Cao Pi, the crown prince of Wei, inspected affairs in the East Palace every day, and convened a meeting of Shi Xun, Jia Xu, Liu Ye, Chen Qun, etc., and Shi Xun was forced to get up early - and just in wartime, the military situation was urgent, and there was no possibility of resting - for five or six days in a row, almost completely disrupting his own routine and rest.

On this day, when the sky was low, he was sent to the gate of the palace by the re-driving car, and Shixun walked in, and a eunuch followed and introduced him into the East Palace. Cao Pi gave a seat, and saw that all the big guys were here, and then said slowly: "There are carrier pigeons coming in Guanzhong, and the situation of the enemy and us is close to being clear." ”

At this time, it is estimated that Cao Cao's car only passed Hongnong, and after walking half the way, he could reach the city of Chang'an in six or seven days. According to the report of Cao Zhen and others, it can already be determined that there are only seven or eight thousand Shu troops in Chang'an City, the main general will be Liu Bei's confidant Pang Tong, and the deputy will be Changshan Zhao Yun - Liu Ye couldn't help but sigh: "With thousands of elites, rushing out of the meridian, and being able to destroy the emperor's son-in-law and seize the strong city of Chang'an, Pang Shiyuan is worthy of the name of 'Phoenix Chick'!" On the surface, he is praising Pang Tong, but in fact, he implies reproach Xiahou Nan.

When Cao Pi heard this, his face was a little unbearable - he thought that he had given Cao Cao the idea that he had married his sister Xu to Xiahou Nan as his wife, and he also had a lot of contacts with Xiahou Zilin and had a deep friendship - so he coughed and quickly changed the topic: "Liu Bei has entered the customs, and he confronted Cao Zidan and Le Wenqian in Weibei. I thought that if Zidan and the others could hold on for ten days, His Majesty would be able to hold on and Chang'an would be restored. ”

Jia Xu frowned and said: "Chang'an City is wide, and it is not something that thousands of people can defend. "The city is too large, and there are too many walls, so more soldiers are required to garrison it. Only six or seven thousand words. It is estimated that the city wall will be guarded. Not only will they be forced to abandon the sheep and horses outside the city, but there will not be many reserves left in the city-"Therefore, it is thought that Pang Tong may enter Baling and Xinfeng to replace the defense of Chang'an." ”

The two cities of Baling and Xinfeng are relatively small, and six or seven thousand people are just defending, as long as they keep the law, they can stop tens of thousands of troops.

So Cao Pi asked: "If the Taifu is stationed in Baling, what if?" ”

Jia Xu shook his head. Saying that I am just speculating privately, after all, it is too far away from the battlefield, and the countermeasures may not really be able to respond to the development and changes of the situation - besides, it is estimated that by the time the order arrives in Xinfeng, Baling will have already been lost. It's better to let the Taifu make their own decisions.

Chen Qun sighed and said: "If Cao Zidan can stuff the Ba Tomb, it is worry-free. ”

Shi Xun said that I think Cao Zhen's judgment and response are correct, instead of ensuring Baling, it is better to ensure Weiqiao, even if he can guard Baling, if Liu Bei is allowed to cross Weishui. Settled in Chang'an, I am afraid that the future battle will be more difficult to fight - what a general Cao Zidan is. There must be a reason for him to do that, you Chen Changwen don't know how to fight, what are you fooling with here!

"'Outside, the king's order is not subject to it', and His Royal Highness is not a king. We wait for the overall planning of materials, special dispatch and transportation, and the thieves can be determined by the generals. ”

Cao Pi nodded, and said that what the captain said was reasonable, but let's just talk about the battle situation casually here, don't worry, I won't blindly command from a distance of nearly a thousand miles - besides, my father didn't give me this permission, did he? Turning his head to ask the prince of the Ministry of Shangshu: "Does the prince think that the grain and straw military posture are quite useful?" ”

Wang Yi spread his hands and said that it was indeed a little difficult. Originally, according to Cha Cangli, he planned to mobilize 250,000 troops to enter Hanzhong and Sanba to defeat Shu Han, and it was estimated that the stored grain was enough to eat for two months, and then the new grain harvested in the autumn could last for about two or three months. But now, in response to changes in the situation, not only did they start the war in advance, but they were also forced to increase the investment of troops - for example, the forbidden army that Cao Cao brought to Guanzhong, as well as Guo Huai, Hao Zhao and other troops who did not plan to participate in the war - plus Guanzhong was attacked by the enemy, and the grain in many cities became food for the mouths of Shu thieves; Harvesting has already begun in parts of the south, but it is not yet time to open in the north, and it is estimated that the logistical pressure will be very great.

While discussing the matter of military resources and grain with everyone, Shi Xun sighed in his heart, if he wants to survive the crisis this time, he will have to cut the flesh and mend the sores, and it is estimated that it will cause considerable damage to national production, and it will be difficult to recover in three or five years. War is a money-burning business in any era, and the problem is that future generations are worried about steel, and this is the most worrying about food and grass...... It is estimated that after this battle, at least the warehouses of Sili and Yongzhou will be empty, and if there is a natural disaster, there is no way to help, and the people will be very miserable.

Finally, after the meeting, he was bored and walked out slowly with his head down. I was about to go to the palace gate to take a car back to my house, and I didn't walk far, when suddenly a young man came to the side, and when he saw Shi Xun, he bowed his hand and saluted: "Meet my grandmother and son-in-law." ”

Shi Xun fixed his eyes and looked: "This is not the prince of Yuzhong?" How is it here? ”

The son of Cao Ang, the king of Yuzhong, is of course his sister-in-law Cao Chao, who was thirteen years old this year, and he did not follow his father's country, but was sent to the palace to accompany Cao Cao. It is said that Cao Ang pleaded with Cao Cao before leaving Luoyang, saying: "The sons are faint and can't do their filial piety before their knees, please take the fashionable children as their substitutes and serve Your Majesty." Cao Cao has always liked this grandson, so he kept him for the time being.

Now Cao Chao stopped Shi Xun, and Shi Xun asked if there was something wrong with you? Cao Chao's face was full of worry: "The fashionable parents saw in Liangzhou, and they heard that the Shu thieves divided their troops to enter Yong and Liang, I don't know if the parents can be safe?" Please tell the truth to my grandmother-in-law. ”

Shi Xun sighed softly and said that your filial piety is commendable, but I really can't tell you anything. Now the situation in Guanzhong, according to the summary of various intelligence, there is already a general judgment - although it must lag behind - but Liangzhou is thousands of miles away, and there is no carrier pigeon channel, for Cao Wei Junchen, it is completely shrouded in the "fog of war". At present, I only know that Shuzhong sent Ma Chao to lead the army out of Wudu, it may be to take Qishan all the way, or it may be more westward, as for how many men and horses he carried, where he arrived at present, and how Liangzhou responded, I don't know anything at all.

However, Xun still comforted Cao Chao and said: "Liangzhou soldiers and horses, when they gather in Ji County, to resist the Shu thieves, and Yuzhong is six hundred miles northwest of Ji County, and Qing's father will be fine, don't worry." ”

That being said, if Ma Chao is overwhelmed all the way, it will only take about ten days to really kill Yuzhong. If Cao Ang is really captured by the Shu army, it will be too much trouble...... If the lives of Cao Ang and his wife are threatened, Cao Cao will not give in, but it is possible to send Lu Bu back to Liangzhou!

But no matter how worried he was, he had to pretend to smile indifferently and comfort Cao Chao with kind words. Cao Chao hesitated for a moment, and then muttered: "The family is strict and worships Shakyamuni, and the cloud can save the suffering." Pray for the well-being of your parents......"

Shixun couldn't help but glare: "No! Qing's father moved to the left because of this, how can Qing repeat the mistakes of the past?! If you want to pray for the peace of your parents, worship your ancestors and the heavens, how can you worship the Buddha? ”

A wry smile appeared on Cao Chao's lips: "Fashionable doesn't want to store a place, why be afraid?" If you have your parents, you can't worship anything......" Then he shook his head deeply and ran away.

Shi Xun looked at the child's back, was stunned for a long time, and couldn't help but shake his head. When he got out of the palace gate and boarded the car, he asked in a low voice who was driving: "Is there any news from Liangzhou?" "It's Fu shook his head, saying that the chaos is blocked, and our information has not been transmitted yet, and it is estimated that it will take a few days. Then he asked: "Daddy thinks that when Liu Bei came to Chang'an, he could send the general to annex Liangzhou?" ”

Shi Xun shook his head: "There are only 100,000 thieves in Shu, and there are only 60,000 or 70,000 people who can enter the customs...... "The pressure on their logistics should be greater than ours-" Since Liu Bei came to take Chang'an in person, he has the spare strength to go west? "But I'm afraid that Ma Chao can really contact Qianghu in Longxi, and this will cause a great chaos. Cao Hong hasn't been able to rush to Longxi yet, and I don't know if Yang Fu and Yan Xing can stop Ma Chao - but in the original history, these two can be regarded as his nemesis of Ma Mengqi, but don't let me down.

As Xun expected, Ma Chao really went out of the military capital and set off a big chaos in the south of Liangzhou. He brought out of Shu a small number of soldiers, and his brother Ma Dai, the generals Wu Lan, Lei Tong and other 6,000 soldiers and horses, and most of them were foot soldiers, but then he hooked up with the wolf Qiang in Wudu County, and raised more than 10,000 Qiang horsemen with empty promises, and first went out of Chiting to capture Xixian.

Less than eighty miles north of Xixian is Ji County, when Liangzhou Assassin Shi Zhang Ji, Hanyang Taishou Jiang Xu in Yan, the department is also less than 10,000, hearing the news of the cage city to hold on, and to the southern governor Yan Xing stationed in Lintao and stationed in Di Dao Longxi Taishou Su Ze for help.

Ma Chao tried to attack Jixian Buke, so he turned north and pointed straight to Yuzhong. Yan Xing's reinforcements arrived first, and he personally led 5,000 horsemen to chase after him, but was reflexively killed by Ma Mengqi and fought at Luomen. Yan Yanming took the lead, fought fiercely, and killed the Shu general Lei Tong in battle, but then he was raided by the Qiang cavalry and was forced to return to Ji County with injuries. Ma Chao took advantage of the situation to attack Ji County again.

Ma Dai persuaded Ma Chao bitterly, saying that his brother had just come out of Wudu, if he could conquer Ji County in one fell swoop, it would be fine, and now that he had fought once, he couldn't take it down, so he shouldn't stop fighting under this city, we should hurry up and fight into Guanzhong, and cooperate with Guan, Zhang, Wu and other departments. Ma Mengqi pouted and said: "In the past, I was vertical and horizontal, and Lu Bu was a friend and Liu ...... Today, the son is an alliance, Cao Cao is tied to it, once he falls, he is in Shuzhong, he is under Guan and Zhang, and now he is out of the teacher, and he is not ashamed to support them? ! Whip a finger: "Liangzhou is vast, there are many Qiang Hu, with the voice of the father, it will come one after another, but it can be taken directly from Yuzhong, and Cao Ang will be captured alive - at that time, the Son of Heaven refused to King me Liangzhou, and Cao Cao had to tear the soil for the seal!" ”

So he took another turn under the city of Ji County, and estimated that Zhang would not dare to go out of the city to chase after him, so he went north again. Zhang Ji and Jiang Xu were anxious, and sent distress letters to Di Dao one after another, but they didn't see Su Ze coming to help. Yan Xing said: "If the king of Yuzhong fails, we all deserve to be punished with death!" Regardless of dissuasion, he got on the horse with an injury, and then chased after Ma Chao.

Ma Chao was upset by Yan Xing's chase, and turned back to kill him twice, and finally surrounded Yan Xing, and after a fierce battle, Yan Yanming died on the battlefield. But then when Ma Chao turned back to the north, he found that countless Hu horses were surging all over the world. He also thought that Hu Qi was here to take refuge in himself, and he looked at it from afar with a canopy, but saw a red flag in front of him, embroidered with a big "Su" word! (To be continued.) )