The Duke of Shu Han began guarding Jingzhou in place of Guan Yu.

Chapter 240 Fishing Each Other
Not long after, Jia Kui met Cao Hong, who looked travel-worn, at a post station on the outskirts of the city.

He stepped forward and praised:

"The general fought fiercely all winter, and his might remains undiminished!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Hong burst into laughter and then praised Jia Kui for his strategic planning and decisive victory.

It was as if the two had truly achieved a resounding victory no less glorious than their triumph in Huainan last year.

But as soon as he dismounted, he couldn't wait to wink at Jia Kui.

The latter understood and ordered the soldiers to collect their rewards, then he and Cao Hong went into the post station.

After sitting down in the quiet room, closing the doors and windows, Cao Hong's composure vanished, and he said with a wry smile:

"Xiahou Zhongquan's entire army was wiped out, and I was unable to save them."

"I fear the court will soon strip me of my post, and I will no longer be able to fight alongside Lord Jia!"

Jia Kui had already learned the details from the military newspaper and had prepared a response.

He said seriously:
"It's not that the general didn't want to save Xiahou Zhongquan, but rather that he was following my orders to prioritize the preservation of the knights in preparation for the subsequent battle to engage the enemy."

"Xiahou's failure was due to his greed for merit and his disobedience to my instructions; he brought it upon himself."

"How can the imperial court punish the general for this matter?"

Cao Hong's expression changed several times, and he hesitated before saying:

"Is that really what Master Jia thinks?"

Jia Kui said frankly:

“I reported this matter truthfully to the Emperor the day before yesterday, so the general need not doubt it.”

Cao Hong was speechless.

After a moment, he bowed gratefully and said:

"To be honest, Mr. Jia, when you replaced me as general, although I knew that the emperor suspected me and I had to step down, I couldn't help but feel jealous of you, the newcomer."

"But now I realize that Lord Jia is indeed a more magnanimous general than I am, and I have to admit that."

"From this day forward, whatever orders we give, none shall dare disobey!"

After speaking, he bowed deeply.

Jia Kui immediately rose from his seat, returned the bow, and then the two sat down again, their posture much more intimate now.

Jia Kui asked directly:

"During your return journey north, did you inquire about the whereabouts of the enemy general Mi Wei?"

"Of course!" Cao Hong replied without hesitation.

"The greatest enemy in Jingzhou today is Guan Yu, and the next greatest is Mi Wei. How can we not inquire about him?"

"However, Mi Wei is a cunning and scheming man. Even if I find out where he is, I cannot tell the truth from the falsehood. Otherwise, how could a whole winter have passed without any capture?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Kui smiled with satisfaction:
"General, you do not underestimate the enemy, and you know yourself and your enemy well. My strategy has increased the chances of victory by three points!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Hong was immediately tempted:

"Could it be that Lord Jia had me dispatch grain from Yingyang to Xiangcheng for this very purpose?"

Jia Kui did not hide anything:
"This is a trap specifically designed to lure Miwei into a trap."

"Guan Yu was skilled in battle and brave, while Mi Wei was cautious in battle and wise."

"If Guan Yu were in command at Fangcheng, this raid on enemy rear would be enough to lure him out."

"But Mi Wei as commander is far from enough."

"Those who are cautious in war are difficult to provoke, difficult to intimidate, and difficult to make arrogant."

"If you want Miwei to make a move, you have to offer him tangible benefits so that he feels there is an opportunity to take advantage of him. Only then can you achieve the desired effect of 'making him take advantage of you'."

Cao Hong, being a veteran, understood immediately:
"Use the Yingyang granary to lure him into attacking?"

Jia Kui corrected him:

"Actually, it's Yingyin."

"But the supplies being transported from Yingyang to Xiangcheng have changed en route. I fear he will discover our true intentions and we will not be able to succeed."

Cao Hong immediately felt regret.

Thinking about it this way, I realized that the reason for this battle was my own carelessness in using troops, which led to Jiang Wei stealing Yan County and causing Jia Kui's plan to be exposed.

It can only be said that Jia Kui truly had the magnanimity to tolerate others.

However, just as the two were lamenting to themselves, a scout suddenly brought an urgent report from Xiangcheng.

It is said that the Han army suddenly crossed the Zhi River from Kunyang and launched a two-pronged attack on Fucheng and Xiangcheng.

The main force attacking Xiangcheng consisted of 10,000 infantry and cavalry, carrying the banner of the general Miwei!

Upon hearing the news, Cao Hong jumped up excitedly and praised Jia Kui:
"Heaven is on my side! Mi Wei failed to see through Jia Gong's weakness and ultimately fell into the trap!"

However, Jia Kui carefully examined the military report and thought carefully about the details before and after.

His expression was displeased, but rather suspicious: "If Mi Wei wants to burn my grain depots, he should send a swift army to cross several rivers and attack me when I am unprepared."

"How dare we advance with infantry and cavalry, using such a formidable formation to attack cities and seize territory?"

……

"To walk so openly and brazenly right under the noses of Jia Kui and Cao Hong, how will they possibly respond?"

Mi Wei pointed his whip at the distant city of Fucheng and asked a seemingly inexplicable question.
His subordinate, General Ma Zhong, was supervising the army and naturally had no time to reply.

Only Deng Ai, the clerk and assistant clerk, was relatively free, and since he enjoyed discussing military strategy, he answered fluently:
"It is necessary to divide our forces to deal with this."

"But Prince Jun will march directly to Xiangcheng under the banner of the envoy, and the Wei army will find it difficult to distinguish between the real and fake. There should not be many reinforcements coming to Fucheng."

Mi Wei nodded, but said:

"That being said, we still cannot be careless."

"After all, Fucheng and Xiangcheng stand side by side on the Ru River, forming a defensive alliance."

"If the Wei army doesn't come to our aid, fine; but if they do, we must ensure that both sides are safe."

“Wang Zijun may not be able to buy me much time, so we need to hurry up and advance.”

Deng Ai accepted the order to go and supervise the army.

Miwei's gaze then turned back to the city standing amidst the hills.

Fucheng was the city of Chengfu in the Chu state during the pre-Qin period.

Along with Kunyang and Yexian, it was a stronghold in the Chu Fangcheng defense system.

However, its position is further forward and to the north.

Therefore, although this place is near mountains, the terrain is relatively flat, mostly plains and hills, and not dangerous enough to be considered dangerous.

Mi Wei had previously consolidated his defenses in Fangcheng and had not sent troops to attack and capture the area.

But the other way around.

When he stops retreating, it will be a matter of course to take this place.

This... should be enough to dispel some of Jia Kui's doubts, right?
While he was pondering, the Wei army in Fucheng sounded the alarm drums.

Because this area is close to the front line of the confrontation between the Han and Wei dynasties, it is always on high alert.

Therefore, the garrison quickly closed the city gates.

Mi Wei sighed softly.

The upcoming siege will likely be anything but easy.

……

"The cities of Xiang and Fu must not be lost lightly."

Jia Kui stared at the map, seemingly communicating with someone, but actually muttering to himself.

“Given Mi Wei’s cautious nature, if I were to easily abandon the city, he would become suspicious and stop advancing north.”

"The gains or losses of a single city or place are not important."

"The key is to be careful when baiting the fish, so as not to scare them away..."

After careful consideration, Jia Kui loudly gave the order:
"Take my military order to the second city and command the soldiers within to defend it to the death. Anyone who fails in their duty will have their entire family executed!"

A military officer responded and left.

Not content with that, Jia Kui then said to another officer:
"Send a messenger to Cao Cao, telling his troops not to rush south across the Yi River. It's not too late to send troops after Mi Wei arrives in Yingyang!"

The officer accepted the order and left.

Jia Kui: "Wait!"

The officer turned around and stopped.

"Tell General Cao to stay as far away from Yingyang and Yingyin as possible when crossing the river. If it is impossible to remain hidden, then head north and hide in the mountains before crossing the river!"

After the second officer left, Jia Kui suddenly remembered something and prepared to call a halt to the operation again.

But he stopped abruptly as soon as he opened his mouth.

Am I becoming too anxious?
These were all things that had been explained beforehand.

Why do I always find myself giving repeated reminders?

Once you calm down

Jia Kui, a seasoned warrior, immediately realized that he had lost his composure.

However, this is not a big problem.

Even a military strategist as skilled as the late emperor often experienced moments of anxiety and unease.

This precisely illustrates the complexity of the situation and the strength of the opponent.

After a moment's thought, Jia Kui finally suppressed his urge to rush over and instead asked about something else:
"Where did the supply train and personnel from the Shangcai grain depot retreat to?"

(End of this chapter)