Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 741 Investigation
After hearing this, Sun Quan was furious. He kicked over the table next to him and cursed, "Useless! Twenty thousand elite soldiers can't even take down Jinheng City! And you're still sending reinforcements? Where are they coming from?"

Lu Xun stepped forward and said calmly, "My lord, please calm down. Jinheng City has just been captured by Zhao Yun, so the defense must have been strengthened. It is understandable that General Lu failed to capture it quickly. Sending reinforcements at this time can strengthen the siege force, but the defense in the rear may be weaker. Why don't we use a trick to defeat the enemy?"

Sun Quan looked at Lu Xun and asked anxiously, "What's the plan? Tell me now!"

Lu Xun said: "We can pretend to send troops from other places to reinforce General Lu Meng, creating the illusion that we are going to attack Jinheng City with all our strength. When Zhao Yun learns of this, he will definitely strengthen his vigilance and focus all his attention on the direction of Jinheng City. Meanwhile, we can secretly send an elite force to raid Anning City at night. Shi Xie will think that we have no time to take care of Anning City, so his defenses will definitely be relaxed, and we may be able to recapture it in one fell swoop."

After hearing this, Sun Quan thought this plan was brilliant and said, "Okay, let's follow your plan. Lu Xun, go pick an elite force and make sure they move secretly so that the enemy can't detect them. At the same time, you must cooperate well with General Lu Meng and make his feint attack more realistic."

Lu Xun accepted the order and said, "My lord, rest assured. I will definitely fulfill my mission. However, the key to this plan lies in confidentiality and cooperation. My lord, I need other generals to work closely together."

Sun Quan looked at the other ministers and said, "Did you hear that? This operation is related to the survival of the Eastern Wu. You must all fully cooperate with Lu Xun. If there is any mistake, you will be punished by military law!"

All the ministers responded in unison: "We will obey the Lord's orders!"

Sun Quan added: "In addition, we must strengthen domestic defense and appease the people. We must not allow the alliance between Jia Changsheng and Shi Xie to affect domestic stability. Once chaos breaks out in the country, we will be finished."

Therefore, under Sun Quan's arrangement, a plan to retake Anning City was quietly launched. At this time, Sun Quan was full of anger and unwillingness. He vowed to make Jia Changsheng and Shi Xie pay a heavy price for their actions. The whole of Dongwu was shrouded in a tense atmosphere, and everyone was waiting for the turn of this crisis.

Cao Cao heard in the north that Jia Changsheng and Sun Quan were fighting fiercely in the south, and Shi Xie was also involved. The situation was complicated. He was curious and immediately called his trusted adviser Guo Jia and said, "Fengxiao, there have been frequent wars in the south recently. Jia Changsheng and Sun Quan are fighting fiercely, and Shi Xie is also involved. Send someone to find out the details and see what is going on."

Guo Jia took the order and left. Soon he presented the detailed intelligence of the war in the south to Cao Cao. Cao Cao unfolded the intelligence and read it carefully, frowning and shaking his head from time to time. After reading it, he couldn't help but sigh: "This Jia Changsheng is quite capable. He was able to fight Sun Quan so fiercely and even dragged Shi Xie into it. Sun Quan was also careless for a moment, which made the situation so passive."

Guo Jia said, "My lord, the situation in the south is indeed chaotic now. Jia Changsheng and Shi Xie have formed an alliance to attack Sun Quan from both sides. Sun Quan is busy dealing with the attacks. But this is an opportunity for us."

Cao Cao raised his head, looked at Guo Jia, and asked, "Feng Xiao, what do you mean by opportunity?"

Guo Jia smiled and said, "My lord, now that they are fighting among the three parties, no matter who wins or loses, their strength will be weakened. If we intervene now and help one of them defeat the other two, it may seem that we can expand our sphere of influence, but in fact, there are many hidden dangers. If we help Jia Changsheng and Shi Xie defeat Sun Quan, their power will surely increase greatly, and they may become a major threat to us in the north in the future; if we help Sun Quan defeat Jia Changsheng and Shi Xie, Sun Quan will also take this opportunity to consolidate the south, which is also disadvantageous to us."

Cao Cao nodded, thought for a moment and said, "What Fengxiao said makes sense. It would be a pity if we don't take advantage of such a great opportunity."

At this time, another strategist, Cheng Yu, stepped forward and said, "My Lord, what Jia said is absolutely right. But we cannot stay out of this matter completely. We can wait and see the fight, and when the three parties are all defeated, we can send troops south and pacify the south in one fell swoop. This way, we can reap the benefits."

Cao Cao stroked his beard and pondered Cheng Yu's words. At this time, Xiahou Dun could not help but say, "My lord, I think we should send troops immediately. Our army is strong and powerful. If we go south now, we will be able to defeat them easily. Why wait until they are both defeated?"

Cao Cao glanced at Xiahou Dun and said, "Yuan Rang, although you are brave, this matter is not that simple. The terrain in the south is complicated, and the three parties are restraining each other. If we send troops rashly, we may be surrounded by them. Moreover, the supply of food and grass is also a big problem for a long journey."

Xun Yu also stood up and said, "My lord, I also agree to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight. We can continue to expand our strength in the north, train soldiers, and store food and grass. At the same time, we should pay close attention to the situation in the south, and once there is an opportunity, we will act decisively. In this way, we can avoid being trapped in the quagmire of war too early, and gain the greatest benefits at the right time."

Cao Cao looked around at everyone and said, "Everyone has their own reasons for what you said. But this matter is of great importance, so we need to make a careful decision."

Therefore, Cao Cao carefully analyzed the situation in the south again, thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of various forces and possible development directions. He knew that a wrong decision at this time might bring a huge crisis to the north.

After careful consideration, Cao Cao finally made up his mind and said, "My lords, I have made up my mind. For the time being, we will sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, and not send troops to intervene in the war in the south. But we must strengthen intelligence gathering and pay close attention to the actions of Jia Changsheng, Sun Quan and Shi Xie. At the same time, we will strengthen our forces in the north. When the three parties are seriously injured, it will be the day for us to march south."

Everyone responded in unison: "We will obey the Lord's orders!"

Cao Cao looked towards the south, secretly looking forward to the best time. He believed that as long as he waited patiently, the iron cavalry in the north would one day conquer the south and realize his great cause of unifying the world. At this time, the war in the south was still raging. Jia Changsheng, Sun Quan and Shi Xie were all trying their best for their own hegemony. They didn't know that Cao Cao was like a tiger hiding in the dark, quietly observing them, waiting for the right time to give a fatal blow.

When Cao Cao decided to sit on the mountain and watch the fight between the two tigers, other forces in the world were also discussing the melee between Jia Changsheng, Sun Quan and Shi Xie in the south. Each of them had different thoughts and paid close attention to the development of the situation.

After Yuan Shao learned about the war situation in the south, he immediately summoned his advisers Tian Feng, Xu You and others to discuss the matter. Yuan Shao sat in the main seat and said solemnly: "Now in the south, Jia Changsheng and Sun Quan are fighting fiercely, and Shi Xie has also been dragged into it. This situation is unpredictable. I don't know whether it is a blessing or a curse for us. Do you have any opinions?"

Tian Feng was the first to step forward and said, "My lord, the rebellion in the south may seem far away from us, but it is actually of great concern. If Jia Changsheng wins, his power will increase greatly, and he may become a powerful enemy in the north in the future; if Sun Quan defeats Jia Changsheng and Shi Xie, it will also consolidate his position in the south, which is also disadvantageous to us." Yuan Shao frowned and asked, "Then according to Yuan Hao's opinion, how should we deal with it?"

Tian Feng pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, we can keep our troops in place and keep a close eye on the situation. It is a long journey to march south now, and our army borders Cao Cao, so the rear is unstable. It is better to consolidate our own power, develop the economy, and train soldiers first. When the situation in the south becomes clear and both sides suffer losses, we can take the opportunity to march south and expand our territory."

Xu You disagreed and sneered, "Although Tian Yuanhao's words make sense, they are too conservative. Now that the south is in chaos, it is a good opportunity for us to expand our power. We can join forces with Cao Cao and march south together to divide up the southern land. In this way, we can weaken the power of the south and strengthen ourselves."

Yuan Shao hesitated and said, "Alliance with Cao Cao? Cao Cao is a treacherous and suspicious person. I have always had a grudge against him. How can I easily cooperate with him? What if he plots against us on the way?"

Tian Feng said, "My lord, although Xu You's plan is risky, it is not impossible. But we need to be cautious when joining forces with Cao Cao. We can agree with him in advance on the distribution of interests between the two sides, and strengthen our vigilance during the march. But in any case, sending troops at this time is extremely risky, so I hope my lord will think twice."

Yuan Shao thought for a long time, and finally said: "Let me think about this matter again. First, pay close attention to the situation in the south, and at the same time strengthen the border defense with Cao Cao to prevent him from having any ill intentions."

Liu Zhang of Yizhou heard about the war in the south and discussed it with his ministers in his palace. Liu Zhang said worriedly: "In the south, Jia Changsheng and Sun Quan are fighting fiercely, and Shi Xie is also involved. Will this war spread to our Yizhou?"

Zhang Song stepped forward and said, "Don't worry, lord. Yizhou is strategically located and is easy to defend but difficult to attack. The forces in the south are now busy with their own affairs and will not pose a threat to us in the short term. But we must not let our guard down and must strengthen our border defenses."

Fa Zheng also said: "My Lord, the rebellion in the south may be an opportunity for us. We can secretly contact one of the parties and show our friendship and alliance. If they win, we can also benefit from it; if they lose, we can also use this opportunity to show our position and avoid being implicated."

Liu Zhang said timidly: "Let's forget about the alliance. If we choose the wrong person, it will only bring disaster upon ourselves. We should strengthen our defense and keep Yizhou."

Seeing Liu Zhang like this, everyone was reluctant to persuade him. So Liu Zhang ordered to strengthen the defense of Yizhou's border, close the city gates, and not get involved in the disputes in the south, just to stay in peace in a corner and protect his own foundation.

In Xiliang, Ma Teng, his son Ma Chao, and his general Han Sui were discussing the war in the south. Ma Teng stroked his beard and said, "The fighting in the south is intense, and the situation in the world is becoming more and more chaotic. Although we in Xiliang are located in a remote area, we cannot stay out of it."

Ma Chao was young and full of vigor. He immediately said, "Father, our Xiliang cavalry is extremely brave. Why don't we march south now to seize territory and expand our power?"

Han Sui said, "My lord, although General Chao is brave, the situation in the south is complicated. The forces of Jia Changsheng, Sun Quan and Shi Xie should not be underestimated. If we send troops rashly, we may get into trouble. It is better to wait and see for a while, and then make plans after they decide the winner."

Ma Teng nodded and said, "What Wen Yue said makes sense. But we can't sit idle either. During this period, we should step up the training of soldiers, store food and grass, and prepare for war. Once an opportunity arises in the south, we will immediately send troops to fight for the Central Plains."

Although Ma Chao was somewhat unwilling, he had no choice but to obey his father's arrangement. So, Ma Teng actively prepared in Xiliang, waiting for the right time to step into the strife of this chaotic world.

After learning about the war in the south, Gongsun Zan discussed it with his generals in the camp. Gongsun Zan said, "The fighting in the south is going on like a raging fire. How should we respond in Youzhou?"

A general said: "My lord, we are in Youzhou, which is located in the north, far away from the south. Their fight will not affect us for the time being. We can just sit back and watch the fire, and when they are both defeated, we can take the opportunity to go south and get some benefits."

Gongsun Zan smiled and said, "This is a great plan. We will continue to consolidate our defenses and develop our power in Youzhou. At the same time, we will keep a close eye on the situation in the south. Once we have the opportunity, we will go south, expand our territory, and gain a foothold in this chaotic world."

So, Gongsun Zan strengthened the defense of Youzhou while sending people to collect intelligence from the south, like a lurking cheetah, waiting for the best time to attack.

All the forces in the world have their own considerations when facing the chaos in the south. They either wait for the right time or actively prepare and make progress. The chaos in the south is like a huge storm, affecting the situation in the whole world. All the forces are hovering on the edge of the storm, waiting for the moment that can change their fate.

Jia Changsheng was discussing the next battle plan with his advisers in the tent when the spy came to report. The spy knelt on one knee and said, "My lord, according to our inquiries, all the forces in the world are discussing the war between you, Sun Quan and Shi Xie, and they all have their own thoughts. Yuan Shao is weighing whether to join forces with Cao Cao to march south; Liu Zhang plans to protect himself and strengthen the defense of Yizhou; Ma Teng is preparing his troops in Xiliang, ready to act; Gongsun Zan is watching the fire from the other side, waiting for the opportunity."

After listening to this, Jia Changsheng looked calm, waved his hand gently, and said, "I understand, stand up. The reactions of these forces are all reasonable. Yuan Shao is suspicious by nature, and although he has the ambition to expand, he will definitely think twice before joining forces with Cao Cao; Liu Zhang is cowardly and incompetent, and only wants to keep Yizhou, so he is not to be feared; Ma Teng is far away in Xiliang, and it is difficult for him to pose a threat to us in the short term; Gongsun Zan is watching the fire from the other side of the river, and he can't cause any big waves either."

Xu Shu, a counselor standing by, said, "My Lord, you are right. Although these forces have not yet directly participated in the war on our side, their movements still need to be closely monitored. If they suddenly attack us when we are in the middle of a fierce battle with Sun Quan, we will probably be attacked from both sides."

(End of this chapter)