Yecheng.

The light rain was dripping, and the dense rain curtain and thick white mist weaved everything in the prosperous Yedu in a hazy haze.

Cao Cao stood by the fence of the balcony on the second floor of the Prime Minister's Mansion, his gray beard and hair flying in the cold wind, stained with small, cold raindrops.

He looked at the intertwined rain in the sky, and involuntarily felt infinite melancholy and sadness, and his thoughts were as messy as the rain.

Ever since he sent Xiahou Yuan to march into Dangyang, as if there was a giant hand controlling him, Cao Cao began to have bad luck.

First Lü Chang was beheaded, Cao Ren was seriously injured, and then Zhao Yan and Cao Chun were captured, the whole army of tigers and leopards was annihilated, Le Jin was beheaded, and more than half of Cao's army was killed and wounded, and the army was defeated. And Cao Chun's two sons, Cao Biao and Cao Yan, are like glue with Liu Ying and Liu Mei respectively, and they are unwilling to exchange their two daughters for their father who is in prison. They had a woman's anti-bone behavior of forgetting her father, and Cao Cao was so angry that he almost had a headache relapse.

The only thing that Cao Cao was happy about was that Zhang Liao beat Sun Quan in Hefei. But the cattle thing is just over, and the horse thing is coming again. After dreaming of "five horses in the same trough", Ma Chao and Han Sui have the tendency of conspiring against each other, the dark tide is surging, the forces of all parties are staggered, and the situation is not optimistic, like a powder keg full of explosives, which will explode at one point.

When Cao Cao was thinking about the strategy of pacifying Yongliang, there was an incident in which Mafu caught fire and killed Ma's four sisters and brothers. Fortunately, Ma Teng, a sharp weapon used to balance Ma Chao, is not dead, otherwise he will lose the chips that Ma Chao is afraid of.

In order to pave the way for the pacification of Yongliang, the former military division and lieutenant Zhong Xiang had been appointed to hold the governor of Guanzhong, raise food and reorganize the army, and plan to use troops against Zhang Lu and Yongliang Hanma in Hanzhong. Considering that Zhong Xuan was only a weak strategist, with more than enough wisdom and martial arts, and was not a commander-in-chief, he had to appoint a general who could fight habitually to win.

Therefore, Xu Shu, who had not spoken a word since entering Cao's camp, suddenly visited, although the suspicious Cao Cao felt very surprised and stunned, but under the generous statement of Xu Shu, who was all-round in civil and military affairs, Cao Cao took out the Tiger King Order of the Badao Mansion and asked him to go to Jingzhao Chang'an to help Zhong Xuan plan the western expedition, planning to take Zhang Lu first, and then break Han Ma.

At present, Cao Jun's outstanding commanders are none other than Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Zhang Liao, Yu Ban, Xu Huang, etc., but Cao Ren has more than enough defense, insufficient offensive power, and has been poisoned and seriously injured, so he is destined to not be able to lead the troops to the battle.

And the only trustworthy Zhang Liao had to be stationed in Hefei to guard against Sun Quan. As for the other generals with different names, Cao Cao, who was determined to establish the Cao dynasty, would never appoint them as commanders of the front army with more than 50,000 troops.

Generals with different surnames can only lead less than 30,000 troops alone, or act as the deputy general or subordinate general of the commander of Zhuxia Hou Cao.

Cao Cao thought about it, and he could only choose to trust Xiahou Yuan, a loyal brother who was born and died.

Cao Cao immediately summoned Xiahou Yuan, who was in the mansion to reflect and was panicked, and after explaining the reason, he said some kind words to comfort: "Wonderful talent! When the sun fights, it is not a crime of war. The main thing is that Zhuge Liang and the Jingzhou army are too cunning. Therefore, it is not only the responsibility of you, brothers, but also all the generals who participate in the war. Even the eldest brother was at fault for not telling Cao Chun to act carefully, so that he was arrogant and indulgent, and fell into the enemy's tricks, resulting in the entire army of tigers and leopards that dominated the world, and Cao Chun, as the commander, was also captured. It's like killing my brother. ”

After speaking, Cao Cao's true feelings were revealed, and old tears were rampant.

The so-called fighting tiger brothers, father and son soldiers. Xiahou Yuan, who fell on his heels and suffered a big loss in Dangyang, was moved to cry bitterly, and immediately knelt on the ground, swearing to be brave for Cao Cao, vertical and horizontal, revitalize the majesty, and make new contributions.

Cao Cao asked Xiahou Yuan to get up, but Xiahou Yuan still couldn't kneel for a long time, and continued to cry: "Big brother, Yuan still has something to ask you for. ”

Cao Cao hurriedly said: "Brother, hurry up!" Say something quickly, but it's okay to talk about it. ”

Xiahou Yuan told Cao Cao clearly about the confession with Xiahou Juan before the battle and the causes and consequences.

"Wonderful! Your righteous act of abandoning your parents and children to raise your niece is touching, and your brother is inexplicably moved, and you admire your brother very much. In the world of great controversy, in the era of war, joys and sorrows occur from time to time, and it is understandable that they are accustomed to it for a long time, and they are forced to survive and live. Brother, you are not wrong, get up. Cao Cao stroked Xiahou Yuan's back and comforted.

After Xiahou Yuan got up, Cao Cao sighed again: "That Zhang Yide is loyal and righteous, wise and brave, he will definitely be a marquis one day, enjoy all the glory and wealth, and it is also her blessing that Juan'er can marry him." Cao, Liu, and Sun are competing in the world, and if the two armies face each other, this level of kinship may save people's lives. ”

Hearing this, Xiahou Yuan was even more grateful, and choked up: "The love of the eldest brother is higher than the sky and deeper than the sea. ”

Cao Cao was very pleased and immediately convened a meeting of the officials and subordinates of the Prime Minister's Mansion to discuss the expedition. During the discussion, there was a proposal to impeach Xiahou Yuan and punish him for the great crime of destroying the military prestige by losing his soldiers.

Cao Cao, who loved the short-term very much, was very displeased, and counted Xiahou Yuan's great military exploits on the spot, but in order to appease everyone's dissatisfaction, he had to endure the pain of sending Xiahou Yuan to the governor of the western capital and the western protector army, and set out on the holiday.

Originally, Cao Cao planned to appoint Sima Hui as the superintendent of the army, but Sima Hui suddenly fell ill and was bedridden, unable to speak. Cao Cao had no choice but to appoint Xu Shu as the governor of the army and the superintendent of the army.

Zhang He, Xu Huang, Zhu Ling and other generals asked for war one after another, all wanting to be ashamed of the past, and repeatedly asked for war to revive the prestige of Cao's army.

Cao Cao was very happy, and reprimanded the generals and lieutenants who had participated in the war in Dangyang, and all the officers were demoted by one level and sent to the army to conquer the west, asking them to make meritorious contributions. Young officers such as Guo Huai, Sun Li, Chen Tai, Hu Zun, and Hu Zhen who performed well were given heavy awards, promoted to two levels in a row, and promoted to Zhonglang General and Deputy Governor, and accompanied them on the expedition. After that, Cao Cao personally held a grand departure ceremony for the 50,000 Western Expeditionary Army.

The army of the expedition to the west is mainly composed of the middle base battalion, the backbone battalion, and the armed guard battalion, and the three battalions have a total of 50,000 regular soldiers, auxiliary soldiers, miscellaneous soldiers, and servants.

The generals and captains of the expedition include General Zhu Ling of Zhaowu, General Zhongyi and Governor of the Wuwei Battalion Feng Kai, General Xing Pingdi, Zhang He, Governor of the Central Base Battalion, General Xing Hengye, Xu Huang, Governor of the Central Battalion, Cao Xiu, Hao Zhao, Sun Li, Deputy Governor of the Central Base Battalion, Cao Zhen, Niu Gai, Guo Huai, Deputy Governor of the Central Battalion, Niu Jin, Chen Tai, Hu Zun, Xiahou Yuan's three sons, Zhonglang General Xiahou Heng, Xiahou Ba, Xiahou Cheng and other generals.

Xiahou Yuan fought hard and traveled all the way to the west.

On the way, Taiyuan Shangyao and others rebelled according to Daling, and Cao Cao urgently ordered Xiahou Yuan to conquest.

Xiahou Yuan learned that the old trick was repeated, and he rushed for thousands of miles, and immediately reined in the army's rapid attack.

That Zhishang Yao has long heard the name of the king of Xiahou Yuan's quick battle, and he has long been on guard, relying on the advantages of the deep wall of the Great Tomb Pond and the thick city and the high fortified city, he will not fight, hold on to it, and wait for the battle.

Xiahou Yuan waved his army to besiege for more than ten days without success, and his troops were lost, and he could not advance an inch.

The battle was frustrated, the first battle was unfavorable, Xiahou Yuan couldn't help but feel depressed, and he was at a loss, so he had to send someone to ask Xu Shu to supervise the army and supervise the army.