Man Chong took Cao Cao's order and left the palace. He left Yecheng in a carriage and headed towards the Shu Army camp. When the carriage arrived at the Shu Army camp, Man Chong got off the carriage, shook his clothes, and strode towards the gate of the Shu Army camp.
The soldiers standing guard became vigilant and raised their swords to stop Man Chong from advancing.
Man Chong shouted: "Go and notify the Emperor of Shu immediately that Man Chong, the Taiwei of Wei, is visiting." Today, Man Chong is already the Taiwei of Wei, with a high position. He stood waiting outside the camp, and the soldiers on guard did not dare to neglect, and hurried to inform him.
After a while, the soldiers came back and entered the camp with Man Chong.
In the big tent, Wang Can sat at the top, and Fazheng, Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong, Dianman and Wei Yan sat below.
Wang Can looked at Man Chong who was striding in and asked in a deep voice: "Bo Ning, why are you here?"
Man Chong bowed his hands and bowed, and said loudly: "Emperor of Shu, Chong will deliver a message for your majesty. Your majesty invites you to meet outside Yecheng tomorrow. Do you want to attend the meeting? Please give me an answer from the emperor of Shu."
Wang Can laughed loudly and said: "After so many years, I never thought that I would be able to meet with Meng De again."
Man Chong asked reluctantly: "May I ask Emperor Shu if he will go to the meeting?"
Wang Can replied: "Why don't you go? Tell Brother Meng De that I will attend the meeting on time tomorrow."
"Your Majesty, no!"
The moment Wang Can agreed to meet Cao Cao, Fazheng stood up and said loudly: "Your Majesty, our army has captured Qingzhou and Xuzhou, and captured Jizhou, leaving only a strong city of Yecheng. When Cao Ang and Xiahou Yuan are captured
After the escort is completed, Yecheng will be destroyed without attack. Your Majesty, please do not take risks easily!"
Wei Yan glared at Man Chong and said angrily: "Your Majesty, the general also thinks that he cannot go to the meeting." Then Dian Man, Wei Yan, Huang Zhong and others spoke one after another, and they all persuaded Wang Can not to go to the meeting.
Man Chong asked again: "Emperor Shu, are you going to the meeting?"
Wang Can smiled and said: "Don't worry, Boning, I won't go back on what I promised. You go back and tell Cao Mengde that I will go to the meeting on time tomorrow." Seeing that everyone was still preparing to persuade, Wang Can waved his sleeves and said in a deep voice: "This
Needless to say, I will definitely go, so you just stay in the camp and wait for news."
Man Chong said goodbye and quickly left the tent.
After a while, Guo Jia and Jia Xu hurried in again. They both got the news that Man Chong came to see Wang Can, so they hurried over. After Guo Jia sat down, he raised his hands and asked: "Your Majesty, Man Chong
What's matter?"
At that moment, Wang Can told Man Chong the reason for his visit.
Guo Jia's eyes suddenly lit up, his belly swelled and he smiled: "Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
"Where does joy come from?" Wang Can asked immediately.
Guo Jia quickly said: "I believe that Cao Cao has mentally planned to surrender, so I made an appointment with your Majesty. If Cao Cao planned to hold on, he would definitely not have an appointment with your Majesty." Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong, Wei Yan, Dian Wei and others listened.
Finally, the worries in my heart disappeared, and my face showed a look of joy.
Wang Can thought about it carefully and felt that Cao Cao's meeting with him might indeed be a matter of surrender. If there were no constraints from Cao Ang, Xia Houyuan and others, Cao Cao might have fought to the death. Under the current situation, it was difficult for Cao Cao to make up his mind to fight to the death.
…
The next morning, the sun was rising.
The golden sun shone down, and the whole world seemed to be bathed in a golden ocean. Under the escort of Dian Wei, Wang Can left the camp and came to a place five miles outside Yecheng. The location was chosen by Cao Cao because of the terrain.
It was flat and wide, so it was impossible not to ambush. Wang Can saw Cao Cao setting up the desk, preparing food and wine, and strode up.
Dian Wei wanted to follow, but Wang Can waved his hand to stop him.
Although it is already April, the spring in the North is still chilly and a bit cold.
Wang Can strode forward, walked up to Cao Cao, sat cross-legged on the seat that had been arranged, bowed to Cao Cao with fists clasped, and said with a smile: "Brother Meng De, after so many years, you are already much older.
In the past we had a drink and discussed heroes in Yingchuan, then we met outside Xiangyang in Jingzhou, and now we are in Yecheng."
Cao Cao looked calm and said in a deep voice: "From Yingchuan, then to Xiangyang, and finally to Yecheng, you won."
When Wang Can heard this, he immediately had the answer in his heart.
Cao Cao picked up the jug and filled Wang Can with wine, then filled it for himself, picked up the wine bottle, cupped his hands and said, "For the first time, you win, I'd like to give you a drink!"
Wang Can picked up the wine bottle and drank it in one gulp without hesitation.
After Cao Cao drank, he asked with a smile: "Aren't you afraid that I will poison the wine?"
Wang Can said: "Brother Meng De, I believe you."
Cao Cao sneered twice and said: "You Wang Can are cunning and cunning, how can you believe me? Without absolute certainty, you cannot drink without hesitation."
Wang Can laughed twice and said: "Brother Meng De's eyes are like a fire, I admire him. Given the current situation, if Brother Meng De harms me, I'm afraid Brother Meng De will not be able to protect himself, and the Cao family will also be buried with him. Even in Yecheng,
The people may also face the wrath of the Shu army. Brother Meng De is a smart man and will not act recklessly."
Cao Cao smiled helplessly and said, "Can't I, Cao Mengde, go crazy for once?"
Wang Can said seriously: "Brother Meng De, Can understands you."
When Cao Cao heard the words, he stopped talking. Wang Can didn't take the initiative to speak, and the two of them fell silent. Cao Cao held the wine pot in his left hand and the wine bottle in his right hand. After filling Wang Can, he filled himself up with wine, and the two of them started talking.
As we drank one cup after another, no one spoke, and no one tried to break the scene in front of them.
After a long time, the wine bottle was empty.
Cao Cao blushed slightly and said, "For the first time, why do you think I, Cao Mengde, lost to you?"
Wang Can took a deep breath and said, "Brother Meng De, you didn't lose."
"Lost!"
Cao Cao burped and exhaled a strong breath of alcohol.
Wang Can said: "Brother Meng De, you have indeed not lost. Compared with me, you have been trapped in the cracks from the beginning. You have Yuan Shao in the north, Liu Bei and Liu Biao in the south, and my army in the west. You have no time to develop.
.Even if you defeated Yuan Shao in a short period of time and established a solid rear, you still don’t have enough time to recuperate. Besides, you have too few talents, far less than mine. This is not because you lack ability, but because you don’t have enough time."
Compared to Cao Cao, Wang Can has incomparable advantages.
Wang Can initially captured the land of Xichuan, and had famous teachers like Cai Yong, as well as veterans such as Xun You, Guo Jia, and Cheng Yu. With the help of these people, Wang Can gained a place in the shortest time and rose rapidly.
On the other hand, Cao Cao encountered a great war just after pacifying Yuan Shao. His country lacked strength, strength, talents, and weapons were not as good as those of the Shu army.
Cao Cao stared at Wang Can, his gaze like a knife, piercing Wang Can's heart.
Wang Can looked calm and not panicked.
Cao Cao said: "The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit. Since I am defeated, I am ready to be killed. I just want to ask, if I am willing to be killed, can the Cao family leave a trace of Xianghuo?"
This is the issue that Cao Cao is most concerned about.
Since ancient times, the result of the struggle for supremacy in the world must be that one party is completely defeated and eradicated. Cao Cao was worried that Wang Can would massacre the Cao family after he won, so he raised the issue directly. If he died, the Cao family would still suffer from Wang Can
Instead of pursuing him, he might as well fight to the death to save some of the Cao family's bloodline.
Wang Can smiled and said: "Brother Meng De, do you remember what Yingchuan said to me in the past?"
Cao Cao thought for a while and said: "The only heroes in the world are you and Cao Er!"
Wang Can laughed loudly and said: "Since you are a hero, why do you need to die? It would be a pity to die! You surrender in Kaicheng, and after surrendering, you will temporarily suffer for a few years and be an idler. After I have settled the domestic affairs, I will
Let's fight together."
"Still going to war?"
Cao Cao raised his eyebrows, showing a strange expression.
The Wuhuan, Xianbei, and Xiongnu in the north have all been crippled by the Shu army. Even if Wang Can led his army to continue heading north, there would be no use for it. Cao Cao couldn't figure out how Wang Can would use his troops?
He stared at Wang Can, looking forward to Wang Can's answer.
Wang Can flicked his sleeves and said: "Brother Meng De, the world is not just a place like ours. Give me some time, and then leave with me after I have arranged things and have no worries."
If anyone else had said these words, Cao Cao might have been suspicious.
However, when Wang Can said it, Cao Cao believed it and did not doubt Wang Can.