The Wei army's southern conquest of Jiaojiao and Guang began after the autumn of the third year of Yankang.

As a matter of fact, there was a big debate between the DPRK and China about whether to send troops on an expedition to restore diplomatic relations and Guangzhou. Interestingly, most of the generals were opposed, and Cao Ren Cao Zixiao said:

"Liu Bei is in Shu, and the soldiers are in Hanzhong, such as the human body, Nanzheng is the arm, Chengdu is the head, and Nanzhong is the hip. If the arm is choked, take its head, the four bodies are tired, and the Jiao and Guang Shixie generations can be determined. Now it is an expedition to the wilderness, although it strips its straps and strips its shoes and socks, and its people are still alive, what is the benefit? ”

Jia Xu, the secretary of the military department, said: "Otherwise." Hanzhong is dangerous, the Shu people are heavy, the army is difficult to enter, the army is outnumbered and invincible, and it is not possible to determine it. The way to destroy Shu is gradually encroaching, removing its clothes, naturally hungry and cold, and dying without a day. ”

Xun You also agreed with Jia Xu's opinion, he said: "Although Jiao and Guang are remote, they are connected to Yuan, Hunan, Hong and Fujian in the north, and there are many barbarians there, and they are easily confused. Today's resumption of diplomatic relations and Guangzhou, its advantages are three: first, the south of the Yangtze River and the trend of thick me; Second, the tendency to strip his clothes and cut the enemy; Third, from Jiaozhou to the west, to appease the handsome in the south, but tired Shu people. Therefore, to destroy Shu, we must first set up a relationship and a wide range. ”

Shi Xun didn't speak at first, watched coldly, carefully observed everyone's expressions, and soon understood the reason why Cao Ren and other generals opposed sending troops to Jiaojiao and Guang. First, they were originally galloping generals in the north, and they could only kill as far as the south bank of the Yangtze River, and they really didn't know how to use troops along the coast of the South China Sea; Second, since he has no bottom in his heart, he does not dare to invite himself to lead the teacher, and there is no doubt that most of the credit will fall into the hands of Huang Zhong and other old generals such as Jing and Yang.

It is better to continue to accumulate strength, go south from Liangzhou and Yongzhou in one fell swoop, and go straight to Hanzhong, even if you don't fight cavalry battles. We can also be handy in infantry warfare to a certain extent, and we are not afraid that the credit will be robbed by others.

Seeing the two factions arguing, Cao Cao finally asked Shi Xun: "What did Hongfu see?" ”

Shi Xun thought for a while and suggested: "Nai Ke can send troops in two ways, one to fight Jiaojiao and Guangzhou, and the other to take Hanzhong." ”

Hear that. Everyone was dumbfounded. Only Cao Cao knew Shixun the most, and couldn't help but pouting and laughing: "Hongfu doesn't have to joke." "Yes Xun said that before the Supreme Driver, how dare the minister joke?" If the Bishi clan is not enough to be peaceful, and then the troops are handed over and extensive, Liu Bei will be sent to fight in the future, and if the army cannot be dismissed for many years, it will be of no benefit to the country. It is possible to invite Zhuguo (Xiahoudun) and Fuguo (Cao Ren) to send troops to Chang'an. In order to follow the Nanshan, if the road to conquer Hanzhong, then Liu Bei will defend the whole army, and the communication and Guangyi will be restored. ”

Let's use the strategy of "striking the east and attacking the west", pretending to fight Hanzhong, but in fact, we will restore the two states of Jiaojiao and Guangzhou. In this way, Cao Ren, you will not have nothing to do, and maybe you can meet with the Shu soldiers for a small battle or two. Earn some credit, too.

"To be reinstated, wide, a little rest. That is, the momentum is self-crossing, wide and southward. If Liu Bei should not, he will contact Nanzhong Yishuai to thin him up; If he responds, he can go south from Yong and Liang and enter Hanzhong. ”

Next time, let's "sound the west and attack the east" again, pretending to fight Nanzhong. In fact, the main force advanced into Hanzhong.

When Cao Cao heard this, he nodded slightly, and then shook his head again: "What Hongfu said is deeply in line with the art of war, and then ...... Two troops. It's a lot of money, and it's not a safe solution. ”

Shi Xun said that as for how many people are sent by the regular soldiers, how many people are sent by the strange soldiers, how much grain, grass and materials will be consumed, and how to dispatch them, it is not up to me to care——" You can ask Shangqing (Jia Xu) to explain it in detail. Then the conversation changed: "If you want to make friends and Guangzhou, the thief is Keyong, Liang, Jing, Yuan, Hunan, Hong, Fujian, and all the roads come out, that is, it does not hurt me, but also tired me." When diplomatic relations are restored and Guangzhou, I can use Hanzhong and Nanzhong to control the enemy, and those who are tired of running for their lives will be Liu Bei. ”

On the dividing line between Wei and Han, there were many ethnic minorities, the so-called "Rongdi barbarians". First of all, there are Qiang people and Zahu in Yong and Liang areas, and secondly, there are Southwest Yi in the south, Wulingman in Yuanzhou, and Shanyue in Hongmin and other prefectures. Now there are more barbarians in Cao Wei's territory, if the Shu people use Jiaozhou and Guangzhou as a springboard to incite Wuling Barbarians and Shanyue to rebel, then Cao Wei will inevitably be tired of coping, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to gather strength and go to Shuzhong. If he wins Jiao and Guang first, then Cao Wei can incite Southwest Yi to rebel against Liu Bei, and then grasp the initiative, and then take Shuzhong, and the difficulty coefficient will naturally be reduced.

Cao Ren and they only then understood the taste, okay, it's Hongfu, you pretend to be with the mud, but in fact, you still support to deal with and Guang.

For strategic planning and strategic decision-making, Xun You, Shi Xun and others originally had a greater say than Cao Ren, Xiahou and other martial artists, and Cao Cao listened to what Shi Xun said, and he also felt reasonable, so he was as good as a stream, and made a decision. So he ordered Xiahoudun to be the general of the expedition to Shu, to the west, to sit in Chang'an, pretending to mobilize the soldiers and horses of the surrounding counties, and preparing to go south to Hanzhong. Secretly, Cao Xiu was appointed as the commander-in-chief, Wen Ping and Huang Zhong were the deputies, and Lu Yi was the staff officer, and a total of 30,000 soldiers and horses from Jing, Yuan, Hunan and Hong Prefectures were mobilized to leave the pass and recover Guangzhou in the south.

In addition, Wei Yan commanded the East China Sea Division, and also secretly went south to cooperate with the land division. Cao Cao also sent a secret edict to Wei Yan, asking him to try to break directly into the mouth of the Yushui Sea (that is, the mouth of the Pearl River in later generations) and surprise attack Panyu, the county seat of Nanhai.

The dispatch of troops was set at the time of the autumn harvest, so the grain harvest of each county along the way could be directly used as military rations without having to send them to other counties and pay tribute to the central government. Nearly two months have passed in a blink of an eye, and of course Xiahoudun on the North Road has already arrived in Chang'an, pretending to mobilize the surrounding grain and grass first, and also sent the general Zhang He to lead the army to patrol along the Nanshan Mountain, as if he was surveying the road; As for the southern front, not long ago, there was a report that the soldiers and horses had been assembled at the Weipu Pass and were about to break through to Guangzhou.

Of course, this report comes and goes, even if the middle part of the node uses a carrier pigeon to pass the book, it will inevitably take a long time, it is estimated that when Cao Cao received the report here, Wen Ping and Huang Zhong have already killed under the city of Panyu - the main general Cao Xiu sat in Weipu and did not move the nest.

Because it is said that Cao Wenlie, a pure northerner, just arrived in Siheung County and fell ill because of the water and soil......

It is said that Cao Cao summoned Shi Xun in the Jianshi Palace, and gave an order, and the eunuch presented the evening food. To say that Cao Cao is the Son of Heaven, his diet is naturally very different from the past, and it is no longer the same as the old three - millet rice, noodle soup, pickled vegetables - but a combination of meat and vegetables, with more than a dozen delicacies in a row, plus four staple foods. Compared with the Ming Emperor and the Qing Emperor and Cixi Lafayette in later generations, it is naturally much simpler, but if it is compared to the diet of the Han Emperor Liu Xie's past, it is not much better.

Of course, that refers to Liu Xie's diet after being placed in Xuchang by Cao Cao, when he was still in Chang'an, from Dong Zhuo to Li and Guo, he didn't care about the royal family's support at all......

The first dish is "camel's hoof soup", which is used to appetize, and then the main dishes are "beef heart roast", "deer tail breast", "steamed river carp" and so on. One of the flavors of "Qiang boiled" is a delicacy from the northwest, a bit similar to the mutton shabu in later generations, the lamb is slaughtered first and its fat is cut into thin slices, copied in boiling water, the color changes and rises, and it is eaten with a five-flavor sauce.

Four kinds of staple food, one is the rice cooked with the "cicada singing rice" offered by Jingzhou, this rice is ripe in July, so it is called "cicada singing", its taste is fragrant and fragrant, it is said that "fragrant smell seven miles"; the second is steamed cakes, on which "坼 as a cross", in the words of later generations, is a soft flowering steamed bun; the third is red sorghum porridge; The fourth is a wonton stuffed with "pork and cabbage".

Whether it is steamed buns or wontons, they are all "invented" by Xun, but in fact, even if he does not cross, in a few decades, to the era of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, they have also appeared on the food table of Chinese people - the creativity of foodies is infinite.

The eunuch scooped up the imperial wine, and it was Xun who first raised a glass for Cao Cao Shou, and then drank it all in one gulp, and began to bow his head to eat. After only a few bites, I only heard Cao Cao ask: "What does Hongfu think about the battle of the southern conquest and the battle of Guangzhou?" ”

When Shixun heard this, he quickly put down his chopsticks and raised his head. He tried hard to swallow the food in his mouth, and then he asked, "Is there no Cao Wenlie, and there is a book coming again?" ”

Cao Cao said no, it was still the news a few days ago. At this time, it is estimated that Wen Zhongye and they have already killed Panyu City, if the plan of the water division you offer to raid is successful, Wei Wensheng will directly take Panyu City, maybe - "Can this plan be sold?" ”

Shi Xun shook his head, and replied honestly that I don't know-"Your Majesty tried to tell Wensheng that the north should reach Lelang, and the south should reach Jiao and Guang, so that the maritime merchants could closely observe the straight coast, the direction of the wind, and the flow of water, and draw them into a book, so that they can use the soldiers." It is reported that outside Yushuikou, the islands are dotted with more sandbanks, and it may be inconvenient to travel by boat. Although it is not possible to break into the city, it is okay to try Hepu, Longbian (Jiaozhi County), Xupu (Jiuzhen County), Xijuan (Nichinan County), or close to the sea, or connected by rivers. But if you get one place, the Shi clan will inevitably be bold, or turn against him to surrender. ”

Cao Cao nodded: "I haven't heard the news of Wei Wensheng, so I'm uneasy." ”

Shi Xun smiled slightly, and said Your Majesty, you are definitely not worried because you didn't get the news of the water master, and you definitely didn't summon me to the palace because of this-"The battle between Jiao and Guang, if you win, you can invade the Shu thief; Even if I am defeated, it will not be a great injury to me, so why should Your Majesty be uneasy? ”

If we win this battle, we will be able to have a good situation with Liu Bei, and I believe that if we accumulate for another year at most, we will be able to thunder and wipe out Xishu in one fell swoop. And even if we lose this battle, but if we throw away 30,000 horses, our family has a big business, and it is not that we can't afford to lose. You're an old fighter, and you're not a fledgling, inexperienced young man, and it's not your style to be in such a hurry before this battle is officially connected.

Of course, it is impossible not to worry about the important affairs of the country, so I asked as soon as I came up if there was a new situation in the south. Now there is neither new information nor new information, and you are still suffering from a headache, so you have dragged me in from outside the city to meet me, which is not in accordance with common sense, and it is not in line with your usual character and temper.

"Your Majesty's summons will not be a matter of the south."

When Cao Cao heard this, he couldn't help laughing: "Hongfu knows me also-then Hongfu is the summoner, what is the matter?" ”

Shi Xun had already thought about it on the way, and after a look at it, he replied with his hand: "The minister is not presumptuous, he is selfish, and he has to do nothing to do the rumors in the capital recently?" (To be continued......)