Lu Xun and Wei Yan were shocked when they heard Nan Ye's order to return to Jingzhou and continue to play undercover in Infernal Affairs. They finally found an excuse to get out, and naturally wanted to fight side by side with Nan Ye, and they didn't want to go back to Jingzhou to work for Liu Cong, so they couldn't help but ask why.

Pang Tong smiled on the side: "Wen Chang and Bo Yan should go back quickly if they want to make great contributions, and then ...... like this."

After Lu Xun and Wei Yan listened to Pang Tongyi's explanation, their hearts suddenly dawned, and they all took the order and left. Pang Tong said to Nan Ye again: "The national teacher is going to join Liu Xuande and Sun Zhongmou to fight against Cao Cao, so there is no need to bring more soldiers, it is better to order the generals to garrison Jingnan, and wait until Cao Cao is broken to unify Jingzhou." ”

Nan Ye nodded and said: "According to Shi Yuan's plan, Shi Yuan and Ziyu are removed, and I will only bring my personal guards with me, and the trapped camp and the generals will stay here to assist Wen Yuan and Wen He." ”

As soon as the words fell, Ma Chao suddenly said: "I also ask the national teacher to take me with me, and I will kill the thief in this battle to avenge my father." ”

Nan Ye nodded and said, "That's fine!" Meng Qi can hand over his soldiers and horses to Ling Ming and Bo Zhan first, and go with me. ”

The distribution of everyone has been decided, and Nan Ye led Pang Tong, Zhuge Jin, Ma Chao and three hundred personal guards to set off north, and Dian Wei, Zhou Cang, Zhang Baiqi, Ma Yunluo, and Hua Bei led the personal guards to accompany them. The rest of the generals Huang Zhong, Pang De, Zhao Yun, Yang Xiong, Gao Shun and other generals stayed in Jingnan to assist Zhang Liao and Jia Xu in leading the army.

Lu Xun and Wei Yan resigned from Nanye and went to Xiangyang to see Liu Cong and said: "The lord's affairs are not good, Lingling is too shou Liu Du, Guiyang is too shou Zhao Fan, Wuling is too shou Jin Xuan, and Changsha is too shou Han Xuan, and the four of them are not Cao Cheng but are opposed to Nanye National Division, and now the Jiaozhou army has entered, and the four counties are all owned by the national division." ”

"What are you going to say?" Cai Mao was on fire at that time, and half of Jingxiang's nine counties were gone at once, seeing that Nanye's soldiers were approaching the city, how could he not be in a hurry?

Hearing this, Kuai Yue asked in doubt: "Since the four counties have all surrendered to Nanye, how can you escape back?" ”

Lu Xun said: "The national teacher knew that we were just messengers, so he didn't feel embarrassed, so he asked us to tell the lord. It is said that Jiaozhou and Jingzhou are connected, and the ancestors and the national teachers are on good terms, and the national teachers have no intention of attacking each other. It's just that the four counties came to vote, and the national teacher must not send troops to protect each other, in case Cao Cao comes to attack the people. ”

Cai Mao breathed a sigh of relief when she heard this: "So Nan Ye has no intention of crusading against me Jingzhou? ”

Wei Yan said: "That's right! The national teacher also said that as long as Cao Bing did not come to attack, he would not take the initiative to send troops. The lord dedicated the land of Jingbei to Prime Minister Cao, and the national teacher didn't ask. ”

How could Cai Maojiu not know that the four counties of Jingnan are vast and sparsely populated, and the five counties of Jingbei are densely populated? Jingzhou's main economic and military forces are concentrated in Jingbei, and even if the four counties of Jingnan surrender to Nanye, the overall strength loss of Jingzhou is not as exaggerated as four-ninths. As long as Nan Ye didn't mean to annex Jingzhou, Cai Mao didn't have to worry too much, and said, "Fortunately! Fortunately! ”

Hearing this, Kuai Yue frowned and said, "The soldier is treacherous! Although Nanye National Master said that he would not attack on the first side, we must not be on guard. When sending troops to guard Nanjun, in case Nanye comes to attack. ”

Cai Mao said when he heard this: "What the different degrees say is extremely true! I don't know who wants to go? ”

Lu Xun and Wei Yan glanced at each other and said: "We are willing to lead the troops to go, if Nan Ye betrays his trust and attacks, we should block it for the lord." ”

When Cai Mao heard this, he ordered the two to lead 20,000 troops to defend Nanjun, and then said to Kuai Yue: "Before Zhongzi (Song Zhong's character) had already gone to offer a letter of surrender, now if Prime Minister Cao Cheng knew that the four counties were obtained by Nanye, wouldn't he blame us and others?" ”

Kuai Yue said: "Liu Xuande abandoned Xinye and went to Fancheng, and was defeated by Prime Minister Cao Cheng. Now that Prime Minister Cao Cheng is in Fancheng, the general had better explain it in person. ”

When Cai Mao heard this, he went to Fancheng with Zhang Yun to meet Cao Cao and ask for guilt. told the four counties about taking refuge in Nanye again, and then knelt on the ground and waited for Cao Cao to fall.

Cao Cao frowned when he heard this, the nine counties and four counties of Jingxiang voted for Nanye, and Jiangxia was in the hands of Liu Qi, which meant that Cao Cao only got half of Jingzhou, which made Cao Cao very unhappy. But after thinking about it, for the fool Cai Mao, he didn't spend a single soldier to get half of Jingzhou, how can it be regarded as earned. So he comforted Cai Mao with a smile and said: "This matter is not General Cai's fault, what is the general's crime?" I don't know if there are four counties missing, how much money and food are there for the military horses in Jingzhou today? ”

Cai Mao was relieved to see that Cao Cao did not blame himself, and said flatteringly: "Now Jingzhou has 20,000 horse troops, 80,000 infantry troops, and 80,000 water troops, a total of 180,000 horses. Most of the money and grain were in Gangneung, enough for the army for two years. The rest of the place had enough food and grass to feed the defenders for a lifetime. ”

Due to Nanye's immigration policy, people from all over the country gathered in Jiaozhou, and the forces of the princes of the world were also weakened a lot. Cao Cao recruited most of the men and horses under his command this time to get 300,000 soldiers, but he didn't expect that there were 180,000 people and horses in Jingzhou, which made Cao Cao very happy, and then asked with a smile: "How many warships are there in Jingzhou?" Who is in charge? ”

Cai Mao said: "There are more than 5,000 large and small warships, and the two of us are in charge. ”

Cao Cao nodded and said, "You two have contributed to the city, and I should be rewarded." "Said that Cai Mao was the Marquis of Zhennan, and the governor of the navy. Zhang Yun is the assistant Marquis of Shun and the deputy governor of the navy.

The two were overjoyed and thanked, and Cao Cao said: "Liu Jingsheng is dead, and his son is obedient to me." I should play the Son of Heaven and order him to be the lord of Jingzhou forever. ”

Cai Mao and Zhang Yun were overjoyed when they heard this, they all knew that Liu Cong was just a puppet, and Cao Cao gave them the military power, and in the future, Jingzhou would probably be their final say. The two happily thanked and left.

Cao Cao's generals were not angry when they saw that the two of them had not made an inch, and Xiahou said: "Cai Mao and Zhang Yun are traitors and betrayers of the lord, why did the lord crown him so prominent?" ”

Cao Cao said with a smile: "I don't know that the two of them are young, but we and the people of the North are not used to water warfare, so we will use these two people for the time being." When it's done, don't bother with it. ”

Cao Ren said: "Nanye is bold enough to occupy the four counties, and the lord has Jingbei, why not take advantage of the situation to go south to get his place?" ”

"My lord!" As soon as Cao Ren's voice fell, Xun You said: "Now that Liu Bei is not peaceful, Liu Qi is not destroyed, and Sun Quan of Jiangdong is eyeing him. If the lord waves his army south to confront Nanye, once the war is stalemate, after Liu Bei and others attack me, I will be cut off and regret it too late. Nanye has not sent troops to attack, so we don't have to provoke it, and when Jing and Yang are swept away, and then go south, then a battle can be settled in Jiaozhou. ”

Cao Cao's perennial leader naturally knows the truth of long-distance friendship and close attack, and if Liu Bei, Liu Qi, and Sun Quan under his nose don't fight, it is obviously not a good idea to fight Nanye, whose strength is second only to himself. Once the war is deadlocked, as Xun You said, Cao Cao guessed that as long as Nan Ye ascended to the heights, Liu Bei and Sun Quan would raise troops to respond, and he would be very passive at that time. Now the best way is to encroach on the southern princes one by one, Nan Ye is unwilling to send troops at best, and first destroy Liu Bei and Sun Quan.

With a plan in mind, Cao Cao nodded and said, "What Gongda said is extremely true!" I'll wait for Xiangyang first, and then go after the big-eared thief Liu Bei. As long as some more soldiers and horses are added to Nanjun, even if Nanye attacks, it will not be available for a while. ”

However, it was said that Cai Mao and Zhang Yun returned to Liu Cong and said: "Prime Minister Cao Cheng is the master of Yongzhen Jingzhou." The lord can quickly go to meet the prime minister. ”

Mrs. Cai and Liu Cong were overjoyed when they heard this, and the next day they held the Jingzhou Seal Reprieve-Raising Talisman and personally crossed the river to greet Cao Cao. Cao Cao's kind words soothed him, and he led the army to garrison outside Xiangyang City.

After Cao Cao entered the city, he met the generals in the state governor's mansion, and specially summoned Kuai Yue to the front to comfort him: "I don't like Jingzhou, I like it differently." "Let's say that Feng Kuai Yue is the Marquis of Jiangling Taishou Fancheng, and Fu Xun is the Marquis of Guannei. He also named Liu Cong as the assassin of Qingzhou, and ordered him to set off immediately.

Mrs. Cai and Liu Cong were shocked when they heard this, and Mrs. Cai asked, "Didn't the prime minister promise to make my son the lord of Jingzhou forever?" ”

Cao Cao glared at Mrs. Cai and said, "I am discussing military affairs with the generals, how can I allow you to intervene as a woman?" Come on, call me out. ”

Mrs. Cai's face turned pale with fright when she heard this, and Liu Cong also kept her mother trembling. Seeing this, Cai Mao hurriedly stepped forward to intercede and said: "My sister collided with the prime minister, please calm the prime minister's anger!" ”

Cao Cao saw Cai Mao's pleading face, and said slowly: "It turns out that this woman is the sister of Cai Dudu, and for Cai Dudu's sake, I will be exempted from her crime." Earlier, I said that Liu Cong was the lord of Qingzhou, not Jingzhou, and General Cai heard it wrong! ”

Where did Cai Mao dare to refute Cao Cao at this time? Hurriedly said: "It's Qingzhou!" It's Qingzhou! I heard it wrong, don't be surprised by the prime minister. "Then I pulled Mrs. La Cai.

Mrs. Cai also saw that at this time, people were swordsmen and I was fish and meat, so she shut up and didn't dare to say anything more. Liu Cong hugged Mrs. Cai and said, "I don't want to go to Qingzhou as an official, I am willing to stay at home to accompany my mother." ”

Seeing this, Cao Cao smiled and said: "Qingzhou is close to the imperial capital, so it is safe for you to be an official with the dynasty and be harmed in Jingxiang." Besides, when a husband is determined to be in all directions, how can he always stay at home and watch his parents live? ”

Liu Cong couldn't stop crying when he heard this, Cao Cao frowned and ordered their mother and son to retreat and go to Qingzhou together. Mrs. Cai didn't expect that this would be the end of Cao at all, and she regretted that she didn't descend Nanye in the first place. What made Mrs. Cai even more unexpected was that in order to show loyalty to Cao Cao, no one in Jingzhou was willing to escort them along the way, so Wang Wei accompanied him. At this time, Mrs. Cai only knew who the loyal minister was, but unfortunately it was too late.

When Cao Cao saw Mrs. Cai and Liu Cong leaving, he secretly instructed Xiahou Yuan: "You can lead the light cavalry to chase Liu Cong's mother and son to kill them, so as to prevent future troubles." ”

After Xiahou Yuan received the order, he led the leopard rider in the tiger and leopard cavalry to chase after him. When he saw Liu Cong's car, he shouted: "I came to kill you on the order of the prime minister!" You can dedicate your head early to be a ghost! ”

When Mrs. Cai heard this, she hugged Liu Cong and cried, and Xiahou Yuan led the tiger and leopard to ride up and kill her. Wang Wei was furious and tried his best to protect the Lord, but he was alone, how could he be a tiger and leopard riding an opponent? The cavalry swarmed up and chopped Wang Wei and his corporal into meat sauce, and Mrs. Cai and Liu Cong also died in the chaos.

Xiahou Yuan killed the mother and son and reported back to Cao Cao, and after Cao Cao rewarded him, he ordered Xiahou Yuan to go to Longzhong to catch Zhuge Liang's family, but at this time, Zhuge Jun had already moved away from Longzhong under the guidance of Zhuge Liang.

Cao Cao's search for Zhuge Liang's house was fruitless, so he ordered his five thousand tigers and leopards to ride as the vanguard, and marched forward in the starry night to chase Liu Bei. Cao Cao himself led the army and vowed to wipe out Liu Bei before he arrived in Jiangxia.