Guanzhong, Chang'an.

In the lobby, Cao Cao sat on the couch, holding a scroll, quite fascinated.

Outside the hall door, Xu Chu stood with his sword pressed, staring at the surrounding movements.

"Tiger Hou!"

Sun Quan approached the door of the hall, carrying a food box in his hand, and greeted.

Seeing that it was Sun Quan, Xu Chu's face relaxed slightly, and said, "What did Wu Hou mention?" ”

Sun Quan lifted the food box and said with a smile: "The chef made some pastries, and the right to eat them tasted very beautiful." Seeing that Duke Wei was tired today, he let Duke Wei taste one or two. Do you want to check it out? ”

Xu Chu stretched out his hand to the hall and said, "Wu Hou, please come in!" ”

Sun Quan looked around, took out a basket of pastries, handed it to Xu Chu, and said with a smile: "Please enjoy it!" ”

"This~"

Xu Chu showed hesitation, but when he saw Sun Quan leaving, he sniffed the aroma of the pastry, and finally chose to share the food with the left and right.

Since Sun Quan returned to Cao, Sun Quan has won Cao Cao's favor with his loyalty. Today, Sun Quan has become one of the few ministers who can enter the court without Xu Chu's notification. You must know that you can enter the hall without reporting, and this kind of treatment is not even Cao Ren.

And Sun Quan can interact with Xu Chu so much, which shows that the relationship between Xu Chu and Sun Quan is deep, and it is very comparable. Otherwise, with Xu Chu's character, he would never accept Sun Quan's pastries.

"Meet Duke Wei!"

Seeing Cao Cao reading, Sun Quan took small steps, bowed down and brought the brocade box, and said, "Chef Xu's new pastries, please Wei Gong to taste them." ”

Cao Cao put down the book and said, "Why is Zhongmou so slack in his work? ”

Sun Quan looked respectful and said with a smile: "Thinking about Duke Wei, how can you say that you are wasted on business?" ”

"The right to see that Wei Gong has little food, and he is worried about Wei Gong's hunger, so he offers pastries and above." Sun Quan opened the food box for Cao Cao and said: "The pastry is mixed with honey, and the taste is delicious, and Wei Gong can taste one or two." ”

The fragrance was fragrant, Cao Cao's tongue was full of relish, and he took a piece of osmanthus cake-like cake and put it in his mouth.

"Hmm!"

Cao Cao showed a sense of enjoyment on his face and said: "The pastry is really delicious, Zhongmou has a heart!" ”

"If Wei Gong likes it, he has nothing to ask for!" Sun Quan said happily.

"As I get older, I don't like being young to eat, but I rely on sweets to appetize." Cao Cao ate the pastry and said with emotion.

Sun Quan smiled and said, "You don't have power today, but you can't do without Duke Wei." The world knows that Hanzuo has been exhausted, and different generations have risen. Fortunately, Wei Gongrong has been martial for more than 20 years, leveling China, and his merits are written in Li Shu. Wei Gong should take care of his body, so that he can obey the people and win the hope of the world! ”

Sun Quan's words were vague, but they implied that Cao Cao could consider becoming emperor next.

Cao Cao tasted the pastry and said meaningfully: "Let's see where the destiny of heaven is, if the destiny is in the north, then the world will be alone!" ”

After eating a few pieces of pastry, a feeling of fullness hit, Cao Cao smiled: "How can this delicious thing be enjoyed by loneliness." It can be given to Zhuqing and shared with food. ”

"No!"

The attendant came out of the hall with a food box, but at the moment he went out, he collided with Sima Yi, and the pastries in the food box were scattered all over the ground.

Sima Yi didn't care about apologizing, hurriedly stood at the door of the hall, and said sadly: "Duke Wei, Hanzhong came to report that our army was defeated. ”

"What!"

Cao Cao's smiling face instantly turned cold and said, "What's the matter?" ”

Xu Chu saw Cao Cao's answer and let Sima Yi in.

Sima Yi stepped inside, knelt on the ground, and said sadly: "The thief army took the trail to Hannan and seized Hanshan. General Xiahou was afraid that the rice cang camp would be broken, so he ordered Zhu Lingnan to aid the rice cang camp and led his army to fight for Hanshan with Huang Zhong. Unexpectedly~"

After hesitating for a while, Sima Yi lamented and said: "Unexpectedly, the general of the thief army is not Huang Zhong, nor Gan Ning, but the thief governor Huo Jun. General Xiahou saw that the battle for the mountain was unfavorable, and personally led the sergeants to supervise the battle, Huo Jun took the opportunity to erect a big sword, frightened the sergeants, and set up an ambush in the mountains. ”

"The ambush soldiers were killed, and the soldiers of our army fled in panic. General Xiahou's war horse was blocked by the antlers and was poked to death by Huang Zhong's lance! ”

"Now Hannan is lost, and all departments retreat to Hanbei!"

Cao Cao staggered, muttered to himself, and said, "How could Miaocai die? ”

"Impossible!"

Cao Cao's heart was full of pain, his head was buzzing, and he whispered.

"Duke Wei, General Miaocai was stopped by the antlers and died under Huang Zhong's lance!" Sima Yi lowered his head and said emphatically again.

"Fork out!"

Cao Cao burst out violently and said, "Miaocai Tiger Buguan You, how could he die because of the antlers?" ”

After speaking, Cao Cao's head was like a needle prick, his eyes were black, and he was almost about to faint.

Sun Quan was quick with his hands, supported Cao Cao, and shouted: "Duke Wei, pass on the doctor!" ”

Cao Cao propped his head and slowed down, raised his palm, endured his sadness, and said: "Order all the departments, I want to personally conquer Hanzhong and avenge General Xiahou!" ”

"No!"

"Wei Gong!"

Sun Quan helped Cao Cao into the bed, gritted his teeth, and said: "Liu Bei and Huo Jun harmed the great cause of Duke Wei, and it is not enough to calm the hatred if they don't kill." Quan wrote a letter back to Yecheng, and went south to the Jianghuai tribe in the electoral capital, looking for an opportunity to assassinate the two thieves. ”

"Huo Jun, the famous general of Chu, if he dies, Liu Bei will lose his henchmen, and it will be difficult to look north to the Central Plains; Liu Bei, the traitor of the south, if he dies, Wu Chu is out of order, and the upper and lower levels are out of control, the world will be owned by the Duke of Wei. ”

Cao Cao rubbed his head, waved his hand and said, "Liu Bei and Huo Jun have many armor soldiers in and out, can An be easily assassinated?" ”

"Hey!"

Cao Cao couldn't help crying and said: "Miaocai is loyal and trustworthy, when I was young, I committed a crime, and Miaocai took the blame for me; The world was in turmoil, there was no food in the clan, and Miaocai gave up his young son to raise his dead brother and daughter. Since starting alone, Miaocai has been with the army for more than 20 years and has made outstanding achievements. ”

"Over the years, he has advanced bravely, but he has been defeated by Huo Jun many times, and he has worked hard, so there is a battle to sweep away Guanyou. When the soldiers entered Hanzhong, Lone wanted to make a contribution, but he suffered a fiasco. ”

"Hey!"

Cao Cao sighed again, looking lonely.

Although Cao Cao is a ruthless person, he is not a ruthless person. For him, Xiahou Yuan's death caused far more mental damage than Zhang Liao's death.

Sun Quan also remembered the psychological trauma caused to him by Huo Jun in Jiangdong. If there was no Huo Jun, Liu Bei would not have taken away his Jiangdong.

Sitting in Jiangdong and calling Wang Dao Lonely, isn't this happier than being a loyal minister to an old thief?

Cao and Sun were licking their wounds, and Sima Yi was also summoning the civil and military people in the mansion and rushed to the lobby to wait for the dispatch.

When it was dusk, Cao Cao put away his fragile side, endured the wind of his head, and met with everyone.

Cao Cao tied a sackcloth on his head, looked around at everyone, and said in a deep voice: "This month, the thieves rushed to attack Hannan, and Xiahou Yuan led the army to pull it out. Send troops to attack the west and north slopes, and repair the antlers. The sergeant did not resist and led a thousand men to the north slope to fight. Yuan supervised the troops to fight, Huo Jun set up an ambush, and Yuan retreated in panic. ”

"The thief rode out of the valley, and the soldiers retreated to the antlers, and the horses could not pass, so they were lost in the soldiers."

Saying that, Cao Cao lamented and said: "Xiahou Yuan is not able to use soldiers, and he is called 'General Baidi' in the army, and he is the commander, he should be self-sufficient, how can he come to the battlefield to supervise the battle?" ”

"Die under the self-cultivation antlers, the time also! Fate! ”

General Baidi is not a fool, nor is he an idiot.

There is often a desert in the northwest, and the desert does not grow grass, so it is called white land. In the white land, there are often thieves or Hu people, called white land Hulu, or white land group of thieves.

This kind of thief from the white land is often a rabble, and the march and battle lack discipline, and they come and go as soon as they are called.

Cao Cao called Xiahou Yuan a general of Baidi, referring to Xiahou Yuan's recklessness in fighting and lacking the composure of a commander. not only cultivated the antlers, but also personally led the widowed soldiers to supervise the battle.

The crowd was silent, and their thoughts were different.

Xiahou Yuan's death in battle and Huo Jun's sudden killing made everyone need time to digest.

After admonishing everyone, Cao Cao asked again: "How is the battle situation in Hanzhong today?" ”

Yang Xiu got up from the seat and said: "It is believed that the messenger has reported that the northern army of Hanbei gathered the defeated troops, retreated thirty miles to the village, and gathered the cavalry on the bank of the river to wait for the enemy to cross the river. ”

Cao Cao nodded with satisfaction and said: "This general knows the strategy of the army, and retreats as advances, which is enough to prevent Huo Jun from crossing the river!" ”

After a pause, Cao Cao asked: "Who is the main general in the army, and the art of war is so exquisitely arranged!" ”

"Qi Wei Gong, the generals raised General Zilian as the commander, and General Zilian's self-humility was slightly inferior to Huo Jun. When everyone discussed with the military, Ma Yizhou offered this strategy, and General Zilian promoted Yizhou as the commander, and all the generals thought it was feasible. Yang Xiu said.

Cao Cao stroked his beard and said with a light smile: "As expected, the horse is really handsome." Zilian has no such strategy, Zhang He's official position is not as good, only Ma'er can command the army! ”

After thinking about it for a while, Cao Cao instructed: "Give the horse a super holiday, and before the lonely Hanzhong, temporarily command the army to fight." ”

"Wait!"

Cao Cao shouted again: "The letter commends Zilian, praises him for judging the situation, respecting the public, and letting his good students assist Ma Chao!" ”

"No!" Yang Xiu was ordered to surrender his hand.

"Lonely desire to lead the army to fight Hanzhong, how are the preparations for today's grain and grass?" Cao Cao asked.

"Qi Wei Gong, Shu Road is difficult and dangerous, and the people of Longyou and Guanzhong have been sent to supervise the military transportation in Hanzhong. Now the Duke of Wei wants to lead a large army to conquer Hanzhong, and the grain and grass need to be prepared from the Central Plains, and the people will have to serve in the army. Zhang Ji arched his hand and said.

Cao Cao ignored the difficulty of transferring grain and grass from afar, and said: "Those in Hanzhong, the throat of Bashu, must not be taken away. Immediately issued a decree with Hebei and Yan'er Prefectures to mobilize grain and grass and requisition the people. ”

"No!"

"Where is Yu Ban?"

"The last general!"

"You are the pioneer alone, and you will be the first to supervise Chen Cang's ten thousand people into Hanzhong." Cao Cao commanded.

"No!" Yu Ban responded to the road.

"Lead, where is Han Hao?" Cao Cao nodded.

The two of them stepped out of the queue and responded: "The end will be!" ”

"Order the two of you to supervise 10,000 people, be a lone army, and conquer Hanzhong."

"No!"

Cao Cao looked at Zhao Yan and shouted, "Where is Zhao Yan!" ”

"The minister is here!"

"I order you to stay in Guanzhong, supervise the grain road, and don't lose it."

"Command!"

Cao Cao stood up from the couch, his eyes were cold, and he said: "Liu Zhang is guarding the land of Shu, which can be an internal response; At the beginning of the fall of the earth, the hearts of the people are not attached. Grain and grass are transported for thousands of miles, and the grain of ten stones is sent to Hanzhong, and it is difficult to leave one stone. Soldiers enter Hanzhong, this will greatly benefit our army! ”

"The prime minister is wise!" Everyone responded in unison.

Cao Cao said that the difficulty of grain and grass transportation was not only for Liu Bei, but also for Cao Cao. Hanzhong is located between the Qinling Mountains and the Daba Mountains, and the mountain roads are endless, hundreds of miles long, which will be a logistical nightmare.

If Liu Bei is unable to support logistics, Hanzhong will not be able to defend it if he wants to; If Cao Cao has a problem with the grain, no matter how many soldiers there are, it is useless!

(End of chapter)