Chapter 0008: Establishing Military Prestige

Brother Mi, before we set out for battle, there are a few matters I would like to confirm with you

The pottery merchant let out a long sigh, feeling that the stubborn person was not going to understand unless he had his mind split open and was forcefully enlightened

The陶商nodded in agreement, noting that the financial affairs of Xuzhou were managed by Mi Zhu, to whom all the clerks and officials directly reported. The main commander for this western expedition would be his younger brother, and Mi Zhu would undoubtedly spare no effort in ensuring the supply from the rear.

The potter spoke patiently, guiding: "Brother Mi, within human nature, there are two desires that are the most difficult to control: one is called fear, and the other is called greed. As long as you make good use of these two points, to subdue these people can be achieved overnight."

Mi Fang said with a frown: "My lord, to speak frankly, among the four captains and three lieutenants, I have already tried my best to avoid the direct subordinates of General Cao in the army. However, General Cao has always been in charge of military affairs. The ones selected here, I have investigated and should have no connection with him, but I cannot assert with certainty whether there is any actual connection. After all, matters of personal relationships are not always discernible..."

My lord, in my humble opinion, there are currently four locations for the lords to convene: He Nei, Suan Zao, Ying Chuan, and Lu Yang. These four places are the main gathering points for the lords to station their troops. However, the lords will ultimately choose one location for the alliance. In my limited view, Yuan Shu of Lu Yang possesses great strength and is in close proximity to us. We might as well go to Lu Yang to meet with him first. This would not only provide us with the protection of a strong army but also allow us to establish a good relationship with Yuan Shu. I wonder what my lord thinks of this proposal

Of course, there is also the most important third point, which the pottery merchant cannot discuss with Mi Fang

Ten miles outside the west gate of Pengcheng, the location where the Xuzhou expeditionary army stationed its troops.

Master, what are your instructions?

It is like playing the lute to a cow

Young Master, this is the personnel list for our expedition. It includes four lieutenants and three captains at the top, and the list of personnel down to the squad leader level is also included. Please take a look, Young Master

The merchant raised two fingers: "There are two points. First, among the feudal lords, the most powerful are Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, one in the south and the other in the north, echoing each other from afar. However, as the saying goes, 'a mountain cannot accommodate two tigers.' These two will eventually fall out. It is not advisable for us to overly align ourselves with either Yuan Shao or Yuan Shu; there is no need for that. Second, Yuan Shu is stronger than us. If we go to him, we will merely be at his beck and call. If Yuan Shu treats us as his vanguard and commands us to face difficulties, should we go or not? In a situation of unequal strength, going would only bring humiliation upon ourselves.

Mi Fang chuckled and said, "Rest assured, young master, I made a special trip to the Cao Yuan's residence yesterday. The granary has specifically prepared 80,000 measures of grain for this expedition, which will be supplied in batches to the troops heading west. The duration of this expedition is currently unknown, so I have instructed the granary to ensure that supplies are sufficient, at least for the duration of the short route."

The potter lowered his head and carefully examined the map. To be honest, the amount of information on the Han Dynasty map is indeed very limited, and most places are not accurately marked, with the routes being rough. Fortunately, in his previous life, the potter had worked as a senior editor and had reviewed various provincial map albums, so he had a general impression of geography in his mind

Mi Fang is quite understanding; although Tao Shang does not work, Mi Fang still reports as required.

The eldest son is indeed far-sighted and clever, I am deeply impressed! If we do not go to Luyang, then where shall we go

No wonder that last time when I visited the Mi residence, my elder brother Mi Zhu treated him with special regard. Now that I see him, this young man is indeed impressive

Of course, these matters have nothing to do with the ceramic merchant. Firstly, the ceramic merchant does not have military command skills, nor any experience in military affairs. Secondly, his position is that of a military supervisor; what is the role of a military supervisor?

Before the words were finished, Mi Fang appeared invigorated.

It is well known to later generations that during the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shu once cut off Sun Jian's supplies, demonstrating an extremely low character. Therefore, it is advisable to engage as little as possible in dealings with those who associate with wolves

The merchant Tao shook his head and said: "Whether it is related to General Cao or not, even if they are his people, they can still be brought over for your use. You are the commander of an army, and during the campaign, if these people have even the slightest thought of rebellion, it will become troublesome"

Those who supervise others at work generally do not engage in the work themselves

The merchant's hand moved back and forth on the map while he pondered... Currently, Xuzhou is located within the territory of present-day Jiangsu Province, while Luoyang, where Dong Zhuo is situated, lies in the western part of Henan Province, with the entire Henan region in between. Cao Cao's troops are stationed in Suanzao to the northeast of Luoyang, Yuan Shao's troops are in Henan to the north of Luoyang, Yuan Shu's troops are in Luyang to the south of Luoyang, and Kong Rong's troops are in Yingchuan, which is to the south of Xuchang... In terms of distance, it should be the farthest from Dong Zhuo, yet it is the closest to Xuzhou... Cao Cao's troops are stationed in Suanzao to the northeast of Luoyang, Yuan Shao's troops are in Henan to the north of Luoyang, Yuan Shu's troops are in Luyang to the south of Luoyang, and Kong Rong's troops are in Yingchuan, which is to the south of Xuchang... In terms of distance, it should be the farthest from Dong Zhuo, yet it is the closest to Xuzhou...

Hmm? Mi Fang did not expect her proposal to be rejected outright by Tao Shang, and weakly asked, "Why?"

The pottery merchant smiled and shook his head: "It is precisely because he is weaker than us that our visit will make him feel valued by us. In this way, Kong Jun will also value us, and once he values us, we will have the opportunity to extract benefits from him."

I dare not give orders; you are the commander, and I am the supervising officer. The deployment of the troops is in your hands, not mine... However, before we set out on our expedition, there are three matters I must confirm. The first is whether the provisions are sufficient

The ceramic merchant, based on a literal understanding, believes that the military supervisor should be someone who oversees others at work

Very well, then prepare more gold and silk at your residence. Tonight, you and I will host a banquet for the generals accompanying the army in the command tent.

Tao Qian casually glanced at it and then gave up; he did not recognize a single person on it, and looking more closely was of no use. The only three matters he was currently most concerned about were.

Kong Jun?" Mi Fang said strangely: "It is said that Kong Jun is a person who speaks grandly but lacks military talent. Moreover, he has just been appointed as the governor of Yuzhou, with few troops and limited strength, even weaker than us. It would be of little benefit for us to seek him out..."

The potter's head began to show dark lines, looking at your insufferable demeanor

Go to Yingchuan, first meet with Kong Rong! Then act according to the situation!

It is easy to say, but not easy to do. The Western Expedition Conference is of great significance and also concerns the reputation of a province, so in the selection of personnel, Mi Fang naturally cannot be careless.

The two individuals arrived at the spacious wooden platform located in the center of the command tent, where a leather map approximately five feet square was spread out, marked with the names of states, counties, cities, as well as mountains and rivers.

Mi Fang's eyes widened in astonishment. Throughout the entire morning, the merchant analyzed every aspect of this expedition, from logistics and supplies to personnel deployment and marching routes, with remarkable clarity. The level of agility in his thoughts was undoubtedly far superior to her own.

What nonsense is this? Mi Fang's expression is adorable, revealing her lack of culture in its entirety

"Mi Xiong, do you have money?"

Young Master, I have long considered this matter; please follow me!

The second matter concerns personnel..." Tao Shang leisurely tapped the personnel roster that Mi Fang had just handed him, saying: "I do not recognize any of these individuals, but as Brother Mi knows, the military affairs in Xuzhou have always been under the command of General Cao Bao, and General Cao is opposed to this alliance, so what about the people on this list...?

First, the selection of military leaders and captains cannot be solely based on Cao Bao's direct subordinates in the central army; their backgrounds must be relatively clean. Furthermore, the troops accompanying the army must be strong and skilled in combat. Although Mi Fang has read some military texts, it is his first time taking on such a significant role, and he is overwhelmed with the responsibilities.

Mi Fang seemed a bit troubled: "Young Master, these people were not familiar to me at first, how could it be so easy to pull them over from General Cao..."

In recent days, Mi Fang has been busy selecting and coordinating troops from the Xuzhou army. According to the specifications set by Tao Qian, the Western Expeditionary Army is to be composed of 1,000 cavalry, 2,000 infantry, 1,000 crossbowmen, and 1,000 sword-and-shield soldiers, along with 4 captains, 3 lieutenants, and 15 sergeants to assist in the expedition

Without waiting for Mi Fang to respond, Tao Shang continued: "There is also a third matter... which is our marching route"

As soon as money was mentioned, Mi Fang's posture instantly stiffened, and her chin seemed to rise to the clouds: "Talking about other things, my Mi family indeed has none... but when it comes to money, we have plenty!"

The pottery merchant decisively shook his head and said, "No."