Volume 4 is in the ascendant Chapter 389: Good Man White Map
"Your Majesty, everything has been arranged." Zhang Chunhua reported to Bai Tu.
"Have you accepted them all?" Bai Tu confirmed.
"The king has a keen eye and sees through Yang Song's greedy and mean nature. Naturally, he accepts everything he asks for." Zhang Chunhua said with some disdain.
That’s right, Zhang Chunhua went there to “give gifts” before.
Unlike the return gifts that Bai Tu gave to other princes, this one was specifically given to the envoy himself, and the target of the "bribe" was Yang Song, the envoy sent by Zhang Lu.
The "two Songs" in Xichuan and Hanzhong are undoubtedly traitors, and Yang Song is even more shameless than Zhang Song.
When Zhang Song surrendered to the enemy, he at least had some romantic feelings. Cao Cao looked down on him, so he went back and bad-mouthed Cao Cao. Liu Bei looked up to him, so he took risks for Liu Bei...
There was only one factor that made Yang Song surrender to the enemy - profit.
In history when there was no white rabbit effect, the brothers Yang Song and Yang Bai were one civil and one military under Zhang Lu. After Ma Chao was defeated by Cao Cao in Guanzhong, he and his confidant Pang De fled to Hanzhong, and Zhang Lu also accepted them to resist Liu Bei.
after……
Liu Bei felt that Ma Chao was quite powerful, so he gave money to Yang Song. Yang Song then alienated Zhang Lu and Ma Chao, forcing Ma Chao to surrender to Liu Bei.
Later, when Cao Cao attacked , he felt that Pang De was quite powerful, so he also gave money to Yang Song. So Yang Song framed Pang De, forcing Pang De to surrender to Cao Cao.
In the end, he simply locked Zhang Lu outside the city gate and sold him out completely, but... Cao Cao chopped this guy to death as soon as he entered the city.
Bai Tu naturally looked down on such people, and bribery was certainly not something that a dignified King of Chu could do, so Bai Tu asked Zhang Chunhua to handle it on her own, and to go directly to the Ministry of Revenue with an approval slip if she needed anything.
It is not quite accurate to say that Hanzhong and the State of Chu had no border, but... the contact was quite limited.
First of all, if you go by land, there is the Daba Mountains blocking the way. Not to mention marching, even small caravans rarely go through here. The terrain of the Daba Mountains may not be more complicated than when Chen Gong went south to the Five Ridges, but the altitude is too high and there are cliffs everywhere. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was no room for tricks if you wanted to pass through it.
However, there is one waterway - the Han River.
The Han River originates in Hanzhong, passes through Xicheng and Shangyong, through the Wudang area northwest of Nanyang, and Xiangfan in Nanjun, and flows into the Yangtze River at Wuchang.
Therefore, it is quite convenient to travel from Hanzhong to Xiangyang and Wuchang. In the pre-Qin period, after the Qin State captured Hanzhong, it relied on the convenience of the Han River to defeat the Chu State - with the help of water routes, the transportation of supplies became easy!
Of course, the Han River is far less convenient than the Yangtze River. Not only is it narrow and rugged, but some sections of the river also have dry seasons and freezing periods in winter. Even with the gradually colder climate during the Eastern Han Dynasty, even the Han River around Wuchang would freeze.
It’s okay to go downstream during the flood season, but if you want to go upstream... don’t count on it!
A large number of river sections are in the mountains , with cliffs on both sides, and occasional slippery or sharp-stoned mudflats, making it impossible to tow the boat.
Therefore, Zhang Lu was not worried about the State of Chu, and of course... he had no intention of following the example of the State of Qin and taking advantage of the Han River to beat up the State of Chu.
Not only is there a huge difference in strength, but Hanzhong also has few naval forces, so any few that go out would probably be lost.
Instead, Zhang Lu now needs help from Bai Tu...
The Han Emperor's return to the west was mainly to target Cao Cao and Bai Tu, one in the north and one in the south, but Zhang Lu has now become the biggest victim!
Regardless of what Liu Yan originally thought, Liu Zhang was now a natural ally of the Han-supporting forces and one of the six Han-supporting marquises. Xichuan and Guanxi just happened to sandwich Zhang Lu in the middle...
Seeing that his happy life of eating, preaching and fighting in Xichuan every day was about to be gone forever, Zhang Lu was of course anxious!
The imperial court has not taken action against Zhang Lu now only because Guanzhong and Hexi have not yet been pacified. Once the imperial court is in power, the first target it will deal with will definitely not be Cao Cao or Bai Tu, but this "eyesore" Hanzhong.
For Bai Tu and Cao Cao, it would indeed be a difficult thing if the auxiliary Han forces really connected to Bashu in the south, Xiliang in the north, and the Qingxu coast in the east.
Zhang Lu sent his confidant Yang Song to the State of Chu, which actually reflected Zhang Lu's sincerity.
However……
Bai Tu only felt his sincerity, but did not feel the "beep" in his heart.
Zhang Lu now actually hopes that Bai Tu can support him in becoming the "King of Hanning". For this, he is willing to follow the lead of Chu and pay tribute every year...
In fact, Zhang Lu had been thinking about the matter of "King of Hanning" two years ago, but he was persuaded not to do so by his other adviser Yan Pu. Zhang Lu was willing to listen to the advice.
However, under the influence of the King of Chu, the King of Wei, and the six marquises who assisted the Han Dynasty, he became somewhat tempted.
Follow your lead? Pay tribute every year?
Bai Tu's response to Zhang Lu was rather cold. He only agreed to trade and was willing to trade some military supplies to Hanzhong.
As for King Hanning...
Bai Tu only agreed to support him in proclaiming himself Marquis of Hanning, and it was "Han, Marquis of Hanning", not a title from the State of Chu.
Before Zhang Lu can figure out what's going on in his mind, he probably won't be able to reach an agreement with the State of Chu, so Bai Tu is not in a hurry.
The current trade between the two is also thanks to Zhang Lu's Five Pecks of Rice Sect, also known as the Heavenly Master Sect, which is deeply loved by the people in Hanzhong, so a large number of civilian caravans are willing to take the risk of transporting for it. After all, it is not easy to return to Hanzhong from Jingzhou...
Bai Tu planned to help Zhang Lu build a dam on the Han River in the Nanyang and Wudang areas to raise the water level in the lower, middle and upper reaches when Zhang Lu came to him for help again.
Not only the northwest part of Nanyang will benefit, but Hanzhong will also be able to gain a lot of benefits. As long as the people in the affected areas are relocated in advance, Bai Tu feels... that he is a really good person.
I think after Yang Song returns, he will also describe Bai Tu's kindness to Zhang Lu.
At the same time, Yang Song was also the last envoy to bid farewell, and Cao Bang, who was supposed to bid farewell as well, had been delaying it until now.
Originally, the script had been written before Bai Tu's wedding, but it was already that time, so of course I would attend Bai Tu's wedding before leaving, and after the wedding...
Bai Tu simply suggested to Cao Bang that he wait for another half a month and go to Jingzhou with him. After arriving in Wancheng, he could go north to It was just on the way, and with Bai Tu traveling with him, he would not have to worry about his safety on the road.
After all, Bai Tu was about to set off for Jingzhou, mainly to visit Nanjun and Nanyang, to appease the people's hearts and recruit talents from the wild. Wancheng, as an important town at the northern end of Nanyang and the county seat of Nanyang, was definitely a place he had to go. Moreover, it was almost in the Central Plains and was only 200 miles away from Xu County.
Cao Bang made an indelible contribution to the development of folk art in Chu State, and he indeed had talent in this area. Bai Tu even wanted to arrange a marriage for him so that he could stay in Chu State, but unfortunately he was rejected by Cao Bang.
Now... Bai Tu even wants to become sworn brothers with Cao Bang.
If for no other reason, Cao Pi is still staying in Jinling. Seeing that Bai Tu and Cao Cao are being separated by the auxiliary Han forces in the south and the north, Bai Tu feels... it is not a good idea that he is the only hostage of Cao Cao.
If I become sworn brothers with Cao Bang, that means Cao Cao's son is with me and my sworn brother is with Cao Cao. Isn't that fair?
"I am such a good person!" Bai Tu praised himself from the bottom of his heart.
