Wei Ni

"Brother Zhonggong has lost a lot of weight."

Just as Guanqiu Jian was staring at the white crane in a daze, a faintly familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

Following the sound, I turned my head and saw Xiahou Hui bowing with a smile on his face.

I lost weight partly because of my busy work and partly because of you.
Guanqiu Jian was slightly stunned, and then smiled after thinking about it in his heart. He bowed and returned the greeting, saying, "It's Zhiquan who has returned! Zhiquan has been to Liaoze for more than a month and had a hard time along the way. Why didn't you send someone to inform me so that I could go to Liaoxi to meet him?"

"I have been in the army for a long time, and I am used to traveling. It is not difficult at all."

After explaining casually, Xiahou Hui came over and stood shoulder to shoulder with him, "I know that Brother Zhonggong has many things to do, and I don't have anything to do in Liaoxi, so I won't bother you to make a trip." Having said that, he didn't want to dwell on this issue, so he changed the subject and joked, "I came here without asking, so I hope I didn't disturb your pleasure of watching cranes by the water?"

"It's not that elegant. It's just a walk to digest the food after dinner."

Guanqiu Jian answered with a smile.

The two of them chatted casually and slowly returned to the post office.

When they entered the backyard of the post station, Guanqiu Jian learned that Xiahou Hui had not yet had his evening meal, so he asked his personal guards and the postmen to bring some food and drinks, so they ate and drank together.

To be precise, Guanqiu Jian was drinking slowly and talking about some matters, while Xiahou Hui was eating and listening.

For example, regarding the resettlement of the tribes of Youbeiping Wuhuan Chanyu Koloudun, Liaoxi Wuhuan Dudu Wang Huliu, and the matter of asking A Luopan to go to Luoyang to pay tribute. Guanqiu Jian claimed that he would follow Xiahou Hui's opinion and also invite A Luopan and Zuo Junbo to be generals. He had drafted the memorial and would sign it if Xiahou Hui had no objection after reading it.

Wei Shu was mentioned vaguely in the conversation.

He claimed that in order to encourage his soldiers to fight to the death in the future when attacking Liaodong, he planned to follow the example of "moving the wood to establish trust" and record the merits of all those who participated in the surrender and report them to the imperial court.

For example, the matter of the small settlement of Duanri Lujuan.

He did not criticize Xiahou Hui for his unauthorized behavior, but explained that the reason why those tribesmen were registered and settled in Youbeiping was because they would gather troops in Guzhu City soon and Fu Rong had no time to settle them properly. When he asked Xiahou Hui whether he wanted to give credit to Zhang Hu and Qian Hong, he also praised this move for adding households to the country and for his deep understanding of the principle of the army going out to seek profit.

This made Xiahou Hui quite embarrassed.

He quickly put on an apologetic smile and apologized several times for his unauthorized actions.

After these words, Xiahou Hui was full.

That was the time for the two of them to speak frankly and express their views on the most important issue - how to discuss the Liaodong strategy.

On this issue, Guanqiu Jian would certainly not speak first.

In any case, the person who wanted to overturn all the previous decisions in Luoyang was Xiahou Hui, and his strategy had been ruined by Xiahou Hui.

Xiahou Hui was also very self-aware of this.

After considering his words, he said, "Brother Zhonggong, I went to Liaoze to survey the terrain, but the results were disappointing. Crossing Liaoze is too costly and is not advisable. If our army does not want to attack Liaosui, we can only take a detour from the north side of Liaoze to cross the Liaoshui River and besiege Xiangping City."

"Um"

Maybe it was because of his habitation to nourish his body and spirit, Guanqiu Jian, who was in charge of Youzhou, was not surprised by fame or disgrace. He just uttered a long nasal sound and waited quietly for Xiahou Hui's next words.

Seeing this, Xiahou Hui sighed and said softly, "I believe Brother Zhonggong also knows that you and I are both ministers promoted by His Majesty. Now he sent us to fight against the rebellious Liaodong, hoping that you and I can accumulate merits. Therefore, in the battle against Liaodong, we can only win and not lose! If we lose, you and I will be criticized or dismissed, which is secondary. But if the officials in the court question Your Majesty's inability to judge people, that is the unforgivable capital crime for you and me."

"Ugh!"

Hearing this, Guanqiu Jian couldn't help but sigh.

A trace of worry crept up his eyebrows, making the dense crow's feet at the corners of his eyes even deeper.

Because Xiahou Hui's words touched his heart.

With the previous incident of Bi Gui losing troops in Bingzhou and humiliating the country's prestige, he would not allow the expedition to Liaodong to end in failure!
This is also the main reason why he does not care about power and is willing to tolerate Xiahou Hui.

In particular, it was he who initiated the expedition against Liaodong.

"only."

Xiahou Hui did not stop talking, nor did he hide his worries about the war. "To be honest, Brother Zhonggong, before coming to Youzhou, I was confident that I could defeat the Liaodong captive Gongsun. But after seeing Liaoze with my own eyes, I no longer had any hope of winning. The Art of War by Sun Tzu says, 'Those who were good at fighting in the past first made themselves invincible, waiting for the enemy to be defeated. The invincibility lies in oneself, and the victory lies in the enemy.' Gongsun has the advantage of time and place. I can't find a way to 'defeat the enemy', but I have discovered that it is difficult for our army to even be 'invincible'."

"I know what Zhiquan means."

Nodding his head, Guanqiu Jian said sadly, "This war is a battle to defeat the enemy thousands of miles away. Our army has three major drawbacks. The food route is too long, the troops are easily tired, and the troops are insufficient and it is difficult to attack the enemy."

"Yes, it's just as Brother Zhong Gong said. But there is one more thing, time is running out and we can't fight for too long."

Xiahou Hui agreed and added, "I've asked people who have been to Liaodong. It's common for snow to accumulate three feet in winter there. Even if our army successfully crosses the Liao River and besieges Xiangping, the capital of Liaodong, we must break through before the severe winter. Otherwise, the heavy snow will block the roads and the coast will be frozen. Not to mention the difficulty of preparing winter clothes and cutting wood for heating, even food and fodder will be difficult to secure."

This time, Guanqiu Jian fell silent again.

He knew that what Xiahou Hui had just said was to explain why their previous strategies were not used; it was also to persuade him to agree with and implement the "food consumption" tactics proposed by Liaoxi Governor Fu Rong.

What he just couldn't accept was
Is it really that difficult to conquer Liaodong, which is just a remote place?

Although the territory of the four counties of Liaodong is not small, it is a cold and bitter place with only a small population!
Even though Gongsun had ruled Liaodong for three generations, it was not possible that everyone would die for him! When the King of Wei, who had inherited the Mandate of Heaven, came to attack, it was impossible for him to hold out for too long!

As long as we can find an opportunity to fight him fair and square once or twice and defeat him, there will be no shortage of surrenders by then!
Gongsun Yuan was still nominally a subject of the State of Wei.

The soldiers and people under his rule will not feel sad about the destruction of their country and the demise of their families, and they will not have much resistance to changing the governor of Liaodong.

But if they followed the strategy planned by Xiahou Hui and Fu Rong, allowing Gongsun Yuan time to gather all his forces to resist the royal army, would it be so easy for the Wei army to find an opportunity to fight them in the field?
Even if we find an opportunity, can we be sure of victory when the enemy outnumbers us?
You know, the Liaodong soldiers and generals, since Gongsun Du, have been fighting with the surrounding small countries or nomadic tribes, and their military preparations have never been relaxed.

This so-called "sound first and then attack" might just backfire! Originally, according to his previous plan, since there were no people from Yuguan to Liaosui, it would be easy for the army to sneak through, and then use the imperial edict to lure Gongsun Yuan to the Liao River. Regardless of whether he accepted the edict or not, his army could successfully force him to fight in the field and attack Liaosui - after all, Gongsun Yuan did not have time to gather all his troops, so his army would not be at a disadvantage in terms of manpower.

Nowadays!

Not only would they alert the enemy to the hundreds of small settlements, but they would also have to give Gongsun Yuan time to prepare for war in advance.

Isn't this a disguised way of increasing the difficulty of the war and magnifying the disadvantages of our army?
It is true that Liaodong is not rich in resources, and the tactic of consuming grain is not without its merits; but it is undeniable that this tactic is also a double-edged sword that hurts both the enemy and oneself!
A dangerous plan that adds countless variables!
If this strategy is implemented, failure will lead to complete failure. Xiahou Hui really does not leave himself any way out.

In a moment, Guanqiu Jian's mind was filled with a hundred thoughts.

But he clearly knew that the advantages and disadvantages of this strategy were directly proportional, and he had no way to refute Xiahou Hui.

It's not that he is restricted by the duties of the chief and deputy generals, but that he has no military experience and has no qualifications or confidence to question.

Although Xiahou Hui, who was younger, had only been in the military for a few years, he had already participated in many battles and accumulated many military exploits.
This made Guanqiu Jian feel very depressed and powerless.

In other words, the most helpless and painful thing in life is that you know clearly what is right and wrong, but in the end you are forced to agree and make the wrong choice.

Therefore, he couldn't help but feel angry at Xiahou Hui for not fighting back.

It is said that for military lieutenant generals, as their time in service gets longer, their spirit and courage will decrease day by day.

Because of more experience, I know that everything is uncertain, and I am not sure which will come first, tomorrow or an accident, so my temperament becomes cautious.

But why doesn't this practice apply to Xiahou Hui?

He, who had been accused of being greedy and taking risks in the past, was actually the exact opposite, growing bolder day by day.

Nowadays, everyone dares to risk everything in a war where the success or failure is related to the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers and the reputation of the emperor's ability to judge people. If you fail, you will die!
To put it nicely, it means being decisive and making decisions when necessary.

But to put it bluntly, isn't it just acting recklessly and taking a risky move?
With such thoughts, Guanqiu Jian couldn't help feeling a little resentful, and he understood more and more why Emperor Cao Rui and other officials in the court often criticized Xiahou Hui.

Of course, now is not the time to be sulking.

He took several deep breaths quietly, and after suppressing his anger, he said softly, "I know what Zhiquan means, and I don't deny that Governor Fu's strategy of 'consuming grain' is quite desirable. But... to be honest with Zhiquan, I think this strategy has too many variables and is too dangerous. War is not a joke, Zhiquan should not have a gambling mentality!"

I knew you would play it safe!

Hearing this, a glimmer of understanding flashed across Xiahou Hui's eyes.

Just as Guanqiu Jian knew his style of doing things quite well, he also knew Guanqiu Jian's character well.

I also know what Guanqiu Jian is worried about.

He had no experience in the army, and as soon as he was sent to participate in the Liaodong invasion, he was definitely not confident. It was this lack of confidence that made him cautious and cautious, fearing that he would fail the war and fail the emperor Cao Rui's trust.

But he also forgot one thing: there is no such thing as stability in this world.

The only constant in the world is constant change!

There is nothing wrong with being prudent, seeking stability, thinking comprehensively, and considering every detail.

But if you let these factors restrict your hands and feet, limit your vision, and wear out your decisiveness, then you are wrong!
Or perhaps, this is the root cause of his ideological conflict with Guanqiu Jian.

It turns out that the starting points and styles of doing things of military lieutenant generals and government officials are different.

"As Brother Zhong Gong said, I have a heart for gambling."

Without further explanation, Xiahou Hui spoke out his thoughts frankly and said slowly, "But Brother Zhonggong may have forgotten that the attack on Liaodong was originally a gamble; Your Majesty's appointment of you and me as generals is also a gamble."

Uh?
These words made Guanqiu Jian slightly stunned.

After a moment, he came to his senses. He nodded in agreement, stroked his beard and smiled bitterly.

Yes, despite opposition from many important officials in the court, Emperor Cao Rui forcefully pushed forward the plan, and appointed an old friend from the palace who had no military experience and a young upstart from Qiaopei as generals. Wasn't it a gamble?
But the emperor's gamble was based on considerations of the power of the temple. How could a minister gamble?
Knowing that the emperor is gambling, shouldn't you and I act more cautiously?

Guanqiu Jian, who was determined to "kill himself in revenge" for Emperor Cao Rui, still refused to give in. When he was considering his words to persuade him, Xiahou Hui spoke again, making him silent again.

"In the former Han Dynasty, Huo Qubing conquered Langjuxu. Now Emperor Wu of Han is fighting against the Wuhuan in the north. Brother Zhonggong, have you ever thought about this?"

Guanqiu Jian, who had read many books from ancient times to the present, certainly knew about these two wars. He had also analyzed them privately since he was transferred to Youzhou, so he also knew what Xiahou Hui meant.

It's simply saying that Huo Qubing and Cao Cao made the same gamble.

The Battle of Fenglangjuxu happened a long time ago, and the Han Empire at that time is incomparable to the Wei Kingdom today; but the Battle of Bailang Mountain is of great reference value for the current expedition against Liaodong.

When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao, wanted to launch a northern expedition against the Wuhuan in the three counties, there were countless objections, but Cao Cao still insisted on doing it.

And the bet was right!
Even after returning victorious, Cao Cao rewarded many of his ministers who refuted the war, thinking that their rebuttals were correct, but facts speak louder than words. If Cao Cao had not taken this gamble, Hebei would not have been so stable and revived so quickly, becoming the foundation of the Wei Kingdom.

Moreover, Guanqiu Jian guessed that Xiahou Hui would come up with a reason that he could not refute.

"Brother Zhonggong, the battle against Liaodong was a battle that our army had to fight against the enemy thousands of miles away. The military strength, weather, terrain and even people were not in our Wei State, and we were defeated by three points before the battle. In this case, we should not formulate tactics according to ordinary battle examples. If we do not take extraordinary measures and bet everything on it, our army will have no chance of winning."

As expected, seeing his silence, Xiahou Hui said leisurely, "I know that Brother Zhonggong is cautious and strives for stability. I also know that military affairs should not be taken lightly. However, the chance of our army's victory now can only be found in danger. The Book of Changes says, 'When the Yi is exhausted, change, and change leads to success.' Our army is in trouble now, so we should find another way and not follow the rules."

After a pause, Xiahou Hui looked him in the eye and added, "Besides, Your Majesty and Brother Zhonggong are in their prime, and I am not even thirty years old!" (End of this chapter)