Not only Guo Jia, but also Xun Yu also rushed to Xiangyang.
Just when Cao Cao was hesitating, two of his most trusted conspirators arrived in Xiangyang. Moreover, Guo Jia and Xun Yu also strongly advised Cao Cao not to easily start a war against Jiangdong. Their views were surprisingly similar to Cao Peng... Under the persuasion of the two men, Cao Cao's originally wavering determination became even more hesitant. However, not everyone was opposed to sending troops to Jiangdong. Many generals and advisers believed that now was the best time to send troops to Jiangdong.
The representative figures among them are the talkative celebrities headed by Dong Zhao.
"The public has now brought peace to Jiang and Han, to intimidate the Yangtze and Yue; to use Liu's equipment for water warfare, and to take advantage of the Jingchu and Jingchu, it is a good opportunity for shock and a great opportunity to outline. If we don't take advantage of this to seize Wu, will we be in trouble?"
Dong Zhao and others believe that Cao Cao is now serving the emperor to command the princes, pacify the north, sweep across Youzhou, and seize Jingchu without any blood, and his momentum is at its peak. Now that he has Liu Biao's navy, it is a good opportunity to display his grand ambitions. If If we miss this opportunity, we may have to wait a long time before we can pacify Jiangdong.
Cao Peng was ordered to come to Xiangyang just to discuss this matter.
However, when the two sides argued, Cao Peng never participated in it.
He is indeed favored by Cao Cao, but he must be more cautious. What needs to be said has been said. He is now just the commander of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and does not need to participate in this discussion. Everything is judged by Cao Cao, and Cao Peng also believes that Cao Cao can definitely do it. Make the right choice...
Cao Cao was indeed very distressed.
Deep down in his heart, he naturally wanted to succeed in the first battle and achieve unprecedented feats since the establishment of Zhongping.
However, Cao Peng's previous reminders kept echoing in his mind. Guo Jia and Xun Yu even traveled thousands of miles to oppose Cao Cao's sending troops in an extremely tough manner. These three people are Cao Cao's most trusted confidants. , Cao Cao had to think carefully.
I have to say that several of the points raised by Cao Peng are quite reasonable if you think about it carefully.
Everything is ready, all we need is the east wind.
Cao Cao has already taken ninety-nine steps, and is only one step away from capturing Jiangdong. It would be a bit reluctant for him to give up at this time.
Dong Zhao was right. At this time, he was conquering Jiangdong and his luck was booming.
If you miss this opportunity, I'm afraid it won't be that easy to capture Jiangdong again.
It is possible to plan it slowly, or it may be successful in one battle.
This was a decision of great importance. Cao Cao was in a dilemma. One moment he thought what Dong Zhao said was the most sensible, and the next moment he felt that what Guo Jia said was reasonable. But even though deep down in his heart, he was more inclined to go to war with Jiangdong, Cao Cao still Unable to make up one's mind, wavering.
Looking around at the people in the court, Cao Cao frowned.
After a long while, he suddenly asked: "Fengxiao, what if I don't take Jiangdong?"
"To pacify Sun Quan in the east, capture Liu Bei in the south, and ally with Liu Zhang in the west, this is the best policy."
"Then, how to appease Sun Quan?"
Guo Jia knew very well that this was a critical moment and he absolutely could not relax at all. Since Cao Cao asked this, it meant that he still somewhat agreed in his heart. However, the good situation made it difficult for him to give up, and he had to have an extremely stable strategy. Make him change his decision.
"Since the prime minister can give up the chief minister to Liu Zhang, why should he give up the great general to Sun Quan?"
Anyway, you have already appointed Liu Zhang as Chief Situ, so why bother giving Sun Quan the title of General. Now that the imperial court has re-established the Prime Minister's Palace, the positions of the Three Dukes exist in name only. Why not give them a false name and let them stay where they are? Happy but not doing it?
I think back then, Yuan Shao also had the title of general.
But in the end, the winner is the Prime Minister. Therefore, at this time, don't be stingy about official titles, gold, silver, and silk. Just use them... The top priority is to kill Liu Bei, recapture the two counties of Changsha and Wuling, and completely defeat Jingzhou.
Take control.
And Liu Zhang...
Neither Cao Cao nor Guo Jia regarded Liu Zhang as a threat.
Cao Peng stood aside and nodded slightly, secretly praising Guo Jia's idea.
Even though the title of General is just a false title, it is enough to make people salivate. Now, Sun Quan has been granted the title of Marquis of Wu, which can be said to have no further promotion. Above the Marquis of Wu, it is the title of king, which is naturally impossible for Cao Cao.
Accept. The position of general has long lost its original prestige. In many cases, the positions of these three princes are ranks, not positions, and represent a symbol of status.
Sun Quan was not of noble birth.
His old son, Sun Jian, was just a businessman.
Therefore, if his official rank is too high, it will be of great benefit to him to inform Jiangdong.
However, Sun Quan may be able to accept this kind of reward. Do his subordinates agree? There are people like Zhou Yu and Lu Su under Sun Quan, and they must not take it lightly. They may not be able to see through Cao Cao's intentions, and they may not be able to figure it out.
If you do well, you will persuade Sun Quan to send troops.
call!
Cao Peng felt that his brain was a bit exhausted.
The Three Kingdoms are not only an iron war, but also countless conspiracies and conspiracies.
It's really hard to play tricks with these people...
However, how could Guo Jia and the others not consider things that he could consider thoroughly?
It was a dispute, but in the end there was no result.
When it was getting late, Cao Cao let everyone disperse, leaving only six people: Guo Jia, Dong Zhao, Xun Yu, Jia Xu, Xun You, and Cao Peng. Under the greetings of the retainers, the six people came to the back house. Cao Cao received them in the study
The six of them still had a look of embarrassment on their faces, hoping for a result.
“All the princes are wise men and celebrities in this world.
I would like to ask you all not to imitate the people in the market and argue endlessly, but to seek common ground while reserving differences and find the best solution.
Ah Fu has also told me before that now is not the best time to conquer Jiangdong.
But what Gongren said is not unreasonable. In Xinping, Jianghan, our army is in full swing. If we cannot seize Jiangdong, we must wait for the opportunity... To be honest, I am also hesitant and difficult to make a decision. So I invite you here just to discuss
A concrete plan.”
Before Cao Cao could finish speaking, Xun Yu suddenly asked: "How could Qin succeed in destroying Chu in the past?"
"ah?"
This was also the first time Xun Yu spoke today, but it made Cao Cao think, he couldn't help but tremble, and he suddenly raised his head.
Qin destroyed Chu?
Cao Peng remembered...
"History" records that Qin's destruction of Chu also started from Jingchu. But before that, Qin conquered Bashu for hundreds of years, filling the national treasury. It also took advantage of the dragon's head to train a naval army that could fight hundreds of battles. It advanced on land and water side by side, and achieved great success in one battle.
Cheng. Bashu... Xun Yu suddenly raised this question, so naturally he had his own thoughts. He didn't want to continue this endless quarrel. Instead of arguing endlessly, it was better to let the facts speak for themselves.
At the same time, Xun Yu proposed a new direction: Everyone, don’t always stare at Jiangdong, you can take a look at Xichuan!
Compared with the six counties of Jiangdong and Yizhou, which one is better to deal with?
On the surface, Jiangdong's population base is inferior to that of Yizhou. Xichuan's population of 4.3 million is almost double that of Jiangdong.
Economically, Yizhou is a land of abundance, rich in products, and rich in money and food.
Although Jiangdong is said to be rich, it is slightly lacking compared to Xichuan.
In terms of talents, Yizhou is known for its outstanding people, and its capable ministers and military generals are no less inferior to Jiangdong. But if Dong Zhao was given a choice, he would definitely choose Xichuan. The reason? Very simple... One soldier is a raging force, and a raging general is a den.
Sun Quan and Liu Zhang are incomparable in heaven and earth. Liu Zhang is by no means a wise master who can guard Xichuan.
Dong Zhao also immediately closed his mouth.
Cao Cao glanced at Xun Yu, but Xun Yu only smiled and said no more.
"However, even if the Prime Minister wants to appease him, Jiangdong may not be able to accept it."
"Yes, I heard that Zhou Yu and Lu Su are both wise men, and they are assisted by Jiang Biao and Hu ministers. Whether Sun Quan can agree to it or not is still a matter of opinion."
Cao Cao suddenly said: "Ah Fu, why are you silent?"
"ah?"
"Don't be a scoundrel. Everyone is making suggestions, but you, the most trouble-making guy on weekdays, have never spoken out. Could it be that you already have an idea?"
Cao Peng quickly bowed and said, "I don't have any ideas, but I do have some ideas."
"tell me the story."
Cao Peng took a deep breath and tried hard to recall the famous scenes of the Battle of Chibi in history. After a moment, he said in a deep voice: "The Prime Minister wants to appease Jiangdong, so he needs to pay attention to a few things. First, if the Prime Minister
When attacking Jiangdong, who will surrender from Jiangdong and who will take charge of the battle?
When Sun Bofu passed away, he left a message: If you are not sure about domestic affairs, ask Zhang Zhao; if you are not sure about foreign affairs, ask Zhou Yu.
This means that there are already factions within Jiangdong. Zhang Zhao and Zhang Zibu represent one system; and Zhou Yu also represents another system. As for which one is far and which one is closer, there may not be a conclusion. Therefore, we need
The peace-seeking faction firmly supports the war-seeking faction, and conflicts abound. I vaguely remember a saying in my hometown: No matter how solid the city is, it cannot prevent internal divisions. Therefore, if you want to make Sun Quan stand still, you must start from within. Zhang Zhao
This man is indeed talented, and the Jiangdong nobles are also capable of countless people.
But these people all have selfish motives..."
Cao Cao raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly.
On the side, Guo Jia and Xun Yu showed admiration.
"Secondly, Jiang Biaohu and ministers are also divided into old and new.
Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang were all veterans of Sun Jian and had great qualifications. However, since Sun Bofu raised his army, a large number of new people were recruited. Zhou Yu, Taishi Ci, Zhang Zhao and others were all Sun Ce's old ministers. At the same time, since Sun Quan succeeded to the throne,
Another group of capable ministers were promoted, among whom Lu Su and Zhuge Jin were the representative figures. These three lines may not necessarily be able to live in harmony. At least in my opinion, old generals like Cheng Pu may not necessarily be interested in Zhou Yu.
I am sincerely convinced. After all, Zhou Yu is young and has less qualifications than Cheng Pu and others, but he is in a high position.
Previously, when Sun Bofu was still alive, he could make Cheng Pu and others speechless with his domineering appearance.
But in my heart, I may not agree with Zhou Yu... And Zhou Yu and Sun Bofu are brothers-in-law. Since Sun Quan succeeded to the throne, he has suppressed Sun Ce's family and may not be close to Zhou Yu. Otherwise, Zhou Yu would not be stationed in Chaisang and would not return for many years.
In Wu County, there must be suspicion between the two.
On the outside, Jiang seems to be in harmony, but inside there is actually intrigue.
I estimate that the main combatants will be as follows: Lu Su, Zhou Yu, Huang Gai, Zhuge Jin...
But the rest of the people may not agree. Sun Quan himself may also be hesitant about war or peace, and he cannot make a decision in a short time."
"There is another person who needs to pay more attention."
Jia Xu suddenly spoke and said in a deep voice: "As far as I know, there is a guest beside Sun Quan named Ma Da. This person's origin is unknown, but he is very important to Sun Quan. He usually goes in and out of the Marquis' mansion with Sun Quan, and never leaves him for a moment. This person
, you must also be careful and don’t slack off.”
motor?
Cao Peng was stunned!
Who is this?
He was certain that there was no information about this person in his memory, not even any impression.
After pondering for a moment, Cao Peng asked softly: "Sir, I can't find out the origin of the motor?"
Jia Xu smiled bitterly and shook his head, "This man lives in seclusion and his whereabouts are strange. I have sent out many agents, but there is no news. I think he himself is very careful."
"Is there a portrait?"
"No...this man always wears a bamboo hat and covers his face with a hanging curtain.
It is estimated that not many people in Jiangdong know him. So so far, we still don’t know the specific identity of this person.”
Motor... motor...
I still have the engine!
This is a variable, and for Cao Peng, he has to be cautious.
However, Cao Cao didn't pay attention and put all his thoughts on what Cao Peng said before. After a long time, Cao Cao suddenly said: "Then who do you think Ah Fu should send to Jiangdong?"
How can I know this?
Cao Peng really couldn't decide who was suitable to be sent as envoy to Jiangdong.
Because if he doesn't do it right, this person will meet Zhuge Liang in Jiangdong.
Cao Peng still had some concerns about Zhuge Liang, who could eloquently argue with other scholars. This guy's eloquence was absolutely amazing, and it was not easy to find an opponent who could match him.
However, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, and Cao Peng suddenly said: "I heard that Jiang Ziyi and Zhou Yu are classmates?"
"You mean, Ziyi can take on this important task?"
"Wrong, I mean, no matter who you send, you can't send Ziyi."
"ah?"
Cao Peng's words stunned everyone.
Cao Cao looked at Cao Peng with some curiosity. After a while, he suddenly smiled and asked: "Then tell me, why can't you send him to Jiangdong? Ziyi is famous for his eloquence in Yangyue. You also said that he and Zhou Yu were classmates.
Yi, isn’t this the best lobbyist, can you lobby Zhou Yu?”
"The problem is, Ziyi is an honest person."
Regarding Cao Peng's reason, Cao Cao was startled and then laughed.
Guo Jia also nodded lightly and said with a smile: "If you are an honest person, it is really not suitable to go to Jiangdong... Zhou Gongjin is a scheming person. Let an honest person go, it will add chaos and will not help. However, I can recommend someone.
, this person once went to Jiangdong as an envoy and had good friendship with Zhang Zhao and others. He had a very good reputation, and Sun Quan did not dare to neglect this person... If you are cautious, quick-witted, and have excellent eloquence, you can go on an envoy
Jiangdong."
Xun Yan?
This is indeed an excellent choice.
First of all, Xun Yan would not be too arrogant. His temperament is gentle and elegant. He is a person who pays great attention to demeanor and appearance. He is also quite kind in leading people. He is also famous in Jiangdong and has some friendship with Jiang Biao and other civil servants. In recent years,
, Xun Yan rarely made public appearances. Especially after Xun Yue resigned, he kept a low profile. Now he is the captain of the school in Yecheng and was ordered to supervise the construction of Santai in Yecheng, so he is not very busy.
Cao Cao thought for a while and asked: "Who else can be sent as an envoy?"
Xun Yu, Dong Zhao and others recommended candidates one by one.
Among them, Dong Zhao recommended Liu Ye as an envoy, which won Cao Cao's heart.
These things have nothing to do with Cao Peng. For him, everything that needs to be said has been said, and the rest is Guo Jia's business.
So, he hid aside, drinking honey water, looking leisurely and contented.
Unexpectedly, Xun Yu was unwilling to let him go just like that.
Xun Yu liked Cao Peng very much, but he also had some grudges with Cao Peng. Previously, his brother Xun Chen died in Wuyin in battle... As for Xun Yu, he also knew about this, no wonder Cao Peng. The two armies are facing each other, not you.
Death is my life. Since Xun Chen chose to assist Liu Bei, he is an enemy. But no matter what, Xun Chen is Xun Yu's brother. How can he not complain if his brother is killed?
Seeing that Cao Peng was so leisurely, Xun Yu suddenly said: "You are studying now, why are you on errands?"
"Well, Youxue was stationed in Fancheng and wiped out the bandits around Xiangyang. Not long ago, he was also responsible for welcoming and seeing off the Yizhou delegation, and he did an extremely good job.
I'm just thinking about what arrangements to make for him next."
Xun Yu suddenly laughed!
But Cao Peng had an ominous premonition.
Just as he was about to speak, Xun Yu said: "Actually, why should the Prime Minister hesitate?
Now that the strategy has been decided to appease Jiangdong, Jingzhou must be controlled as soon as possible. The current chaos in Jingzhou is nothing more than Liu Qi in Jiangxia and Liu Bei in Changsha. Why not divide the army into two groups, capture Jiangxia along the way, and contain Liu Bei along the way? If Jiangxia is captured, Sun Quan can also be
, adding a bit of pressure.
I know that Ah Fu is like a god in his military skills.
Previously in Nanyang, Liu Bei was defeated one after another... Let's just let him contain Liu Bei, and then the prime minister will attack Jiangxia with all his strength... Haha, I'm sure Ah Fu will not refuse."
Cao Peng was stunned!
To be honest, he really didn't want to fight Liu Bei if he didn't have to.
That was an old fox, extremely cunning. Although Cao Peng said that he had achieved many victories, he did not dare to say that he could defeat Liu Bei. After all, the old fox was not a vegetarian in his military life... Although the Battle of Nanyang was a victory, there were still many things inside.
There are too many chances.
Although Liu Bei had newly acquired Wuling in Changsha, he had Liu Pan's full support.
In addition, Wuxi barbarians came to help, and Jiangdong soldiers and horses served as foreign aid, so their strength was no longer what it was before.
Looking at Cao Peng's side, since Xun Yu said that he would attack Jiangxia with all his strength, it means that it is impossible to give Cao Peng too much help. With an army of 200,000, how many men and horses can obey Cao Peng's orders? Looking at Xun Yu's posture, it seems that he is still
An unknown number! Is this guy...just seeking revenge?
Cao Peng rolled his eyes and guessed some clues.
He also knew that Xun Yu might not mean to harm him, but he definitely had the intention of making him feel uncomfortable.
"Afu, what do you think?"
Cao Cao was also a little moved. He looked at Cao Peng and asked in a deep voice.
"Since the Prime Minister has sent me an order, how dare I not obey? However, Liu Bei now has the help of Liu Pan, and his troops and horses are stronger than those in Nanyang. I am afraid that it will be difficult for me to deal with it alone. So I am bold and ask the Prime Minister to ask Mr. Wen Ruo to help me.
, then Liu Xuande has nothing to worry about."
Jia Xu suddenly put his hands on his hands and laughed.
Guo Jia smiled and looked at Xun Yu.
Xun You smiled and nodded in agreement, "It is reasonable for you to ask me to do this."
Cao Cao suddenly remembered the situation during the Battle of White Horse when Jia Xu recommended Cao Peng, but was dragged into it by Cao Peng. The scene in front of him was very similar to that time. However, Cao Peng dared to tell Xun Yu to assist him.
The request may not be able to be expressed by another person.
Who is Xun Yu?
That is the representative figure of the Xun family!
When he was the minister of the dynasty, he was the minister... If you look at his position alone, he was on the same level as Cao Cao.
However, Cao Peng asked Xun Yu to be his military advisor, which was extremely daring.
However, this seems quite interesting... Cao Cao smiled and looked at Xun Yu, "Wen Ruo, do you think Ah Fu's invitation is feasible?"
