Super Cultivation System of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 540 Cao Cao's Plan
After hearing what he said, Yuan Shu seemed to have envisioned himself conquering Luoyang, and then being able to call the wind and rain and be worshipped by thousands of people.

He couldn't wait to ask: "Sir, you are right. Since Shu is the legitimate son of the Yuan family, he should work for the scholars of the world. It is my duty to send troops to attack Luoyang and kill Liu He."

Many of his subordinates also came forward to express their opinions.

"My lord, your reputation is known all over the world. You should be the leader of the crowd and command the world."

"Yuan Shao is just a bastard's son, how can he be compared with you, my lord?"

"Liu He, you are just a country bumpkin, not worth mentioning. Only in your hands can the Han Dynasty be revived, and only then can the scholars of the world be convinced."

Yuan Shu was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling after being praised by them.

He drew out the sword beside him and said, "I have made up my mind. I will never coexist with Liu He!"

"Mr. Yuan is so courageous!" Cheng Yu praised.

Yuan Shu walked up to him and said: "Twenty thousand war horses will arrive in Yuzhou soon. I want to send 15,000 cavalry and 80,000 infantry to attack Hulao Pass directly. What do you think?"

Seeing that he came over to ask questions in person, Cheng Yu thought it was polite and twirled his beard.

"As far as I know, there are about 10,000 soldiers guarding Hulao Pass. Although the commander is a general who has followed Liu He for many years, he is not a concern. However, there are still 20,000 soldiers in Luoyang City, led by Gao Shun himself. He is a famous general in the world. In addition, Luoyang City is high and has deep moats. If we attack it by force, even if we can win, the losses will be huge."

"Yes, yes, sir, what you said is very true. I wonder if you have any good ideas?" Yuan Shao nodded like a chicken pecking at rice. He had mobilized most of his troops for this expedition. If the loss was too heavy, Yuan Shao, or Liu Biao and other princes would come to seek revenge, and he would be in trouble.

Cheng Yu looked confident and said, "In my opinion, the general should first lead 50,000 infantrymen to attack Hulao Pass. This way, they will be stuck in front of the pass for many days without being able to take it. By then, Gao Shun will surely send reinforcements, and he may even lead his army himself. The general will then lead the cavalry and the remaining 30,000 infantrymen to bypass Hangu Pass, capture it, and march straight into Luoyang, making it impossible for Gao Shun to respond to the situation."

Yuan Shu exclaimed: "Master, this is indeed a great plan!"

Cheng Yu smiled and said, "Not only that, when the general and Gao Shun start a decisive battle in Luoyang, the enemy's full attention will be on the general. My master will send a large army to attack Luoyang and support the general. Even if Gao Shun has three heads and six arms, he will definitely be defeated."

"Okay!" Yuan Shu agreed happily.

"Meng De is indeed loyal to the court. After I take Luoyang, Meng De will be the first to be credited."

A few days later, in the mansion of the Yanzhou governor, laughter could be heard frequently coming out of the door.

"Zhongde's trip to Yuzhou this time was a great success. We were cautious at every step, and Yuan Shu fell into every trap. This was all thanks to Zhongde."

Although Cao Cao was not tall, he spoke with great confidence, and his tone was both majestic and friendly.

Cheng Yu clasped his fists and bowed his head, saying as he saluted: "This matter was caused by Wenhe's good planning and the lord's decisive actions, and Yuan Shu's ambition and incompetence. I dare not take credit for it."

"Well, Zhongde is right about one thing. Wenhe has been planning this plan for more than a year. It is linked together and takes into account many heroes and major families in the world. Even a peerless hero like Liu He is at a loss. Even the best strategists in ancient times may not be as good as him. I have Wenhe, just like Emperor Gaozu had Chen Ping."

A middle-aged scholar with a round face and kind and honest features took a step forward.

"Thank you for your praise, my lord. I am ashamed to accept it."

"Hey, Wenhe, don't be so modest."

Cao Cao came out and stood in front of Jia Xu, smiling brilliantly: "This Liu He is so arrogant, he has made great achievements in both civil and military affairs, and he can defend the country and maintain peace at home. No one in the world can compete with him. Now Wenhe has played him in the palm of his hand with just a few tricks. If the great event is accomplished, it will be all thanks to you, sir. You should accept my greetings."

After saying this, Cao Cao really bowed to Jia Xu respectfully.

Jia Xu's face changed and he didn't dare to help. He could only bow down together with him, bowing lower than Cao Cao.

"My lord, I am very sorry for what I have done to you."

Cao Cao stood up, looked at Jia Xu meaningfully, and then helped him up.

"Okay, we have endured humiliation and prepared carefully for more than a year. Now that the big event is about to take place, we should act more cautiously. I wonder if you have any suggestions?"

A scholar with a goatee and straight eyebrows stood up and said, "I think that although Yuan Shu has a large number of troops, most of them are newly recruited troops, and their combat effectiveness is far from comparable to that of Luoyang. Moreover, the generals in Yuzhou are mediocre, so how can they compete with famous generals like Gao Shun? There are about 40,000 to 50,000 troops in Luoyang City and various passes, all of which are elite troops. I am afraid that Yuan Shu's army of nearly 100,000 may not be able to win a decisive battle in the wilderness, not to mention that the other side is defending the city and the pass. Wouldn't the lord's plan be frustrated then?"

Cao Cao's smile froze. "What Zhicai said is not without reason. Only when Yuan Shu destroys all of Liu He's troops in Luoyang, can we act with peace of mind. Otherwise, Gao Shun will lead the remaining troops and cooperate with the counterattacking troops of Bingzhou to easily recapture Luoyang."

"My Lord." Cheng Yu came out and said, "I have suggested that Yuan Shu split his troops into two groups. First, attack Hulao Pass to attract Gao Shun's attention. When the troops from Luoyang come to rescue him, we can attack Hangu Pass from behind. In addition, it is already autumn now. When he captures Luoyang, it will probably be late autumn. Even if Liu He wants revenge, it is not convenient to use force in winter. He can only wait until spring."

Cao Cao clapped his hands and said, "Yes, there is a disaster in Xihe County now. Liu He has emptied his granary to provide relief. I am afraid that the army's food will be almost gone. When the spring comes, his army will be short of food. We will naturally have nothing to fear. Zhongde is able to adapt to the situation. This is indeed a good strategy, but..." He changed his tone and said, "I am afraid that this plan may not be able to deceive Gao Shun, Cui Jun, Xun Yu and others."

Cao Cao said with some worry, and then he looked at Jia Xu.

"Does Wenhe have any good ideas for Cao?"

Jia Xu bowed his body, lowered his head, and answered calmly: "I am not good at military tactics. I am not good at showing off my skills in front of all the great masters here. Moreover, this plan requires too much thought, and I have been feeling dizzy these days."

"Oh? Really?"

A gleam of brilliance flashed in Cao Cao's eyes. He stared at Jia Xu and saw that there was indeed some pain in his expression.

"Wenhe has worked very hard this time, and he is getting old after all, so naturally his energy is not as good as it used to be. After we conquer Luoyang, I will give you a house so you can rest for a while."

"Thank you very much, my lord." After Jia Xu bowed to express his gratitude, he retreated.

A general with a resolute face and wide-eyed tiger shouted: "Hey, how difficult is this? Meng De, give me 20,000 soldiers and I will definitely defeat Gao Shun."

When Cao Cao saw this person speaking, a smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Haha, Yuan Rang's bravery is unrivaled among the three armies, so I am naturally relieved. However, our army cannot really send troops to help Yuan Shu attack Luoyang, otherwise the plan will be exposed, and it will be difficult for us to be the fisherman who reaps the benefits."

"This... Oh, forget it. I won't get involved in this matter. If you have figured it out, just give the order. I, Xiahou Dun, will be the first to charge for Meng De."

"My lord, Jia has a plan that may work."

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao looked at a young man who had a handsome face but a sickly pale complexion.

"Oh? Fengxiao has only been in Yanzhou for a few months, and he has made many suggestions, all of which have been successful. Now that you have a plan, it must be brilliant. Tell us quickly."

The young man said: "We Yanzhou soldiers can't openly attack Luoyang, but as long as the enemy can't recognize that we are Yanzhou's army, this problem will be solved, right?"

"Fengxiao means..."

Cao Cao's face showed some confusion at first, but it soon turned into surprise.

"Cao understands. This plan can not only deal with Gao Shun, but also deal with Yuan Shu. It kills two birds with one stone. It is extremely brilliant. Fengxiao is good at predicting the enemy and every plan is successful. The one who helps me achieve my great cause must be you."

"My lord is wise and incomparable. I have a little talent, but I cannot use it unless I am a wise lord. It is my good fortune to meet you."

The master and servant smiled at each other. Cheng Yu, who was standing aside, looked at Guo Jia with a look of disgust. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he swallowed the words back.

"My lord, the governor of Dongjun, Chen Gong, is outside the palace asking for an audience."

A messenger came in and said something, and Cao Cao's face became even happier when he heard it.

"Oh? Gongtai is here? It seems that the food and equipment that I asked him to prepare must have been collected. Please invite him in."

As soon as the messenger left, Cao Cao's face darkened. "Gongtai has always acted in accordance with the Confucian way of benevolence and righteousness. After the plan of Wenhe was made, I transferred him to Dongjun to prevent him from opposing it when he learned about it. When he comes later, you must not tell anyone, otherwise you will be punished by military law."

Everyone knows that Cao Cao wanted to assassinate Dong Zhuo, but failed and fled. Dong Zhuo issued a warrant for his arrest. He disguised himself and fled to Zhongmou County. Chen Gong, the county magistrate at the time, recognized Cao Cao and arrested him. Later, he admired Cao Cao's ambition and resigned from his post to join him in the uprising. Soon after, he learned that Liu He had issued a letter to call on heroes from all over the world to fight against Dong Zhuo. Chen Gong temporarily parted with him, returned to his hometown to sell his property, and then went to Yanzhou to meet Cao Cao.

Over the past few years, he has served under Cao Cao, governing the local area, raising armaments, and making plans. He has made outstanding contributions and worked hard. He even personally persuaded one of the princes of the anti-Dong alliance, Jibei Xiang Bao Xin, to send troops and funds to support Cao Cao, which enabled Cao Cao to rapidly develop to his current strength in just a few years.

In Cao's camp, in terms of status, even Cheng Yu and many other counselors may not be able to match him. Even though the two of them have some differences in their ideas, which has caused Cao Cao to intentionally alienate them, everyone also understands the importance of this person in Cao Cao's heart, so naturally no one would be stupid enough to violate the taboo.

However, someone behind Xiahou Dun grumbled, "So many famous people and common people died in this plot. It's really a pity to think about it."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes turned to the past, except Jia Xu, who looked at them intently and didn't take it seriously at all.

Cao Cao looked at the man and said, "Miaocai is indeed a kind and righteous person. If I use this plan, I will be the one who betrays others. If I don't use this plan, others will betray me in the future. I, Cao, am helpless."

Xiahou Yuan scratched his head and said, "It seems so. Anyway, no matter what Meng De does, whether it is right or wrong, I will follow you and will never regret it even if I die."

Cao Cao smiled and was about to speak when he saw a man about thirty years old with a long sword on his waist striding in from outside the hall.

(End of this chapter)