According to the statistics.
15,000 soldiers surrendered in Suxian County.
There were about 50,000 people who surrendered.
65,000 people in one battle
Adding on the surrenders of several nearby counties, the total population had reached about 110,000.
110,000 people didn't sound like a lot at first, but to Cao Ang, it wasn't a small number.
Cao Ang's current territory was mainly in Yuzhou. Yingchuan (Xuchang was originally a county in Yingchuan), Wei County, Runan, Liang, and Chen. The total population was about 2.5 - 3 million.
In this era.
The population was the most important resource.
It was also the main fuel for the country's development.
With population, there would be labor, productivity, and soldiers.
The territory and population of the Cao Family were far from enough to dominate the world. Cao Ang's top priority was to expand his territory, increase his population, and expand his army. This was also the main reason and direct motivation for him to attack Yuan Shu of Huainan.
The 15,000 soldiers who surrendered were all young and strong.
After some training, they could be converted into troops.
Close to 100,000 civilians could provide an endless supply of young men and women.
They could also form a labor force of tens of thousands. Whether it was farming or mining, they were all very useful.
Cao Ang stayed for several days.
Open the granaries and distribute grain for the people.
At the same time, disaster relief food from Xuchang was also sent in endlessly.
In such a year of great calamity, the tragedy of people eating others and exchanging their children for food could be seen everywhere.
However, Prime Minister Cao was generous enough to help the victims. This action immediately caused a huge sensation.
As soon as the news spread, the victims, hungry people, and refugees all rushed to the counties that Cao Ang had occupied.
Cao Ang did not refuse the people who came to seek refuge, but he did not give out food for free. Instead, he chose to provide relief through work. There were as many as two million people in Huainan who were affected by the disaster. Even if Cao Ang had enough food and grass, he would not be able to hold on for a long time.
I'll give you a grain of rice, but I'll give you a grain of rice to fight with you.
The common people could not eat for free.
He had to move and work.
Cao Ang ordered Xun Yu, Xun You, and Cheng Yu to guide the disaster victims.
The disaster victims were allowed to participate in land reclamation, mining, bridge construction, canal digging, dam construction, and other work.
Cao Ang moved thousands of households from the Jianghuai area to Henan to grow potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Apart from the elderly, children, and disabled who were exempted from labor, everyone else who had the ability to work was assigned to work. Although labor was hard, everyone could receive sufficient rations every day.
Su County was the leader, and the few counties in the north of the Huai River were not starved to death during the year of the disaster. They did not exchange their children for food. Instead, they were thriving!
This scene caused all the vassals in the world to exclaim in admiration. The scholars praised Cao Ang greatly. They had never wasted a single soldier to seize Huaibei, and they had generously provided relief to the victims. Finally, they had made full use of the victims and transformed them into efficient labor.
All of this.
All of them highlighted Cao Ang's personal strength and prestige.
All of them highlighted the powerful ability of the Cao family's team.
It could be said that Cao Ang's historical evaluation was guaranteed based on his military achievements and achievements in Huainan.
Yuan Shu was already unpopular, and he was constantly plagued by natural and man-made disasters. He was completely deserted by his people, and Cao Ang's reputation as a King's Teacher had reached a certain point. Therefore, wherever Cao Ang's army passed, the cities would not fight.
Cao Ang commanded from the rear.
He sent Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan to break Yuan Shu's granary, Mount Ji, and kill Lei Bao and Chen Lan.
He also sent Xu Huang, Yu Jin, and Yue Jin to attack Huainan and kill Yuan Shu. They would occupy all the cities as quickly as possible.
The news of victory came like snowflakes.
Finally, a piece of good news reached Cao Ang's ears.
"Reporting to the Prime Minister!"
"General Xu defeated the remnants of Yuan Shu's army."
"Yuan Shu has been captured and is on the way back.”
When Cao Ang heard this, he was immediately overjoyed."You caught Yuan Shu so quickly?"
He then sent troops to Xuchang.
and then swept through the Jianghuai area.
It only took half a month.
No matter what, Yuan Shu was still a vassal.
At his peak, his strength was among the best in the world, even above Cao Cao.
Even someone as powerful as Lu Bu, who had repeatedly attacked the Jianghuai region, could only pillage in the north of the Huai River. He could not hurt Yuan Shu at all. Who would have thought that Cao Ang would spend only half a month to seize almost all the cities, kill all the generals under Yuan Shu, and easily capture Yuan Shu himself?
Two days later.
Yuan Shu was escorted to the front.
"Alright, General Xu, you have done a meritorious deed. When you return, you will definitely be rewarded handsomely.”
Xu Huang's face lit up with joy. He immediately knelt down on one knee and said loudly,"Thank you, my lord!"
Yuan Shu kneeled on the ground, his face full of anger, his eyes wide open, However, under the eaves, he had no choice but to lower his head." I once fought alongside Cao Gong. I implore the Prime Minister to give Cao Gong face and allow me to surrender.”
Cao Ang smiled." Actually, you have been enemies with my father and I many times. We can let bygones be bygones. However, you arrogated to yourself the title of the Son of Heaven and claimed to be the Emperor. This is a serious crime of treason. There are four generations of the Yuan family and three dukes. Do you know how to punish the crime of treason?”
He rebelled and usurped the throne.
No matter which dynasty it was.
That would be the crime of exterminating and razing the three clans!
"You really want to kill them all?" Yuan Shu's face turned ugly.”
" I have my own principles," Cao Ang said coldly." I don't want to harm my family. As long as it's unrelated, I can let it go."”
Yuan Shu understood what she meant.
He, his brother, and his son were all dead.
They all held important positions under him, so it was impossible for them to be let off.
However, Cao Ang would spare his underage children, as well as unrelated women and relatives.
"I thought Cao Cao was difficult enough to deal with, but I didn't expect you to be even harder to deal with than Cao Cao.”Yuan Shu knew that he had no hope of surviving and laughed bitterly,"Hahaha, I, Yuan Shu, have been a hero for a long time. How could I end up like this?”
Cao Ang waved his hand.
Yuan Shu was dragged away.
Xu Huang reported an important matter."We found the Imperial Jade Seal on Yuan Shu's body!”
Cao Ang's eyes lit up.”
This jade seal was exquisite and perfect. It was four inches in circumference and had five dragons on it. The front side was engraved with eight seal characters written by Li Si," By Heaven, Longevity ". It was used as a token of " Imperial power is bestowed by Heaven, orthodox and legal."
Was this the legendary heirloom seal?
Peerless treasures, national treasures!
This was a divine item!
It was said that after the Qin Dynasty, the emperors of the past dynasties all took this seal as a symbol. Obtaining it symbolized that it was "ordered by heaven", and losing it meant that it was "the end of its fate". Anyone who ascended the throne without this seal was ridiculed as a "white emperor", appearing to be lacking in confidence and despised by the world.
In the past dynasties, those who wanted to seek the throne of the emperor fought for it, causing the national seal to change its owner many times. It had been tossed around in Shenzhou and Chixian for more than 2,000 years. It disappeared suddenly and finally disappeared. It was a sigh that there was no trace of it until now.
At this moment.
[System Notification: Lucky item found. Do you want to absorb it immediately?]”
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