Survival Three Kingdoms

Chapter 720
What kind of tricks did Zhou Cang play?Isn't Liu Xie dead?Cao Pi and Zhou Cang are competing, which one is true and which one is false?It has to be said that Zhou Cang's trick of not proclaiming himself emperor and not setting up a new king is really clever. Regardless of whether the restored one is true or not, he slapped Cao Pi and Liu Bei severely, and they are both false emperors.The situation is changing so fast, Liu Bei's battle for revenge has become Sun Quan's battle for justice.

A new question arises again, the restoration of Liu Xie, should we send envoys to congratulate and pay tribute to become ministers?Is it appropriate to call Cao Pi a vassal just now, and then vote for Liu Xie?I heard that Zhou Cang resigned as King of Political Affairs, Liu Xie made him the Duke of Fu, and Cao Pi canonized himself as King of Wu. Do you want to cut off the throne again?
Sun Quan felt that he was the weakest.Alas, the weak have no diplomacy, bear with it!Sun Quan was even a little bit pleased. Liu Bei regarded himself as orthodox in the Han Dynasty, and now the real emperor has been restored. Isn't this a slap in the face?Let's see how your big-eared thief ends up.

After thinking about it again and again, Sun Quan sent Zhang Wen, who had been an envoy to Xudu, to congratulate him, present a heavy gift, identify the authenticity of the emperor, and explore Zhou Cang's attitude. It is inevitable to offer help to Zhou Cang.

On the second day of September, good news came from the front. General Anton He Qi came to report: In order to connect with Wuximan, Liu Bei ordered people to open up the mountain between Xiaoting and Wuling. What he thought he was doing was a secret, but was carefully detected.Therefore, Quan Cong set up his posture in Jiangling, pretending to fight with all his strength, but He Qi and Ma Zhong led five thousand Shanyue and five thousand Danyang elites to ambush on the mountain road.When Sha Moke led the barbarians through, He Qi cut off both ends of the road with boulders and giant trees, and smashed the barbarians with fire, bows and arrows from both sides, and Wuxi barbarians were almost wiped out.Shamoke is powerful and brave. He opened a path with iron bones in his hand and led nearly a hundred of his men to escape. They fell into an ambush set by Ma Zhong. Because Shamoke was too ferocious to be captured alive, he could only shoot randomly. shoot.

Sun Quan was overjoyed when he heard the news. He wiped out the Wuxi barbarians, cut off Liu Bei's claws, and improved the morale of Jiangdong's soldiers and horses.He Qi was promoted to General Pingnan, in charge of the military affairs of the four counties in Jingnan, and Ma Zhong was his deputy.Sun Quan was puzzled, Ma Zhong was an expert in setting up ambushes, he first captured Guan Yu, and then beheaded Sha Moke, as if he could always predict the general's route.

Compared with Sun Quan, Liu Bei is now being hit repeatedly.The attack was blocked, and I wanted to join forces with Shamoke, but I didn't expect that Samoke was destroyed, and he lost his flank support. The most unbearable thing for him was that Liu Xie was restored in Qingzhou. If Liu Xie returned, then he would become a thief. People, become the laughing stock of the world?Liu Bei hated Zhou Cang, why he always had to fight against himself; secretly scolded Cao Pi for being incompetent, why couldn't he even look down on Liu Xie.

Zhuge Liang cut off all sources of news in Yizhou, and the common people and officials did not know what was going on in the world.But the army was out, and the news couldn't be suppressed, so they could only find a way to remedy it.Liu Bei declared to the outside world that Liu Xie was indeed dead, and that the emperor in Qingzhou was a fake, but Zhou Cang found a substitute who looked like Liu Xie, a puppet in Zhou Cang's hands, and Zhou Cang would be like Cao Pi sooner or later. Also persecuted the fake Liu Xie Zen position.

Can the Son of Heaven be a fake?Although Liu Xie was no longer the object of attention, what happened in the past year was too unimaginable.The Son of Heaven, also known as a hot topic.

Liu Bei began to hesitate, should he continue to march.

In Xudu, Cao Pi's face sank like water.Reminiscent of what happened in Hanoi, Cao Pi dared to conclude that Liu Xie had fallen into Zhou Cang's hands, and the two dead bodies must be fake, but he didn't know how Zhou Cang used tricks to save people from under Wu Zhi's nose, and among them, the celestial master The teacher acted as an accomplice, perhaps was used.Without personal and physical evidence, Cao Pi could not embarrass Zhang Lu for the sake of his own face.Even Liu Xie's sons can only be looked after well, which is tasteless.

The civil and military ministers dare not show their anger, insisting that Liu Xie is a fake?It's just deception.There's no good way to do it but to ignore it, which requires looking away.Jia Xu coughed lightly: "Your Majesty, I heard that Liu Bei sent troops to Jingzhou after he proclaimed himself emperor. The two armies are now facing each other in Jiangling. This is a great opportunity for me to capture Xiangyang. Why don't you send General Cao Ren's troops out of Fancheng and General Wenpin's troops out of Jiangxia?"

"The Taiwei's words are exactly what I want..."

"No, no." Cao Hong shook his head. "I...my minister thought that Liu Bei had sent all the Shu troops, and Yizhou was empty. This is a great opportunity to march into Hanzhong and seize Bashu. Miaocai's revenge has not been avenged yet!"

Cao Pi squinted at Cao Hong, suppressing the anger in his heart. "Not to mention that Hanzhong is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the transportation of food and grass is inconvenient. Zhou Cang is bound to take advantage of the opportunity to enter when the army is going out. My intention has been made, and there is no need to discuss the capture of Xiangyang." After saying that, he walked away.

Cao Hong was in a daze, not knowing why.The conflict between Cao Hong and Cao Pi has a long history. Cao Pi once borrowed money from Cao Hong but was rejected. Cao Hong often said that Cao Pi was wrong in front of Cao Cao and pushed out Sima Yi. cavalry general.It's time to settle accounts after autumn. Even in order to cut the power of the Cao clan, Cao Pi must first strike Cao Hong with the sword.

Within a few days, it was revealed that Cao Hong's confidantes accepted bribes, bought and sold official titles, and robbed other people's fields.Cao Pi was furious and imprisoned Cao Hong. After careful investigation, it was found that Cao Hong had occupied a large amount of land in Qiao County, so Cao Pi wanted to question Cao Hong.

The Cao clan's intercession failed, and the leader Xiahou Dun was ill in bed. They could only ask Cao Pi's mother, Bian.The Bian family cried and reprimanded Cao Pi. Cao Hong followed Cao Cao and made many military exploits, and saved Cao Cao's life several times in the chaos. Although Cao Hong was greedy for money, it was nothing compared to his achievements. With the support of the clan, Cao Wei's country is in danger. Instead of watching Cao Pizhong betray his relatives, it is better to take care of himself first.

Cao Hong was saved from death and was demoted to a commoner, and his official position, title, and fief were all taken away. The Bian family interceded again, and Cao Pi returned Cao Hong's family wealth.

After this incident, the Cao clan, who had been somewhat complacent and unrestrained, knew a little bit of fear, and did not dare to bully others, but they inevitably complained.And the old officials who followed Cao Cao finally understood that once the emperor and the courtiers, Cao Pi would not show affection to the old officials because of his past achievements, and he should keep a low profile in front of the emperor.

On the second day of September, Cao Ren attacked Xiangyang with Niu Jin as the vanguard. Before Wenpin arrived, Niu Jin defeated Chen Shao and took Xiangyang, but most of the population and supplies were transferred to Nanjun.

On the sixth day of September, the great general Xiahou Dun died of illness at home. Cao Pi wore plain clothes to mourn Xiahou Dun and gave him the posthumous title of Zhonghou.

(End of this chapter)