Han family achievements

Chapter 484 Offering suggestions
Cao Cao's march was blocked and he had to stop.

The next day, Cao Cao personally led a few people out of the camp to explore the way forward.

After walking around for a long time, Cao Cao found no way forward. He looked up at the pouring rain that still showed no sign of stopping, and continued to explore forward with an expressionless face.

Cao Ang followed Cao Cao, wiped the rain from his face, and said, "What should I do?"

The heavy rain made it impossible to move forward. More importantly, the road ahead was the only way for them to go north. It was easy to defend but difficult to attack. Wuhuan had already stationed troops there. Not to mention the heavy rain, it was not easy to conquer even in normal weather.

Cao Cao said nothing, and climbed up an inconspicuous hill with an indifferent expression, looking to the north.

Under the heavy rain, the water mist was hazy, but wherever you could see, you could see mountains and ridges, one after another, endless.

"The mountains in the north are indeed true." Cao Cao said with emotion.

Cao Ang, Le Jin, Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun and others behind him were also watching, but their expressions were not as calm as Cao Cao's, with a hint of worry.

If the army stops for one day, it will consume an extra day of food and grass, and at the same time, it will give the Wuhuan people more time to prepare. If this consumption continues, it will be very detrimental to them.

The heavy rain didn't stop day by day, so they spent their time here.

You know, Cao Cao is going on an expedition this time. If this waste continues, the court will definitely be dissatisfied.

Cao Cao looked at it for a while, and suddenly became very interested in poetry. He wanted to recite a poem, but he resisted.

Since he figured out Liu Bian's intention along the way, he became complacent and had nowhere to vent, so he wrote many tragic and generous poems along the way.

"Let's go."

After observing for a while, Cao Cao silently turned around and walked back.

Cao Ang, Le Jin and others did not speak and followed one after another.

When they returned to the camp, Lu Bu had already returned and stood beside Cao Cao's tent like a door god, letting the heavy rain soak him without moving at all.

Cao Cao didn't even look at him and walked directly into the tent.

"Go, you don't need to guard." Cao Cao's voice came from the big tent.

Lu Bu's expression changed, but he still saluted and said: "The last general takes orders!"

Cao Cao took off his armor, changed into regular clothes, sat down, and frowned at the map on the table.

This map is very simple, with only a few simple lines revealed, and the rest are marked as mountains. Except for the routes that have been drawn, there is no way to go.

Just like what he just explored.

Not long after, Jia Xu and the judge came in one after another, raised their hands and said: "I have seen the general."

Cao Cao still stared at the map and said, "What are your countermeasures?"

Jia Xu and Shen Pei looked at each other and sat down next to Cao Cao. Shen Pei said bluntly: "The heavy rain is blocking the road, so we can only wait for the rain to stop."

This is the only way. What else can we do besides waiting for the rain to stop?
"What do you think of Wen He?" Cao Cao looked up at Jia Xu and asked.

Jia Xu saw a glimmer of hope in Cao Cao's calm eyes. He pondered for a moment and said, "General, perhaps withdrawing troops is also a good idea. With such heavy rain, Wuhuan will not be able to continue to advance, and will inevitably retreat soon."

The Han army has arrived. After many days of confrontation across the rain, the energy of both sides has faded. A tacit agreement to retreat is the most normal and even the only choice for each other.

Cao Cao's eyes lingered on the faces of the two men for a moment, and he said calmly: "Cao Hong, pass on my order, if anyone in the army refuses to retreat, he will be killed without mercy!"

"Yes!" Cao Hong responded loudly.

Seeing this, Shen Pei had no choice but to say: "Then wait and see. The harder the summer rain comes, the faster it goes."

Jia Xu glanced at the mud at the corner of his clothes, frowned, and said, "Why don't we give it a try and pretend to retreat and see if Wuhuan will catch up."

Cao Cao was expressionless, staring at him with stern eyes, and said, "Wen He, do you want to disobey me?"

Jia Xu shook his head secretly, raised his hand and said, "I know I was wrong."

Cao Cao withdrew his gaze and continued to stare at the map.

Originally he hoped to find another way, but after two days of careful exploration, he could not find it at all, so the army could only be blocked here.

The judges knew the current situation very well. Cao Cao refused to retreat, so he had no choice but to do so. He paused and said, "General, it's also raining heavily in the rear. I'm afraid there won't be enough food and grass."

It is said that when the three armies are not moving, the food and grass go first. However, this time Cao Cao sent troops quickly, and the food and grass could not keep up. It originally stopped for three days, and the food and grass had a chance to catch up, but there was also heavy rain in the rear. Even if he moved forward in the rain, his speed would be greatly reduced.

Cao Cao frowned but said nothing.

Naturally, he had already considered this situation. He stared at the map, every road and every mountain. For some reason, he suddenly felt thirsty again and subconsciously touched his waist.

Immediately, he frowned even more and glanced at his waist. The place where the wine bottle originally hung was now empty.

In order to conquer Wuhuan, he forcibly gave up drinking.

But when everyone was helpless, Cao Cao immediately thought of Guo Jia, which also triggered his alcohol addiction.

'If Fengxiao were here, why would I be so embarrassed? '

Cao Cao's eyes turned red, and he missed Guo Jia very much.

Guo Jia is a casual person and has no other shortcomings except good wine. The most important thing is that he will calculate everything for Cao Cao and make arrangements in advance, and will never let Cao Cao be overwhelmed when things happen.

Neither Jia Xu nor Shen Pei spoke, they just sat together.

The sudden heavy rain was something they didn't expect. Three-thirds of it was man's and seven-sevenths of God's will. Who could compete with God's will?
Cao Cao's army stopped not far to the north of Wuzhong County. Through the heavy rain, they faced off against the Wuhuan army guarding the main road not far away.

Another three days.

In the past three days, Cao Cao not only sent out countless spies, but also personally tried to survive the heavy rain. However, the spies had no good news. He only walked less than three miles before he had to retreat.

On a hilltop not far from the big tent, Cao Cao stood under a tree, looking at the thick clouds and heavy rain, and couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Is there really no way?"

Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun, and Cao Ang followed him, all three of them shaking their heads helplessly.

After so many days, the heavy rain shows no signs of stopping. Even if the rain stops in a few days, they will lose all their energy and Wuhuan will be waiting for work. Is it necessary to continue this battle?
They are all people who know how to fight, and the current situation has reached the point where they have to withdraw their troops.

"General!" Suddenly, Cao Hong trotted over from a short distance in the rain, shouting with excitement: "General, good news. The famous people in Peiping knew that the general's march was blocked, so they came here to offer advice!"

Behind him, followed a fat and elegant middle-aged man, trudging in the rain, his hair disheveled, looking quite embarrassed.

Cao Cao narrowed his narrow eyes and hurried over to greet him. At the same time, he scolded Cao Hong: "You are a local celebrity, why are you so late? Why didn't you inform me to greet him in person?"

When the visitor saw Cao Cao coming out to greet him in the rain, he was flattered and quickly raised his hand in salute and said: "Beiping Tianchou has seen General Cao!"

Cao Cao took his hand and walked under the big tree, saying, "Cao Cao has neglected you, sir. Please take shelter from the rain."

With that said, he grabbed the guard's umbrella, held it up for Tian Chou himself, and said enthusiastically: "Sir, you have worked hard all the way. Please follow me back to the tent. Cao Ang, go prepare the food and wine. I want to take care of you, sir!"

When Tian Chou saw that Cao Cao was such a courteous and virtuous corporal and valued him so much, how could he dare to accept it? He immediately raised his hand and said in a deep voice: "General, Tian Chou is here to offer advice to help the general defeat the prisoners!"

"No hurry, no hurry, we'll talk about it before we go back to the main camp!" Cao Cao held Tian Chou's hand with his right hand and held an umbrella with his left hand. He felt a little awkward and wanted to take Tian Chou back to the main camp.

Tian Chou's expression darkened and he said: "The general has stopped his troops for nearly ten days, and Wuhuan is waiting for the enemy. Is the general still in the mood for a banquet?"

Cao Cao suddenly looked ashamed, handed the umbrella to Cao Ang beside him, raised his hand and said to Tian Chou: "Cao Cao was ordered to conquer Wuhuan, and now he is blocked here. He is really incompetent. He is ashamed of your majesty and the soldiers of Peking. The same is true of Cao Cao. I'm sorry sir..."

Cao Hong, Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun and others also looked ashamed and bowed to Tian Chou.

Tian Chou never thought that Cao Cao, who was rumored to be as ruthless as a butcher, could actually be such a person!
'The rumors misled me! '

Tian Chou sighed in his heart, his excitement was beyond words, and he immediately said: "This is not the general's fault, it is really the weather. However, this is not entirely a bad thing for the general."

Cao Cao was startled, then raised his hand and said, "Sir, please give me some advice!"

Tian Chou looked wary, and while pressing Cao Cao's hands, he looked around with his peripheral vision.

Cao Cao immediately understood his intention and said directly: "Sir, don't worry, these are the people who have been with me in the war for many years. They are loyal to Your Majesty and me. There is nothing I can say!"

Tian Chou nodded and said, "Wuhuan doesn't know that the general was blocked by the heavy rain. But I know that there is a way around it!"

Cao Cao's eyes opened, then his face became serious, and he said, "Mr., has it been that you haven't been back here for many years? Cao sent countless spies and personally investigated, but no other paths were found."

Tian Chou smiled slightly and said quite proudly: "North of Beiping, there are high mountains and steep mountains, and the roads are narrow and difficult to navigate. If you don't live here for many years, who can say that you know all the big and small roads here? Unfortunately, I do. One route, from here to the west for two hundred miles and then to the east for three hundred miles, you can reach directly behind the Wuhuan army! "

Cao Cao's eyes were bright and shining as he stared at Tian Chou and said, "Sir, are you serious? I have been ordered to go on an expedition. It is related to the design. If I am not sure, I might as well withdraw my troops safely!"

Tian Chou said with great confidence: "General, don't worry, I will lead the way, there will be no deviation!"

When he heard that Tian Chou was personally leading the way, Cao Cao immediately believed it. His narrow eyes narrowed and he couldn't help but touch his beard.

If there is really an unknown path that can go around to get behind the Wuhuan army, it will undoubtedly be a great joy from heaven!

"General, if we make a detour of five to six hundred miles, I'm afraid it will be difficult to do in a short time, especially since I have an army of 40,000 people and I can't keep up with the food and grass."

Cao Ren stepped forward and said: "Moreover, Wu Huan will definitely know when my army moves, and it will be dangerous to go around it."

Tian Chou immediately said: "General, you might as well use the heavy rain to block the road as an excuse to spread the word. When autumn comes again, pretend to withdraw the troops and use light cavalry to make a quick detour. Great things can be accomplished!"

Cao Cao was very shocked, and without changing his expression, he said decisively: "Okay! Just follow your plan! Cao Ren, please find someone to pretend to be me, and together with Jia Xu and Shen Pei, escort the army to pretend to be a ceasefire. Xiahou Dun, Le Jin, Cao Ren, Lu Bu, Sun Ce and others will lead three thousand elite cavalry with me and leave the camp tonight!"

"General, you must keep it secret from others!" Tian Chou added.

Cao Cao nodded heavily, pulled Tian Chou back, and said, "Sir, follow me back to the camp. If I can pacify Wuhuan this time, I will definitely report to Your Majesty and the imperial court, detailing your achievements!"

"Don't you dare!" Tian Chou was overjoyed in his heart and looked humble on his face.

Cao Cao took everything in front of him and asked Tian Chou one after another whether he wanted to be an official, what he was good at, and what official position he wanted to be.

Tian Chou answered Cao Cao in detail. Obviously, he wanted to use this to establish a relationship with Cao Cao and use it as the starting point for his rapid rise!

That night, Cao Cao personally led a group of generals, gathered three thousand elites to report, and left the camp at night, heading straight to the northwest.

Although Tian Chou was a civil servant, he was also good at riding horses. He followed Cao Cao closely, giving directions and diversions every once in a while.

Sometimes we enter small trails, sometimes we pass through dense forests, and sometimes we have to climb mountains and ridges.

Initially, Cao Cao was still suspicious, but when he occasionally saw official roads and paths that he had not explored appeared from time to time, his confidence in Tian Chou greatly increased. No matter how difficult it was, he would personally go to the front to boost morale.

After having lunch, Cao Cao's army quickly packed their bags and began to retreat.

At the same time, there was constant noise, heavy rain blocked the road, and all the energy was lost. We had no choice but to withdraw our troops and come back in the autumn.

I don't know how many people witnessed Cao Cao's handsome flag and 'Cao Cao' riding a tall horse, walking at the forefront of the withdrawal.

At the same time, Cao Cao's important advisers, Jia Xu, Shen Pei, as well as Sima Yi, Yang Xiu and others sent by the imperial court, all showed up publicly. Only the army of three thousand cavalry was missing, and there was no difference at all.

For a time, the news of Cao Cao's withdrawal spread throughout Beiping County.

Naturally, it also reached Wuhuan’s ears.

Wuhuan was so powerful that the whole army celebrated by killing cattle and sheep, sharpening their knives at the same time, as if the plump lamb was not in their hands, but in Beiping County, in Youzhou, in the territory of the Han Dynasty!
After retreating the army, it took only half a day for Jia Xu and others to realize something was wrong. In the evening after rest, Jia Xu found Cao Ren and said straight to the point: "Captain Cao, where has the general gone?"

Cao Ren answered simply, "I am acting under orders. I don't know where the general is going."

Seeing that Cao Ren refused to say anything, Jia Xu couldn't force him. He turned back and looked north, thinking deeply.

He is worried about Cao Cao.

Based on his understanding of Cao Cao, this man is accustomed to taking risks, especially in such critical and helpless moments, he will take desperate risks!

"Is it a false retreat, luring the enemy deeper, and ambushing them halfway?" Jia Xu said in a scornful tone without looking back.

Cao Ren glanced at Jia Xu and said calmly: "I don't know."

Almost no one in Cao Ying liked Jia Xu. This person was a loner, not on speaking terms with everyone, and kept his words to himself. He was not a trustworthy person.

Jia Xu shook his head slightly, and said in a calm tone: "Once the general is defeated, the new and old accounts will be settled together. The Cao family who has not yet arrived in Youzhou will be captured, and all the Yi people will be taken back. Not only the Cao family, but also the Xiahou family He and all his former subordinates and staff will be implicated, and at least tens of thousands of people will be killed."

Cao Ren remained calm and said: "You are not a military advisor."

Jia Xu was not a strategist and never had been. He only served as an aide under Cao Cao's account.

(End of this chapter)