Inside Wuguan, Liu Qi was writing and drawing on a piece of paper when Fu Zhuo suddenly came to report that Cao's army had retreated overnight.
Liu Qi was startled, then he sighed and crumpled the letter: "Ma Teng and his son are really fast!"
Tomorrow is the day for the decisive battle between Xu Huang and Zhang Fei. He was preparing to use Cao Cao's plan to sow discord between Han Sui and Cao Hong, but Cao Hong retreated.
This feeling is like after enough foreplay, just about to pick up the gun and mount the horse, but when you open your eyes, it turns out to be a erotic dream, leaving you feeling empty.
Pang Tong laughed and said, "Xu Huang is so suspicious of Cao Hong that he is unwilling to change his mind. General, this plan may not work. At most, we can just escort him to Xuchang."
Liu Qi agreed. This matter also depends on the person. Han Sui and Ma Teng had a grudge against each other and they only temporarily joined together for the sake of interests. He is not comparable to Xu Huang at all.
At this moment, Zhang Fei rushed in and said, "General, Cao's army is retreating. Why don't we send troops to chase them and destroy them completely?"
Liu Qi said, "Chang'an is in danger. Cao Hong retreated overnight and must have left Xu Huang behind to cover the retreat. This man is extremely calm and steady. It is useless to chase him. We should also go back."
Helping Ma Teng to capture Chang'an was the best he could do. What he needed was the Western Liang Army to contain Cao's Army, not to help them establish their foundation.
With Ma Chao and Han Sui in Xiliang, as long as they work together, they will have no problem holding out for three to five years.
As for how Cao Cao would respond, that was not something Liu Qi considered. He also needed to expand his territory as soon as possible, and Jingzhou alone was far from enough.
Leaving Fu Rong to guard Wuguan, the group went down the mountain to Danshui, where Wei Yan had already led the Shen Dan brothers and Yang Song to welcome them.
Seeing that Liu Qi was handsome and elegant, he was worthy of being a royal noble. After greeting him, Yang Song couldn't wait to ask, "General Liu, I am a humble man who also wants to join the Yonghe Escort Agency. I hope you will accept me."
Wei Yan introduced the escort agency to Shen Dan and his brother in Shangyong, and told them of Liu Qi's intention. Jingzhou would provide the men, and the Shen Dan brothers would provide the money. Setting up the Yonghe Escort Agency would not only ensure smooth trade routes, but also earn commissions.
Although the escort agency is new, it is somewhat similar to the post station, except that the post station is only used by the government, while the escort agency is for the general public and has a government background. It is simply a good thing that makes a lot of money!
The Shen and Dan brothers agreed readily, and Yang Song's eyes lit up when they heard this. How could they miss such a good opportunity to make money? They were eager to join, but Wei Yan had no authority to interfere, so he had to wait until he met Liu Qi before making a decision.
Liu Qi smiled and said, "It's rare that you support the business of the escort agency so much, how can I refuse? I wonder how much you are willing to invest?"
"It's not much, 500,000 yuan!" Yang Song ordered his servant to take the package and handed it to Shen Dan: "General Shen, this is my capital."
Shen Dan's eyes twitched and he took it reluctantly. This was the fifty gold that he had given to Yang Song.
Good fellow, he hasn’t spent a penny but is just waiting to share the money in the future. What a smart old man!
Liu Qi smiled and said, "When the time is right, we can open a escort agency together in Hanzhong, and I will provide the personnel as well. How about that?"
"That couldn't be better. I'll pay any amount!" Yang Song was delighted.
After listening to Wei Yan's introduction, he had this idea in mind. He wanted to open his own escort company and go deep into Xiliang and other places to sell goods, which would make money.
But there was no one available. The job of a bodyguard is a bloody one, and not just anyone can do it. With Liu Qi's support, everything is ready.
Liu Qi encouraged the Shen Dan brothers and did not ask for any hostages. Instead, he discussed with them how to expand their livelihood and increase their income in the future.
The two men were so excited after hearing this grand speech that they were convinced. Yang Song couldn't help but want to try it out.
In times of chaos, there are very few righteous men like Guan Yu and Xu Huang who are truly loyal and righteous. In the two thousand years of dynasties changing, people are like carp crossing the river. How many of them can leave their names in history
People like Shen Dan and Yang Song are actually the norm. Everyone calls them fence-sitters and shameless, but if they were put in that position, they might be even more despicable than these people.
Talking to them about reviving the Han Dynasty and leaving a name for posterity is all nonsense; only interests are truly eternal.
The Shen Dan brothers surrendered repeatedly, but Yang Song was greedy for profit and would only be loyal to Liu Qi if he could bind them with profit. They protected their vested interests, which meant they were loyal to Liu Qi.
Liu Qi pointed out a smooth road for them and gave them a direction to strive for. Shen Dan could not wait to go back to discuss the establishment of the escort agency and urged his brothers to leave in a hurry.
After the two men left, Sun Qian came out to meet Liu Qi and said, "General, since you left Wuguan, I think Ma Teng must have taken Chang'an."
"That's right!" Liu Qi said with a smile, "This time it's all thanks to you, sir, for running thousands of miles. Thank you for your help!"
"My uncle has been so kind to me. I will fulfill his last wish and help you to restore the Han Dynasty. Why should I be afraid of the hard work?"
Sun Qian sighed: "If it weren't for the general's planning, how could I have achieved success?"
"Wait!" Yang Song was immersed in the joy of making money. He came to his senses at this moment and exclaimed in surprise: "Ma Teng took Chang'an? Did I hear it right?"
"It's absolutely true!" Sun Qian said with a smile, "I have said it long ago, Ma Teng will withdraw his troops, Hanzhong is no longer a concern!"
"So you already had a plan!" Yang Song was shocked and looked at them with his mouth half open.
Wei Yan laughed and said, "Sir, you are in Hanzhong now, and I believe everyone praises you. I have said before that you are unfathomable. Do you believe it now?"
Yang Song was pleasantly surprised and nodded repeatedly, "Deep, really deep..."
Sun Qian smiled and said, "This trip to Hanzhong is also thanks to the contribution of the Grand Priest."
He then briefly recounted the story of how Yang Song persuaded Zhang Lu to make friends with Jingzhou and persuaded Shen Dan to surrender.
After hearing this, Liu Qi praised him endlessly: "You are a good speaker, comparable to Hou Kuai Tong in debate!"
"How dare I!" Yang Song's face flushed, and he felt a little embarrassed. He quickly bowed to Sun Qian and said, "It's all thanks to Mr. Sun's advice."
Sun Qian laughed and said, "I guarantee that you will be satisfied when we go to Jingzhou."
While drinking and chatting, Liu Qi did not forget to praise Yang Song and look forward to the future together. Yang Song was the stepping stone to take Hanzhong in the future, so he had to be won over well.
Villains also have their uses. As long as they are used properly, they can achieve twice the result with half the effort.
He chatted and laughed calmly at the table, but in his heart he was calculating the pros and cons just like Yang Song: As long as he could save the money on bribes, what did it matter if he said a few more nice words
This is actually making money through acting, there is nothing shameful about it!
After the banquet, everyone set off for Xiangyang, laughing and talking all the way. The war that was so close to them seemed to have nothing to do with them.
Yang Song rode his horse slowly, enjoying the warm spring breeze. With the help of alcohol, he felt like the willow catkins along the shore, swaying in the wind.
Although he held a high position in Hanzhong, he also knew that he was secretly despised and despised, especially by famous scholars like Yan Pu, who did not even give him the slightest face, making him depressed.
He often drank alone in the warehouse, feeling sad, and occasionally thought about committing suicide, but when he saw the mountains of gold, silver and jewelry in front of him, he wiped away his tears and gritted his teeth to hold on.
When he met Liu Qi this time, not only was he treated with great courtesy, but he also received endless praises from Liu Qi. Yang Song felt that he had done well again.
The Yang Song described by Liu Qi is the real me. I suddenly felt like I had met a wise leader and it was a pity that we met too late.
It’s not that I, Yang Song, am incompetent, but that no one in Hanzhong can recognize pearls and jade. Look at Liu Qi, no wonder he can accomplish great things!