Luoyang Palace, Nangong Main Hall, Deyang Hall.
After Cao Pi arrived in Luoyang from Yecheng, he has been living in Deyang Hall, the main hall of Nangong, and has been racking his brains for the three-party war here.
Sometimes, Cao Pi was really emotional, but at the same time he was also very depressed.
Is the gap between my father really that big? !
When my father dominated the world, he was so wise and powerful that the heroes in the world could not even lift their heads.
But on his side, Liu Bei, who was driven around by his father, now marched eastward to Guanzhong, and his troops were approaching the third assistant. And Sun Quan, who was almost scared to surrender before the battle of Chibi, was actually able to conquer Qingxu. The land of the Central Plains is divided vertically and horizontally.
I just couldn't do anything about it.
Cao Pi, who was already in a very depressed mood, received urgent reports from Nanyang for two days in a row.
Of course, at this time, Cao Pi did not know the news of Zhang Liao's death in Deng County.
Due to the lag in message transmission, Cao Pi at this time had just received the last memorial sent to him by Zhang Liao. In this memorial, Zhang Liao told Cao Pi very straightforwardly that Deng County could not be defended for long, and he himself was seriously injured. Unable to support it, he will defend Deng County to buy time, hoping that Cao Pi can select a suitable general and send additional reinforcements to Wancheng to prepare for the Wancheng defense battle.
When Cao Pi saw this memorial, he didn't know what to say.
As long as you have enough generals and reinforcements, is it necessary for you to let Zhang Liao defeat Guan Yu quickly and then go to Chang'an to support you? !
I really think I am the kind of unscrupulous ruler. How could Cao Pi, who has been fighting with his father since he was sixteen years old, not know about the disadvantages of remote control warfare thousands of miles away?
Isn't there really no other way? The troops are seriously insufficient, and the direction of Chang'an feels quite dangerous. We have no choice but to make this move.
This in itself is also a trust in you, Zhang Liao. I believe that you can defeat Guan Yu head-on. Thinking about it now has no meaning.
Because, Zhang Liao's memorial is no longer an ordinary memorial.
This is a desperate memorial, and Zhang Liao's last signature was written with the word "the last word".
The use of these two words means that Zhang Liao is determined to defend Deng County, and the current situation in Deng County makes veteran generals like Zhang Liao believe that there is no chance of a comeback.
The only thing he could do was to use his own life to try his best to delay the Shu thieves' attack.
Zhang Liao has done this, what else can Cao Pi say? !
And the most important thing is - if even the war in Nanyang is in emergency, then the third front is in emergency.
If this goes slightly wrong, Da Wei will really face a situation that breaks his muscles and bones.
Cao Pi was so anxious that his cheeks were swollen.
Nanyang had no choice but to save him, and the collapse of the overall situation could not be ignored. Cao Pi thought about it again and again, so he could only call Liu Ye again to discuss what to do next.
Again, all the counselors around Cao Pi who could be dispatched have been dispatched. Looking around, there is only one Liu Ye who is relatively reliable.
At this point, Liu Ye had no time to emphasize to Cao Pi whether he was stronger in political affairs or military strategy. After reading Zhang Liao's memorial, Liu Ye never lowered his brows.
Compared to Cao Pi, Liu Ye had spent more time working with Zhang Liao and understood the general's temperament better. He wrote this memorial because he really had no hope for the future of the war in Deng County.
Of the three lines of defense in Nanyang, the Shu thieves have already broken through two, so the last remaining line of defense in Wancheng must be defended.
Otherwise, the Shu thieves would directly open the door to the Central Plains.
Once Wancheng is lost, Guan Yu's army can advance eastward to Luoyang and threaten Cao Pi's location. If it advances westward, it can capture Wuguan and cooperate with Liu Bei's army to attack Chang'an.
What's even more terrible is that Wei's military strength is now tight. No matter which direction Guan Yu's army develops after conquering Wancheng, Cao Pi has no way to deal with it for a while.
Therefore, Wancheng really cannot be lost, and what Cao Pi urgently needs now is indeed time.
What Zhang Liao is doing in Deng County now is to buy time for Cao Pi.
Liu Ye quickly figured out the current solution in Nanyang, and then immediately suggested to Cao Pi, "Your Majesty can urgently send a general to guard Wancheng in person to reassure the army."
Cao Pi had a wry smile on his face. How could there be such a person?
If he had known that this was the case, he should not have issued an edict to Zhang Liao to speed up the war to prevent the Nanyang War. Even if the Shu thieves increased their troops and the military strength increased, Zhang Liao's ability would still be more than enough to defend Wancheng.
Now that Zhang Liao is trapped in Deng County and Wancheng, there is only one Zhang Hu. As long as Zhang Hu can be relied on, why should Zhang Liao plead with himself in the memorial and let himself treat Zhang Hu favorably? !
"In your opinion, who can go?!" Cao Pi just asked through the process. He really couldn't think of anyone else who could replace Zhang Liao to guard Wancheng at this time and at this place.
Xu Huang, Guo Huai, and Zhang He are all fine, but they are all in strategic locations. If none of them can leave, they can't count on Cao Xiu, who just retreated to Runan.
But Cao Pi didn't expect that Liu Ye actually proposed a very suitable candidate.
"I recommend the governor of Xuchang, he will definitely be qualified for this position."
The governor of Xuchang was Sima Yi in the second year of Huangchu. Because Sima Yi guarded the important area of Xuchang, Cao Pi gave Sima Yi the title of governor of Xuchang.
When Cao Pi heard Liu Ye's words, he suddenly realized.
Cao Pi knew Sima Yi's abilities quite well. This was the figure whose father used force to get him to become an official.
Cao Pi has always admired his father's ability to see people.
What's more, Cao Pi and Sima Yi had a very good personal relationship. In the early years, when Cao Pi was still the heir to the throne, he had a close relationship with Sima Yi, and he also quite recognized Sima Yi's talents and conduct.
Of course, Cao Pi also remembered that his father said that Sima Yi was "ambitious" and that he had a "wolf-like attitude", reminding himself to be careful. But Cao Pi had confidence in himself and believed that he could control it. For a person like Sima Yi, secondly, because in the past ten years, Sima Yi has always been diligent and loyal in his work, and has never shown any "rebellion".
Therefore, at this time, Cao Pi was still very relieved about Sima Yi. When Liu Ye proposed that Sima Yi go to Wancheng to guard, Cao Pi suddenly felt enlightened.
Indeed, Sima Yi has stationed troops in Xuchang and is relatively close to Wancheng. He is the most suitable candidate to garrison Wancheng today.
But there is one point that needs to be resolved - Xuchang, where Sima Yi stationed troops, is also a strategic location. If he goes to Wancheng, who will guard Xuchang? !
Regarding this, Liu Ye said this.
"The number of soldiers in Jingzhou is only 100,000. Now more than 80,000 soldiers have gathered in Deng County and are no longer able to take care of him. Xuchang is connected to Runan County to the east and Jiangxia County to the south. Jiangxia County Wenpin needs to beware of Jiangdong and will not dare to go north. Let him go north. , Your Majesty can also order General Cao Wenlie to send troops from Runan County to assist, and Xuchang will be fine."
Cao Pi nodded after hearing this, but he still felt uneasy.
"The Shu thieves are cunning. Even if they have Cao Xiu's support, they will still be uneasy." Cao Pi said hesitantly.
To put it bluntly, Cao Pi really doesn't trust Cao Xiu, the Cao family's Qianliju, because he always loses battles and refuses to listen to his orders no matter what. Cao Pi is already a little disgusted with Cao Xiu now.
When Liu Ye saw Cao Pi's posture, he immediately understood. He thought for a moment and said again, "If your majesty is really worried, I can recommend someone to go and guard Xuchang. Xuchang will be safe!"
Cao Pi's eyes suddenly lit up and he asked eagerly, "I wonder who Ziyang recommends?!"
"He is from Taiyuan, so he is the nephew of Situ Wang Yun. He is a regular attendant of the Sanqi, Wang Ling and Wang Yanyun."
When Cao Pi heard that it was Wang Ling, he hesitated.
If not for anything else, just because Wang Ling is Wang Yun's nephew.
Let me tell you something, Wang Ling actually has a good relationship with Sima Yi, Sima Lang and others. Cao Pi actually knows this person, but Wang Ling has only been serving as a casual knight until now, which is somewhat related to his identity. .
He is Wang Yun's nephew.
Who is Wang Yun? !
The former Situ of the Han Dynasty, one of the three princes, was the pillar of the Han Dynasty who killed the national thief Dong Zhuo in a series of tricks.
Regardless of what Wang Yun's real motive was for getting rid of Dong Zhuo, at least in this era, Wang Yun's evaluation of him was that he was a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty and the pillar of the country.
As for Cao Wei, although he followed the formal abdication process and inherited the world from Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, how could he, Cao Pi, not know what was going on? !
Although Cao Cao always praised Wang Ling, the nephew of Wang Yun, a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty, for his great talents, Cao Pi was really afraid to use them.
Who knows what Wang Ling's attitude is towards the Shu thieves? If he recognizes that the Shu thieves' self-reliance is the continuation of the Han Dynasty, then I will send him to guard Xuchang. If he surrenders the city and the land to Guan Yu, then Guan Yu won't have to attack. Wancheng immediately had a springboard to penetrate into the Central Plains.
It is also a very symbolic springboard.
Therefore, Cao Pi was very hesitant.
Liu Ye also saw Cao Pi's hesitation and guessed the reason for Cao Pi's hesitation. But at this time, Liu Ye didn't say a word.
It’s not that I can’t say it, it’s that it’s not appropriate to say it.
Wang Ling is Wang Yun's nephew, and even Cao Pi is so worried. Liu Ye is a member of Emperor Guangwu's lineage and a clan member of the Han Dynasty. What can he say? !
To a certain extent, Liu Ye's recommendation was also mixed with some selfish motives.
Emperor Taizu Wu could basically do it regardless of his origin. Liu Ye also wanted to see if he had the courage to do so today.
As for Cao Pi, although he was a bit petty, he was not incompetent after all.
"The imperial edict has appointed Wang Ling, the regular servant of the Sanqi, as the governor of Yuzhou. He will rush to Xuchang from now on to oversee the military and political affairs of Yuzhou."
(End of chapter)
