Chapter 3312 Undercurrents, two sentences and one word
『What?!』 Cao Pi slapped the table, 『What does it mean to not find? This thief army can go to heaven?!』
After dawn, Yecheng seemed to wake up from the nightmare, and then entered a new nightmare.
The traces of Wei Yan's army disappeared twenty or thirty miles away from the city!
Cao Pi stared.
But not only ordinary soldiers said this, but also the Cao guards said this, but Cao Pi felt like he had taken a bite of Oli, and he couldn't swallow it or vomit it.
Wu Zhi watched from the side, swept the faces of the generals, and was a little sceptical.
Cao Pi's current position as the prince has already shaken.
Although Cao Pi was not injured, the damage in Yecheng was not serious. The only one that was seriously damaged was the workshop, but everyone's attitude towards Cao Pi had obviously changed quietly.
no way.
have no idea.
Haven't seen it before.
Not clear.
So and wait, it becomes the best excuse for subordinates to be perfunctory.
In fact, these words reported by the subordinates also showed a certain meaning. It was like saying that the traces of Wei Yan and others could not be found. Wu Zhi believed that this was not a lie, but he could not find them if he wanted to be honest. Obviously, it was not, but that Cao Pi wanted to stand up and point out the direction.
Because Cao Pi is a "leader", when his subordinates encounter "difficulties", they must have a clear direction, not be ambiguity, nor can they say that they have no goals at all, so that their subordinates can test at will.
Wei Yan's traces disappeared, and someone must have helped to eliminate the traces. There are many ways, and the easiest one is the vehicle...
But this involves more and more big problems.
Therefore, it is normal for soldiers to "can't find them".
And Cao Pi obviously hasn't woken up yet...
Of course, it can also be said that Cao Pi is still young now, but who made him the prince?
As an ordinary child, Cao Pi is now at this age, he can not understand strategies, not know human nature, or be good at anything, go with the flow, and spending time every day, but he is the prince.
There was a riot last night, and Cao Pi's shortcomings were fully revealed.
When it comes to strategy, there is insufficient strategy and insufficient urgency.
If you want to talk about martial arts and lack of blood and energy, don’t improve your martial arts skills.
Now that there is a problem, the most important thing is to solve the problem first, how to solve the problems in the city, and how to deal with the problems outside the city, instead of staring at Wei Yan's traces...
Now there is even a problem with decisiveness...
Wu Zhi was really too lazy to talk.
However, the person who "rescued" Cao Pi came.
"Mrs. Bian is here!"
Outside the door, a servant shouted loudly.
Cao Pi was stunned, with some embarrassment and helplessness on his face, and there was also a little bit of annoyance when he was caught by his parents when playing with his mobile phone and tablet, but in the end he lowered his head obediently and went out to greet him...
...
...
The afterglow of dusk fell on the Cao army camp.
A bright red wound seemed to be cracked in the horizon, and the flowing blood was soaked between the camp tents and personnel.
This color has a dismal golden color, like the mottled after the fading of the statue.
There was a problem with Cao Pi's place, and there were also problems with Cao's army camp.
On the surface, nothing seemed to have changed. The soldiers in the camp were still busy, and their figures were rushing through various areas. They were either carrying food or wiping weapons, and everyone was preparing for the upcoming battle.
But if you observe carefully, you will find that their faces are more or less confused...
As the sunset sank into the mountains little by little, the night gradually enveloped the camp.
The light of the bonfire and the torch gradually formed a contrast between movement and stillness in the starry sky.
The false banner of righteousness will eventually hang down for a day, and the vow that is not heart-wrenching will also appear pale in the face of reality.
Before the war began, it was for the sake of justice in the world, for peace in the world, for the glorious Han, and for the emperor to conquer all directions...
Anyway, how could Plus come about? But now, the confusion and helplessness that Cao's soldiers gradually revealed was not only because of the upcoming battle, but also because of the unknown result of the war, the fragility of life, and the longing for their hometown. These soldiers, wearing armor and holding sharp blades, should have carried the honor of the country and the expectations of their families, and then became more determined, but they suddenly discovered that some things were not as advertised by Shandong when they went to war.
Lies are lies after all.
No matter how exquisite and clever a lie is, it will eventually be exposed.
And the more exquisite the lies, the more ugly it becomes when exposed.
It's okay during the day, but at night, the camp will inevitably show its fragility under the surface of the week.
The military academies and generals under Cao Cao also noticed this atmosphere more or less. They walked in the military camp and tried to inspire the morale of the Cao army soldiers with firm words and inspiring speeches as much as possible. But this was an emotion that only time and victory could truly dispel it...
And time and victory happen to be what Cao's army lacks the most at the moment.
So Lao Cao had a headache.
But soon, news that made him even more headache and even heartache was about to come one after another...
The General of the Great Han Cavalry was obviously bullying the Prime Minister's short legs, but Cao Cheng had no choice but to do anything about this.
Therefore, in this quiet and tense atmosphere, Lao Cao has been thinking and deducing every detail of the decisive battle as much as possible, and pondering the turning point of each decision. How to use limited resources and troops to deploy the most perfect strategy to deal with various possible variables. Every possible offensive route and every enemy deployment must have a clear image and countermeasure in his mind, so as not to be in a hurry and exhausted to deal with it.
In terms of military affairs, Cao Cao is undoubtedly very capable in this area. He not only has a keen insight into intelligence, but also has an accurate grasp of the timing.
But he also has things that he will never be able to see and grasp...
Time seemed to solidify in this intensive thinking, until a slight wind blew a corner of the tent that Cao Cao slowly returned to reality from his contemplation.
The sound of rapid footsteps came, and Cao Cao looked up slightly.
The soldiers on duty outside the tent whispered, "The people from Zhongtiao Mountain are coming, and the military situation is urgent."
Cao Cao's face changed under the oil lamp, and then gradually calmed down, "passing."
Looking at the pale-faced Zhongtiaoshan commander, Cao Cao's cheeks suddenly trembled, and an ominous premonition suddenly surged in his heart, his expression seemed a little nervous and solemn, as if he had foreseeed the upcoming bad news.
He slowly stretched out his arm and took the sealed emergency report from the guards.
The sealed bamboo tube has some roughness on the surface, and the lacquer even spreads to the bamboo tube, so that under the light, it looks like a pile of half-solidified blood flowing down the bamboo tube.
At this moment, the air in the entire tent seemed to solidify, and the passage of time became extremely slow.
Cao Cao looked at the bamboo tube in his hand steadily, and in his heart, he seemed extremely reluctant to open this urgent report.
He took a deep breath, tried to suppress the fluctuations in his heart, then broke the varnish seal, pulled out the towel and slowly unfolded.
As the towel and silk were fully unfolded, a few lines of handwriting came into Cao Cao's eyes.
Every word is clear and cold.
It was like a needle stabbed into Cao Cao's pupils, and it also hit his heart like a heavy hammer.
Guo Jia, his most trusted strategist, has died of illness.
Cao Cao's hands couldn't help but tremble.
He lowered his head deeply, and the blue veins on the back of his hand were twisted and wriggled in the shadow of the lamp, like a gluttonous insect, biting something.
Fengxiao finally left.
As early as a few days ago, Cao Cao seemed to have had this premonition. After receiving a report from Lu Chang that Guo Jia was seriously ill, he hurriedly sent someone to greet him. However, these slightly pale greetings cannot dispel the disease or change his destiny.
The Zhongtiao Mountain messenger who bowed his head and fell to the ground seemed to feel this kind of depression and tremble slightly.
Cao Cao raised his head, and a crazy and bloodthirsty look appeared in his eyes.
At this moment, the guards beside him trembled in their hearts, and then they pressed their hands on the hilt of the knife.
As long as Cao Cao gave the order, he would drag the unlucky messenger down and slash him with one knife.
Cao Cao's eyes fell on the messenger, and saw the mud-covered bags and armor on his body under the lights. He walked around at the command of his mouth, "Take it down... and take it carefully."
The guards were a little surprised, but soon followed Cao Cao's order and brought the messenger who bowed and thanked him.
??????55.???????????
The words on the scarf and silk penetrated Cao Cao's defense like sharp swords and hit the softest part of his heart, but Cao Cao still maintained his strength.
For Cao Cao, Guo Jia's departure not only lost a think tank, but also lost his comrades and close friends for many years. The time they spent together, the hardships they experienced together, and the countless plans they planned together all turned into emptiness at this moment.
The attendant received the order and left Cao Cao alone to face the sudden blow.
Cao Cao looked at the empty tent, and it seemed that only at this moment did he feel that painful loneliness, like a bone-bone.
In this Han Dynasty, Guo Jia is the only person who truly understands Cao Cao...
Even Xun Yu doesn't understand.
It was late at night, and the swaying light of the oil lamp casted the long shadow of Cao Cao and reflected on the heavy military map.
On the military map, every ink mark is like a scar.
He stared at the logo representing the cavalry.
Cao Cao slowly slid on the military map with his fingers. Although his movements were smooth, every time he moved, it seemed to carry a heavy load. He did not fight for Shandong, or rather, it was not all for Shandong. He used to win for himself, and now he added another emotion, and he also wanted to win.
The path chosen is different...
His road, Guo Jia's road, and the road of the cavalry.
It's always different.
Only by winning can you prove that you and Guo Jia’s path is correct.
He slowly walked out of the tent, lifted the curtain, and a cold wind blew towards him, wrapping his robe and making noises.
『Prime Minister…』
The guards outside the tent quickly met.
Cao Cao waved his hand and signaled them to retreat, but did not go far, but just stood outside the tent and looked up at the stars.
In the vast night sky, stars shine with cold and distant light.
Cao Cao's eyes were parading the galaxy, as if looking for the meteors that disappeared at that moment. Under the stars in the sky, he longed to find that familiar soul and a little more light of hope in this night.
However, the vastness and silence of the starry sky only made him feel more intense loneliness and loss.
The night wind whistled, blew the vassals above the flag and swept through every corner of the military camp, but could not blow away the sorrow and pain that Cao Cao shrouded in his heart.
After a moment, Cao Cao let out a long breath, and the pain in his eyes gradually faded away, and he regained his usual perseverance and determination.
He knew that he was not qualified to continue to be sad.
He turned around and returned to the tent. After pondering for a moment, he picked up his pen and issued an order to strengthen the guards of the camp.
The story of Guo Jia cannot be passed on for the time being.
『Come!』
After all, Cao Cao couldn't help but order the unlucky messenger to behead him.
After all, only dead people can keep secrets.
Even if this secret is only temporary, for the sake of the overall situation, the sacrifices of individuals are naturally inevitable.
After the rush, you will give the soldier double the pension.
After Cao Cao left, he picked up the silk again, carefully looked at it word by word, and pondered the two sentences and one word left by Guo Jia before his death.
"Chief, like Qin?"
Cao Cao murmured and repeated.
The cavalry now has the power of the Former Qin Dynasty, which is almost obvious. Why does Guo Jia emphasize again? The cavalry is in Guanzhong, sheds horses and north, and controls Sichuan and Shu. It is almost the same as the Qin Dynasty, no, even more cruel than the Qin Dynasty...
etc!
Cao Cao suddenly frowned, and said these four words back and forth several times, then gently patted the table, "So that's it, "like" Qin! The cavalry is like Qin, not Qin!"
Originally, most people in Shandong believed that the cavalry was a replica of the Former Qin Dynasty, and had a tiger and wolf army. Then, in this way, Guo Jia said that the cavalry was just "like" Qin, not a simple repetition of the Qin Dynasty.
Qin, as a powerful country in history, is famous for its unique political system, military power and cultural characteristics. The Qin Dynasty also left a deep impression on Shandong that when talking about Qin, it was terrified. However, Guo Jia said that the cavalry was just a "category", which means that the cavalry did have similarities with the Former Qin in some aspects, which may be similar in governance methods, organizational structures or strategies for external expansion. However, Guo Jia may want to express that although the cavalry has these similarities with the Former Qin, it is different from the Former Qin in essence, origin or other key aspects.
This was originally a huge trap of thinking.
It was not until this moment that Cao Cao had completely understood that their strategic direction before the war was finally severely deviated because of this trap of thinking. In Shandong, because of the slander of the cavalry and the habitual criticism of the cavalry, both in the official and the civilian areas, there was always a feeling that the land of Guanzhong was full of various harsh policies, and the people under the cavalry lived in dire straits.
If you say such remarks too much, even the maker of the original remarks himself believes...
So even when Cao Cao marched into Hedong, he felt that the gentry and people in Hedong would immediately welcome the king's army, make things right, abandon the darkness and turn the light, and stood in tears beside the official road, shaking the small flag, shouting, "Relatives, finally here, ahhhhhh..."
The result was a slap in the face.
The reason is that the cavalry is just a "class", and after all, it is either really a copy of the Qin Dynasty.
Therefore, if the cavalry is still considered as the Former Qin and use the means and methods of dealing with the Former Qin back then to cause trouble, it will inevitably make the whole thing seem like the current Hedong land, making it seem like it is, and it will not go up or down.
This is not to say that Cao Cao is stupid or Guo Jia is stupid, but a pitfall in his thinking.
It’s like saying that China is rich every day, and the dynasty is the country of the heavenly dynasty. At the beginning, it might have wanted to boost the people’s hearts and unite morale, but after saying too much, I really thought that China is richer than China. Then when someone finally knocked to the ground, all monkeys, chickens, dogs, pigs and cows came up and kicked, the people’s spirit was really broken and they couldn’t be completely packed up for a century.
Since the cavalry is not the Former Qin Dynasty, then naturally they cannot use the method of "anti-Qin", so what should they do?
Guo Jia gave the second sentence.
"Victory and defeat are not outside, but inside."
Cao Cao took a deep breath and frowned.
He realized that Guo Jia might have thought about these two sentences for a long time, but he had never said them.
Maybe it's hard to say, or maybe it's because of some other reason, it was not until the moment of death that it was said.
This sentence seems to be about how to deal with the cavalry, but if you think about it, can it be used as the best summary of Cao Cao's current situation?
Yes, Cao Cao had already had a premonition that he would lose, but he had been unwilling to face it, and even more unwilling to admit it. Now that Guo Jia was dying, he pointed it out with blunt words.
However, if it is just a summary, it would be a slightest bitch of Guo Jia.
Does Guo Jia mean...
Cao Cao frowned.
His original plan was actually discussed with Guo Jia.
Cao Cao wanted to eliminate some population pressure in Shandong, because Shandong is now suffering from severe drought and has previously drained a lot of labor, so drought is inevitable. Appropriately reducing some population and reducing food and grass pressure can make the court less embarrassed.
This is one of the benefits. On the other hand, Cao Cao believes that people from Shandong have never suffered a relatively large external threat. Many times, he is fighting against the pressure. Now he should also allocate the pressure to these people from Shandong behind...
In addition, there is another hidden factor, which is to destroy human lives in Fei Qian's hands. Then, as long as the publicity is properly promoted, the people of Shandong can hate Fei Qian like Xuzhou people hate Cao Cao.
But now it seems that these problems seem to be "external" means.
So, what is the real "inside" tactic?
Cao Cao set his sights on the last word Guo Jia said, "Heaven".
What is "Heaven"?
weather?
Time?
The world?
world?
Emperor?
Angel?
Natural disaster?
sky……
There are too many possibilities.
As he thought about it, Cao Cao's brow suddenly jumped.
Chapter completed!