Ji Han Da Sima

Chapter 123: Giving food to soldiers
June, the ninth year of Jian'an.

In summer, it rains heavily, the water in Zhangjiang swells, and heavy rain falls.

On the hills southeast of Yecheng, Cao's big scroll stands in the rain, letting the wind and rain blow.

Cao Cao was wearing a raincoat, his fat body stretched the raincoat into an arc, pulled the bamboo hat with his hand, and asked: "Have all the soldiers moved to camp?"

Cao Hong wiped the rainwater from his face and said: "I have informed Duke Ming that all the soldiers have moved to higher ground. The Zhang River has reached a high level. We can destroy the dams and break the Zhang River to flood the city."

"Well!" Cao Cao squinted, looked at Yecheng in the distance, and sighed: "If it weren't for Yecheng to be conquered, I wouldn't want to do anything that goes against the harmony of others."

After Cao Cao defeated the two Yuans last year, he withdrew his troops back to Xuchang in order to let the two Yuans kill each other.As expected, Yuan Tan defeated Yuan Shang and surrendered to Cao Cao.Although Cao Cao knew that Yuan Tan did not sincerely surrender, he asked his son Cao Zheng to marry Yuan Tan's daughter and represent Yuan Tan as the governor of Qingzhou to reassure him.

After Yuan Tan received help from Cao Cao, he led his troops to attack Yuan Shang.However, he was defeated by Yuan Shang and was trapped in Pingyuan City.Cao Cao learned that Yuan Shang was besieging Pingyuan and expected that Yecheng was empty, so he led his troops deep into Hebei and surrounded Yecheng.After being unable to defeat the enemy for a long time, he also defeated the peripheral cities such as Handan and Yiyang. In order to defeat Yecheng, Cao Cao decided to flood Yecheng with Zhangshui River.

Cao Hong received Cao Cao's instructions, signaled his sergeants to hold high the red flag, and sent his sergeants to inform Cao's soldiers upstream to destroy the embankment.

After a while, a flash of lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, and the dazzling electric light penetrated the dark sky, and then a rolling thunder came over, which seemed to shatter everyone's ears. Cao Cao subconsciously took a step back, Cao Hong secretly He helped Cao Cao.

In the midst of the thunder and lightning, Cao Cao looked at the people who were gradually getting used to it and said with a smile: "Why are you so afraid of such thunder?"

Guo Jia wiped the rain off his head and said, "How can we mortals compare with Ming Gong?"

"The saint is bound to change with thunder and wind, how can we not be afraid?" Dong Zhao also echoed.

When Cao Cao heard the familiar words, he immediately thought of Liu Bei's words when the green plums were cooking wine, and regretted that he had been deceived by Liu Bei at that time.

But looking at Yecheng in the distance, Cao Cao couldn't help laughing. So what if Liu Bei deceived him? He was about to unify Hebei, while Liu Bei was probably still sighing in Jiangdong.After he has conquered the north, he will send his troops south, and he will definitely capture Liu Bei, scold him, and see his angry face.

While laughing, the sound of floods followed and filled everyone's ears.The Zhangshui bursting its banks was like a wild horse running wild. The endless water flowed down, devouring everything visible on both sides of the Zhangshui in the eyes of everyone.

Cao Cao laughed there, and the water rushed towards Yecheng. They easily destroyed Cao's army's previous fortifications and poured into the city.The screams that came one after another in Ye City were enough to frighten the officers and soldiers of Cao's army outside the city.

Looking at Yecheng washed away by the flood, Cao Cao suddenly felt the urge to urinate. Regardless of etiquette, he took out the bird and peeed in the wind. The dark yellow urine mixed with rainwater and spilled on the ground, forming a small swamp depression.

Cao Cao peed and said: "Yuan Shaozhen gave birth to two good sons, and they fought in the plains. Yecheng was empty, and I happened to take it. If I take Yecheng, I can send a message to Jizhou."

Facing Cao Cao's rude actions, the civil servants and generals behind him turned a blind eye.Cao Hong looked at Yecheng that had been poured into the Zhang River, raised his hands and asked, "May I ask Duke Ming, now that the Zhang River has flooded Ye City, do you want to wait until the water recedes to besiege Ye City?"

Cao Cao felt the smoothness after relieving himself and said: "How could Zi Lian not know how to encircle Wei and rescue Zhao? Now that the Zhang River has poured into Ye City, how difficult is it to break the city? But after the city is broken, how can we lure Yuan Shang to attack. Now we should besiege Ye City , attack Yuan Shang to rescue troops, and attack various counties."

After speaking, Cao Cao smiled and said: "The food and grass in the city are all wet and it is difficult to eat. If the city is surrounded for a long time, there will be chaos in the city, so why waste the lives of the soldiers."

"promise!"

While Cao Cao was discussing military matters with everyone, Guo Jia received a letter from Xuchang. After checking it, he said: "Ming Gong, Sun Quan sent an envoy to ask for help."

Hearing this, Cao Cao stopped his smile and asked, "But who is Liu Bei?"

"Exactly!" Guo Jia nodded slightly and said: "According to Cai Mao's letter, Liu Biao wanted to make Liu Qi the eldest son, and Liu Bei proposed that Liu Qi be the governor of Yangzhou. They were worried that Liu Cong would not be able to ascend the throne, so they asked Liu Qi and Liu Bei to return to Yuzhang and take the opportunity. Sun Quan sent an envoy to say that Liu Bei would lead the people from Jingzhou to invade Danyang, and he would lead his troops to occupy it. However, the east of the Yangtze River is barren, and wars have been going on all year round, and the government treasury is short of food. We sincerely ask Jianghuai to provide food and grass."

After a pause, Guo Jia looked at the content of the letter, frowned and said: "Sun Quan said that his army was small and he had few generals. Now he has led his troops to resist Liu Bei. However, he is worried that Liu Bei will divide his troops from the north of the Yangtze River to seize Lujiang River. He hopes that Duke Ming will provide him with food. Send troops to rescue him."

Cao Cao came down from the hills and asked, "Is the army in Jiangbei led by Yun Chang?"

"No!" Guo Jia shook his head and said: "Guan Yu led his troops to march south to Luling and besieged the brothers Sun Bi and Sun Fu in Gan County. Leading the army north of the Yangtze River were Huo Jun and Huo Zhongmiao, the governors of Poyang."

Cao Cao stopped and asked, "What is Huo Jun's achievement? He was able to divide his troops and unite the army?"

Guo Jia pondered for a while and said: "Huo Jun is from Nanjun, Jingzhou. He first served in Nanjun and was later appointed to join the army by Liu Biao. He entered Jiangxia and offered advice to assist Huang She, shot Xu Kun and beheaded the enemy Lingcao. He accompanied the army in Yuzhang and broke firewood. Sang has made great achievements. He defended Pengze for several months, defeated Sun Quan's army and killed Huang Gai, Song Qian, Pan Zhang and other generals. At that time, Peng Hu, a giant bandit in Poyang, was in chaos, and Huo Jun only spent more than a month to surrender the bandits of Peng Lize."

Cao Cao stroked his beard and said with a smile: "You have outstanding military exploits. If you serve under Gu Zhang, you can be ranked lower than Mancheng, Wenze, and Wenyuan."

Cao Cao seemed to be praising Huo Jun, but his words actually contained a sense of ridicule, and he was quite disapproving of Huo Jun's military exploits.

Guo Jia heard Cao Cao's disapproval and reminded him: "Ming Gong, Huo Jun is not a fool. The fact that he is respected by Liu Bei and Liu Biao shows that he is capable."

"Ok!"

Cao Cao crossed the mud and asked, "Fengxiao, do you think you can send troops and provide food to save Sun Quan alone?"

Guo Jia followed Cao Cao and said thoughtfully: "Liu Biao has occupied the land of Jingzhou. If he is allowed to conquer Yangzhou, he will be in danger up and down the river. When our army goes south, Liu Biao and Wu Chu will compete with it, and it will be difficult for our army to defeat it. Therefore. Jia thought he would save Jiangdong, but he couldn't let Liu Biao get his way."

"Liu Biao is in vain and is nothing to worry about!"

Cao Cao slowed down and said worriedly: "Cao Cao is afraid that Liu Bei will inherit Liu Biao's legacy, support the two states, and become an enemy of Gu."

As he spoke, Cao Cao cursed and said: "Liu Biao is really old and confused, and he doesn't see the end of the world alone? How can Liu Bei be a good man? He has no faith and no righteousness. He turned against me and killed the chariots and captured Xuzhou. Liu Biao honored Liu Bei. , be like raising a snake, it will eventually devour the master!"

Guo Jia was silent. He knew that Liu Bei's backstabbing really hurt his father's heart. After gnawing at his heart and soul, he was deceived by Liu Bei even with his people and the city.

After Cao Cao vented his emotions, he asked: "Fengxiao, what generals and commanders are there in Henan that you can dispatch?"

"Report to Duke Ming, Xiahou Jianwu (Xiahoudun), Xiahou Governor (Xiahouyuan), Yu Pianjiang (Yu Jin) and other generals are available." Guo Jia replied.

"Yuan Rang?"

When Cao Cao heard Xiahou Dun's name, he quickly said: "Let the talented people control the rules and send seven thousand troops southward. Order Liu Fu to mobilize Jianghuai grain and grass and Sun Quan to defeat Liu Bei's plan to capture Danyang."

"promise!"

ps: there is one more chapter

(End of this chapter)