Wuxia: The Super Slave Master

Page 369

Cao Cao personally and secretly arrived at the front lines in Fancheng. Indeed, just as Zhang Zhao had predicted, once Cao Cao arrived at the front, the war in the south could essentially be declared over. However, this time Cao Cao arrived secretly without bringing more troops—but that wasn't necessarily the case, since he could march quietly or urgently transport troops after the war began; these were all feasible options.

In the council hall of Fancheng, Xiahou Dun suggested that we immediately begin the attack on Jingzhou: "Now that our lord has arrived at the front line, we have nearly 300,000 troops in the Nanyang and Fancheng area. We can start the battle now... Yu Jin's 100,000 troops can hold off Huang Zhong, and Cao Hong and I will form a pincer attack on the left and right, and we will be able to take Jingzhou within half a month."

“Huang Zhong’s 100,000 cavalry are the iron cavalry of Guanzhong… You have witnessed his prowess firsthand,” Yu Jin said slowly. “My lord, please send me more troops… We can still spare about 200,000 troops in the north. I suggest that Cao Cao send another 100,000 south to ensure the successful completion of the attack on Jingzhou…” Clearly, although Yu Jin felt that more troops should be used to deal with Huang Zhong, he still supported launching an attack on Jingzhou. In fact, most of Cao Cao’s generals and strategists advocated for an immediate war.

However, Cao Cao remained silent on the matter, as if he were waiting for something.

Those who know Cao Cao well will understand that he remained quite cautious in this matter. If the northern barbarians abandoned their fight against the Xiongnu and marched south directly, his northern heartland would easily suffer a fatal blow, and his main force at the front would be stabbed in the back.

Cao Cao was waiting.

Finally, a few days after Fa Zheng's first appearance in Xinye, Cao Cao's group of strategists arrived in Fancheng and Nanyang one after another. Cheng Yu, who arrived in Fancheng, brought news that Luo Chen had led about 150,000 cavalry to the Hexi Corridor and the desert, and that war between Xu Da and the Xiongnu in the north seemed imminent.

At this time, the Cai clan in Jingzhou officially enthroned their youngest son, Liu Cong, as the ruler of Jingzhou. Naturally, Liu Qi, in Jiangxia, would not acknowledge this. However, Jiangxia was far from the political center of Jingzhou and powerless to contend with the Cai clan. Of course—while Jiangxia was indeed remote, it also objectively saved Liu Qi's life; otherwise, he might have been placed under house arrest or killed.

A few days later, a messenger brought news that Xu Da's army had encountered the main force of the Xiongnu in the north, and the entire army was involved in the battle against the Xiongnu.

Cao Cao immediately stood up and summoned Xiahou Dun and Cao Hong, who were in Fancheng: "You two must move out immediately. Xiahou Dun, head to Xinye; Cao Hong, head to Xiangyang; Yu Jin, lead the troops and prepare for Huang Zhong's intervention! Even if the troops are insufficient, you must set off immediately. Reinforcements will be transferred from Nanyang to make up for it! How many days can the Xiongnu survive? We must take Jingzhou before Xu Da defeats the Xiongnu!"

"Yes!" Except for Yu Jin's 100,000 infantry and cavalry, all the troops in Xiangyang City left the city. At the same time, the troops in Nanyang and Xuchang also began to move south rapidly.

In the summer and autumn of that year, Cao Cao finally launched a fierce offensive to expand into Jingzhou.

Xiahou Dun led 100,000 cavalry straight towards Xinye. Liu Bei put up a weak resistance at Xinye, then began to retreat south with his army and civilians. At the same time, Cao Hong led 50,000 cavalry to attack Xiangyang. The garrison in Xiangyang, along with the surrounding troops, exceeded 100,000, but their organization and command were extremely poor.

Wen Ping, who had been absent for a long time, finally appeared at the gates of Xiangyang, offering to assist in the defense of the city. Wen Ping was, after all, a renowned general of Jingzhou, and the garrison allowed him to pass. Unexpectedly, Wen Ping largely took control of Xiangyang's military and political affairs, and surrendered to Cao Cao. Large numbers of Jingzhou soldiers in Xiangyang surrendered, some beginning to flee south.

Cao Cao finally caught up with Liu Bei at Changban Slope, where Liu Bei suffered a crushing defeat. Zhao Yun became famous in the Battle of Changban Slope. In this battle, Liu Bei's army was almost completely wiped out. Fortunately, Guan Yu led the navy north and met Liu Bei's remaining troops. Liu Bei led his pitiful remaining forces down the Xiang River and temporarily retreated to Jiangxia.

Cao Cao's army of 200,000 men arrived at the walls of Jingzhou in two columns, so fast that reinforcements from Nanyang and Xuchang did not arrive in time.

The Cai family, along with Liu Cong, surrendered, and Jingzhou officially changed hands.

Chapter 149 Beneath Jingling City

Among those who fled with Liu Bei were Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Mi Zhu, Mi Fang, Sun Qian, Jian Yong, and others, including Fa Zheng. Fa Zheng's southward journey to Xinye drew intense attention from all sides. After Liu Bei arrived in Xinye, Fa Zheng delivered Luo Chen's letter to him: "Uncle Liu, the Liu and Luo families have formed an alliance. I have instructed my strategist Fa Zheng to go to Xinye to assist you. This man is capable, decisive, and resourceful; you can use him as an advisor and command him accordingly. Luo Chen."

Although Liu Bei had already heard that Fa Zheng was coming and was somewhat prepared, he was still slightly surprised. This method of cooperation seemed a bit too intimate... Of course, the level of cooperation between allied nations in modern times is far greater than that in ancient times... Fa Zheng, on the other hand, was frank and said to Liu Bei, "Uncle, you can order me to do anything you need. I will never inquire about or spread any secrets of your army."

Frankly, Liu Bei didn't particularly like this approach. It essentially meant his military and political affairs were now under Luo Chen's watchful eye… With Fa Zheng as an advisor, he naturally needed to know many military and political matters. Wouldn't that make him essentially Luo Chen's vassal? The proper solution was to find a strategist himself. However, Sun Qian and Jian Yong were both scholars, and Yi Ji lacked strategic acumen, besides, his current whereabouts were unknown. More importantly, in the current situation, every other faction was stronger than him; he needed the protection of Luo Chen's group to survive. Therefore, although Liu Bei was reluctant, he still put on a smiling face and agreed.

When Cao Cao's army began its attack on Xinye, Huang Zhong still had the advice that Fa Zheng had given him: immediately send troops to attack the Cai clan; do not engage in direct conflict with Cao Cao's army; you can occupy key towns near Yizhou, but not too many; support Liu Bei before Cao Cao's army arrives, and stop assisting Liu Bei after Cao Cao's army arrives.

He had almost entirely followed Cao Cao's advice. Before Cao Cao sent troops, he unhesitatingly dispatched his iron cavalry to massacre the cavalry of Jingzhou, completely resolving the predicament in Xinye. Now that Cao Cao was sending troops to implement Fa Zheng's suggestion, he naturally had to remain silent, only pushing his forces forward to Fangling and constructing fortifications.

Cao Cao launched a brazen attack on Jingzhou. Frankly, the entire Luo Chen group was overwhelmed and unable to cope. Cao Cao's timing was indeed precise: Xu Da's army was engaged in a direct confrontation with the main force of the Xiongnu at the front lines, instantly turning the northern grasslands into the most intense battlefield in the country. Meanwhile, Luo Chen was far away in Hexi and naturally couldn't attend to it. Therefore, Luo Chen only had Zhuge Liang issue a brief protest, but the wording was quite strong: "Cao Cao's army yesterday brazenly attacked Xinye and Xiangyang, launching a full-scale attack on Jingzhou, breaking the stability of the southern situation. This is extremely irresponsible and blatantly violates the reconciliation agreement reached between Prime Minister Luo Chen and Cao Cao. Cao Cao must bear corresponding responsibility for this behavior and pay the price for his actions." — Zhuge Liang

Cao Cao's army responded with silence and iron hooves.

Fa Zheng paid the price for his advice, experiencing for the first time what it was like to be chased in the chaos of battle. If Liu Bei hadn't been so righteous as to send a guard to protect him, Fa Zheng might have been killed by Cao Cao's soldiers… His lifelong reputation would have been ruined; what a pity! However, Liu Bei's generals were indeed formidable; Fa Zheng instantly understood why Luo Chen had desperately tried to recruit Liu Bei into his ranks.

Yu Jin ultimately failed to secure more troops. Cao Cao strictly ordered him to hold off Huang Zhong, preventing Huang Zhong's Guanzhong cavalry from advancing even a single step into Jingzhou. However, Yu Jin waited for a long time, but Huang Zhong did not emerge from the city. Not only did he not come out, but he also widened and fortified the city walls, making it appear as if he were preparing for defense. However, Yu Jin feared that Huang Zhong was a cunning old fox, so he was extremely cautious and dared not relax his vigilance in the slightest… In fact, Huang Zhong was not lying to him this time; Huang Zhong genuinely did not want to fight…

Liu Bei slipped into Jiangxia, and Cao Cao's iron cavalry arrived at the gates of Jingzhou. Soon after, Cao Cao marched south and reached Jingzhou. The people of Jingzhou watched in silence as Cao Cao's iron cavalry marched into the city. Liu Cong, Cai Mao, Zhang Yun, Meng Yue, and others waited at the city gate.

Cao Cao rode on horseback, with guards holding blue silk canopies behind him, and a group of guards and newly arrived generals surrounding him. Dian Wei, Xu Chu, Xu Huang, Li Dian, Yue Jin, and many other generals led approximately 100,000 troops from the north south, entering Jingzhou and joining Cao Cao. Liu Cong and the others were seeing Cao Cao for the first time—though they had heard of him before. They saw a man of medium height, with a slightly dark complexion, quite ugly, and a beard reaching his chest. He gave the impression of being domineering and cunning. Dressed in a purplish-red robe, he slowly approached, surrounded by guards and generals. Cai Mao tugged at Liu Cong's sleeve, and Liu Cong immediately prostrated himself on the ground. Cai Mao and the others followed suit, saying, "Greetings, Lord Cao."

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Cao Cao nodded slightly: "Please rise." His eyes lingered on Liu Cong for a moment: "This young master, are you Liu Cong, the lord of Jingzhou?" Liu Cong was somewhat frightened and stammered, "Yes." Cao Cao nodded without saying another word.

His gaze immediately shifted elsewhere, and Cai Mao felt that cold gaze sweep over him, making him feel a little uneasy. Cao Cao's gaze lingered on Meng Yue for a moment: "Mr. Meng, I have long heard of Mr. Meng Yue of Jingzhou, a man of extraordinary talent."

"I wouldn't dare," Meng Yue said calmly, raising her head.

"Why did you surrender?" Cao Cao asked abruptly with a smile.

"My lord Liu Cong, along with Lady Cai, General Cai Mao, General Zhang Yun, and others who assisted in governing, have jointly decided to surrender. I obey the decision of the governing council." Meng Yue said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

...... . ...

"You are also one of the ministers in charge of governance, what is your attitude?" Cao Cao asked with a smile.

"I am willing to serve Lord Cao," Meng Yue said calmly.

Cao Cao asked no further questions and rode into the city. Afterwards, Cheng Yu found Cai Mao, Zhang Yun, and others, and summoned them to the council hall for a meeting.

"How much money and provisions does the Jingzhou army have?" Cao Cao asked coldly as he flipped through the register of Jingzhou's military and civilian households.

Cai Mao hurriedly stepped forward and said, "We have 50,000 cavalry, 150,000 infantry, and 100,000 naval troops, totaling 300,000. Most of our money and provisions are in Jiangling, with a considerable amount in Jiangxia as well. The rest of the supplies are enough to last us a year." Cao Cao's civil and military officials all showed delight. Jingzhou was indeed wealthy; they hadn't offered any real resistance and had simply handed it over. Truly, a wicked general leads to a wicked army.

“But the cavalry suffered heavy losses and their ranks were decimated after being defeated by Huang Zhong,” Cai Mao said, bowing his head. The generals beside Cao Cao all sneered.

"You two will each be enfeoffed as marquises. Cai Mao will be the Marquis of Zhennan, and Zhang Yun will be the Marquis of Yongshun. Cai Mao will be the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, and Zhang Yun will be his Deputy Commander-in-Chief." Cao Cao's expression changed, and he directly promoted these two men to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Navy and granted them marquises. Cai Mao and Zhang Yun were overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly.

"Mr. Meng, you are hereby appointed as a councilor." Cao Cao glanced at Meng Yue, seemingly intending to assign him to the staff.

Chapter 150 Liu Lin Becomes a High Official

Liu Lin, the Prefect of Jingling, finally witnessed the arrival of Cao Cao's army. Cao Hong's iron cavalry marched in a mighty force directly to the walls of Jingling, without even sending a messenger beforehand. It should be noted that Liu Lin and Cao Cao had previously maintained close ties, and Cao Cao was Liu Lin's main external supporter.

Beside Cao Hong was Wen Ping, a naval commander who surrendered in Xiangyang and had been following Cao Hong ever since.

The city gate opened a crack, and a Cao army lieutenant rushed in, heading straight for Liu Lin's council hall. Liu Lin summoned all his civil and military officials, welcoming him with the same respect due to a formal envoy from Cao Cao's army. The ceremony was indeed grand, with gongs and drums beating loudly, and rows of guards. However, the envoy he was welcoming was neither a renowned general nor an important strategist under Cao Cao. It was merely an ordinary lieutenant, hastily dispatched by Cao Hong. This lieutenant, covered in dust and looking astonished, entered the magnificent hall. Speaking with a distinct northern accent, he said, "General Cao Hong requests you open the gate… the city's troops are undergoing reorganization."

All the civil and military officials present felt extremely embarrassed… Liu Lin felt even more ashamed. Good heavens, he had gone to great lengths to welcome the envoy, only to be greeted by a low-ranking officer, who was merely representing Cao Hong and not Cao Cao's will at all. Furthermore… this message sounded like a surrender offer, even involving reorganization… Liu Lin had originally planned to establish de facto autonomy in Jingling, remaining the Prefect of Jingling himself, and then receiving an official position and title from Cao Cao's central government. He hadn't expected to be asked to move his own army right off the bat.

Liu Lin was immediately displeased and said with a stern face, "I want to see Cao Cao's envoy. We have always been in contact with Cao Cao. How about... General Cao Hong take a detour for now? We in Jingling City firmly swear to obey Cao Cao's orders and will immediately send an envoy to contact Cao Cao."

The officer was merely a messenger sent by Cao Hong. Since the message had been delivered, there was no need to beat around the bush: "General Cao Hong has received orders to garrison every city in this region. If you resist the reorganization, you will bear the consequences!" With that, he turned and left.

Sure enough, not long after, the officer shouted from below the city walls again. Liu Lin went up to the city walls, and the previously obedient ranks began to change, observing the cavalry maneuvering around Jingling City on both sides, as if preparing for battle. Further away, catapults bared their claws, as if urgently being deployed to the city gates.

His city of Jingling was well-fortified and had ample supplies... but to directly resist Cao Cao's army was simply impossible. Now that the entire Jingzhou had surrendered, did Jingling still intend to fight Cao Cao's army? That was clearly courting death. Liu Lin panicked, knowing he absolutely could not go against Cao Cao, or he wouldn't live for more than a few days. It seemed he had no choice but to agree to any of Cao Hong's demands.

The city gates opened, but this time Liu Lin didn't invite him to the council hall. Instead, he went directly to the city wall to speak. This time, the general's attitude was harsh, and he immediately launched into a tirade: "I've come to convey General Cao Hong's message. I'll give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to open the city gates immediately and accept the reorganization of the army. Otherwise, you will all be punished for resisting reorganization and defying Lord Cao." Liu Lin felt as if something had been forcibly stuffed into his mouth, leaving him speechless. He had originally planned to gain various privileges. Now, Cao Hong didn't take him seriously at all... In his eyes, Liu Lin was no different from other county officials, Jingling City was no different from other counties, and the entire Jingzhou had surrendered, so all the city gates had to be opened for reorganization. Anyone who resisted would be immediately captured by cavalry.

"Very well, General Cao, please wait a moment," Liu Lin said coldly. The general glared at Liu Lin and swaggered down the city wall. However, Liu Lin immediately summoned a messenger and dictated a letter to Cao Cao: "My dear brother Cao, Jingling surrendered to you long before the rest of Jingzhou, swearing allegiance. You entrusted me with an important task then. Today, General Cao Hong and I have victoriously joined forces. I ask for nothing more than to lead the Jingling army and its people to continue serving you. I am willing to offer up the resources of Jingling. As for the matter of appointment, I am of limited talent and dare not shoulder your great responsibility. I only wish to serve you in Jingling. Your brother, Liu Lin, bows deeply."

Shortly after, the gates of Jingling opened, and Cao Hong's cavalry, numbering approximately ten thousand, marched in. Cao Hong didn't make things difficult for Liu Lin, but simply announced: "Liu Lin, the former Prefect of Jingling, now pledges allegiance to Lord Cao in Jingling. I will assume the position of Military and Political Commander of Jingling. All troops in Jingling will begin reorganization. All administrative officials in Jingling will remain unchanged. During my absence, Prefect Liu Lin will preside over the government's work."

Having said this, without even glancing at Liu Lin and the officials of Jingling, he rode directly out of the city. He left a general with over ten thousand cavalry to oversee the military coup. All troops, according to their household registration, were to be incorporated into Cao Hong's army, merging with the troops Cao Hong had brought into the city. All other armed forces were to be disbanded on the spot. This merged army would be fully responsible for the security and defense of Jingling. As for this merged army, Cao Hong only left a general to command it. Clearly, Liu Lin was only temporarily assuming the functions of the head of government; his command of the army had been completely stripped away.

After all, Cao Hong had a lot of reforms to deal with. He was the military and political leader of a series of counties in the Xiangjiang area, but he only ordered the city gates to be opened and took a look. He never actually entered the city.

Liu Lin's letter indeed had an effect, and soon Cao Cao's general Li Dian arrived in Jingling City. Li Dian summoned the civil and military officials of Jingling and presented the token and letter personally given to him by Cao Cao. "From now on, I will take over the military and political affairs of Jingling in place of General Cao Hong. Due to the special circumstances of Jingling, Lord Cao personally sent me here."

Liu Lin assumed Cao Cao would allow him to continue serving in Jingling… after all, his letter had been so humble. However, it was clear to anyone with discernment that the letter primarily reviewed his glorious history of surrendering to Cao Cao, reminded him of the high position Cao Cao had offered him, and then said that a high position was unnecessary, the position of Prefect of Jingling would suffice, even providing Cao Cao with some of Jingling's funds and provisions. In short, he was trying to substantively establish autonomy for Jingling. So, how could Li Dian now be appointed as the military and political leader of Jingling?

Li Dian then said with a beaming smile, "Lord Cao praised General Liu Lin in his letter, and now he bestows upon General Liu Lin the title of Marquis of Shunnan, and appoints him as Minister of Internal Affairs. General Liu Lin is invited to Jingzhou to receive his title." Upon hearing this, Liu Lin felt dizzy and overjoyed… Cao Cao was indeed generous, actually granting him a marquisate and directly appointing him as a high-ranking minister… Overwhelmed with joy, Liu Lin happily followed Li Dian to Jingzhou. Naturally—he was killed by Li Dian midway. Liu Lin becoming a high-ranking minister—he was dreaming.

A few days later, Liu Cong and Lady Cai, along with their son, were killed in the same manner.

Chapter 151 Xu Da, filled with worry

Xu Da's main force clashed with the Xiongnu army, and the northern battlefield officially entered a phase of intense confrontation. In terms of scale, this was the largest battlefield and the largest war in the country at the time. —Although the people of the Central Plains were temporarily shocked by the earth-shattering changes in Jingzhou, and even somewhat overlooked this war.

Following the heated debates and discussions among the Xiongnu leaders at the Yinshan Conference, Zhongting now holds command of the army, while Yesuo has been dismissed and sent to the Hexi Corridor to quell unrest. With Zhongping's tacit approval, Zhongting, Elu, and others have abandoned Yesuo's conservative tactics and begun to seek proactive attacks. This coincides with the wishes of Xu Da, the general in charge of the fallen army, making a direct confrontation in the north inevitable.

The northern front was divided into two parts. Xiahou Yuan led 150,000 cavalry and 100,000 infantry, stationed at Shuofang. Ma Chao led 150,000 cavalry and 50,000 infantry, stationed around Jiuyuan. After Luo Chen's attack reached the desert, an unexpected incident occurred: he encountered a pack of wolves and engaged in small-scale close combat. Luo Chen cautiously ordered Xu Da to immediately make some moves in front of them to confuse the main Xiongnu force and cover Luo Chen, Chang Yuchun, and Lü Bu's raid towards the Hexi Corridor.

After receiving the order to conduct a large-scale exercise to create momentum, Xu Da naturally had his own ideas. Currently, there were still over 400,000 Xiongnu troops on the northern front (Luo Chen had taken about 150,000 with him). Based on the Xiongnu population estimate and preliminary reconnaissance, even if the entire Xiongnu army were concentrated, it would only number 200,000 to 300,000, certainly not exceeding Xu Da's forces. Furthermore, Xu Da's Xiongnu troops were of exceptionally high combat quality, many of them either born into or influenced by the Guanzhong Iron Cavalry. Based on previous combat experience, the Guanzhong Iron Cavalry of the Xiongnu was in no way inferior to the Xiongnu Iron Cavalry, and even held an advantage. Xu Da now commanded 300,000 cavalry and 150,000 infantry, with the majority of the cavalry trained according to the Guanzhong Iron Cavalry model. In short, Xu Da, with his own forces, could confront and defeat the main Xiongnu force head-on.

So why not make this a real conflict? They could directly defeat the main force of the Xiongnu on the battlefield, and then Lord Luochen could clean up the remaining enemies in Hexi, deterring the Qiang people. This would essentially solve the northern problem. This would save a lot of time. Because of Yesuo's avoidance of battle, the Luochen army has been stuck in the north for several months. If things continue like this, the northern battlefield could become a quagmire… Now that Cao Cao's army has resolved the Hebei problem and begun its southward advance, it's foreseeable that Jingzhou will soon be a battleground. At that time, Huang Zhong alone seems unlikely to be able to guarantee the Luochen group's interests in Jingzhou… If Cao Cao seizes Jingzhou, then takes Jiangdong and controls the south, the Luochen group's strength will clearly be inferior to Cao Cao's. Rumor has it that Cao Cao's army has increased dramatically after conquering Hebei; if he takes Jingzhou, it could reach a million-strong force. In that case, the Luochen group certainly cannot compete…

Now, Luo Chen hastily dispatched Fa Zheng to Xinye, appointing him as Luo Chen's representative and advisor to Liu Bei. Xu Da subtly expressed his concerns to him. Luo Chen's appointment was strange; he directly sent his deputy strategist to serve as an advisor to the weak Liu Bei... but Fa Zheng accepted without hesitation.

Fa Zheng mounted his horse lightly, his scholar's robes tightly bound, giving him a somewhat Hunnic appearance. But that wasn't entirely true, as Luo Chen didn't seem to like loose robes either. He had specially commissioned a tailor to make a rather narrow garment… Xu Da had specially dispatched a guard of over a hundred men to escort him; this journey would take at least ten days, and who knew how the situation would change by then. Xu Da personally saw him off at the southern gate of Shuofang. He asked Fa Zheng, "Sir, how will you turn the tide in Jingzhou? Has Lord Luo Chen given you any instructions?" Fa Zheng didn't answer, but instead asked, "According to the General's opinion, what is the current outlook for Jingzhou?"

Xu Da was always cautious and never spoke carelessly. Besides, he wasn't particularly close to Fa Zheng, so why would he speak? He simply shook his head slightly and said, "The situation is difficult. Prime Minister Luo told me this personally in his letter."

Seeing this, Fa Zheng guessed Xu Da's thoughts: "General, you think that now that Cao Cao has resolved the war in Hebei, a war in Jingzhou will inevitably break out soon. At that time, Jingzhou will change hands, and Liu Bei will be in danger. Huang Zhong's 100,000 troops will have no chance of getting a share in the battle for Jingzhou. At that time, the Luo Chen Group will completely lose control of Jingzhou. Is that right?" Fa Zheng spoke a series of calculations without pausing, and every sentence accurately hit Xu Da's thoughts.

"Very likely." Xu Da had no choice but to admit it, but he was determined to stick to his point of view. He wanted to hear Fa Zheng's thoughts: what ingenious method would be used to resolve the situation, or should they simply let things take their course? "The situation in Jingzhou is dire, that's obvious. Not only is Jingzhou in dire straits, Liu Bei is in danger of losing control, and even Sun Quan in Jiangdong is likely to succumb to Cao Cao's intimidation. Or, if he manages to fight, he'll be quickly defeated. The strength of the entire south is far inferior to Cao Cao's. What worries me is that while we are still engaged in a hard-fought battle in the desert, Cao Cao has already taken advantage of the situation to expand in the south, and his strength has increased dramatically."

Xu Da looked out at the vast desert in the distance, where there were only a few scattered patrols. The main force of the Xiongnu had not yet shown itself, and his lord, Luo Chen, was still struggling in the desert.

“I am very worried. Didn’t Guo Jia make a prediction back then? Cao Cao and Luo Chen’s two families will definitely have a 563-battle. After abandoning the attack on Tong Pass and our army went north to fight the Xiongnu, the core task of Cao Cao’s group is to expand its strength as soon as possible. As long as we take the south, we will have the strength to defeat my Luo Chen group.”

“I’m very worried,” Xu Da repeated. “Things are developing in this direction now.”

"So what does the General intend to do?" Fa Zheng asked thoughtfully.

"What are you going to do?" Xu Da countered. "Lord Luo Chen personally appointed you to go to Jingzhou. He adopted all the suggestions you gave Huang Zhong, which shows that he trusts you quite a bit about the Jingzhou strategy, and even entrusted you with its design. From now on, the future of the southern war is inextricably linked to you. The key question is, what do you plan to do?"

Xu Da rarely spoke so directly. For example, when it was said that he was going to Jingzhou, he would only mention the surface-level details like "taking office in Xinye," and would never mention the underlying reasons, such as "designing the southern war situation." This was Luo Chen's consideration, and Xu Da neither interrupted nor even expressed it; he simply kept it to himself.

"General, haven't you always wanted to know the content of our conversation back then?" Fa Zheng suddenly brought up that famous conversation, which was said to have laid out the Luo Chen Group's strategic plans for the south.

Chapter 152 Farewell Conversation

Xu Da was startled; he really wanted to know the contents of that conversation. Luo Chen had mentioned it to him before, saying something like, "I discussed it with Fa Zheng, and his strategic views on Jingzhou and the south are excellent," but he hadn't told him the specifics. As a general, Xu Da was too embarrassed to ask directly, so he could only probe indirectly.

Now, so much time has passed, and when Luo Chen faced a critical situation in Jingzhou, he urgently appointed Fa Zheng, sending him from Shuofang to Jingzhou. This reveals Luo Chen's consistent thinking: appreciating Fa Zheng's views—adopting Fa Zheng's suggestions—directly sending him to Jingzhou to intervene in the southern war.

"So what does the lord mean? What are your plans?" Xu Da asked.

"My lord's intention is also my opinion, which is to form an alliance between Sun Quan and Liu Bei to oppose Cao Cao," Fa Zheng said smugly.

For a moment, Xu Da felt this was a very good way out, but then he frowned. "This is a gamble," he said softly. "I know Lord Luo Chen is very capable, but in this game, the chances are so slim. I don't know what method Lord Luo Chen will use to create a miracle... If we fail, the situation will be very unfavorable for us."

"What do you mean?" Fa Zheng asked, noticing that Xu Da's expression suggested he didn't quite agree.

"You mentioned the Sun-Liu alliance. Now I predict that with Cao Cao entering Jingzhou, the situation will change drastically, and Liu Bei will inevitably suffer a major defeat. The best outcome would be for him to escape to Jiangxia; the worst outcome would be for him to be captured or killed on the battlefield. In any case, the final result will be that Cao Cao takes over Jingzhou's abundant military and logistical resources, his strength will surge to a million, while Liu Bei's strength will be greatly weakened, and Jiangdong will be under Cao Cao's watchful eye." Xu Da's mind worked quickly, as if the events were unfolding before his eyes. "Then, sir, do you have any ideas on how to prevent this from happening?"

Fa Zheng fell silent. As a Confucian scholar, even without a method, he could concoct a long string of nonsense to fool people. After all, a Confucian scholar is never without something to say. But the man before him was a general, seriously questioning him. Xu Da was no pushover; he certainly wouldn't be fooled, and their exchange was quite frank. Fa Zheng had no intention of deceiving him. He would use the most concise, succinct, and pragmatic language…

“No…” Fa Zheng said softly. “I have no way. This is determined by the balance of power between Cao Cao and our army in Jingzhou. In Jingzhou, our forces can only defend ourselves and cannot influence the situation in Jingzhou.”

“Alright.” Xu Da frowned. “Then the next step is that Liu Bei is extremely weak and could be devoured at any time. Perhaps he already has. Jiangdong’s military strength is far inferior to Cao Cao’s million-strong army. Jiangdong might choose to surrender directly, or…” Seeing that Fa Zheng seemed to have something to say, Xu Da immediately guessed, “Even if you have the ability to forge an alliance, can you guarantee that Jiangdong can defeat Cao Cao? Don’t you think that based on this disparity in strength, Cao Cao’s chances of winning are far too high?”

"Lord Luochen may have a plan." Fa Zheng's expression was somewhat stiff. These were genuine questions, and he couldn't answer them.

"Gambling on the fate of the nation?" Xu Da said softly. "All analyses indicate that with the main force of our Luo Chen army absent, there is a very high probability that the south will be occupied by Cao Cao. This also means that Cao Cao's strength is likely to far surpass ours within a year, and the danger facing our Luo Chen Group will be repeated. Have we forgotten the standoff at Tong Pass before?"

“General, you’re being a bit pessimistic,” Fa Zheng said. “You’ve always been cautious, so your assessments of the situation are always conservative, always anticipating the worst.”

“Not bad…” Xu Da nodded. “Perhaps I’m being too pessimistic. After all, Prime Minister Luo Chen might have his own plans… Perhaps he could use clever, indirect methods to prevent Cao Cao from controlling the south… Perhaps your arrival in Xinye is just the first step in his plan…”

"So what does the General intend to do?" Fa Zheng asked tentatively. "The General has 450,000 troops under his command. To be honest, I feel that although the General is physically north of the Great Wall, his heart is in Jingzhou. Unfortunately, although he has a large army here, it is of no use, and there are no troops in Jingzhou..."

"With a force of 450,000, we are still striving for a direct confrontation with the Xiongnu army." Xu Da still appeared quite worried, his face somewhat grave. Clearly, the protracted war situation greatly displeased him. "Moreover, within this month, at all costs, I must have my army capture the main force of the Xiongnu... even if it means taking some risks..."

This statement was very serious, indicating that Xu Da was quite anxious about the current battle situation.

"Our lord is currently in the Hexi Corridor...which is also our main direction for breakthrough. Our Luojun army is currently divided into two forces...it's not too late for the general to attack after our lord opens up the situation in the Hexi Corridor and the main force of the Xiongnu is forced to move to reinforce it..." Fa Zheng said. This was the original plan: to open up the situation in the Hexi Corridor, forcing the main force of the Xiongnu to move to reinforce it, thus turning them into a sitting duck for Xu Da on the grasslands. Xu Da could then use a large army to launch a mobile attack, defeat, or even annihilate them.

"My lord has encountered some difficulties in the desert," Xu Da said casually. "Moreover, Cao Cao has already conquered Hebei, and the battle for Jingzhou is imminent. We must strive to end the war against the Xiongnu as soon as possible. Therefore, my attack is normal. My lord has given me the authority to make decisions based on the situation."

Since Luo Chen has already granted him discretion, Fa Zheng has nothing more to say... In other words, Xu Da can design his battle plan and strategy based on his own understanding of the situation. Now, Xu Da believes that the battle should be ended as soon as possible, because time is money, so Xu Da's willingness to pay any price is also within his discretion.

"It's getting late, I need to leave immediately." Fa Zheng glanced eastward; they had originally planned to depart before dawn, but now the sun was already high in the sky. Before they knew it, the two had been talking for quite some time.

“Oh, right…” Xu Da smiled apologetically. “I was originally going to see you off, but we ended up saying such heavy things.” He then bowed and said, “Have a safe journey! I wish you success in resolving the problems in Jingzhou.”

"Thank you, General." Fa Zheng returned the salute, mounted his horse, waved slightly back, then spurred his steed and charged towards the vast yellow earth. Nearly a hundred guards, men and horses rearing up and neighing, spurred their horses on to follow. The riders disappeared into the distance amidst billowing dust…

Chapter 153 Turning Point

After the order for the dust-falling exercise was issued, the armies from both locations naturally began to merge, just in case. Typically, an army of 100,000 would create a show of force, engaging in combat on the grasslands against an imagined enemy, or splitting into two groups for a fierce battle. Simultaneously, tens of thousands of main force troops would be nearby to provide cover. The surrounding area would also be densely patrolled for several kilometers.

At first, it looked like a drill, but as time went on, everyone became more seasoned. It was no longer a drill, but a search for the enemy. Wherever the army went, they would pretend to practice for a few quarters of an hour, and then send out large numbers of cavalry to conduct a carpet reconnaissance of the surrounding area.

The morning dew hadn't completely dried, and the sun on the horizon was still reddish, its rays not too harsh. Ma Chao lay on the grass. Today was his turn; he had led 50,000 cavalry and 50,000 infantry in a large area for some kind of combined arms training exercise. Of course, 80,000 main force cavalry were on standby five kilometers away. In addition, hundreds of patrol groups had repeatedly reconnoitered the training ground within a 20-kilometer radius, as well as its perimeter.

"The troops are ready. Please give the order, General!" the adjutant reported.

"Let's start 260." Ma Chao was still lying on the ground, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, his horse snorting peacefully beside him. Ma Chao felt he was getting tanned lately, and with the scarcity of vegetables in the north compared to the Central Plains, he had lost weight, and his lips were quite dry, as if weathered. Fortunately, he could still get used to mutton, unlike Xiahou Yuan, who had been in the Central Plains before being transferred to Hanzhong and found the food on the grasslands quite unpalatable.

The sun was higher, its bright rays shining on his face. Ma Chao began to feel a bit hot, but he didn't get up, lying there with his eyes closed. After all, on this vast grassland, the sun was everywhere; there was no escaping it. Logically, temperatures should drop early on the grasslands, and now that it was already autumn, it should be much cooler. Unexpectedly, the weather these past few days had been bizarre. During the day, instead of cooling down, it was unbearably hot, no less so than in the south. The temperature only dropped slightly at night; in fact, when the wind picked up, one needed to wrap oneself in a blanket. The difference between day and night temperatures was quite significant.

Five months have passed since the army marched north in early spring. No major battles have been fought in the north, only daily searches, pursuits, and patrols. He watched the grasslands gradually deepen in color, until the blue blanketed the sky, with white clouds soaring high – everything was so monotonous. At first, Ma Chao felt exhilarated by the boundless grasslands and vast sky, but later he found it increasingly monotonous and boring. In these five months, Hebei has been completely occupied by Cao Cao, and the situation in Jingzhou is on the verge of collapse. Yet, the main force is stuck here, unable to move south; only Huang Zhong's 100,000 cavalry are barely able to defend themselves to the south.

Lord Luo Chen adopted General Ma Teng's suggestion to open up the situation from the Hexi Corridor. Ma Chao, while having no objection, was not oblivious to Ma Teng's ulterior motives. Once Prime Minister Luo made the Hexi Corridor a strategic priority and main attack direction, the strength of the Luo army in Liangzhou would quickly increase significantly, overwhelming the Qiang people. At that time, Ma Teng, as the military and political leader of the Luo Chen group in Liangzhou, would have a much easier time. Ma Teng was his father, so he naturally avoided any appearance of impropriety, remaining silent on the matter and only carrying out his lord's orders. Of course, from Lord Luo Chen's perspective, perhaps this was the only option. —The lord wasn't unaware, but this was the only way to open up the situation.

What the courtiers didn't understand and were most worried about was that the main force was getting further and further away from Jingzhou, and that Luo Jun would be unable to turn the tide of the southern war when Cao Cao's army marched south. But Lord Luo Chen might have his own methods, who knows... I heard that General Xu Da and Minister Zhang Juzheng had both expressed their concerns, but Lord Luo Chen said he had his own considerations.

"Reporting to the general, the first phase of the exercise has ended. Requesting a rest!" The general dismounted solemnly, stood at attention, and even saluted the lying Ma Chao.