"Your Majesty, I think otherwise." Just as Lord Wei and the ministers were happily preparing to move on to the next topic, a slightly disdainful voice suddenly sounded in the hall. Everyone looked for the voice and found that the speaker was Liu Ye, the servant.
This was not an easy person to get along with, but now he was in for a good show. Suddenly more than a dozen eyes focused on Sun Zi and Liu Ye.
Seeing Liu Ye's objection, Sun Zi glanced at him angrily. However, his look came and went quickly, and no one else noticed. In the eyes of everyone, he still looked calm and calm.
Cao Pi couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. It was Liu Ye again who came to oppose me. If he had known better, he would not have allowed this person to accompany me to praise the military plan.
"Oh? What does Liu Shizhong have to say?" Cao Pi asked with a smile on his face.
After all, he was not a fatuous master. No matter how dissatisfied he was, he still restrained his anger. But by asking such questions, everyone knew that the emperor was dissatisfied.
Liu Ye suddenly didn't realize it and calmly replied: "Your Majesty, Sun Quan knows that I, the Emperor of the Wei Dynasty, only lead an army of tens of thousands of people to press the border north of the Yangtze River, and those who surpass the rivers and lakes must be other generals, so this person will definitely rein in the troops. , will not personally lead the troops to attack."
After hearing this, Cao Pi thought to himself: What are these words? Does it mean that I only dare to stay in Jiangbei to hold down the battle, and I dare not lead my troops to attack in person? It's really annoying that Liu Ye dares to underestimate me like this.
"Well, what you said makes sense." Cao Pi nodded while suppressing his anger and said, "Actually, regardless of whether Sun Quan will come in person or not, our great Wei army will surely conquer Jiangdong."
The ministers bowed and responded: "Your Majesty is wise!"
The topic was finally over, but Cao Pi was no longer in the mood to discuss other matters. He waved his hand to withdraw.
Jiangcheng is located to the north of Jianye. A county was established here during the Qin Dynasty. It is located at the transportation hub between the north and the south and is an important ferry on the lower reaches of the river.
On a high platform at the ferry, General Anton of Soochow and Hou Xusheng of Wuhu wore a black armor and a white brocade robe. He held a sword in his hand and looked at the soldiers and civilians below who were busy building fortifications with bright eyes.
"Looking at this situation, Suicheng City will be built in about two or three days. At that time, the Wei thieves will be frightened and suspicious, and the guys in the court will shut up because of this. It seems that in a few days it will be the time for a certain person to become famous all over the world. ." Xu Sheng thought excitedly while stroking his beard with his right hand.
Ever since Cao Pi led his army to the east and exposed his intention to conquer Wu, Soochow began to make corresponding preparations for the war. However, after all, Wei had many soldiers and generals and a huge momentum. Although Sun Quan looked calm and composed on the surface, he was worried in his heart. Discuss countermeasures with civil servants and generals.
When Sun Quan was considering whether to send a hundred thousand troops to Jianye to fight Cao Pi, Xu Sheng came up with a plan to deceive the city.
He suggested that wooden stakes could be inserted between Jianye and Jiangcheng in the northeast outside the city, and then reed mats could be put in the middle to build a fence, and false buildings could be set up on the fence. This camouflage turns into a long city wall.
In addition, draftsmen must be stationed in dangerous places and put on armor to confuse the enemy and increase their military power. Of course, we must finally prepare a pontoon boat in the river as a backup.
In this way, the Wei army in the north of the Yangtze River might not be able to see the suspicious city clearly on the south bank because of the mist on the river. This would make the Wei army suspicious and not dare to cross the river easily.
In addition, the suspicious city is close to the river, which will definitely not be conducive to the Wei army gathering on the south bank of the river, and it will not be able to exert its military advantage. Moreover, although the suspicious city is not a real city wall, it is still a defensive fortification, which can be used to resist the attack of Cao Wei's army.
Most of the Soochow generals disagreed with this plan to question the city, believing that the hundreds of thousands of Wei troops gathering in the north of the Yangtze River could not be blocked by this fake city wall.
But Sun Quan felt that it was reasonable after hearing this. This plan of questioning the city has so many benefits. If you don't do it, it will be for nothing. Even if it doesn't succeed, it will have no other impact. It is just a waste of manpower and material resources.
Therefore, Xu Sheng was ordered to come to Jianye to personally preside over this plan to suspect the city. After these days of hard work, most of the city walls have been built, leaving only some finishing works.
A few days later, Cao Pi couldn't wait any longer and personally led his army to the north bank of the river to observe the situation on the other side. The Soochow navy was moving freely on the river, but he had not made up his mind to attack at the moment, and he did not dare to take a boat to approach for reconnaissance, so he only watched from the north of the river.
In the mist, Cao Pi could vaguely see a city wall stretching for dozens of miles standing on the south bank of the river. He also saw the Soochow navy moving about and preparing for battle, and suddenly felt troubled.
"What city is on the opposite side?" Cao Pi asked, pointing to Cao Xiu on the south bank.
Cao Xiu cupped his hands and replied: "Your Majesty, according to detailed reports, the Wu people have mobilized their people to carry out construction projects recently and built a city wall on the south bank. This city wall stretches for a long time. What is seen so far is only a small section. According to the investigation, the city wall is very long. It’s hundreds of miles long.”
"It's so long?" Cao Pi was surprised again and said with a hint of helplessness: "The city wall is built on the shore. Even if the army successfully crosses the river, it will be difficult for the troops to deploy. This is very difficult."
"There is no wiser person than the Emperor, and what your Majesty said hit the nail on the head." Cao Xiu flattered him without leaving any trace.
Cao Pi hummed and asked again: "Do you have any way to get rid of the Wu people's behavior?"
"This..." Cao Xiu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, lowered his head and replied softly: "I am stupid and have not yet thought of a way to defeat the enemy."
Although Cao Pi felt angry when he heard this, he remembered that during the last three-pronged attack on Wu, only Cao Xiu made a lot of gains on the eastern front. He did not say anything reproachful, but just snorted to show his dissatisfaction. When Cao Xiu saw this, he lowered his head and did not dare to talk to Cao Pi again.
"Do you have a way to get rid of it?" Cao Pi looked around at the important civil and military ministers on the left and right, and then asked.
All the ministers were silent after hearing this. The Wu people's actions were really uncomfortable. If there was only this city wall, it would not be difficult to break through, but it would be very difficult if there was a river blocking it.
Seeing that the ministers were silent, Cao Pi looked at Liu Ye beside him expectantly and asked, "Does Liu Qing have any good ideas?"
Although Cao Pi had always been suspicious of Liu Ye, and was annoyed that he often contradicted him, he had to admit that his talents and strategies were among the best among his officials. This had been recognized as early as the Taizu period. Confirmed.
Liu Ye frowned and stared straight at the other side, as if he hadn't heard the emperor's question. It wasn't until the person next to him pulled his sleeve that he came back to his senses.
Seeing that Cao Pi had a look of dissatisfaction on his face, Liu Ye quickly bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was thinking hard about how to defeat the enemy just now, and I didn't want to get distracted for a moment."
"Have you thought of a solution?"
"Your Majesty, I haven't thought of a way yet."
Cao Pi couldn't help but twitch his face twice, took a deep breath, and said calmly: "Then, dear, please go back and think about it later." After saying that, he turned around and left, and the ministers hurriedly followed.
Liu Ye fell behind, looked at the emperor's back, shook his head, and sighed helplessly.
After more than ten days, Cao Pi still could not find a good strategy to defeat the enemy. Seeing that the river was rising unabated, and there was no chance of defeating the Soochow navy to break through the river defense, Cao Pi had no choice but to give the order to withdraw his troops.
The news of the Wei army's retreat reached the other side, and the soldiers and civilians of Wu State were all happy. Only then did all the generals understand Xu Sheng's foresight and worshiped him one after another. In Wuchang Palace, Sun Quan also breathed a sigh of relief and immediately ordered to reward Xu Sheng and other meritorious officers.
On Yimao in October, when Taibai met, Cao Pi led his army back to Xuchang.
Cao Pi was unhappy in the car, secretly thinking that this personal expedition was a complete failure, and the people of the world didn't know how to laugh at him? Especially the two thieves of Wu and Shu will make a fuss about this and undermine their own prestige.
The more Cao Pi thought about it, the more annoyed he became. He even felt suffocated. He opened the curtains and looked out of the car. He saw Liu Ye riding a horse not far away, looking relaxed.
With a thought in his mind, he called to the inner guard accompanying him outside the car: "Come here, go and fetch Liu Shizhong for me."
"Your Majesty?" Soon, Liu Ye came to the side of the car and bowed.
Cao Pi smiled and said: "You don't have to be polite. It's true that Sun Quan never came in person during this attack on Wu. You really know what's going on."
Although Cao Pi said this with a smile, Liu Ye could not hear the complaint in it and quickly replied: "I am scared!"
Cao Pi suppressed his smile and said with a hint of coldness: "You must think of me and destroy the two thieves of Wu and Shu. You should not just know their feelings."
These words became much more serious. Liu Ye felt a sense of grievance in his heart. He couldn't help but sigh secretly, and still replied: "I am scared!"
