Quyi's rebellion was not only extremely unexpected for the Western Dynasty, but also for the Eastern Dynasty, there was no sign of this major event. In the fifth month of Yichou, Han Haohuo, the prefect of the acting county, quickly sent an envoy across the Taihang Mountains to report to the Marshal's Mansion in Xindu, saying that Ma Quyi, the great commander of the Western Dynasty, had launched an army in Juyang to start a uprising and had successively conquered Fanzhi and Guoxian counties. He was returning to The soldiers besieged Wang Tao and asked the Marshal of the Eastern Dynasty to quickly increase his troops to respond.
After the news reached Xindu, Dongchao was happy and surprised, and even a little unbelievable. Since the split between the East and the West, there have been numerous wars between the two dynasties, and there has never been a precedent for such a high-ranking official to take the initiative to join forces. Moreover, Qu Yi was the culprit who killed Yuan Shao, and logically he would never defect to the Eastern Dynasty. But this is what happened! And his rebellion undoubtedly represented a huge political victory for the Eastern Dynasty. It will also bring an extremely valuable strategic opportunity to the Eastern Dynasty.
Cao Cao immediately summoned the generals to discuss the matter in Xindu. Cao Cao said: "The incident happened too hastily. Juyang is between the two important towns of the Western Bandits (Pingcheng and Mayi), and Bingzhou is the base of the Bandits. It is really difficult to deal with it. I haven't thought about this clearly yet. I don't know. What do you think?"
At this time, Cheng Yu came out to express his opinion and said: "Ming Gong is right. The Bingzhou area is dangerous and there are many soldiers. Once our soldiers enter, the enemy will fight with all their strength. By then, it will turn into a decisive battle related to the fate of the country. , and the geographical advantage is not in our place, if we are not careful, it will become a disaster for the country. So, it is better to send a small number of troops to support, and send money and food supplies, so that Qu Yi can stick to Juyang, while Ming Gong moves his troops south and sends his troops to Yan. , Henan, approaching Luoyang, making it impossible for the north and the south to look at each other! The east capital is just around the corner!" Many generals were unwilling to go deep into Bingzhou, and they all spoke out to support Cheng Yu.
Cao Cao was still hesitating. He looked around and sighed: "It's a pity that Guo Fengxiao is recuperating in Yecheng. I wonder what he has to say?"
Sima Yi was also present at the time. Seeing the marshal's hesitation, he thought to himself: "Everyone is talking about going south, but the marshal is still undecided. It seems that he wants to go deep into Bingzhou and fight Liu Bei again, so as to avenge the revenge of Xiangshan." ! Well, it's not for me to say this, I'd better wait and see what happens." So he neither agreed nor objected, and stood aside with a low eyebrow to see how the situation would develop further.
Just when everyone was confused, Shangshu Ling of the Eastern Dynasty, Doctor Guanglu, and Jia Shi Zhongxun stood up. He was wearing a simple and elegant indigo robe, a Jinxian crown on his head, and an emerald green Lantian jade sword and a gold medal symbolizing status around his waist. He wears a purple ribbon and dresses meticulously, so although Xun or his figure is thin, he is approachable yet dignified.
Xun Youli stood up and said slowly: "The ancients said, 'If you don't enter the tiger's den, you can't catch the tiger's cubs'. Now that there is a stalemate between the East and the West, Chen Chong has also built several fortified cities in Yuzhou. If the marshal goes south, it will be good if he can capture two or three counties. , if the Western bandits come back to attack in the future, it is also a question whether our army can defend it. But now there is a good opportunity to mix things up and attack the giant bandits with swords. Is the marshal willing to change a few small cities? "
Everyone immediately paid attention to Xun He. When Cao Cao saw Xun He standing proudly like a lonely pine, he couldn't help but think of his promise to him to unify the universe, and blurted out: "What Wen Ruo said makes sense. If you don't go deep into the enemy's territory, you are willing to take risks." When will the danger be overcome?"
Cao Zhen, who was standing aside, also stood up and said: "Xun Lingjun is absolutely right. If we can't take this opportunity to invade Bingzhou and destroy its foundation, then there will be no chance to invade this trapped place in the future. I'm afraid everyone in the world will think so." We waited for peace, but we have greatly failed the expectations of a hero!"
When everyone heard it, they thought it made sense. At this time, Anping Yin Guotu echoed: "Juyang is located on the side of Mayi and Pingcheng. Although it is not an important town, it is a strong city, and it can open a passage to divide Yanmen into two. Liu Bei will raise troops to try at this time. Recovering Juyang, and unable to visit Pingcheng in the north, then this most important town in northern Xinjiang is in the marshal's pocket. In the past, the crux of the Warring States expedition was the Qin and Jin Dynasties. Now that the thieves are fighting among themselves, Qu Yi handed over Juyang. It is God who wants to give great merit to the marshal. If we don’t take possession of it, wouldn’t it be against God’s will?”
Cao Cao nodded frequently, but he asked again: "It's just that when I mobilized the troops, Liu Bei was in Jinyang. I'm afraid the march will be faster. Can Qu Yi last that long?"
Shi Tianfeng, the commander of the marshal's office, also stood up and replied: "Although we are slow to mobilize our troops, isn't there Xianbei in the north? Kebi can occupy Danhan Mountain, which is only a few feet away from Yanmen, and he also covets the land of Bingzhou. It has been a long time. The marshal can promise to transfer all the land west of Bingzhou and Hexi to Xianbei, and he will rush south to help. When the two armies meet, what will the Western thieves do to fight?"
So Cao Cao was determined. On the one hand, he appointed the idle Tian Chou of Youzhou as his envoy and went straight to Danhan Mountain to ask for help. On the one hand, he also sent a letter to General Zhenbei and Xia Houyuan, the governor of Youzhou, ordering his Qingqi to rush to Daijun and to Juyang to help Qu Yi.
Cao Cao summoned a large army to advance. He thought that there would be a fierce battle in this expedition, and that the decisive battle in Shanxi and the victory over Hedong might be achieved in one fell swoop, so he decided to send all the troops from Hebei to the west to Yanmen. Except for Xiahou Yuan's troops who set out early, the famous armies of the Western Expedition include:
Envoy Chijie, Yibi Sansi, Da Sima, Gaoliuhou, Xingwu General Liu Xin's department [1], former general, Lelinghou, Mingwu General Xiahou Dun's department, Marshal's Right Chief Shi, Pingxianghou, General Fenwu Jushou's department, Yanzhou Governor, Linyi Marquis, and Zhenwu General Bao Xin's department, Bohai Prefect, Zuo General, Fuyang Marquis, Ningwu General Chunyu Qiong's department, Wei Commandery Prefect, Liyang Marquis, and Anwu General Trial and Distribution Division: Prime Minister Changshan, Marquis Zhending, and General Guangwu’s senior cadres; Qingzhou Governor, Liangxiang Marquis, and Southern Expedition General Li Zheng’s subordinates; Zhuojun Prefect, Pingxiang Marquis, and Northern Expedition General Cao Chun’s subordinates , the Prime Minister of Changshan, the Marquis of Fuxiang, and General Cao Ren of the Western Campaign; the governor of Yuyang, the Marquis of Changping Township, and the General Zhu Ling of the Eastern March; the governor of Zhongshan, the Marquis of Gaotao Township, and General Pinglu were in the Jin Corps; Marquis Gu Songting and Pian Lu General Xianyu's auxiliary department, Guanneihou, General Pi Wenchou's department, Guanneihou, Huben Zhonglang's general Zhang He's department, Guanneihou, Yulin Zhonglang's general Lejin's department, Guanneihou and Pingyuan prefect Li Dian's department, Guanneihou Hou, under the command of Li Jin, the prefect of Jinan.
It can be said that among the nine martial arts, except for Xuzhou's Kaiwu general Yuan Xi, all of them accompanied Cao Cao's central army on the expedition. Even Qinghe King Liu He also went out of the palace to accompany him. Besides, the officers and Sima under Cao Cao’s headquarters are also very talented, among whom the famous ones are:
Cao Anmin, the commander-in-chief, Guo Yuan, the military commander, Xiahou Shang, the army commander, Cao Xiu, the cavalry captain, Zhu Le, the chief secretary, Cao Zhen for admonishment, Sima Yi for military adviser, Wu Zhi for literature, Guo Yuan for Wu Meng, and Wu Wei Zuo The captain Fei Yao, the right captain Dai Ling of Wuwei, the servant Liu Zhen, the servant Ying Jue, the concubine Mao Jie and others.
Naturally, there were accompanying tiger soldiers. After Xu Chu's death, the tiger soldiers were led by Dian Wei, and they also recruited Taishan bandits such as Sun Guan and Yin Li as guards. There were about two hundred people, all of whom were warriors who had experienced hundreds of battles.
There was also the Wuhuan tribe in the north. Tadun surrendered to Cao Cao during these two years. When he heard that Cao Cao was leading his army to the west, he also sent more than ten thousand Wuhuan cavalry to accompany him. In order to facilitate command, Cao Cao divided it into five divisions and placed them all in the central army.
At this point, Cao Cao has about 200,000 troops in total. Except for the troops garrisoned in Yanzhou, Xuzhou and western Liaoning, almost all mobile troops will participate in this war. The whole country is shocked by the determination of the Marshal's Office.
By mid-May, Xianbei Shanyu Kebi Neng promised Cao Cao and led an army of 100,000 people to go south first. It is said that famous generals under his command such as Murong Mohuba, Yuwen Zenggui, Kushanguan Puhui, Daxiwumuchen, He Qilu and others also went on the expedition. Soon the army detoured through Dai County and entered Yanmen County to support Qu Yi who was entangled with Liu Bei's headquarters.
Cao Cao was still gathering troops in Xindu, and it was not until late May that this huge army was truly assembled.
Before leaving, General Fenwu Jushou ordered troops in front of the Chengde Gate east of Xindu. The dark sergeants stood in the open space in front of Chengde Gate, next to the lush and sparse sycamore forest. Because it had just rained, the sky was clear, the air was fresh, and the sun was bright, making it look extremely spectacular. But the bright sunshine is often hot, not to mention it is midsummer now, but there is no order from the general, and the sergeants stand motionless in the sun even though they are dripping with sweat.
Jushou, wearing a hat to protect himself from the sun, walked to the front of the procession surrounded by his knights. Due to old age and frailty, he did not wear armor and stomach among the sergeants. Instead, he wore a light court uniform as usual, looking very smart. And when he saw the motionless sergeants under the scorching sun, wearing armor and holding bows without cutting knives, as solemn as wild beasts waiting to pounce, he couldn't help but turn around and said to his staff and confidants under the tent: "I see that all the soldiers are as solid as stone, and their eyes are like stone." His murderous aura can make the enemy tremble with fear!" Everyone responded with a smile.
Because there were so many people, it was already dark by the time the countdown was completed. When it was time to camp, Mao You, a Taishan thief who was recruited to serve, lived with some other civilians. This Mao You was originally a soldier under the general Chang Xi of the Western Dynasty. After being captured in the Battle of Bohai, he had been working as an iron official in Ganling. The local chief saw that he was hard-working and talented, so he sent him to Ganling. He was transferred to the army and now he is a sergeant again.
That night, he secretly said to those close to him: "Today's situation reminds people of the sixth year of Yanxing, when General Liu Bei ordered his troops to set out in Guanzhong, and it was almost like this. Speaking of which, there are really many differences between today and then. They are very similar, both are causing great chaos in the enemy country and forcing our own country to overwhelm them."
"But after the battle of Xiangshan, many of the real elites in the east were exhausted. The people currently being recruited are all good family members. They have not fought many battles, and it is difficult to coordinate among the various ministries. I think it's okay to do it, but on the battlefield, Fighting with those tigers and wolves in the Western Dynasty is just a dream!"
Mao You kept praying to Huang Tian in his heart, hoping that the Eastern Dynasty army would be defeated by Jinyang Bafu this time, so that he could escape and go to Guanzhong to find his old master Chang Xi. Of course, he didn't dare to say these words out loud, so he could only keep chanting scriptures silently in his heart, hoping for Huang Tian's blessing.
[1] Liu Xin: A son of the Liu Yu clan, Liu He became Queen of Qinghe, and Cao Cao transferred all Liu He's official positions to this person. He only held a false position and did not participate in the military. His ministry was actually controlled by Cao Cao.
