Chapter 332 The Emperor's Adopted Son
Jin Mao didn't need to worry about how Cao Cao and Yuan Shao united. Sending Jia Xu and his family was enough to prevent the two from joining forces sincerely.

This year, we need money and food to fight against Xiliang, and we also need money and food to train cavalry in Youzhou. What's worse, there is a locust plague north of the Yangtze River.

Xun Yu, the logistics director, submitted several memorials to the emperor, expressing his urgent need for food and fodder, and even using up all the supplies in stock. If another disaster struck next year, the new government would collapse.

However, Ma Chao has not grown up yet, and the alliance between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao is at its most vulnerable. If we miss this opportunity, we will have to take a long time to pacify the world.

However, it was not all bad news. Yangzhou, which was the first to reform, was very wealthy and almost every household had surplus food. Jingzhou was second. Without the leeches like the nobles and powerful families, the food supply was fully stocked in just two years.

In addition, there have been no disasters in Yizhou, and this year is another year of great harvest.

In addition, the development of Jiaozhou is in full swing and stable output will be achieved next year.

Jinmao decided to issue national debt in the name of King Wu and borrow grain from people with abundant food supply, with an annual interest rate of nine-tenths.

This tactic really worked, and in just a few months they obtained 5 million shi of grain.

With a wave of his hand, Jin Mao reduced the army's strength for the Western Expedition to 30,000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry, withdrew the logistics troops, and made the infantry serve as all-round logistics, able to kill the enemy in battle and transport food, make fire and cook off the battlefield.

Jin Mao also told Zhou Yu not to be impatient and to proceed step by step.

Anyway, Xiliang is also suffering from a locust plague, so it’s a war of attrition, so who’s afraid of whom?

As for the north, Jin Mao gave orders to Yu Fan, asking Zhao Yun and other generals to harass Cao Cao and Yuan Shao from time to time. If they wanted to kill someone, they should target one family and not kill them all at once.

Fire was used to control the locust plague in the country. Although it was only a temporary solution and not a permanent cure, it was better than doing nothing.

In addition, the shipyard in Lujiang County has excess production capacity and built an extra 200 ships this year. Jinmao has also formed a team of sea merchants to explore the sea on the one hand and promote trade on the other hand, bringing back more rare treasures and seeds.

Seeds, in particular, are more important than any gold or silver.

...

Wancheng in November is a little noisy.

The locust plague was severe, but fortunately Jinmao dealt with the disaster in time and saved most of the seedlings.

Now it is the late rice harvest season, and the world is filled with laughter and joy.

In a rice field, two young farmers, wearing cotton jackets, were bending over to cut rice, grunting and wheezing, as if they were competing to see who was faster.

Behind the two men, the cut straw was scattered everywhere in a mess.

Suddenly, a little southern boy of four or five years old poked his head out from among the straw on the other side. If the straw had not been cut a lot and become sparse, he would not have been visible.

The little boy is Jin Mao’s eldest son, Jin Lin, who is five years old this year. He holds a small sickle in his left hand and a few rice ears in his right hand, but his little face is tanned.

The other two were the tanned Liu Xie and Lu Xun.

"Big brother, second brother." Jin Lin shouted to the two men, "I'm hungry."

Lu Xun stood up and wiped the man's face with the back of his hand.

The weather in the late Eastern Han Dynasty was not as cold as it is now, but in November the temperature was not high either. Lu Xun wore a cotton jacket, which made him hot when he sweated and cold when he took it off. When he was not working, he felt both hot and cold when the wind blew, which was very uncomfortable.

"Okay, I'll get you some bread."

The Jin Mao family treated Lu Xun like their own son, and Lu Xun also considered himself a member of the Jin family and doted on his younger brothers and sisters.

At this time, Liu Xie stood up happily, holding the rice ears and shouted: "I won!"

Lu Xun said perfunctorily: "Ah, yes, yes, you win."

A perfect inheritance of Jinmao’s early catchphrase.

Liu Xie was stunned. When he saw Jin Lin looking at him pitifully, he understood what had happened and immediately felt that his victory was unfair.

"Let's eat the cake first, then we can compete again!"

In a few months, Liu Xie experienced things he had never experienced in the deep palace. Friends, family, and love, the people and things he had only dreamed of before, were now within his reach.

As Lu Xun walked, he rolled his eyes and said, "My Lord, you eat ten cakes a day! Don't you know that the whole world is in trouble?"

Liu Xie laughed and said, "Mr. Lu, this is wrong."

Liu Xie knew that Lu Xun was joking, so he also said jokingly: "This cake is not only my personal appetite, but also a symbol of our common struggle and ordinary happiness during this period.

Every time I eat a piece of bread, I think of the time I spent with you, the laughter and the days we fought side by side. "

Jin Lin held Lu Xun's hand and asked in a low voice: "Second brother, didn't mother say that we can't mention the eldest brother's name outside?"

When Lu Xun heard this, the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously. He was in a good mood and was directly amused by Jin Lin's innocence.

"Ha ha!"

Lu Xun smiled and looked at Liu Xie, and said in a strange tone: "Brother, don't talk nonsense, or you will be caught and taken back to the palace, and never set foot in the fields again in your life."

Liu Xie patted Lu Xun on the shoulder and said with a smile: "At that time, I will definitely ask Lu Qing to follow me into the palace. Only when we share happiness and difficulties together can we be true brothers."

"Your Majesty, I don't understand what you are saying." Lu Xun said innocently, "Your last name is Liu, and mine is Lu. We are fake brothers."

Liu Xie hooked his arm around Lu Xun's neck, raised his chin and pointed at Jin Lin, saying, "Your last name is Lu, and his last name is Jin. Are they also fake brothers?"

Hearing this, Lu Xun raised a sly smile, his eyes swept over Jin Lin, and then he pretended to be deep and said: "Brother Lin and I, that is another kind of friendship. Although we have different surnames, we share a love for nature, indignation at the injustice of the world, and a tacit understanding and understanding that transcends blood. In my opinion, true brothers are not connected by blood, but by knowing and guarding each other's hearts."

Jin Lin looked at Lu Xun and Liu Xie in confusion, not knowing what they were talking about.

Seeing this, Liu Xie felt warm in his heart. He loosened his hand that was hooked around Lu Xun's neck, patted the two men on the shoulders, and said with great pride: "Well said! Then the three of us will become brothers with different surnames. From now on, we will share happiness and difficulties together. We don't ask to be born on the same day of the same month of the same year, but we ask to die on the same day of the same month of the same year! How do you think?"

Lu Xun suddenly became sad and sighed, "You are the king and I am the minister. How can we be brothers?"

Liu Xie showed the Liu family's generosity and said, "Let's become sworn brothers in private. Only heaven and earth know about it, and only you and I know about it. Who else would know about it?"

"And me!" Jin Lin raised his hand and said in a baby voice, "I know!"

Lu Xun and Liu Xie looked at each other in silence, and then burst into laughter.

Jin Lin asked with a puzzled look on his face: "Big brother, second brother, what are you laughing at?"

Liu Xie stopped laughing and suddenly became serious, saying, "Brother Lin, this is something only a man can know. No matter who asks you about it in the future, you have to say you don't know. Do you understand?"

Jin Lin pouted and asked, "Can't my mother and father-in-law do the same?"

Liu Xie nodded and said, "No! Otherwise, the three of us can't be brothers!"

Jin Lin nodded like a little adult and said, "I understand."

At this time, Lu Xun took the basket from the tree branch. The three of them took the basket of cakes as a witness and offered it to the heaven and earth. They kowtowed and bowed to each other, becoming brothers of the opposite sex.

"Second brother! Third brother!" Liu Xie held Jin Lin and held Lu Xun's arm tightly.

"Eldest brother! Third brother!" Lu Xun was similar to Liu Xie.

"Big brother, second brother." Jin Lin didn't know how serious this matter was, and said with a flat mouth: "My stomach is growling with hunger, when will dinner be served?"

Liu Xie and Lu Xun laughed out loud again.

"Eat now."

Under the shade of a tree, Jin Lin held a Hu pancake as big as his face in both hands and nibbled it carefully, bite by bite, for fear of dropping even a single bit.

Lu Xun held the cake in his left hand and placed his right hand under his chin, demonstrating to Jin Lin: "Third brother, look at me. This way you won't leak."

Unexpectedly, Jin Lin was very clever and said, "I won't be fooled. Second brother just wants to cheat me out of the cake."

That's right. He needs two little hands to hold a pancake. It will fall if he uses one hand.

Liu Xie was amazed: "Third brother is indeed the blood of the emperor's uncle, he looks quite like his father."

Jin Lin looked at Liu Xie with curiosity and asked, "Brother, what kind of person is Aweng?"

Liu Xie looked at Jin Lin with pity. His childhood was miserable enough, but he could still see Liu Hong several times a year. Unlike Jin Lin, who had only seen Jin Mao once a year on average since he was a child.

All Jin Lin knew about his father was what he heard from others. At the age of five, he already had the urge to explore the world. Seeing other people having fathers, Jin Lin really wanted to know what kind of existence his father was.

"The emperor's uncle is a complicated person." Liu Xie looked up at the tree branches. The setting sun shone through the layers of leaves and fell on his face.

"Third brother, you just need to know that he has been paying attention to you." And also to me, Liu Xie added silently.

Jin Lin pursed his lips, tears welling up in his eyes, and asked, "When can I see Aung?"

Liu Xie turned his head away, unable to bear answering the question.

Lu Xun replied: "When you grow up, you will be able to see your father every day."

Jin Lin asked with shining eyes: "When will you grow up?"

Lu Xun patiently explained: "When you have a beard like hair on your face, it will grow up."

Jin Lin took a bite of the cake and nodded seriously. From then on, he would look in the mirror every day, looking forward to the day when he would grow a beard.

Liu Xie really didn't want to talk about this heavy topic, so he changed the subject and said, "My uncle is planning to take over Henan (south of the Yellow River) next year. He is too impatient."

Lu Xun didn't want to talk too much with Jin Lin, so he took over the conversation and said, "It's urgent."

Liu Xie sighed lightly and looked into the distance with deep eyes, as if he could see through the curtain of the tent and see the vast land that was about to become a battlefield.

"I cannot match my uncle's ambition. But Henan is the heart of the Central Plains and has a large population. If we rush to achieve success, I am afraid we will not be able to do so and may suffer instead."

Lu Xun nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on the corner of his mouth. He knew that Liu Xie's worries were not unreasonable, but he had his own considerations in his heart.

"Brother, what you said is very true, but time waits for no one. If Cao Cao and Yuan Shao had not given each other a chance to catch their breath, Henan would have been very likely to change hands. Moreover, the art of war says: 'quick battle, quick decision'. The longer it drags on, the more variables there will be, which is disadvantageous to our army."

Liu Xie frowned slightly when he heard this. He knew that Lu Xun was very wise, but he still had some concerns. "That being said, the food and fodder must go before the troops move. Is our army's food and fodder reserves enough to feed the people of Henan?"

Lawrence Lu spread his hands and said, “Father will definitely handle this important matter.”

After hearing this, Liu Xie felt relieved, but still uneasy, and said, "I always feel that things are not that simple."

Lu Xun thought for a moment and said uncertainly: "Our army has always won by water. Xiliang is vast and sparsely populated, and the transportation of food and grass consumes a lot of energy. This place is most likely not the main battlefield."

Liu Xie continued, "If this is the plan, then the emperor's uncle is going to start with Cao Cao and Yuan Shao!"

Lu Xun nodded and said, “I’m afraid that’s the case.”

"In my opinion, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao have strong armies. One gained Gongsun Zan's legacy and became much stronger. The other plundered Xuzhou, Yanzhou, and the wealth of young people. He also has the support of half of Jizhou. Both of them are not easy to deal with. If we really want to fight, we must make careful arrangements to ensure that there is no risk of error."

Liu Xie frowned, and became even more worried: "But now our army is in high spirits, but our forces are scattered. We have to guard against natural disasters and man-made disasters, and we have to deal with Ma Chao, Han Sui and other troops in the northwest. If we go to war with Cao Cao and Yuan Shao again, I'm afraid..."

Lu Xun sighed lightly, his eyes deep: "Indeed, the war situation is complicated and changeable, and we need to be cautious step by step. However, since my father has this plan, he must have his overall considerations. Perhaps, he will use the advantage of the navy to harass the cities along the river first, tie down Cao's troops, and at the same time send elite troops deep behind enemy lines to look for opportunities. Besides, my father is good at strategy, which is better than us imagining here."

Liu Xie was thoughtful when he heard this: "So, every move of the emperor's uncle has a hidden meaning."

"That's right. Although we cannot predict the future, we can do well in the present." Lu Xun raised the sickle in his hand and said, "Your Majesty, let's fight again?"

"I'm not in the mood." Liu Xie waved his hand and said, "Second brother, what do you think if I return to government affairs now?"

Lu Xun was stunned. Looking at Liu Xie's serious expression, he pondered for a long time before saying, "As a brother, I agree with you."

Liu Xie asked: "What about being a minister?"

Lu Xun stared into Liu Xie's eyes and said, "Your Majesty, you cannot go back!"

"Why?" Liu Xie straightened his back and asked, "Even you don't think that my ability to govern is inferior to that of the emperor's uncle?"

When Lu Xun heard Liu Xie's self-proclaimed name, he was stunned again. After a long while, he asked, "Your Majesty, do you want a ruined Han Dynasty, or continue the glory of the three generations?"

There was Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty and Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Who knows, there might be a Southern Han Dynasty that would once again usher in another 200-year period of prosperity.

By then, Liu Xie might even be given the posthumous title of Wu, which would be really awesome.

Liu Xie understood what Lu Xun meant, but it was not his character to grow up under Jin Mao's wing.

And once he returns to the court, all his current friendships and normal people and things will become illusions again.

By then, Lu Xun would still be Lu Xun, but he would no longer be the one who could call Liu Xie a brother, but Lu Xun who called himself a minister.

Which is more important, love or the country? There is no definitive answer to this question in the five thousand years of Chinese history, let alone someone like Liu Xie who lacked love since childhood.

"Forget it." Liu Xie regrouped, stood up and said, "Let's go! Let's fight again!"

Liu Xie didn't want to think about unhappy things during his best time.

Life is filled with intrigue every day and Liu Xie really doesn't want to go back, but as a descendant of the Liu family, he won't allow himself to stay out of it.

Even if I die, I must die in the palace!

But now.

Cherish the present.

(End of this chapter)