The news of the imperial court's canonization of Cheng Pu as Jiangxia's Taishou was transmitted to Jiangdong, Sun Quan thought that this was a great opportunity to seize Jingzhou, Liu Biaoxin was mourned, and Cao Cao had just left, so he was ready to raise troops to seize Jiangxia. Although Zhou Yu was stationed in Chaisang, there were many talents in Jiangdong, and there were still people who saw Yuan Xi's plan to drive the tiger and devour the wolf, and this person was Lu Su.

Lu Su believed that this was Yuan Xi's desire to let Jiangdong fight with Liu Bei and Cao Cao, so that he could reap the benefits of the fisherman. Liu Bei has always had great ambitions, he wanted to seize Jingzhou, and when he and Cao's army were fighting, the lord asked to send troops to seize Jiangxia, which was the most appropriate.

Zhang Zhao believed that if he ignored the appointment of the imperial court, he was afraid that he would anger Yuan Xi and give Yuan Xi an excuse to send troops to Jiangdong.

Sun Quan hesitated, and at this time someone suggested that it would be better to send Zhou Dudu to come and discuss. Although Zhou Yu was loyal to Jiangdong, he had to consult him on everything, and Sun Quan was afraid that he would not have enough prestige in the long run and would be difficult to convince the public, so he made up his mind and said: "Send someone to Jiangxia to read the imperial edict and order Liu Bei to evacuate Jiangxia within a month." If you don't evacuate on time, you can only meet each other. At the same time, Sun Quan ordered Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu to prepare for the capture of Jiangxia.

Zhuge Liang was ordered by Liu Bei to go to Wulin alone to persuade Cai Mao. Wulin Jingzhou Navy Dazhai, Cai Mao is receiving Zhuge Liang. Cai Mao guessed that Zhuge Liang should be Liu Bei as a lobbyist, so he said angrily: "Kong Ming, in vain I trusted you so much, you would rather take refuge in Liu Bei than follow me." Now that you and I are hostile, for Xi'er's sake, I don't embarrass you, if you have something to say, persuade me to take refuge in Liu Bei, it is impossible. ”

It turned out that when Cai Mao's daughter Cai Xi was in Xiangyang, she saw Cao Jun chasing and killing Liu Beijun, and asked her father to take Zhuge Liang in, but Cai Mao was angry because of Zhuge Liang's defection to Liu Bei and refused to accept Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. Although Cai Xi usually messes around, he knows how to repay his kindness, provides Liu Beijun with supplies and carriages, helps the people of Xinye to evacuate to Jiangxia, and follows Zhuge Liang to Jiangxia.

Zhuge Liang persuaded General Cai Mao not to be angry, and said softly and secretly: "Cao Cao is unable to subdue Jingzhou because he is worried that Yuan Xi will go south, and the people he is worried about are Uncle Liu Huang and the general, is the general willing to be trapped in the small town of Wulin?" It's better to cooperate with Uncle Huang and capture Jingzhou! ”

After Jingzhou surrendered to Cao, Cai Mao's commander of Jingzhou's soldiers and horses became the general of Wulin Town, and his reputation in Jingzhou plummeted, and the family's interests were also deprived by Cao Cao. Although Cai Mao is ambitious and talented, timid and afraid of things, but he is not convinced in his heart, Zhuge Liang's words are his intentions, and he echoed: "Although I am at odds with Liu Bei, the current enemy is Cao Cao, and cooperation is not impossible, but it depends on Liu Bei's sincerity?" ”

Zhuge Liang saw that Cai Mao's heart was moved, and he said his detailed plan: "Ten days later, I will let the Jiangxia army attack Wulin, General Cai will pretend to be invincible and retreat to Nanjun, deceive Cao Ren to support Xiangyang, the general will take the opportunity to capture Nanjun, and Uncle Liu Huang will capture Xiangyang." General Cao occupied Nanjun, and Uncle Liu occupied Xiangyang, forming an alliance to resist foreign enemies together. I wonder what General Cai thinks? ”

Now Cao Cao's main energy is still in the north, and Zhuge Liang's strategy will succeed nine times out of ten. Cai Mao also considered the consequences of defeat and died in defeat, but he decided to take a gamble and agreed to cooperate with Liu Bei. Cai Mao even agreed that after the matter was completed, he was willing to marry his daughter to Zhuge Liang.

Liu Bei and Cai Mao successfully formed an alliance, Cai Mao promised his marriage to Cai Xi, Zhuge Liang was proud of the spring breeze, and when he returned to Jiangxia, it happened that Lu Su, the envoy of Jiangdong, came with a letter of appointment from the imperial court and asked Liu Bei to give up Jiangxia. Zhuge Liang advised Liu Bei not to offend Jiangdong and try to delay time.

Liu Bei politely met with Lu Su and complained to Lu Su: "As a relative of the Han family, I will naturally obey the arrangements of the imperial court. It's just that now there is only one place in Jiangxia, and when he finds a place to stay, he will give up Jiangxia. Lu Su didn't want to waste troops for Jiangxia, and it was best to get Jiangxia without spending a single soldier, so he took Liu Bei's promise and returned to Jiangdong to inform Sun Quan.

Cao Cao pacified Jingzhou and returned to Xuchang, his adviser Guo Jia had died of illness, and his subordinates passed Guo Jia's last words to Cao Cao to watch. Cao Cao wept bitterly, only to see that the letter read: Ming Gong forgive me, Guo Jia can no longer follow around. When the Ming Dynasty decided Jingzhou, it was enough for Hebei to contend with it, and the only one Jia was worried about was that Yuan Xi, Sun Quan, and Liu Bei formed an alliance, among which Yuan Xi had the deepest grudge with our army, and there was no room for maneuver, and he must fight to the end, and he could not make peace with it and ally with it. Moreover, Sun Quan, who is opportunistic and forgetful of profit, can give benefits and ally with him, but he must also be guarded against. Finally, Liu Bei, who is the weakest, continues to eliminate it early, otherwise let him gain a foothold in Jingzhou, which will make our army suffer from the enemy on the back of the abdomen, and I hope that the Ming public will know about it. Please also ask Ming Gong to take care of his body and calm down the troubled times as soon as possible, Jia also smiled at Jiuquan.

Because of Guo Jia's last words, Cao Cao consulted with everyone and decided to send someone to form an alliance with Sun Quan, and then attack Liu Bei together. His subordinate strategist Cheng Yu said: "My lord, I heard that not long ago, Yuan Xi had appointed Sun Quan's subordinate Cheng Pu as Jiangxia's Taishou, and Yuan Xi also wanted Sun Quan to fight with Liu Bei, and Sun Quan was worried that our army or relationship would take the opportunity to attack Jiangdong, so he did not start a war with Liu Bei, but only sent someone to ask Liu Bei for Jiangxia. Our army can take the opportunity to form an alliance with Sun Quan and attack Liu Bei together. First, it can eliminate Liu Bei's forces, and second, it can allow Jiangdong to contain Yuan Xi's strength. Cao Cao followed his plan and ordered Yang Xiu to be an envoy to Jiangdong, and agreed to attack Jiangxia together.

When Yuan Xi heard that Guo Jia had died of illness, he also sighed, and advised his subordinates to restrain their desires, not to be too tired, not to be too enjoyable, and to strengthen physical exercise, so as not to die halfway before the great cause was accomplished. The generals laughed and said nothing, claiming to remember the general's teachings.

Getting back to the point, Tian Feng suggested: "General, now Cao Cao has lost an arm. Our army should make preparations as early as possible, and in the spring of next year, we can lead the army south to attack Cao Cao. The Central Plains and Guanzhong are vast, and it may be difficult to eliminate Cao Cao with the troops of Jizhou and Xuzhou alone. The general could order two generals, Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang, to send troops to the Central Plains and Xiliang to attack Cao Cao. ”

As Tian Feng's best confidant, Fu Zhi naturally supported Tian Feng's opinion, and at the same time added: "General, what Yuan Hao said is reasonable, I think there is still a place of soldiers and horses that can be used by me. Not long ago, the general recommended Cheng Pu as the general of Jiangxia, which had already made Sun Quan and Liu Bei fight, which showed Sun Quan's ambition. We might as well recommend Sun Quan as the assassin of Yangzhou, and Huang Gai as the Shouchun Taishou, then Sun Quan will definitely send troops to attack Cao Cao, Jiangdong is full of talents, which can provide a lot of convenience for our army. ”

Yuan Xi accepted Tian Feng's suggestion, but did not agree with Fu Zhu's idea, because he knew that Sun Quan would only play with power tricks and see the righteous and forgetful. Yuan Xi analyzed: "Sun Quan forgot his righteousness and took advantage of the fire to rob, even if we don't give him any reward, he will attack Cao Cao, not Yangzhou, but Jingzhou." Therefore, the last appointment of Cheng Pu as Jiangxia Taishou was also to remind Liu Bei not to only think about Jingzhou and forget Sun Quan. After listening to Yuan Xi's words, he was impressed.