Shuhan

For several days, Cao Zhen's army surged towards the city of Ju County like a tide, with drums of war thundering and dust flying. However, this ancient city seemed to be guarded by an indestructible will, standing still, regardless of the wind and rain from the outside world.

The sunlight shines obliquely on the city wall, and the mottled light and shadow reveal an unyielding atmosphere, as if telling the tenacity and glory of this city.

Cao Zhen stood on the high command platform, his brows furrowed and his eyes sharp, examining the stubborn fortress in front of him.

His armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and the cloak on his shoulders swayed gently in the wind, but his majestic face could not hide a trace of fatigue and anxiety.

After several days of fierce attacks, although there were the help of Xianbei and Youzhou soldiers as cannon fodder, even these brave and fearless fighters found their lives so fragile in the face of the ruthless war.

Their casualties increased day by day, their morale was low, their combat effectiveness obviously declined, and some soldiers even began to talk privately and expressed the idea of ​​escaping.

Cao Zhen took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner restlessness.

"This Hao Zhao, it seems like I was the one who promoted him before?"

Upon hearing this, the guards immediately stepped forward and said firmly, "Yes, General. Hao Zhao was just a small soldier in the army. By chance, you recognized his talent and promoted him to be a general to guard Chencang. Although you promoted many people when you were guarding Guanzhong, and Hao Zhao was just one of them, this promotion is undoubtedly higher than the sky for him."

When Cao Zhen heard this, a complex light flashed in his eyes, as if he was recalling the past.

Hao Zhao, a once unknown soldier, became a capable general because of his own appreciation.

He believed that Hao Zhao would never forget this kindness.

Thinking of this, a barely perceptible smile appeared on Cao Zhen's lips, and he had already made up his mind.

"Send someone to contact Hao Zhao." Cao Zhen's voice became gentle but firm.

"As long as he is willing to surrender the city, I will recommend him to be a marquis, and he will enjoy endless wealth and glory."

Upon hearing this, the guard's eyes flashed with surprise, and then he bowed and said, "As you command, General!"

After saying that, he turned around and was about to leave, but Cao Zhen gently raised his hand to stop him.

"Remember, choose someone who is eloquent and good at speaking, and make sure Hao Zhao can feel my sincerity."

Cao Zhen's eyes were deep, as if he could see into people's hearts.

"At the same time, I have to prepare a generous gift to show my respect for him."

The guard nodded to show that he understood, and then carefully selected a messenger with excellent eloquence and prepared a generous gift, including gold, silver, jewelry, silk brocade, as well as some rare medicinal herbs and fine wine, in the hope of impressing Hao Zhao's heart.

As night falls, a bright moon hangs high in the sky, and its silver moonlight spreads all over the earth, bringing a rare tranquility to this war-torn land.

The messenger took advantage of the night and quietly approached the gate of Ju County, feeling both nervous and expectant.

This trip not only concerns his own future, but also the life and death of soldiers of both armies and the safety of countless families.

The city gate slowly opened in the night, and a soldier guarding the city stuck his head out and looked at the messenger warily.

The messenger quickly showed Cao Zhen's token and whispered his purpose.

After hearing this, the soldier's expression changed slightly. After informing the city and getting a response, he nodded and signaled the messenger to follow him into the city.

After passing through the winding streets, the messenger finally arrived at Hao Zhao's mansion.

Although the mansion is not luxurious, it reveals a simple and tough atmosphere, just like its owner.

The messenger was led into the main hall, where he saw Hao Zhao sitting at a desk, holding a military book in his hand, his brows furrowed, as if he was thinking about something.

Hao Zhao raised his head and examined the messenger with sharp eyes, which showed the calmness and wisdom of someone who had experienced countless battles.

"Were you sent by General Cao?" Hao Zhao's voice was calm and powerful, without a trace of emotion.

The messenger bowed quickly, respectfully presented Cao Zhen's handwritten letter and the generous gift, and relayed Cao Zhen's intentions in detail.

After listening to this, Hao Zhao was silent for a moment. Then he slowly stood up, walked to the window, stared at the night sky outside, as if weighing something.

"Hao Zhao will always remember General Cao's kindness." Hao Zhao's voice was low and firm.

"But as a general, it is my duty to guard the city and protect the people. Although I, Hao Zhao, come from a humble background, I also know loyalty, filial piety, chastity and righteousness. How can I abandon the city and surrender for my own honor?"

The messenger came in front of Hao Zhao, and as if he had not heard what Hao Zhao had just said, he raised a barely perceptible smile and said, "General, if you know the times and surrender the city, the King of Wei will grant you a title of nobility, and you will enjoy endless wealth and glory in the future. Today, these two boxes of gold, silver and jewelry are just a greeting gift."

After he finished speaking, he signaled the soldiers to open the wooden box. Suddenly, the whole room seemed to be covered with a layer of brilliance, shining with golden light and jewels.

Hao Zhao's eyes swept across the gold, silver and jewelry. Although his heart was palpitating for a moment, it was immediately replaced by a more firm belief.

His eyes were piercing, as if he could see through all illusions and look directly into the soul of the messenger: "I, Hao Zhao, am a minister of the Han Dynasty. I should be loyal to my emperor and serve my country. Although General Cao serves the Wei Kingdom, we each serve our own master. How can we sacrifice public interests for personal interests? Messenger, please take these things back and tell General Cao Zhen that if you want to attack the city, you should do it in an upright manner and stop using these petty tricks."

Seeing that Hao Zhao was unmoved, the messenger's face changed slightly, but he still did not give up and continued to persuade: "General, why are you so stubborn? Life is short, why not take this opportunity to fight for fame and fortune, and leave a good reputation for generations? Think about it again, do you really want all the soldiers and civilians in this city to die in the sea of ​​fire because of your one wrong thought?"

Hearing this, Hao Zhao frowned, and a trace of anger flashed in his eyes. He kicked the ground hard, his body shook, and shouted angrily: "What are you still considering? I, Hao Zhao, have put life and death aside since the day I led the army. If you don't leave today, don't blame me for being ruthless. Take your life as a return gift to Cao Zhen!"

After saying that, he waved his hand suddenly, and several soldiers beside him immediately stepped forward, holding spears, ready for battle. The atmosphere suddenly became tense to the extreme.

The envoy turned pale when he saw this, and a trace of fear flashed in his eyes, but then he forced himself to remain calm and snorted coldly: "Hao Zhao, don't refuse a toast. The Wei army is approaching and the city will be broken in no time. By then, it will be too late to regret!"

Hao Zhao sneered, his eyes like knives, piercing the envoy's heart: "I, Hao Zhao, will live and die with the city. If the Wei army wants to attack the city, just come directly, no need to use these shady tricks. If you can't take it, you should retreat. Why say more?"

The messenger was overwhelmed by Hao Zhao's aura and was speechless for a moment. He had to turn around in disappointment and left the city in disgrace with the two boxes of gold, silver and jewelry that had not been delivered.

With the departure of the messenger, the atmosphere in the city did not relax, but became even more solemn.

Hao Zhao knew that the real test was coming, so he immediately summoned all the generals, deployed defenses, reinforced the city walls, and prepared to meet the fierce attack of the Wei army.

the other side.

The messenger returned in a hurry, walking through the narrow passage between the Wei army's tents. Every step seemed to tell of the heaviness of failing to complete his mission.

His face was gloomy, with frustration flashing in his eyes. In his hand, he tightly grasped the letter of surrender that was not accepted by Hao Zhao, as if it was the only witness of his trip.

Finally, he stood in front of Cao Zhen’s tent, took a deep breath, and lifted the curtain to enter.

Cao Zhen was sitting at the desk, with the map covered with marks, each of which represented his plans and ambitions.

He looked up, his eyes sharp, and instantly caught the frustration on the envoy's face. Before the envoy spoke, Cao Zhen had read the answer from his eyes, and a sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth, but it was instantly replaced by a deep sigh.

"Hmph, Hao Zhao, you're quite a tough nut to crack." Cao Zhen muttered to himself in a low voice, his voice containing both admiration for Hao Zhao's tenacity and regret that he had not been able to convince him easily.

Immediately, his expression turned ferocious, and a fierce look flashed in his eyes.

"We must fight Ju County, and we must fight hard! If we can't take it down, then we will lay siege to the city! The warships of Xuzhou are almost finished, and the navy is ready to go. When the time is right, we will attack from both sides and see if the Han army of Qingzhou can still stand firm!"

After saying that, Cao Zhen stood up abruptly and clenched his hands into fists, as if he wanted to condense all his resentment and anger into this small space.

He looked around and saw that the generals were all holding their breath, not daring to make a sound. They only felt an invisible pressure hanging over everyone's heart. "Pass the order down, continue the siege tomorrow, at any cost!" Cao Zhen's voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, full of determination.

The next day, as soon as the sky turned pale, the Wei army camp was already noisy.

The soldiers hurriedly put on their armor and arranged their weapons, and everyone's face was filled with tension and anticipation.

With an order, the Wei army rushed towards the city wall of Ju County like a tide, the war drums beat loudly, the trumpets sounded one after another, and the entire battlefield was instantly shrouded in fire and smoke.

Cao Zhen stood on a high place, watching all this coldly.

He was wearing silver armor and a red battle robe that fluttered in the wind, like a god of war. His gaze penetrated through the layers of smoke and went straight to the top of Ju County, where Hao Zhao was standing firm and commanding the defenders to resist tenaciously.

The siege was extremely brutal. The Wei soldiers set up ladders and swarmed up, but were repeatedly repelled by rain of arrows and rolling stones from the top of the city.

The blood dyed the city walls red, and the wailing and the sound of war drums intertwined to form a tragic picture.

There was no fluctuation on Cao Zhen's face. He had only one thought in his mind: to capture Ju County and annihilate the Han army in Qingzhou.

As time went on, the casualties of the Wei army increased and the morale of the soldiers began to decline.

Five days and five nights of fierce fighting made the army, which was originally in high morale, exhausted.

Cao Zhen saw this and although he felt unwilling, he had to admit that it was almost an impossible task to capture Ju County in a short period of time.

So he ordered to stop attacking the city and turn to siege.

The Wei army soldiers built high walls around Ju County and dug deep trenches to surround the entire city.

Cao Zhen stood on the newly built city wall, looking at the lonely Ju County in the distance, feeling mixed emotions.

"If one month is not enough, then two months. If two months is not enough, then half a year. If half a year is not enough, then a year." Cao Zhen muttered to himself, his eyes firm and cold.

"Han troops from Qingzhou, I will definitely wipe you out completely!"

During the siege, the Wei army and the Han army engaged in a long confrontation.

Cao Zhen often patrolled the defense line and checked the status of the soldiers. He always had a stern expression on his face, but his heart was turbulent.

Whenever it was late at night and everyone was asleep, he would sit alone in his tent, staring at the huge map and thinking about his next move.

And Hao Zhao, in Ju County, also faced tremendous pressure.

The Wei army besieged the city in order to consume the supplies and morale of the Han army. Over time, the people and soldiers in the city would face the threat of hunger and disease.

But he did not retreat, instead he became more determined to defend the city.

He personally went down to the city to eat and live with the soldiers, encouraging them to hold on and wait for reinforcements.

In this long tug-of-war, the psychology of both sides has undergone tremendous changes.

Cao Zhen went from being full of confidence at the beginning to being anxious and impatient later on; Hao Zhao went from being nervous and uneasy at the beginning to gradually becoming determined and calm.

They all knew that the outcome of this war depended not only on manpower and supplies, but also on who could hold out to the end.

Although victory or defeat here is important, on the other side, Emperor Cao Rui of Wei is thinking about other things.

Luoyang.

The Taiji Hall is magnificent with carved beams and painted buildings. Every brick and tile reveals the majesty and luxury of the royal family.

In the center of the hall, the young Emperor Ming of Wei, Cao Rui, dressed in a dragon robe, sat upright on a high throne, his brows revealing an unquestionable heroic spirit.

His eyes were deep, as if he could see into people's hearts. At this moment, he was staring at his teacher, Zheng Cheng.

Zheng Cheng's hair and beard were all white, but his face was still energetic. He was wearing a dark blue official uniform and a jade belt around his waist, which symbolized his status. He was standing respectfully below Cao Rui, holding a bamboo scroll in his hand, as if he was ready to answer the emperor's questions at any time.

"Gongsun Yuan is now in control of Youzhou. On the surface, he is respectful to our Great Wei, but in fact he is treacherous and is ambitious. He is separatist and has great ambitions." Cao Rui's voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, revealing his deep dissatisfaction and vigilance towards Gongsun Yuan.

"Especially since he is too close to Sima Yi, I will not be at peace until he is removed."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Cheng nodded slightly, with a glimmer of wisdom in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, Gongsun Yuan is indeed a hidden danger, but now is definitely not the best time to take action." He slowly unfolded the bamboo slips in his hand, his tone calm but firm.

"Han has always been eyeing Gongsun Yuan covetously. If we act rashly at this time, I am afraid that Gongsun Yuan will be forced to turn to Han again, which will be a disaster for our Wei. Therefore, I think we should focus on dealing with Han first, and then free up our hands to deal with Gongsun Yuan after the situation stabilizes."

Cao Rui snorted coldly, a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he thought to himself: I know this truth too.
But Gongsun Yuan's existence was like a thorn in his back, making him feel uneasy.

But he also understood that what Zheng said was true, and that the overall situation was more important, and that one should not ruin things because of a momentary anger.

"The appointment of officials and the collection of taxes must be firmly in the hands of our Great Wei." Zheng Cheng continued, his eyes revealing an unquestionable determination.

"As long as we control these key points, Gongsun Yuan will be in my hands no matter how violent he becomes in Youzhou."

Cao Rui nodded, his anger slightly calmed, and asked, "The Tubo tribe on the grassland is growing stronger day by day, and is colluding with the Han State. How should we deal with it?"

Zheng Cheng pondered for a moment, a cunning look flashing in his eyes.

"Things on the grassland are more complicated. Although the Tufa tribe is powerful, they are not a monolithic entity. We can take advantage of their internal conflicts to sow discord between them and the Han Kingdom."

He paused, then continued, "At the same time, we should support Kebi Neng's tribe. Although he was once our enemy, the situation has changed now. The enemy of my enemy is our friend. As long as we give him enough benefits, I believe Kebi Neng will be willing to serve the Wei Dynasty."

Cao Rui's expression became subtle when he heard this. He recalled the last time Kebi Neng invaded the border of Wei State, and the two sides fought fiercely, and he and Kebi Neng had an irreconcilable feud.

Now, due to the needs of the overall situation, we have to form an alliance with our former enemies. The changes in the world are really touching.

"Hmph, things are unpredictable, it's all about chance." Cao Rui sighed softly, feeling mixed emotions. He looked out the window, and seemed to be able to see the distant grassland. He secretly thought about how to plan so that everything could be under control.

"Your Majesty, I have another plan." Seeing Cao Rui lost in thought, Zheng Cheng struck while the iron was hot and proposed a bolder plan.

"We can send envoys to the grasslands secretly. On the one hand, we can sow discord between the Tufa tribe and the Han Kingdom. On the other hand, we can offer Kebi Neng huge benefits and promise to support him to become the overlord of the grasslands as long as he can be used by the Wei Kingdom to fight against the Han Kingdom."

When Cao Rui heard this, a glimmer of approval flashed in his eyes. He stood up, walked to Zheng Cheng and patted him on the shoulder.

"This is a brilliant plan. I will follow your suggestion. However, this must be done in secret and no one should leak it."

Zheng Cheng nodded in agreement and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

This game not only concerns the safety of the country, but also the lives and property of these people. If they make a wrong move, they will lose everything.

When the Han lost its power, the princes fought for it.

The battle for supremacy has now entered its final stage. (End of this chapter)