Uncle Emperor, I am really not Wolong Zhuge!

Chapter 121 The battle between Cao and Liu goes to my Jiangdong!
Xuchang, in the Prime Minister's Mansion.

Cao Cao set up a banquet with wine and sat across from Xiahou Dun and Xun Yu to drink.

"The people in Xuchang are in panic, and the clans are rushing to escape, making it impossible to guard against it. Fortunately, the prime minister has arrived, and I feel a little at ease."

Xun Yu held up the wine glass with his thin hands and toasted to Cao Cao.

Cao Cao saw that although Xun Yu was no more than a month old, he was much thinner and older than when he left the capital during his southern expedition.

"The food and fodder on the front line and the tranquility of the court all depend on Wen Ruo's arrangements. I should thank you."

"Besides, without your contributions from thousands of miles away and your rumors slowing down Ma Chao's advancement, how would I have the chance to bring troops back to Xuchang? You and I are a perfect match, and our cooperation is seamless. As long as we work together, the world will be unfavorable!"

Cao Cao raised his wine glass and joined Xiahou Dun. The three of them clinked their glasses together and drank it all in one gulp.

"Don't worry, Xun Lingjun. Tomorrow I will send troops to patrol the four gates. Anyone who dares to escape from the city without permission, regardless of the princes or generals, will be punished according to the law!"

"These bastards, when they are having fun, they feel more at ease than anyone else. But when the court is in trouble, they run away faster than anyone else!"

Xiahou Dun said angrily, picked up the wine jug, and filled a cup each for the Prime Minister and Xun Lingjun.

"This is not necessary, not only is it not necessary, the ban will be lifted from tomorrow, but anyone who wants to leave the city can be free to do so!"

Cao Cao smiled slightly, raised the tea, took a sip, and tasted the taste carefully.

"Prime Minister, what are you talking about? Didn't you say before that you should strictly control the clans that fled Xuchang, and kill one as a warning if necessary, without mercy? Why did you change it again at this time..."

Xiahou Dun looked at Cao Cao in confusion, wondering what the prime minister's plan was.

"Prime Minister, once the ban is lifted, it is like a military defeat. A military defeat is like a mountain falling, and it is difficult to stop it. If the clans of Xuchang are allowed to leave the city and rush to follow suit, Xuchang may become an empty city in less than ten days..."

Xun Yu raised his tired eyes and stared into the prime minister's deep eyes, wondering what the prime minister was up to.

At this time, suddenly the captain of the Prime Minister's Mansion came into the room and said: "Prime Minister, Cao Xiu has come to see you and come back!"

Cao Xiu?

Xiahou Dun and Xun Yu opened their eyes wide, feeling a little uneasy in their hearts!
Cao Xiu was the vanguard officer sent by the Prime Minister to the outer city of Xuchang to set up defenses to stop Ma Chao's army when he was in Wancheng.Why did you suddenly come to Xuchang?
Could it be that he had already fought against Ma Chao and suffered a defeat?
Because it was impossible for Cao Xiu's 20 armored tiger cavalry to defeat Ma Chao's [-] Xiliang cavalry in one battle.And if we insist on defending the city, even if something happens, we will only send an envoy to Beijing to present the memorial. Is there any reason to leave the post without authorization and come to Xuchang in person?
The only explanation is that the soldiers and horses were defeated and the front line could not be defended. He went to the capital in person to apologize and asked the prime minister to be given a lighter sentence.

"Prime Minister, I will immediately bring my troops out of the city to block the hole left by Cao Xiu's retreat! Cao Xiu is still young, and I hope the prime minister will be given a lighter sentence and serve his crime well."

Xiahou Dun was closely related to Cao Xiu, and he was afraid that the prime minister would rule the country with justice and hold Cao Xiu accountable for his dereliction of duty, so he hurriedly put down his wine glass, stood up, and was about to lead his troops out of the city.

Xun Yu's color also changed. He held the wine glass in his hand with trembling hands. He turned to look at Cao Cao and said: "Prime Minister, although General Xiahou is brave, the two thousand cavalry are useless and cannot resist the enemy. I hope the Prime Minister will take advantage of the enemy." Before we arrive, leave the city quickly and head to Wancheng Camp to dispatch troops and horses and take control of the three armies!"

"Xun Yu is willing to die and defend the city, waiting for the Prime Minister to lead his troops!"

Xun Yu knew clearly that if Xuchang fell, it would be a shock to the sky and the earth. Not only would the Xuchang clan be shaken, but the Han Dynasty would also undergo great changes. At this critical moment, only by holding military power can we retain a glimmer of hope. So he urgently urged Cao Cao to leave the city as soon as possible and return to Wancheng to take charge of the army and horses.

"Haha, don't worry, Cao Xiu will definitely have good news for us when he comes. Let's drink this cup first and announce his entry into the palace!"

Cao Cao was calm and composed, without any confusion. The hand holding the flagon was as steady as a mountain, without even the slightest tremor.

Xiahou Dun and Xun Yu looked at each other, suppressing the anxiety and uneasiness in their hearts, and wrote that the prime minister gave wine, picked up the wine glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

"It is said that Cao Xiu has entered the palace!"

When Cao Cao saw that both Xiahou Dun and Xun Yu's wine glasses had reached the bottom, he nodded with satisfaction and turned to the captain in the palace.

The captain responded and went outside.

"Cao Xiu paid homage to the Prime Minister. Fortunately, he lived up to his command and completed the mission entrusted by the Prime Minister. He came here to return his mission!"

Not long after, Cao Xiu, wearing iron armor, came from a distance. The sound of his armor could be heard. He came to the prime minister with a sword in his hand, bowed and said.

"My thousand-mile horse is indeed extraordinary!"

Cao Cao saw that Cao Xiu was tall, handsome, and majestic.He turned to look at Xiahou Dun and Xun Yu and said with appreciation.Then he turned to look at Cao Xiu and said calmly: "How about the specific matter, please tell me in detail."

While talking, the general ordered the servant to add another chair and a set of tableware.

Cao Xiu did not sit down, but still stood there and said loudly: "I ran thousands of miles, penetrated behind the enemy's rear, attacked Ma Chao's grain-carrying army horses, and burned his grain depot in Yangping. In the end, I fought with Han Sui and seriously injured Han Sui. This We wanted to take his head, but enemy reinforcements arrived, so we did not dare to fight and retreated in a hurry."

Cao Cao laughed loudly, nodded repeatedly and said: "Okay! Excellent!"

"Although Han Sui cannot be killed, it is enough to shock Xiliang and make him restless day and night! Please sit down and have a few drinks. I will reward you later in the day in front of all the generals!"

Cao Xiu did not sit down, but still held up his hands and said again: "Besides this, there is another great happy event!"

"Ma Chao's army and horses left the stronghold three days ago. The squadron retreated to Xiliang and was lost."

"The danger of Ma Chao has been completely lifted from now on!"

Cao Cao stroked his long beard and laughed, without any surprise at all, as if he had already known about this.

Xiahou Dun and Xun Yu suddenly woke up!
It turns out that the Prime Minister had already predicted that Ma Chao's troops would retreat, so he ordered that from tomorrow on, Xuchang would lift the ban, and all officials, merchants, clans, and ordinary people could go out of Xuchang freely.

"The Prime Minister's divine calculation can lead to victory thousands of miles away. This is really an eye-opener for us!"

Xiahou Dun said excitedly.

Xun Yu's face also showed a sense of joy and relaxation that had not appeared in many days. He exhaled for a long time and showed his fatigue in one sentence: "The Xuchang clan can finally stay in Xuchang with peace of mind and no longer think about it day and night. We are going to Jizhou."

"Today, veteran, I can finally return a complete Xuchang to the prime minister!"

The corners of his eyes were moist as he spoke, and the two pearl-like teardrops rolled back and forth in his eyes several times, and finally fell to the ground uncontrollably.

In his 20-year military career, this is the first time he has experienced such joy and excitement.

Cao Cao suddenly stood up, walked to Xun Yu, and patted his shoulder gently: "Wen Ruo, you have worked hard and achieved great results. This reward is my gift to you!"

"Ha ha!"

The crisis in Xuchang was resolved, and Xun Yu laughed for the first time in more than ten years.

...Jiangdong, in the Wuhou Palace in Chaisang.

Sun Quan, the Marquis of Wu, also prepared a banquet with wine, but no one at the table came.He was left alone, watching the dishes being served one after another to the banquet, while concentrating and thinking about things.

"My lord, I am in Poyang. I was preparing to go to Jingzhou to meet Liu Bei and Zhuge Wende. I received an urgent message from my lord, so I came on the same journey."

Just as the last dish of the banquet was being served, a voice came from outside the palace.

The sound is honest and smooth, which is comfortable for the ears.

There is no need to report when you come to Wuhou Palace. The two people of Worry of the World enjoy such privileges, but their voices are calm and gentle, more peaceful than those of an elder, and less arrogant and arrogant like Zhou Yu.

"Zijing?"

"Please sit down quickly, I'm waiting for you!"

When Sun Quan heard the voice, he stood up in a hurry, walked out quickly, took the man's arm in his and sat down side by side.

"Thank you, my lord!"

Lu Su was flattered to receive such a favor and said with a bit of fear.

"Sit down first, I have something to discuss with you."

Sun Quan led Lu Su to the table and waited for him to sit down in his seat.Then he returned to his seat.

"There will be a meeting this morning. Zhang Zhao and other advisers suggested that I order Gong Jin to immediately send troops to capture Changsha County, and take advantage of the strong momentum to go further and capture the three counties of Guiyang that Cai Mao once occupied."

"I was hesitant in my heart, so I specially invited Zijing to come here and ask Zijing.

Sun Quan personally picked up the jug and bought Lu Su a glass of warm wine.

But Lu Su's face turned pale with fear from the moment he heard the first sentence: "My lord, Sun and Liu allied themselves to fight against Cao. This is an established policy. Why is there such a sudden change today, and we have to bear the charge of breaking the contract and betraying the alliance?"

Sun Quan shook his head and said slowly: "Cao Cao suffered a defeat in Fancheng and returned home defeated. Now he is stationing troops in Wancheng to compete with the horses."

"The advisers said that although Cao Cao had many soldiers and generals, his defeated army lacked morale and had no time to take care of himself. How could he have the power to attack Jingzhou again?"

"The reason why we gave up Changsha County in the past was just because of the pressure from Cao Cao's southward movement, we used retreat to advance, and drew Liu Bei from Jingzhou over, as a stumbling block for Cao Cao to go south to conquer Jiangdong. Now that the use value has been lost, why bother to follow him again? Are they polite? The nine counties of Jingxiang and Xiang are important places that my father and brother wanted to occupy day and night. How can we be lazy and not want to make progress? "

Lu Su raised his head and looked at Sun Quan. Sun Quan's eyes suddenly became blurred. Instead of meeting Lu Su's eyes, he kept wandering away and looking elsewhere.

"My lord, please tell me the truth. Is it you, my lord, who really wants to take back Jingzhou? Or is it the Jiangdong clan you belong to?"

Lu Su suddenly put down his wine glass and asked seriously.

"for this I……"

"them……"

Sun Quan was hesitant and at a loss for words, not knowing how to answer.

But this situation seemed to have given Lu Su the best answer.

"Liu Bei was able to push back Cao Cao's army of more than [-] men with [-] enemies. How could his powerful combat effectiveness and fighting will be matched by our Jiangdong soldiers?"

Lu Su forcibly controlled his emotions and continued: "There are also the 20 Southern Barbarian King's troops in Fancheng. Does the Lord think that I, Jiangdong, also have a chance to wipe out all the Southern Barbarian soldiers and end the Southern Barbarian King's foundation?"

Sun Quan composed himself and whispered: "The southern barbarian soldiers are ferocious, free and unrestrained. Such soldiers and horses can only fight on the battlefield, but they cannot stay in the city all day long. There will be chaos in the long run, so there is nothing to be afraid of."

"Although Liu Bei doesn't have many soldiers and horses, his combat power is not weak. I know it too, but I still think that I, Jiangdong, have the qualifications to share Jingzhou equally with Liu Bei. Why did we give him all the nine counties of Jingxiang and Xiangzhou, while we Didn't get even an inch of land? If my father and brother knew about it, I'm afraid they would also blame me."

Lu Su suddenly raised his head, looked at Sun Quan, and asked in a calm tone: "My lord, do you think that a battle between Cao Cao and Ma Chao will prevent Cao Cao from marching in the south, and we don't need to use Jingzhou Liu Bei as a Is it the buffer zone for Cao Cao’s southern expedition?”

Sun Quan nodded, then shook his head: "Ma Chao's Xiliang Iron Cavalry is no less powerful than the Southern Barbarian King Meng Huo's extraordinary troops. Moreover, this expedition is for revenge. The officers and soldiers of the three armies are all full of fighting spirit. "

"Even if this battle cannot make Cao Cao completely defeated and his soul is gone, it can at least make him severely damaged. Within ten years, he will not dare to invade other countries again."

Sun Quan inherited the legacy of his father and brother and made strategic plans in Jiangdong. Since Liu Jingsheng was in power in Jingzhou, he often invaded Jiangxia to test Jingzhou's strength.

Afterwards, Cai Mao and Zhang Yun took power, and Jingzhou gradually declined. Sun Quan was secretly happy and ordered Zhou Yu to go to Poyang Lake to train troops, waiting for the opportunity to annex Jingzhou.

But what he didn't expect was that Liu Bei, who was in Xinye, used a weak force to seize seventeen cities in a day and night, occupying Xiangyang City, forcing Jingxiang's clan to flee to the southern counties.

Within three days, he captured three southern counties and killed Cai Mao and Zhang Yun.

This made Sun Quan regretful that he had missed the opportunity. He wanted to attack Liu Bei and recapture Jingxiang, but he did not expect that his troops had not yet moved. Cao Cao's 50 troops had already taken the lead and marched directly to Fancheng.What's even more terrible is that Cao Cao actually blamed Jiangdong for Cao Chong's death and vowed to destroy Jingzhou first and then conquer Jiangdong.

So at this time, Cao Cao was defeated and retreated, and he had the desire to retake Jingzhou.

"Ma Chao is brave but not resourceful. Although his generals are powerful, he lacks an auxiliary military adviser to travel north and south. What's more terrible is that not all of Ma Chao's 20 troops are his close confidants. Instead, most of them are from Zhenxi. General Han Sui’s old corps.”

"Therefore, I predict that Ma Chao is no match for Cao Cao and will be defeated sooner or later. Once Ma Chao is defeated, he will turn around and continue his strategy of conquering Jingxiang and destroying Jiangdong."

"Cao Cao's retreat at this moment is just a temporary measure. Once the morale of the soldiers is restored, he will definitely intensify his efforts and attack Jingxiang Jiangdong!"

Sun Quan frowned slightly, raised his head and asked, "According to what Zijing said, the Sun and Liu families should still get along well with each other and reject Cao Cao together?"

Lu Su stretched out two fingers, nodded and said: "This has been an established national policy for 20 years and cannot be easily changed or abolished. In a few years, if someone in Jiangdong abandons this national policy, Jingzhou in Jiangdong will be destroyed!" "

Sun Quan pondered for a long time, then suddenly stood up and said slowly: "If Ma Chao is defeated, Xiliang will retreat. I am willing to keep my promise and join forces with Jingzhou Liu Bei to fight Cao Cao again!"

At this moment, a message came from outside the door!
Urgent report from Jiangdong scouts!

"Ma Chao from Xiliang, before he arrived at Xuchang, the food and grass were burned by the three thousand cavalry sent by Cao Cao. The food and grass could not be sustained, so the three armies had to retreat. Now all 20 soldiers and horses have retreated into Xiliang!"

Sun Quan was shocked and stared at Lu Su with shining eyes: "Zijing, you predict events like a god. You have already determined that Ma Chao will not win!"

Suddenly with a look of guilt on his face, he walked up to Lu Su and bowed deeply: "If Zijing hadn't reminded me, I almost made a big mistake! The Sun-Liu Alliance must persist."

Lu Su's frown had not completely relaxed, and he still bowed his head and remained silent at this moment.

What worries him is that his lord Sun Quan covets Jingzhou and has always been worried about it.I am afraid that if he is not around next time, or if he dies first, Sun Quan, who has no one to persuade him, will launch a war to annex Jingzhou again?
(End of this chapter)