Henan City, heavily guarded. The hot south wind seemed to carry fire, blowing the flag upside down, like a fire dragon dancing wildly, adding to the hot and dry air. Every soldier of the Wei army had a solemn face and a heavier mood.

The soldiers here have just been withdrawn from the front line, and the soldiers of the forbidden army who participated in the war are certainly depressed, and the soldiers who did not have time to participate in the war are also not happy. Before the news of Cao Xiu's defeat had passed, they heard even more devastating news: the Shu Han army had launched a full-scale attack, and all the west of Tongguan had been lost.

Tongguan is lost, the western part of Great Wei is lost, Yongzhou, Liangzhou, and the more distant Western Regions are all out of control, and less than half of Great Wei is now left, which is unacceptable bad news for anyone.

Cao Rui, who was neatly dressed, sat under the green cover, his face was slightly sweaty, but he couldn't see anything unusual in his expression, he calmly looked at the hussar general Sima Yi and the right general Zhang He sitting in front of him, and asked calmly: "What is Erqing's opinion?" ”

Sima Yizheng was contemplating his eyebrows, and in the face of the emperor's inquiry, he smiled bitterly: "Bixia, Guanzhong is condescending, you can't make mistakes, Longyou is the place where horses are raised, and it is where the foundation of my Great Wei is located." Now that the reverse Shu has won Guanzhong, our army should attack with all its might, take advantage of the enemy's unstable foothold to recapture Guanzhong, and quickly support Longyou. Since the general is in Tongguan, the minister should personally lead the army into Wuguan, and he will not turn his heel. However, Jiangdong Xinsheng, morale is sharp, and it has formed an alliance with Reverse Shu. If our army goes to Wuguan, Lu Xun will go to Wanluo, how will it deal with it? ”

Cao Rui nodded slightly: "The hussar general is very worried, but what is the trick to teach me?" ”

Sima Yi bowed and said: "When the first emperor was here, in order to inherit Emperor Wu's great wish to unify the world, there was a strategy of defending instead of attacking and living with the people. In the first battle of Yiling, Liu Bei died, and the great disaster in the western part of the country was temporarily eliminated, and Emperor Yi was able to go all out to Jiangdong. Unexpectedly, Zhuge Liang didn't know the time. Sending troops out of time and colluding with Jiangdong made our Great Wei exhausted. I want to solve the dilemma at hand. It's nothing more than a double strategy. One strategy is to imitate the old plan of the battle of Xiangfan that year, saying that Sun Quan should be moved, his alliance would be dissolved, and Sun Quan would go up the river to attack Chengdu. forced Zhuge Liang to return to the rescue, and our army went west to relieve the siege of Yongliang. ”

Cao Rui smiled: "What the hussar general said is very true. However, our army has just fought with Sun Quan in Jianghuai, and it will not be easy to form an alliance with him immediately. Let's talk about the second strategy. ”

Sima Yi sighed: "The second strategy is to temporarily cancel the policy of resting between Emperor Wen and the people, and recruit troops across the country." When Liu Bei died, there was no sound in Shu, and Emperor Wen planned for the people of the world. Only then did he set up a plan to defend the west and attack the east. Now Zhuge Liang sent troops, brazenly invaded Guanzhong, and formed an alliance with Jiangdong, in the short term, our army will fight on two fronts. With the current standing strength of our army, it is inevitable that it will be overstretched, and we can only recruit troops to ease its urgency. ”

Cao Rui exhaled lightly, "What the hussar general said is a good strategy, but the water of the East China Sea is difficult to save the dried carp." The conscription is already underway, the troops of Hedong, Henan, and Bingzhou are ready to go, and the soldiers of Jizhou are also being assembled. Regarding the alliance with Jiangdong, I also sent an envoy. It's just that waiting is not a good strategy after all, even if the hussar general can't enter the military pass in a big way, he must show his interests and disadvantages to divide the troops in the pass. ”

"Bixia, if Lu Xun's generals go to Wancheng, what can I do?"

"Then I will lead the gathering of haode army and rush to Wancheng in person, and meet this famous Jiangdong general who defeated Liu Bei in a while."

Sima Yi didn't have anything to say, and bowed down to receive the order: "Only!" ”

Cao Rui turned to Zhang He: "General Right, what do you think of the change in Guan You?" ”

Zhang He bowed and said: "Bixia inquires, and the minister should see it wholeheartedly." Guanzhong four solid, high house, once the reverse Shu entrenched in Guanzhong, it can follow the old policy of the Han Gaozu. It is necessary to guard against it. Longyou is the foundation of my Great Wei Iron Cavalry, and it must not be lost. It's just that the minister has some ideas and wants to invite Bixia Mingjian. ”

Cao Rui rubbed his fingers and hesitated for a moment. He has made his meaning very clear, Sima Yi entered Wuguan, Cao Zhen entered Tongguan, and the recovery of Guanzhong was the first priority, but Zhang He said that he had ideas, obviously not agreeing with his strategy. To listen or not to listen? Listen, all the previous arrangements are equivalent to overthrowing, don't listen, this right general Zhang He is the most knowledgeable general in the Western Theater, since the time of Emperor Wu, he has fought in Guanzhong, Hanzhong, and even deep into Bashu, if you want to talk about the Western Theater, who else has the right to speak than him?

Cao Rui quickly weighed the pros and cons, nodded and said, "General Right, please speak up." ”

"Yui, Bixia Shengming." Zhang He saluted again, then raised his head, and looked at Cao Rui with blazing eyes, seeing that Cao Rui was slightly angry, and at the same time couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. He saw a strong confidence in Zhang He's gaze.

"Bixia, there is a danger of mountains and rivers in the pass, and it is close to the elbow and armpit, and its danger goes without saying. And Zhuge Liang commanded the army in Longyou, and there were only 20,000 or 30,000 people in Wei Yan and Zhao Yun in the pass. However, the minister had a different opinion, thinking that he should take Longyou first, and then take Guanzhong. ”

Cao Rui sighed, and said in his heart that this Zhang He really overthrew his strategy. His face was a little embarrassed, but he still nodded: "Please explain the reason for this." ”

Zhang He glanced at Sima Yi intentionally or unintentionally: "Bixia, the minister thinks like this, because of two people." ”

"Which two?"

"The first is to reverse the Shu Prime Minister Zhuge Liang. The second is to rebel against the Shu Prime Minister's Mansion and join the army of Wei Ba. ”

Cao Rui raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he understood something, and the slight annoyance in his heart suddenly disappeared.

"Zhuge Liang did not send troops to Guanzhong, but sent troops to Longyou, nothing more than not daring to face the counterattack of my Great Wei. Cowardly without a fight, unable to move forward when encountering the enemy, not a good general's talent, the will can be seen. Although the commander of the army lies in Longyou, it is just a bluff. The shaking of Longyou was only caused by the commotion of the people in the three counties of Anding, Nan'an, and Tianshui, not because its troops were irresistible. Although Wei Ba is young, he is quite capable of being a soldier, which I think the hussar general knows best. The minister heard the hussar general say that the Meridian Valley Jihua was from the hands of this person, at that time, many famous ministers and generals of my Great Wei thought that the Meridian Valley could not be marched, but the facts were in front of them, it was the strange soldiers that appeared from the Meridian Valley that caused the rapid loss of Guanzhong, and Tongguan also fell into the hands of Wei Yan. It can be seen that although this person is young, he is scheming and knows the principle of Qi Zheng interdependence. Although there are few soldiers in Guanzhong, it is not easy to attack. ”

Cao Rui glanced at Sima Yi, Sima Yi's head was very low, almost hanging to his chest, although he couldn't see his expression, he could imagine his embarrassment now. Sima Yi and Zhang He have always been at odds, which Cao Rui is clear about, and he deliberately arranged it. If the main general and the deputy general are too harmonious, it may not be a good thing. But Zhang He exposed Sima Yi's shortcomings in front of so many people today, which is really not a gentleman enough.

Cao Rui nodded quietly: "Does General Right mean to take Longyou first, and then take Guanzhong?" ”

Zhang He bowed down and said, "Bixia Shengming." Although the minister has never fought against Wei Ba, it can be seen from this person's actions that it is not easy to get from Guanzhong. Moreover, although the terrain of Guanzhong is dangerous, it lacks population, and it is impossible for Guanzhong to be as dominant as Han Gaozu back then. In contrast, Longyou is more important. Zhuge Liang entered the Guanzhong with Wei Ba, and took Longyou himself, the purpose was to reject our army in Guanzhong and buy time for him to take Longyou. Or in the strong attack, the Guanzhong can be restored, and Longyou will be lost. Why don't you take Longright first, and then return to the customs. ”

Cao Rui pondered for a moment: "It's just a thousand miles of running, and there is not enough food and grass." ”

"Bixia, although stability is rebellious, it is just because of the situation, and it may not be true to obey. If our army hesitates, after a hundred days, Zhuge Liang will settle people's hearts, and Liangzhou will not be owned by me. If our army attacks, Anding will inevitably ask Zhuge Liang for help, and if Zhuge Liang comes to fight, then our army can wait for work and break it in Anding. If Zhuge Liang does not come, stability can be easily recovered, and Nan'an and Tianshui will also fall from the wind. In this way, it can ensure that Long's right is not lost. Then attack the pass from all sides. If Zhuge Liang retreats to Guanzhong, then Guanzhong's manpower is not enough to support his army, and if he retreats to Hanzhong, Wei Ba in Guanzhong is isolated and helpless, and defeat and retreat are also expected. ”

Zhang He talked eloquently, and Zuihou added: "Bixia, I have a law in Dawei, besiege the city and the reinforcements will not arrive in 100 days, and those who surrender will not be guilty of their families." Now it has been nearly two months since the army was dispatched to Shu, and if our army cannot appear in Longyou within a month, I am afraid that Longyou is not owned by the state. ”

Cao Rui's eyebrows jumped and he nodded secretly. He looked back at Liu Ye's monk Jiang Ji in the waiter, Liu Ye leaned closer, nodded and said, "The minister thinks Zhang He's plan is feasible." ”

Jiang Ji shook his head: "If you give up the pass and take Longyou first, then the army must march west from the north of Bingzhou, the road is far away, and it has to pass through the place where Qianghu is rampant. ”

Cao Rui hesitated. The Central Plains has been fighting for many years, the national strength is declining, and the Qianghu troops are increasingly pressing southward, especially in Bingzhou and Youzhou, and Xihe County, which originally belonged to Bingzhou, is now no longer under the control of the empire. In normal times, he wouldn't be too worried, but now that the empire was at its most dangerous, he didn't want to go to war with Qianghu again.

Cao Rui pondered for a long time, and Zuihou said to Zhang He: "General Right will lead the army to Hedong first, and act when he sees the opportunity." ”

When Zhang He heard the words "act on the opportunity", he couldn't help but be overjoyed, and he didn't think much about it, and immediately agreed to the promise and retreated. When he left, he didn't even look at Sima Yi. The corners of Sima Yi's mouth twitched, but he didn't say anything, just sat there silently, waiting for Cao Rui's further orders.

After careful consideration, Cao Rui issued an edict ordering Sima Yi to leave 10,000 people to guard Wancheng and lead 30,000 troops to rush into Wuguan; Ordered Zhang He to lead the 30,000 forbidden troops who had just been withdrawn from the southeast battlefield to immediately rush to Tongguan and join the general Cao Zhen. At the same time, he ordered Shangshu Jiang Ji to be the general of the army, and the cavalry was stationed in Hedong with a festival, and the 20,000 troops urgently requisitioned from Hedong and Henan were assembled to cooperate with the general Cao Zhen to fight. At the same time, he issued an edict to levy and transfer the Wuhuan Tucai in Youzhou, and requisitioned the scholars of Jizhou and Bingzhou, and concentrated in Luoyang, preparing to fight the country.

At the same time, a messenger with Cao Rui's edict rushed to Wuchang.

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Plus more, it is currently 16 votes, 15 votes behind Tang Sanzang, asking for fire support! Anyway, you'll have to bite him. (To be continued.) )