When the news reached Luoyang, Cao Rui, who was dizzy by the discussion of the ministers' relocation of the capital, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Wancheng and Kunyang lost unexpectedly and quickly, not only Sima Yi was defeated suddenly, but even Zhang He, who Cao Rui had high hopes for, was also defeated, and this result was really unexpected by Cao Wei's monarchs. After the fall of Kunyang, Yingchuan and Henan were exposed to the attack of the Han and Wu coalition forces. This crisis was more serious than Guan Yu's Northern Expedition and the siege of Fancheng, and there was talk of moving the capital.

However, it is not so easy to move the capital, although the conditions of Yecheng are no worse than Luoyang, and it is also the real core of Cao Wei's regime for a long time, but if the capital is moved from Luoyang back to Yecheng, Cao Wei can no longer represent the orthodoxy of the world, and the impact on people's hearts is far-reaching, and it may even shake the foundation of Wei, how can it be easy to move the capital.

Just when Cao Rui was in a dilemma, the news that Qin Lang and the others gave up Longyou and returned to Hedong came to give Cao Rui, who was still barely supporting, a heavier blow. Although he knew that it would be difficult for Longyou to hold on without reinforcements, Cao Rui was still very disappointed when he heard the news, and he was bedridden for a while. In his opinion, after Zhuge Liang took Longyou, he would naturally attack Hedong and Bingzhou, and the troops would be directed at Gyeonggi, which was no longer a question of whether to move the capital, but whether the country would be destroyed.

Cao Rui finally breathed a sigh of relief when he received the news that Shu Han was going to temporarily stop the offensive, and learned that Shu Han would not attack Shu in the near future, at least not from Nanyang and Guanzhong at the same time.

However, this only represents temporary security, not that the crisis has truly resolved. Shu Han was exhausted, and Li Yan and Zhuge Liang fought for power. The pace of the attack on Wei had to be slowed down, which was only one of the difficulties faced by Wei. It may be arguably one of the most threatening, but it cannot be the only one.

At least, in addition to Shu Han, Wu Guo, who has long regarded Jizhou as his territory, has not given up, but without Shu Han's response, Sun Quan is temporarily unable to do so.

In addition to these external worries, Cao Rui also has internal troubles.

Man is a strange animal, and no matter how much pressure from the outside world is, it seems that he cannot suppress internal strife. There are certainly people who can temporarily put aside their personal grievances for the sake of the overall situation. But I don't know the general idea. There are more people who care about their own personal interests. Sometimes, there are not a few people who do not hesitate to harm the overall situation for their own interests.

Since the loss of Guanzhong, Wei has suffered heavy losses, but this has not stopped those vying for power and profit. On the contrary, it became more frantic as the fighting intensified.

Sima Yi returned from a defeat in Wancheng. Excuse me. Behind closed doors. Unfortunately, whether or not his closed-door thoughts are true, at least his followers don't intend to let him fade out of court from now on. Controversy over the responsibility for the fall of Nanyang. It started long before Cao Rui returned to Luoyang.

The initial target was Cao Rui himself. Some people believe that the most direct reason for the loss of Nanyang is the loss of Nanxiang, and the responsible persons for the loss of Nanxiang are Cao Yu and Wuqiu Jian and Guo Li, one of these three people is a clan, one is an old minister of the East Palace of the Son of Heaven, and the other is an incompetent person with a sudden nepotism, so the most direct reason for the loss of Nanxiang is that the Son of Heaven is unknown, and the Son of Heaven is of course mainly responsible for the loss of Zuihou in Nanyang.

These words were not explicitly stated, but the meaning was already very clear, and only by putting the main responsibility on the head of the Son of Heaven, Sima Yi was naturally safe and sound.

At first, these accusations were relatively vague, but later with the successive defeats of Zhang He, Qin Lang and others, these accusations became more intense. Zhang He is better, no one can question his ability, but Qin Lang is an out-and-out close minister of the Son of Heaven, he, like Cao Yu, is a playmate who grew up with Cao Rui, and has been called a fake son by Emperor Wu since he was a child, he can be an official and command a large army, it has nothing to do with his ability, just because he is a close minister of the Son of Heaven.

There is no doubt that the responsibility for the loss of Longyou should be borne by Qin Lang, but Hao Zhao, Tian Yu and others did not pay much attention. The reason is very simple, attacking Qin Lang is to directly accuse the Son of Heaven, compared with Qin Lang's loss of Longyou, what is Sima Yi's loss of Nanyang?

Cao Rui is a strong emperor, but unfortunately in the face of this situation, he can't do whatever he wants if he wants to be strong. He had to think about whether he would dig his own grave after the killing spree.

Like Emperor Wu and Emperor Wen, he had to rely on the family to manage the country when he was guarding against the family. Because the family is the main source of talents, without the support of the family, he alone cannot support the entire court.

Shu Han's postponement of the Wei attack bought Cao Rui some time, but if he didn't make the most of that precious time, the situation would still deteriorate, and maybe even fester.

Cao Rui was so anxious that he convened his cronies for several days, and after consulting the ministers, he had to summon Sima Yi, who had been thinking behind closed doors, into the palace to discuss matters.

……

Sima Yi lay on the bed, with a cloth wrapped around his head, his face haggard, and his eye sockets were deep.

The defeat of Nanyang hit him too hard, and his illness had no element of showmanship at all, he was indeed sick. Sima Zhao's disappearance in the midst of the chaos was simply a piece of flesh dug out of his heart, which made him feel painful. Compared with the loss of his son, the loss of Wancheng is nothing to him at all.

Although that scene was shocking enough, since he escaped, he would definitely be able to figure out a way to deal with it. The life and death of his son are unknown, and there are many auspicious ones, which is what makes him really heartbroken.

Not only him, but his wife Zhang Chunhua was also furious. From the day he returned to Luoyang and walked into the house, Zhang Chunhua did not scold him for a day and asked him to return her son.

Sima Yi had a hard time, I don't know if his wife is used to plagiarism, or if she believes that he is strong enough, not only is she uncomfortable at this time, but she actually quarrels with him. If it weren't for the strength of Madame, he would almost have thought that this was a stupid woman who was quite unreasonable.

Fortunately, he knew that this lady of his was not stupid at all. In fact, the news of the loss of a son by the hussar general soon spread throughout Luoyang, winning him a lot of sympathy and invisibly relieving him of his responsibility.

Now, this Mrs. Zhang has done him a great favor again. As soon as the messenger who summoned him to the palace by the Son of Heaven entered the door, he was blasted out by Zhang Chunhua crying. Zhang Chunhua told the envoy that this old thing was not material for war at all, and he couldn't even keep his son. How can you give Bixia any idea. Please Bixia don't believe him, let's ask another Gao Ming.

Zhang Chunhua wore a handful of snot and tears, crying and scolding, and drove the messenger out of the gate in a daze, not letting him see Sima Yi himself.

Cao Rui received the report and had to come to the Hussar General's Mansion in person.

Emperor Bixia came, Zhang Chunhua didn't dare to be so presumptuous, but although she wore it properly, she didn't miss the opportunity to cry out for her son. Tears broke down in front of Cao Rui. Pleaded with the Son of Heaven not to let Sima Yi go into battle again, she didn't want to lose another son.

In the face of this old woman who lost her son, Cao Rui, who is the son of heaven, had no choice but to comfort Zhang Chunhua and say: Madame, don't worry. I've been informed. Ling Lang Sima Zhao did not die. If he is still alive, I will send someone to redeem him at once. However, the state is important, so please ask the lady to invite the hussar general out.

Listened to this. Zhang Chunhua stopped making trouble.

When Sima Yi saw Cao Rui, he was very embarrassed, lying on the ground, and didn't dare to say a word. Cao Rui was also very embarrassed, he didn't listen to Sima Yi's best strategy at the beginning, but he fell into such a dilemma, he really didn't know how to explain it.

The two were silent for a long time, and Cao Rui broke the embarrassment: "Sima Gong, the world has come to this point, how can it be good?" ”

Sima Yi snorted and gasped: "Bixia, since the minister fled and returned, he has been thinking about these things behind closed doors, and he has gained a little, and he is willing to sacrifice ugliness and bixia, please Bixia Holy Judge." ”

"Sima Gong, please speak." Seeing that Sima Yi had a way, Cao Rui felt inexplicably relaxed. I have to say that among these ministers left to him by Emperor Wen, although Sima Yi is not the most warlike in martial affairs, his meticulousness is second to none, and even the general Cao Zhen may not be able to think more comprehensively than him.

"The minister repeatedly thought about the war in Nanyang, thought about it, and felt that the key was still Wei Ba alone."

Cao Rui raised his eyebrows a little thin, and then regained his composure and looked at Sima Yi quietly.

"Whether it is Xiangyang or Wancheng, including Kunyang later, they all have one characteristic: that is, the fortified city is no longer to be trusted, and the siege of the Shu Han army has exceeded the scope of our understanding." Sima Yi spoke slowly, as if every word had been well thought out, and in fact, he was indeed well thought out, but not now. "Bixia, Li Yan surrounded Xiangyang with 50,000 people, surrounded it for a month, and broke the city in three days. An army of 80,000 surrounded Wancheng, worked for 11 days, and broke the city in two days. The Wu and Han coalition forces besieged Kunyang with 60,000 troops, besieged the city for thirteen days, and broke the city in three days. Bixia, this is an unprecedented siege speed. ”

Cao Rui's eyes gradually tightened.

"But they can break the city so quickly?" Sima Yi raised his head, looked at Cao Rui, and asked, "Did Bixia think of the trick?" ”

"Something to do with Wei Ba?" Cao Rui said uncertainly.

"Bixia Shengming." Sima Yi replied: "When viewed together, these battles all have one characteristic: that is, the intensity of long-range attacks before landing in the city far exceeded our expectations. During the battle of Wancheng, Wei Ba gathered more than 1,000 thunderbolts outside Wancheng, once launched, arrows and stones rained, although the minister made a lot of preparations, still did not have the power to fight back, within a radius of 200 steps, more than 5,000 soldiers, more than 300 thunderbolts, more than 500 ballistas, almost destroyed. ”

Thinking of the siege scene of the Shu Han army at that time when arrows were raining down and stone bullets were like hail, although it had been a few months, Sima Yi still couldn't help but shiver. Cao Rui was taken aback, he only knew that Wancheng and Kunyang had lost at an unexpected speed, but how they were lost, he had not heard anyone say in detail. Neither Sima Yi nor Zhang He talked about these details, and he was also overwhelmed by the urgent situation, so he didn't have time to think about these details.

After listening to Sima Yi's description, Cao Rui seemed to understand a little. In the report Qin Lang gave him, he once exonerated Hao Zhao, saying that Hao Zhao's abandonment of Ji County was also to preserve his strength and protect Ma Jun, not cowardice. He was originally very unhappy, thinking that this was Qin Lang's alliance with a party for personal gain, but he forgot who he should be loyal to, but now he realized that Hao Zhao might really give up Ji County because he couldn't hold it.

"Is there a way to deal with that?"

"Yes." Sima Yi replied, "If we have the same number of thunderbolts and ballistas, we can defeat him." ”

Cao Rui nodded. This truth is not complicated, war, in the final analysis, is still a contest of strength.

"However, Bixia, we can build a large number of thunderbolts, but there is a problem that cannot be solved." Sima Yi reminded: "How can we provide enough stone bullets for the thunderbolt, and how can we make the thunderbolt go five or six hundred steps or even further?" ”

Cao Rui was stunned for a while, and suddenly realized, and couldn't help laughing: "I know, Ma Jun." ”

Sima Yi looked at Cao Rui puzzled. Cao Rui hurriedly told Qin Lang about what he had reported, especially explaining that Ma Jun was on his way to Luoyang. Sima Yi listened and nodded with satisfaction: "Bixia, Hao Zhao has made a correct decision, perhaps, this decision is a glimmer of hope for our army to turn defeat into victory." ”

Cao Rui also nodded again and again with relief: "Sima Gong is reasonable. Hao Zhao's decision was right, Ma Jun was more important than Long You. Looking at the world, the only one who can restrain Wei Ba in mechanical techniques is probably Ma Jun. ”…… (To be continued......)