Han officials

Chapter 159 Calculation [4.5K]

The setting sun was like blood, staining the withered reeds on both sides of the Bian River.

After Xu Rong withdrew his troops, Cao Cao knelt on the muddy riverbank, clutching his broken sword, his eyes filled with pain and unwillingness. Mud caked on his armor fell into the water with his rapid gasps, and then a bloody smudge spread out.

Behind him were more than a hundred remaining soldiers, some gasping for breath against the broken flags, some kneeling on the ground to drink from the blood-filled Bian River. Occasionally, the painful neighing of war horses could be heard, and they looked like a completely defeated army.

Bao Xin stumbled across the shattered supply carts, dragging his bloodstained cloak as he frantically searched among the corpses. It wasn't until he unearthed the tattered armor of his brother, Bao Tao, from the bloody mud that the bearded man finally lost control. He slammed his knees to the ground, embracing the mangled corpse and bursting into tears. For a moment, tears and rain fell simultaneously, slowly washing the blood off the armor, transforming it into pools of bloody mud.

"Come on, Zhongping, I'll take you home!"

After a long time, Bao Xin, with a dirty face, slowly stood up while holding the remains of his brother.

Bao Xin once thought that this chaotic world would be an opportunity for him and his brothers to show their talents, but now it seems that he is an incompetent elder brother.

However, before leaving, Bao Xin still nodded silently to Cao Cao.

Bao Xin did not blame Cao Cao, he only hated his family for not taking good care of his younger brother.

However, Bao Xin did not blame Cao Cao, and Cao Cao felt even more regretful.

After Bao Xin left in the direction of Jibei State, he, who had been feeling a little dejected, suddenly stood up with a determined look on his face and left with the remaining hundred or so defeated soldiers.

He lost this battle, but the war was far from over.

If he admitted defeat at this point, Bao Tao's death would be in vain.

……

Within a few hours, the result of the battle of Bianshui was reported back to the Suanzao camp.

In the evening, in the central army tent.

I saw a blood-stained military newspaper circulating among the princes, and everyone had different expressions for a moment.

Some are sarcastic, some are afraid, and some are saddened by the loss of their loved ones.

But no matter what they thought, it was impossible for Cao Cao to gain support from here again.

Even Zhang Miao, the prefect of Chenliu, could only sigh and remain silent when he heard the news.

You must know that Wei Zi was his general, but now he died in battle for Cao Cao.

After reading the battle report, Yanzhou Governor Liu Dai casually threw the bamboo slips into the brazier, a sneer on his face: "Meng De may be good at talking about war on paper, but military strategy is ultimately not his forte!"

Wei Zhe was speechless when he heard this, but he did not comment.

But he immediately turned to look at Zhang Miao and asked curiously, "Where is Meng De now?"

It is unknown whether Cao Cao was too embarrassed to see the people in the Suanzao camp again, or if he simply disdained to meet them again. After the defeat at the Bian River, he actually did not return to the Suanzao camp, and the news of the coalition's defeat was still heard by scouts.

"He's back to Qiao County." Zhang Miao said helplessly, "He lost almost all his soldiers, and Meng De wants to recruit another group of volunteers."

After hearing Zhang Miao's words, Wei Zhe finally realized that Danyang Governor Zhou Xin was an old acquaintance of Cao Cao. He had returned to Qiao County to sell off some of his property and then take Xiahou Dun to recruit some soldiers from Danyang.

In addition, Yangzhou Governor Chen Wen and Cao Hong were also good friends, so this time they acted separately.

Cao Cao went to Danyang County, while Cao Hong prepared to go to Chen Wen to recruit a group of Lujiang elite soldiers.

From this we can see that although the Cao family of Qiao County is not as well-established as the Yuan family of Runan, it is by no means a small family.

If not, how could Cao Cao have the capital to fight again and again after repeated defeats?

Just like young people starting their own businesses in later generations, everyone’s tolerance for error is not at the same level at all.

However, Zhang Miao and others did not agree with Cao Cao's choice and continued to feast all day.

Wei Zhe would occasionally participate when he had time, but most of the time he stayed in his own camp.

It’s just the old saying:
When your life is peaceful, there will always be someone who will carry the burden for you.

For example, Wang Kuang, the governor of Henei, really wants to curse at this moment!
……

"There's no way to make a fool of yourself!"

In a narrow porcupine cave, Wang Kuang was seen cursing Cao Cao inwardly with a ferocious expression.

There was no way around it, since Wang Kuang really couldn't find anyone to shift the blame to!
Wang Kuang was indeed quite miserable. Although he played a combination of real and fake tactics when he sent troops, he really did not think of attacking Luoyang.

But Wang Kuang never expected that Dong Zhuo would take him seriously and attach so much importance to him.

Wang Kuang deliberately set up a false front, pretending to cross the river from Mengjin. Dong Zhuo took advantage of the situation and ordered five cavalry battalions of the Northern Army to pretend to cross the river from the opposite side. However, Dong Zhuo actually ordered Hu Zhen to lead 4,000 elite cavalry to cross the river from Xiaopingjin, circle around and attack Wang Kuang from behind, and defeat Wang Kuang's army on the north bank of Mengjin.

Let’s put it this way, Wang Kuang’s entire army was almost wiped out this time.

If he had not escaped on his own in time and found a porcupine cave to hide in, he would probably have died.

But Wang Kuang did not think it was his problem. After much thought, he could only blame Cao Cao for not delaying the troops from Liang Province.

However, Wang Kuang has one thing in common with Cao Cao, and that is his resilience.

When he realized that the troops from Liang Province had left, he relied on his tenacious perseverance to return to Henei County. Yuan Shao comforted him for a while, but Wang Kuang did not dare to stay any longer.

Whoever wants to stay in Hanoi County can do so, but he doesn't dare to stay there any longer.

Fortunately, Wang Kuang came from a noble family in Taishan County, so he still had the capital to make a comeback.

So when Cao Cao went to Danyang to recruit soldiers, Wang Kuang also returned to Mount Tai to recruit soldiers and horses. He sacrificed his family for the country and finally recruited more than 4,000 Taishan warriors.

At the same time, the tragic defeat of Wang Kuang, Cao Cao and others quickly spread throughout the Central Plains.

For a time, Dong Zhuo's ferocious power once again frightened the heroes of the world.

The momentum of the anti-Dong movement, which had been intensifying, suddenly cooled down as if a bucket of cold water was poured on it.

Some local nobles and powerful people who were ready to make moves began to keep their troops inactive.

They don't mind adding icing on the cake, but they have to think carefully before providing timely assistance.

……

The next day, Changsha County.

As the postman's swift horse broke through the morning mist, Sun Jian finally learned of the changes in Luoyang.

In the martial arts arena, Cheng Pu, still in his armor, couldn't help but look worried: "My Lord, would you like to reconsider this?"

Han Dang, who was standing by, nodded slightly when he heard this: "Yuan Gonglu is not a trustworthy person!"

As Sun Jian's retainers, the two knew many secrets, and Sun Jian was very open with them.

For example, Sun Jian had discussed Yuan Shu's previous letter with the two of them.

But this time Sun Jian was not going to listen to their advice, but decided to act on his own.

Sun Jian took the strong bow beside him, suddenly bent the bow and drew the arrow, and shot towards the bronze bell on the flag in the distance.

There was only a slight sound, and the bell fell down directly.

Only then did Sun Jian slowly lower his bow and arrow, and with a generous smile, he said, "So what if the road ahead is unknown? We just have to fight our way out!"

Sun Jian naturally knew that Yuan Shu was not the Ji Bu who kept his promise, but he needed this opportunity.

Now the center of the world is in Luoyang, and all over the world there are righteous troops fighting against Dong.

Wouldn’t it be a pity if he couldn’t participate in such a big event?

Whether for fame or profit, Sun Jian did not want to miss this opportunity.

Although Changsha is good, it is too far away from the heroes of the Central Plains, and Sun Jian does not want to stay here for the rest of his life.

As for the disastrous defeats of Cao Cao and Wang Kuang, Sun Jian didn't take it to heart at all.

Even after learning that the two had been defeated, Sun Jian became even more determined to go to Luoyang to fight against Dong.

What kind of hero is it to beat a drowning dog? Only by fighting tigers and wolves can one show his true ability! Seeing that Sun Jian had said this, Han Dang and Cheng Pu stopped trying to persuade him.

Just as Sun Jian said, if there is really no other way, just fight your way out!
So the next day, after entrusting Changsha County to the county magistrate, Sun Jian resolutely set out with 4,000 county soldiers.

He didn't care whether he was the prefect of Nanyang or the governor of Jingzhou.

No matter what, Sun Wentai deserves a place among the heroes of the world!
……

In the first year of Chuping, February, Dinghai day.

Just when the situation of the anti-Dong campaign was at its lowest point, Wei Zhe, who had been dormant for a long time, finally took action.

"If General Zuo doesn't come out, what will happen to the people?"

This is a sentence that has been widely circulated in Yin, Henan recently.

No one knew who said it, but it spread everywhere and was widely recognized.

After all, the brothers Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao have disappeared without a trace, so Wei Zhe is the most promising one in the alliance to fight against Dong Zhuo.

With his outstanding military achievements, he has now become the hope of victory for many righteous men of Sili!

However, just as the righteous men of the world were inspired by Wei Zhe's dispatch of troops, there was a sigh in the Suanzao camp.

Outside the camp, looking at the more than 10,000 Liaodong infantry and cavalry behind Wei Zhe, Yanzhou Governor Liu Dai looked regretful.

It's such a pity to kill such elite troops!
Thinking of this, Liu Dai couldn't help but persuade: "Gong Wei, why do you have to do this."

Liu Dai stood there, stroking his beard, pointing in the direction of Luoyang and saying calmly, "Dong Zhuo is nothing but dead bones in a grave. He will not last long. If we can hold him back for a while longer, Sili will surely be in chaos. Why take such a risk now?"

You know, Liu Dai still hopes to form an alliance with Wei Zhe to quell the opposition forces within Yanzhou.

After all, we are all from the same village, so we should naturally help each other.

Although Zhang Miao, Qiao Mao and others did not say anything, they nodded in agreement.

In their view, sending troops now is an unwise move. Cao Cao, Wang Kuang, Bao Xin and others are the best examples.

Didn’t you see that Dong Zhuo was so scared that he moved the capital under the siege of the three coalition forces?

Given time, under the pressure of their overwhelming power, they will surely force Dong's army into internal strife.

Wouldn't it be better if they could then join forces inside and outside to easily put down Dong Zhuo's rebellion?
However, no matter how Liu Dai persuaded him, Wei Zhe just smiled and said nothing.

After mounting his horse, Wei Zhe smiled proudly and said, "I have pledged my life to the country. My life and death are no longer in my hands. With our nation in dire straits, let me test the traitor Dong's abilities! You all can make plans in the temple, and leave the battles to me!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Wei Zhe immediately reined in his horse, whipped it, and left in a mighty procession with more than ten thousand infantry and cavalry.

Seeing this, Zang Hong, the Gongcao of Guangling County, who was standing at the back of the crowd, couldn't help but sigh softly, "This is a true hero!"

In fact, there were many scholars present who had the same idea as Zang Hong, and some even wanted to surrender.

However, they did not know that the rumor "If General Zuo does not come out, what will happen to the people?" was fabricated by Wei Zhe, otherwise why would he have been staying in the camp playing with birds for the past two months?

Yes, this is a war, but it is also a political show.

Whether Wei Zhe is willing or not, he must try his best to win the hearts of the gentry.

Because after hundreds of years of development, they have long been integrated into every aspect of the Han Dynasty.

If Wei Zhe doesn't win them over, they will stand on the enemy's side!
Even if Wei Zhe wanted to take action against the aristocratic families, he would have to wait until he had the whole world in his hands.

It is very important to distinguish the primary from the secondary!
At the same time, among the Wei army.

Warhorse is supreme. Wei Zhe frowned and asked, "How far has the capital relocation progressed?"

Xi Zhicai sighed softly upon hearing this.

"Dong Zhuo is still in charge at Bigui Garden in Luoyang, but he has ordered his soldiers to escort Your Majesty's carriage away, and now it has arrived in Chang'an."

Xi Zhicai was not saddened by the little emperor's fate, but felt sorry for the millions of people living around Luoyang.

"According to Ziliang, the traitor Dong ordered his infantry and cavalry to use swords and spears to force the people of Luoyang and the surrounding areas to relocate. However, he simply rushed them without any preparation. During this time, many people were trampled to death, robbed, or even starved to death. The roads were filled with corpses, and the ground was littered with corpses!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhe fell silent.

In troubled times, human life is worth less than a dog's. This sentence is truly a bloody truth!

If he had 100,000 soldiers now, Wei Zhe would definitely not wait until this moment to send troops.

If this were the case, these people might be saved.

Thinking of this, Wei Zhe couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

However, Wei Zhe quickly suppressed his indifference and began to focus all his energy on the war.

As the Wei army entered the territory of Henan Yin, Yuanwu County became the first city standing in the way of the army.

Of course, Luoyang is well-connected, and the terrain of Yuanwu County is not as dangerous as Hulao Pass.

Therefore, if Wei Zhe wanted to bypass it like Cao Cao and take Luoyang directly, there would actually be no problem.

However, Wei Zhe chose to stop and led his army to besiege the city, cutting down trees to prepare for the siege.

……

On the top of Yuanwu City, looking at the Wei army below the city, Yuanwu Commander Yang Yuan's face suddenly turned pale.

"This...what should I do?"

Yang was not a hero to begin with, and he was able to reach this position because of his family's protection.

When the Yuan family of Runan was calling the shots in Luoyang, he did not dare to disobey in the slightest.

When Dong Zhuo was in charge of the Luoyang court and issued orders, he also obeyed them submissively.

Simply put, he was just a scoundrel in the officialdom of the late Han Dynasty, just going with the flow.

But Yang Yuan didn't expect that Wei Zhe would actually target a small figure like him, which immediately made him feel uneasy!

"Duke Wei... No, General Zuo, did you misunderstand something?"

Yang Yuan said anxiously to his attendants, "I haven't offended anyone in the past."

After saying this, Yang Yuan was so panicked that he was ready to abandon the city and leave.

Seeing this, Yuanwu County Chief Clerk Ren Jun immediately became furious and said, "What's the point of saying this at this moment, Your Excellency? With the enemy at the gates, Your Excellency, make a choice? Follow Dong? Or follow Yi?"

In fact, long before Wei Zhe attacked, Ren Jun had advised Yuan Wuling to raise troops to respond to the Guandong righteous army.

It was just that Yang Yuan was timid and afraid of Dong Zhuo's power, which was why he was unable to put an end to the rebellion.

However, the imminent arrival of the Wei army at the gates of the city gave Ren Jun an opportunity. He spoke with a sincere face, "Dong Zhuo is the instigator of rebellion, and everyone in the world is watching with awe. However, no one in Sili has taken the initiative. It's not that they don't want to, but they just don't dare. If the governor can advocate, there will surely be others who will join in."

"With this city attached to her, General Zuo will certainly treat the county lady with courtesy!

"If we win, we can bring honor to our family, and even if we lose, we can still escape. Why not give it a try?"

Hearing this, Yang Yuan thought about it again and again and finally nodded.

So a moment later, Wei Zhe, surrounded by the army, saw the gate of Yuanwu city wide open.

Seeing this, Wei Zhe couldn't help but burst into laughter.

He was not happy about getting a small town, but was happy that his family's efforts during this period were not in vain.

Everyone knows that attacking the heart is better than attacking the city, but few can use it well.

If political propaganda is used well, its power may not be much less than that of thousands of troops.

From this perspective, Wei Zhe's psychological warfare had already begun when he set out from Liaodong.

(End of this chapter)