Can I get to the other side?.

Chapter 236: Wei's version of Longzhong Strategy, the Desperate Emperor Xian of Han

The majestic Mount Tai has witnessed the changes of dynasties in China and the entire history of China.

Qin Shi Huang once offered sacrifices to the gods at Mount Tai, which attracted the admiration of all the rulers in later generations.

Today, another emperor passed through Mount Tai.

However, he did not come here to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, but to ride his horse alone.

After more than ten days of travel, Emperor Xian of Han finally arrived at Tai'an City next to Mount Tai.

After revealing his identity, the city guard immediately welcomed him in respectfully.

After bathing, changing clothes, and having a hearty meal, Emperor Xian of Han lay on the bed and could not help but sigh comfortably, muttering:
"Sikong, after I return, I will obey you in everything."

"If you want to be Yi Yin, I will let you be Yi Yin. If you want to be Huo Guang, I will let you be Huo Guang."

The experience after escaping from Xu County had made him completely despair, but it also made him think things through completely.

Those princes outside are far inferior to Cao Cao.

He has no soldiers and no power. No matter who he falls into the hands of, he will inevitably become a puppet.

Even other princes would regard him as a false emperor and either kill him or send him to Yecheng to seek credit.

Instead of this, it would be better to return to Xu County safely.

As long as he cooperates with Cao Cao, it may not be impossible to restore the Han Dynasty.

Even after restoring the Han Dynasty, what if he is still a puppet?
Could it be that Cao Cao dared to usurp the Han Dynasty?

As long as he doesn't dare to usurp the Han Dynasty, let him be a powerful official for a few years.

How powerful was Huo Guang back then?

In the end, power will return to the emperor!

He is still young and can easily outlast Cao Cao.

Once Cao Cao dies, power will fall back into his hands!
……

Yanzhou, Xu County.

Sikong Mansion.

The meeting hall.

Cao Cao looked at the counselors and generals in the hall, feeling filled with lofty sentiments.

So what if you can’t use the emperor to control the princes?
In such troubled times, a real man should pick up a three-foot sword and accomplish extraordinary deeds.

"After Lu Bu withdrew, we took the opportunity to occupy two of the five counties he occupied. The remaining three counties were occupied by Sun Quan and Zhou Yu."

"I think we should take advantage of the war between the false emperor and Yuan Shao to fight for more territory with Sun Quan!"

"How can we snatch Yangzhou from Sun Quan? What ideas do you have? Please share them and we can discuss them together."

When Cao Cao's voice fell, Xiahou Dun was the first to stand up and said loudly: "I am willing to lead the troops to attack Yangzhou!"

Before Yuan Shu was defeated, he and Cao Chun led their army to fight with Lu Bu and Sun Ce for Yangzhou.

As a result, he was defeated by Lu Bu and even lost one of his eyes.

In order to prevent Yuan Shao from attacking from the rear, he had to withdraw his troops back to Yuzhou, and ultimately failed to take over any of the territory left by Yuan Shu.

He has always regarded this matter as a great humiliation.

Now is a godsend opportunity.

Now he is about to enter Yangzhou again, and his opponents have changed to Sun Quan and Zhou Yu. How can he not take the opportunity to wash away the shame?

Before Cao Cao could respond to Xiahou Dun, Cheng Yu frowned and said, "Sikong, I thought that we have occupied two counties in Yangzhou and have been able to gain a firm foothold in Yangzhou. Instead of sending all the main forces to Yangzhou to fight with Sun Quan for territory, why not take advantage of the emptiness of Yecheng and take it directly?"

"How can the counties of Yangzhou compare with Wei County, Guangyang County, and Pingyang County?"

"Conquer Yecheng and you may even have a chance to capture the false emperor!"

"In this way, Sikong will not be at a disadvantage when facing Yuan Shao again."

Cheng Yu's suggestion immediately received support from many people.

But Cao Cao was in a dilemma.

He could naturally attack Yecheng when the Yecheng army was heading for Qingzhou.

But he was afraid that he would not be able to capture Yecheng in a short period of time, and the army of Yecheng would have to come back for support, then he would completely offend the emperor there.

Cheng Yu and others believed that the one in Yecheng was a fake emperor, but he knew that he was not a fake emperor!

Once you offend him to death, the escape route you originally left for yourself will be completely cut off.

Just when Cao Cao was hesitating, Xu You stepped forward and said, "No!"

"Sikong may be able to capture Wei County, Guangyang County, and Pingyang County, but it is impossible for him to capture Yecheng in a short period of time."

"Ye City has long been built by Yuan Shao to be impregnable. The city defense forces alone can hold out until Lu Bu and Zhang Liao lead their troops to come from Qingzhou to provide assistance."

"In my opinion, attacking Yecheng at this time is tantamount to wasting Yangzhou's great opportunity!"

Xu You spoke righteously on the surface, but he was extremely worried in his heart.

He was worried that Cao Cao would go mad and attack Yecheng, and he was also worried that Cao Cao's power would expand to Yangzhou.

After Lu Bu withdrew from Yangzhou, Liu Biao did not move his troops, and the biggest beneficiaries were undoubtedly Sun Quan and Cao Cao.

He didn't want to see either of these two traitors become powerful.

What he wanted to see most was to do the same as Cao Cao and Liu Biao and keep his troops in place.

But this is obviously impossible.

After listening to Xu You's analysis, Cao Cao nodded and looked at Xun Yu and Xun You, uncle and nephew.

"Wenruo, Gongda, what do you two think?"

Xun Yu pondered for a moment. Although he and Xu You did not agree, he agreed with his point of view at this moment.

He said: "I think what Xu Ziyuan said is right. The complete fall of Qingzhou is a foregone conclusion. What Lu Bu and Zhang Liao have to do next is to clean up the battlefield and eliminate Yuan Tan's remnants."

"The battle in Qingzhou went too smoothly. If the armies of Lu Bu and Zhang Liao were caught in a tough battle, Sikong would still have a chance to capture Yecheng. But now, there is no chance."

After Xun Yu finished speaking, Xun You continued:

"I also agree with what my uncle and Xu Ziyuan said. However, after the false emperor seizes Qingzhou, he will inevitably fight with Yuan Shao. No matter who wins, they will eventually go south to Yanzhou."

"Sikong is no match for Yanzhou and Yuzhou. Therefore, Yangzhou is extremely important to Sikong."

"If we can take Jiangbei before winter, we can send troops to Jiangdong next year. Sun Quan does not have the prestige to make the Jiangdong nobles submit."

"If Sikong sends troops to Jiangdong and secretly promises benefits to the Jiangdong nobles, then Sun Quan and Zhou Yu can be defeated!"

“After we gain control of Jiangdong, even if the false emperor or Yuan Shao attacks Yanzhou from the south, even if Sikong is defeated, he can still lead the people to retreat to Jiangdong, take advantage of the danger of the Yangtze River, and expand southward.”

"There is trouble in the world, and Liu Biao is sitting between the Yangtze River and the Han River. It is clear that he has no ambition to rule the world. Jingzhou can also be targeted."

"After Sikong obtains Jiangdong and Jingzhou, he can send troops to Yizhou. Yizhou is a land of natural resources with a long history of fertile land. However, Liu Zhang is weak and suspicious, and his talent is not outstanding. He is not worth worrying about. Sikong can replace him."

"If this is true, then we can achieve hegemony!"

As Cao Cao listened, his eyes suddenly lit up.

Xun You's words simply pointed out the direction for his future development.

If he really seized Jiangdong, Jingzhou and Yizhou, even if he lost Yanzhou and Yuzhou, even if the emperor or Yuan Shao unified the north, they would not be able to do anything to him.

The worst outcome for him is to share the world with him!
"Gongda's words have opened my eyes!" Cao Cao was as excited as if he had opened the door to a new world. He slapped the table and looked at Xiahou Dun, who was blind in one eye, and said:

"Yuan Rang, you will still be the commander in chief for this expedition to Yangzhou! Are you confident that we can seize Jiangbei and drive Sun Quan and Zhou Yu to Jiangdong?"

Seeing this, Cheng Yu sighed.

Sun Quan and Zhou Yu were able to confront Lu Bu for nearly a year. How could they be easy opponents?

Are the Jiangdong gentry really fence-sitters?
Instead of sending all the main forces to fight with Sun Quan and Zhou Yu for Yangzhou, it is better to take the risk of fighting for Yecheng and Jizhou.

If you succeed, why should you care about other people's faces, or divide the world equally?
But he also understood that his importance alone was far less than that of Xun Yu, Xun You and Xu You.

Especially when Cao Cao had made up his mind. Xiahou Dun clasped his hands together and said with a heavy face: "Before winter comes, I must seize Jiangbei! If not, please chop off my head!"

To show his determination, he signed a military order on the spot.

When Cao Cao heard this, the corner of his mouth twitched.

Xiahou Dun's issuance of a military order naturally helped boost the morale of the army.

But if he fails to capture Jiangbei before winter, does he really have to kill this cousin?

However, Xiahou Dun had already spoken, and he couldn't change his words in front of so many people.

Then he looked at Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren and Cao Chun who were standing by and said, "Miaocai, you go with Yuan Rang and serve as his deputy. Zixiao and Zihe, you two will lead the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and obey Yuan Rang's orders."

Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren and Cao Chun all stepped out and clasped their fists in greeting.

However, even so, Cao Cao was still a little worried and looked at Cheng Yu and Xu You again.

"Zhongde, you will be the military advisor. Ziyuan, you will be the chief counselor of the army."

Cheng Yu had no choice but to obey the order.

At this time, Xu You, who was deeply trusted by Cao Cao, also accepted the order with mixed feelings.

Should we let Cao Cao be defeated in Jiangbei so that Sun Quan's power can be expanded, or should we assist Xiahou Dun in conquering Jiangbei so that Cao Cao's power can be expanded?

Xu You felt numb all over.

Obviously, he didn't want to choose either of these two options.

He sighed in his heart and thought to himself: "Forget it, it's a blessing that Cao Cao gave up attacking Yecheng. It's a good thing that I'm the strategist. I can do my best to make both sides suffer heavy losses. No matter who has the upper hand, they will suffer the greatest losses."

In the following time, Cao Cao continued to discuss with several trusted advisers the specific strategy on how to deal with Sun Quan.

It was not until the evening that everyone dispersed.

After dinner, Cao Cao went to the study alone and looked through the information about Jiangdong.

Just as he was watching intently, a guard came in to report.

"Sikong, the Tai'an garrison has sent a letter saying that the emperor is in trouble in Tai'an. Now the Tai'an garrison commander is escorting the emperor to Xu County."

"What!" Upon hearing the news, Cao Cao stood up suddenly, his eyes full of fear.

It goes without saying that the emperor that the Tai'an defender was talking about was definitely not the emperor in Yecheng, but the fake emperor who escaped from him with Dong Cheng.

He now regards the false emperor as a plague god.

I never expected that the plague god who was sent away with great difficulty would come back again!

Why didn't he go to Jingzhou, why didn't he go to look for Liu Biao, why did he suddenly appear in Tai'an, why did he want to go back to his Xu County!
Cao Cao was in a very depressed mood, and his face was gloomy. After a long while, he asked in a deep voice, "Who else in the palace knows about this?"

The guard quickly replied: "Only the messenger and his subordinates know."

Cao Cao waved his hand and said, "You can leave now."

"Here!"

The guard turned and retreated.

However, he had only taken two steps when he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Looking down, he saw a sharp sword piercing through his chest and entering his back.

He turned his head with difficulty and saw Cao Cao, with a calm face, holding a sharp sword and piercing his back.

The guard's face was full of disbelief, and he asked unwillingly: "Si...Si Kong...why..."

Cao Cao did not answer, but silently increased his strength and thrust the sword a little deeper.

The guard groaned, his pupils suddenly dilated, gradually blurred, and then he fell straight to the ground.

Until his death, he could not understand why Cao Cao wanted to kill him.

After killing the guard, Cao Cao sheathed his sword and shouted to the outside of the study: "Zhong Kang, Zhong Kang!"

After a while, Xu Chu hurried to the door of the study.

When I saw the corpse in the study, I was shocked.

"The lord has been assassinated!"

Cao Cao shook his head and said solemnly, "Zhongkang, a man just sent a letter to me on behalf of the Tai'an garrison commander. Go and kill him. After killing him, you will lead 500 guards and take my order to kill all the Tai'an garrison commanders and their men."

"Also, among that group of people, there is a man who looks like the emperor. Don't kill him. Just inform all the major cities along the way that anyone who claims to be the emperor entering the city cannot be trusted and will not be allowed to enter."

"But you must not capture him or kill him. Just leave him outside the city for now."

"Yes!" Xu Chu clasped his fists and left.

Although he didn't understand the deeper meaning of Cao Cao's order, he didn't want to think about it and just had to execute it.

"Wait!"

Just as Xu Chu was about to walk out of the study, Cao Cao called him again.

"You must protect him secretly along the way. Don't let him starve to death or be killed by wild beasts until he leaves Yanzhou and Yuzhou. As for where he ends up, you don't have to worry about it."

The false emperor can die, but he must not die on Cao Mengde’s territory.

……

Yanzhou, Shanyang County, Changyi.

on the official road.

The commander of Tai'an City personally led a hundred people to escort Emperor Xian of Han all the way to Xu County.

At this moment, his heart was full of excitement and excitement, and he glanced at the luxurious carriage behind him from time to time.

Although he didn't know why the emperor fell into trouble in Tai'an, he could not escape the credit for escorting the emperor.

Along the way, he was fantasizing about how the emperor and the prime minister would reward him after arriving in Xu County.

In the carriage, Emperor Xian of Han drank honey water and enjoyed the massage from two maids.

I felt a surge of emotion in my heart again.

He didn't want to live a life of wandering and fear, sleeping in a dilapidated temple and competing with wild dogs for food for even a single day.

He missed the Xu County Palace, missed Concubine Dong in the palace, and also missed Empress Fu who had been neglected by him.

"Sikong, when I return, I will appoint you as the general!"

Just as Emperor Xian of Han was squinting his eyes and enjoying the leg massage and shoulder beating by his maid, he suddenly heard a cry of killing.

He immediately got up, drew aside the curtain of the carriage and looked out.

On the official road, five hundred well-equipped elite troops appeared and launched a bloody massacre on the Tai'an defender's troops.

The leader, riding on a tall horse, charged indiscriminately with a large iron machete shining with a cold glow.

Wherever he goes, no one can withstand a round without dying!
"Xu Chu!"

Emperor Xian of Han immediately recognized this man; he was the commander of Cao Cao’s personal guards!

"The Tai'an garrison commander is also under Cao Cao's command, why did Xu Chu want to kill him!"

"Could it be...Could it be that he came here to kill me under Cao Cao's orders?"

Emperor Xian of Han's face turned pale in an instant.

Finally, amid the screams of the maids and the anxiety of Emperor Xian of Han, the fighting outside ended.

The Tai'an garrison commander and the one hundred members of the escort team were all killed on the official road.

Xu Chu lifted the curtain and saw that Emperor Xian of Han was indeed sitting in the carriage.

There were two maids in the carriage, and he killed them both with just two sharp cuts of the knife.

Emperor Xian of Han's face was splattered with blood. He once again felt the threat of death. His lips trembled as he asked, "Xu Chu, did Cao Cao ask you to kill me?"

Following Cao Cao's instructions, Xu Chu pretended not to see Emperor Xian of Han, did not greet him, and did not speak to him. Instead, he turned around and left.

(End of this chapter)