After Xiahou Mao left, Cao Cao was alone in thought for a long time, but he saw Cao Chun coming in with a happy face: "Congratulations, Prime Minister!"
Cao Cao asked: "Where does happiness come from?"
Cao Chun handed over the letter: "Reporting on the battle in Guanzhong, Zi Lian took advantage of Sima Yi's plan and defeated the troops. The father and son were killed in Chang'an. The disaster in Guanzhong has been eliminated!"
"Oh?" Cao Cao stood up from his seat, opened the letter and read it again, but his brows were furrowed and his expression was solemn.
In the letter, Cao Hong reported the war truthfully, and praised Sima Yi for his ability as a soldier. He said that being a literary clerk was too unqualified, and asked him to stay in Chang'an as a military advisor.
Cao Chun came to deliver the victory report, hoping that Cao Cao would be happy, but instead he looked sad and wondered: "Huainan was defeated, and the prime minister laughed to himself. Why did he sigh when he reported victory in Guanzhong?"
"Sima Zhongda..." Cao Cao sighed with emotion and was stunned for a long time before saying: "In this battle, Ma Teng and his son were destroyed. He was resourceful and resourceful. He anticipated the enemy ahead of others. He was truly a general. However, no one knew about him for several years in Xuchang. It can use troops, so how deep is the city?"
Cao Chun said with a smile: "Sima Yi is very knowledgeable. He taught many scholars in Xuchang, but before he got his position, he was naturally unknown. The prime minister always appoints people without asking about their origins, only their talents. Now that such a strange person has appeared, it is God's help to the Cao family. also!"
Cao Cao's eyes were slightly stern, and he said slowly: "This man looks down upon the wolf, and he is probably not a human minister!"
Cao Chun smiled disdainfully and said: "With us assisting the Prime Minister, what can a mere Confucian scholar do?"
Cao Cao glanced at him sideways and said, "This son is in his prime. If he takes over the military power, when you and I grow old, who will be able to control this generation?"
Cao Chun was startled, clasped his fists and said, "The employment of personnel is entirely at the discretion of the Prime Minister."
He only admired Sima Yi's talents, but never interfered in the management of people. However, deep down, he still felt that Cao Cao was worried about a Confucian scholar, which was unfounded.
"Five stones scattered!" Cao Cao curled his fingers, crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it away, and ordered: "The military advisor, Yuan Rang and others are here to discuss the matter."
After taking this medicine, although it was effective in the short term, my energy became more and more depressed afterwards. In the past two months, I have become increasingly weightless and lost my appetite.
At first, he thought it was caused by excessive sexual indulgence after taking the medicine, so he restrained himself a little. However, this time he went to Huainan and he had not touched a woman so far, but the disease did not get better.
Thinking of He Yan's thin and pale face, Cao Cao suspected that the Five Stone Powder had a backlash effect. However, whenever a headache occurred and the pain was unbearable, he had to take it.
This time the army was defeated in Hefei, the generals were panicked, and the morale of the army was unstable. There must be another war in Guanzhong, so I had no choice but to take medicine and take charge of the event.
Xun You, Le Jin and others all fled back over the mountains. Cao Ren came back injured, leaning on a cane and walking with his legs spread apart like a swinging goose.
Cao Cao sighed: "Since I rebelled, I have worked with the country to eliminate evil and harm, and I have vowed to sweep away the four seas and level the world. This battle was supposed to determine Huainan and capture Jiangdong, but unexpectedly it happened to Liu Qi again."
"Prime Minister, I will definitely take revenge for this!" Cao Ren's face was ashen and he gritted his teeth.
He was scared off by Liu Qi's empty camp, and was injured again. He became the joke of the whole army, which was even more humiliating than being captured twice.
Cao Cao glanced around and asked, "The alliance between Sun and Liu is finally in serious trouble. What can we do?"
Liu Fu said: "The Jiangdong navy is so powerful that it cannot be defeated in a short time. Now that the rainy season has arrived, it is better to retreat. Instead, we can recruit troops in Huainan and train in Huai River, Hongze and other places. When the navy is fully trained, it will not be too late to fight again."
Xun You said: "Does the prime minister still remember Guo Fengxiao's plan? Now that the army is moving south, Sun and Liu will naturally work together. Once the army retreats, there will definitely be a fight between them."
Liu Fu nodded and said, "What the military advisor said is absolutely true. Bi Yan'er has a cold and ungrateful nature. If he can betray me, he will also plot against Liu Qi. And with Peng Li's thieves adding fuel to the flames, there will soon be discord. Why not sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight?"
It was Liu Fu who brokered the marriage between Cao Cao and the Sun family back then, and Liu Fu recommended Sun Quan's filial piety and honesty. Now that he was bitten back and repeatedly violated Huainan, Liu Fu hated Sun Quan deeply.
Cao Cao nodded and said: "Ma Teng was killed, and Ma Chao will raise troops to take revenge. I am worried about the situation in Guanzhong. Since Huainan cannot be fought, I will leave my son Xiao to control it. I will build warships today, recruit troops for training, and train the navy in Huaisi in order to take revenge." .”
Cao Ren accepted the order, clasped his fists and said: "When the Prime Minister pacifies Guanzhong, the naval army of the last general has also been trained. He can control half of the country and the horses are tramping south of the Yangtze River. Can Liu Qi and Sun Quan stop them?"
Cao Cao also ordered Cao Xiu to take charge of the navy, with Zang Ba, Zhu Ling and others as deputy generals. Xiahou Dun's generals returned to Xuchang to prepare to support Guanzhong.
While all the civil and military officials went to prepare, Cao Cao sat alone in the palace, looking south, and murmured: "Mr. Qiao, Gong Qiao, both of your daughters are of national beauty, why are you living in the east of the Yangtze River? You can't follow me to the Tongque Terrace to enjoy all the glory and wealth. , I really regret it for the rest of my life.”
Cao Cao and Qiao Xuan were close friends and often interacted with each other. When they first met Qiao Xuan in Luoyang, they were astonished. They were not even in their prime at that time.
Later, when Shi Chang was in charge of power, Qiao Xuan resigned and went into seclusion. Cao Cao never forgot Er Qiao. After bringing the emperor to Xuchang, he worshiped Qiao Xuan as Taiwei. He invited Qiao Xuan to take up the post three times, but there was no response.
Just when he was about to forcibly recruit, Sun Ce captured Lujiang first and robbed Erqiao. Now she was a woman, which made Cao Cao even more itchy. He was about to enter Jiangdong, but he failed again.
"Liu Qi, kid, ruin my good deeds!" After taking Wu Shi Powder, he missed Er Qiao even more.
The more Cao Cao thought about it, the angrier he became. He violently swept the books, papers and pens off the desk to the floor, stood up and stared angrily at the door, gnashing his teeth and growling: "I hate to eat your flesh!"
At this moment, someone hurriedly broke into the door. Seeing Cao Cao yelling, he was so frightened that he knelt on the ground: "My lord, please forgive me, I really don't do anything like a slave."
"Cao Gan?" Cao Cao was startled, calmed down, and asked, "If you don't serve me at home, what are you doing in the army?"
Cao Qian is Cao Cao's domestic slave, who specializes in guarding Mrs. Huan's mansion. Cao Chong has been ill in the past two years, and he is needed to run the house both internally and externally. How could he come to Huainan?
Cao Qian cried loudly: "Master, he, he..."
"What happened to Cang Shu?" Cao Cao stood up in shock again, pointing at Cao Gan with trembling fingers.
"Young master, he is ill!" Cao Gan knelt on the ground and did not dare to raise his head.
"Ah!" Cao Cao shouted looking up to the sky, spreading his arms and roaring: "How can heaven treat me, the Cao family?"
After saying this, Jing spewed blood and fell backwards. The guards stepped forward to support him. Seeing that Cao Cao's face was distorted and he fainted, they hurriedly called for doctors to come for diagnosis and treatment.
After a while of panic, Cao Cao woke up slowly, shed tears silently, and murmured: "Heaven is jealous of talents, God is jealous of talents..."
Cao Chongtian was a genius, smart, kind and unique since he was a child. He was deeply loved by Cao Cao, and even planned to give him an heir in the future. However, he died young, which made him devastated and even despaired of all hope.
At this time, he suddenly remembered the Battle of Guandu. Yuan Shao missed the opportunity to fight because his young son was ill. He had laughed at it and ignored it. Today, he feels the same and knows how painful it is.
"Quickly, five stones are scattered..." Cao Cao clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot, "I'm going back to Xuchang overnight, I want to see Cang Shu one last time!"
