Shu Han Confucian General of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 297 Hidden danger
"How is this possible? Zhao Botao is still confronting Sima Yi in Hanzhong. How could he come to Pujin Pass? Could it be that Sima Yi is playing tricks?"

At this moment, the government offices in Anyi County were brightly lit, and all the high-ranking members of Cao Jun's expedition were on the line, and it was Cao Hong who was chattering.Hearing Cao Hong's noncommittal words, everyone had different expressions.Cao Cao looked around at the crowd and was about to speak, but he heard someone report that Xu Huang, who was attacking Tongguan, sent someone to send an emergency military situation.

"Gong Ming said, the guard at Tongguan was changed overnight from Jiang Qi to Zhao Botao's general Wang Ping!" Cao Cao said calmly, and then handed over the military report to everyone to watch.After such a circulation, everyone fell silent.The Pujin Pass is still there, and now even Tongguan has changed its banner, so something is really wrong.

"Could it be that Guanzhong is all Zhao Botao has?" Cao Zhen couldn't help muttering to himself when he heard the words. As soon as the words came out, the faces of everyone in the hall changed drastically.If this is the case, it will be in vain for me to raise troops this time.Even Cao Cao's face, which has always been calm, flashed a strange color.

Noticing Cao Cao's astonishment, Jia Xu said slowly, "My lord, although I don't know why Zhao Botao appeared here, it would be a bit alarmist to say that Zhao Botao occupied all of Guanzhong and Hanzhong! Hanzhong and Guanzhong There are more than [-] elite soldiers, and Zhao Botao has only sent troops for more than a month, how can he wipe them out? Moreover, even if he pacified Hanzhong, Guanzhong, Tongguan and Pujin Pass, it is enough to send generals to garrison them, how could he go out in person? Come to guard Pujin Pass?"

In the end it was Jia Xu. Although he didn't get accurate information and didn't understand all the circumstances, he could see the crux of the matter based on these clues.As soon as these words came out, the gloomy atmosphere suddenly became a little more relaxed.

"According to Wenhe's opinion, what should the situation be like now?" Cao Cao continued to ask after regaining his strength.Jia Xu pondered for a while and said: "The only plan now is to lead the army to attack Pujin Pass as soon as possible. Even if Zhao Botao captured Pujin Pass, he still has not yet gained a foothold. I am waiting here for nearly [-] people. Great army, attack with all your strength, why worry that the pass will not be broken!"

"That's very good. Send an order to march overnight and send troops to Pujin Pass!" Cao Cao also said quickly.I didn't want to listen to his words, but no one responded, and finally Cao Hong accompanied me carefully and said: "My lord, the soldiers have just been rewarded today, and they have already eaten and slept well, so I'm afraid it will be difficult for the whole army to go forward for a while! "

"What?" Cao Cao suddenly felt a headache when he heard the words, and finally he could only wave his hands and said: "Then let's dispatch troops as soon as possible tomorrow!" Then he signaled everyone to retreat.

"Ah!" After Cao Hong and the others withdrew, a tired and even helpless look appeared on Cao Cao's face.No one would have thought that this powerful man who ruled the world for half his life would be so exhausted and powerless.Cao Cao at this moment does not look like a majestic king at all, just like a tired old man.

"Zhao Botao, Zhao Botao, are you going to ruin my event again?" Cao Cao murmured.For this hateful name, Cao Cao has muttered countless times in private.

This is the person who designed to defeat him when he avenged his father and attacked Xuzhou, so that he was almost reduced to a bereaved dog under the attack of Liu Bei and Lu Bu;

It was also this person who marched into Yuzhou, used Cao Xiu to deceive him into Qiaojun, confiscated all his relatives' homes and dispatched them to Yanzhou, and then to Hebei;
It was still the same person who resolved his strategy of advancing the five-way armies into nothingness, and then took advantage of the situation to take down Hanzhong and Xichuan successively;
It was the same person who played with his general Xia Houyuan between applause and calmed Xiliang and Longxi in the blink of an eye;

In the end, it was this person again, who came out and rescued Liu Bei when he was about to play Liu Bei to death.Now, by no coincidence, he appeared in front of him, blocking his way into Guanzhong.Cao Cao, Cao Cao, is he your current nemesis?Thinking of this, Cao Cao, who has never believed in ghosts and gods, couldn't help but feel a little confused.That night, although he was exhausted, Cao Cao could hardly close his eyes.

Early the next morning, Cao Cao gathered his generals to prepare to send troops.After the crowd had gathered, Cao Cao found that everyone was shocked.

"Why are you so absent-minded?" Cao Cao asked strangely.After a long while, Cao Xiu said cautiously, "My lord, what's wrong with your hair?"

"My hair?" Cao Cao wondered, then took a look at the bronze mirror on the table.Seeing this, Cao Cao himself was stunned: the shadow in the mirror was already full of white hair, not even a single black one.

"This is, this is?" Cao Cao was incoherent for a while.After a while, Cao Cao put down the mirror, raised his head and said nonchalantly, "There is no need to panic, all the generals, each go to rectify the army horses and get ready to go!"

"Promise!" Cao Hong and the others agreed to go and prepare not to mention it.After everyone left, only Cao Cao and Jia Xu were left in the tent.Cao Cao was silent for a while, but finally smiled wryly: "Wen He, Gu is old after all!"

"My lord, why did you say that, when you return to Ye City and call the imperial doctor for diagnosis and treatment, you will be safe!" Jia Xu comforted.Seeing that Cao Cao shook his head desolately, he finally said with some regret: "Yuan Benchu, Liu Xuande, although these opponents are formidable, they still can't defeat me. There is only one thing in this world that can truly defeat Cao Mengde, and that is time." !"

"My lord!" Jia Xu was in a hurry when he heard the words, and was waiting for Cao Cao to wave his hand to stop the remonstrance, then Cao Cao ordered the whole army to march as soon as possible to Pubanjin.Jia Xu looked at Cao Cao's white hair, opened his mouth, but finally said nothing.

Jia Xu knew that the reason why Cao Cao was so eager to fight this battle was to take back Guanzhong.Cao Cao has changed since he missed that almost easy victory the year before last.This old man, who is over half a century old, seems to have regained the vitality of eating, drinking, whoring and gambling in his youth, and suddenly became very energetic, and began to arrange various matters in an orderly manner.Even the headache, which has always troubled him, seldom attacks, and almost heals automatically.It is under Cao Cao's almost tireless work that Hebei's vitality can recover so quickly.

For Cao Cao's anomaly, almost everyone in the Cao Cao Group felt rather surprised, but then almost everyone was delighted.They think that this is almost the same as Cao Cao, otherwise Cao Cao would not be so energetic, almost rejuvenated, but Jia Xu has his own worries.

It's not that Jia Xu doesn't believe in the destiny, but no matter how much he believes in the destiny, there must be something in order to make sense.Now that Cao Cao is so abnormal, Jia Xu is even more worried that he is returning to the past.All these worries confirmed Jia Xu's estimation even more after Cao Cao turned white overnight.

Cao Cao is really overdrawing his energy.Now, it is almost exhausted.

But even so, Jia Xu also knew that he could not persuade Cao Cao.If Guanzhong cannot be regained, Cao Cao's strength cannot compete with Liu Bei.If Liu Bei seizes Guanzhong, then Cao Cao's half of the country will also be unstable.Compared with Cao Cao, Liu Bei is a few years younger, and his body is much tougher.Once something happens to Cao Cao, who can lead the Hebei army to deal with Liu Bei?

Cao Pi?He may have a bit of political talent, but in terms of military strategy, he is far from being the opponent of Liu Bei, who has been fighting in the shadows all his life;
Cao Zhang?He is very good at fighting, but no matter how good he is at fighting, it is only the courage of a man;

Cao Zhi?Forget it, you should write poetry.Even Cao Pi, who is the most capable, can't beat Liu Bei.Once Cao Cao dies, let alone enter into Guanzhong, even if he continues to contend with Liu Bei, it will be difficult for Cao Pi to keep this half of the country.Not to mention, in fact, Cao Pi is not in good health, suffering from tuberculosis.Because of this, Cao Cao was anxious to take Guanzhong before he died.Even if it is too late to unify the world, he still has to fight for some capital for his son.

In view of this, Jia Xu knew that the current Cao Cao would never listen to his advice.With a deep sigh in his heart, Jia Xu quickly followed Cao Cao, and then went to Pujin Pass to kill him.

"Look, my lord, it is indeed Zhao Botao's banner. The ferry on the opposite side has been burned down, and all the upstream and downstream ships have been mobilized, but the final general has ordered people to go farther away!" Cao Hong pointed to the place on the bank of the Yellow River. Pujin Pass on the opposite side also said helplessly.In fact, it was only more than a day before Zhao Feng entered Pujin Pass, but it was enough for him to do some damage.

"Requisition ships and prepare to build a pontoon bridge!" Cao Cao ordered with a blank expression as he looked at the Zhao character flag on the opposite side of the city.But at this time, Pujin closed, Zhao Feng looked at Cao Cao's invisible army, and secretly sweated.

"General, I just received a letter from General Zhang Ren, and they will arrive in four days!" Niu Jin came forward and said.

"Four days?" Zhao Feng looked at Cao's army on the opposite side, with [-] defenders, blocking [-] Cao's army for four days, can he do it himself?
Naturally, it is impossible to do it head-on. Since it cannot be done, Zhao Feng has to think of other ways.I tried everything possible, but I could only delay the time as much as possible, and it lasted for a moment.Seeing Cao Cao looking for ships and building floating bridges, Zhao Feng could only pray that Cao Jun's construction level had better be inferior, and the longer the construction time, the better.It is best to build the pontoon bridge two days later.

As for sending people to block the attack along the river bank, don't be ridiculous, now there are only 5000 troops in total, can we still divide the troops?Of course, giving up obstruction is basically tantamount to acquiescing that one's own strength is insufficient.Cao Cao has been on the battlefield for a long time, and he would not have missed this.

"My lord, it seems that Zhao Botao's troops are insufficient, so he didn't deploy defenses along the river. After our army crosses the river, we can attack the city!" Looking at the motionless defenders in the city, Jia Xu said softly.

"Don't be careless!" Cao Cao said lightly, then seemed to be talking to himself, and seemed to be asking Jia Xu, Cao Cao murmured: "How did this Zhao Botao come to Pujin Pass?"

"This man employs troops in an eclectic manner, his rules are as solid as gold, and his attack will surprise him. He is really a general!" Jia Xu didn't know whether he was sighing or was answering Cao Cao.After saying the last few words, both of them sighed.

In the afternoon, a lot of materials and ships were collected, and Cao Cao ordered to build a pontoon bridge.Finally in the evening, the pontoon bridge was built.Seeing Cao Jun crossing the river one after another, Zhao Feng secretly prayed in his heart, don't attack the city overnight.

However, Cao Cao didn't seem to want to attack the city overnight. Although the pontoon bridge was built, the space in front of Pujin Pass was limited, and the Cao army who came across the river for the first time was only more than [-] people.But among these more than [-] people, there is Cao Cao himself.Looking at the calm Zhao Feng on the top of the wall, Cao Cao's lips trembled, and finally he rode forward.Jia Xu and Xu Chu were slightly surprised, but they followed.Cao Cao walked directly to the base of the city, almost outside the range of the bow and arrow, and said in a loud voice: "General Zhao Botao, please come out and speak!"

(End of this chapter)