Chapter 469: Dark moon and high wind, night of theft
Tonight, a rare celebration banquet was held in Xiangyang City.
Taking Xiangyang means taking most of Jingzhou. Although it is a bit exaggerated, we can get a clue from the expressions of the people.
Xiangyang is an important town in Jingzhou. Unlike Lingling, Changsha and other places in southern Jingzhou, northern Jingzhou is a more important strategic location in terms of materials and transportation terrain.
Xiangyang can support 200,000 elite soldiers. This is not just talk. The city of Xiangyang with abundant water and grass has such meaning.
So tonight, Cao Cao was very happy. The civil and military ministers gathered together and exchanged glasses of wine. The scene of such joy made Liu Biao's old men, who had been frightened earlier, seem to have forgotten that Cai was beheaded for no reason.
Maybe Liu Cong is the only one who still hasn't gotten over the shadow of his mother's sudden death, but who cares about his condition?
He was originally a chess piece that was pushed onto the stage. All Cai Mao Kuai Liang and others needed was Liu Cong's name, and they could use this name to rule the Xiangyang clans.
Without Liu Cong, there would be another Liu Cong, so Liu Cong was depressed. Within a few years, he died on the bed like his father - of course, this is all a story later.
During the banquet, Fu Xun, Kuai Liang and other talented people toasted to Cao Cao, and Cao Cao also accepted their respects.
A little inquiry will tell you that people like Fu Xun, Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue, Liu Xiang, Liu Ba, and even Wang Can were basically weak under Liu Biao. Liu Biao did not want to make progress, and those who wanted to make progress had to be restrained.
he.
So there was this scene. Liu Biao died and Cao Cao came. These people were happier than anyone else.
A hero must be useful before he can be called a hero.
What kind of hero is one who talks on paper?
"Everyone! This glass of wine is not only a tribute to our soldiers, but also to Brother Yi..."
When Cao Cao rose, he did not have the stereotype of a prime minister. He looked like a drunken middle-aged man. He sang loudly, blushed, and toasted to everyone with a smile.
"Without Brother Yi, the Southern Expedition would not have gone so smoothly. Without Brother Yi... hiccup..."
Cao Cao burped and his eyes were a little blurry.
"Without Brother Yi, Cao Cao wouldn't be here today! Anyone who doesn't toast to Brother Yi today means they don't give me Cao Cao face!"
I don’t know where Cao Cao’s temper comes from, and I don’t know who Cao Cao is angry with anymore. In short, everyone, knowing and unknowing, stood up one after another, threw and sprinkled the wine towards the open space between the banquets, and the wine overlapped in the air.
, draw a beautiful arc. If it were daytime, there would probably be a rainbow here...
After saying this, Cao Cao drank the rest of the drink in one gulp, and then suddenly fell down on the table.
The bells and drums are ringing together, and the dancing and music are joyful. This night, there is only joy in the government office, no sadness——
Late at night, Cao Cao was carried back to his dormitory by everyone, and the representatives of the noble clans who were invited to the banquet finally breathed a sigh of relief.
They knew that Cao Cao would not make any harsh demands on them, that's all.
In the huge courtyard, only one light was on.
Xu Shu woke up.
It should be said that Xu Shu woke up very early.
The moment he woke up, he had a splitting headache. Thinking back to what he had experienced during the day and the past few days, he, who was quite confident in his knowledge, began to have some doubts - is there really a god who can predict the future in the world?
He couldn't believe it, but the fact had slapped him in the face coldly.
Rubbing his swollen cheeks and eye sockets, Xu Shu came up with a plan——
He remembered that a few days ago, the strong man who beat him once said to Cao Cao:
"Three tips, the first one is opened when Xinye is blocked, the second one is opened after taking control of Xinye, the third...the third one is opened before the troops go to Jiangling and arrive at Red Cliff..."
"Chibi?"
Xu Shu suddenly sat up from the bed. He had a map of Jingxiang that he had hidden in his arms. He quickly searched for the location of Chibi, but the more he looked, the more confused he became.
"Chibi...isn't it the Sun family's territory?"
"That's all..."
Xu Shu didn't have time to think too much. He knew that there was a banquet in the mansion today, and he also heard that Cao Cao was drunk and unconscious.
If you want to repay Liu Bei for his kindness, then tonight is your only chance.
After making up his mind, Xu Shu opened the window and silently muttered to the bright moon:
"Kong Ming, my lord... there is only so much I can do."
In the dead of night...in the courtyard, a figure silently shuttles, no one notices, no one knows...
——
At dawn the next day, Cao Cao woke up with a splitting headache.
Because he thought of something, he was shocked in his sleep that something was not going well.
"Zixiao? Where is Zixiao?"
Cao Cao held his head and shouted groggily. After a while, Cao Ren opened the door and walked in.
"Brother? Are you awake?"
"The military advisor and others have been discussing it all night and are waiting to inform you..."
Cao Ren saw that Cao Cao was disheveled and wanted Cao Cao to rest for a while, but Cao Cao stopped Cao Ren directly:
"Have the military advisors learned about Liu Bei's whereabouts?"
Cao Ren was shocked. He didn't expect that Cao Cao, who was so drunk last night, could still be clearly aware of the fleeting opportunity, and hurriedly replied:
"That's right! Wen He and others said that some soldiers guarding the city said that Liu Bei had arrived at the south gate of Xiangyang City a few hours before us yesterday. However, Xiangyang was preparing to welcome you at that time, so he did not attack Liu Bei again.
Chase…”
"The military counselors and others believe that Liu Bei must be heading straight for Jiangling at this moment. If Liu Bei is allowed to capture Jiangling, it will give him another chance to breathe... After all, they have Zhuge Wolong in the army..."
Cao Ren frowned and said.
Cao Cao shook his head vigorously to wake himself up for a moment.
"Just do what Wen He and the others say, Zixiao, you and Cao Chun will order five thousand tiger and leopard cavalry, and pursue them quickly. There is no need to carry a heavy team, pursue them lightly, go... go quickly!"
"Here!"
Cao Ren quickly resigned, and Cao Ren's shouts immediately rang outside the mansion. For a moment, horse hooves flew, and outside the city, a group of light cavalry rushed away, chasing in the direction of Jiangling in Jingnan.
——
Just when Cao and Liu were entangled and struggling, even chasing each other.
A great war broke out in Jiangxia.
Sun Quan couldn't hold it in any longer.
Cao Cao deceived Sun Quan once before and threatened him with hostages, but it was a blind trick. In the end, Cao Cao finally defeated the north, but now...
The north was pacified, and Cao Cao said he wanted to go south, which meant he really wanted to attack Liu Biao and Sun Quan.
Of course Sun Quan couldn't sit still.
Although the Yangtze River is an excellent natural barrier, it cannot withstand someone giving it to Cao Cao for free.
The news that Cao Cao had captured Xiangyang without any blood quickly reached Sun Quan who was stationed in Chaisang.
In this regard, Zhou Yu only told Sun Quan one thing:
"Jiangxia must be captured in advance."
Due to emotions and reasons, Sun Quan should capture Jiangxia, not only to take advantage of Liu Biao's power, but also to avenge Huang Zu for shooting Sun Jian, and also because of the strategic consideration of taking advantage of the terrain first.
Zhou Yu, a sober man, and even Lu Su urged Sun Quan to take Jiangxia immediately.
Sun Quan didn't intend to be cowardly anymore.
Under the leadership of Zhou Yu, nearly ten thousand soldiers and horses were divided into two groups. Ling Tong and Dong Xi were the vanguard, Gan Ning and Lu Meng were in charge of the big ships. They first destroyed the elite navy that Huang Zu had gathered for many years, and then pursued them easily.
Kill Huang Zuge on the shore.
At this point, without Liu Biao, the biggest obstacle to the southern expedition, Sun Quan and Cao Cao, who were at war with each other, finally began to compete in earnest.
