Pang Tong didn't take it seriously and said with a smile: "Although I am ugly, I have a kind heart. General, don't be suspicious."
Cao Hong couldn't help himself at this time. He thought that those fields were in the territory of Wei State, and there were family generals to take care of them. He, Pang Tong, couldn't take them. He didn't want to be embarrassed here, so he got up and said, "I want to go back and take a nap."
Zhang Fei waved his hands in disgust, and after Cao Hong left, he said in confusion: "The land deeds and properties are all in Qiao County. We are beyond our reach, so why do we need him?"
Pang Tong said: "Although it is of no great use to stay here, it may come in handy if I send someone to my lord."
Zhang Fei warned: "By the way, I want to ask about the recipe of almond tea."
Pang Tong immediately sent someone to report the news to Liu Qi, while Zhang Fei blocked the news from Anhui County, ordered his soldiers to change into Wei army armor flags, and temporarily stood still, waiting for an opportunity to attack Xuzhou.
…
At this time, the war in Huainan had changed. Huang Gai took advantage of Liu Qi's absence in Shouchun and conspired with Jiangdong's old generals to privately send troops to attack Cao Ren's camp. Following Sima Yi's plan, Huang Gai was defeated and returned to the city. Cao Ren led his troops to besiege Shouchun.
When the news reached Suiling, Cao Cao laughed heartily. These Jiangdong veteran generals were indeed dissatisfied with Liu Qi. If this happened, the generals would definitely be at odds. If Liu Qi was not careful, he might even die in the mutiny.
While they were having a banquet with the generals to celebrate their victory, suddenly news came from Xuchang that Zhang Liao was defeated and captured, Xuchang and Guandu were lost, and Jingzhou soldiers were attacking the Central Plains in two groups.
Cao Xiu and others were all shocked, but Cao Cao paused slightly, then looked up to the sky and laughed loudly: "Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
Cao Xiu said: "Guan Yunchang is brave enough to conquer China. I am afraid that General Zhang will be defeated and the Central Plains will be in danger."
Cao Cao gently put down his wine glass, stroked his beard and smiled: "Although Wen Yuan is slightly inferior to Yun Chang in martial arts, he is better at commanding troops. You Zidan leads the Xianbei cavalry to support him. With Xuchang strong, how can he be defeated quickly?"
Cao Xiu said: "Guan Yu is assisted by Zhuge Liang. This man has many tricks and tricks, and it is inevitable that he will plot against him."
"Even if Wen Yuan is defeated, he will never be captured. This must be Liu Qi's son seeing that the war is not going well and deliberately spreading rumors to disrupt the morale of our army!" Cao Cao smiled coldly, raised his glass and said: "Don't worry, everyone, continue to enjoy the banquet! "
Seeing that the generals had regained their morale, Cao Cao suddenly became inspired by poetry and was about to recite a poem when he saw a man coming in crying and kneeling on the ground: "Prime Minister, you have to make the decision for me!"
"Zilin, what kind of behavior do you have?" Cao Cao was about to stand up when he was interrupted by Xia Houmao, who said angrily: "How do you teach me how to behave like this?"
Xia Houmao's eyes were red and he cried: "Prime Minister, something bad has happened..."
"What a big deal!" Cao Cao slapped the table and shouted: "What big deal is it for a solitary general to conquer Huainan? A general should be calm in the face of trouble. How can he take on such a big responsibility if he is so flustered? It's in vain that you have studied the art of war so hard and practiced with me, but you have made no progress. , How unreasonable!”
Before Xia Houmao opened his mouth, Cao Cao thought he was here to ask for military funds to build a chain, so he waved his sleeves and said: "Quit the whole championship and come back again."
Xia Houmao had no choice but to retreat outside the door, wiped his tears, straightened his clothes, walked into the lobby early, clasped his fists and said: "Prime Minister, I have something important to report."
"Haha, this makes me look like a descendant of Xiahou!" Cao Cao smiled with satisfaction, stroking his beard and looking around, taking the opportunity to teach everyone: "You are in the army, no matter what news, remember not to mess up your position, so that you can make decisions calmly!" Since the uprising against Dong Zhuo, we have eliminated Lu Bu and Yuan Shao, turned defeat into victory many times, are not afraid of danger in the whole battle, have the sword hanging above our head but our heart is calm, and have Mount Tai collapse in front of our eyes but our face does not change, only in this way can we achieve great things!"
"Prime Minister Shenwu is decisive, invincible in every battle, and conquers all attacks. He is a role model for us!" Everyone praised in unison.
Cao Cao looked up to the sky and laughed, and then said to Xia Houmao, who looked sad, "What can Zi Lin tell me?"
Xia Houmao took two steps forward and said anxiously: "Prime Minister, Xuchang is missing!"
"What nonsense!" Cao Cao said angrily: "This is just a rumor. Don't you know whether it is true or not?"
Xia Houmao stamped his feet and said: "This is absolutely true. Zhang Wei, the steward of my house, just fled to the army and saw with his own eyes that he was framed by Man Chong, an old thief, and was beaten all over with bruises..."
Before he finished speaking, Cao Cao's expression changed drastically, the wine glass in his hand fell to the ground, and he murmured: "Xuchang...really lost it?"
Cao Chun cupped his fists and said, "Prime Minister, it seems that the news about Xuchang is not a rumor."
Cao Cao was shocked, his eyes became a little hollow, and suddenly he felt a splitting headache, his vision went black, and he fainted with a cry.
The generals were shocked and rushed to call the doctors for treatment. Xiahou Mao stood there in shock, thinking that it was just my slave who was beaten, and he just wanted to vent his anger. Why did the Prime Minister become so angry?
Not long after, Cao Cao woke up and cried loudly: "Yun Chang, Yun Chang...Yun Chang mistaken me!"
Cao Chunyan said: "Now that Xuchang has been lost, the Central Plains is shaken, and people's hearts are feared to be unstable. The prime minister will return to Yanzhou as soon as possible to preside over important events."
"If I leave now, all the achievements of the Huainan War will be wasted!" Cao Cao calmed down and said: "Liu Qi is in Huainan and is at odds with the Jiangdong generals. If he can be trapped and killed here, the situation can be reversed."
Cao Chun said anxiously: "General Zhang has been captured today. Guan Yu is marching eastward. The Central Plains is horrified. Who can stop his sharpness?"
Cao Cao said: "Quickly transfer Yuan Rang back to Yanzhou, grant him the title of Governor of Henan, command all the generals, appoint Sima Yi as military advisor, and deploy defense lines. When Huainan is defeated, Liu Qi will be eliminated, and it will not be too late to go north to support."
Upon hearing this, Cao Xiu hurriedly reminded: "Zhou Yu's intention to surrender is not yet clear. General Xiahou is guarding Mount Tai and is about to take Qingzhou. How can he be transferred?"
Cao Cao sighed: "Zhou Gongjin is still on the road. We should not send troops to Qingzhou rashly at this time. We can send Zang Ba back to Mount Tai just in case."
Cao Xiu said worriedly: "The Jiangdong navy is heavily guarded. Now the two armies are at a stalemate. It may be difficult to determine the winner for a while."
"Help me up!" Cao Cao steeled himself, stood up and came to the case, pointing to the map and saying: "Huang Gai's troops were frustrated, there must be discord within Jiangdong, and there will be changes soon. There is no news about Zi Lian's troops entering Lujiang River so far. , everything must go well, but when the troops from Lujiang come out, there will be chaos in Huainan, people in Jiangdong will be divided, and Liu Qi's son will escape a narrow escape."
"Congratulations, Prime Minister!" Cao Xiu suddenly realized, "The only trouble in the world now lies with Liu Qi. We are determined to destroy this thief."
Cao Cao immediately ordered Cao Chun to send an order to dispatch Xia Houdun and Sima Yi to rush back to the Central Plains to continue to inquire about Xuchang. He sent people to urge Cao Hong to send troops as soon as possible and make arrangements for Huainan as soon as possible.
Xiahou Mao stood stupidly in the hall, waiting for all the generals to go to their business, and then stepped forward to complain: "Prime Minister, Man Boning came to my house to take people and torture them for no reason. This clearly does not take me seriously. , this person is really..."
Cao Cao knew that Man Chong was a cruel official who sometimes went too far, but at this time he was upset and said displeasedly: "Xuchang has been lost, and you are still nagging about this and other things?"
"My son-in-law didn't mean that!" Xia Houmao hurriedly explained: "As the saying goes, it depends on the owner to beat a dog. Man Chong is so arrogant and doesn't give me face, that is, the prime minister. How can I spare him lightly? ?”
Cao Cao said angrily: "The country is in crisis, and it is the time to employ people. Can you not tell which one is more important than a domestic servant or a capable official?"
"My son-in-law doesn't dare!" Xiahou Mao lowered his head and gritted his teeth secretly. He thought that by making achievements, he would become a high-ranking official and be respected. But now he is being bullied by a county magistrate. Doesn't the reputation of the Cao family and the Xiahou family matter anymore?
