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

Chapter 340 Fighting on both the battlefield and the imperial court

Upon receiving the notification, Cao Hong immediately turned back to Hefei from the front lines in Anhui.

However, he did not immediately follow Guanqiu Jian's rescue efforts.

Instead, he first met someone in the city.

Jia Kui, who had already resigned from his official post and was now retired.

The two had worked together in Xuchang for many years and had developed a tacit understanding.

Cao Hong didn't waste any words and went straight to the point:

“That Han general Mi Wei is treacherous and wants to sow discord between us and the court.”

“If I do not go north to rescue them, I will be suspected of betraying my lord. This will cause discord between the ruler and his subjects, and will be of no benefit to the country.”

"If we go north to rescue them, then the arrogant and fierce soldiers and generals of Huainan will be uncontrollable. If they rebel, it will be of no benefit to the country."

"Master Jia is known for his wisdom in governing the country. I wonder what he can teach me?"

Jia Kui lingered on his sickbed for a long time, his breath barely a whisper.

After hearing this, he hesitated for a long time before finally managing to say in a hoarse voice:
"Does the general intend to install the Marquis of Xiapi as emperor instead?"

Cao Hong was speechless for a moment.

Even though Jia Liangdao is so ill, his mind is still exceptionally clear.

He revealed his darkest thoughts in a single sentence.

However, since he had come to seek advice from Jia Kui, he was naturally prepared, so he nodded slightly and said:

“If I abandon Luoyang, I will resent the current emperor.”

"I suppose the current emperor also dislikes my schemes."

"Mutual distrust between the ruler and his ministers is not a long-term solution; we must find another way out."

Jia Kui suddenly let out a "heh".

It sounded like a cold laugh, or perhaps like phlegm in the throat causing difficulty breathing.

Cao Hong was too lazy to argue, and sighed:

"It's a pity that Cao Zijian was really pedantic. On the one hand, he complained about his unfulfilled ambitions, and on the other hand, he wanted to be a loyal minister to his nephew."

"A forced relationship is never sweet. I have given up on this idea, so there's no need for you to mention it again, Mr. Jia."

As expected, Jia Kui did not mention Cao Zhi again.

He suddenly widened his eyes and stared blankly at Cao Hong.

Cao Hong initially dared not look him in the eye.

After a while, he suddenly realized something and burst into laughter.

The laughter only stopped when Jia Kui's son, Jia Chong, couldn't resist going into the room to check, only to be chased out by Jia Kui.

Cao Hong pointed to Jia Kui's chest, then to his own, and sneered:

"I had long suspected that Lord Jia shared my ideals, but alas, fate was unkind, and I have lost my dear companion!"

"However, it's good that Master Jia has gone first, so you won't have to face the problems that follow."

Jia Kui suddenly let out another "Heh".

This time, he actually spat out a mouthful of phlegm.

It was stained with blood.

Cao Hong then left without further disturbing Jia Kui.

As he stepped outside, he saw the young Jia Chong staring at him intently, seemingly trying to ingratiate himself.

Cao Hong originally intended to offer a few words of encouragement and establish a good relationship in advance.

But thinking about his uncertain future, he shook his head and ultimately said nothing more.

in fact.

Haven't you already figured out how to choose?

Either become a loyal subject of Wei and completely abandon Huainan.

They could either betray the Wei dynasty and defend Jiangdong in the south.

If I were Jia Kui, I would probably choose the latter.

But who can blame him for having the surname Cao, the same Cao as Emperor Wu?

Today, having abandoned Jianye, and unable to support Cao Zhi, even if I go to Jiangdong in the future, who will still respect me?
What we gain today is all derived from yesterday.

What we lose tomorrow stems from today.

……

The following day, Cao Hong sent a messenger to Zang Ba, instructing him to take over command of the siege of Wancheng.

At the same time, he led a large portion of the elite troops from Anhui to return to the front lines of Shouchun and Hefei.

They then selected troops from both locations, bringing together over 20,000 infantry and cavalry, along with sufficient civilian laborers, and officially marched north to relieve Yanzhou.

When they were about to cross the Huai River, Cao Hong, citing the high water level, ordered his auxiliary troops to carefully reinforce the pontoon bridge, preferring to proceed slowly rather than risk any accidents.

Before the bridge was fully reinforced, Xin Pi suddenly arrived from the south of Xuchang.

It also brought two important pieces of military intelligence.

One is Mi Wei's subordinate general, Xiang Chong, the commander of Fangcheng, who has already besieged Xuchang. Wang Ling, the governor of Yuzhou, failed to break out and can only hold out in the city awaiting reinforcements.

Secondly, Mi Wei amassed an army of about 30,000 to 40,000 at Guandu, but did not directly march north to Dongjun to reinforce Guanping.

Instead, they moved eastward along the canal to attack Junyi and Xiaohuang counties of Chenliu State (Prefecture).

All have been obtained.

Cao Hong chuckled upon hearing this:
"The Han army launched attacks from all sides in a short period of time, clearly because they were worried that we would be unable to resist if we went north to reinforce them, so they quickly seized cities and key locations."

"From this perspective, that so-called General Wei of the Shu Han Dynasty is cowardly before the battle even begins and is not worth fearing!"

Upon hearing this, everyone around him responded enthusiastically, their morale soaring.

Apart from Sinpi, who came to deliver the message.

Cao Hong admired this man no less than he admired Jia Kui, and naturally did not take offense.

Instead, they took him aside and privately consulted him:

"What does Master Xin want to say?"

Xinpi said urgently:
“I know that the general was just trying to boost morale, not that he really looked down on Mi Wei.”

"But as the saying goes, an arrogant army is bound to be defeated, and Mi Wei's military tactics are always steady yet unpredictable, often achieving unexpected results."

"When dealing with this kind of person, you can never be too careful."

Cao Hong nodded, accepting the other party's suggestion.

But Xinpi still felt it wasn't enough, and said:

"Just as I was heading south, my scouts discovered that enemy generals Kou Feng and Wang Ping were leading cavalry south along the Langdang Canal and the Ying River to plunder cities and granaries."

"Does the general know what their purpose is?"

Cao Hong laughed:

How could I not know?

"The county towns of Junyi and Xiaohuang, along with the capital of Chenliu State, are located at the confluence of waterways in eastern Yanzhou, a strategic location that military strategists must contend for."

"This summer, the waters are plentiful, and the canal transport is running smoothly."

"Controlling these three cities would naturally facilitate the transport of grain and troops within the Han army. Externally, it could, in turn, hinder my supply of troops and provisions to Dongjun."

"The two generals then plundered southward along the waterways and canals, all of which were extensions of this objective."

“That’s exactly right!” Xin Pi replied eagerly.

"From Shouchun to Xuchang, the Ying River is the main artery of the canal transport. Our army's provisions are mostly distributed in the counties along the river to facilitate the army's feeding."

"Now the enemy is raiding both sides of the strait, which, as the general said, will delay our northward march to rescue Yanzhou."

"Secondly... the general is not a foolish person, why ask a question you already know the answer to!"

As Xinpi spoke, his eyes suddenly sharpened.

So much so that it looked somewhat ferocious:
"The Han army's purpose is obvious to you, me, and all the wise people in the world."

"If the general doesn't launch a full-scale counterattack now and quickly head north to rescue Yanzhou, could it be that he harbors rebellious intentions and is deliberately delaying the inevitable?!"

By the end, Sinpi was almost hoarse from shouting.

This drew the attention of his generals on both sides.

Cao Hong was at a loss.

Is it appropriate to say such things out loud in public?

He immediately said angrily:
"Master Xin, Xin Zuozhi!"

"I respect you as a gentleman and a wise man, and I have repeatedly sought your advice. Why do you want to put me in such an unjust position!"

He lowered his voice again and said:
"Besides, you, I, and Jia Liangdao have already reached a tacit understanding, so why are you acting like this now?"

"Besides, didn't you just remind me that I could never be too careful when facing Mi Wei? So, my current actions of building bridges and making safe arrangements for my escape route are exactly what you said. Why are you scolding me?"

Xin Pi listened while sneering repeatedly.

Cao Hong laughed until his face turned red and then pale, before continuing:

“If the general had not come to Huai River and had continued to besiege Wan City, it would have been an unspoken understanding between us.”

"Now that you have come to Huai River, it is another kind of tacit understanding."

"But you, General, attack the city too quickly and cross the river too slowly. You hesitate and overthink everything you do... Who is it that lacks coordination?"

Cao Hong fell completely silent.

Xinpi wasn't there specifically to argue; seeing the other party's guilty expression, his tone softened.
"In this battle, Mi Wei may have been showing his skills on the battlefield, but he was actually focusing more on the imperial court."

"A general cannot be cautious only about the former while ignoring the latter."

"Back then, when Sun Bin besieged Wei to rescue Zhao, Pang Juan was forced to return to the rescue. Was he concerned about the gain or loss of a single city or territory in Daliang?"

"What he values ​​is King Hui of Wei's trust in him!"

"Without this trust, Pang Juan will have nothing!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Hong felt that the confusion and depression he had been feeling for some time had quickly dissipated, and he felt enlightened.

So he solemnly thanked Xin Pi and asked him to serve as his military advisor again so that they could rescue the north together.

Sinpi readily agreed.

(End of this chapter)