Three Kingdoms: Wolong's brother-in-law, tricking Liu Bei into seizing Jingzhou

The Qin army had few soldiers, which was its fatal weakness.

In the Battle of Chencang, nearly 10,000 people were killed, and Cao Cao was deeply hurt.

For Cao Cao, every one of the 10,000 troops in Lueyang City was extremely valuable and he could not afford to sacrifice them.

Given the situation, he had no time to blame Cheng Gongying for the failure of his plan. The first thing he thought of was to rescue the 10,000 troops in Lueyang.

"Your Majesty, Cheng Gongying he——"

Zhang Song was unwilling to see that Cao Cao did not blame Cheng Gongying, and even wanted to make "slanderous remarks".

"enough!"

Cao Cao interrupted with a wave of his hand and asked:

"If we don't use Cheng Gongying's plan, tell me, what good plan do you have to help me turn the tide?"

Zhang Song was speechless.

"When I asked you that day, you all kept silent. Only Cheng Gong Bo Ming stepped forward and proposed to me the plan of a surprise attack on Chencang."

"He even risked his life and was willing to personally lead his army to guard Lueyang, using only 10,000 men to resist 300,000 Han troops."

"Regardless of whether his plan succeeds or not, his loyalty and bravery alone are a model for our Great Qin and are worthy of your emulation!"

Not only did Cao Cao not blame Cheng Gongying, he even praised him with kind words.

There was no other way, he had to do this.

Previously, he had greatly admired Cheng Gongying, and even praised his wisdom as being better than that of Guo Jia.

If I blame Cheng Gongying now, wouldn't that be slapping myself in the face?

Furthermore, with his political scheming, he knew that Zhang Song took advantage of the situation to attack Cheng Gongying, three parts for the public and seven parts for personal gain, and he just wanted to suppress the Liangzhou faction.

Therefore, he wanted to take this opportunity to give Zhang Song a good warning, so as to prevent him from relying on Shu as a backing and becoming too inflated in mentality, forgetting his status as a subject.

Zhang Song was so frustrated that he dared not say anything except swallowing his saliva.

"Cheng Gongying's plan is a good one. I think even a country bumpkin like Xiao Fang would not be able to figure it out."

"The only reason this plan failed is that we failed to anticipate that the Han general Hao Zhao in Chencang City is a talented defender."

"If it weren't for this man, I would have captured Chencang three days earlier and burned a million bushels of grain and grass of the big-eared bandits. Even if the reinforcements of the big-eared bandits arrived, it would be too late."

"The main culprit for this defeat is Hao Zhao!"

Cao Cao put all the "blame" on the enemy general Hao Zhao.

In other words, he concluded that the defeat was an accident and not the fault of Cheng Gongying's miscalculation.

The emperor had said so much, how could Zhang Song still be so ignorant? He could only shut his mouth silently.

Cao Cao then struggled to sit up, enduring the pain of a broken wrist, with a heroic look on his face.

"Our army's defeat in the Battle of Chencang was an accident, not a crime of war."

"Don't be discouraged, cheer up, lead your troops and break the ice on the Wei River for me."

"I will never allow even a single soldier of the big-eared bandits to cross the Wei River, and I will never allow the Han army to approach the city of Ji!"

"I still say the same thing. I will never give up Longxi, let alone the entire Liangzhou!"

"I am waiting for that big-eared thief in Jicheng, and I will fight him to the death!"

Cao Cao knew that he had lost the battle and the morale of his generals was crushed, and his determination to hold on to Jicheng and Longxi was shaken.

At this time, he could only endure the injuries and rush out, speaking some passionate words to re-inspire people's morale.

Seeing that Cao Cao was still confident, the Qin officials present gradually calmed down and their spirits and morale were boosted.

"We are willing to follow Your Majesty and defend Jicheng to the death!"

"We are willing to follow Your Majesty and defend Jicheng to the death!" Inside the bedroom, all the ministers responded generously.

The meeting ended and the ministers left one by one.

When the last minister left, Cao Cao collapsed on the couch as if exhausted.

With no one else around except Dian Wei, Cao Cao finally didn't need to pretend anymore and revealed his weak side.

"Dian Wei, quickly draft a secret decree and send it to the Crown Prince in Chengdu overnight, ordering him to set up camp between Qishan and Yangping Pass in advance and prepare enough food and grass to prepare for the passage of the army."

Cao Cao waved his hand slightly and issued the order weakly.

Dian Wei was stunned at first, then he suddenly realized.

Qishan is the only way from Longxi to Hanzhong.

Between Qishan and Yangping Pass, building camps and preparing food and fodder in advance, wasn't it just a preparation for retreating to Hanzhong?
Does Cao Cao intend to abandon Longxi and retreat to Yizhou?
But just now at the military meeting, Cao Cao was just very passionate and made it clear that he would defend Longxi to the death and would never retreat!
How come you openly deceived all the ministers, saying that you would defend Longxi and Jicheng to the death, but now it's your turn to me and you let me secretly prepare to retreat to Yizhou?
What do you mean?

"Your Majesty, but just now you..."

Dian Wei scratched the back of his head, his eyes becoming confused.

"I am not old and blind. I cannot listen to the advice of Huang Quan and others, and I cannot see the crisis facing Longxi."

"If I were that kind of person, I would not have given up the Central Plains and led you westward to Guanzhong."

"I just don't want to retreat to Yizhou, give up my ambition to unify the world, and become the ruler of a separatist regime."

"But the war situation has come to this point. Even if I don't consider myself, I should consider the Crown Prince and the survival of my Cao and Xiahou families..."

Cao Cao spoke these words from his heart to Dian Wei, his trusted and beloved general.

Dian Wei suddenly understood.

Cao Cao also knew that after the defeat at Chencang, Longxi would most likely be lost.

If they continue to insist, not only will 10,000 soldiers be lost in Chencang, but all the remaining troops will be wiped out in Longxi.

By then, Qin will have no soldiers left and will certainly not be able to defend Yizhou.

The Qin Dynasty will surely perish, including Cao Pi, the Cao family, and the Xiahou family, all of whom will be exterminated by Liu Bei.

Cao Cao could live and die with Longxi, but he could not let his son and his clansmen be buried with him for his obsession.

He has to compromise for the survival of future generations.

"Your Majesty's painstaking efforts and your difficulties, I understand."

"I only regret that I am incompetent and cannot kill Liu Bei for Your Majesty."

"It is my incompetence, my incompetence~~"

Tears welled up in Dian Wei's eyes, and he actually beat his chest with his fists, complaining and blaming himself.

"You have tried your best. My failure to this point has nothing to do with you. Don't blame yourself."

Cao Cao grabbed Dian Wei and stopped his self-mutilation.

Dian Wei sighed bitterly and then stopped.

Cao Cao struggled to get up, and with the help of Dian Wei, he went out the door.

The night is dark and the wind is cold.

Cao Cao looked towards the north, as if he could see in the Han camp in Lueyang a hundred miles away, how Liu Bei was drinking and chatting happily with Xiao Fang, celebrating the great victory in Chencang.

"Could it be that this is really God's will, that I should give up the world to Liu Bei, and that I should be forced to be a ruler who can only live in peace for the rest of my life?"

"Ah~~"

In the cold night wind, helpless and bitter sighs echoed. (End of this chapter)