Yu Wenli led his men and horses back in embarrassment. There was a fire on a winter night, and there was no water source nearby. The Xianbei army was unwilling to put out the fire, so they had to abandon the camp and flee.
Xiahou Dun had no choice but to give up Zuoying to the Xianbei army. Although these barbarians were brave, they also had bad tempers. If they were not greeted well, they might cause mutiny.
Waiting until daybreak, he sent someone to urge Tian Yu to go all the way and send a batch of supplies first. Xiahou Dun personally directed the attack on Linzi.
Zhong Jin and Zhong Shen were ordered to select five hundred swordsmen and axes each to oversee the army, and ordered the three armies to attack the city with all their strength. Anyone who slacked off would be killed immediately.
…
In the twelfth lunar month of winter, Pengcheng was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. The army and the people respectfully welcomed the arrival of Wei King Cao Cao, and people were happy for a while.
Cao Cao went to the south of the Yangtze River again and looked around. Cao Ren, Cao Xiu, Zang Ba and a group of young disciples were lined up on the left and right, filling the government office. It seemed that there were many talents.
Cao Ren clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty has been through a lot of hardships. He has returned to the court. It's time to rest for a few months. I can ensure that Xuzhou is safe."
"The world is uncertain, and it's hard to be alone!" Cao Cao said with emotion: "I am doing things for the country, how can I have half a day to spare?"
Cao Hongyan said: "Your Majesty has worked tirelessly for the country and fought in the south and north to protect the country. You must work together to eliminate the rebellion as soon as possible, so that you can enjoy wealth and longevity in peace."
"Promise!" Everyone agreed in unison.
While discussing the war in Huainan, Liu Qi suddenly came to report in detail. Liu Qi went to Hefei to command the civil and military forces in Jiangdong. He recruited troops and horses to prepare for the Northern Expedition. He also wrote a message describing Cao Cao's past atrocities and calling on Xuzhou and the world to fight against it.
After reading the appeal, Cao Cao became furious. He slapped the table and shouted: "How dare you do this to a child with a yellow mouth? I swear to destroy him!"
Chen Jiao admonished: "Liu Qi is in charge of Jiangdong, and he is not comparable to Sun Quan. The war in Huainan is not a trivial matter. Your Majesty cannot rashly raise troops out of anger. You need to consider the long term."
Cao Hong said angrily: "Liu Qi had a lucky victory in Nanyang, but he was so arrogant that he went to Huainan alone to fight against the king. Without killing, it is not enough to establish his authority."
Cao Cao sneered and said: "Liu Qi doesn't know the situation! The internal troubles in Jiangdong have not been eliminated, but he went to Huainan to lead the troops first. He must be eager to establish his power and conquer the hearts of the people. If I break it in front of the formation, the hearts of Jiangdong will be in chaos and no one will be convinced. , and with Sun Fu and others supporting us, this is a good opportunity to take advantage of Jiangdong!"
Immediately, an order was sent to mobilize all the soldiers from Xuzhou and go to Shouchun to fight Liu Qi again. This battle was not only to capture Jiangnan, but also to avenge the Battle of Nanyang.
The army arrived at Xia Cai and was about to reach Yangzhou. Suddenly, Xiahou Dun's troops and horses were defeated in Taishan. The front army was defeated. Cheng Xi was killed in battle and Tang Zi defected.
When Cao Cao heard the report, he was shocked and angry. He discussed with everyone: "Qingzhou is still uncertain, and it is like a awning on my back! I wanted to order Yuan Rang to pacify Qingzhou, and then go to the south of the Yangtze River. The son of Zhou Lang should not be underestimated. I am afraid that Yuan Rang will not be his opponent. Who can go to help?"
As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the tent came out and said: "Your Majesty, a certain person has been friends with Zhou Lang's classmate since he was a child. I would like to go to Qingzhou and tell him to come to Qingzhou with my sharp tongue."
Cao Cao was overjoyed and asked hurriedly: "Do Ziyi and Zhou Gongjin get along well?"
It turned out that this man was a famous scholar in Jiujiang. His surname was Jiang Mingqian and his given name was Ziyi. He was famous for his talents. He stood alone between Jiang and Huaihe. No one in the court could compare with him. Cao Ren admired his name and recommended him when he was Shouchun. Guests under the tent.
Jiang Qian smiled confidently, twirled his beard and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. If you go to Qingzhou and enter the city, you will definitely succeed if you meet Zhou Lang."
Cao Cao asked: "I invited you with an imperial edict before, but Zhou Gongjin refused. I don't know what Ziyi wants to bring with him?"
Jiang Qian laughed and said: "Zhou Lang is arrogant. If the prime minister suppresses him with an edict, he will not be convinced! I only need to take my retainers with me, know the benefits and move them with affection, and I can ask Zhou Lang to bow my hands. It only takes one step." One carriage is enough, nothing else is needed."
"Zi Yi is really familiar with the friendship of friendship!" Cao Cao suddenly realized that he had used the wrong method, and immediately ordered people to prepare carriages and horses, and bought wine to see Jiang Qian off.
After Jiang Qian left, Cao Cao said again: "Qingzhou has not yet been decided, so we cannot send troops first. However, Liu Qi is conquering people's hearts in Huainan. He is the best at deceiving people. He may be a big trouble in the long run. Do you have any good ideas?"
Xiahou Mao came out and said: "Liu Qi first took charge of Jiangdong. He did not sit down to build an industry. Instead, he thought that the remaining troops in Jiangdong were defeated and would resist the might of the king. He was eager for success. He seemed bold. I have a plan. Maybe there is no need to use troops. It can be called Jiangdong's victory." Everyone escorted Liu Qi to surrender."
Cao Cao asked anxiously: "What is Zilin's advice?"
Xiahou Mao offered his advice: "Sun Quan left state affairs because of his mother's new death. The children of the Sun family were supposed to be in charge, but he entrusted it to Liu Qi. I guess there must be some unavoidable reasons for this. You can first order people to spread rumors, saying that Liu Qi went to Jiangdong to conspire. He killed Wu Guotai and held Sun Quan hostage to boost the momentum of Sun Fu and others. He secretly sent a debater to Ganlu Temple to meet Sun Quan secretly and asked him to surrender. He only needed to write a blood letter and ask the old generals of Soochow to capture and kill Liu Qi. Then At that time, it would be easy for the king to raise troops and seize the south of the Yangtze River. If Liu Qi is really killed, all parts of Jingzhou will be in danger."
"With Zi Lin and Jiang Qian alone, why worry about the uncertainty in the south of the Yangtze River?" Cao Cao stroked his beard and laughed, looking around at everyone: "Who dares to go to the east of the Yangtze River?"
I saw a young scribe stepping out, clasping his fists and saying, "I'm just not talented, but I'd like to see Sun Zhongmou!"
Cao Cao looked over and saw that it was Yang Xiu, the son of Taiwei Yang Biao. He was smart, eloquent, and knowledgeable. He was close friends with Cao Zhi. Cao Cao could answer questions within a few seconds during several conversations. He could also answer questions fluently on military matters. So I became suspicious.
This time when the army was marching south, Cao Cao recruited him as an aide and took him with him. Firstly, he was afraid that he would make suggestions for Cao Zhi and cause the disaster of Xiao Qiang, and also to prevent old officials like Yang Biao from causing trouble in the court.
When Cao Cao saw that Yang Xiu was so courageous and had the same vigor as when he assassinated Dong Zhuo, he suddenly felt a love for talents and asked with a smile: "What words did Dezu use to impress Sun Quan?"
Yang Xiu replied: "Sun Quan was granted the title of Marquis of Wu and Governor of Yangzhou, but he gave it to Liu Qi without the permission of the court. This is disloyal! Jiangdong has been established for three generations. Sun Quan was entrusted by his father and brother to maintain the business, but he gave it to someone with a foreign surname. , This is unfilial! It is unkind to ignore the civil and military people of Jiangdong, and it is unjust to abandon the clan brothers in the war. Only these few things will make Sun Quan change his mind."
"Dezu is truly a hero of the Yang family!" Cao Cao nodded frequently and wrote a letter in person, ordering Yang Xiu to cross the river to meet Sun Quan.
While he was writing, Cao Chun came in holding a brocade box and reported: "Liu Qi ordered people to send gifts to congratulate the king on his victory in conquering Xianbei."
"Oh?" Cao Cao narrowed his eyes slightly. He first took the letters on the brocade box and read them. He saw that they were all words of praise, but most of them were attributed to the luck of the man and the wiseness of the emperor, so he gently threw them aside.
He opened the brocade box again, and a scent of fragrance hit his nostrils. His eyes suddenly lit up. He took a deep breath and sighed: "I have heard for a long time that Wu Guotai is a master in making pineapple cakes. The civil and military officials in Jiangdong are proud to eat this cake, and I am envious of it." It's been a long time, but it has become extinct. I don't want Mrs. Sun to inherit it, but I want to try her craftsmanship, hehe..."
When he saw the letter saying that this cake was made by Sun Shangxiang himself, Cao Cao's eyes showed a bit of ambiguity. As he was taking a piece and feeding it to his mouth, Cao Chun said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, be careful of the poison."
