My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Chapter 52: You actually helped Liu Bei to slap me in the face? Behead me!

To the east of Chaoyang City is Cao’s army’s granary.

In the dim camp, a large number of Cao's soldiers stood solemnly between the tents, staring intently in the direction of the Yu River.

After standing like this for most of the night, the soldiers were tired and exhausted, and gradually showed signs of anxiety.

In the heart of the camp, on top of a watchtower.

Cao Cao stood with his hands behind his back, brow furrowed, staring at the night outside the camp.

After waiting for a whole night, Liu Bei still did not attack, and he was feeling a little annoyed.

"Prime Minister, it's almost dawn, but Liu Bei hasn't attacked yet. Could it be that Cheng Zhongde's judgment was wrong, and Liu Bei didn't intend to attack our Chaoyang granary?"

Cao Hong, who had been standing beside him for a long time, finally couldn't bear it anymore and came closer to remind Cao Cao in a low voice.

Cao Cao's heart was shocked, and a trace of worry flashed in his eyes.

Immediately, Cao Cao smiled coldly and asked:
"If Liu Bei didn't come to attack our Chaoyang granary, why did he secretly transfer the Jiangxia troops north? And why did he prepare three days of dry food?"

Cao Hong had no answer.

After rolling his eyes a few times, Cao Hong asked cautiously:
"Could it be that someone under Liu Bei's command saw through our plan, causing Liu Bei to become wary and temporarily abandon his plan to attack Chaoyang?"

Cao Cao still looked disapproving, stroking his beard and sneering:

"Under Liu Bei's command, the only ones who could be considered wise and resourceful were Xu Shu and that villager Zhuge."

"Let's not talk about whether Zhuge is truly a man of extraordinary wisdom. This villain is currently in Yicheng and cannot offer any advice to Liu Bei."

"As for Xu Shu, his intelligence is comparable to Zhongde's. However, Zhongde's plan is deeply influenced by Fengxiao's ingenious calculations. Do you think Xu Shu has the ability to see through it?"

Cao Hong seemed to understand something, and the doubt in his eyes gradually disappeared.

Cao Cao raised his head and continued to look towards the Yu River, stroking his beard and saying:
"Zi Lian, as a general, you must remain calm and composed in all matters. You must not easily waver in your judgment. Do you understand?"

Cao Hong looked ashamed and hurriedly bowed and said:
"What the Prime Minister taught me is that Hong should be more patient."

Cao Cao pointed in the distance outside the camp and sneered:

"At this moment, Liu Bei's warships may have arrived, preparing to sneak onto—"

The sound of hurried horse hooves interrupted Cao Cao's calculations.

A messenger rushed into the camp, dismounted, and shouted:

"Your Excellency, General Cao Zixiao has urgent news!"

"Liu Bei personally led an army of 30,000 to launch a surprise attack on our Dengxian granary. Yu Jin's defense of the camp was weak, resulting in the capture of the granary."

"The 400,000 hu of grain and fodder in my camp have all been burned by Liu Bei!"

On the watchtower, Cao Cao's face turned pale with horror, his body became unstable and swayed violently.

"Prime Minister!"

Cao Hong, who was equally shocked, quickly reached out to support Cao Cao.

The generals and soldiers of Cao's army around were in an uproar, and suddenly there was a lot of shock.

"Help me down!"

Cao Cao roared, supported Cao Hong, and rushed down the watchtower in two steps, snatching the urgent report from the messenger.

The details of the fall of Deng County's grain camp were clearly written in black and white.

"Why it came out like this?"

"The Big Eared Bandits should have attacked our Chaoyang granary, so why did they attack our Dengxian granary instead?"

"Deng County is very close to our main camp in Fancheng. How could that big-eared thief have the guts to launch a surprise attack on our Deng County?"

"What exactly is going on?"

Cao Cao clenched his hand holding the silk book tighter and tighter, and countless questions in his mind buzzed in his ears.

"Could it be that…"

Cao Cao's face suddenly twisted, and his suspicion turned into anger.

He figured it out.

Although Cao Ren's urgent report was extremely brief and did not specify the cause and effect, it was enough for him to guess the truth.

No wonder Liu Bei delayed attacking Chaoyang granary.

Because from the beginning to the end, they never thought of launching a sneak attack on Chaoyang.

The target they wanted to attack was the Deng County Grain Camp right under your nose!

From the very beginning, Liu Bei saw through Cheng Yu's plan!

What about hiding Jiangxia soldiers in the cabin, what about preparing three days of dry food...

Everything was Liu Bei's strategy of taking advantage of the opponent's strategy!
The purpose is only to lure your main force to the north and set an ambush in Chaoyang.

In this way, the Deng County granary would be left empty-handed.

Only then did Liu Bei dare to seize this God-given opportunity and suddenly crossed the river with an army of 30,000, killing Yu Jin by surprise.

In one fell swoop, he burned 400,000 hu of grain!

"I was fooled by that big-eared thief and fell into his trap of luring the tiger away from the mountain. How hateful!" Cao Cao was furious and tore the urgent report in his hand into pieces with gritted teeth.

“Prime Minister, Hong doesn’t understand, what is going on?”

"Why would Liu Bei attack Deng County? Shouldn't he have come to attack Chaoyang and walked into a trap?"

Cao Hong still looked surprised and confused.

"What exactly is going on? I have to go back to Fancheng to find out!"

"Send the order, leave 20,000 soldiers to guard Chaoyang, and the rest of the army will immediately return to the Fancheng camp!"

Cao Cao's face turned grim and he gave the order in a stern voice.

Cao Hong was confused, but did not dare to ask more questions and hurriedly gave orders.

As soon as the order was given, 70,000 Cao's ambush troops immediately set out and rushed south in a hurry.

...

Night falls.

Cao Cao's face was as hard as steel, his brows were deeply furrowed, and he sat in the central military tent, listening to Cao Ren and others report the details of the battle of Deng County.

The truth came out.

What Cao Ren reported finally confirmed Cao Cao's previous speculation.

Not only did Liu Bei see through Cheng Yu's plan, he also turned against him by using a strategy of luring the tiger away from the mountain and attacking from the east while making a feint to the west.

He failed to ambush and kill Liu Bei, but instead sent him 400,000 hu of grain.

Not only did I lose my wife, I also lost my army...

"Prime Minister, it was Yu who miscalculated. I didn't expect Liu Bei to be able to see through Yu's plan, and you fell into his trap."

"Yu is to blame for the defeat in this battle. Please punish him, Prime Minister!"

Cheng Yu did not shirk responsibility. He stood up with a guilty look on his face and took the blame.

"Even Fengxiao has his plans miscalculated. You, Cheng Zhongde, are certainly responsible for the miscalculation, but it's not to the point where I would punish you."

"It's you!"

Cao Cao turned his cold, stern gaze towards the trembling Yu Jin:

"During the Battle of Guandu, you held Baima with 3,000 soldiers and horses, holding off a siege by Yuan troops ten times your size without losing the city."

"Although Cheng Zhongde's plan was miscalculated, I at least left you 10,000 elite soldiers. Why did you lose the granary so easily?"

Yu Jin's body trembled, and he fell to his knees on the ground. He lowered his head in shame and could not defend himself.

"I want to ask you, since you were transferred to the Deng County granary camp, have you been drinking day and night in the army and not paying attention to military affairs?"

Cao Cao's eyes were like knives and he shouted sternly.

Yu Jin felt more ashamed and dared not answer.

"When the granary was lost, did you kneel down and beg for surrender to Guan Yu?"

Yu Jin lowered his head lower and lower, still not daring to answer.

Cao Cao's face was filled with increasing anger, and he shouted again:

"I'll ask you again, if you were captured alive by Liu Bei, why did that big-eared thief let you back alive?"

This time, Cao Cao finally asked a question that Yu Jin could answer.

Yu Jin raised his head hurriedly and explained:

"The reason the big-eared thief released Jin was because he wanted him to tell the Prime Minister something."

Cao Cao's eyes flickered, and he asked:
"What did that big-eared thief tell you to tell me?"

Yu Jin knelt slightly straighter and said:

"Liu Bei said that if the Prime Minister had any sense, he would lead his army back north immediately. Otherwise, he would make sure that my 150,000-man army would never return and be reduced to ashes!"

As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar in the tent.

"Yu Wenzhe, Yu Wenzhe, you are so stupid! You are courting your own death..."

Cheng Yu complained secretly in his heart, and his palms were sweating for Yu Jin.

You surrendered to Liu Bei for the second time and lost the granary, which is already a serious crime.

If you don't say anything, but just bow your head and confess your guilt, Cao Cao may spare your life and let you retire to the countryside because of your friendship of more than ten years.

You actually openly told Cao Cao Liu Bei's "ultimatum" in front of so many counselors and generals.

Isn't this slapping Cao Cao in the face in public?

You are adding fuel to the fire for Cao Cao who is already angry.

It would be strange if Cao Cao could forgive you!
really.

Cao Cao's eyes widened, his face changed drastically, and he slammed the table and shouted angrily:
"Come here, quickly push Yu Jin out and behead him!"

(End of this chapter)