Han family achievements

Chapter 536 True and False
Jia Xu had been with Cao Cao for many years and knew that whenever Cao Cao picked up the wine jug, it was not because he missed Guo Jia, but because he had encountered something difficult to decide.

As it happened, Jia Xu also guessed it. He said calmly, "Lord Cao, speed is of the essence in war. If you miss it, this great achievement will be taken by someone else. If someone enters Luoyang first, they will issue orders. With the Queen Mother and the Empress in hand, will Lord Cao obey them or not?"

As Cao Cao drank the wine, feeling the bitter taste, he missed Guo Jia more and more.

Guo Jia is different from Jia Xu. Guo Jia will take all aspects into consideration for Cao Cao instead of simply giving Cao Cao a dilemma and letting him make his own choice.

Cao Cao put down the wine jug, his narrow eyes flashing continuously.

He didn't like Luoyang. That emperor cast too many shadows on him. He always felt that Luoyang City was like a huge monster hidden in the darkness, with its mouth wide open, quietly waiting for him to fall into its trap.

But he couldn't open his heart to Jia Xu, and there were some things he couldn't say.

Jia Xu did not continue to persuade him, and his eyes inadvertently swept over the wine jug in Cao Cao's hand.

His relationship with Cao Cao was more of a "friendship of gentlemen". Even though some secrets were involved, the two never shared the real secrets.

"let me think again."

Cao Cao finally failed to make up his mind and got up and left.

Jia Xu did not urge him, but stood up and walked Cao Cao to the door.

Cao Cao, he already knew, had many faults that ordinary people have, such as lust, impulsiveness, tyranny, and stubbornness. Similarly, he also had qualities that ordinary people did not have, such as firmness, restraint, humility, and the willingness to accept good advice.

He had already anticipated that Cao Cao would send troops to Luoyang after weighing the pros and cons.

Looking at the current situation, apart from Huang Zhong in Yanzhou and Huangfu Jianshou and Zhao Yun in the Imperial Guards Camp, no one can compete with Cao Cao for this unprecedented achievement.

But Huang Zhong is already in Mengjin, and if Zhao Yun and Huangfu Jianshou want to enter Luoyang, Mengjin is the only way!
Cao Cao is now in an invincible position, so it doesn't matter if he delays for a day or two.

Liu Shao was exhausted both physically and mentally and was sleeping. Xun You and Huang Zhong were taken by Cao Ang and others to inspect Mengjin Pass.

The "Eight Capital Passes" including Mengjin were originally set up by He Jin to prevent the Yellow Turban Army from entering Luoyang. Later, Huangfu Song took over as the Grand Marshal and readjusted the eight passes. Later, Cao Cao also rectified the eight passes.

Xun You came to Mengjin more than once or twice. Looking at Mengjin, which had become a majestic fortress without him noticing when, especially the elite soldiers standing on the city wall, who were obviously veterans of many battles. Although he looked indifferent, the uneasiness in his heart was like a tide, rising and falling.

What was Cao Cao's intention in secretly deploying so many troops in Mengjin?
"Did Wen Ruo send a letter to Liu Bei, ordering him to lead his troops north?"

Xun You stood on the top of the city wall, looking towards Yuzhou.

Mengjin blocked Yanzhou and the imperial army camp. To the north was Cao Ren of Youzhou, and to the west was Xiahou Dun of Hanzhong, all of whom were Cao Cao's men.

The only one who could enter Luoyang smoothly was Liu Bei, the general of Yuzhou.

If he had received the order immediately and led his troops into Luoyang from Huanyuan Pass, he might have been one step ahead of Cao Cao.

However, Xun Yu was the prime minister and had no power to mobilize Liu Bei. On the contrary, Cao Cao was the grand marshal and had the power to mobilize troops.

"Mr. Xun, please."

Cao Hong was calm and said to Xun You.

Xun You glanced at him and continued walking forward.

Huang Zhong followed Xun You all the way, observing Cao's army and comparing it in his mind with the soldiers he had trained for many years.

Over the years, Cao Cao has fought in hundreds of battles, but Huang Zhong has only participated in a small number of battles, mostly playing a supporting role. He has almost never personally participated in a real battle.

He was a little worried. He thought that just as Xun You said, Cao Cao had evil intentions and he might not be Cao Cao's opponent.

Huang Zhong looked back inside the pass with a gaze as hard as iron.

No matter what, he must escort His Royal Highness the Crown Prince back to Beijing safely!
The next morning, Xun You could not wait to come to Cao Cao's duty room and asked directly, "Grand Marshal, when will we send troops to Luoyang?"

Cao Cao was reading official documents and said without raising his head, "Xun Pushe, the Crown Prince is still sleeping."

Xun You saw his reaction and knew he couldn't force him. He suppressed his anger and sat down below Cao Cao, saying, "The prince is very tired and will wake up in the afternoon at the latest. I want to know when the Grand Marshal will send troops to recapture Luoyang?"

Cao Cao picked up the pile of documents in front of him and handed them to Xun You, saying, "Xun Gong, please read them first."

Xun You took it expressionlessly, opened it and looked at it. He immediately suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and kept his expression unchanged.

The first few letters for help sent from Luoyang City were from people of high status, from court officials to various noble families.

Then, officials from all over the country sent urgent letters for help to Luoyang, which were forced to be transferred to Mengjin.

As the news of Liu Bian's assassination and the rebellion of the Yulin Army spread, the rebellions in various places suddenly became more intense. The chief officials and garrisons of various states, counties and prefectures faced tremendous pressure and sought help everywhere.

Especially in Yanzhou and Jizhou, where the largest number of troops are found, they are close to Luoyang and threaten other gateways leading to Luoyang.

Xun You looked at these letters for help, his expression gradually became firm, and he said: "These are all minor problems, not serious at all. The Grand Marshal should send troops as soon as possible to recapture Luoyang."

"Xun Pushe," Cao Cao said calmly, "Once I send troops into Luoyang, the eight passes will be in danger. By then, even if I recapture Luoyang, I will still be besieged. With Luoyang city and our 20,000 to 30,000 troops, how long do you think we can hold out?"

The constant changes in the way they address each other foreshadow the increasingly complex attitudes between the two people.

Xun You's heart tightened when he heard this, and he asked, "What does the Grand Marshal mean?"

Cao Cao said solemnly, "My idea is to wait and see. When the troops from the Imperial Army Camp arrive, we will split into two groups, one for Luoyang and the other for Xiaopingjin and other passes. We must not only recapture Luoyang, but also defend the country and people of our Han Dynasty!"

Xun You knew that Cao Cao had other plans, so he did not forcefully refute him. He pretended to be hesitant and said, "Then, how about the Grand Marshal staying in Mengjin and Huang Zhong leading the troops to Luoyang?"

Cao Cao said, "I have no objection, but if Huang Zhong fails, can you think clearly about the consequences, Lord Xun?"

Xun You's expression changed slightly, and then he thought seriously again.

If Huang Zhong loses, it will be a heavy blow to the Han Dynasty! It will severely damage the Han Dynasty, especially those who are loyal to the Han Dynasty and are still on the road to serving the emperor.

As one side gains strength, the other side loses strength, and the rebels' arrogance will rise sharply!
This is an extremely horrific consequence that is enough to destroy the Han Dynasty!

Cao Cao looked at Xun You's expression, took out another letter and said, "This is a secret letter from the Prime Minister. Lord Xun, please take a look."

Xun You was stunned. A letter from Xun Yu?
He took it and opened it, frowning and thinking harder.

This was indeed a letter from Xun Yu, and Xun Yu's handwriting was very clear to Xun You.

In his letter, Xun Yu told Cao Cao that there was an internal strife among the Yulin Army and that the Imperial Guards were guarding the palace. He urged Cao Cao to reorganize the troops, put down the rebellion in one fell swoop, and escort the Crown Prince to the capital safely.

The meaning of Xun Yu’s words was very simple. The palace was stable, so Cao Cao did not need to be radical and could just plan slowly.

Xun You's brows were furrowed so tightly that they hurt, and he had an extremely strange feeling in his heart.

He did not doubt the authenticity of the letter, but thought that the letter contained some very strange and unusual flavor.

Based on his understanding of Xun Yu, this letter seemed to contain some kind of hint.

What does it imply?
Doesn't Cao Cao need to go back to Luoyang? The Crown Prince is in Cao Cao's hands, but it implies that Cao Cao is not in a hurry to escort the Crown Prince back to Luoyang?

Was there some other change in Luoyang, or was he testing Cao Cao?
At this time, what's the point of testing Cao Cao? He has power, soldiers and the crown prince, who can check and balance him? If this test is futile, it means that something unexpected happened in Luoyang City, and this unexpected event can check and balance Cao Cao!

What kind of changes can check and balance the current Cao Cao?
Xun You thought hard, but still couldn't guess the hidden meaning in Xun Yu's letter, but he suddenly felt relieved.

Since Xun Yu had the means to check and balance Cao Cao, suggesting that Cao Cao was not in a hurry to recapture Luoyang, there was no need for him to worry too much.

"I disagree!"

Xun You was filled with anger but he was trying hard not to vent his anger. He said, "Once the rebels support the Prince of Chenliu to ascend the throne, the whole country will be in chaos! Grand Marshal, we must recapture Luoyang as soon as possible. There is no time to waste!"

Cao Cao narrowed his eyes and watched every expression of Xun You. He didn't know if he saw anything, so he said, "I'll think about it again."

Xun You said solemnly, "Lord Cao, military situations change rapidly, and we must not delay. Please make a decision soon!"

Cao Cao seemed to hesitate as well, and said, "I will discuss this with the generals again."

Xun You was also observing Cao Cao, feeling a little depressed.

This man is too cunning, and Xun You has no way of judging what he is thinking!
However, Xun You played the whole game and said in a deep voice: "If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince gave an order, would the Grand Marshal obey it or not?"

Cao Cao looked calm and said, "The Crown Prince is still young. Is his order the same as Xun Pushe's order?"

Xun You's face was a little ugly, and he said angrily: "Grand Marshal, don't forget the kindness of the late emperor! If the late emperor had not repeatedly ignored the opposition of the court and the public and forcibly protected you, you would not be where you are today! With such a great favor from heaven, shouldn't you be grateful for it? "

"The Crown Prince has not yet ascended the throne, so how can there be a previous emperor?"

Cao Cao was calm and said, "Xun Pushe, please be careful with your words!"

"you!"

Xun You was so angry that his face turned blue. He stood up suddenly, waved his hand and strode away.

Cao Cao did not care about it. Instead, he took back Xun Yu's letter and read it carefully again, word by word.

Xun You could see the problem, and so could Cao Cao.

"Is this a deliberate attempt to confuse people?"

Cao Cao looked indifferent and spoke softly to himself.

He knew, and had always known, that the Yingchuan Party was wary of him and wanted to kill him as soon as possible. Especially at this time, he had the ability to play a decisive role and determine the fate of the Han Dynasty!
The Yingchuan Party's fear of him is unprecedented, and their desire to control his heart is also unprecedented!

Xun Yu is a person who should not be underestimated. Was this letter written by him to create confusion or to deliberately lure people in?

Cao Cao couldn't make up his mind. The more he looked, the more annoyed he became. His eyes flashed with fierceness and his face became ferocious and violent.

"Mr. Cao."

Suddenly, a voice sounded at the side door.

Cao Cao instantly recovered as before. He turned to look at Jia Xu who was in disguise and said with a smile, "Sir, you are here. Please take a seat."

Although Cao Cao's expression changed very quickly, Jia Xu still saw it all.

Jia Xu came in calmly, sat down in the seat that Xun Yu had taken, and said, "Lord Cao, have you found out anything?"

Cao Cao shook his head and said, "Xun Gongda is not an ordinary person. It is difficult for me to judge whether it is true or false. I regret giving this letter to him now. Perhaps he can see some clues from it."

Jia Xu looked calm, his eyes fixed on the letters.

Some of these letters are true and some are false, but would the true part affect Cao Cao's judgment and prevent him from heading towards Luoyang?

Cao Cao had a strong tendency to avoid Luoyang, which stemmed from his fear of the young emperor who had been assassinated.

Cao Cao knew a lot of secrets, and these secrets prompted him to be more cautious, prudent, and even tread on thin ice.

Jia Xu didn't know all the secrets, and it was not in Cao Cao's character to be so afraid of a dead person.

Jia Xu knew that time could not be delayed for too long and he had to urge Cao Cao to make up his mind as soon as possible, so he simply laid it out and asked, "Lord Cao, are you still worried about a trap in Luoyang?"

Cao Cao knew what Jia Xu was going to say. He reached out and picked up the wine pot, took a sip, and said, "There are many things that I didn't have time to tell you. However, you must understand one thing. Many years ago, His Majesty was seriously ill and almost died. Since then, he has made full arrangements for his affairs after his death. Especially after the establishment of the crown prince, whether he himself or through me, he has been striving for a 'full-proof plan'. Now, His Majesty has been assassinated, and these back-up plans have not yet been revealed."

Jia Xu chose to go straight to the point and said, "Does Cao Gong still want to wait? The general has been through hundreds of battles and naturally knows that opportunities are fleeting. Back then, Xiang Yu and Emperor Gaozu agreed that whoever captured Xianyang would be king. Now, I also want to tell Cao Gong a thing, whoever enters Luoyang first will be king, and whoever enters later will be a minister or a bandit!"

Cao Cao remained expressionless, quietly savoring the wine in his mouth.

He had thought about these things a long time ago and thought about them very thoroughly.

But Luoyang City was like a huge nightmare, which made him afraid and unwilling to face it.

At least now, he wanted to wait and see, using time to build up his courage.

Jia Xu saw through Cao Cao's thoughts and thought to himself that he had to take an unconventional approach to force Cao Cao into a corner.

"The Grand Marshal is in a meeting, no one is allowed to enter!" Suddenly, a voice came from the guards outside the door.

"I have an urgent matter and need to see the Grand Marshal immediately!" followed by Cao Hong's anxious voice.

Seeing this, Jia Xu stood up and quietly left through the side door.

"Come in." Cao Cao said lightly as Jia Xu left.

Cao Hong hurried in, without anyone else, and went straight to Cao Cao's side, whispering in his ear: "General, the person I arranged under the bed heard a piece of news. The Imperial City sent a secret letter to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, saying that the Yulin Army is preparing to withdraw, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is required to return to the capital as soon as possible."

Cao Cao's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "Is Zhang Yang preparing to withdraw?"

Cao Hong said, "Yes. Our people sent a letter saying that Zhang Yang rebelled because he had no choice. People were not united and many wanted to leave. It was Zhang Yang who kept suppressing them. Now that he cannot take the palace, Zhang Yang has wavered and is preparing to evacuate."

Cao Cao once again lowered his head to look at the letter from Xun Yu in front of him. The content of the letter said that there was no problem with the palace and asked Cao Cao not to rush back to Beijing.

The Imperial Palace also asked the prince to return to the capital as soon as possible.

Is this to prevent him from entering Beijing?

But Cao Cao changed his mind and thought: "Is it deliberately done for me to lure me back to the capital?"

The two thoughts kept coming and going in Cao Cao's mind, without any definite plan.

After a while, Cao Cao walked out of the door with a sullen face, looking towards the direction of Luoyang City. His narrow eyes flashed violently, and he was still struggling hard.

Cao Hong waited for a long time and could not help but said, "Grand Sima, the brothers are waiting."

"What are you waiting for?" Cao Cao asked subconsciously.

Cao Hong looked at Cao Cao's profile and said hesitantly, "Wait for the Grand Marshal to take us back to Luoyang."

(End of this chapter)