Chapter 184: Cao Cao Mobilizes Troops
In Xuchang, Cao Cao received a secret letter from Zhang Yun. Liu Biao had died, and this news made Cao Cao a bit restless.
He immediately summoned several important strategists to discuss countermeasures.
“Feng Xiao, first tell us your thoughts!”
In history, Guo Jia died this year, but now it’s still early in the year. Perhaps the course of history has been altered, and Guo Jia’s fate will change along with it.
Guo Jia pondered for a moment and said: “Hedong has already been taken. The Yuan Brothers’ remnants number less than thirty thousand soldiers. Chancellor, you only need to commit one hundred thousand troops to finish them off. We currently have four hundred thousand troops. After subtracting the garrison armies and the northern expedition armies, we still have two hundred thousand troops available for mobilization. I believe we can split our forces to attack Nan Commandery. This is indeed a rare opportunity.”
Seeing a trace of disapproval on Cheng Yu’s face, Cao Cao smiled faintly and said: “Zhong De, you say something too!”
Zhong De hurriedly said: “As Feng Xiao said, Nan Commandery is indeed an opportunity, but our plan is to attack Jiangnan from Jiujiang Commandery. We have prepared for this for many years. Now if we suddenly shift our strategic goal to the west, what about the preparations in Jiujiang Commandery?
Secondly, does Jingzhou mean we have to start the conquest all over again? Wouldn’t that be a waste of resources? Third, we will face Gan Ning’s offensive. If he cuts off the Han River, won’t we be isolated in Nan Commandery? Therefore, this subordinate’s opinion is that we can temporarily give up this opportunity in Nan Commandery and consider moving south after completely resolving the North.”
Cao Cao nodded and asked Xun Yu: “What is Wen Ruo’s opinion?”
Xun Yu calmly said: “This subordinate also considered attacking Jingzhou, but this is not about whether we have an opportunity. It’s that we cannot give Liu Bei an opportunity!”
This hit the nail on the head. Cao Cao, who had always regarded Liu Bei as his greatest enemy, immediately decided: “I’ve decided. Split off one hundred thousand troops to seize Jingzhou!”
Cao Cao immediately appointed Cao Ren as Commander of the Southern Expedition, Zhang Liao as deputy general, and Cheng Yu as strategist, to lead one hundred thousand troops to prepare to attack Nanyang.
Of course, Cao Cao also needed to wait for the right moment. Charging in now would only make Liu Biao’s two sons set aside their old grudges and join forces against him. Cao Cao had learned from the lesson of the Yuan Brothers and could not move troops too early.
At that moment, Cao Cao received a secret letter from Cai Mao. He hurriedly summoned Guo Jia to deliberate.
Guo Jia smiled faintly: “Very interesting. First Zhang Yun, then Cai Mao, with five days in between. I estimate they discussed it beforehand. Cai Mao was still hesitant, so Zhang Yun immediately defected. After Cai Mao tried and failed, he had no choice but to write a letter defecting to the Chancellor.”
“So the two of them wrote to me without knowing about each other?”
“I estimate that’s the case. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have come one after the other. At the very least, Zhang Yun would have denied it.”
Cao Cao nodded. “Since we have Cai Mao and Zhang Yun as internal support, attacking Jingzhou should be no problem.”
“Wait a bit longer. Wait until Liu Bei leads his army across the Han River before we move out. Then we can sweep through like a hot knife through butter, seizing Nanyang Commandery in one stroke. With Nanyang Commandery as a base, taking Xiangyang will be easy. Additionally, Lord, you can write to Cai Mao, instructing him to hold Xiangyang City firmly and resolutely avoid battle. Seizing Jingzhou will then be a piece of cake.”
Cao Cao pondered and said: “What about Gan Ning? Won’t he also send troops to Nan Commandery?”
Guo Jia smiled faintly: “This minister has observed Gan Ning for several years. He is a cautious man who won’t easily send out troops, but once he does, he will be resolute. Unless he plans to fight our army to the death in Jingzhou, he won’t send troops lightly.”
Cao Cao felt relieved. “With these words from the strategist, I can rest easy!”
Cao Cao immediately wrote a reply letter, encouraging Cai Mao warmly and promising to appoint him as Prefect of Nan Commandery and County Marquis in the future. At the same time, he required him to defend Xiangyang Commandery to the death, not engaging even if the enemy has only one soldier or one private. To wait patiently for his army to arrive.
The unusual movement of Cao Cao mobilizing one hundred thousand troops was still discovered by the Yuzhang Army’s intelligence scout planted in Xuchang. The intelligence scout immediately sent the intelligence via carrier pigeon letter to Chaisang.
At this time, Gan Ning had already approved Pang Tong’s troop deployment plan. Pang Tong’s troop deployment plan also hinged on waiting. The entire premise of Pang Tong’s plan was that Cao Cao would send troops. Once Cao Cao sent troops and attacked Xiangyang, the Jingzhou political power would surely collapse. That would be the moment for them to send troops and seize Jiangling County.
Pang Tong came to Gan Ning’s official residence and reported: “Reporting to General, intelligence from Xuchang indicates that Cao Cao’s army is on the move. Cao Ren is leading one hundred thousand troops to garrison Kunyang County.”
Kunyang County is the county town at the border between Yingchuan and Nanyang Commandery, less than a hundred li from Yecheng County in Nanyang Commandery.
With one hundred thousand troops garrisoned in Kunyang County, the intention is very clear.
Gan Ning pondered for a moment and asked: “What is the situation in Jiangling County?”
Pang Tong hesitated a bit. Gan Ning was startled and hurriedly asked: “Has something happened?”
“Reporting to General, we have lost contact with Jiangling County.”
“What?” Gan Ning frowned. “Did they destroy our intelligence point?”
“Unknown. Logically, they shouldn’t have. Our intelligence point is an inn, very hidden and low-key. They couldn’t have discovered it.”
“Then did you send someone to check the situation?”
“We already sent someone, but no news has come back yet.”
Gan Ning suddenly had a bad feeling in his heart. Liu Qi is a mediocre man. Where would he get this capability? Jiangling might have already had an incident.
Gan Ning’s worry was not wrong. At this time, Liu Qi and Liu Qing were already leading thirty thousand troops north under the banner of clearing the emperor’s side of evil influences. The commander in Jiangling was none other than the strategist Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang had planned this for a long time. He and Guan Yu led twenty thousand troops to arrive in Jiangling, offering strategies for Liu Qi. When Liu Qi led his army north to rendezvous with Liu Bei’s army.
Of course Zhuge Liang could persuade Liu Qi. He garrisoned in Jiangling to prevent Gan Ning’s army from sneak attacking Jiangling, while Lord Liu Bei led the main force to coordinate with Liu Qi in battle.
The word “coordinate” left Liu Qi speechless. Others were just coming to assist. Attacking Xiangyang still had to rely on him.
Liu Qi had no choice but to lead his army north, while Liu Bei led thirty thousand troops waiting near Xiangyang to join forces with Liu Qi. Sixty thousand troops together attacking Xiangyang.
Guan Yu came before the military yamen and saw Zhuge Liang looking up at the sky. Guan Yu dismounted, clasped his fists, and asked: “Reporting to Strategist, we searched inside the city and found no abnormal situations.”
Zhuge Liang smiled faintly: “That’s because you didn’t find the anomaly. Look at the sky.”
Guan Yu quickly looked up at the sky and saw more than ten raptors chasing two pigeons. Guan Yu was startled. “Strategist, aren’t these eagles the ones you brought?”
Zhuge Liang nodded. “These two pigeons just flew up. The enemy’s intelligence scouts are very well hidden. I don’t know where they flew out from, but I can prevent them from flying out again.”
Guan Yu suddenly understood. “Strategist raises eagles to deal with carrier pigeons?”
Zhuge Liang laughed. “This can be considered training troops for a thousand days to use them in a moment. I know that armies on both sides of the Yangtze River use carrier pigeons for communication. Catch their carrier pigeons—let’s see how they can still transmit messages.”
Soon, the two carrier pigeons were pecked to death and fell down. Soldiers had already picked them up and run over to hand them to Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang removed the letter tube from the carrier pigeon’s leg, took out the intelligence, and examined it closely. It only had two lines: ‘Liu Qi heads north, Liu Bei’s twenty thousand troops garrison Jiangling.’
Both carrier pigeons had the same content. Zhuge Liang smiled and handed the carrier pigeon letter to Guan Yu. “Now their messages can’t get out. Even if we can’t find the intelligence point, they’ve been neutralized.”
Guan Yu was truly filled with admiration. The strategist had been training eagles since last year, all for this moment.
