The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 275 A scheme within a scheme, a plot within a plot
Meanwhile, Liu Bei, who was in Xuzhou, did not stop his efforts to govern the State of Qi.

Meanwhile, Cao Cao, who was in Xiangyang, was also trying to strengthen his influence in Jingzhou.

On the one hand, they also ordered people to rigorously investigate the movements of the Qi-Wu allied forces at the Jiangxia water fortress.

The scouts reported that after Zhuge Liang arrived in Jiangxia, he rectified the officialdom there.

They also reorganized the previously lax military preparedness there.

Although the Sun-Liu alliance currently only includes Jiangxia County in Jingzhou.

But Jiangxia was, after all, an important town, a bulwark of Jingzhou, and its military foundation was not bad.

Furthermore, they gained the Qi and Wu armies, injecting fresh blood into their ranks.

This led to the vigorous development of Jiangxia County, which demonstrated a strength that was in no way inferior to the eight counties of Jingzhou.

Cao Cao was shocked and worried when he saw the report sent back from Jiangxia:
“Our soldiers are not skilled in naval warfare. If Zhuge Liang were to govern Jiangxia in this way, it would be disastrous.”

"Sooner or later it will be defeated."

Therefore, they gathered together, both civil and military officials, to discuss countermeasures.

Cheng Yu offered a plan:
"We can now use a counter-espionage strategy, sending someone to feign surrender and infiltrate the allied forces."

"To act as an inside agent for our army, so that we can carry out our plans later."

Cao Cao immediately asked, "Who can be my inside man?"

Cheng Yu replied:

"After Cai Mao was executed, all members of the Cai clan were in the army."

“Mao’s cousins ​​Cai Zhong and Cai He are currently deputy generals.”

"Why not send these two men to feign surrender?"

Cao Cao raised his eyes and asked:
"I killed his patriarch, how could he possibly be of service to me and go to feign surrender for me?"

Cheng Yuna explained methodically:
"Your Excellency is overthinking things."

"Relatives gather when there is mutual benefit, and become estranged when the benefit is gone."

“When Mao was alive, the two relied on his breath.”

"Now that Mao is dead, they have lost their patron and need a new master."

"If Your Excellency were to show him kindness and power, and grant him titles and rewards, he would surely be grateful and serve you to the death. Why would he still think of his deceased brother?"

Cheng Yu pointed out incisively that the clan brothers in this chaotic world were bound together by special blood ties.

Now that Cai Mao is dead, countless brothers in the clan are hoping to lead the Cai family.

If you, Cao Cao, extend an olive branch to them now, they will definitely seize the opportunity and use it to climb the ranks.

"The Prime Minister can befriend them and send them to feign surrender to Eastern Wu. They will not suspect anything."

Cheng Yu then added a sentence.

After all, Cai Zhong and Cai He had every reason to turn against Cao Cao.

Cheng Yu did not believe that Zhuge Liang would suspect the two of them.

Even if it were the retired emperor who had retreated to the background, Li Yi could not directly conclude that the two were spies.

Once the two infiltrate and become agents for the Wei army, Cao Cao's actions will become much easier.

Cao Cao pondered for a long time before saying:
“Zhongde’s words are correct; this plan should be implemented quickly.”

"We'll make sure that Zhuge Liang fellow has no doubts!"

So he summoned Cai Zhong and Cai He and comforted them with gentle words:
“Your brother’s crime is not as serious as yours.”

"We still entrust you with the naval forces. If you can achieve merit, you will be richly rewarded."

At first, Cai Zhong and Cai He were uneasy when Cao Cao summoned them.

They feared that Cao Cao would eliminate them completely and harm the two of them.

But if they don't come, they will be even more likely to die.

Going to see him was a perilous journey, with a slim chance of survival.

If I don't go to see him, I'm doomed.

The final result was both surprising and delightful for the two brothers.

Cao Cao was indeed a seasoned politician; in just two sentences, he sent three signals to the two brothers.

First, he pardoned their crimes, implying that Cao Cao would not harm them.

This put their minds at ease.

Secondly, they were allowed to continue commanding the navy.

As the saying goes, having soldiers gives you confidence. After reassuring the two men, Cao Cao gave them a big reward.

But it's not over yet.

Third, if the mission is successful, a generous reward will be given.

After giving them reassurance and sweet treats, he then painted a big picture for the two brothers.

After a series of well-coordinated moves, both Cai Zhong and Cai He were completely won over by Cao Cao's personal charisma.

He immediately bowed and thanked them, saying:

"My brother and I are willing to die for Lord Cao!"

Cao Cao nodded in satisfaction and immediately granted the secret plan.

The two listened to his advice, and Cao Cao personally escorted them onto the boat.

Before leaving, he repeatedly gave instructions:
"You two must go to Eastern Wu and feign surrender, but be extremely careful in your actions."

"Although Li Yi is not the one leading the troops this time, that Zhuge Liang is a disciple trained by Li Yi."

"Liu Da'er appointed this villager to oversee the military and political affairs of Jiangnan, which shows how much he valued him."

"This person is extremely cunning and treacherous; we must not expose him."

"There is no need to contact me unless absolutely necessary."

"You two just need to do what's convenient for you."

Although Cao Cao cursed and looked down on that country bumpkin Zhuge Liang.

But deep down, I still know what's going on.

Jingzhou was the political center of the south and its strategic location was extremely important.

Instead of sending one of the many capable candidates, they sent Zhuge Liang, who had relatively little experience.

While there may be considerations regarding nurturing the next generation, it's only because the other party possesses a certain level of ability that such a decision would be made.

Not to mention that Liu Bei also equipped him with an extremely luxurious lineup.

Chen Deng's Huainan navy, Zhao Yun's central army, Gao Shun's Trapped Camp, and Huang Zhong's Divine Arm Camp.

Furthermore, Li Yi served as a mentor behind the scenes, ensuring the smooth progress of the trip.

Faced with such a powerful enemy, even if Cai Zhong and Cai He had ample reason to surrender.

There are still many difficulties, after all, it is not easy to deceive Li Yi and Zhuge Liang.

"You two must be extremely careful. After the mission is accomplished, you will be richly rewarded."

"Do not harbor any disloyal intentions, or you will all be reduced to dust!"

Cao Cao used both soft and hard tactics, giving the two men further instructions.

The two bowed again and said:
"Our wives and children are all in Jingzhou, how could we dare to harbor disloyal thoughts?"

"I hope the Prime Minister will not doubt us. We two will surely take the heads of Li Yi and Zhuge Liang and present them to you."

Cao Cao was overjoyed and rewarded him handsomely.

Then he gave the two men five hundred soldiers and dozens of boats, and they sailed down to the south bank with the wind.

……

Let me talk about two things.

Meanwhile, Zhuge Liang was in Jiangxia discussing the advance of troops when he suddenly received a report that a boat had arrived at the mouth of the river from the north.

The man claimed to be Cai Mao's younger brother, Cai Zhong or Cai He, and said he had come to surrender.

The two cleverly concealed their "cousin" status, only saying that they were Cai Mao's younger brother.

This was done to create the illusion that the brothers had a deep bond.

The two thought that even if Zhuge Liang investigated further and continued to ask questions, they would not be able to stop.

It's not too late to explain later that he is a cousin, since he is indeed Cai Mao's brother.

Zhuge Liang then summoned the two men inside. As soon as they entered the room, they immediately wept and bowed, saying:
"Commander, you are wise! My brother is innocent; he was killed by the traitor Cao."

“Cao Cao is ruthless and cruel. He not only killed my brother, but also tried to harm us.”

"If we continue to stay in Xiangyang, we will be killed by Cao Cao sooner or later."

"Therefore, the two of us have come to surrender, hoping to avenge our brother."

"We beg the Commander-in-Chief to grant us your gracious acceptance. We two are willing to serve as the vanguard and dare not fail to die for you."

Zhuge Liang was overjoyed and praised him, saying:
"……good!"

“Our army is in dire need of experienced generals who understand Jingzhou. Your arrival here is exactly what I need.”

"Don't worry, just stay in my army. I will definitely avenge you two."

After saying this, he rewarded Cai Zhong and Cai He handsomely.

The two repeatedly expressed their gratitude, bowing their heads with tears in their eyes.

Regardless of whether Tsai Chung-hsien and Tsai Ho genuinely surrendered, this was an important military opportunity.

Zhuge Liang still reported the truth to Li Yi.

After hearing this, Li Yi asked Zhuge Liang:
"Cai Zhong and Cai He are Cai Mao's younger brothers, so they must be familiar with the Jingzhou navy."

"If he is entrusted with important responsibilities, it will greatly benefit our army in defeating the Wei army."

"I wonder what Kongming thinks of this?"

Zhuge Liang knew that Li Yi was intentionally testing him, and immediately replied:

"Your Excellency is wise. I believe that Cai Zhong and Cai He have come to surrender, but they did not bring their families with them."

"I fear that this is not a genuine surrender, but rather a spy sent by Cao Cao to gather intelligence on our army."

Upon first meeting Cai Zhong and Cai He, Zhuge Liang already knew that the two were not truly surrendering.

It's not that you have to bring your family members when you come to surrender.

The problem is that you, Cai Zhong and Cai He, had the time to bring five hundred soldiers, but didn't have time to bring your families along.

It's hard not to make people suspicious.

Li Yi nodded in satisfaction, then asked:
"Now that Kongming has seen through their feigned surrender, what are your plans?"

Zhuge Liang then said:
“Liang has been preparing his troops in Jiangxia for a long time, and his soldiers are eager to fight.”

"However, Cao Cao was busy training his navy and defending Xiangyang and Jiangling, and refused to go out to fight."

"If our army were to launch a strong attack on these two key towns, it would be extremely difficult to conquer them."

“If this goes on for too long, the soldiers will inevitably fall ill.”

"Then our army's defeat is not far off."

That's right. Although the Sun-Liu alliance seems to have a great advantage, it's not actually as great as people imagine.

Because of the surrender of Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, Cao Cao was able to seize Jingzhou for free and gain the upper hand.

This put the Sun-Liu alliance in a very passive position.

After several naval battles, Cao Cao was terrified.

They simply hid in Jiangling and refused to come out.

After all, Cao Cao couldn't afford to lose anymore, and he didn't dare to act recklessly anymore.

Cao Cao, facing adversity, was at his most level-headed.

Therefore, Zhuge Liang's battle strategy was to lure Cao Cao out to fight.

Then look for an opportunity to defeat them in one fell swoop.

During this period, Zhuge Liang had been waiting for this opportunity.

The arrival of Cai Zhong and Cai He made Zhuge Liang realize that his opportunity had come.

"...In my humble opinion, we might as well turn the tables on them."

Zhuge Liang waved his feather fan and presented his battle plan to Li Yi in a lengthy and detailed manner.

“Discipline those two and send them to report the news.”

"I will treat you with great hospitality while remaining vigilant on the side."

"On the day of the expedition, two of them must be sacrificed as a flag offering."

Just then, a messenger announced that General Chen Deng, who was leading the southern expedition, had arrived.

Chen Deng entered and exchanged greetings with the two men.

He immediately got straight to the point and explained his purpose:

"As the saying goes, all warfare is based on deception. We must not accept the surrender of Cai Zhong and Cai He."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi smiled and said:
"Just now Kongming also said that Cai Zhong and Cai He were feigning surrender. Now that Yuanlong has come in person, can you try to tell me?"

Chen Deng immediately expressed his opinion:
"The great river separates us, making it extremely difficult for spies to travel back and forth."

"Therefore, Cao Cao sent Cai Zhong and Cai He to feign surrender in order to spy on our army."

"I intend to use this as a pretext, and I'm just asking the two of them to inform me of the plan."

"When the time is right, we will take their heads as offerings to our navy and use them to sacrifice to our flag!"

Seeing that Chen Deng's suggestion was the same as Zhuge Liang's, Li Yi couldn't help but burst into laughter:

“…Okay, okay!”

“Yuanlong’s words are very much in line with Kongming’s.”

"It seems great minds think alike!"

Zhuge Liang and Chen Deng exchanged a glance, then said in unison:
"You flatter me, Prime Minister. If you do not object..."

"We will proceed according to this plan!"

"...No, I object."

Li Yi suddenly changed the subject, interrupting their plan.

The two looked at each other, neither of them understanding.

Li Yi then smiled and explained to the two of them:
"Your plans are certainly good, but I also have my own strategies."

Does the Prime Minister also have a plan?
The two men both pricked up their ears, believing that turning the tables on Cai Zhong and Cai He was the best course of action.

What improvements could Prime Minister Li make to this?
Li Yi frowned, put his hands behind his back, and said slowly:

"The difficulty of the battle is not in defeating Cao Cao's army, but in luring Cao Cao out of his camp."

"If Cao Cao were to leave his camp, he would be no match for the Huainan navy, as he is not skilled in boating."

"Moreover, we have Zhou Yu's Jiangdong navy as reinforcements."

“I have a plan to defeat them, but their insistence on holding Jiangling and retreating to Xiangyang is not a long-term strategy.”

"In my opinion, why not recruit Cai Zhong and Cai He to our side and use them to lure the enemy?"

Upon hearing this, both Zhuge Liang and Chen Deng were startled.

I'm asking you to play along, not to actually subdue them.

Faced with their doubts, Li Yinai smiled and said:
"...If I accept the Cai brothers, they can help me lure the enemy."

"When they launch a full-scale attack, with ambushes rising from all sides, we can capture them in one battle."

"Isn't the land of Jiangnan easily within our grasp?"

Zhuge Liang exclaimed in surprise and asked:
"Is the Prime Minister about to take a great risk?!"

"...It is not dangerous, but a strategy that will surely lead to victory."

Li Yi, holding a fan and a map, said:

"Cao Cao is suspicious by nature. If he sees that Cai and Cai have received the letter, he will surely lead a large army to fight."

“When their entire army comes out in full force, and they are all annihilated in the rivers, even a million men are not a threat.”

"At that time, the Wei soldiers will be like fish and turtles in the water, and the land south of the Yangtze River will be caught in our trap!"

Chen Deng hurriedly said:

"But how could Cai Zhong and Cai He possibly surrender to the Prime Minister?"

"Even if they surrender, what if it's not genuine and they're deliberately deceiving us?"

Li Yi then said:

"The world is bustling for profit, and the world is bustling for profit."

“Cai Zhong and Cai He were not loyal and virtuous men. Even after Cao Cao killed their brothers, they were still willing to serve Cao Cao.”

"Now I will lure them with benefits; I believe they will find it difficult to resist and will surely be of use to me." Zhuge Liang frowned, puzzled, and asked:

"Since you intend to employ these two men, why is it necessary to obtain their true intentions?"

"Just use their scheme against them and make them transmit intelligence to our army."

"If these two use deception, not only will we miss a major opportunity, but we must also guard against them."

Not only Zhuge Liang had this question, but Chen Deng was also greatly puzzled.

If you want to take advantage of the Cai brothers, you can simply turn the tables on them.

Why go through all that trouble of trying to persuade them to surrender?

If their surrender is a ruse, you still need to be wary of them.

Moreover, the Cai brothers' families were all in Jingzhou, making it even less likely that they would genuinely surrender.

Li Yinai explained:

"If we're just using these two men's boat to gather military intelligence, what's so difficult about that?"

"The men in Cao's army said that I dare not take any risks."

“I want them to know that I not only dare to use Cai Zhong and Cai He, but I will also entrust them with important responsibilities.”

Both Zhuge Liang and Chen Deng were taken aback after hearing Li Yi's speech.

It can only be said that the Prime Minister is indeed the Prime Minister; he just doesn't play by the rules.

These two worthless scoundrels, all we can think about is making use of their waste.

The Prime Minister, however, was thinking of turning waste into high-tech products.

This mind is truly extraordinary.

No wonder he was able to hold great power by the side of King Qi for more than ten years, remaining as stable as Mount Tai and never being overthrown.

Zhuge Liang, despite his relatively short tenure, was the first to express his support for Li Yi's decision:
"Since the Prime Minister already has a plan in mind, then I will follow the Prime Minister's instructions completely."

Zhuge Liang was also a master of the workplace.

His words not only expressed his support for Li Yi's policies, but also indirectly shifted the blame to Li Yi.

Since this policy was decided by you, Prime Minister Li, if it fails, we are simply following your instructions.

Don't blame us then.

Chen Deng hesitated for a long time before finally sighing helplessly;
"...Very well, since the Prime Minister has made his decision, why should we say anything more?"

"Just be extremely careful, the Cai brothers are definitely not good people."

Li Yi smiled calmly:
"Good people have good uses, and evil people have evil uses."

Even petty scoundrels have their uses.

“My use of people is based on making full use of their talents, and this is the general principle.”

Chen Deng remained silent, seeing Li Yi's confidence, knowing that he always resorted to risky tactics.

Although it may seem dangerous, he is actually 80-90% confident in most of the situations.

He always manages to escape danger, so why should he have to worry?
Subsequently, Li Yi set up a tent and ordered Guan Ping to lead several hundred warriors inside and outside the tent.

Then he summoned Cai Zhong and Cai He to see him.

Upon hearing that it was Li Yi who had summoned them, the two secretly discussed the matter:

"Although Zhuge Liang was the commander-in-chief of this southward expedition, Li Yi was the one with high position and great power in the State of Qi."

"If he speaks, I believe even Zhuge Liang would not dare to disobey him."

"Although we have passed Zhuge Liang's test, we must be careful in dealing with Li Yi."

Cai He said:

"Just talk about the hatred for killing your brother, then kneel down and shed tears."

"I expect Li Yi will not suspect anything."

Having made their decision, the two went to see Li Yi as ordered.

Outside the tent, warriors were displayed, their armor gleaming.

The military formation was solemn, but everyone felt uneasy.

Just as they were about to enter the tent, the two mustered their spirits, straightened their backs, and walked in.

As soon as Fang entered the tent, the two were preparing to kneel and weep.

"Who's coming?" Li Yi preemptively slammed his fist on the table and shouted:

"You audacious Cai Zhong and Cai He! Do you know your crimes?!"

This shout instantly stunned the two of them.

Even the lines they had memorized beforehand were completely forgotten.

Startled by Li Yi's words, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly.

"...Prime Minister, spare my life! Prime Minister, spare my life!"

"We truly do not know what crime we have committed!"

Seeing this, even Li Yi almost couldn't help but laugh.

All I can say is that people who haven't experienced the baptism of politics are incredibly easy to scare.

In an emergency, they can't even lie anymore.

If you truly don't know what crime you've committed, why are you so afraid? Why are you kneeling and begging for forgiveness?

Li Yi sighed inwardly, lamenting that his opponents were too weak, and he had lost all interest in toying with them.

He continued to rage, shouting angrily:

"How dare you two! Now that you've seen my true colors, you still dare to deceive me?"

"You two were ordered by the traitor Cao to feign surrender to me. Did you really think I didn't recognize you?"

Cai Zhong and Cai He both turned pale, thinking they were doomed. They lay prostrate on the ground, trembling and unable to speak.

Li Yi sat high on the tent, no longer speaking, only coldly watching the two of them.

Guan Ping, holding a knife, stood to the side, glaring at him.

The Cai brothers were so frightened that they broke out in a cold sweat and their hands and feet trembled.

The two knelt there, awaiting Li Yi's judgment.

However, Li Yi remained silent for a long time, and neither of them knew whether he was alive or dead.

My emotions were fluctuating wildly, a complete mess.

After a long silence, Li Yi finally spoke slowly, his tone becoming gentle:

Do you wish to die or to live?

Without hesitation, Cai Zhong and Cai He kowtowed repeatedly, saying:
"Your Excellency, we two are willing to live!"

"We beg the Prime Minister to forgive us. Even if we have to serve him like cattle or horses, we will repay the Prime Minister's great kindness and virtue."

Now, the two of them are only concerned with surviving; they don't care about anything else.
He had long forgotten what Cao Cao had told him; his priority was to save his own life.

Upon seeing this, Li Yi said:
“I know that you did this not of your own free will.”

"Cao Cao was the descendant of a eunuch, a disgraceful son-in-law."

"Now that he has usurped the title of Duke of Wei, everyone has the right to kill him."

"Why should you two act as accomplices to the tiger and serve him?"

"Back then, Cao Cao was defeated by me in Hebei, and he was in a very bad situation."

"Their chance to contend with my lord for the world is almost certainly doomed."

"However, Liu Biao died, and Cai Mao and Zhang Yun surrendered the people of Jingzhou to Cao Wei."

"This allows them to contend with our royal army on the great river."

"Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that Cai Mao and Zhang Yun were instrumental in Cao Cao's recovery."

"How then did Cao Cao treat these two men?"

"They killed him without cause and stripped him of his military power."

"His ingratitude is evident to this extent."

"Now they want to send you two to speak on their behalf, and once they succeed, they will surely harm you first."

"I laugh at you two for being so close to death and still not realizing it."

Li Yi explained to the Cai brothers, in a simple and clear way, that they had been kept in the dark by Cao Cao without even realizing it.

And what he said was reasonable and well-founded.

You two risked your lives to act as spies for Cao Cao. Will Cao Cao appreciate it?

Even if you two make great contributions for him, can they compare to the achievements of Cai Mao and Zhang Yun?

Cai Mao and Zhang Yun were the ones who truly enabled Cao Cao to gain Jingzhou without losing a single soldier.

Despite such a great favor, Cao Cao killed him without hesitation.

Besides, you two powerless and insignificant juniors?
After Li Yi's analysis, Cai Zhong and Cai He suddenly had a sudden realization.

Thinking about it carefully, it does seem to make sense.

We brothers have been made fools of by Cao Cao!

The two immediately knelt on the ground and bowed again, saying:

"The Prime Minister's words are like the sun breaking through the clouds, enlightening us from all confusion."

"May we ask the Prime Minister to teach us how to protect ourselves and survive!"

The Cai brothers weren't stupid either; since Prime Minister Li hadn't killed them immediately...

Then we'll definitely need to use those two; their chance to shine has arrived.

Li Yinai continued:

"The current King of Qi, Liu Xuande, is a member of the Han imperial family, and his reputation for benevolence and righteousness is known throughout the world."

"The traitor Cao killed your brother, and instead of seeking revenge, you are willing to die for him. This is utterly foolish."

The two then wept and said:
"It's not that we don't want to repay your kindness, but we truly regret that we are powerless to do so..."

Li Yi then personally helped the two of them to their feet:
"Not only can I save your lives, but I can also ensure that you live a life of wealth and honor for the rest of your days, enjoying a life of leisure and happiness."

The two bowed with tears in their eyes and said:

"If that's the case, the Prime Minister's kindness is like giving me a second life!"

"What's the plan?"

Li Yi then said:

"Cao Cao has sent you two to gather intelligence on our army. You two just need to follow my orders."

"As long as you sincerely submit, I will report to the Emperor in the future and grant you both the title of Marquis."

“If we recover Jingzhou in the future, you two brothers will naturally succeed Cai Mao in your positions.”

The two brothers immediately bowed their heads and paid their respects.
"We will remember your wise words, Prime Minister. What are your instructions, Prime Minister?"

"We will do as you command."

Li Yi then said:

"It's getting late, you two can go back and rest now."

"There will be a use for you two tomorrow."

The two thanked him and left.

After Guan Ping saw the two men walk away, he stepped forward and asked Li Yi:

"Why does Your Excellency value such a cowardly person who clings to life?"

"If they were truly useful, why would we have exposed their identities just now?"

"Just use their scheme against them and make them deceive Cao Cao on our behalf."

Li Yi smiled slightly:
“I have great use for these two men, and it is only possible if they sincerely surrender to me.”

Guan Ping paused, then asked:

"Does Your Excellency believe that these two men have truly surrendered?"

Li Yi did not answer immediately. After pondering for a while, he nodded.

"I suppose the two are already convinced."

Guan Ping had only seen two cowards who were afraid of death, and had no way of knowing whether they were truly surrendering.

I can only hope that Li Yi will be careful and not trust the two of them too easily.

They leaked important intelligence about our army to Cao Cao.

Li Yi stood at the windy spot, calmly gazing at the rolling river.

He was always arrogant about his skills in managing people.

I believe this time will be no exception.

To say that he completely trusts the Cai brothers, Cai Zhong and Cai He, at this point would be an exaggeration.

Therefore, Li Yi left the two of them waiting overnight.

The reason we didn't issue the task immediately, but waited until tomorrow, is that...

It's because the two of them had just experienced a lot of ups and downs, and their minds weren't clear.

If these two are allowed to go back and rest for the night, they will surely have a sleepless night.

They will carefully consider what Li Yi said to them.

Will the two of them come to a realization after one night?

Li Yi knew it at a glance.

The next day, early morning.

Li Yi summoned Cai Zhong and Cai He to his tent for a meeting.

As Li Yi had predicted, the two did not look well.

It's obvious that he didn't sleep well.

However, they still mustered their spirits and went to Li Yi's tent, saying that if the Prime Minister had any orders, they would go through fire and water without hesitation.

Li Yin smiled and said:
"I already know that you two are loyal."

"We may proceed as before."

“I have given you two a plan, and you may act accordingly.”

Cai Zhong and Cai He stepped forward and listened attentively.

Then, following Li Yi's instructions, he wrote back to Cao Cao, who was far away in Xiangyang.

The book states briefly:

"The Prime Minister secretly dispatched him to feign surrender to Li Yi."

"We have fortunately fulfilled our mission and have earned his trust and respect."

“Whenever Yi discussed matters, he would have his ministers assist him, so that he could fully understand their plans.”

"We have now learned that Li Yi intends to take advantage of the autumn flood season and personally lead his naval forces to attack our Jiangling."

"His vanguard, Gan Ning, had already secretly marched to Shaxiankou, agreeing to use a fire arrow as a signal."

"The grain and fodder for Jiangdong are all stored at Lukou, leaving the defenses weak."

"Yi once said to me, 'Cao Cao's navy has just suffered a defeat and his morale has plummeted. If we launch a night attack with elite troops, we can capture him in one battle.'"

“We, your subjects, feigned approval of his plan, and Yi then decided to launch the uprising on the night of Renzi in the eighth month.”

"I humbly request that Your Excellency make preparations in advance, use the enemy's plan against them, and you will be able to achieve a complete victory."

“We, your subjects, shall act as inside agents and light a fire as a signal at the appointed time.”

"In July of the eleventh year of Jian'an, Cai Zhong and Cai He secretly presented a report."

When Cao Cao received the letter, he was impressed by the Cai brothers' astonishing efficiency.

They also questioned the content of the letter.

Leaving aside the issue of loyalty between Cai Zhong and Cai He, let's just talk about how shrewd Li Yi is.
How could they so easily believe Cai Zhong and Cai He, and even leak so much information to them?

Therefore, they gathered all the civil and military officials to discuss the matter.

As expected, once the letter was displayed, the court immediately split into two factions.

One group of people believed that Li Yi was cunning and deceitful and should not be trusted.

One group of people believed that the intelligence brought back by Cai Zhong and Cai He was of great military value.

If we give up, we will miss a golden opportunity!
For a moment, Cao Cao hesitated and could not make a decision.

……

(End of this chapter)