Sun Quan set a policy to capture Jiaozhou. Lu Meng needed to gather troops and horses during this period, while Gu Yong and others needed to prepare food and grass for the southward march. The real move south would have to wait until around March of the next year.
The so-called prophet of the warm water in the Spring River, the news of the movement of soldiers and horses in Jiangdong was immediately discovered by Cao Jun in Huainan. Coupled with Jiangdong's careful investigation, the information about Sun Quan's troops to attack Jiaozhou was sent back to Yecheng by Zhang Liao.
In the fifteenth year of Jian'an, at the end of December, the Tongque Tower was completed in Yecheng.
Cao Cao led all the civil and military officials to the stage to celebrate. He had been stationed in Huainan for several months without seeing Sun Quan come to attack, so he left his troops and horses to continue garrisoning while he, Cheng Yu and others returned to the rear.
After pacifying Wuwan, Cao Cao, who was over fifty years old, lamented that life was short, but he still had the ambition to unify the world, so he wrote the poem "The Turtle is Longevity" on Jieshi Mountain to express his feelings.
However, the subsequent defeat of Chibi gave Cao Cao a resounding slap in the face. He needed a victory or other events to cover up the shame of Chibi and demonstrate his majestic achievements, so he laid the foundation for the construction of Tongque Tower. Foreshadowing.
At the beginning of the year, Cao Cao discussed the war with his generals, preparing to open up the Xiangfan grain road to save Cao Ren. Someone reported that there was a shining golden light near Yecheng. Cao Cao followed the spirit and went to excavate. As a result, a bronze bird was unearthed. Cao Cao then ordered a bronze bird to be built at the excavation site. Quetai.
The banquet at the Tongque Terrace was unprecedentedly grand, with officials, military commanders, sages and celebrities gathering, tables of wine, meat and delicacies were endless, and singing and dancing performances continued in turn.
Cao Cao ordered his disciples to come to the stage and compose a poem for the completion of the Bronze Bird Tower. Cao Zhi wrote the poem and wrote a poem that was impressive. Then the disciples read and recited the poem, which kicked off the banquet.
When the banquet was in full swing, Cao Cao walked up to the stage alone under the influence of alcohol. He looked around at the guests and friends, and then said loudly: "I am a man of filial piety and honesty, and I think I am not a well-known person in the cave... I want to study in autumn and summer, and shoot in winter and spring." ...However, he did not get what he wanted, so he was appointed as a captain of the Dian Army...Broken the Yellow Turban, defeated Yuan Shu, defeated Yuan Shao, and defeated Liu Biao... Assuming that there is no one in the country, I don't know how many people will be called emperors and how many will be called kings. ..."
After Cao Cao finished speaking, all the civil servants and generals remained silent. No one knew clearly about their lord's true thoughts, except Xun Yu's eyes with a soft light.
Just when Cao Cao's enthusiasm was waning, Zhang Liao's urgent battle report made him laugh to the sky.
"Why is the Prime Minister laughing?" Xun Yu asked puzzledly.
"There is news from Zhang Wenyuan in Huainan." Cao Cao returned to his seat and raised his wine glass to invite others to drink.
Cheng Yu took the initiative to stand up and asked: "My lord only left General Zhang and others to guard Hefei. Could it be that Sun Quan did something strange?"
"What Zhongde said is true, Sun Zhongmou is secretly mobilizing troops at the moment." Cao Cao responded with a smile.
"The Jiangdong navy is quite elite. As long as General Zhang stays in Hefei, Sun Quan may not be able to take a step forward. Why is the lord so happy when he learns about the mobilization of troops and horses?" Cheng Yu asked.
Cao Cao explained: "Sun Zhongmou mobilized his troops not to attack Hefei, but to go south to capture Jiaozhou. I really don't know what Jiangdong's counselors have in mind. Why bother to mobilize troops in such a barren land? This man is still inferior to Sun Wentai and Sun Yat-sen. Bo Fu..."
"My lord, are you planning to take advantage of Sun Quan to send troops to attack?" Xun You asked doubtfully.
"I don't know how to fight in real combat." Cao Cao said with certainty.
Xun You further said: "Although Sun Zhongmou sent troops to Jiaozhou, now is not the time to cross the river to fight. The generals in Guanxi have not sincerely surrendered, Zhang Lu is still invading Hanzhong, and Liu Bei is still eyeing Jingzhou in the south. Why not take advantage of his fledgling power? Discuss it? It won’t be too late to go to Jiangdong after everything is leveled."
Cao Cao stroked his beard and thought deeply, "If Sun Quan takes Jiaozhou because of his suspicious troops, and waits for Gu to transfer the troops from Huainan, wouldn't he fall into a trap when he counterattacks Hefei?"
"My lord, Sun Quan is suspicious and indecisive. When we attacked Xinye Hefei with few troops, he didn't take action, and he probably won't do it now." Cheng Yu added.
"Gongda and Zhongde's words are very good. Where do you think we should attack first?" Cao Cao asked again.
Xun You said firmly: "I thought that from near to far, from north to south, from weak to strong, we could first recruit the generals of Liangzhou, and then attack Zhang Lu of Hanzhong, Liu Zhang of Yizhou, Liu Bei of Jingzhou and finally Sun Quan to determine the four seas. "
"Gongda is old and prudent, the prime minister can adopt it." Xun Yu stood up and agreed.
"Liu Bei...Sun Quan...I'll let you go first..." Cao Cao raised his glass with his left hand and lightly tapped the table with his right hand.
In the first month of the 16th year of Jian'an, the imperial court appointed Cao Pi as the General of the Five Gentlemen and Deputy Prime Minister. Cao Cao then left him to guard Yecheng and returned to Xudu.
Zhong Yao, the captain of the Sili School, sent a letter to Cao Cao, suggesting that he use a trick to recruit the generals of Guanxi and lead 3,000 troops into the pass. In name, he was to help the imperial court attack Zhang Lu. In fact, he took the opportunity to hold Zhang Lu as a hostage in order to control the generals of Guanxi. will achieve the purpose of cutting off Guo by false roads.
At that time, the Sanfu area in Liangzhou, Longxi, had never been truly brought under the rule of the imperial court after experiencing turmoil such as the Yellow Turban Rebellion and Dong Zhuo's rebellion in the late Han Dynasty.
After the war in this area, many large and small warlords took over this area, including Ma Chao, Hou Xuan, Cheng Yin, Li Kan, Zhang Heng, Liang Xing, Cheng Yi, Ma Wan, Yang Qiu, Han Sui and so on.
Cao Cao was unclear about the situation in Guanxi, so he asked Xun Yu to write a letter asking Wei Jian, who was born in the prime minister's office. This person is currently in Hongnong, helping the court gather refugees and collect money and food.
If Xun Yu was the general manager of Cao Ying's logistics department, then Wei Jian was the official under Xun Yu who specialized in handling affairs.
Wei Jian replied to Xun Yu: The generals in Guanxi and Guanzhong are all warriors and reckless men. They just want to live in peace there and have no ambition to compete for the world. The imperial court has generously granted officials and titles to fulfill their wishes. Unless there is a big reason, don't worry about the change. It is advisable. Pictured later. The territory in Hanzhong is dangerous and difficult to navigate. If he were to enter the pass to attack Zhang Lu, the generals would be suspicious and have different intentions, and the consequences would be disastrous.
After the banquet at Tongquetai, Cao Cao was eager to prove himself again, so he did not adopt Wei Cang's opinion, but asked Zhong Yao to follow his plan and order the generals in Guanxi to go forward to attack Zhang Lu.
In March of the 16th year of Jian'an, Cao Cao sent the Sili Xiaowei Zhong Yao to send troops to attack Zhang Lu. He transferred back Xia Houyuan and other generals from Huainan to lead troops out of Hedong to join Zhong Yao.
Cao Cao did not listen to the advice of Gao Rou, the subordinate of Cang Cao, and did not first recruit the generals in Guanxi and Guanzhong. Instead, he directly asked the main force to gather at Hongnong. This move directly stimulated those warlords, Ma Chao, Han Sui, Hou Xuan, Cheng Yin, Yang Qiu, Li Kan, Zhang Heng, Liang Xing, Cheng Yi, Ma Wan and other ten tribes all rebelled. They raised 100,000 troops to garrison Tongguan.
Cao Cao was shocked when he heard the news. He hurriedly sent General Cao Hong to supervise the generals at Lintong Pass to reject the attack, and ordered the generals to stand firm and not go out to fight.
Cao Cao's excuse to attack Zhang Lu not only irritated Ma Chao, Han Sui and others, but also frightened Liu Zhang in Yizhou.
Because Liu Zhang was afraid that Cao Cao would annex Yizhou after taking Hanzhong, Zhang Song persuaded him to welcome Liu Bei to Shu to attack Zhang Lu.
In April, Fazheng came to Jiangling for the second time as an envoy, and the time for Liu Bei to enter Sichuan finally came.
