After two months, Zhuge Liang finally returned to Jingzhou from Jiangdong.

"Your Majesty, the minister has already met Cao Cao and discussed with Cao Cao about attacking Xiang Yu."

Zhuge Liang said in a deep voice.

"What are Cao Cao's plans?"

Liu Bei hurriedly asked.

"According to Cao Cao's meaning, the two forces are fighting separately, and the two sides will send troops and then flank Xiang Yu." Zhuge Liang replied.

"Fight for each other!"

Liu Bei's face sank.

"That's right, according to Cao Cao's meaning, it is impossible for the two forces to work together, and they can't distinguish the main and secondary, so it is better to divide the troops and attack Xiang Yu in two ways." Zhuge Liang said again.

"What do you think?" Liu Bei looked at Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong.

"Actually, Cao Cao's strategy is not impossible!"

Pang Tong said with a smile.

"Why?"

Liu Bei looked at Pang Tong.

"Your Majesty is the emperor, Cao Cao is the emperor, the Later Han Dynasty is the country, and the Wu State is also the country, if the two armies merge to respect whom, if our army is the mainstay, Cao Cao's men and horses will definitely not be convinced, if they are respected with Cao's army, our people will not be convinced, so the strength of the merger may not be as strong as the strength of a force."

After a pause, Pang Tong continued,

"If the two forces are fighting separately, although the forces will not be merged so much, but there are still so many troops after all, and Xiang Yu will inevitably have to divide the troops into two ways, in the case of crushing the troops, let him Xiang Yu, how powerful Wang Jian is, there will be a defeat in the two roads, as long as one side is defeated, the other side will be defeated sooner or later, so Xiang Yu's forces will come to an end, and the worries of the court will be gone."

Liu Bei was moved by Pang Tong's words, but he still didn't want to make a decision so quickly, so he looked at Zhuge Liang again.

"The minister thinks that it is indeed appropriate to divide the troops into two ways, according to Shi Yuan, our army and Cao Cao's soldiers and horses are integrated, and there are many problems, and Xiang Yu can concentrate troops, and there are more helpers, for us, it is possible to concentrate troops and fall into entanglement.

Secondly, now Cao Cao means that he wants to divide the troops into two ways, if we must concentrate our troops, I am afraid that the plan will end without a hitch, so the minister thinks that it is extremely appropriate to divide the troops into two ways according to Cao Cao. Zhuge Liang replied.

"I write a letter now, Kong Ming, you send someone to Jiangdong!" Liu Bei instructed Zhuge Liang, and it was clear that Liu Bei agreed to Cao Cao's proposal and decided that the two forces would fight separately.

"Yes!"

Soon after, Zhuge Liang took Liu Bei's letter and left.

……

Following

Liu Bei summoned his ministers of civil and military affairs.

"Your Majesty!"

Since Liu Bei was proclaimed emperor, these people under Liu Wei all made changes, and the ministers of civil and military affairs wore their respective court clothes, including Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

"Zhong Aiqing, flat!"

Liu Bei smiled slightly and raised his hand slightly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Now it has been more than ten months since I ascended the throne, and now I have 230,000 foot riders, 50,000 sailors, and millions of stone of grain, the country is stable and peaceful, and the people live and work in peace and contentment, but external troubles have always existed, there is a false emperor Liu Wei in the north, and there is a sinister party Xiang Yu in the south, and I plan to send troops to drive out the Xiang family and the party, so as to uphold the prestige of the country."

Liu Bei said in a solemn voice that Liu Bei claimed that the emperor had always claimed that he was orthodox, claiming that Liu Wei was a fake emperor who put Liu Xie under house arrest.

"Your Majesty, the minister is courageous, and I don't know if I should ask a question in my heart!"

Veteran Huang Zhong stood up and said.

"Old general, but it's okay to talk about it!"

Liu Bei smiled, and didn't mind.

"The minister thinks that Xiang Yu's strength is strong and unmatched, and if our army wants to defeat the Xiang clan, I am afraid that we will have to exert the strength of the whole country, but in this way, will it not give Liu Wei in the north an opportunity to take advantage of."

Huang Zhong said excitedly, Huang Zhong has experienced the big battle with Xiang Yu, and he knows Xiang Yu's ability very well, so he is worried, he is worried that he will be defeated again like he did at the beginning.

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei didn't speak, originally with Guan Yu's temperament, he must have refuted Huang Zhong, but this time he didn't, the most important reason is that Guan Yu is also afraid of Xiang Yu, and it is the kind of fear that goes deep into the bone marrow.

"Old general, rest assured, this time it is not only us who have people all the way, Cao Cao will also send troops."

Liu Bei suddenly replied with a smile,

"Does Your Majesty mean that Cao Cao will send troops to join us to attack the Xiang Clan?"

Huang Zhong asked curiously,

"No, but Cao Cao will indeed send troops, and this time the troops will be sent separately." Liu Bei answered Huang Zhong's question again.

"Fight for each other!"

Liu Bei's words made the court confused, and the sound of discussion lasted for a long time.

After about a stick of incense, Wei Zheng stood up,

"I wonder how Your Majesty plans to send troops? When will the troops be dispatched? ”

"I convened the Secretaries of Honor this time to discuss this matter." Liu Bei knew that someone would ask this, so he was not surprised at all.

"I plan to use 150,000 troops and horses, and within two months I will begin my march south."

"Your Majesty, if you use 150,000 soldiers and horses, then the domestic troops may not be enough to resist Liu Wei's army of southern invaders!" Wei Zheng said worriedly.

"There is no need to worry about this matter, first, Liu Wei still has more than 100,000 troops under the control of Chang'an, second, our army still has more than 100,000 soldiers and horses, including tens of thousands of sailors, the Yangtze River is not to be crossed if you want to, not to mention that we still have sailors stationed there, third, this expedition is to cooperate with Cao Cao, the strength is not like the beginning, this time my plan is to end this battle in two months, and two months is not enough time for Liu Bian to prepare."

Liu Bei said confidently, he had thought of these things a long time ago, otherwise he would not agree to Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong's proposal.

"Do you still have any objections?"

Liu Bei asked.

"No objection to the ministers!"

Everyone replied in unison.

"Well, in this case, I began to arrange the candidates for this southern expedition, this time I will drive the expedition in person, Sikong Pang Tong will accompany me, and the generals Zhang Fei, Yu Juluo, Huang Zhong, and Ju Wuba will go with me." Liu Bei said in a solemn voice.

"Your Majesty, the minister has objections!"

Liu Bei had just finished saying a paragraph and wanted to continue, but Guan Yu suddenly opened his mouth and interrupted Liu Bei's words.

"What objections does Yun Chang have?"

Liu Bei frowned, but he quickly relaxed, because it was Guan Yu who spoke, and he also knew Guan Yu's thief.

"The minister wants to know why there is no minister's name in this southern expedition?" Guan Yu asked in a deep voice, with some resentment and dissatisfaction in his tone.

"Oh, what Yun Chang said is this, Yun Chang is Jiangxia Taishou, this southern expedition to Jiangxia must not be guarded by no one, I plan to let you stay and guard Jiangxia." Liu Bei explained with a smile.

"I beg your majesty to allow you to go south with the army." Guan Yu pleaded.

"Yun Chang, you have to know that if you leave, then who will guard Jiangxia, Yue Fei's fierce generals are like clouds, if there is no fierce general to guard Jiangxia, Jiangxia may be in danger!" Liu Bei said worriedly.

"The minister thought that he could change someone to guard Jiangxia, and the minister begged His Majesty again to let the minister go with the army!" Guan Yu pleaded again.

"Your Majesty, Yun Chang is the head of the Five Tiger Generals, if he does not participate in the battle with Xiang Yu, the minister does not know who should go, and the minister also begs His Majesty to allow Yun Chang to go with the army."

At this time, Pang Tong also interceded for Guan Yu.

After Guan Yu heard this, he smiled kindly at Pang Tong.

"In that case, then Yun Chang will go south with me." After hesitating for a moment, Liu Bei still agreed to Guan Yu's request.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Guan Yu was overjoyed.

"But Jiangxia can't be left unguarded, who does Yun Chang think can replace you?" Although he agreed to Guan Yu's request, Liu Bei still threw Guan Yu a question.

Guan Yu was stunned for a moment, but after only a moment, Guan Yu had a candidate in his heart, "The minister thinks that the old general Huang Zhong is the most suitable!" ”

Huang Zhong didn't expect Guan Yu to point at him, Huang Zhong's heart was a little happy, to tell the truth, he wanted to avenge Shi Jianjiao and get rid of Xiang Yu, but at the same time he was also afraid of Xiang Yu and didn't want to fight with Xiang Yu.

"Although the old general Huang is old, he is strong and brave, and secondly, the old general has fought on the battlefield for decades, has rich experience and high morality, and it is very suitable for him to replace his ministers in Jiangxia."

Seeing Liu Bei's hesitation, Guan Yu spoke again.

"General Huang thinks so?"

……