Three Kingdoms

The night is long and the road is hesitant.

On the north bank of Guandu, Cao Cao was sitting in a large tent. Although the lights were bright, some parts of Cao Cao's face were not illuminated, making him look a little obscure. The nasolabial folds are deeply engraved on the face, and the shadows contained in them seem to prevent even light from penetrating.

This moment is the darkest time before dawn. Unknowingly, a whole night has passed in the discussion in the big tent.

Teams of scouts gathered the military information they had discovered from various places here, and then gathered them one by one on Cao Cao's operations. After Cao Cao looked at it, if he still had some doubts or confusion about a certain piece of information, Yes, the person concerned must be specially called for questioning again.

Cao Cao now controls five states and has nearly forty counties and countries under his jurisdiction. It seems very large, but in fact, except for Yanzhou and Yuzhou, which are the main operations, most of the territory is subleased. Such as chartering the public, and then collecting taxes, rents, labor and soldiers, etc. from the nobles in various places.

Jizhou has just joined now, and many relationships have not been completely straightened out.

It is precisely because of the above that Cao Cao had to be cautious, because he could not completely judge whether these noble families who collected rent in various places would undergo any changes due to the general's eastward march. Will it even generate some ideas that have never existed before?

These require the dispatch of troops for investigation.

Of course, Cao Cao was still most concerned about the movements of General Fei Qian.

Every piece of news about Fei Qian came through, Cao Cao couldn't help but tremble in his heart, and sometimes he was even afraid to look at it, but he had to look at it.

The large group of troops led by General Hussars did not attack Xu County as originally expected. At this stage, they seemed to be all piled up in Luoyang. Of course, General Hussar's scouts dispersed far away, and some even penetrated deep into the Yanzhou area. They competed fiercely with Cao Jun's scouts, and even caused the loss of many of Cao Cao's scouts.

In Cao Cao's view, this was actually Fei Qian's attempt to cover the battlefield.

This is a very thorny problem. If Ren Feiqian eliminates all the scouts on his side and covers the battlefield, it means that Fei Qian can come and go freely without any restrictions, but on his own side, will be greatly hindered...

Li Dian Li Mancheng...

Cao Cao moved his lips a few times, grinding out these words silently. Originally, Cao Cao sent Li Dian to garrison Luoyang because he felt that Li Dian was stable and strategic, at least much better than the Xiahou clan of Cao who was the second-line general, and even better than Cao Hongdu to a certain extent. At the beginning, Li Dian did not disappoint Cao Cao. Just like last time, he cooperated well and captured Zhang He, but this time...

Although Cao Cao also knew, even better than anyone else, that victory and defeat were commonplace in military affairs, but who would like to lose a battle?

The loss of Luoyang forced Cao Cao to abandon Jizhou immediately and lead his troops south, which completely disrupted the original rhythm. At the same time, the process of controlling Jizhou had to be temporarily suspended.

Just like when the Shandong Alliance gathered in Suanzao to block roads, Cao Cao's original strategy was to use Luoyang to block and delay Fei Qian's advance, so that he could have more time to make arrangements. After all, Luoyang happened to be in Heluo Once the area enters the trumpet mouth of Yuzhou and Jizhou, once it is broken through, it means that Fei Qian can choose to advance in three routes: the upper, middle and lower routes. Unfortunately, this time, facing the menacing Yongliang soldiers, there are no more eighteen princes, and only Cao Cao.

What made Cao Cao even more uneasy was that Fei Qian's large army was huddled in Luoyang and did not immediately set off to Xu County, nor did it move towards Jizhou and Hanoi. This made Cao Cao very embarrassed. Because facing a powerful force like Fei Qian, if Cao Cao chooses to divide his troops, it means that neither side is strong, and that side is weak. After being penetrated by Fei Qian, he will not be able to figure out the entire line, and may even collapse. But if he wants to assemble To launch a defensive counterattack, where should we assemble?

It seems that Fei Qian is going to Yuzhou, but is Fei Qian really going to Yuzhou?

This is why Cao Cao's large army is still in Guandu, but he only sent Xiahou Yuan and Cao Chun south to aid Xiahou Dun.

Cao Cao must understand Fei Qian's true intentions before he can make corresponding adjustments.

but……

Cao Cao really couldn't see through his little junior brother.

Before Cao Cao could speak, Cao Hong, who was sitting below him, had already spoken eagerly: Lord, what on earth does this guy want to do? Advance but not advance, retreat but not retreat? He used the cavalry like infantry, and they were so messed up that they didn't know what to do?

Cao Hong has a straightforward personality, so when he heard that Li Dian was captured, he scolded Li Dian a lot. Now he also scolded Fei Qian with his mouth. As soon as he opened his mouth, the entire tent was filled with a suppressed atmosphere that was almost stagnant. , after all, there is some looseness.

Cao Cao stroked his beard and said, "How do Zi Lian think this hussar should use his troops?"

Cavalry is valuable because of its speed and surprise. Cao Hong said, "Although a certain person is not good at cavalry, he still knows something about it. He collected the cavalry in Luoyang like the hussar, didn't he wait for us to come up and block it?" If we station the army at Jujube, wouldn't it be like what happened in the past?

The land of wild jujubes was naturally the key point for Luoyang to leave Heluo. At that time, the princes from all walks of life must have considered the choice of jujube, so what Cao Hong said was not completely unreasonable.

Cao Cao turned his eyes to Cao Ren and asked lightly: What do you think Zixiao?

Cao Ren frowned and replied seriously: "Replying to my lord, I think that the hussar's move is against common sense and must be a fraud... However, I can't deduce what the plot is..."

Cao Cao didn't say anything. He turned to stare at Cao Pi and asked, "Pi'er, do you have any ideas?"

Cao Pi screamed in his heart, "Here he comes again, here comes his mother again," but he replied with a respectful look on his face: "I think that the hussar must have a conspiracy, or... a strategy to lure troops?"

Cao Cao did not nod, shake his head, or even give Cao Pi any expression or eye contact, but said directly: Let me try this...

Cao Pi suppressed the irritability surging in his heart, because he knew that Cao Cao was considering him, and he had to grow up in such considerations again and again, but for everyone, understanding is understanding, and doing is doing. , Cao Pi actually disliked being hung up by Cao Cao and questioned in public again and again. If you say it well, it's just a nod, and it's just a good sentence at most. If you say it poorly, you'll get a lot of reprimands, and most of the time you'll be scolded to the point of disgrace.

Although Uncle Zixiao also said that Cao Cao loved Cao Pi, so he went out of his way to teach by words and deeds, but Cao Pi felt that Cao Cao had been comparing him with his dead brother Cao Ang...

I am Cao Pi, not Cao Ang!

Cao Pi roared in his heart, but still lowered his head, cupped his hands, and said slowly: If the hussar wanted to welcome the emperor, he would not let go easily when the sun was shining in the north... Therefore, the hussar probably had no intention of welcoming the emperor at the moment. ... By staying in Luoyang, one is showing his loyalty, and the other is probably waiting for us to carry out the Jujube strategy of the past... Then the Hussars can retreat and lose all their loyalty in the name of our obstruction. , or...order Shangdang to go out from Taihang and attack my rear flank!

As Cao Pi spoke, he suddenly felt that what he said made sense. He couldn't help but look up happily and look at Cao Cao's face.

Cao Cao nodded slowly and said: Yes, this is one or two of Hussar's intentions... But is there another third?

Cao Pi(￣◇￣;)

Cao Cao saw that Cao Pi was speechless and couldn't answer, so he didn't say anything. He just withdrew his gaze and put Cao Pi aside. Instead, he said to Cao Hong: Zi Lian, don't underestimate Hussar... Hussar... This move is the key to the chess. It can respond to the Shangdang in the north, attack Xu County in the south, invade Yanzhou in the middle, and set up camp in Luoyang. We can see that we can do it...

Militaryly, everyone wants to compete for the initiative, and now the initiative is undoubtedly on the side of the Hussars.

Last winter, Cao Cao wanted to lure Fei Qian out, but Fei Qian was not fooled. Now that he came out, although he was still dispatched, the time and stage were different, and the situation was naturally different. Last winter, the autumn harvests in various places were completed, and the population and labor force were idle. It was not a problem to engage in a big war. But now that spring plowing has just passed, it is a time when the ground needs a lot of time and energy to take care of. Otherwise, even if there is no If it is destroyed, although the grass will grow naturally, the weeds will grow faster. If the time is missed, I will only be able to harvest barnyard grass!

Therefore, on the one hand, Cao Cao had to fight, and on the other hand, he could not fight for a long time. This kind of method was clearly on the chessboard, but he had to respond, and it was extremely awkward to respond. This was the specialty of the hussar general.

In other words, for Qiao Qi and others, the area where the war broke out was not on their own territory anyway, so it didn't matter even if it was broken, but Cao Cao had to be timid, lest he break his own treasure...

After Cao Cao explained this, Cao Hong and others suddenly realized, and became even more angry at Fei Qian's despicable behavior. They couldn't help but cursed a few times, and then fell silent. Everyone knows that if scolding can solve a problem, it can scold a person to death. Cao Cao himself did not know how many times he died. What is more important now is how to respond better in such a situation.

The silence in the big tent seemed very long, but also seemed very short.

Cao Cao stood up slowly, and everyone in the tent couldn't help but stand up with Cao Cao.

Cao Cao looked up, suddenly shook his head, and said with a smile: If a certain general is just a general, I'm afraid he won't care about rushing to fight first! Having an opponent like Qiusi is also a joy in life! Haha, hahaha!

Cao Cao put his sleeves behind his back and straightened his waist. The cavalry thought that someone might be impatient and eager to fight, so he waited for work with ease, and waited for urgency with ease. When we showed our flaws, he struck again with thunder! Haha, Qiusi may not have thought that someone could survive it! Even if you bet on a year's harvest, as long as you can defeat the Hussars, it's worth it!

Although Cao Cao was bold in his words and seemed to speak lightly, in the end, he still couldn't hold it back and gritted his teeth. The last word "worth it" seemed more like a collision between his teeth.

Lord! Cao Hong shouted.

Cao Ren also changed his mind a little, because he also knew what kind of pressure and blow it would be to Cao Cao if taxes were interrupted for a year.

Cao Cao waved his hand and said: We have been discussing all night, and you all have worked hard. You might as well go back and rest first... Send orders to Xu, Yuan Rang, Miaocai and others to guard the passes, patrol and guard strictly, and do not go out to fight without authorization!

After Cao Cao made his decision, everyone looked at each other, and in the end they could only accept it...

……╮(￣▽￣““)╭……

The sky gradually became brighter.

Fei Qian walked out of the room, stretched, then took the face towel handed over by the guard, drank the well water, and began to wash up.

To be honest, even with repeated improvements, toothbrushes are not as good as those of later generations. Although they have been adjusted several times, I still feel a little uncomfortable when I think that these hairs originally grew on pigs. In addition, pig hairs fall off easily. , and then brushing and brushing...

Hey, it’s not possible without brushing, because tooth decay, regardless of whether it belongs to a man or a later generation, will definitely occur if it is not cleaned thoroughly. Fei Qian has even seen people with tooth decay in their twenties.

Of course, most of the young people who suffer from tooth decay are descendants of the gentry. As for those poor farmers, most of them have good teeth even when they are forty years old. This does not mean that the living habits of the poor people are better than those of the nobles, but that the poor people do not have much to eat at all, let alone food with high sugar content. More often, the poor people drink all kinds of wild vegetables. Porridge, like soup, does not stick to the teeth at all, so there is not much chance of tooth decay.

However, the teeth of poor people are more worn than those of nobles. One is because they eat more coarse food, and the other is because their physical nutrition is not good. Many people are calcium deficient, so their teeth are naturally not strong.

In fact, regardless of whether they are nobles or ordinary poor people, what they have to face every day is to fill their own stomachs first, which is the so-called food is their first necessity. This is really the basis of Fei Qian's strategy this time.

Therefore, Cao Cao's ability to hold back now was beyond Fei Qian's expectation.

The news from the scouts in front showed that Cao Cao did not press southward with his army and still kept a certain distance. Even Xia Houyuan's cavalry troops, which appeared two days earlier, were only stationed in the Yingchuan and Chenliu areas and did not show any He wanted to have a decisive battle with Fei Qian immediately.

There has been no news about Zhu Ling and Zhang Lie, but it is good news. After all, if they are really surrounded and killed by Cao Jun, they will definitely take some trophies to knock the morale of Fei Qian's soldiers. But now that Cao Jun can't get them, they will It means that either Zhu Ling and Zhang Lie have run away, or Cao Jun can no longer care about these two people. No matter which one it is, it is acceptable.

What Fei Qian couldn't accept was that Comrade Lao Cao was so stable. In history, when fighting Red Cliff, wasn't Lao Cao quite irritable?

I thought about it all night last night, and I fell asleep for a while just before dawn. However, after the cold water on my face in the morning, my thoughts became clearer.

Fei Qian snored softly after finishing the breakfast, then picked up the tea and rinsed his mouth. He drank it without spitting it out after a few gurgles, and then said: Go and invite Gongda to discuss something important!