Liu Bei expected that the difference would be great, and two days after he fought Cao Chun, Cao Cao arrived in Xiangyang with an army of 30,000. If he didn't leave early and was dragged by Xiahou Yuan, he might be defeated by Cao Cao's army.

Inside the city, the general's mansion was ridden.

It was originally the main seat of Liu Biao, but now it has been sat by Cao Cao, his face is happy, and the smile on the corner of his mouth is difficult to hide.

Flipping through the case, Cao Cao asked: "How many counties are there in Jingzhou, how much money and grain are there for soldiers, horses, and horses, and where are they divided now?" ”

Cai Mao stood in the hall with a restrained smile, and said: "Prime Minister Qiqi, Jingzhou has seven counties, including Zhangling, Nanjun, Jiangxia, Changsha, and Wuling, with a household registration of two million. There were about 70,000 or 80,000 soldiers and horses, 3,000 cavalry, and the rest were sailors' foot soldiers. There are more than 1,000 boats such as bucket boats and sterns, which are now distributed in seven counties. ”

After a pause, Cai Mao said: "However, Jiangxia counties are in Liu Bei's hands, and the four counties of Jingnan may not know that the prime minister has come to Xiangyang, and they have not yet surrendered to the table. Jiangling is an important town, Mao did not dare to lose, and ordered his brother Cai Yan to guard it. There are more than 10,000 soldiers and horses in the north of the Han Dynasty, more than 10,000 soldiers and horses around Xiangyang, and more than 10,000 people in Jiangling, with a contract of nearly 40,000. The remaining 30,000 or 40,000 people belong to the four counties of Jingnan. ”

Cao Cao's smile became brighter and brighter, and he raised his hand and said: "De Jue doesn't need to be restrained, you and I have known each other since childhood, and the relationship is very close." Now lonely to Xiangyang, De Jue can act as usual. ”

"Come, sit down!"

"Prime Minister Xie!"

Cai Mao didn't dare to look for death like Xu You, so he called Cao Cao's name, and he carefully sat down to Cao Cao's side. Seeing Xun You's disgusted eyes, he didn't care, as long as Cao Cao treated him kindly, what did it matter if he was an idle person's words.

Cao Cao sat casually and said: "De Jue knows the affairs of Jingzhou very well, and he is lonely and shows you as the prime minister to engage in Zhonglang, and the captain of Changshui, the lord to the Hanyang Pavilion Marquis, and the food of 2,000 households. How? ”

Hearing this, Cai Mao was overjoyed, and arched his hand and said: "Thank you Prime Minister, Mao should do his best for the Prime Minister." ”

Cao Cao looked around at the Jingzhou people in the hall again, and said with a smile: "Where is the difference?" ”

"The minister is here!"

Seeing Kuai Yue's extraordinary demeanor and wisdom in his eyes, Cao Cao laughed and said: "In the past, Liu Biao relied on Xenodua to enter Xiangyang. Today, I don't like Jingzhou, but I am happy to be different! ”

Outsiders don't know about the dirty things planned by Cai Mao and Kuai Yue, but Cao Cao knows the difficulties. If Cai Mao was allowed to plan alone, how could he succeed today. Fortunately, Kuai Yue was planning in it, and Cao Cao was able to enter Xiangyang.

"Don't dare!"

Cao Cao pondered for a while and said: "Xenodu is a great merit, and it is known as a virtuous name among Jing Chu. Today, you are a glorious honor, and you have increased your food to 2,000 stones, which is considered a meritorious achievement. ”

"Thank you for the grace of the Son of Heaven, Prime Minister Xie Cheng recommended." Kuai Yue thanked him.

Cao Cao's Guangluxun who named Kuai Yue as one of the Nine Qings is enough to prove that Kuai Yue's merit is greater than Cai Mao.

Entering the city is rewarded, Cao Cao knows the importance of people's hearts. After rewarding Cai Mao and Kuai Yue, Cao Cao appointed Fu Xun, Han Song, Song Zhong, Zhang Yun, Pang Ji, Cai Yan, Cai Zan and other fifteen people as marquises, all of whom were promoted to important positions.

Then Cao Cao recruited a large number of scholars as officials, such as Cui Jun, Shi Tao, Meng Jian, Pei Qian, He Qia, Du Kui, Han Ji, Huan Jie, Wang Su, Liu Ba and other pro-Cao scholars all had official positions and rewards, either into Cao Cao's prime minister's mansion, or as a county commander.

After the end of the reward campaign, Cao Cao looked around at everyone and said with a smile: "Today, Jingnan is not convinced, Liu Bei and Liu Qi cut off Jiangzuo and do not obey the king's orders." I don't know what you think? ”

Liu Ba stepped out and arched his hand and said: "Now that the prime minister has gone to Xiangyang, the world will be one." Although Ba is a small official, his official position is not obvious, but he is willing to plan for the world. Please send an envoy to Jingnan to persuade the four counties of Jingnan to return to Cao Gong, help the prime minister to calm Jingchu, and return the peace of the south. ”

Cao Cao squinted at Liu Ba and said with appreciation: "What is your background, you can speak so boldly, it is rare in the world!" ”

Liu Ba arched his hand and said: "After the Banai Lingling Liu family, the word is at the beginning. Grandfather Yao is the Han Cangwu Taishou, and his father Xiang is the Jiangxia Taishou. ”

"I was originally a son of Shangqing, and my courage is commendable."

As he spoke, Cao Cao turned his head to look at Kuai Yue, saw Kuai Yue's head, and said with a smile: "Gu Baijun is the prime minister, and he is the envoy to the four counties of Jingnan on behalf of Gu. Don't let Er Liu appease him. ”

"No!"

Liu Ba replied.

After Liu Ba came out of the hall and retired, Cao Cao nodded and smiled: "Liu Zichu, Gu has heard of it, and Jing Chu Junjie has also!" ”

As he spoke, Cao Cao remembered Jiang Zuo again and asked: "I have lived in Jingchu for a long time, and I often have contacts with Liu Bei and Liu Qi. ”

Kuai Yue stroked his beard and said: "The prime minister destroyed Yuan Shao, killed Lu Bu, defeated Yuan Shu, and demoted his grandson." The military power is already impressive, and it is orthodox in the imperial court, and the world will be unified. Jiangzuo is a corner of the land, there is no need to worry, the more I think it is feasible to attack the heart, let Jiangzuo surrender without a fight. ”

"Oh?"

Cao Cao looked curious and asked, "Can you elaborate on Xeno?" ”

Kuai Yue pondered for a while and said: "There is Sun Quan, the lord of the old Jiangzuo in Xiangyang City, and there are Sun Fu, Sun Ben and other former Jiangzuo Taishou under the account of the Ming Gong. The more he thought that Sun Quan, Sun Ben and others could write to Jiangzuo to persuade the former ministers of Jiangzuo to surrender. Jiang Zuo's old ministers feel nostalgic and will respond. ”

After a pause, Kuai Yue said again: "Liu Qi's side is civil and military, such as Huo Jun, Pan Jun, Wang Can, Han Xuan, Huang Zhong, Wen Ping and others have a lot of relationship with Jing Chu, and that Wang Cang, after the Shanyang Wang family, has a lot of communication with the prime minister. Or Pan Jun, Zhong Zigong (Song Zhong) is his teacher. The above friends can write letters and send them to Jiangzuo to persuade Liu Qi to surrender. ”

And the prime minister's grace and fame are far and wide, and he can also write a letter to Liu Qi to explain the righteousness of the monarch and the minister, and go against the trend, so that he will turn against his armor and surrender his land to the prime minister. As for Liu Bei, the prime minister may be able to consider himself. ”

"Color!"

Hearing this, Cao Cao was slightly happy in his heart, applauded and said, "Xeno-talent!" Lone led 600,000 soldiers and horses south, near the Ma River, and did not want to be slaughtered. If the people of Jiangzuo are willing to belong, they should not hesitate to give a reward. ”

"The power of the prime minister is known at home and abroad, and Jiang Zuo knows it, and it must be cold." Kuai Yue touted.

"Haha!"

Cao Cao laughed a few times, and he was already full of ambition at the moment. In fact, since he went south, not only Cai Mao and Kuai Yue surrendered to the city. Even the Shen brothers under the Zhang Lu tent sent envoys to surrender with Shangyong, Fangling, Xicheng and other counties in eastern Hanzhong.

plus Ma Teng, who has entered the court as an official, and Han Sui, who sent protons. The only people in the world who have never belonged to Liu Bei and Liu Qi are those who have never belonged. As for Liu Zhang in the southwest, he had already contacted him after the Battle of Guandu, and then sent 300 soldiers and horses to help him last year.

If you level the left side of the river, you will be able to dominate the world. With such a big advantage, Cao Cao didn't think he would lose!

After the people of Jing Chu retreated, Cheng Yu stepped out of the ranks and said: "Ming Gong is invincible in the world, and his soldiers are near the river, which makes the people of Wu Chu afraid. However, Liu Qi got the help of Liu Bei and Huo Jun, and Fang Kejiang left. Although Kuai's words are reasonable, from Yu's point of view, if Liu and Huo are unwilling to surrender, Jiang Zuo will also be difficult to attach. ”

Therefore, there may be something feasible in the words of Kuai Xenodu, but it is difficult for Jiang Zuo to surrender. The Duke of Ming should be a strong soldier and a horse, recruit Jing Chu's soldiers, and collect Jing Chu's boats to prepare for the battle of Jiangzuo. ”

"Zhongde's words, how can you not know."

Cao Cao laughed a few times and said with emotion: "When the lonely official crossed, Yuan Benchu wrote a letter to persuade everyone under the lonely tent. And if it is lonely and difficult to fight, those people will surrender to the city and lead the troops to surrender to Yuan Benchu. In other words, Jiangzuo's soldiers and horses are difficult to fight alone, and those who are appeased should be able to be used by our army. ”

The difficult situation of the Battle of Guandu is still fresh in Cao Cao's memory. He was defeated in Guandu, he had almost no backhand, he was pressed to the ground by Yuan Shao and beaten, and Henan could be obtained by Yuan Shao in two or three years. And he won Guandu, and it took him five or six years to take Hebei and spend a year on an expedition to Wuhuan.

Now the situation is reversed, if Cao Cao gains a little on the battlefield, those who are attached to the court will exert force, either to persuade Liu Qi to surrender, or to become the leading party.

"Ming Gong is wise!"

Seeing that Cao Cao had an idea, Cheng Yu was inconvenient to say anything.

Seeing Cao Cao like this, Jia Xu sighed secretly in his heart, thinking of Cao Cao's kindness to himself, and seeing that the world was about to be unified, he didn't want Cao Cao to do something dangerous.

After thinking about it for a while, Jia Xu took the initiative to admonish and said: "Ming Gong, I have a word, I don't know if Ming Gong is willing to listen to it?" ”

Cao Cao looked for prestige, and saw that Jia Xu, who had always been silent and did not ask, that is, did not offer advice, took the initiative to admonish, and said with a smile: "Wenhe can speak, can Guan not listen?" Excuse me? ”

"The Ming Dynasty broke the Yuan clan in the past, and received Hannan, and his prestige was far away, and the army was already large, and the world could not reach it. Now, if you can use the forgiveness of Jing Chu to give gifts to the officials and appease the people, then you will be able to land Jingnan. Jingnan and attached, the river is shared, and the Ming Gong can go up to recruit Yizhou to be attached, and then go down to the Weijiang East sergeant. ”

Jia Xu slowly said the thoughts in his heart, and his words were very sincere.

"China is vast and populous, while Jiangzuo is vast and has few soldiers. The Duke of Ming sent more troops and horses to attack it, tired of its soldiers and horses, and the army surrounded Xiakou, north of the Enwei River, and did not fight with it. And for two or three years, Jiangdong can surrender without labor! ”

"The text is not the same as this!"

Cao Cao raised his eyebrows slightly, and said disapprerovitically: "Although my people in the north are not accustomed to water warfare, they can use the soldiers and horses of the Jiang and Han dynasties." The river is a dangerous obstacle, and the boat can cross it. And crossing the river, the people of the north can show their might, and the soldiers on the left side of the river can also be safe? ”

As he spoke, Cao Cao paced slowly and said in a deep voice: "And Jiang Zuo has few soldiers, and our army has many soldiers, although it has the advantage of being a sailor, it is not enough to make him fearful!" ”

Jia Xu saw that Cao Cao was unwilling to accept his own strategy, and he did not fight for the benefit of his tongue, so he arched his hand and said: "Ming Gong is high! ”

If it is usual, Cao Cao is willing to say what Najia said. But the situation has reached the moment, Cao Cao is not willing to spend a few years tossing Jiang Zuo, and he doesn't know if Jia Xu's strategy will work.

After all, Cao Cao at the moment has a huge advantage, this can't conquer Jiang Zuo by force, he makes good use of the name of soldiers, isn't it fake!

Moreover, Cao Cao is already fifty-five years old, and his head disease often recurs, and he longs to calm the world as soon as possible, so as to ascend the throne and become the emperor, and build his Cao family's country.

"Prime Minister Qi, Xiahou Yuan and Cao Chun failed to pursue Liu Bei. Cao Chunzhong Liu Bei was defeated by him, more than 500 tigers and leopards were killed under his tent, and more than 1,000 horses were taken away. Liu Bei's tens of thousands of people have been transported to Xiakou by boat. The scout hurried inside, and the report said.

"Liu Xuande?"

Cao Cao heard Liu Bei's name, sneered a few times at the corner of his mouth, and said: "Liu Bei has always had a plan, and it is normal for him to have a plan. Now that the tiger and leopard can be defeated, it seems that Liu Bei's soldiers and horses are also majestic. ”

More than 1,000 war horses were taken away, which was just a trivial matter. Only the five hundred dead and wounded, and the one-tenth of the casualties, made Cao Cao feel quite distressed.

"Punish Cao Chun for three months, demote and retention."

"No!"

Cao Cao put his hands behind his waist, looked at Wu Chuyu in the hall, his eyes narrowed slightly, and muttered: "Liu Xuande, you will die in the hands of a lonely!" ”

(End of chapter)