My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 632 Mengde Hesitation
But now we have to draw troops from Yan and Yu, which means we have to draw our own loyal troops. This will obviously arouse the suspicion of Yuan Shao and Liu Bei. If something unexpected happens, we will eventually have to use the central army in Henan to provide support. It is a losing proposition.

Rather than reacting passively at that time, it would be better to directly mobilize the Central Army in Henan, which is closer to the border.

"The main force will be the troops from Henan, with generals such as Xiahou Yuan, Yue Jin, Yu Jin, Li Tong, Zhu Ling, Lou Yi, Liu Ruo, Deng Zhan, Guan Ju, Xu Yong, Bu Cheng, and Zhang Wu joining the expedition."

Everyone in the hall was greatly shocked upon hearing this.

Cao Cao took almost all of his best generals with him, and his army numbered at least 50,000.

Xiahou Yuan, Yue Jin, Yu Jin, Zhu Ling, and Li Tong, like Cao Ren, had already been promoted to the rank of miscellaneous general. The first four each had three battalions with 6,000 men under their command, while Li Tong had 10,000 men. These four alone had 34,000 men.

Lou Yi, Liu Ruo, and Deng Zhan were all trusted confidants of Cao Cao. During the Battle of Puyang, Cao Cao fell into Lü Bu's ambush, underestimated the enemy, and advanced recklessly. He was caught in the city's flames and nearly burned to death. He finally gritted his teeth and braved the fire to escape, burning his left hand in the process. Fortunately, Sima Lou Yi rescued him, helped him onto his horse, and escorted him away.

It is evident that Lou Yi not only saved Cao Cao, but he was also likely a trusted and important general of Cao Cao throughout his life.

After all, he had already risen to the rank of Military Commander during the Puyang era, which was a significant position in Cao Cao's camp. At that time, Yu Jin was only a Commandant, and Yue Jin was merely a Military Rank Officer.

As for Liu Ruo and Deng Zhan, they were both important officials who signed the petition urging Cao Pi to become emperor, and naturally served under Cao Cao at this time. Guan Ju, Xu Yong, Bu Cheng, and Zhang Wu, who followed, were all prominent leaders of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Qingzhou and were Qingzhou military officers loyal to Cao Cao personally.

These seven men were all military officers, each commanding a battalion of two thousand men, totaling fourteen thousand soldiers.

Cao Cao mobilized a total of 52,000 men, including his 4,000 personal guards.

Among these 50,000 troops, there was a gathering of brilliant generals and outstanding talents, all of whom were the core elite of Cao Cao's army. The soldiers were also carefully selected brave men, and they were equipped with a large amount of military equipment, armor, weapons, warhorses, bows and crossbows, making them the strongest army under Cao Cao's command.

Cao Cao's willingness to unleash such resources clearly indicates his intention to go all out.

In the Yanzhou direction, only Cheng Yu and Lü Qian's main forces remain, while in the Nanyang direction, only Cao Hong's troops remain. As for the Yuzhou direction, 10,000 Jingzhou troops have already been transferred away, and now Xiahou Yuan's troops are to be transferred away as well, leaving only 10,000 Jingzhou troops and a little over 10,000 garrison troops.

Xiahou Dun's eyes widened in disbelief, and he exclaimed in alarm, "My lord, you mustn't! Yingchuan directly faces Nanyang, Runan, and Chen. Miaocai's troops are both Nanyang's reinforcements and Henan's shield. If they are withdrawn, with only Cai Mao's ten thousand-plus Jingzhou troops and the ten thousand-plus garrisoned troops in Yingchuan, let alone supporting Nanyang, they won't even be able to defend against the Left Guard Army of Runan and Chen."

Cao Cao's original plan in Yingchuan was to have Xiahou Yuan's 6,000 men plus 20,000 Jingzhou troops, supplemented by more than 10,000 garrison troops.

Among these people, the most elite were naturally Xiahou Yuan's six thousand men. However, including him, these thirty to forty thousand troops were not used for field battles, but were stationed in several large settlements to guard against surprise attacks by the Left Army and to provide early warning and time for Henan.

This was exactly what Xiahou Dun was worried about, and his concern was by no means unfounded.

Cao Cao made a reassuring gesture, indicating to Xiahou Dun that there was no need to rush, and then explained: "After Miaocai's troops are transferred north, I will have Degui lead the Jingzhou troops to retreat to Yangcheng as well. The garrison troops will remain stationary for now, but if necessary, they can immediately retreat north into Henan."

Yangcheng, as mentioned before, is a key transportation hub connecting Yingchuan and Henan. It is located in a narrow valley between four mountains: Songshan to the north, Yangqianshan to the west, Jishan to the south, and Jingshan to the east.

Yangcheng is surrounded by Mount Song as its core, Mount Ji as its natural barrier, and supplemented by river valleys and basins, forming a geographically advantageous position of "surrounded by mountains and water, and fortified on all sides." To its south lies Yangguan Pass, which controls the Ying River and provides early warning for Yangcheng County. To its north is Huanyuan Pass, through which reinforcements from Henan can be obtained.

Cao Cao realized he couldn't hold Yingchuan, so he simply concentrated his forces to shield Henan.

If a peace treaty with Liu Feng is successfully negotiated, then Nanyang and Hanzhong will most likely be lost. Yingchuan will be surrounded on three sides and has a flat terrain, making it difficult to defend. Naturally, troops will have to be moved north.

If the peace negotiations fail, Cao Cao will naturally have to march south into Shu for a decisive battle. If he loses, then even with Xiahou Yuan's troops stationed in Yingchuan, it will be of no use. If he wins, then even if all the troops from Jingzhou are withdrawn, he will be safe and sound.

It is evident that Cao Cao had a very clear understanding of the problem, and this approach of focusing on the big picture while letting go of the small details was in line with the profound principles of military strategy.

“Yuan Rang, after I leave, you will be in charge of all troops. No matter where the problem occurs, you only need to protect Henan and Guanzhong.”

Cao Cao earnestly instructed, "As long as you defend Guanzhong and Henan, I will give you a great achievement."

Xiahou Dun respectfully accepted the order.

Xun Yu remained expressionless in the face of Cao Cao's order, while Jia Xu acted as if he hadn't heard it. Only Xi Zhong sighed inwardly, thinking, "My lord is being too wary of Wen Ruo."

In fact, compared to the political abilities Xun Yu demonstrated, his military capabilities were deeply hidden, but they were definitely extraordinary.

During the Yanzhou Incident, he saw through Lü Bu's sneak attack and also took the initiative to recall Xiahou Dun from Puyang. Every step he took was extremely correct and the best solution at the time. Later, he even went deep into the enemy camp alone and persuaded Guo Gong, the governor of Yuzhou, to retreat.

Later, during the Battle of Guandu, Xun Yu's repeated advice helped Cao Cao strengthen his resolve and ultimately win the victory.

It is clear that Xun Yu was by no means a simple, weak scholar. On the contrary, he was, like many other scholars of the late Han Dynasty such as Zhuge Liang, Cheng Yu, Sima Yi, Chen Deng, and Zhou Yu, a man of both literary and military talent who served as both a general and a prime minister.

The reason why Xun Yu was remembered as Xiao He in historical records is largely due to Cao Cao's role in this.

After leaving Yanzhou, Xun Yu was promoted into Cao Cao's core team and became the second most important person in the court after the Grand General Cao Cao, with power above the Three Dukes. At a young age, he was already in charge of the affairs of the Secretariat.

However, the corresponding price was that Xun Yu could no longer touch military power.

Xiahou Dun's most remarkable achievement was keeping an eye on Xun Yu and Emperor Xian for Cao Cao. Regardless of whether Xun Yu ever resisted this surveillance, it is enough to demonstrate Cao Cao's deep fear of Xun Yu.

If this was the case in the original timeline, in this dimension, Xun Chen is still serving as Yuan Shao's chief strategist, while Xun You is highly valued by Liu Bei and his son Liu Feng, and his status is no less than that of Xun Yu.

Cao Cao became even more wary of Xun Yu. This wariness was not due to Cao Cao's narrow-mindedness, but rather a necessary precaution.

Although Xi Zhong was grateful for Cao Cao's recognition and trust, he and Xun Yu were childhood friends and close confidants. After they came of age, it was Xun Yu who recommended him to Cao Cao.

Xi Zhong was quite worried that a disagreement would arise between Cao Cao and Xun Yu.

Fortunately, the Grand Marshal and his son, the Left Guard General, are on the front lines, so no trouble is expected for the time being.

"Regarding the visit to the Left Wing Army, do any of you have anyone to recommend?"

After arranging his troops, Cao Cao began to inquire about potential diplomatic representatives.

Xun Yu took the initiative to speak, saying, "Sima Lang has made many achievements in the past. He represented the court in pacifying Han Sui and Ma Teng in Xiliang. Last year, he went to Shu to persuade Liu Zhang to surrender. He can take on this important task."

Xi Zhong and Jia Xu both nodded in agreement: "Sima Boda is honest and upright, intelligent and wise, brave and decisive. He is indeed an excellent candidate."

Seeing that his senior officials all spoke highly of Sima Lang and believed he was capable of the task, Cao Cao immediately decided, "Very well, then we'll trouble Sima Boda to make this trip again. If he succeeds this time, he can become the chief clerk in my General's mansion." Sima Lang had already accumulated merit by successfully persuading Liu Zhang to surrender, and if he could achieve another merit this time, combining the two, Cao Cao would naturally have to show his appreciation.

Although Sima Lang is now the Chief Justice of the Court of Justice with a salary of 1,000 shi (a unit of grain), the Chief Clerk of the General's Office only has a salary of 600 shi.

But the former can't even compare to the latter.

The former was the deputy to the Minister of Justice, and was not even considered a decisive official in the Minister of Justice's office, while the chief clerk of the General's office was the highest-ranking official in the General's office.

Although nominally, the Chief Clerk of the General's Office was ranked above the Chief Clerk, with a salary of 1,000 shi.

However, whether in terms of legal principles or actual status, the Chief Secretary is the second most important person in the government, the deputy to the General. In name, he is in charge of all affairs, but with the General in charge, unless the Chief Secretary is the General's most trusted person and the General himself is unable to handle affairs for various reasons, this power of control is nothing more than something that can be looked at but not touched.

But the chief clerk is different. The chief clerk is equivalent to the general’s secretary-general. He serves the general directly. All matters need to be distributed to the subordinate departments through him. Moreover, he accompanies the general for many years. He is a true “one of his own” and cannot be a person other than a confidant or lover.

Anyone who takes on this position can be said to have a very bright future.

Just like how the Chief Clerk in Liu Feng's Left Staff Office was always someone like Sheng Xian, Wang Lang, and Pang Degong who took turns serving, but the Chief Clerk was someone like Zhuge Liang, Lu Xun, and Pang Tong, and that's why.

It is conceivable that as long as Sima Lang does not make any mistakes in his position as the chief clerk of the Grand General, he will inevitably be promoted to magistrate of a large county in one or two years. If he is then transferred to the central government, he will become a court attendant with a salary of two thousand shi (a unit of grain). If he continues to be promoted in various prefectures and counties, he will become a prefect with a salary of two thousand shi.

After deciding on the choice of envoys, Cao Cao looked at Xun Yu and said, "Wenruo, we will need you to take care of the provisions and weapons for our army's entry into Shu."

Previously, when they marched south, the army's food and supplies were all provided by Hanzhong.

Although Hanzhong currently has a population of four to five hundred thousand, making it arguably the most prosperous period in its history, it is already struggling to supply the previous army of seventy to eighty thousand, plus tens of thousands of civilian laborers serving as instructors. Asking them to supply an additional fifty thousand troops would be asking too much of them.

Therefore, no matter how much assistance Hanzhong can provide, Xun Yu's side must make preparations first.

It is better to be prepared than to be caught off guard.

"Here."

Xun Yu immediately agreed without any objection.

Next, Cao Cao looked at Xi Zhong and Jia Xu: "Zhi Cai, Wen He, I'll have to trouble you two to come with me this time."

Xi Zhong and Jia Xu naturally did not refuse and immediately responded in unison: "We will obey Your Excellency's order."

"good!"

Cao Cao finally smiled, seemingly very confident about this southward campaign.

Now that things are settled, there are still many things to do.

Xun Yu and the others naturally took their leave, but Xiahou Dun was kept behind by Cao Cao.

When only the two of them remained in the hall, Cao Cao summoned Xiahou Dun to his side and carefully instructed him: "Yuanrang, the situation is critical. I suspect Liu Zisheng will not be lenient, and war may be unavoidable."

A look of shock flashed across Xiahou Dun's face. He hadn't expected his elder brother to be so pessimistic than he appeared.

Before Xiahou Dun could reply, Cao Cao continued, "If Sima Boda can achieve merit, then there is still room for negotiation, and I will not need to go south to Shu. If things fail, once I go south, I am afraid Liu Zisheng will not limit the war to Shu."

"What should we do?"

Xiahou Dun was truly anxious, for he knew all too well how vulnerable Nanyang, Yuzhou, and other places were now.

Cao Cao grabbed Xiahou Dun and whispered, "Nanyang and Yingchuan cannot be defended. You don't need to worry about Cheng Yu and Lü Qian in Yanzhou. I only want you to defend Henan to the death."

Xiahou Dun recalled Cao Cao's instructions earlier. He had previously thought Cao Cao was making a mountain out of a molehill, but now he understood the other party's good intentions.

Xiahou Dun nodded vigorously and said, "Brother, rest assured, as long as I have a breath left, I will ensure that Henan remains safe."

"Confused!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao was not pleased but angry: "I knew you would be confused. If Henan can be protected, then protect it. If it cannot be protected, then you should just die. What are we supposed to do with you then?"

Xiahou Dun seemed to realize something: "Brother, you mean... to retreat and stay in Guanzhong?"

"good!"

Cao Cao smiled with satisfaction. Xiahou Dun was good at military affairs, but he was outstanding in politics.

"That's right. If Henan really can't be defended, you must bring the Emperor and Wenruo into Guanzhong and hold Tongguan to the death while waiting for reinforcements."

Xiahou Dun then understood why Cao Cao had kept him behind alone, and nodded emphatically, saying, "I will certainly follow my elder brother's wishes."

"After I leave, you may order Xu Shang to lead his elite troops to garrison Tongguan and reorganize the defenses. Then order Yan Kuang to go to Huanyuan Pass to support Yangcheng and strengthen the defenses in the southeast."

Cao Cao carefully instructed, "I hereby appoint Qin Qi, one of your subordinates, as the Commandant of the Central Army, to lead his troops in protecting the Emperor. If necessary, he will escort the Emperor to Chang'an. I will also have Zao Zhi assist you. I will leave Ren Jun to assist you. He is loyal, reliable, and quite resourceful. If you have any doubts, you can first ask Wenruo. If you still don't understand, you can then ask Ren Jun."

Cao Cao arranged everything meticulously, and Xiahou Dun only needed to follow Cao Cao's instructions.

Xiahou Dun naturally had no objection to this; on the contrary, he felt a great sense of security.

After Xiahou Dun left, Cao Cao sat in the hall and sighed after a long while: "Having obtained Long, I now covet Shu. What a bitter end."

At this moment, Cao Cao's biggest regret was that after taking Hanzhong, he should have continued south to contend for Shu.

If they had been able to restrain their greed at the time and simply hold the line from Baishui Pass to Baima Fortress, they could have safely swallowed Hanzhong. The situation would not have deteriorated so drastically to its current state.

(End of this chapter)