I seek economic hegemony in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 441 King Sima Zhaoqin

Beginning on May 30, the political situation in Luoyang suddenly deteriorated.

The landmark event that worsened was Sima Zhao's return to Beijing with his troops.

There was no document instructing Sima Zhao to return to Beijing in any official procedure. Sima Zhao was immediately labeled as a rebel by King Cao Yu of Yan.

Sima Zhao announced to the outside world that Cao Yu, king of Yan, had hijacked the emperor. He received a secret letter from the emperor and came back to serve as king.

But in fact, this is not a far-reaching power grab.

Cao Yu was not fully prepared because Sima Yi left Luoyang in April. When Sima Yi was in Luoyang, Sima Yi's eyes were spread throughout Luoyang's senior officials, middle-level, and grassroots officials.

Under such an environment, Cao Yu did not dare to have any thoughts of seizing power.

I really started to have this idea in early May, when news came back that the Bingzhou troops had been defeated.

At this time, Luoyang had doubts about Sima Yi's personal myth of military invincibility, and Sima Yi's prestige was also questioned by many people.

He said that since the enemy was in the east of Hedong, Guanzhong must be empty. The tens of thousands of troops from Tongguan should take the opportunity to capture Guanzhong, cut off the enemy's retreat, and trap the enemy in Hedong County.

This investigation showed that Cao Shuang was wrongly accused. Cao Shuang did not have any liaison with the enemy, nor did he act disobediently.

The armor made a scraping sound, and the Wei troops armed with crossbows and swords filed in and quickly occupied every important place.

This led to this political power grab.

The guards at the palace gate stopped Sima Zhao, but Sima Zhao's men chopped him into pieces of meat, cut off his head, and hung it at the palace gate.

But the preparations for seizing power were too hasty. Some officials in Luoyang did side with Cao Yu, but the number was not large and they were all just outsiders.

On the first day of June, a side gate in Luoyang was opened, and Sima Zhao led his soldiers and horses into Luoyang City through this side gate.

What is intriguing is that Cao Yu, King of Yan, who has been idle at home for many years, was actually able to ascend to the hall today, and Cao Yu also publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the infantry on the Western Front.

The military figures arranged by Zhao Yan were unable to compete with the elite soldiers brought back from Nanyang by Sima Zhao.

Later, Sima Zhao, surrounded by troops, entered the palace.

At that time, Cao Fang and the ministers were discussing politics in the main hall, and the topic of discussion was the war situation on the Western Front.

What's more important is that the Han army actually reached Sizhou and cut off the salt road.

Later, Zhuge Dan also submitted some results of the investigation of Sima to Cao Fang.

He was also defined as an accomplice of Cao Yu and others who was trying to stop King Sima Zhaoqin from saving his life.

Then he listed Sima's evil deeds in deposing the emperor.

While the emperor and the ministers were discussing the matter, Sima Zhao had already arrived outside the palace with his army.

Cao Yu thought this was an opportunity, so he sent someone to visit Zhao Yan quietly to test Zhao Yan's tone.

The sound quickly alerted the emperor and ministers in the hall, until the guards at the entrance of the hall were eliminated and Sima Zhao appeared in the hall.

Anyone who stands in the way will be killed without mercy.

It happened that Zhao Yan was very dissatisfied with Sima Yi's military arrangements, and he hated Sima Yi's party members who were united and opposed to dissidents, so the two quickly reached an agreement.

This proposal was approved by many people.

The first words Sima Zhao said when he entered the hall were: "Your Majesty, forgive me! Your rescue is too late!"

As a result, this hasty political power grab ended hastily.

You have to admire Sima Yi's political sense. Before his death, he urgently recalled Sima Zhao and preserved the Sima family's power position in Luoyang. Although this power position has been questioned by more and more people, under Tu Dao's explanation, everyone is still willing to listen patiently to how Sima draws the cake.

The second day of June, Xuzhou.

At this time, Xuzhou had been beaten into a sieve by the Han army.

The only one that still maintains its original appearance is Pengcheng.

The reason why Pengcheng remained in its original appearance was because Li Heng felt that it was not cost-effective to attack Pengcheng by force, so he ordered Wang Ling to block all roads in and out of Pengcheng.

Even an earthworm trying to burrow into the city would be dug up and cut into pieces by the Han army.

On this day, Wang Ling was reviewing the army and suddenly received a letter from Master Sima.

He looked over it carefully.

Wang Guang said: "Father, this letter makes you confused?"

"This is the letter written by Master Sima to me."

"Oh, what did Master Sima say in the letter?"

"Master Sima now knows the situation in Xuzhou, but he believes that our army will inevitably withdraw in two months."

"Why did he say that?"

"He believed that Pengcheng's defense was like a copper wall and it was impossible for our army to capture Pengcheng. His main force was to rearrange the situation in Huainan County, which would be completed in early July. By then, troops would be mobilized to the Xuzhou battlefield, and a hundred thousand troops could be gathered to arrive in Xuzhou in August. But our army is tired from long battles and cannot compete with them.”

"If Master Sima dares to mobilize 100,000 troops to Xuzhou, Du Yuankai will definitely break into Ruxukou."

"It's useless. Ruxukou is too difficult to defeat. Once the Wei army completes the deployment of troops at Ruxukou and fills in Hefei, our army will be almost unable to capture Ruxukou." Wang Ling sighed and said, "You know of."

Wang Guang also fell silent.

His father and son were in Yangzhou before and were responsible for the military and political affairs of Yangzhou.

Speaking of which, the last time Sun Quan attacked Hefei, Wang Ling personally led the troops and killed Sun Quan, leaving a river of blood.

They know the situation in Hefei better than anyone else, and they also know the only way to enter Hefei, Ruxukou.

Otherwise, with Cao Wei's military strength in Yangzhou, he would have captured Ruxukou long ago, and why would he have to wait for Sun Quan to operate there for decades?

"We must attack Pengcheng now." Wang Guang said suddenly.

"The general's intention is to trap Pengcheng." Wang Ling said, "Incorporate other counties and counties to become our army's logistics base."

"Does the general want to swallow Xuzhou completely?"

"That's what it means." Wang Ling said.

"I don't think that's what it means." Wang Guang said, "The general did this for Sima Division to see. He just wanted to force Sima Division to rescue Xuzhou. The general didn't want us to fight the Wei army in Pengcheng. He thought Xuzhou was undefendable. , we got it today, and we will spend a lot of manpower and material resources to defend it tomorrow. Yangzhou is initially determined, and the rear is temporarily unstable. If we take Xuzhou, we may not be able to hold it."

"But Master Sima is writing this letter now because he obviously wants me to understand the current situation and withdraw our troops now. Moreover, according to the general's idea, if we really want to establish a foothold in the counties and counties of Xuzhou, these short two months are not enough. of."

Wang Ling fell into deep thought. He glanced at Peng Cheng and began to make calculations in his mind.

Sima Division's army will arrive in Xuzhou in August at the earliest. He still has two months to capture Pengcheng.

If we capture Pengcheng and completely capture Xuzhou, it will be a great achievement!

(End of this chapter)