"Huh?"

Zhou Ang asked in surprise, "Is the general serious?" ”

"Of course it's true." Gao Ran said: "When Cao Cao returned to the Central Plains, didn't he want to drive me away?" I'm waiting for him here to see how he gets Puyang back. ”

"General..."

Zhou Ang wanted to persuade Gao Ran not to give Cao Cao a war book.

Gao Ran interrupted him: "Even if he doesn't go to the war book, he should come, why be cowardly?" ”

"Okay. It will be done in the end. ”

Gao Ran wrote a sharply worded war letter and handed it to Zhou Ang, who sent someone to send it out overnight.

Cao Cao's army marched to the north of the Tiger Pass, about a hundred miles away from Guandu, and received the letter. At the same time, there is also the news of Cao Zhen's defeat and the fall of Puyang.

"Cao Zhen threw Puyang away..." Cao Cao slapped his fist on the desk: "I really didn't expect that Gao Ran would stick a knife in my back and capture Puyang!" ”

"Prime Minister, Puyang can't be lost. The minister suggested that from the territory of Yan and Henan, another 350,000 local troops should be transferred to counterattack Puyang! Cheng Yu said.

"Puyang is really important." Guo Jia sighed: "It's a pity..." ”

"Fengxiao, I'm going to attack Puyang now, what do you think?" Cao Cao asked.

"No, Prime Minister. Puyang has been lost, and the defeat is irretrievable. At present, Gao Ran has 100,000 troops garrisoned, and he is backed by Hebei and can directly obtain the support of the Jizhou army. Don't look at the current only 100,000, once Puyang is in danger, it is likely to become 200,000 or 300,000, so how can the prime minister be able to attack it? ”

"Is it just lost? Don't want it? ”

Cao Cao was really unwilling.

Puyang is the gateway of the Central Plains, if the Hebei army wants to advance into the Central Plains, the first choice is to march from Puyang, and then, or hit Xuzhou, Xuzhou extends in all directions, knowing that it can cross the north and south, clamping the entire Central Plains. Or attack Yanzhou, march west to capture the two capitals, and his capital Xuchang.

Cheng Yu said: "The minister thinks that Puyang is more important than Xiliang, and it must not fall into the hands of Yuan Xi. Taking advantage of the fact that Yuan Xi and Ma Chao went to Xiliang, the Hebei army had no one to command, so Cheng immediately raised troops and repelled Gao Lan. ”

"Zhongde is reasonable!"

Cao Cao felt the same way.

Guo Jia said: "The current Puyang is not easy to capture. Our forces are scattered and difficult to concentrate. Why not wait to take Jingzhou and drive away Zhou Yu, and then mobilize a large army to confront Yuan's army in Puyang. The prime minister should know that Yuan Xi and Ma Chao will go to Xiliang, for half a year and a few months, and they will definitely come back. Otherwise, Yuan Xi will attack on a large scale, and my Central Plains will be in danger. ”

Guo Jia and Cheng Yu's advice are very reasonable.

Cao Cao is really difficult...

"Prime Minister, when the judgment continues, you will suffer from the chaos, you..." Cheng Yu was anxious.

"Don't worry, let me think about it." Cao Cao got up and walked back and forth, thinking about the gains and losses. Jingzhou is the granary of the world, after Liu Biao's governance for many years, the land is vast and the people are abundant, and the army can be expanded by hundreds of thousands.

Yangzhou is a key place to block Sun Quan's northward advance into the Central Plains, and it must be defended.

Puyang is an important town that prevents Yuan Xi from advancing into the Central Plains, and it must not be captured.

All in all, these three places are very important and indispensable.

Compare the three evils, take the most important.

Cao Cao returned to his seat and said, "I decided... Go south to Jingzhou! Xiahou Nan and Xiahou Hui led 30,000 troops and stationed in Guandu. Pawn Man led 10,000 troops and garrisoned the Tiger Prison Pass. Full of favor led 10,000 troops and returned to Xuchang. The remaining 20,000 troops will go with me to Jingzhou. I will personally command and seize Jingxiang. ”

"Yes."

Both should be off.

Guo Jia said: "The prime minister's arrangement is extremely appropriate. The minister suggested that Cao Chun and Zhang Liao's iron cavalry be withdrawn, and they went to Xuzhou, which was no longer of any use. Let them go to Xiangyang and stand by. After the prime minister arrived, he would cut down Liu Biao. ”

"Hmm."

Cao Cao nodded and said, "Quickly order Zhang Liao and Cao Chun to lead the army back." ”

"Yes."

At this time, Cheng Yu's eyebrows furrowed slightly: "Zhou Yu's army is still in Hefei and has not yet returned to Jiangdong." If Zhang Liao and Cao Chun's iron cavalry returned to Jingzhou, would he continue to attack Huainan? Why didn't the prime minister order General Li Tong to counterattack Hefei before Zhang Liao and Cao Chun retreated. It is a fortified city, and it will be able to keep it for a long time. ”

"What Zhongde said is extremely true." Cao Cao agreed with his strategy: "It will take us a month to get from here to Xiangyang. Prior to this, Zhang Liao and Cao Chun could help Li Tong counterattack Hefei, and then rush to Xiangyang. ”

"Well, that's it!"

"The minister will give an order immediately."

Cheng Yu didn't want to delay for a moment, got up and left.

Cao Cao and Guo Jia continued to talk about the big plan.

"I have been fighting for more than ten years since Chen Liu, fighting in the south and in the north, destroying Lu Bu and Yuan Shu, controlling several states in the Central Plains, bringing hundreds of thousands of armor and thousands of generals, which can be regarded as strong. can fight with Yuan Xi, I really don't have much certainty. Can Feng Xiao have a plan to teach me? Cao Cao asked.

"The minister does not dare to say anything, so he can only speak according to the truth." Guo Jia said: "Nowadays, the imperial court is in Xuchang, and the prime minister is an important minister in the world, holding high the banner of righteousness and fighting for the Han Dynasty. Except for the prime minister, those who do not obey are all thieves. ”

"If the prime minister can conquer Jingzhou, recover Yangzhou and Puyang, and then recruit young people and train them into an army. Reject Ma Chao, Yuan Xi, unite Sun Quan, Liu Zhang, in a few years, the imperial court will become more and more powerful, and it will definitely be able to achieve great things! ”

Cao Cao nodded slightly and said, "Can you elaborate on Feng Xiao?" ”

"Yes."

Guo Jia said: "After the prime minister gets Jingzhou, he will befriend Sun Quan and Liu Zhang, and then he will have a stable rear. Because Liu Zhang was weak, although he led hundreds of thousands of troops, he never left Sichuan. And Jiangdong Sun Quan, although the sailor is powerful, the infantry is not as good as our army. After the battle of Liyangzhou, Zhou Yu did not dare to move lightly, and the prime minister could entitle Sun Quan as the king of Wu and Liu Zhang as the king of Shu in the name of the imperial court. The two of them will be grateful to Dade and will not easily offend. The prime minister can arrange the main force of our army in Chang'an and Puyang. Ma Chao's Xiliang army is not good at attacking cities, and only needs 30,000 troops to hold Chang'an. Our army should all be placed in Yanzhou and Xuzhou.... ”

When Guo Jia said this, Cao Cao interjected: "Fengxiao, you seem to have forgotten someone? ”

"What does the prime minister mean?"

"And what about Yuan Tan? He was in Qingzhou, and he also had 100,000 soldiers and horses. ”

"Hehe..."

Guo Jia smiled and shook his head: "Yuan Tan is just a rat, why are you afraid?" He knew very well in his heart that he was not the prime minister's opponent. The minister suggested that after the prime minister took Jingzhou, repelled Zhou Yu, and Gao Lan, in the name of the imperial court, persuaded Yuan Tan to surrender and crown him as king, but did not give him real power. Mobilize another 300,000 troops to press Qingzhou, and Yuan Tan will definitely surrender. ”

"Good strategy!" Cao Cao smiled: "Fengxiao is really my brainchild." With Feng Xiao, why should I worry about Yuan Xi and Sun Quan? ”