The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 272 The Mighty Yangtze River Flows Eastward
Jingzhou, Xiangyang.

The black cloud was pressing down on the city and the city was about to be destroyed, and Jiaguang opened golden scales to the sun.

Yu Jin, as a war criminal, has been officially released by the Qi state.

Because he was originally imprisoned in Runan, by the time he was officially released, Cao Cao had already marched south to Jingzhou.

Cao Cao was undoubtedly very disappointed that Yu Jin did not die for his country.

Rao is so,

Cao Cao still sacrificed the territory in Hebei and gave up the right to control the Huai River in exchange for Yu Jin and his 37,000 soldiers.

But this does not mean that Cao Cao forgave Yu Jin.

After Yu Jin was released, Cao Cao made no arrangements for him.

It's as if he's vanished from the face of the earth, as if he never existed.

Knowing he was guilty, Yu Jin rushed to Xiangyang and removed his armor.

He was shirtless, and had his servants pick up some thorns from the roadside to carry on his back.

Upon seeing Cao Cao, he immediately stepped forward, prostrated himself on the ground to beg for forgiveness, and kowtowed repeatedly.

His head was broken, and blood was everywhere.

"This humble general is incompetent and has fallen into Guan Yu's water attack trap."

"By the time I realized what was happening, the flood had already destroyed Anyang City."

"Thirty thousand soldiers all went down to the river to drink water."

"...This humble general...This humble general only surrendered to Guan Yu in order to protect the Seven Armies."

"We beg Lord Wei to punish us!"

After saying that, Yu Jin blushed.

I only regret that I made a mistake in my decision back then and was unable to sacrifice myself for my country.

Now that they've been redeemed, they're caught in the middle, disliked by both sides.

Cao Cao sat high in the hall, his face ashen.

He was neither punished for his crime nor pardoned.

He simply said coldly:
"...Now that a formidable enemy is at hand, it is precisely the time when manpower is needed."

"You shall remain in the army and await the day when you may atone for your crimes through meritorious service."

Yu Jin nodded in agreement, knowing in his heart that he would never be valued by Cao Cao again.

After dealing with Yu Jin briefly, Cao Cao also discussed matters with the civil and military officials of Xiangyang.

"...Gentlemen, I have heard that Liu Bei has sent Zhuge Liang south to Jiangxia to subdue the traitor Liu Qi."

"Li Ziyu was among them; the world knows the schemes of these people."

"They must be trying to interfere in Jingzhou's internal affairs. I wonder what your opinions are?"

Cao Cao deliberately emphasized that Liu Bei was interfering in the internal affairs of Jingzhou, placing himself within the larger family of Jingzhou.

Judging from their current strength on paper, the eight commanderies of Jingzhou and Xiangyang are all allied with Cao Cao, making their strength quite formidable.

However, the Wei-Chu alliance was merely "bloated," strong on the outside but weak on the inside.

Just as Zhou Yu and Kongming analyzed, although Cao Cao sent 50,000 men, none of them were familiar with naval warfare.

Whether they can adapt to the climate and water of Jiangnan is questionable.

On the Qi side, there is at least one Huainan naval force.

As for the State of Wei, it could only rely entirely on the Jingxiang navy led by Cai Mao and Zhang Yun.

Although Cao Cao in this version of the story also conquered the eight commanderies of Jingzhou and Xiangyang, he was not as powerful as he was in history.

The two companies are more like a merger.

Cai Mao didn't need to be so humble in front of Cao Cao; he immediately stepped forward and expressed his opinion:
"...Lord Wei need not worry, the northerners have never been good at playing with water."

"When the Duke of Chu was alive, he managed the naval forces of Jing and Xiang."

"The number of Mengchong fighting ships was in the thousands."

"Now all the troops of Jingchu are floating on the Yangtze River, and we also have the infantry of Duke Wei."

With both land and water resources available, and a two-pronged approach, what is there to fear?

We all say that after Cao Cao lost the Battle of Red Cliffs, he forever lost the opportunity to conquer the south of the Yangtze River.

It wasn't because the main force at Chibi was wiped out, but because after losing Chibi, they had to give back all the Jingzhou they had previously captured.

It was divided up by Liu Bei and Sun Quan.

Losing Jingzhou is tantamount to losing the formidable Jingxiang Navy.

And Cao Cao will never again encounter the perfect situation where Liu Biao dies of illness and the entire population of Jingzhou surrenders.

Now, Cai Mao and his followers, holding the Jingxiang navy, control the Yangtze River basin.

From the perspective of the generals in Jingzhou, they now had Cao Cao's infantry and cavalry, which meant they could attack by both land and water.

There's absolutely no need to be afraid of Liu Bei.

"Liu Bei relied on Guan Yu and Zhang Fei."

"Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were skilled in horsemanship and could roam freely throughout Hebei."

"But now they abandon their horses and saddles, rely on boats and oars, and dare to contend with my Jingzhou."

"Truly laughable!"

The speaker was Kuai Yue, a member of a prominent family in Nanjun.

He was a representative figure of the Kuai family, and was known for his wisdom and resourcefulness.

He was one of the heroes who helped Liu Biao pacify Jingzhou with a single cavalryman.

In his view, the Qi soldiers, who had been fighting in the north for a long time, were not able to adapt to the turbulence on the water.

Its struggle with Wei and Chu in the water will ultimately end in failure.

Just as they were discussing this, someone reported that Zhou Yu of Xiakou was leading his navy straight towards Gong'ankou.

Gongan Port is a port located across the river from Gangneung, and its geographical location is extremely important.

Cao Cao immediately asked:
"...Zhou Yu, that brat, has not gained even an inch of advantage, yet he wants to advocate for Liu Bei."

"Who dares to go and defeat the enemy for me?"

Cai Mao responded immediately:
"Lord Wei, do not worry, General Zhang Yun is already stationed in Jiangling."

"I reckon that brat Zhou Yu won't be able to get past Jiangling."

Cao Cao frowned and pondered for a moment:

"General Zhang is defending Jiangling alone, isolated and without support."

"In my opinion, Cao Ren can lead his troops to Jiangling to provide reinforcements."

As mentioned before, Jiangling is the heart of Jingzhou; controlling Jiangling is equivalent to controlling Jingzhou.

Although Cao Cao nominally annexed eight counties in Jingzhou, he knew that as long as he couldn't defeat Liu Bei, he would be defeated.

Jingzhou will be given back sooner or later; it will never belong to us.

The reason for this is that local powerful families are taking a wait-and-see attitude and may not be willing to provide full assistance.

Faced with Jiangling, such an important stronghold, Cao Cao used the pretext of reinforcements to actually strengthen his control over Jiangling.

Cai Mao, without suspecting anything else, immediately stated:
"If we could get General Cao Ren's help, that would be perfect!"

After selecting Cao Ren, Cao Cao recalled Cao Ren's previous defeat in the north, which led to a series of chain reactions, including Xiahou Yuan succeeding him and being killed by Huang Zhong.

Although Cao Ren performed outstandingly in Runan, he defended the important new city for Wei.

However, facing the experienced Li Yi and the formidable young Zhuge Liang, Cao Cao was still hesitant to send him alone.

He then asked again:

"Who can serve as the military advisor and accompany Zixiao to Jiangling?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a person stepped out from the crowd.

Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Guo Jia, the military advisor and chief strategist.

At this time, Guo Jia's illness was quite serious, and Cao Cao had no intention of taking him to Jiangnan.

However, Guo Jia insisted on coming because he knew that this might be the last time he would accompany Cao Cao on a campaign.

If we don't come now, we'll never have another chance.

Seeing Guo Jia volunteer, Cao Cao was both pleased and worried, and asked with concern:

“…Fengxiao, your health is weak, you should recuperate in Xiangyang.”

"How can we go to the front line in Jiangling? What if something goes wrong?"

"If I were without you, with whom would I discuss important matters?"

"Among you all, you are the youngest, just like me. I intend to entrust my future affairs to you."

Guo Jia, however, seemed to experience a sudden burst of energy before death, and despite his illness, he mustered his strength and said:

"...Death is nothing to fear."

"A true man who dies on the battlefield is fortunate indeed."

"I am already seriously ill, and even if I stay in Xiangyang, it will not be of any benefit to the military."

"If I were to go to Jiangling to serve and make even a small contribution, it might ease the pent-up frustration in my heart."

"Please grant my request, my lord."

Seeing that Guo Jia was determined to leave, Cao Cao did not continue to try to stop him.

He immediately allocated 10,000 troops to Cao Ren and ordered him and Guo Jia to go to Jiangling.

"...Alas, I wonder if this trip will go smoothly."

Cao Cao was originally an extremely confident man, but the repeated setbacks caused him to fall into self-doubt from time to time.

"My lord, do not worry. Victory and defeat are common occurrences in warfare."

"How can we stop making progress because of a temporary setback?"

Cao Cao turned around and looked at him; it was Sima Yi.

"...What are Zhongda's views?"

At this moment, Cao Cao was in a depressed mood, so he casually asked Sima Yi for his opinion.

Sima Yi, knowing his opportunity to shine had arrived, bowed and said:

"The defeat in Hebei was due to General Yu Jin's carelessness and lack of preparation, which led to the capture of the seven armies."

"Moreover, the heavens send down a torrential downpour, which is beyond human control."

"This is a natural disaster, how could it be the fault of war?"

Sima Yi first tried to whitewash the defeat in the Battle of Runan, attributing it to natural disasters.

It was Heaven's will to aid the Qi army, not a fault of the war.

This statement is quite politically correct in the current state of Wei.

It was extremely shameful for the soldiers of the Seven Armies to surrender to Guan Yu without resistance.

This kind of thing wouldn't even be shown in the eyes of the people in Wei, so how could they dare to publicize it?

Cao Cao kept blaming the heavy rain on the generals, saying it wasn't their fault.

There are two advantages to doing this.

First, it reassured the soldiers of the Seventh Army, allowing them to return without psychological burden and continue fighting for themselves.

Secondly, it served as a form of public opinion propaganda, letting the people of Wei know that they were not defeated by Qi, but by natural disasters.

If we had to pinpoint a turning point, it would be the execution of Xiahou Yuan.

Yu Jin's surrender put the Wei state in a completely passive position.

Seeing that Sima Yi seemed pleased with his words, Cao Cao asked:
"In Zhongda's opinion, what strategic approach should our army take in this battle to adapt to the changing circumstances?"

Sima Yi then bowed and replied:
"But if we exercise caution in future military operations, avoid recklessness and rashness, and act according to the times, we will surely be able to achieve our goals!"

“In the Battle of Guandu, you and Yuan Shao were locked in a stalemate for years, but you finally waited for an opportunity to defeat him.”

"What is happening today is similar to what happened back then."

"It is the right time to conserve energy and prepare for an opportunity."

"Liu Bei suddenly gained control of Hebei, and was at the height of his pride and arrogance."

"The day when they are full of themselves and act recklessly is precisely the day when we can turn the tide."

"After redeeming the seven armies, my military strength is no less than that of Qi."

"Moreover, we now have fortified cities like Xiangyang and Fancheng to rely on, and the continuous camps at Xian Mountain form a pincer movement, don't we?"

"By waiting in comfort and taking control of the situation, how could we possibly lose?"

"With Guo Jijiu stationed in Jiangling, the Qi army will find it difficult to cross the river."

"If Jiangling remains stable and does not fall, Jingzhou will naturally be secure."

"Given time, our soldiers in Jingzhou will all be skilled in naval warfare, and we will have nothing to fear."

"At that time, their troops will be old and exhausted, their strength will be depleted and their edge dulled."

"Is this not the time for Lord Wei to turn against his own side?"

Sima Yi analyzed Cao Cao's strategy and tactics point by point.

They believed that since everyone was there to seize Jingzhou...

Now that Cao Cao has acquired eight commanderies, he no longer needs to fight Liu Bei to the death; he can focus on consolidating the territory of Jingzhou.

On one hand, they used the natural defenses of Jiangling to block the enemy troops coming from Jiangxia.

Meanwhile, the Wei soldiers were allowed to slowly practice their water skills in Jingzhou.

By the time the Wei soldiers were trained, the Qi state's fighting spirit had been almost completely worn away.

The saying goes, "One should strike while the iron is hot; a second strike will weaken the momentum, and a third strike will exhaust it. When the enemy is exhausted and we are still strong, we can defeat them."

This was the strategic policy that Cao Cao established when he first arrived in Jingzhou.

Sima Yi, on the other hand, further elaborated on this strategy.

The main purpose was to boost Cao Cao's confidence and make him believe that Wei had a great advantage.

Of course, apart from Sima Yi.

Historically, Jia Xu also advised Cao Cao to first consolidate his control over Jingzhou before engaging in a decisive battle with Sun Quan and Liu Bei.

The original quote was, "Now that we have taken Hannan, our prestige will spread far and wide, and our military strength will be great."

“If we take advantage of the abundance of the former Chu state to reward the officials and soldiers, pacify the people, and enable them to live in peace and prosperity, then we can subdue Jiangdong without troubling the masses.”

At that time, Cao Cao had just unified the north and was extremely arrogant, so he didn't listen to Jia Xu at all.

Those who do not heed Jia Xu's advice often meet a terrible end.

In this version of Cao Cao, he has fallen into self-doubt and dares not underestimate his opponent.

Faced with Sima Yi's constructive suggestions, even Cao Cao, who had always disliked him, couldn't help but praise him.
“…Zhongda’s words are very much in line with my thoughts.”

"The enemy is strong; we cannot contend with them through strategy."

"Only by consolidating our foundation can we preserve our full strength."

"Wait until they perish on their own, then we can secure our position."

"...Good, good, extremely good!"

Cao Cao nodded repeatedly, as if relieved of his worries.

He glanced at Sima Yi again, and seeing that he still seemed hesitant to speak, he said softly:
"Does Zhongda have something else to say?"

Sima Yi then bowed solemnly to Cao Cao before calmly and quietly reminding him:
"Lord Wei, please forgive my overstepping of authority."

"...There is something I want to say, but I don't know whether I should say it or not."

Cao Cao chuckled; this was a question he already knew the answer to.

"Speak your mind; there's no need to hide anything from me."

Sima Yi then cautiously offered his advice:

"General Yu Jin suffered a crushing defeat and returned with tens of thousands of soldiers lost; this was a major setback for the military."

"However, what I am most worried about is the damage to the prestige of the court, which is even greater than the damage to military affairs."

"Has the Duke of Wei forgotten the Battle of Beiqiu? General Xiahou died at the hands of Huang Zhong."

"At that time, the northern troops had not suffered many losses, but when the news reached Xu and Ye, people were terrified, making it difficult to continue the war in Hebei."

On the Hebei battlefield, the Wei army did not suffer significant losses.

After all, neither side had ever fought a large-scale war of annihilation.

However, because the killing of Xiahou Yuan in battle was so horrifying, the soldiers in the country dared not continue fighting.

Similar situations have occurred in the south.

Yu Jin was captured, and the seven armies surrendered.

This resulted in the Wei's southern army being defeated by Qi without firing a single arrow.

Cao Cao wasn't incapable of accepting defeat; he simply couldn't accept such a humiliating defeat.

Even if he died standing, it would be better than being betrayed by a useless teammate. "Duke Wei spent the whole year pacifying the four directions, executing local chieftains, and subduing the remaining people."

"If Liu Jingsheng had not died suddenly, and Liu Bei had been eager to march south to take Jingzhou, I fear that the land of Henan would also have been taken over by him."

As soon as Sima Yi finished speaking, Cao Cao's eye twitched involuntarily.

What he meant was that Yu Jin's defeat had a huge impact.

This was mainly because Yu Jin held a very high position in the Wei Kingdom, being the first person from outside the imperial family to hold such a position.

The fact that Cao Cao surrendered without a fight, once it escalated, directly shook the prestige of Cao Cao as a ruler.

In order to cover up Yu Jin's surrender, Cao Cao had no choice but to accept Yu Jin's explanation that it was to protect the soldiers of the seven armies.

In this way, Cao Cao could not punish Yu Jin.

To punish him would be tantamount to contradicting oneself.

But if they don't punish them, just letting it go and ignoring it isn't a good solution either.

Cao Cao frowned, stroked his beard, and asked:
"...So what does Zhongda mean?"

"...Your Excellency, in my humble opinion, we should first promote the newly recruited generals."

Sima Yi glanced at Cao Cao's expression before continuing in a slow voice:
"Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the Jingzhou campaign to cultivate young talents."

"This way, Yu Jin's military power can be reduced."

"It can cover up the humiliation of their defeat and surrender, and gain the strength of new elites."

"This achieves three goals at once, so why not do it?"

Sima Yi hinted to Cao Cao that Yu Jin was now useless and that it was time to cultivate a new general.

This battle of Jingzhou is a good opportunity to promote new talent.

This would not only allow them to reduce Yu Jin's military power, but also mitigate the negative impact of Yu Jin's defeat and surrender.

For Cao Cao, this was indeed killing three birds with one stone.

For Sima Yi, this was also his opportunity.

During Cao Cao's reign, the Cao and Xiahou clans held a pivotal position in military affairs.

Among generals from outside the imperial family, Yu Jin held the top position for a long time.

Now, Yu Jin's house collapsed.
It's time to change hands and take the throne of the person with the highest surname.

Sima Yi had considered replacing Yu Jin directly.

However, Yu Jin had too many resources.

As the saying goes, "When a whale falls, all things come to life."

Even if it were just taking away a portion of Yu Jin's resources, it would be enough for Cao Wei to live a carefree life for the rest of their days.

Sima Yi was not content with the status quo; the only way to get promoted quickly was to gain military merit.

To maximize military achievements, one must lead an army independently.

"I recommend a man named Guo Huai, courtesy name Boji."

“He was a native of Yangqu, Taiyuan, and the grandson of Guo Quan, the former Grand Minister of Agriculture.”

"This man is well-versed in military strategy and knowledgeable in military tactics; he is a talented general."

"Why doesn't Duke Wei order him to join General Cao Ren's army in the campaign, so that he can make a name for himself?"

Sima Yi, as always, used a strategy of retreat as a means of advancement.

He is also among the younger generation, but he only nominates people his own age, while remaining silent about himself.

"...Very well, since I have issued the order, I command Guo Huai to accompany Cao Ren to Jiangling to garrison the area."

Cao Cao was a straightforward man. Since you're not going to volunteer, then I really won't need you.

Sima Yi was not annoyed, and simply nodded in agreement.

Not to be discussed.

……

Meanwhile, Cao Ren led his army to garrison Jiangling.

The garrison commander of Jiangling was Zhang Yun. Knowing that Cao Ren had come to help, he opened the city gates and allowed his soldiers to enter the city.

After exchanging greetings, they discussed some details about the city's defenses.

Just then, they suddenly saw flags and banners faintly visible on the south bank of the Yangtze River, and heavy with weapons.

They suspected that Eastern Wu had already mobilized its troops, so the two men led their troops to the top of the wall.

Sure enough, a large fleet of ships came from upstream, advancing with drums beating and shouts.

The banner bears the character "Zhou," signifying Zhou Yu, the Grand Commander of Eastern Wu.

After resigning from Li Yi's command, he secretly resolved to achieve a great feat and win a brilliant battle to show the Qi people what he was capable of.

This was to ensure that they would not dare to underestimate the people of Wu.

Therefore, Ling Tong was appointed as the vanguard, Han Dang as the left wing, and Chen Wu as the right wing.

Zhou Yu led his generals to meet him, heading straight for the river.

Who is this person?

Cao Ren asked Zhang Yun, who was standing to the side.

Zhang Yun looked at Cao Ren with a hint of surprise, as if to say, "You don't even know Zhou Yu?"
This man is a long-time victim of our Jingzhou people.

"This man is Zhou Yu of Jiangdong, a trusted minister of that purple-bearded brat."

"...Zhou Lang? Is it Zhou Yu?" Cao Ren asked.

"……Yes."

"...Heh, so this is the one who joined Sun Bofu in raising an army to attack Jiangdong?"

"I find this person to be quite ordinary, with no particularly outstanding talents or strategies."

"...General, you must not underestimate this man. Huang Zu, the former governor of Jiangxia, was defeated by him."

"To lose one's life, and to suffer heavy losses!"

Sensing the contempt in Cao Ren's tone, Zhang Yun's expression was actually not pleasant.

Demeaning the enemy is tantamount to demeaning oneself.

Zhou Yu has been a victim of the people of Jingzhou for many years, but you dismissed him as utterly worthless with a single sentence.

Then what about us, who have fought against him for so many years?

"...Alright, I'll find out how strong Zhou Lang is after I test him."

After Cao Ren finished speaking, he prepared to lead his troops into battle.

Zhang Yun didn't stop them; he also wanted to see how well the Wei army performed on water.

He simply gave Cao Ren a couple of warnings, telling him to be extra careful.

"...Hmph, what do you think of Zhou Yu compared to Li Ziyu?"

Cao Ren also had something to say.

What kind of people do I fight in the North?
They were fighting Li Yi and Guan Yu.

The intensity of the fighting in the South is clearly not as high as in the North!

Cao Ren led a naval force out of the river mouth.

Early on, they saw the ships of Eastern Wu coming, covering the river.

The young general at the head of the group stood on the bow of the ship and shouted:
"I am Ling Gongji! Who dares to fight me to the death?"

Cao Ren dispatched his naval general Qin Yang to battle.

As the two boats drew near, Ling Tong shot Qin Yangshuo, who fell into the water and drowned.

Taking advantage of the situation, Ling Tong drove his ships forward at full speed, unleashing a volley of arrows.

Cao's army could not resist. Chen Wu on the right and Han Dang on the left charged straight into Cao's army.

Cao Ren's troops were mostly soldiers from Yanzhou, Qingzhou, and Yuzhou, who were not accustomed to naval warfare.

On the vast river, the warships lurched, and everyone lost their footing.

Once the battle began, they all fell into the river to drink.

Zhou Yu's three fleets of warships surged forward, dominating the waters, and none could stop them.

They shot arrows while simultaneously throwing stones at the boat.

Countless soldiers in Cao Cao's army were hit by arrows and struck by blows.

They fought from 9 AM to 1 PM, all the way to the walls of Jiangling City.

Although Zhou Yu had gained an advantage, he feared that all the troops in Jiangling City would be mobilized.

If we are outnumbered, it will not be a good thing.

Moreover, the purpose of this trip was to prove one's own strength.

There was no need to risk so much for the State of Qi, so he ordered the gongs to be sounded and the ships to be brought to a halt.

Cao Ren retreated to the city walls and reorganized his troops.

He said to Zhang Yunyan:
"Gongcheng is not deceiving me. The Jiangdong navy is far superior to our northern army."

"I am invincible on horseback, but when I am on a boat, I am helpless."

"...I am so ashamed, I cannot even express my shame!"

Cao Ren readily admitted that his skills were inferior to those of the Southerners, and that his water skills were indeed not as good as those of the Southerners.

The battle just now was merely a small test, a trial run.

The final result was even better than Cao Ren had anticipated.

Zhang Yun said:

"The Jiangdong navy originated from the Huai and Si rivers."

“In the past, both Sun Wentai and Sun Bofu used this army to strengthen their forces.”

"Later, he fought against Huang Zu and captured a lot of boats and equipment, which is why he has the fighting strength he has today."

"Now, Jiangling is a fortified city, and the Yangtze River is a natural barrier."

"First, establish a water fortress so that the troops from Qing, Yan, and Yu can train within it."

"Only after being trained by my Jingzhou army and thoroughly instructed daily can they be put to use."

Cao Ren followed his advice and set up water gates along the river.

Large ships were used as outer walls and fortifications.

The small boat is placed inside, allowing passage for both sides.

They practiced drills every day until the lights were lit at night.

The light shone directly on the water's surface, turning it a deep red, and fireworks continued to light up the sky.

……

Meanwhile, Zhou Yu returned to his camp in triumph and rewarded his troops.

On one hand, he sent someone to report the victory to Li Yichu, and on the other hand, he climbed to a high place at night to observe the situation.

They saw flames reaching the sky in the west and inquired about the reason.

The attendants reported:

"These are all lights from the Northern Army."

"A scout reported that the Jiangling navy has set up a water fortress, and that Wei soldiers are training in the fortress every day, practicing surfing."

Zhou Yu then ordered his men to prepare a large warship, and took Gu Dong and several valiant generals with him.

Each carried a powerful bow and crossbow, and they all boarded the ship and sailed forward.

Upon reaching the water fortress, they secretly observed its interior.

There were banners in neat rows and ships in full array.

The naval drills were conducted with measured advances and retreats.

The strategies of splitting and uniting on the left and right are all in accordance with military tactics.

Zhou Yu was shocked upon seeing this, and sighed as he patted his boat:
"Northerners are not accustomed to naval warfare, so this shows they have mastered the art of naval warfare!"

"If this continues, it will surely become a major problem!"

Originally, in the Jiangnan battlefield, Eastern Wu and Jingzhou could have shared a meal with the states of Qi and Wei.

This is because this is their home turf, and they almost always fight on major rivers and waterways.

On the Qi side, at least they maintained their own navy.

Although it is not the main force of the national army, it is better than nothing.

The Wei state had never trained a navy in a systematic way.

This time, those who went south were all selected to be good at swimming.

Cao Cao simply believed that as long as you could swim and survive being submerged, you could become a naval officer.

But being able to swim and fighting on water are two completely different things.

In the daytime battle, the Wei soldiers' inability to handle water was magnified to an extreme degree.

But it was precisely because of this that Wei Jun realized his shortcomings.

We started to identify and fill in the gaps in our knowledge, and practiced like crazy.

Upon seeing this, those around him immediately offered their opinions:
"If the Wei people were to master underwater skills, it would be a bad thing for our army."

"It would be better to attack them before they succeed, so as to eliminate future troubles."

Zhou Yu shook his head and said to everyone:
"Since Prime Minister Li is in the south, we should inform him first before making any further plans."

Zhou Yu had no intention of being used as a pawn by the Qi army.

He knew that Li Yi definitely wanted Jingzhou far more than Eastern Wu did.

If Eastern Wu cannot win, at most they will retreat back to Jiangdong.

If Li Yi were to fall here, his reputation, which had been built up over a decade ago, would be ruined.

So they ordered the stones to be put away, and all four sides turned the oars together, and they sped away across the river as if flying.

Return to Jiangxia and meet Zhuge Liang.

"...I have gone to fight the Wei army as instructed by Mr. Zhuge."

"Our army has won a great victory. Will you also be able to keep your promise?"

"He instructed Prime Minister Li to take time out of his busy schedule to meet with Yu and discuss the matter of Jingzhou."

Zhuge Liang said:

"It's not impossible, but Liang is busy with military affairs and cannot leave at will."

"It would be best if the Governor went to see Prime Minister Li himself."

Left with no other choice, Zhou Yu had to lead his men to find Li Yi himself.

At this moment, Li Yi was leading the group along the riverbank.

He bumped into Zhou Yu, who came forward, bowed, and then recounted what he had said earlier.

The issue of dividing Jingzhou was raised again.

Li Yi then laughed and said:
"Currently, Cao Cao has acquired eight of the nine commanderies of Jingzhou and Xiangyang."

“Our Qi state only occupies Jiangxia, while Xiakou still belongs to your Sun family.”

"Instead of devising a strategy to defeat the enemy, you first discuss how to divide the land of Jingzhou."

"Isn't this a case of underestimating the talent of Jingchu?"

Zhou Yu then replied sternly:
"It is precisely because Jingchu is full of heroes that we must first make a clear agreement."

"When Emperor Gaozu entered Guanzhong, he established three laws."

"Now that Sun and Liu are allies, they should also jointly delineate their territorial boundaries."

"So that after defeating Cao Cao, no further conflicts may arise."

"Moreover, with Li Xiang's talent and strategy, how could Cao Cao be a match for you?"

Li Yi laughed loudly:

"Even if Governor Zhou revered Li as a god, he could not change the fact that Cao Cao had already obtained the eight commanderies of Jingzhou."

"I hope the Commander-in-Chief will first consider how to defeat Cao Cao and recover Jingzhou and Xiangyang, and then discuss this matter."

really……

Zhou Yu knew that Li Yi would definitely give him a perfunctory answer.

Fortunately, he still had a backup plan.

"Does Li Xiang know about the changes in Jingchu?"

"How about Prime Minister Li discusses the demarcation of Jingzhou with me? I'll tell you about it."

Zhou Yu asked sincerely.

……

(End of this chapter)