On the first day of the first month of the fourth year of Taihe, the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven was extremely grand.
After the ceremony, the 30,000 cavalrymen of the Wei Central Army immediately set out to Xuchang, 300 miles away.
Luoyang is a place of strategic advantage, guarded by eight passes: Hangu Pass, Yique, Guangcheng, Dagu, Huanyuan, Xuanmen, Mengjin and Xiaopingjin.
In terms of distance, the shortest route to Xuchang is the Huanyuan Pass. When Chen Qun was appointed to Shouchun to replace Cao Xiu, he took the Huanyuan Pass.
When large groups of troops traveled south from Luoyang, they always took the Yique Pass and Guangcheng Pass in the south direction.
South of Guangcheng Pass is Liang County, the southernmost part of Henan County, which is only a hundred miles away from Luoyang.
To the west of Liang County is Luhun County, and to the east is Jia County of Yingchuan County.
When Guan Yu was attacking Fancheng in the north of Jingxiang, flooding seven armies, beheading Pang De, and besieging Cao Ren, the three counties of Liang, Zha and Luhun responded to Guan Yu's call and many people rebelled.
The area between Luoyang and Xuchang was infiltrated by Guan Yu so thoroughly. This was one of the reasons why Cao Cao led his troops to station at Mobei in Jia County and watched Xu Huang march straight in.
It was not what Huan Jie said, "to hold down six armies to show the remaining strength", but more of a fear that the army would return southward without success and a fire would break out in the backyard.
On the first day of the first lunar month, 30,000 cavalrymen marched south.
On the fourth day of the first lunar month, all the cavalry arrived at Mobei, Jia County.
The so-called Mobei is a lake with a radius of more than ten miles, which can be used for water conservancy and irrigation. The surrounding area is all plains and wilderness, which is most suitable for the army to station.
As early as during the Jian'an period, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao, established military farms near Xuchang. Mobei had grain and military camps, and was an important town between Luoyang and Xuchang.
Both the Wuwei and Xiaowei armies had arrived in Xuchang, and a lot of land in Mobei was left vacant.
From the fifth day of the first lunar month until the tenth day, Cao Rui reviewed the cavalry of the central army at Mobei every day.
Wen Qin's Yulin Left Army, Cheng Xi's Yulin Right Army, Guanqiu Jian's Zhongling Army Camp, as well as the five colonel camps of Tunqi, Infantry, Yueqi, Changshui, and Shesheng were all reviewed.
On the one hand, it was to check the combat effectiveness of the various armies after the adjustment of the organization, and on the other hand, it was to make Cao Rui himself more familiar with the operation of cavalry and practice the tactics set in Luoyang in the past.
On the afternoon of the tenth day, the last army to be reviewed was the Yulin Left Army led by Wen Qin.
The armored cavalry broke through the center of the formation, and the heavy and light cavalry worked together to mop up the remnants. This latest cavalry tactic was also displayed in front of the accompanying personnel of the Shangshu Tai and the Privy Council.
On the viewing platform, Wang Chang came over and said in a loud voice, "Your Majesty, General Wen's 1,000 armored cavalry, 2,000 heavy cavalry, and 4,000 light cavalry have completed the tactical strategy set by the Privy Council on a battlefield that is six miles wide and thirty miles long."
"The review was rated as excellent."
Cao Rui nodded slightly and looked at the ministers with a smile: "If it weren't for the fact that the suburbs of Luoyang were all farmland, I would have wanted to show you the changes in the cavalry of the central army."
Sima Yi stroked his beard and said thoughtfully: "The cavalry is so powerful now, which is very different from the past in Huainan and Longyou."
"Your Majesty is indeed ingenious. The combination of stirrups, horseshoes, full armor, and spears makes the armored cavalry so powerful!"
Cao Rui said: "I just came up with an idea, it's nothing. The credit should still be given to the Privy Council and the Yulin Left Army."
"Wang Qing," Cao Rui smiled and pointed at Wang Chang with his right hand. "You are so good at commanding the army. I am really pleased with you. When you were building roads and camps in Huainan, why didn't I know you had such talent?"
Man Chong jokingly said, "Your Majesty's selection of ministers is the same as the driver's selection of good horses. If the horses are not allowed to work long distances and carry heavy loads, how can we tell the difference between a good horse and a mediocre one?"
"In my opinion, Wang Youjian is the 'good horse' discovered by Your Majesty!"
Cao Rui chuckled several times and joked, "Wang Qing, it was General Man who made this comparison. If you are dissatisfied, you can go find him yourself."
Wang Chang was in charge of the Privy Council, which was under the jurisdiction of Man Chong's Western Pavilion. How could he not know that Man Chong was taking credit for himself? Naturally, he smiled in response.
When leaving Luoyang this time, Cao Rui still appointed Wei Zhen as the Inspector of the Imperial Guards, while Dong Zhao, in addition to his post as the Inspector of the Imperial Guards, also served as the Governor of Henan.
What was different from the last Western Expedition was that the Privy Council also accompanied him. Dong Zhao lost his subordinates and had nothing to do as the Minister of Defense.
Therefore, Wei Zhen took charge of the overall situation, and Dong Zhao managed Luoyang, that's all.
On the eleventh day of the first lunar month, the army continued eastward from Mobei towards Xuchang, and arrived two days later.
Thirty miles west of Xuchang City, Huang Quan, the governor of Yuzhou, and Dong Zhou, the prefect of Yingchuan, gathered together on the official road to welcome the emperor.
Since Huang Quan was sent to a post outside the capital in the first year of Taihe, Cao Rui had not seen him for two and a half years. This former surrenderer from Shu Han, after being truly valued by Wei, managed Yuzhou in an orderly manner.
Seeing the emperor's banner getting closer and closer, Huang Quan asked Dong Zhou to stay where he was, and he walked several dozen feet to greet him, kneeling on the side of the road to pay homage.
"Your Majesty, your servant Huang Quan pays respect to you!"
Cao Rui was riding on his horse and looking at Huang Quan's figure. He couldn't help but sighed. He dismounted and helped Huang Quan up. He said sincerely: "Huang Qing has done a good job in Yuzhou! I know your hard work in Luoyang, and I have seen your achievements."
"Yuzhou's achievements this year, whether in terms of military farming, civil affairs, water conservancy, or education, are the best among all the provinces! If every governor of Wei could be like Huang Qing, I can rest assured."
Ministers serving in foreign posts are far away from Luoyang, and cannot return to the capital without an imperial edict, so they are very concerned about the affairs of the court. Now, when we first meet, I have received so many words of affirmation from Your Majesty.
All the hard work of the past three years is worth it at this moment.
Huang Quan smiled and cupped his hands in response: "Your Majesty has entrusted me with the important task of a state. How dare I not devote all my energy to repay Your Majesty?"
"The Xuchang Palace has been completely renovated. It's cold outside, so please move into the city first, Your Majesty."
"Bring a royal horse!" Cao Rui called out to the tiger guards beside him, and immediately a tiger guard led a chestnut horse from behind. The fur was pure and smooth, with a wisp of white hair on the forehead. It was a rare good horse.
"Mr. Huang, this horse is a gift to you. Hurry up and mount your horse, and follow me into the city!"
Huang Quan looked at the gazes of the important ministers behind the emperor without panicking. He bowed in response very politely, then rode his horse calmly to stand beside the emperor, only half a horse's length behind him.
But further on, after meeting Yingchuan Prefect Dong Zhou, he no longer received such good treatment.
In fact, the reason why Dong Zhou was given this position was to reward Dong Zhao for his advice. As Dong Zhao was too old to be rewarded, the emperor gave the position to Dong Zhao's son.
However, Dong Zhou's talents were mediocre, and he even made several mistakes. All the impeachment documents were blocked by Cao Rui.
This person can do things according to the rules, but he will never be able to shoulder any important tasks.
It is said that the grace of a gentleman will last for three generations. In most cases, it is already very good if it can last for one generation.
The banner continued to move eastward, and Cao Rui also came to Xuchang City for the first time.
But just as they arrived at the palace and had not yet settled down, the Minister of the Central Secretariat Liu Fang hurried to the study to look for the emperor.
Yes, it’s still a study.
Huang Quan, the governor of Yuzhou, had been a minister of state, and had some knowledge of the emperor's preferences. Therefore, after reporting to the Shaofu, he separated a courtyard in the original Xuchang Palace to serve as a study.
The tables, layout and area are similar to those in Luoyang, and there is even a recliner in the same position.
It was already afternoon, and Cao Rui was leaning back in a recliner with his eyes closed, resting his mind.
"Your Majesty, urgent news from Youzhou: Gongsun Yuan refuses to come to Luoyang to attend the court."
Cao Rui opened his eyes, not showing any sign of fatigue, and stared at Liu Fang with burning eyes: "When did it happen?"
Liu Fang bowed and replied, "On December 15th, Youzhou Governor Liu Ye and Anbei General Xiahou Xian jointly signed and issued the document. It first arrived in Luoyang and then in Xuchang."
"Bring it to me." Cao Rui stretched out his hand, and Liu Fang put both hands forward to take the document.
Cao Rui looked at it, snorted coldly, and threw the document to the ground: "Gongsun Yuan is so brave!"
"Liu Zhongshu, call Sima Yi, Man Chong, and the three attendants together!"
"Yes, sir." Liu Fang took the order and left.
Soon, the five people received the summons and rushed to the Xuchang Palace from their temporary residence in Xuchang City.
Even if one had a personality like Sima Yi, when he entered the newly built study and saw that the structure, furnishings, and even the recliners were exactly the same as those in Luoyang, he couldn't help but open his eyes wide.
Cao Rui leaned on the recliner without moving. After everyone saluted, Cao Rui raised his eyes and looked at them: "You really got it right!"
"Gongsun Yuan not only refused verbally, but also spoke rudely, saying that he was supported by millions of people in Liaodong, and I wanted to come, but I didn't allow it."
"How come Liaodong has a million people? Gongsun Yuan is just a native, how come his subjects regard him as their lord?" (End of this chapter)
