. According to the news from the spies, there are only 30,000 troops in total."

One hundred thousand versus thirty thousand, Yuan Shao was almost determined to win.

Lu Bu said: "What should we do now? Who should we help? Let's talk about it."

In addition to the three close advisers Qilin, Chen Gong and Jia Xu, there were also guests Cai Wenji, Kong Rong, Hua Xin and others.

Cao Cao had an inextricable hatred with many people. The Han court officials headed by Kong Rong hated him for kidnapping the emperor; Lu Bu even hated him for plotting a trap. He first separated himself from Qilin, and when he took over Longxi, he was still Guo and Xun's two advisers.

I suffered a dark loss on my hands.

Now Diao Chan must have left with Wang Yun and surrendered to Cao Ying, which would give her an opportunity to seize his wife.

Kong Rong stood up and tried his best to promote the battle: "The thief Cao held the emperor in order to order the princes. Although Yuan Benchu ​​was sweet-talking and indecisive, he had the support of the rich and powerful Zhen family in Jizhou after all. He was also an important official of our Han Dynasty, the fourth generation and the three princes, and his contribution was indispensable. If we don't send troops at this moment,

When will we wait?"

Qilin felt uneasy, thinking that as soon as Chen Gong handed over the letter, Lu Bu would act arbitrarily and send troops to attack Cao Cao. However, seeing Lu Bu's calm demeanor at the moment, he couldn't help but feel happy. Over the past few years, Lu Bu had also been working hard, and he had changed a lot unknowingly.

.

Immediately afterwards, Lu Bu revealed his true nature: "Shut up! Who told you to say it!"

Qilin was speechless and said: "Don't ask me, I reserve my opinion."

Cai Wenji pursed her lips and seemed to be thinking. After a moment, she said: "The emperor is still in Cao Cao's hands. How should we deal with it?"

Lu Bu said: "What are you afraid of? He has the emperor, and we have the jade seal to pass down the country!"

As soon as he said this, the whole hall was in a state of shock. Qilin wanted to die and said, "Can you please just stop saying anything?! Chen Gong, what do you think?"

Chen Gong stood up, with a worried look on his face, and said in a deep voice: "Gongtai believes that we should not send troops."

"No matter who wins or loses in this battle, Yuan and Cao will definitely lose their strength. My lord has been in Longxi for less than a year, and it will take three to five years to establish a solid family foundation. Now the whole city relies on military power to survive the winter.

Jincheng and the two places will provide it. How can we rush to use troops? Besides, since Cao Cao dares to fight, he will guard Xuchang closely to prevent the emperor from being robbed of food and grass."

"This battle cannot be decided quickly! It will take a long time after the war begins. Once Cao Cao is defeated, Yuan Shao will further invade Xuchang. At that time, what should I do, my lord? I am in a dilemma!"

"It's the beginning of spring, and farming has not yet begun. Not long after the military-field system was established, there are nearly 10,000 acres of cultivated land outside the city waiting for the soldiers to work. If they are all transferred to fight at this time, they will be hungry during the autumn harvest. What will happen then?

?”

Ma Chao stood up: "Fengxian, listen to me."

Gao Shun shouted: "Discourteous!"

Lu Bu indicated that it was okay and said, "That's all."

Ma Chao said: "Yuan Shao and I have a grudge against killing our father. Wuwei will harvest this autumn, and the grain and grass will be enough to supply Longxi's needs and support 40,000 soldiers. I am willing to increase taxes and levy grain, just to avenge my father's shame!"

Chen Gong said angrily: "How can you increase taxes as you say? Besides, we are just trying to develop. We are sailing against the current. If we don't advance, we will retreat. We may have no problem living for a year, but we will stop moving forward. It's wasted."

How can there be such truth in one year?!"

Kong Rong simply heard the big joke and rebuked: "How can the great cause of the family and the country be trivial? The emperor is now under house arrest in Xuchang, and the Han Dynasty is in decline. You are still worrying about the private grudges of your children, leaving the ready-made national thieves to die.

Are you going to fight Yuan Shao?!"

Qilin said nonchalantly: "We are all traitors to the country. Don't blame anyone. When Cao Cao entered Chang'an and kidnapped the emperor, who was there to protect him? If not, why didn't you just follow Yuan Shao?"

Jia Xu smiled slightly and said: "I am in favor of going to war."

Lu Bu asked: "Jia Wenhe, why do you say that?"

Jia Xu said: "May I ask, my lord, what situation do you most want to see in this battle?"

Lu Bu thought for a while and replied: "Both sides will suffer."

Jia Xu nodded and said: "Yes, both sides suffer."

"To judge the current strength of the princes, those who can intervene in the victory of this battle are: Liu Biao of Jingzhou and Liu Zhang of Yizhou - they are timid and fearful and will never go to war. We and Jiangdong Sun Ce are left with two armies. If the lord wants to fight, we will fight!

We went out with only 5,000 men, disrupted their march plan, concentrated on attacking their logistics camps, set fire to their food and grass, and then withdrew after the attack."

Lu Bu said indifferently: "You are talking about tactics rather than strategy. You can consider adopting them, but who should we fight?"

Jia Xu was an old treacherous person and would not say any more. He could only say lightly: "Wen He doesn't dare to make any random decisions about this matter. It's up to the Lord to decide."

Qilin said: "His meaning is very clear. Since both sides suffer, of course let us fight the stronger side. Cai Wenji, do you have anything else to say?"

Cai Wenji smoothed her hair, made a ringing sound with the gold bracelet on her hand, stretched out her hand to cover it, and said softly: "When I stayed in Yecheng, I was copying scriptures at home, and Mr. Shui Jing came to visit. I told my father that the world would be peaceful in the future.

, should we still respect the emperor and divide the princes into rulers? Sima Hui once said something to my father, which I still remember freshly."

Qilin said: "What are you talking about?"

Cai Wenji said calmly: "There is no tolerance between Yuan Benzhu's brothers, how about the princes?"

As soon as Cai Wenji said this, the four people immediately thought of Yuan Shu, who was defeated and died by Yuan Shao. Lu Bu nodded and said: "Exactly, this man can't even tolerate his own brothers. If Cao Cao is captured and entrusted to the emperor in Chang'an, the next one will

The target is us."

"What do you think?" Lu Bu turned his gaze to Qilin.

"You already have an idea, don't you?" Qilin said noncommittally: "It's time for you to make a decision."

Lu Bu was silent for a moment, and said after a moment: "I need time to think about it, so please step aside."

The attendees dispersed, Cai Wenji walked at the end and was stopped by Qilin.

Qilin stood in the courtyard and teased: "Wenji, your bracelet was given by Ma Chao, right? What other good things did he give you to convince the lord to fight Yuan Shao?"

Cai Wenji Qiao smiled and said: "Have you ruined your business? My lord wants to send troops to attack whoever you want. It's just a word from you."

Qilin patted the big tree in the courtyard with one hand, frightening a sparrow to fly away, pursed his lips and said nothing.

"He must learn to make his own decisions," Qilin said.

Cai Wenji said: "In that case, why don't you do it more simply? Anyway, no matter what kind of mess it is in the end, you can clean it up."

Wen Ji smiled sweetly, turned and left.

Qilin shook his head and smiled bitterly, and went back to his room to deal with matters. Lu Bu locked himself in the room all night and did not show up for dinner. Qilin, Zhang Liao and others ate together, absentmindedly, and raised his head and asked: "How much bribes did you accept from Ma Chao?"

?”

Chen Gong said coldly: "I went back without taking any money."

Zhang Liao and Gao Shun both looked embarrassed. Qilin smiled and said, "Ma Chao has just come to vote, but you are already very grudge-minded. How can this happen?"
To be continued...