The distance from Yizhou to Jingzhou is too far.

In this era, there is no reliable means of instant messaging, and it is not easy for Liu Bei in Yizhou to contact Guan Yu in Jingzhou.

Not to mention that now that the Northern Expedition is underway, Liu Bei has already led the troops out of the Qishan Bao Slope Road, and Wuzhang Yuan is in Guanzhong.

If Liu Bei were to directly command Guan Yu in Jingzhou, his fastest communication route would have been for the messenger to return to Hanzhong from the Bao Slope Road, where he would take a boat down the Han River to Xiangyang, and then go north from Xiangyang to Deng County to send orders to Guan Yu.

This journey, even if everything goes well, with the fastest war horses and warships, it will take at least a month along the way.

There is such a thing as a military order, where can it afford such a long delay.

Therefore, in the two Northern Expeditions, Liu Bei directly authorized Guan Yu for the military operations in Jingzhou, and Guan Yu was the commander-in-chief and decided the offensive strategy by himself.

During the last Northern Expedition, Guan Yu was specially called by Liu Bei to Chengdu to participate in a military meeting, and made it clear that the purpose of Guan Yu's march into Nanyang was to persuade Liu Bei to go out of Longyou and capture Yongliang. But this time, Liu Bei only sent Guan Yu an edict, allowing Guan Yu to act cheaply.

Therefore, after this dispatch, the strategic purpose formulated by Guan Yu was to capture Nanyang.

But the problem is still the same old problem, Jingzhou needs to be fortified everywhere, the troops are insufficient, Nanyang is backed by the heart of the Central Plains, there is Xu Du on his side, Luoyang and other big cities as logistics support, if he fights for consumption, Guan Yu is not sure that Nanyang will be defeated.

If Guan Yu wants to capture Nanyang, he can only choose a quick victory, which is why Guan Yu will persistently seek to fight Zhang Liao alone.

But in Xu Shu's view, some things don't need to be so serious, and the strategic purpose is not dead, so we can change it.

This Northern Expedition was originally prepared in a hurry, and like last time, Jingzhou and Yizhou sent troops to attack Guanzhong. There is no need to fight to the death with the Wei army in Nanyang, as long as it is the same as the last Northern Expedition, and do a good job of containment.

Xu Shu and Guan Yu said so much in circles, just to persuade Guan Yu, if it really doesn't work, let's not ask for a quick victory, maintaining the current situation is already a great help to His Majesty's Northern Expedition army.

Guan Yu led 50,000 troops to confront Zhang Liao in Deng County, and Cao Pi had already arrived in Luoyang, so the Cao army in this area of Wancheng must not be easily mobilized, and even the Cao army in Luoyang and Xu Du did not dare to leave without permission, otherwise once Guan Yu broke through Wancheng, he could enter Luoyang with light troops, and the person who should really be on fire at that time was Cao Pi.

Therefore, even if Guan Yu just stays in Deng County, he doesn't have to do anything, at least the sixty or seventy thousand Cao troops left behind in the hinterland of the Central Plains have to be restrained by Guan Yu.

Didn't you see that until now, Sima Yi in Xuchang still hasn't moved?!

In the last Northern Expedition, Sima Yi personally led the soldiers and flanked Guan Yu's army to attack Xinye, the grain land, but this Northern Expedition, because of Cao Pi's visit to Luoyang, Sima Yi has been standing still in Xuchang until now, what is the reason, isn't it clear at a glance.

With the changes in the current battle situation, Xu Shu really wants to suggest Guan Yu, but if it doesn't work, let's just consume it. His Majesty's way, there are many famous generals, and His Majesty is a personal expedition, so he should have taken their side as the main direction of attack.

Guan Yu thought carefully for a while, and had to admit that what Xu Shu said was indeed very reasonable, but Guan Yu didn't want to hear it.

As a general, a governor of a state, and a person with the right to fake festivals, Guan Yu really didn't want to make two Northern Expeditions without success.

The military merits of this year, although the way of judging is not the same as that of the former Han Dynasty, is more about "kindness from the top", and it is unlikely that there will be a situation of "Li Guang is difficult to seal".

But as a general, he was the one who took the initiative to attack, and the two northern expeditions did not take down an inch of land except for the empty consumption of soldiers and money and food. It's too embarrassing to say it.

Although Guan Yu's role is to respond, if Liu Bei captures Guanzhong and Chang'an, then his contribution to Jingzhou is not small. But the world doesn't see it that way.

A general, who went on two expeditions without any results, but reaped glory after the war, the world would only think that he Guan Yu was Liu Bei's sworn brother, so Liu Bei took care of him partially.

Here's a simple example – Xiahoudun.

Xiahoudun's ability is actually not bad, and his role in Cao Cao is actually not small.

In the early years, when Cao Cao started his own army, Xiahoudun and Xun Yu partnered together to guard Cao Cao's rear, which was the greatest guarantee for Cao Cao to dare to go out with confidence.

At that time, Chen Gong rebelled against Lu Bu, and almost the entire territory of Yanzhou was lost, and only Xiahoudun, Xun Yu, and Cheng Yu held on to the three county seats. But it was the persistence of these three people that gave Cao Cao a chance to return to the army and turn the tables.

Later, even though Cao Cao's family business was getting bigger and bigger, the first choice to guard the rear was always Xiahoudun, which shows Xiahoudun's status and ability in Cao Wei's army.

But such a Xiahoudun, when it came to that Zhang Yuanchang's mouth, what was it all arranged into? !

Meat Ticket General?! I never won a war, and I never stopped getting promoted. The conscience of heaven and earth, Xiahoudun sat in the rear, exterminated the bandits and pacified the rebellion, but it was a complete victory, and the only few times he lost to Lu Bu and Liu Bei, the result will be remembered for a lifetime.

Guan Yu and Zhang Xi are also familiar with each other, and they know that Zhang Xi's personality is relatively easy to talk to, and he has no grudges against Xiahoudun, so it is impossible for such a person to belittle a general out of personal grudges.

Obviously, Guan Yu subconsciously thinks that this is the literati of this era, and Zhang Xi is just influenced by those literati in his private evaluation of Xiahoudun.

Guan Yu has always had a bad relationship with the literati, and he doesn't look down on the literati of this era, but because of this, Zhang Xi's evaluation of Xiahoudun, Guan Yu really believes it.

Guan Yu couldn't have imagined that Zhang Xi's evaluation of Xiahoudun was the product of more than a thousand years of evolution, and it was more just a ridicule of Xiahoudun, not really belittling Xiahoudun.

Guan Yu felt that the literati of this era were all wilted guys, but they still held the right to speak in this era Guan Yu was really worried, he couldn't win the city twice, but after the war, he was added to the rank and became a knight, I don't know what it will be arranged by this group of literati.

After all, although the second master also has a lot of glorious achievements, the second master's own black history is actually quite a bit of shameless literati, so it's good to dig up people's black history and talk about things.

This Wancheng, if there is a chance, the second master still hopes to take it.

To a certain extent, the second master is also a human being, and he will also have his own careful thoughts, and these careful thoughts are indeed not very good to put on the table.

Therefore, the second master rejected Xu Shu's suggestion to change his strategic goals, but did not give his own reasons and explanations.

Xu Shu was not too surprised.

After all, this is Guan Yu!

Xu Shu has been working with Guan Yu for more than ten years, when does Guan Yu's decision need to be explained to others? !

"That being the case, if the general wants to conquer Wancheng, there is only one strategy to transfer troops!" Xu Shu continued to suggest.

As a strategist, there are several sets of alternatives, and Xu Shu also knows Guan Yu's temper, so as soon as Guan Yu vetoed his first suggestion, he immediately came up with the second suggestion.

And for the second suggestion. Guan Yu raised his head slightly, looked at Xu Shu, and wondered in his heart, is Xu Shu confused? !

As for the suggestion of transferring troops, I have already explained the reason to Xu Shu just now.

Jiangdong is not credible, and now Sun Quan has tens of thousands of troops in Jianye, and his movements are unknown, so Wang Ji, Shi Bao and others must not easily leave Jiangling and Wuling, and the mediocre Kou Feng, Meng Da, and Zhang He, who is on the right side of the wind, are all difficult, how can they have extra troops to support themselves? !

I've explained this by myself, and even if I don't explain it, can't I see it with Xu Shu's ability?!

Guan Yu gave Xu Shu an inquiring look, but Xu Shu smiled, walked to the map in the camp tent, and said, "General, please look!" ”

Guan Yu also looked at the map, waiting for Xu Shu's next remarks by the way.

"General, this is not the same as it used to be. In the past, Jiangdong was unable to break through Huainan, so he treacherously attacked Jingzhou, which was not wise, but too powerful! Now Jiangdong has taken Hefei, controlling Huainan, Lu Xun, Xu Sheng, Zhou Yu three generals broke Xuzhou again, besieged Pengcheng, the Wei army was in a hurry, this battle decided the opportunity of Qingxu, Jiangdong refused to give up! ”

"If so." Guan Yu probably understood Xu Shu's words, but he was still a little uneasy, and asked, "If it is really as the military advisor said, then Sun Zhong is planning to gather tens of thousands of troops in Jianye, but what does he want?!" ”

Xu Shu smiled, and then said, "For the rescue of Hefei Er. Shogun, please look! ”

After saying this, Xu Shu escaped from his sleeve and handed it to Guan Yu.

Guan Yu opened it and saw that it was a letter written by Zhangjiajia, one of the four major surnames in Jiangdong, to Xiangyang Fei Yi, which mentioned the recent news that Sun Quan had gathered troops in Jianye to rescue Sun Shao, who was struggling in Hefei.

In the early years, when Fei Yi was ordered to send an envoy to Jiangdong, he had a very good relationship with Zhang Wen, and later Fei Yi specially presided over the distribution of Jiangdong paper sales, and the relationship with Zhang Wen went to a higher level.

Fei Yi's main job now is actually to mix sand into Jiangdong, and Zhang Wen is Fei Yi's important development target and infiltration channel.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the two of them correspond when they have nothing to do, and sometimes they inadvertently say something in the letter.

However, Guan Yu is also a long-time battle-hardened person, and he has always been super wary of Jiangdong, although he read Zhang Wen's letter, he was still a little suspicious, and asked Xu Shudao, "Military advisor, is there circumstantial evidence for this matter?!" ”

Xu Shu nodded and said, "Jiangdong has also reported that Sun Zhongmou's gathering of troops this time is not confidential, there are many people in Jiangdong who know, and the soldiers and horses gathered are only more than 20,000 people, and the reinforcing Hefei is not unbelievable!" ”

Guan Yu nodded slightly, put down the letter, and said, "The old man also understands the meaning of the military advisor. It's just that the people of Jiangdong have never been trustworthy, so how do you know that this is not a plan to attack the west? ! It is called reinforcing Hefei, but in fact, it is a sneak attack on Jingxiang, and it is not known. ”

Xu Shu also nodded in approval, and then said, "The general's words are very true, but if Jiangdong wants to attack Jingxiang, there are only two ways. One, take the Yangtze River waterway. Now that our army has taken Jiangxia, the dispatch of the Jiangdong Navy is under the supervision of Wen Zhongye, as long as Wen Zhongye does not move, the Jiangdong Navy will never be able to bypass Jiangxia and sneak attack Nanjun. The other way is to gather troops in Changsha, and sneak attack on the four counties of Jingnan, Shi Zhongrong is guarding in Wuling, Zhang Gongyi is responding to the public security, and the two counties of Wuling and Lingling will not be lost. The general does not transfer the troops of Wuling, Public Security, and Jiangxia, but only the troops of Nanjun to the north, and there should be no obstacles! As for the soldiers of the mediocrity, it doesn't hurt that the general can be transferred, Zhang He only has more than 10,000 men, and the guard of the right support style is still insufficient, and he will not dare to attack the mediocrity lightly. ”

There are a bunch of long speeches, and Xu Shu's central idea is only one - to transfer troops.

(End of chapter)