The three teenagers, each holding an arrow, surrounded Cai Zhong from three directions, south, east and west. The three of them shrugged their shoulders at the same time and walked slowly towards Cai Zhong, suddenly the girl bent down and grabbed a handful of snow and threw it on Cai Zhong's face, and the other two teenagers ran towards Cai Zhong like two sharp arrows, Cai Zhong didn't care about the snow on his face, and slashed at the young man who attacked from the east, and the knife was half slashed, and he suddenly felt a tingling in his eyes, and then he realized that there was a hidden weapon hidden in the snow, and the hidden weapon was hitting his right eye.

Cai Zhongyin was hit by a hidden weapon in the eye, the knife paused in an instant, and the young men on both sides took advantage of the weakness to enter, and the arrows in their hands pierced Cai Zhong's hands, and then the two abandoned the arrows, holding Cai Zhong's left and right hands and twisting them back. Cai Zhong shouted and tried to throw the two teenagers forward with both arms, the girl rushed to Cai Zhong head-on, kicked Cai Zhong's lower body, Cai Zhong screamed, bent down, and the two teenagers took advantage of the situation to twist Cai Zhong's arms and press Cai Zhong to the ground. The girl took an arrow and stabbed it into the back of Cai Zhong's neck.

Cai Zhong screamed miserably, and his mouth was full of snow.

The two teenagers pulled out the arrow from Cai Zhong's arm and stabbed it into Cai Zhong's back.

Draw the arrow, blood spurts.

Thorn arrows, broken flesh and bones.

Before Cai Zhong could take his last breath, he was stabbed with thirty-two arrows in his body.

In December of the fifth year of Jian'an, Liu Biao's mansion was holding a year-end meeting.

At the end of each year, the Taishou of the seven counties of Jingzhou will go to Xiangyang for a meeting, and the county code of those who cannot come to Xiangyang will send henchmen to Xiangyang for a meeting.

The meeting was attended by Cai Mao, the Taishou of Nanjun, Huang Zu of Jiangxia, Jin Xuan of Wuling, Han Hao, the younger brother of Han Xuan, the Taishou of Changsha, Liu Du of Lingling, Zhao Fan of Guiyang, and Liu Qi of Nanyang County. The important minister of Xiangyang who participated in the meeting was Kuai Yue.

After the important ministers of each county who participated in the meeting reported to Liu Biao on the affairs of the county in the year, they should make suggestions and apply to Liu Biao for supplementary materials. Before Sun Ce's death, Jiangxia and Changsha counties were harassed by Sun Ce for many years, and now Sun Quan has succeeded to the throne and sent heavy troops to defend Jingzhou. Changsha Taishou Han Xuan sent Han Hao to apply to Liu Biao for armaments and supplies.

After listening to Han Hao's report on the armaments and materials, Liu Biao frowned and said, "How can Changsha have more armaments and materials than Jiangxia. ”

Han Hao replied: "Tai Shi Ci garrisoned Jianchang, in the past two years, General Liu Pan and General Huang Zhong led the army to fight with Tai Shi Ci in Jianchang four times, all of them were defeated, and a lot of soldiers, horses, money and food were lost, and now they urgently need to replenish their armaments. ”

Huang Zu smiled after hearing this: "Although Liu Pan and Huang Zhong are brave, they are not Tai Shi Ci's opponents, it is best not to take the initiative to attack, so as not to eat some defeats and waste money and food in vain." ”

Liu Biao nodded and said to Han Hao: "Han Hao, I will supplement the materials to Changsha according to your report, you go back and tell my nephew, let him concentrate on defense, don't attack Jianchang again, Tai Shi Ci is a famous general, he and Huang Zhong are definitely not opponents." ”

Han Hao said: "The words of the lord must be conveyed below." ”

"Ma Hong, does Nanyang County need to replenish supplies?"

Liu Biao asked.

Ma Hong stood up and said, "My lord, Nanyang County is currently self-sufficient. ”

Liu Biao nodded and said, "Yes, the future is terrifying, you have to assist my son to manage Nanyang well." ”

Ma Hong nodded and said, "I will definitely live up to the expectations of the lord." ”

Liu Biao smiled: "Okay, then everyone, if it's okay, then let's disband!" ”

"My lord, there is something down there."

Ma Hong grabbed the opportunity to say.

"What?"

Liu Biao touched his beard and asked.

"Dare to ask if you can swallow Hanzhong County now, whether the lord is willing to send troops to attack it."

Ma Hong asked.

Liu Biao sighed and said, "Do you mean that Hanzhong is at your fingertips?" ”

Before Ma Hong could answer, Cai Mao took the lead and said: "It's not easy to capture Hanzhong, Hanzhong Zhang Lu has tens of thousands of armor, and there is a danger to defend, Hanzhong alone has more than 100,000 households, if you attack Hanzhong, even if you send 30,000 troops, you may not be able to take it." ”

Liu Biao nodded and said: "What the military advisor said is good, Zhang Lu is the leader of the Wumi Taoist Sect, and he has many followers. Over the years, there have been tens of thousands of Kansai people who have fled to Hanzhong from the Meridian Valley, and Liu Zhang has not been able to get any benefits from fighting with Zhang Lu for many years, so it can be seen that Zhang Lu is not incompetent, Ma Hong, how can you arrogantly take Hanzhong. [Liu Biao is the general of Zhennan, and Cai Mao is the military division of the general of Zhennan]

Cai Mao continued: "Right now, Jiangdong Sun Quan is eyeing the tiger, Cao Cao in the Central Plains is victorious against Yuan Shao, and he may attack my Jingzhou at any time. ”

Ma Hong smiled slightly and said: "Sun Ce was assassinated before he had a firm foothold in Jiangdong, Sun Quan took over Jiangdong, and many of his Sun Ce's old troops were dissatisfied with Sun Quan, but fortunately they were suppressed by Zhou Yu and Zhang Zhao, and this Jiangdong looked calm on the surface. Today's Jiangdong wealthy clan is not subject to control, Shanyue is harassing at any time, coupled with the disobedience of the heavy general to Sun Quan, what ability does Sun Quan have to invade my Jingzhou, and he is arrogant that in the past two years, Jiangdong will no longer have the power to invade my Jingzhou. ”

Seeing Ma Hong's rebuttal, Cai Mao said, "What about Cao Cao?" ”

Ma Hong said with a smile: "The reason why Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao was all by luck, if it wasn't for Xu Yu's surrender, Cao Cao would have been defeated." This time, General Gan Ning and I captured Wancheng, and we went down in one day, like stabbing window paper, Cao's army is not as strong as you think in your hearts. Right now, Cao Cao just fought with Yuan Shao, after this battle, Cao Cao has no time to invade my Jingzhou in recent years, Cao Cao is just thinking about how to take advantage of the victory to pursue Yuan Shao, in addition to Liu Bei is still in Runan, Cao Cao also has to send troops to attack Liu Bei, how can he have the time and energy to invade my Jingzhou. ”

Cai Mao said: "Even if it is as you said, how many years can you win the attack on Hanzhong?" How much food do we have to consume, and how many tens of thousands of soldiers can we contribute? ”

In the face of Cai Mao's continuous questions, Ma Hong had already thought about how to deal with this strategy before proposing it, otherwise he would not have proposed it. Ma Hong smiled and said loudly: "Lord, there will be a plan in the end, I wonder if the lord wants to listen to it?" ”

"It doesn't hurt to talk about it."

Liu Biao looked at Ma Hong with interest and said.

Ma Hong made a big salute to Liu Biao and said: "Thank you, lord, if this plan works, we will be able to win more than half of the land in Hanzhong, and there are many people in Hanzhong, if we can win half, it is also worth any of the seven counties of Jingzhou." ”

Cai Mao interjected: "Don't say these useless words, let's talk about strategies first." ”

Ma Hong looked at Cai Mao with a smile and said: "Don't worry, I'll talk about it in detail, if we want to take Hanzhong, Liu Zhang, Yizhou of Xilian Province, invited him to send troops to Hanzhong together, promising that he would divide the land equally after taking Hanzhong." This Liu Zhang and Zhang Lu have a feud, if the lord invites him to attack Hanzhong together and promise heavy benefits, he will definitely kill him. Because they are still at war now, Zhang Lu, as Liu Zhang's confidant, how could he not want to get rid of him. Moreover, now Zhang Lu is still in constant friction with Liu Zhang. ”

Huang Zu opened his mouth and said: "Liu Zhang's army will attack Hanzhong from the south, and our Jingzhou army will attack from the east again, and Zhang Lu will definitely be in a hurry. ”

Ma Hong said: "The words of the last general are not finished, more importantly, Cao Cao will definitely attack Liu Bei in Runan in the spring of the next year, and Liu Bei will definitely come to Jingzhou to join the lord, Liu Bei's subordinate Guan Yu Zhang Fei is the first general in the world, and the lord will have his assistance in attacking Hanzhong. ”

Liu Biao stroked his beard and said, "Are you sure Liu Bei will come to my Jingzhou?" ”

Ma Hong said: "Liu Bei has nowhere to go, but to take refuge in my Jingzhou." ”

Cai Mao stood up and said: "Liu Bei has always been ambitious, and he must not be introduced into Jingzhou, if he is introduced into Jingzhou, he will definitely lead wolves into the house." ”

Ma Hong said with a smile: "If Liu Bei goes to Jingzhou to defect to the lord, the lord has another benefit, Liu Bei has always been evil to Cao Cao, if he is arranged in Nanyang, he can also use it to resist Cao Cao, wouldn't it be beautiful." ”

Liu Biao thought for a while, and then said: "Well, if Liu Bei comes to my Jingzhou next year, he will discuss the attack on Hanzhong." ”

Ma Hong said: "The lord is wise, at present, except for the three counties of Jiangxia, Changsha and Nanyang, the other four counties are not in turmoil, and the lord can draw 2,000 troops from each county to capture Hanzhong." ”

When Liu Biao heard that two thousand soldiers were drawn from the four counties, his eyes suddenly lit up, his control over the four counties of Jingnan was weak, and he could take this opportunity to weaken the strength of the counties. Then he opened his mouth and asked Kuai Yue and Cai Mao: "Kuai Yue and Cai Mao, do you two think it is feasible?" ”

Kuai Yue stood up and said: "If you can unite Liu Zhang and have Liu Bei, it is very likely to be successful." ”

Cai Mao nodded and said: "Hearing Ma Hong's analysis, I also thought that I could attack Hanzhong, but I just wanted to lead Liu Bei into Jingzhou and ask the lord to think twice." ”

Liu Biao stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Wait for the beginning of spring next year to make a detailed plan and dismiss the meeting!" ”