Back to the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 256
Everyone praised Jian Yong's strategy and thought it was a feasible strategy.

……

Two days ago, the sixth day of February
Cao Cao was shocked when he learned that Shanyang County and Rencheng County had been captured by Zhang Liao and Wei Yan, and that Feng Yao had personally led an army into Lu County regardless of the safety of Runan.

Xi Zhong said: "Feng Yao is holding on to the momentum of victory, I am worried that Cheng Yu and Li Dian will not be able to resist! My lord, please hurry up and send generals to meet the enemy!"

Cao Cao pondered for a long time, looked at Xi Zhong, shook his head, and said: "Zhicai, I also want to send, but in the current battle with Zang Ba, we only have the upper hand. If we send another general, how can our army attack?" Go to Qingzhou?"

"Then please, my lord, quickly evacuate Yanzhou's population, money and food, and retreat all to the east of Linyi! Even if Feng Yao and Lu Bu conquer the entire Yanzhou, there will be no population to develop! As long as it can be delayed for a year or two, wait Yuan Shao's battle in the north is over, let's have a decisive battle with Feng Yao!" Xi Zhong said.

"If this is the case, how can we take out the food and grass that we are already in short supply for the people to eat? Also, what about the family members of the counties and counties in Yanzhou who are living in Juancheng? Will they also be evacuated?" Cao Cao said .

"Of course we have to evacuate all of them!! We first sent people to spread the rumor that Feng Yao's attack on Yanzhou would cause the city to be massacred. The people will be afraid, and then we will move all the people to Qingzhou. Men are forced to join the army. As long as they join the army, their families can get food and will not starve to death. They are also promised high-ranking officials and rich salary, and the people are allowed to plunder the captured territories. If they can capture the county, the leader will no matter what his previous position , anyone can become a county magistrate!" Xi Zhong said.

"This..., this will make me infamy again!" Cao Cao was startled, staring at Xi Zhong dumbfounded, not daring to imagine the result of Xi Zhong's vicious scheme, remembering the painful lesson of Tu Xuzhou before, Cao Cao I couldn't help but shudder!There was a trace of anger slowly in the eyes looking at Xi Zhong.

"Zhicai! I have listened to your strategy, treated the scholars well, and vowed that I would never slaughter civilians recklessly in the future, but now you let me do such a thing. The family members of the officials in Juancheng were killed by me. If I come to Qingzhou by force, how will the chiefs of Yanzhou counties who are still loyal to me treat me? How will the people who were killed in Qingzhou be willing to obey me? Zhicai, I am so disappointed in you, you are hurting me Ah!! Since the Battle of Puyang, I have listened to your every plan, and the result is that I am now being chased and beaten by an unknown junior!! But I have to retreat!!!" Cao Cao said angrily.

Xi Zhong was shocked and said: "My lord!! You can't blame me! Think about it, which time the failure was due to my scheme?? I don't know why things always go against us in the end. It’s like an invisible big hand is helping Feng Yao!!”

"Stop talking! Go down, I'm going to pass on Xun Yu!!" Cao Cao became more angry and shouted.

Xi Zhong was stunned, his expression extremely painful, he gritted his teeth and shook his head, and exited Cao Cao's big tent, but just reached the door of the big tent, he fell to the ground with a plop!
When Cao Cao was furious, he also felt that his tone was a bit harsh, and when he saw Xi Zhong fell to the ground, he ran over in shock and shouted: "Come on!!"

"Zhicai! Zhicai!! What's wrong with you!" Cao Cao shouted anxiously as he leaned down.

Cao Cao and two guards who heard the sound turned Xi Zhong upside down, and found that Xi Zhong's nose was bleeding from the fall, and hurriedly cut off the corner of his robe with a sword to help Xi Zhong wipe the blood.

The guard sniffed and said: "My lord, he's fine, he just passed out!" As he spoke, he pinched Xi Zhong again, and soon Xi Zhong groaned and opened his eyes.

"My lord! I'm sorry! This subordinate made you angry again!" Xi Zhong said.

Cao Cao ordered someone to help Xi Zhong to the table, and said with shame: "Zhicai, I know your loyalty, I just feel unhappy, I vented my anger on you, don't mind, I have decided, at this critical moment, you must use Some extreme measures, otherwise all our previous efforts will be in vain! I am not willing to fail like this! Please cheer up and continue to advise me, I need your help!"

Xi Zhong nodded, and said weakly: "My lord, please gather people to raise the account to discuss the matter. If it is feasible, don't hesitate! If it is not possible, it is better to lead the army to join Yuan Shao immediately!"

According to Cao Cao's words, the generals gathered to discuss the matter. Xia Houdun, Xia Houyuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Le Jin, Dian Wei, Han Hao, Shi Huan, Niu Jin, Chang Diao and others all participated in the discussion.

Xiahoudun said: "We can let the people not play our banner and let them attack cities and plunder land and rob money and food, so that it will not be our business, and Zang Ba's army is not easy to attack refugees. Can retreat!"

The other generals also spoke one by one, and most of them agreed with Xizhong's strategy.

……

the seventh day of february
No salt, the seat of Dongping Kingdom.

Cheng Yu, one of Cao Cao's subordinates, has been entrusted by Cao Cao with an important task since his meritorious service, as the Prime Minister of Dongping Kingdom. Dongping Kingdom can be said to be the most important place for Cao Cao to defend Juancheng. If it is lost, Juancheng cannot be defended!

For more than half a year, Cao Cao relied on Cheng Yu in Dongping Kingdom to block Lu Bu's attack on the South Road, and was able to keep half of Yanzhou and Juancheng, the prefecture of Yanzhou, so that he had the capital to compete with Lu Bu for Yanzhou!

The Dongping Kingdom has almost incorporated the five major mountain ranges of Mount Liang into its territory, and the grave water flows across the country from east to west. It not only has fertile basins to provide food production, but also has the five major mountain ranges of Liangshan, Qinglongshan, Tiger Mountain, Guishan, and Phoenix Mountains. Hurry up, the Juyeze, which is hundreds of miles wide, is difficult to pass through!The real thing is that the terrain is complex, easy to defend and difficult to attack, so Lu Bu's army has never been able to break through Dongping!

Of course, this is also related to the fact that Dongping state-owned Cheng Yu is in charge. Cheng Yu not only has a high prestige in this area, but also has more strategies, and all the soldiers will die.

After Li Dian lost Juye City, he led his troops back to Dongping, and was ordered by Cao Cao to assist Cheng Yu in defending Dongping.

But on the morning of the sixth day of February, an envoy brought Cao Cao's order.

After the envoy left, Li Dian and Cheng Yu were relatively silent. Finally, Li Dian couldn't bear it anymore and said, "Uncle Cheng, what should we do? Are we really going to withdraw all the population, money and food from other counties? But our roots, in this case, Dong'e County where uncle is located will also be destroyed, can you bear it?"

Although Cheng Yu is only over 50 years old, but now he looks like ten years old all of a sudden, and sighed: "You must not violate your orders! Mancheng, if possible, I hope you can lead your part and leave Here, Feng Yao, Zhang Liao, and Xue Yong have a total of [-] troops this time! Wuyan can't hold it!"

"No, I won't leave Uncle Cheng. If we want to leave, we will go together. If we want to stay, we will stay together! Moreover, even if we want to evacuate the people, the enemy will definitely know about it. I'm afraid we just evacuated the city ahead of us." , the enemy army is chasing after him!!" Li Dian said.

(End of this chapter)