The Most Romantic of the Three Kingdoms

It is precisely because of the "unpredictable future" that Cao Cao even thought of a last resort, saying that his family also believed in Taiping Dao, and it was very likely to be a last resort. All have acted.

After the officials dispersed, Cheng Li stayed behind.

After the losing streak, Cao Cao lost his troops and lost his generals. He was able to serve as two generals of the prefect of Yanzhou, one Bao Xin and the other Chen Gong. The former died in battle, and the latter abandoned him. The advisers he can use are not as good as they used to be. This Cheng Li was still loyal to him.

Whether it is to thank Cheng Li for his loyalty, or to rely on Cheng Li's ingenuity in the future, Cao Cao treats Cheng Li with more affection and courtesy.

Seeing Cheng Li staying behind, Cao Cao smiled and said, "Empress Cheng, during the October festival, I should have entertained the waiter to reward him for his recent labor, but you know, Duke Cheng, these days, military affairs, government affairs, piled up. Rushan, I'm really busy! So I have no time to spare. I'm just not busy today, Duke Cheng, don't leave tonight, I'll ask the subordinate officials to make two sheep, how about we have a whole sheep feast? You gave me two jars of Zhongshan sake, but I don't want to drink it, so let's drink it tonight!"

Zhongshan produces fine wine, which is well-known all over the world. Today's wine, because the fermentation and production technology is not mature, it is inferior wine, or not so good wine is more cloudy, and there are many impurities in the wine; only the best wine is clear and translucent, it is called "sake". ". These two jars of Zhongshan sake are the top grades of sake, or in other words, the best wine among good wines. Yuan Shao wrote back to Cao Cao a few months ago, telling him that he could no longer help him. It was sent to Cao Cao here.

Yuan Shao brought him wine, did he want him to drink wine to drown his sorrows?

Cao Cao was not a sensitive person, but when he read Yuan Shao's reply and went to look at the two jars of wine, he couldn't help but have this thought in his mind.

Reinforcements did not come, and Cao Cao was not in the mood to drink wine.

These two jars of wine were put into the present.

Cheng Li said: "Ming Gong, Li stayed here, not for begging."

Cao Cao heard something, and his energy suddenly concentrated, but the smile on his face did not change, and he said, "Oh? What's the matter with Duke Cheng?"

"Please, Duke Ming, screen and back away first."

Cao Cao immediately waved his hand and ordered all the servants in the hall to leave.

The idle and miscellaneous people all left, leaving only Cao Cao and Cheng Li in the hall.

Cao Cao knelt on the main seat, Cheng Li knelt on the side and sat on the chief.

Cheng Li twitched his beard and said, "Ming Gong, don't go around the corners now."

Cao Cao also stroked his beard, while stroking his beard, he smiled and said, "What kind of detours are there between you and me? If you have any business, please say it directly!"

Cheng Li then said: "The Dukes of Ming and Xunzhen were all defeated in the battle. In today's Yanzhou, except for Dongjun and Chenliu, all of them have fallen into the hands of Xunzhendong; and according to the current situation, at least In the short term, our army is afraid that it will be incompetent to counterattack Xun Zhendong. I dare to ask Duke Ming, what will we do next?"

Cao Cao stroked his beard and said, "Engong Cheng asks the question bluntly, then I will answer bluntly. Duke Cheng, next step I plan to defend Dongjun well, and then, when I get reinforcements from Benchu, I will make a counterattack. Prepare for Yanzhou!"

Cheng Li slowly shook his head and said, "Ming Gong's strategy, I'm afraid it won't work."

Cao Cao knew this and asked, "Why?"

Cheng Li said: "Although there are large rivers in Dongjun County, there is a danger that Dongjun is less than a hundred miles long from north to south. Second, Tian Kai of North Plain County is already attached to the east of Xunzhen. I own it, and because of the two reasons, I secretly think that if Xun Zhendong really comes to attack me, it will be difficult for Duke Ming to defend Dongjun."

It is less than a hundred miles long from north to south,

In other words, even if there is no depth, even if there is not enough depth, even if the Yellow River is in the territory of Dongjun, it will not help. "Tian Kai of Pingyuan County in the north of the county is already attached to the east of Xunzhen. It is a danger to the river, and it is not owned by me alone." This means that the Yellow River flows north from the territory of Dongjun, passes through Pingyuan and other counties, and finally joins the Bohai Sea, that is, , the Yellow River also flows through the territory of Pingyuan County, so Xunzhen can completely cross the Yellow River in Pingyuan County, go to the other side of the Yellow River, and then go south to attack those cities and towns in Dongjun that are located on the north bank of the Yellow River. Weiguo County.

Cao Cao pondered for a while, and kept stroking his beard. "

Cheng Li said: "After Xun Zhendong recaptured Shanyang, Jiyin and other counties, he did not continue to advance his troops, and followed me to attack Dongjun, and he should be afraid of Yuan Jizhou. Duke Ming, at least the first half of this year and next year. From the inside, I immediately thought that Xunzhen East should not send troops to attack my East County. For the time being, although my East County is in danger, it is still worry-free."

Cao Cao did not speak, but listened to Cheng Li quietly.

Cheng Li went on to say, "However, even if you don't worry about it for the time being, if you look at it in the long run, in my humble opinion, Dongjun is really not good for Duke Ming's future!"

Cao Cao asked, "Duke Cheng, what do you mean by this?"

"With the strength of one county in Dongjun, I am no longer the enemy of Xunzhen East; even if Yuan Jizhou's aid is used to recover the other counties in Yanzhou, it will be the troops and horses of Yuan Jizhou that can be trusted. At that time, the land of Yanzhou will be completely I don’t need to say who is in charge, Duke Ming must have some knowledge in his heart.... Duke Ming, I think that the best policy now is to abandon Dongjun and find another place for a foothold!”

After talking for a while, Cheng Li wanted to say this to Cao Cao.

The words went into the depths, Cao Cao's spirit became more and more concentrated, and his mind was spinning, but his expression remained calm, only his hand that stroked the beard and beard stopped moving, and stopped on the beard, but he himself was unaware of it. Said: "Abandon Dongjun?"

"Exactly."

"Find another place for a foothold?"

"Exactly."

Cao Cao smiled wryly and said, "Now all the states in the sea are under separate rule! Cheng Gong, you said this easily, but where do I go to find a new foothold for me?"

Cheng Li had already made up his mind and said confidently, "There are two places to choose from."

Cao Cao asked, "Which two places?"

Cheng Li said, "Liu Yu from Youzhou is at odds with Gongsun Zan, but his force is not as good as Gongsun Zan's, so he can only relocate to Gongsun Zan in every possible way. Duke Ming is known for his ability to fight and is well-known at home and abroad. If he enters Youzhou from the north, Liu Yu will definitely be Duke Ming would be welcomed; at the same time, Gongsun Zan, a strong enemy of Yuan Jizhou, would definitely not object to Duke Ming entering Youzhou to attack Gongsun Zan.

"In this way, now that Liu Yu has been welcomed, Yuan Jizhou has been helped, and Gongsun Zan is fighting, why should he not be destroyed? You can take it slowly.”

Cao Cao asked calmly, "Where is the second place?"

Cheng Li said: "Yuan Jizhou will attack the Heishan thieves, and after destroying the Black Mountain thieves, Yuan Jizhou will inevitably take Bingzhou in the west. Although Bingzhou is remote, the people are fierce and the soldiers are elite. If you can get it and use it properly, you can achieve success. Thing! This second optional place is Bingzhou."

Cao Cao pondered for a moment and asked: "Youzhou is not very far from my East County, I can lead my troops to enter Youzhou from the north, but Bingzhou and my East County are separated by the entire Jizhou, how can I get Bingzhou from the west?"

Cheng Li said: "Ming Ming can take the initiative to ask Ying, and offer to help Yuan Jizhou to eliminate the black mountain thief; after the black mountain is destroyed, you can take the initiative to ask Ying to set up a state for Yuan Jizhou in the west, then you can do it."

Cao Cao hooked his head, thought for a while, then raised his head and said, "Engong Cheng, Youzhou is to the north, Bingzhou is to the west, they are all corners, whether I can get it or not, it doesn't matter, even if I get it. These places..."

He didn't finish his words, but Cheng Li already understood what he wanted to say.

Cheng Li stroked his beard and smiled, and said: "You, and two states, You state will be elected, and Bingzhou will be elected. Duke Ming, if you can get Bingzhou in your hands, you can use the elite soldiers of the merger, and then wait for the opportunity to go south to Guanzhong. , destroying the thieves of Li Jue and Guo Si, and the King of Qin rescued him and rescued the emperor from the hands of the thieves. After that, he would temporarily go to Chang'an, or enter Henan Yin in the east, and return the emperor to Luodu, ... Ming Gong, Bingzhou is solid. It's a bit west, but if things can be done this way, isn't there much to be done in the future?"

The overall location of You, Ji, Bing, Liang, and Guanzhong is: Youzhou is in the northernmost part, and Jizhou is in the south; Bingzhou is in the west of You and Ji; and Guanzhong is in the south of Bingzhou, that is, the commander-in-chief of Sili including Luoyang. Department.

Cao Cao fell into deep thought.

Cheng Li said: "Ming Gong, if you want to choose Youzhou, you can do it sooner or later; but if you want to choose Bingzhou, you can't make a decision too late, or you can write to Yuan Jizhou now, and I am willing to help him eliminate the black mountain bandits. Or at the latest, before Yuan Jizhou can join forces with the state, send him a book."

Although Dongjun has become like a chicken rib, it is still a piece of Cao Cao's territory.

If you accept Cheng Li's suggestion, you need to give up Dongjun and start fighting again. You are not afraid to fight. The biggest problem is, and what the result of this hard work will be, and no one can be sure yet. Unknown future.

How should Cao Cao choose?

Cheng Li's suggestions and Cao Cao's thoughtful choices need not be mentioned first.

...

But he said that Xun Zhen stopped visiting Lihu County and returned to the original road, first passing Jiyin, then Shanyang, and in late October, he arrived in Gongqiu County, the northernmost part of Peiguo, Yuzhou~www.wuxiamtl.com~ will continue from here to the east. Okay, back to Xuzhou, to Pengcheng County.

Wu Jing, the prime minister of the state of Pei, is now Pingyu in Runan, and there is no chief official in the state of Pei.

Although Pei State belongs to Yuzhou, the relationship between Sun Jian, Sun Ce and Xun Zhen is like a family. Especially after Sun Jian's death in battle, Sun Ce now has to rely on Xunzhen's prestige to stabilize his rule in Yuzhou. The governor did not dare to neglect at all.

The terrain of Pei country is longer from north to south, three or four hundred miles.

Its west is mainly bordered by the counties of Yuzhou, from north to south, they are Liang State, Chen State, and Runan; but the northernmost part of the county border is bordered by two counties of Yanzhou, from north to south. South, these two counties are Shanyang County and Jiyin County.

Its east is mainly bordered by the Xuzhou counties, from north to south, they are Pengcheng County, Xiapi County, Guangling County; and in its northernmost part, it borders with Lu State in Yuzhou. ——Lu State is bounded by Dongping and Shanyang in the west; Taishan and Donghai in the east, and Peiguo and Pengcheng in the south.

Gongqiu County is at the junction of the four counties of Yan, Henan and Xu.

To the north and east of the county is the State of Lu, to the west of the county is Shanyang, to the south of the county, needless to say, is the jurisdiction of the State of Pei, and to the southeast of the county is Pengcheng.

In order to be in a hurry, Peiguo County Chief did not even sit in a car, but rode on horseback.

He came out of Qiao County, Peiguo County, and headed northeast. He traveled more than 200 miles a day. Finally, he arrived at Gongqiu County this afternoon. I found out that Xunzhen's car has not left, and now he is temporarily staying in the county temple. He is anxious In a hurry, he went to the county temple to ask to see Xun Zhen.

However, when he arrived at the guest house of the county monastery where Xun Zhen was staying, his request for an audience had been reported for a long time, but Xun Zhen's summon was still not seen.

Xun Zhen had just received a military newspaper from Lihu County, and was discussing with Xi Zhicai, Guo Jia, Liu Qian and others.

The content of the military report is: In the beginning of October, Yuan Shao sent 20,000 cavalry and cavalry, with Chunyu Qiong as his general, went south of Ye to Hanoi County, and attacked the Heishan army in Luchang Mountain.