"Liu Zhang, with the power of three states, controls a population of tens of millions. With the power of seven states, he can control a population of tens of millions!"
"I didn't expect it. It's really a twist of fate! It's so sad and deplorable!"
Cao Cao sighed with emotion while stamping his feet and beating his chest, constantly venting his injustice towards the current situation.
But Guo Jia beside him didn't have any sympathy.
After all, all this is due to Cao Cao's own willfulness!
If we had listened to good advice and not launched the southern expedition, how could we have ended up like this?
In fact, Guo Jia is very clear that the population of the Central Plains and the seven states of Hebei is definitely more than 10 million.
Doubling the real number is an underestimation!
It was only after Cao Cao's defeat that the clans frantically annexed the population, which caused a sharp decline in the number of people in each state.
Before Cao Cao and Yuan Shao decided the winner, the total population of Yanzhou, Yuzhou and Xuzhou exceeded 8 million!
In just one year, could there be two or three million casualties?
It was obviously divided up among the aristocratic clans!
The various large and small families in the Central Plains and Hebei Province obviously realized that Cao Cao was in a period of weakness and would not fall out with them, so they unscrupulously annexed them.
The same is true for the four states in Hebei!
Bingzhou and Youzhou are the most serious.
Moreover, the 10 million people commanded by Cao Cao are completely incomparable to the 10 million people commanded by Liu Zhang!
Not only in terms of population composition, but also the degree of actual control, there is no way to compare.
From top to bottom in the Qin State, there was only one voice, King Qin Liu Zhang.
What about the Wei State today?
From top to bottom, eight hundred voices, there is opposition everywhere!
"King Wei, the current situation is serious, you must cheer up..."
When Cao Cao heard this, his heart thumped.
He knows Guo Jia so well!
What this sentence means is that there is even greater bad news waiting for him.
"Fengxiao, just tell me..."
Escape means that you can't escape, face it as soon as possible, and solve it as soon as possible.
"King Wei, in the Battle of Nanjun and the Battle of Huainan, our army mobilized 300,000 troops and 600,000 civilians, and exhausted all the food stored in the treasury."
"The 50,000 new troops raised last year only have one meal to eat every day. Now that food is in short supply, we will not be able to guarantee even one meal in the future..."
Fortunately, Cao Cao collected all the weapons and armor and brought them back.
If the new army doesn't even have weapons or equipment, Guo Jia will have to live in sorrow!
Things like food, grass, baggage, and material distribution are not Guo Jia's strengths.
Previously, Xun Yu, who was better at handling internal affairs, was solely in charge.
After the incident of proclaiming the king and founding the country, Cao Cao and Xun Yu basically broke up.
Xun Yu did not accept the official position in Wei given to him by Cao Cao. Cao Cao did not trust Xun Yu and did not dare to entrust important matters to him.
Everything was pressed against Guo Jia's thin body.
These trivial matters made Guo Jia exhausted.
Cao Cao frowned and remained silent.
He had long known that the food and grass problem would arise.
I just didn’t expect it to be so soon!
In order to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, Cao Cao took the initiative to order frugality and banned wine making.
In order to make the most of the little food left, Cao Cao re-opted the policy of elite soldiers.
With such a shortage of major generals in the seven states under his command, he still only added 50,000 soldiers.
Fifty thousand people guarding seven states is undoubtedly a joke.
Unexpectedly, this joke seems to have come to an end today!
"Fengxiao, how long can our food last?"
Guo Jia hesitated for a moment, but chose to tell the truth.
"If there are no accidents, I can still last for more than a month."
"Can I borrow some from the family?"
Guo Jiagan laughed and shook his head without hesitation.
"King Wei, I have tried my best to pry this month's food out of the mouths of the noble families!"
"Today is different from the past..."
Cao Cao was angry, embarrassed, and helpless.
Once upon a time, how unoffended was the King of Wei?
Now, King Wei is a joke!
The purpose of the family is also very simple, they just need to obtain more benefits.
As long as Cao Cao nods and agrees to give up, the family can send troops, food and grass on a large scale to help Cao Cao survive the immediate crisis.
But once you nod in agreement, it will be difficult to go back!
The first thing to bear the brunt is the meritocracy that Cao Cao has always admired.
A few months ago, Cao Cao was defeated and returned to Xuchang.
Chen Qun immediately presented a nine-grade official selection strategy.
Choosing this method will inevitably cause huge hidden dangers for aristocratic families to monopolize officialdom.
Cao Cao refused without thinking.
Then Cao Cao paid the price for his recklessness.
Six of the seven states under his command are showing signs of unrest!
Guo Jia urgently reconciled and ceded some interests to stabilize the situation.
Among them was Chen Qun, and Zhong Yao went to various states to serve as governor.
The family seemed to be at peace, but in fact they all moved into the dark.
Population, land, and food were annexed on a large scale.
In fact, it is very clear inside Cao Wei today.
Cao Cao nodded and agreed to implement the nine-level Zhongzheng system, and everything would be easy to negotiate.
Don’t agree?
Okay, it doesn’t matter what you want!
Cao Cao's attitude was extremely firm and he would rather die than agree.
This is where we are now.
Sometimes, Cao Cao really envied Liu Zhang, because he had accomplished everything by himself step by step.
Anyone who dares to make any changes can be dealt with at any time!
Regarding the troops under his command, he is completely in a single word.
Hit wherever you point, no matter who the enemy is!
Unlike Cao Cao, he was supported by the family from the beginning.
Facing the behemoth Yuan Shao, they had to rely heavily on the Central Plains family.
So that it sinks deeper and deeper!
Without the checks and balances of the clan, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty in the past would already be Cao Cao today!
"Fengxiao, is there any solution?"
I had no choice but to turn to Guo Jia for help.
Cao Cao desperately hoped that Guo Jia could save him from danger in times of crisis like before.
Guo Jia frowned and did not answer Cao Cao.
In fact, Guo Jia had no choice.
No matter how smart Guo Jia is, can he still conjure food and grass?
The food and grass are all in the hands of the clan, and apart from negotiation, there is only robbing!
There is no chance of negotiation, Cao Cao would rather die than obey.
It's even worse to rob, which will inevitably cause huge turmoil.
But there was nothing to do before. After Guo Jia got a piece of news, he had an idea.
"Has King Wei heard that King Liu Zhang of Qin is planning to hold a martial arts competition in Chang'an City on the first day of June?"
Cao Cao waved his hands irritably. How could he care about this?
"Fengxiao, Liu Zhang took advantage of the right time, place and people, and had well-equipped soldiers and food, making him extremely rich!"
"He can play however he likes, I can't control him now."
A tourney?
Cao Cao could only comment that Liu Zhang was full of food and had so much leisure that his balls ached!
"King Wei, no matter what, our army's food and grass were given to King Qin!"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
If anyone else said this, Cao Cao would definitely throw them out.
Isn't it as difficult as climbing to the sky to ask for food from a person like Liu Zhang who doesn't get enough, who doesn't take advantage enough, and who will die if he suffers a little loss?
But Guo Jia said it himself, which gave Cao Cao a glimmer of hope.
"King Wei, all the food and grass are directed at this martial arts tournament!"
