Xuchang, Prime Minister's Mansion.

Cao Ren was the last to walk into the house, and Cao Cao, who rushed to the top, said, "Prime Minister, it's been arranged!" ”

Cao Cao's distracted gaze was immediately retracted, and he looked at Cheng Yu, Xun Yu Xiahoudun, Xiahoudun and other people sitting below, and saw that some people's faces were full of blandness, and some were puzzled and hurried, and they were not verbose, and said: "Seeing that the winter will be over in a short time, I thought that this year would be so uncomfortable, but now the Youzhou army suddenly sent troops, all tell me what you think?" ”

As soon as the words fell, dozens of people in the room began to talk nonsense, Cao Cao's face sank, coughed lightly twice, and when everyone quieted down again, he said again: "Ahem, by the way, Qingzhou has also sent troops, it seems that even if our previous speculation is not true, at least we have already become allies." ”

The crowd was silent at first, and then the noise was even louder than before!

Cao Cao didn't hear it, and sat on the chair and didn't know what he was looking at.

That's not going to work!

Cheng Yu said secretly in his heart, and glanced at Xun Yu on the right side without a trace, and then got up and said: "Prime Minister Qi, Yu thought that the Youzhou Army was sending troops at this time, and there were three reasons-"

"First, from the end of last year to the present, all parts of the country have been hit by snow and drought, and people are panicked and chaotic."

"The second is to pick the time well. Now it is less than two months before the beginning of winter, and even less than a month in Youzhou in the north, so that no matter how many cities are won, you can safely get a winter time to rest; ”

"Third, Yuan Shao was defeated by the Youzhou army last year, and this year he should have been able to recover his strength after resting, but he was harmed by drought and snowstorms, and his morale was depressed, and his ability to resist was naturally much weaker."

"Hmm!"

Cao Cao pondered for a moment and said, "What Zhongde said is reasonable. ”

Cheng Yu arched his hand when he heard this, and retreated.

Xun Yu got up again and said: "Prime Minister, the Youzhou army is attacking fiercely, and it seems that it has not been affected. ”

Cao Cao's eyes froze, and he said, "How likely is it?" ”

Since Xun Yu talked about this thing, he was naturally prepared, and immediately replied: "Judging from the news I have obtained so far, the possibility is more than fifty percent. After a pause, he said: "If Qingzhou is really a shadow buried by Gongsun Du, it may be more than eighty percent, or even ninety percent." The two sides suddenly attacked, and there was no conflict of interests, and in the end, Yuan Shao must not be able to stop. ”

Cao Cao suddenly stretched out his hand to touch his head, as if he had a terrible headache, and his face became very ugly: "Do you know if they have secret contact?" That guy who looks a little like Gongsun Du can find out where he came from? ”

Cheng Yu shook his head and did not speak.

Cao Hong got up under everyone's gaze and said, "Prime Minister, I haven't found out if they have any contact with each other. As for that young man, it should be called Gongsun Yi. ”

"Gongsun Yi?" Cao Cao's head didn't seem to hurt anymore, and his face was contemplative, "How is the news of Gongsun Du's family going?" ”

Cao Hong sighed and said, "Previously, Gongsun Du's family had been living in Liaodong, and it was impossible to send someone to get in. Last year, they all moved to Zhuo County, but Gongsun Du's luck was too good, first the snow disaster, and then the drought, there was no way, and there was no chance to get in. ”

"No, this matter needs to be clarified as soon as possible."

Cao Cao said it categorically, but then he shook his head and said: "Forget it, just do your best, it's probably not necessary for us to investigate, how this matter will come out, if the Youzhou army can really take Jizhou." ”

When Cao Cao said this, his heart was very uneasy: Yuan Shao, you are a fool, although you are stronger than Yuan Shu, but you are also limited in strength, can't you delay it a little longer!

Cao Hong's mind didn't turn around for a while, and he was stunned for a long time before he responded: "Yes, Prime Minister!" ”

As soon as Cao Hong sat down, Xiahoudun spoke: "Prime Minister, since Yuan Shao is too busy to take care of himself, why don't we take the opportunity to send troops and capture some cities?" Jizhou has always been rich, and it can just solve the current urgent need. ”

Xiahou Yuan's vision is not bad, but no one among Cheng Yu and other scribes agreed, and only Xiahou Yuan and other generals echoed it. That's a little weird! But Xiahoudun didn't care about this, they all stared at Cheng Yu and them one by one.

Cheng Yu is okay, he was born with old fritters, he can do that kind of thing, and he doesn't pay attention to this at all. Xun Yu too, but he received the least attention, who let his previous actions make many people dissatisfied, especially Xiahoudun and other generals.

The younger Liu Ye and the others couldn't bear it and wanted to say something. However, at this time, Cao Cao's mind turned and he spoke first-

"In that case, do you think it's necessary to take Hanoi?"

"Hanoi?"

Cheng Yu's face was pensive, and he didn't mean to speak, so Cao Cao looked at Xun Yu. Although Xun Yu is in Cao Ying's heart in Han, his ability is indeed very strong, even if it is Cheng Yu, Cao Cao does not dare to say that his ability can be stronger than him.

Xun Yu did not live up to Cao Cao's eyes, got up and said, "Aside from anything else, it can be said that it is necessary for us to take Hanoi." ”

Cao Cao looked very interested, and the rest of the people were similar.

"Although the impact of snow and drought is severe, Hanoi has not been affected much, and it has a good harvest, so at least it can survive. Secondly, Hanoi is located in the north of the river, adjacent to Jizhou and Bingzhou, so in the future, whether you go north to Jizhou or Bingzhou, you can march safely without worrying about being ambushed when crossing the river......"

Xun Yu's words made Xiahou and the others overjoyed, and even their eyes softened a lot with him.

"Prime Minister, my subordinates are willing to be pioneers and attack Hanoi!"

“……”

Xiahoudun and others asked for their lives one after another, and their faces were boiling.

Cao Cao didn't answer, but just looked at Cheng Yu again.

Cheng Yu didn't talk nonsense, and said directly: "Prime Minister, if you send troops, your subordinates are willing to donate next month's money." ”

Cao Cao was embarrassed when he heard this.

Donations?

You must know that Cheng Yu now relies on Yulu for food every month, and if it is gone, he can only starve to death. It is equivalent to telling him that it is okay to send troops, but there is no food, everyone should donate it and wait to starve, if you can't break the city in a short time, then you will starve to death.

Cao Cao suddenly remembered some meat again, and felt a little sick in his heart.

"Ahem! Zhongde's Yulu should be kept, and at the moment Hanoi estimates that even if we want to, we can't mix it. Cao Cao coughed lightly, relieved his embarrassment, and said, "Since the Youzhou army can take Jizhou, it is absolutely impossible for Hanoi to let go." ”

Then, without waiting for Xiahoudun and the others who wanted to argue to speak, Cao Cao said again: "Don't forget Lu Bu of the annexed state, Gongsun Du will not let such a general watch the play there." ”

At the mention of Lu Bu, Xiahoudun suddenly stopped talking. Although Lu Bu was defeated back then, until now Xiahoudun is sure that he can defeat him.

However, the plan to send troops is siblings, and Xiahoudun said bluntly: "If we don't send troops, what should we do next year or the year after next, when Gongsun Du goes south again?" As far as it is now, Gongsun Du has already won Youzhou, Bingzhou, and maybe Qingzhou, and may soon add Jizhou, so, with the power of the four states, how should we resist the already powerful Youzhou army? ”

It's a bad word, but it's a fact, a fact that has to be faced.

Cao Cao didn't have the slightest darkness, but his eyes were full of appreciation when he looked at Xiahoudun.

"Although we are in a difficult situation because of the grain and grass at the moment, but Yuzhou, Xuzhou, Yangzhou is no worse than Jizhou, I believe that after some time, the strength will increase greatly, and then plus Yanzhou, it is barely four states, maybe even the powerful Youzhou army is not an opponent." Zhong Xuan's words made many people's faces better.

"Although Gongsun is strong, Jizhou has been hit hard this year, and it will not take a year or two to recover. In this way, we can take advantage of this time to go west, or go south, whether it is to take Jingzhou, or to take Yangzhou, it will be of great benefit to us. Du Ji's words made everyone's faces even more happy.

……

In the end, this meeting ended without a hitch, because even if Cao Cao had the intention to send troops now, he did not have the food and grass to send troops. But in the end, when everyone dispersed, Cao Cao left Cheng Yu and Cao Hong behind.

"Hanoi's problem Cao actually expected it for a long time, and he was powerless. But Cao wanted to know that Youzhou was just a bitter cold place, and even Yuan Shao and us almost couldn't survive this drought. When he said this, Cao Cao's face was very flat, and he couldn't see how much blood was underneath, "Why did Youzhou survive it, and why was it able to send troops on a large scale at this time?" ”

"Shame on your subordinates! The true cause could not be found. Cheng Yu and Cao Hong both looked ashamed.

"Not at all?" Cao Cao was very confused, Cao Hong and Cheng Yu were very strong in this regard, why did they have no news at all?

Cheng Yu didn't speak, Cao Hong hesitated for a moment, and said, "I heard that it seems to be related to what they planted." ”

"Did you bring that thing back?"

Faced with this question, Cao Hong's face was a little embarrassed, and he said, "No! First, they were a little strict, and second, we didn't know what it was. ”

"Then bring them all!"

"All with them?" Cao Hong was even more embarrassed.

"What? Questions? ”

Cao Cao's eyes were full of sheng and he looked at Cao Hong deadly.

Cao Hong's heart suddenly burst into his heart, and he said tremblingly: "It's not that my subordinates don't want to take it, but the main thing is that the people sent out have no news in the end, so no one dares to go now." ”

"Huh?"

Cao Cao looked at Cao Hong's bad face and finally understood. After thinking about it, Cao Cao said: "Since this is the case, send the dead soldiers of the family to do it." Fifty, no, one hundred! ”

"If a hundred dead soldiers can't do it, then Zilian, you don't want to come to see Prime Minister Ben."

"Yes, Prime Minister."

Cao Hong didn't cry out, but in the end he gritted his teeth and responded.