Although they said they were trying to persuade him to make peace, all the generals understood that this was just to save a little face for Liu Bei, the general of the left.
Cao and Liu have been at odds since the Clothes Edict. Cao Cao would allow Liu Bei to become a rich man, or even a noble official, but he would never let Liu Bei take charge of the army again.
For Liu Bei, this was equivalent to a lifetime of struggle coming to naught, which was no different from killing him.
Lu Zhao said bluntly: "What a joke, little military advisor. The Jiangdong Army has been defeated, and Xiakou City is Liu Bei's last resort. He has been stationed in the city for more than two months, how can he persuade him to surrender?"
Li Dian also analyzed: "If the Jiangdong Army is not defeated and the Sun-Liu Alliance is still there, Liu Xuande can transport the soldiers to Fankou controlled by the Jiangdong Army. However, now that the Jiangdong Army is defeated, Liu Xuande can only defend Xiakou. How could this happen? surrender."
Zhuge Liang smiled and said: "What if Duke Xuande still has a way out? Will he surrender?"
Yu Jin squinted his eyes and said, "Is his escape route to Jiangdong?"
Zhuge Liang shook his head and said: "If I were Duke Xuande, I would have three plans for now. The next best option is to surrender to Sun Yat-sen and capture the captives, and then go to the east of the Yangtze River and work as a thug."
Not only was Yu Jin not angry, but he nodded and said: "Yes, there is no room for two tigers in one mountain. If he descends to Jiangdong, he will only be guarded by Jiangdong and become a running dog, which is worse than guarding the new country for Liu Biao. With his ambition, he definitely doesn't want to be like this. So what about Zhongce? ?”
"The central strategy is to hold on to Xiakou, rely on the strong city and the people, hold on for a year and a half, wait for Jiangdong Army Cheng Demou's troops to capture Hefei, lose the west and gain the east, and then build the Sun-Liu Alliance."
The four characters "West Lost and East Gained" caused all the generals except Lu Zhao to think deeply.
Li Dian chuckled: "So, Zhou Yu really had a plan. From Jiangxia to Hefei, there are mountains and rivers in between. It is impossible to pass by land. Our army can only go by water. But he dug up the Yangtze River and destroyed all our ships." , the waterway is also impossible. If we return to Xiangyang, we will take a detour from the north to support Hefei in who knows what year. But the Jiangdong Army's attack on Hefei is just around the corner. What a pity..."
The generals were horrified. They didn't expect Zhou Yu's intentions to be so vicious.
Lu Zhao said carelessly: "It's a pity that there is no use in calculating all the strategies. General Beifu can turn the tide, how can he calculate it?"
Zhuge Liang nodded with a smile: "Man's calculation is not as good as God's calculation."
Thinking back to that day, if Cao Wu had not marched back to block the river embankment, and Zhuge Liang had not revived the right-wing army, then Zhou Yu's 5,000 remnants would have encountered Cao's even more remnants, and it would eventually turn into a massacre, with Cao's hundreds of thousands How many people can survive?
Zhao Yan asked: "Sir, what do you think Liu Xuande's best strategy is to surrender to our army and become a rich man?"
Zhuge Liang shook his head: "I once talked with Duke Xuande and found out that he has an old relationship with Wu Ju, the prefect of Cangwu. So for him, the best solution is to abandon Xiakou, burn the food in Xiakou, trap the people in Xiakou, and stop me." The military road. I went south to join Cangwu, seeking a comeback."
Lu Zhao sneered and said: "Who is the governor of Cangwu? I have never heard of him! What future is there in the barren land of Cangwu? This Liu Bei is really desperate."
Zhuge Liang smiled and said nothing.
He said this was the best strategy, but he was just choosing a better one among a bunch of bad strategies. Liu Bei was at the end of his rope. If he didn't want to be a rich man, the best outcome would be to join the Cangwu Prefect and live a little longer.
The only difference between this and clinging to death is to live a few more years. But in Liu Bei's mind, it was no longer a good idea to defend.
Zhuge Liang deeply admired Beifu General Cao Wu. He had laid the foreshadowing as early as Longzhong, and later returned Mi Fang to strengthen the foreshadowing.
When Liu Bei was in danger, his first thought was not to defend, but to fight against Longzhong. If there was still a way out, he would not fight desperately.
But the Yangtze River waterway was blocked by Cao Jun, and the land route was blocked by Jingzhou. Why did Liu Bei enter Sichuan? This back road is actually a dead end!
Li Dian had already seen through this and frowned: "But sir, if you want to persuade us to surrender, isn't it one of the three strategies?"
"Yes, I just want to give Mr. Xuande another way besides the three strategies."
Zhuge Liang's eyes were bright, and Liu Bei favored him. Although he was not very kind, he was not willing to deal with Liu Bei.
A soldier dies for his confidant. Cao Wu, the general of Beifu, has no ambition on the surface, but Zhuge Liang has to consider him.
Since you are a staff member, you must think carefully. Now that Cao Cao is alive and well, Cao Wu's favor is unparalleled. In the event that Cao Cao dies and Cao Pi takes over power, Cao Wu must be able to restrain the other party.
Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun are all powerful generals in the world. If Liu Bei can enter Beifu, then...
So he had to find a way to persuade Liu Bei.
It's just that after this consideration, I can't speak for the generals.
While they were talking here, Zhang Liao and Zhang He's ships had already left their hiding place.
Tonight is another bright moon night. The fifteenth day is getting closer and closer, and the moon is getting brighter and brighter. Both of the two fierce generals know that when the building ship appears in the sight of the defenders at the top of Xiakou City, the battle has already begun.
However, although torches were lit at the top of Xiakou City, not a single arrow was shot at them.
"Something's wrong..."
Zhang Liao has been fighting for many years and has frowned.
He looked to the other side and saw Zhang He's fleet also stopped.
With such a big building and ship pressed down, the defenders can't see it? No warning sound, no arrow attack?
It's a scam!
He also ordered the soldiers to stop.
As soon as this stopped, the only sound left outside Xiakou City was the sound of water hitting the boats. Other than that, there was no sound of human beings.
Zhang Liao narrowed his eyes and stared at the city. There was no defender on the city.
This is really a strange thing.
Did the opponent predict that they were going to make a surprise attack, so they launched a counter-surprise attack?
Or the opposing army has already left the city and is waiting to turn them around?
This kind of counterattack, if there is no flood, then this plan is very good. But now, the city is besieged by floods, and Liu Bei's fleet has gone to support Zhou Yu. What can he do to counterattack?
Zhang Liao glanced sideways again, but Zhang He still didn't move.
This guy is really...
Should it be said that he is calm or cunning? Although Zhang He is extremely capable and powerful, Zhang Liao and he only sympathize with each other because they are both surrendered generals. They actually do not agree with his cautious and cautious attitude.
In contrast, Zhang Liao is bold and careful. People are here, so they can't just stay here.
Xiakou is too important, and Liu Bei has been preparing here for too long. Zhang Liao doesn't want to surround and attack it for a year before taking it.
He couldn't tell, he had to move first.
The building ship took action again, pressing towards the head of Xiakou City.
The whole process is still silent.
As a result, there was still no response from the top of Xiakou City until they reached the city wall.
Zhang Liao gritted his teeth and directed the building boats to lean against the wall. It was just as he thought. Because of the flood, the building boats were like ladders, making it easy for the soldiers to board the city.
Zhang Liao watched cautiously as the small group of soldiers who climbed the city turned around, scratched their heads and stood at the top of the city to report: "General, is there really no one here?"
"no one?"
Zhang Liao was extremely confused.
Just when they were attacking Miangou, their scouts had explored Xiakou. Liu Bei had been consolidating the city's defenses. This was something everyone knew.
Many of the people in Xiakou came with Liu Bei from Xinye. The city could not accommodate so many people, so they lived outside the city, but they willingly helped Liu Bei work and strengthen the city's defenses.
Breaking Xiakou should have been an extremely difficult battle.
"That's how it was broken?"
Zhang Liao still felt unreal when he set foot on Xiakou City in person.
The people outside the city disappeared, which is normal. When the flood came, everyone ran for their lives.
Why is it that the garrison at the top of the city has also disappeared?
Not long after, Zhang He also climbed up the city, but still saw no defenders.
Zhang Liao couldn't help it anymore. He went down to the city and stood in the middle of the city, which was half a man tall. He looked at the rows of streets and frowned.
Zhang He stood side by side with him.
Xiakou City was so quiet that it was actually a city without defenders.
But if you look closely, you can see that there are fire lights on the houses, and there are people taking refuge on the roofs.
"Search and interrogate! Ask what's going on!"
Zhang Liao finally shouted, and his shout broke the tranquility of the night sky.
…
Bang-dang-dang-dang...
The vehicle was driving on the south bank of the Yangtze River. In the darkness, Chen Dao relied on the short memory of staying on the south bank to direct the soldiers to move forward. He looked at the carriage in the center and also frowned.
There were only four people in the carriage.
Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun.
Zhang Fei looked angry and laughed for a long time without saying anything.
Liu Bei and Guan Yu closed their eyes to rest and paid no attention to him.
Zhao Yun hesitated to speak several times. As a close guard of Liu Bei, no one knew better than him what Liu Bei had done in the past two months.
Liu Bei spent almost all his time every day consolidating the city defense of Xiakou. Master Liu Qi felt that this city defense was their last fire, but Zhao Yun could clearly detect that Liu Bei's intention was to treat Xiakou as his final tomb after decades of military service.
He spent two months preparing a grand funeral for himself, trying to use this strong city to go head-to-head with hundreds of thousands of Cao's troops.
But now everything is different.
When Guan Yu and others withdrew, Liu Bei did not change his mind to defend.
When Mi Fang made an impassioned speech and said that Longzhong's plan should be implemented, Liu Bei did not change his mind.
Seeing with his own eyes that there were only one or two thousand people left in Zhou Yu's ship, and when they failed to enter Xiakou, Liu Bei gritted his teeth and sighed, but still wanted to hold on.
The moment the floods rose, Liu Bei remained unchanged.
But when a scout escaped and told Liu Bei that Cao Jun was going around to provide disaster relief, Liu Bei suddenly changed his mind.
Of the more than 10,000 Xiakou garrison, Liu Bei only brought the most elite 2,000, as well as his direct generals such as Young Master Liu Qi and Guan, Zhang and Zhao.
The remaining people were arranged by him among the people, and they were not allowed to resist.
Two thousand elite troops crossed the Yangtze River and went south this evening.
They did not notify Jiangdong's army, nor did they go to Nanchang, Chaisang and other places in Jiangdong. They just continued southward in the wilds of Jiangdong.
Zhao Yun finally couldn't help but said: "Lord, are we going to abandon Xiakou City without firing an arrow?"
Liu Bei opened his eyes. His eyes were red, as if he had cried silently.
"Zilong, what do you think is needed to help the Han Dynasty?"
Zhao Yun was stunned, but he didn't expect that not only did he not answer, but he also asked himself an irrelevant question.
He thought: "Of course, we must have a strong army and a good strategy. These two things are indispensable."
Liu Bei smiled bitterly and said: "These two are important, but we don't have them. Therefore, we can only choose the third one, which is the human heart..."
"People's hearts..."
Zhao Yun chewed these two words in a low voice.
Zhang Fei was also angry and said angrily: "Brother is kind and everyone knows it. You don't want the people of Xiakou to suffer, so you abandoned the city. I am confused. But why are the military rations hoarded in Xiakou not burned? Why don't you let the people suffer?" Stop them? Wouldn’t this give the enemy an advantage in vain?”
Liu Bei nodded: "It gives the enemy an advantage."
Zhang Fei was even more anxious: "Brother, since you know this, why are you doing this?"
Guan Yu, who had been silent all this time, spoke now.
Guan Yu twirled his beard and said: "The reason for not burning food and grass is to allow the people to have a way to survive in the flood. The reason why the people are not allowed to stop the enemy is to prevent the people from being killed by Cao's army. After hearing that Cao's army is rescuing people, they leave because this is the only way to let the people survive. The people of Jiangxia will not forget the good deeds of their eldest brother but remember the good deeds of Cao Jun. This is all for the sake of benevolence and righteousness!"
Zhao Yun was silent, while Zhang Fei was not angry and said: "The people, the hearts of the people, it is for the sake of benevolence and righteousness that I have fallen here!"
Liu Bei closed his eyes, as if he didn't want to talk anymore.
This benevolence and righteousness finally made the three generals in the car return to their hearts, and it will be spread throughout the army through their mouths.
However, there are only two thousand people in this entire army.
Zhao Yun sighed and thought, when he fled to Jingzhou in embarrassment to seek refuge with Liu Biao, there were more people than this.
He silently picked up a map from the corner and looked at it again. It was the map of Jingzhou.
A long black line was drawn on the map.
If Zhuge Liang were here, he would be surprised, because the place where the black line was drawn was indeed Cangwu Prefect Wu Ju at first, but later, he actually made a big circle around Cangwu and went to Yi from the vast mountains and rivers. state!
If Cao Wu saw it, he would be even more surprised. He has only seen such a bold detour once in the history he is familiar with!
Liu Bei abandoned the city, but he did not burn the food and grass or destroy the city.
Liu Bei went south, but he did not defect to Cangwu Prefect.
He wanted to take two thousand people on a long march of thousands of miles, and finally reach Yizhou, convince Liu Zhang, defeat Zhang Lu, capture Hanzhong and Yizhou, and restart the Longzhong War!
However, Cao Wu and Zhuge Liang were not here.
So they didn't know how scary this person who closed his eyes and meditated was.
This forty-seven-year-old man has traveled all over the north, wandering everywhere, but he has great ambitions.
This person who has never forgotten Kuang Fu Han's room has a voice echoing in his heart.
Crossing the river with the people alone, from Xinye to Xiakou, the invitation to buy is for the popular support of the people in Xinye. I worked hard to strengthen the defense of Xiakou, and I was invited to buy it for the sake of the people's support in Xiakou. Not sending a single sword or arrow, not burning food and grass, abandoning Xiakou, and inviting people to buy it, is the heart of the people of the world!
He, Liu Xuande, could do anything for the people, but he gave up easily after two months of hard work.
This will be a stepping stone for him to enter Sichuan and the foundation for his rise again! This is the way to bring the world back to its center in the future!
Liu Bei did not use the best strategy, the middle strategy, or the worst strategy. He was the strategy himself.
The best policy!
After benevolence and righteousness abandon Xiakou, everyone in the world will know that he, Liu Xuande, is the most benevolent and righteous lord in the world!
It was the Han Dynasty that supported him.
Those who are benevolent and righteous are the Han Dynasty!
