Chapter 320

Subsequently, Liu Bian's party, led by Cheng Yu, walked toward Chang'an City.

Along the way, Cheng Yu introduced various things about Chang'an City to Liu Bian and the others, and Liu Bian nodded from time to time as he listened.

Very quickly, the party arrived at the City Lord's Residence.

Inside the Chang'an City Lord's Residence, Liu Bian sat high in the main seat, with Guo Jia, Cheng Yu, and others below.

Looking at Liu Bian sitting high in the main seat, Cheng Yu bowed to Liu Bian and said: "Your Majesty, these four are the heads of the four great families of Chang'an City."

Speaking of this, Cheng Yu pointed to the four people on the side and introduced them one by one: "This is the head of the Li family, Li Wei; the head of the Wang family, Wang Cheng; the head of the Zhang family, Zhang Mao; and the head of the Zhao family, Zhao Hu."

"Commoners pay respects to Your Majesty!" The heads of the four great families immediately bowed to Liu Bian.

"Rise. Chang'an City being able to recover so quickly cannot be separated from the support of your four great families. In the future, I hope you will cooperate well with the imperial court to govern Chang'an well. When the time comes, I will not treat you unfairly."

Liu Bian looked at the four and said with a grave expression.

"We will definitely cooperate well with the imperial court; we are loyal to Your Majesty and the Great Han Empire!"

Hearing Liu Bian's words, the four immediately knelt on the ground, their expressions grave, and shouted with a face full of loyalty.

"Good, that the four of you can have this intention, I am very gratified!"

Liu Bian looked at the solemn expressions on the four people's faces and also said with a smile.

Afterwards, Cheng Yu arranged a welcoming banquet for Liu Bian and the others. Before long, Lü Bu and Cao Cao also arrived, and after everyone exchanged toasts, they all left satisfied.

"Very well, they have all left, so let us discuss: which of the four commanderies of Liangzhou occupied by Dong Zhuo's partisans should we attack first?"

After waiting for everyone else to leave, Liu Bian asked Guo Jia, Jia Xu, Lü Bu, Cao Cao, and the others.

After hearing Liu Bian's words, the group first looked at each other, and then, as the Grand Military Strategist, Guo Jia spoke up.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I suggest that we first attack Anding Commandery, which is garrisoned by Duan Wei. After attacking Anding Commandery, Tianshui Commandery is only garrisoned by an unknown person under Duan Wei, which we can take easily."

"At that time, we only need to send Cao Hong under General Cao's command with five thousand troops to attack Tianshui Commandery. Tianshui Commandery only has five thousand troops garrisoned there; with the combat power of our army, five thousand troops are enough."

"Once we take Anding Commandery and occupy Longxi Commandery and Beidi Commandery, Xu Rong will definitely have unstable morale. We only need to send people to lobby him, and we will surely be able to persuade Xu Rong to surrender."

"At that time, these four commanderies of Liangzhou will be within our grasp!"

After Guo Jia finished speaking slowly, he looked at everyone with a confident face.

"Your Majesty, I feel that Fengxiao is right. Duan Wei is deeply trusted by Dong Zhuo and will absolutely not surrender to us. As for Xu Rong, he did not have a high status in the original Xiliang Army; back then, it was only through Hua Xiong's care that he was recommended to garrison Longxi and Beidi commanderies."

"If he sees that we are powerful, he will definitely not resist to the death; the probability of surrender is still very high!"

Jia Xu on the side also echoed Guo Jia's suggestion and explained the reason.

"The two ministers are correct. I originally had this intention as well. Since you all feel that we should attack Anding Commandery first, then we will go to Anding Commandery first."

After hearing Guo Jia and Jia Xu's analysis, Liu Bian immediately decided to attack Anding Commandery first.

"Zhongde, then for this period of time, Chang'an is left to you. After I unify the world, I will transfer you back to Luoyang. With your talent, serving as a mere Chang'an Magistrate is a bit of a waste!"

After arranging the military affairs, Liu Bian looked at Cheng Yu below and said with a serious face.

Hearing these words from Liu Bian, Cheng Yu felt a jolt in his heart, feeling that he had not followed the wrong person, and had a feeling of "a scholar dies for one who appreciates him."

Immediately, he knelt on the ground before Liu Bian and said loudly: "Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty. I will definitely govern Chang'an well for Your Majesty and will not let Your Majesty down!"

"Zhongde, rise quickly. I know your talent. I believe that this small Chang'an will definitely be governed well by you!"

Looking at Cheng Yu's excited appearance, Liu Bian also said with a smile.

"This servant thanks Your Majesty for your trust and swears to serve Your Majesty to the death!"

Cheng Yu immediately said solemnly to Liu Bian.

"Very well, it is getting late, everyone go and rest; we still have to travel tomorrow!"

Afterwards, Liu Bian waved his hand at the group and was the first to rise and leave.

The next day, as the sky just began to brighten, the seventy-thousand-strong army had already assembled and began to set off.

Speaking of Zhang Liao, ever since the fifty-thousand-strong army set out, they had been heading toward Bingzhou in a grand manner.

At this time, after a night of rest, Zhang Liao's army also began to set off.

At this time, in the ranks, Zhang Liao was discussing with Xi Zhicai which city they should attack first.

"General, I believe that we should start from Shangjun and attack all the way toward Niu Fu in Taiyuan Commandery. However, we are short of manpower, and the cities we occupy need troops to garrison them."

"In this way, we need to recruit surrendered soldiers, but without His Majesty's edict, recruiting troops privately is a major taboo!"

At this time, Xi Zhicai looked at Zhang Liao with a troubled face and said.

Hearing that Xi Zhicai was worried about this matter, Zhang Liao looked at Xi Zhicai and laughed loudly: "Hahaha, Military Advisor, do you think that things you can think of, His Majesty and the various military advisors in the court would not have thought of?"

"Long before we set out, His Majesty gave me a hand-written edict: for matters in Bingzhou, we can act at our own discretion, as long as we report to the imperial court afterwards!"

Zhang Liao explained with a smile to the troubled Xi Zhicai.

Hearing this, Xi Zhicai was also overjoyed and immediately said to Zhang Liao: "His Majesty is truly thoughtful, but this also further demonstrates His Majesty's trust in you and me; he even dares to issue such a hand-written edict. His Majesty is wise!"

After Xi Zhicai finished saying this happily to Zhang Liao, he bowed toward the direction of Luoyang and said respectfully to Liu Bian.

"Hahaha, so I say, Military Advisor, His Majesty is different from every emperor in the past. Following such an emperor is the good fortune of us ministers!"

Zhang Liao was also conquered by Liu Bian's magnanimity and sighed to Xi Zhicai.

"The General is right. From ancient times to the present, how many ministers have feared that 'when the good bow is put away, the birds are gone; when the cunning hare is caught, the hound is cooked.'"

"However, in His Majesty's eyes, these things do not exist. His Majesty's magnanimity and vision are not things we can fathom!"

Xi Zhicai highly agreed with Zhang Liao's words. After all, throughout history, there were basically no emperors with such courage as Liu Bian.

Not to mention Gaozu Liu Bang; back then, not a single minister who followed him to conquer the world had a good ending.

And as the First Emperor who unified the world, he also feared Wang Jian's prestige and had suspicions.