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

Chapter 320 The Central Plains War: Yi Li has fought over sixty battles so far, and he grasped the essence of the battle in his very first engagement.

In the fifteenth year of Jian'an, spring arrived.

After nearly six months of preparation in terms of manpower and resources.

The State of Qi finally completed its nationwide mobilization.

Liu Bei's imperial edict was sent to all parts of the country.

Local officials and officers at all levels are ordered to perform their duties and not to be lax or negligent during wartime.

The main functions of each region are:
Ji Province mobilized 60,000 soldiers from Hebei, with Li Yi personally in command.

Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, Gao Lan, Zhang He and other famous generals accompanied the army on the expedition.

Xun You served as the military advisor, while Zhen Yao was in charge of the army's provisions and weapons in Hebei.

Xuzhou mobilized 30,000 troops from the central army, personally led by Liu Bei, the King of Qi.

Zhang Fei was appointed as the deputy general, Xu Chu as the vanguard, and Grand Tutor Lu Su as the regent.

Huainan mobilized mainly its naval forces, totaling 30,000 men, personally led by Chen Deng.

A whole host of naval warriors went into battle—

Gan Ning, Jiang Qin, Xu Sheng, Zhou Tai, and others.

Five thousand men were mobilized from Qingzhou, led by Guan Yu.

Responsible for containing the Wei army on the eastern flank of Yanzhou.

Ma Chao of Bingzhou led his elite troops from the north out of Huguan Pass, ready to cut off the Guanzhong route at any time and prevent Han Sui's Xiliang troops from advancing eastward.

As for Youzhou and Pingzhou, they remained inactive, guarding the border.

A total of 150,000 regular soldiers were mobilized.

Of these, 150,000 were auxiliary troops and 300,000 were laborers.

A total of 600,000 troops.

Admittedly, this mobilization was large in scale, but its overall efficiency was not as high as that of the opposing Wei Kingdom, especially given that its numbers were fewer.

This is mainly due to the different military systems of the two countries.

As mentioned before, the military system mainly consisted of conscription and recruitment.

The State of Qi primarily recruited soldiers, while the State of Wei primarily conscripted soldiers.

Conscription is definitely more efficient than recruitment, and the financial expenditure is also much lower.

However, Qi mobilized first, so the two sides were almost evenly matched, and at the same time, they were able to send their troops to the front lines.

On the Wei side...

The Runan Military Region was led by Cao Ren, and consisted of 20,000 regular soldiers.

The Yanzhou Military Region was commanded by Cao Hong, and consisted of 20,000 regular soldiers.

The Yuzhou Military Region was commanded by Xiahou Dun and consisted of 30,000 regular soldiers.

In addition, Cao Cao specially dispatched Cao Xiu to the Jingzhao region to assist in the defense of Guanzhong, and at the same time to supervise Sima Yi.

The number of regular soldiers in the capital was 30,000.

Among those who joined the army in the battle were renowned generals and strategists such as Xiahou Shang, Mao Jie, Li Dian, Zhao Yan, Du Xi, Guo Huai, and Zhong Yao.

In addition, the Wei state adopted a "mass troop expansion" plan in the Henan region.

The Wei Kingdom, which originally had 100,000 regular soldiers, suddenly saw its numbers surge to 220,000.

An additional 120,000 regular soldiers were added, but most of them were "puppet troops" forcibly conscripted by Wei and trained in a short period of time.

To prevent a mutiny, the Cao Wei army divided these 120,000 men into smaller groups.

They were scattered among the troops of officers at all levels.

The benefit of doing this is to sever the connection between them.

This makes it difficult for them to form a cohesive force, thus creating a large-scale rebellion.

Besides the regular soldiers, the remaining auxiliary soldiers and laborers were also forcibly conscripted.

This even included an old woman who cooked breakfast and an old man who was in charge of escorting grain.

In total, there were approximately 220,000 auxiliary soldiers and 360,000 civilian laborers.

A total of 800,000 troops.

Once the coordination is complete, both sides are responsible for a tacit "undeclared war".

The State of Qi immediately began organizing the relocation of border residents to the interior to avoid disaster.

This was not only to protect their own people, but more importantly, because keeping them on the border meant they were very likely to be captured by the Wei people.

This was a common phenomenon on ancient battlefields.

When the enemy army arrives, they will not only plunder your property, but also coerce you into transporting grain and fodder.

As we've mentioned before, transporting grain in ancient times was incredibly arduous; it often meant that even if one didn't die, they would be severely injured.

During the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao sent troops to the border of Henan specifically to "capture civilians".

Therefore, relocating people to the interior was an inevitable move before the war, especially for large countries.

Of course, the State of Wei did not need to be relocated.

After all, most of Henan's population was forcibly conscripted, and the rest would flee on their own without needing to be relocated.

Livestock such as chickens, ducks, pigs, and sheep were also forcibly conscripted by Wei soldiers to serve in the army.

Currently, the Henan region under the rule of Wei is largely in a state of utter desolation, where not a rooster crows for miles around.

Because in this war in the Central Plains, the Wei people were determined to fight the Qi people to the death, even if they were to lose.

Finally, let's compare the strategic situations.

On the Wei side.

A total of 800,000 people were mobilized, comprising four army groups.

Xiahou Dun was appointed commander-in-chief, and Cao Ren was appointed deputy commander-in-chief.

The four army groups were almost entirely concentrated in the Yan and Yu areas of Henan province, with their forces concentrated there.

The advantages are a large number of people, a short logistical line, a concentrated battle line, and a small defensive front.

The disadvantages are short strategic depth, low overall quality of the main force, poor equipment, risk of mutiny, and questionable combat effectiveness.

From the perspective of the State of Qi.

A total of 600,000 people were mobilized, comprising six army groups.

Liu Bei was appointed commander-in-chief, and Li Yi was appointed deputy commander-in-chief.

The six army groups came from the east, south, and north, with their forces dispersed.

Its advantages are high morale, excellent equipment, and strong combat effectiveness.

The disadvantages are long logistics supply lines, extremely high military expenditures, and the fact that the various army groups are not concentrated in one place.

Given the limited transportation and communication in ancient times, communication between different army groups was not convenient.

Just as all the armies of Qi were converging on the direction of Henan, Zhuge Liang, who was in Jingzhou, also began to mobilize.

The number of troops dispatched from Jingzhou was approximately 20,000.

Some of these people were soldiers brought from Xuzhou, while others were soldiers recruited by Zhuge Liang in Jingzhou.

These local soldiers had all participated in the Jingnan Campaign with Zhuge Liang and were considered his core retinue.

The army group commander of this route was personally led by Zhuge Liang, with Huang Zhong as his deputy.

But before heading north, Zhuge Liang had to make preparations for the aftermath.

That is to set up the eastern defense line.

At the Jiangling government office, Zhuge Liang began deploying the defense system for Jingzhou overnight.

His gaze slowly descended from Xiangyang, finally settling on several key points along the Yangtze River—

Jiangling, Yiling, Gong'an, Xiakou.

"Although I have reached a cooperation agreement with Zhou Yu, this northward expedition will take away the main force of Jingzhou and Xiangyang."

"We must also guard against the Wu people breaking their alliance."

Therefore, these four places need to be guarded by important personnel.

After speaking, Zhuge Liang glanced at everyone and asked:
"Xiakou is the gateway to Jingzhou, a matter of utmost importance. Who is capable of defending it?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ma Liang stepped forward.

"I am willing to go!"

Zhuge Liang shook his head, "Jiangling is the heart of Jingzhou, and I still rely on Ji Chang to guard this place for me."

"How can we let you go to guard Xiakou?"

Therefore, Zhuge Liang appointed Ma Liang to guard Jiangling.

Controlling Jiangling is tantamount to controlling Jingzhou.

Zhuge Liang was cautious and prudent. The grain and weapons he stockpiled in Jiangling City could last for three years, which was enough to withstand a long-term siege.

As for the choice of personnel, Zhuge Liang appointed the person he considered most reliable—Ma Liang.

Of the five virtues of the Ma family, the one with white eyebrows is the best.

Ma Liang was not only exceptionally capable, but he also came from a prominent local family in Jingbei.

In every sense, he was the most suitable person to guard Jiangling.

As for Xiakou...

Zhuge Liang glanced at the crowd and called out by name:
"General Zilong, you have always been prudent and cautious in your actions."

"After much thought, Liang, I've decided that you should be the one to guard Xiakou."

Zhao Yun cupped his hands in greeting, "This humble general obeys!"

After returning the two most important positions, only Yiling and Gong'ankou remained.

Zhuge Liang paced back and forth in the room a couple of times, lightly waved his feather fan, and said calmly:
"Yiling is the throat of the Three Gorges. We also need to set up an ambush here, prepare fire ships and iron chains, and guard against the Wu army's surprise attack against the upstream."

Everyone felt that the previous arrangements for Xiakou and Jiangling were fine.

It was only after hearing how much importance Zhuge Liang placed on Yiling that one realized just how cautious he truly was.

It would be extremely difficult for Wu Jun to break through from Yiling.

"The defense of Yiling is of utmost importance and must be handled with utmost care."

"Chengming, you shall go and guard Yiling."

After some consideration, Zhuge Liang specifically named Pan Jun, the Chief Administrator.

"Here."

Pan Jun bowed and accepted the order.

"As for the public security department..."

Zhuge Liang frowned. "This place is the outpost of Jiangling. If we want to defend Jiangling, Gong'an is also of utmost importance."

After speaking, he glanced at everyone and asked in a deep voice:
"Who dares to guard the Public Security Bureau?"

Before he finished speaking, Military Advisor Ma Su stepped forward and declared, "I am willing to go!"

Previously, none of the bigwigs had spoken, so Ma Su didn't want to rush to speak first.

Nowadays, the senior veterans who were sent to the front lines have been reassigned elsewhere.

Of the remaining people, no one could definitively outperform Ma Su.

That's why Ma Su dared to apply on his own initiative.

Zhuge Liang frowned and said in a deep voice:

"Although the police force is small, its influence is significant."

"If the police fail, Jiangling will be in grave danger."

"If Jiangling is lost again, our army will be cut off from its return route."

"Although you are well-versed in strategy, this place has no natural defenses, making it extremely difficult to defend."

Ma Su immediately cupped his hands and said:

“I have been well-versed in military books since childhood and am quite knowledgeable in military strategy.”

"Having studied military strategy under the magistrate, he has greatly benefited from it. How could he not even be able to defend a small public security post?"

Zhuge Liang pondered for a long time, then frowned and said:
"Although I believe that Zhou Yu had no intention of making an enemy of Jingzhou."

"But I set up these four lines of defense in preparation for war."

"With Zhou Gongjin's outstanding talent and strategic acumen, he was by no means an ordinary person."

"Furthermore, he had Lü Meng and Lu Xun as his assistants, both of whom were famous generals of Wu."

"I fear you are no match for him."

Ma Su said angrily:
"Let alone Zhou Yu, Lü Meng, and Lu Xun, even if Sun Quan himself came, what would we have to fear?"

"If there is any mistake, I am willing to have my head cut off!"

Zhuge Liang frowned. "Youchang, there is no joking in the army!"

Ma Su, his temper flaring at this point, said angrily:

“Since Your Excellency does not believe me, then I, Su, am willing to sign a military pledge.”

Zhuge Liang thought to himself that the possibility of Eastern Wu taking the initiative to antagonize him during this northward expedition was already very low.

Even if relations soured, the Wu people might not be able to break through Xiakou, where Zhao Yun was located.

With Ma Liang in Jiangling, he and the Public Security Bureau can work together to protect each other, so there shouldn't be any major problems.

So Zhuge Liang agreed and ordered someone to fetch a military order for Ma Su to sign.

Then he gave the order;
"I will give you ten thousand elite soldiers and assign you a deputy general to assist you."

He immediately summoned Liao Hua and instructed him:

"I know you are cautious by nature, so I entrust you with this important task."

"You and Youchang must carefully guard this place. The camp must be located at a key point so that the enemy soldiers cannot sneak through."

"After setting up camp, I drew up a map of the four to eight geographical features for him to see."

"All matters should be discussed and agreed upon before proceeding; they should not be taken lightly."

"If what we hold is safe, then we will have achieved a great feat in taking the Central Plains."

"Quit it! Quit it!"

He then summoned Ma Su to the front and repeatedly gave him instructions.

"Gongankou is the outpost of Jiangling, and beacon towers can be set up along the river."

“A sentry post was set up every ten miles to monitor the river day and night.”

"The beacon fires are linked with Jiangling; when encountering the enemy, three smoke signals are raised to warn of danger."

"Strictly inspect all merchant ships coming and going. Anyone without a Jingzhou warrant shall be detained and questioned."

"We can deploy a large number of decoy troops and raise many flags on the shore to make it difficult for the Wu army to determine their true strength."

"Dig deeper trenches and set up antlers to block a strong land attack."

"We buried barbed wire along the riverbank to prevent enemy troops from landing."

Zhuge Liang covered almost every aspect, explaining the specific defenses of the public security forces in great detail.

He was just short of going up there himself to guard it.

Ma Su nodded in agreement, but secretly thought to himself:
Why do you look down on me, sir?

“I have studied military books since childhood and am well-versed in military strategy.”

"Now I'm just guarding a small police station, but the gentleman treats me like a three-year-old child, giving me all sorts of instructions."

"...Alas, I am not afraid that the Wu people will dare to come, but I am afraid that the Wu people will not dare to come."

"Otherwise, I will make those who look down on me dare not say another word."

After they left, Zhuge Liang saw them off one by one.

Before they departed, Zhuge Liang did not forget to give Ma Su and his entourage some final instructions.

"All matters concerning public security should be discussed and acted upon in consultation with Liao Hua."

"If the Wu army attacks, we must defend the city and not engage in reckless fighting!"

The two agreed in unison, but Ma Su was actually displeased.

The mist over the Yangtze River had not yet dissipated when Zhuge Liang and Ma Liang stood side by side before the battlements, gazing at the sails of ships that appeared and disappeared where the water met the sky in the distance.

Ma Liang frowned, looking at Zhuge Liang with a worried expression, and said:
"Master Kongming, although you are well-versed in military strategy, you have little experience in battle."

"I fear he is not up to the task."

"Why not send someone else to guard it?"

Just now, in front of everyone, Ma Liang, as the older brother, certainly couldn't say in public that his younger brother was no good.

Now that it's just him and Zhuge Liang in private, they naturally have to speak their minds.

Zhuge Liang stroked his long beard, his gaze still fixed on the river, and slowly took out a roll of silk from his sleeve.

"A secret report from Jiangdong states that Sun Quan is currently arguing with Zhang Zhao, Zhou Yu, and others about whether to form an alliance with Wei."

"Lu Xun stationed his troops at Chaisang, while Lü Meng fell ill at Jingkou."

"And Zhou Yu of Eastern Wu strongly opposed attacking Qi at this time, so Liang did not believe that our northern expedition would be met with betrayal by the Wu people."

Ma Liang took the secret report and examined it carefully. His brows furrowed slightly, but he shook his head again:

"But sir, have you forgotten what the King of Qi said when he inspected Jingzhou?"

"Young people often exaggerate their abilities and should not be given important responsibilities."

"It's not that I, as the elder brother, don't trust my younger brother; it's just that Youchang is still young and needs time to mature."

"Public security is a vital town in Jingzhou and Xiangyang. To entrust him with such a great responsibility right from the start, what if..."

"Nothing unexpected."

Zhuge Liang turned around, and the shouts of the soldiers training below the city came on the wind.

"I left 20,000 elite troops in Jiangling, with Zilong stationed at Xiakou and Pan Jun guarding the Three Gorges."

He suddenly chuckled, "Even if Youchang is a straw man, Wu Jun will find it difficult to cross the line."

Of the four key commanders, only Ma Su lacked battlefield experience.

For this reason, Zhuge Liang assigned him a relatively simple task.

Meanwhile, he had Zhao Yun, Ma Liang, and Pan Jun to back him up.

Zhuge Liang believed that even if Ma Su was truly incompetent, he couldn't possibly lose Gong'an. This was actually a good opportunity for Ma Su to gain experience.

As long as you complete this task steadily, your qualifications will be sufficient.

Zhuge Liang could then directly appoint Ma Su as a high-ranking official in a local area.

This person was cultivated by him and can be considered his absolute confidant.

"It's just that Youchang is arrogant and proud. If he were truly a clay puppet, that would be fine, but I'm afraid..."

"Ji Chang, tell me, if you put a piece of raw jade on the safest jade-carving table, is that protecting it or delaying its progress?"

Zhuge Liang countered with a question.

Ma Liang remained silent for a moment.

As the river mist dissipated, the rising sun cast long shadows of the two figures onto the city wall.

Ma Liang watched his younger brother's boat disappear into the river, and finally nodded slowly.

……

Yingchuan, Xuxian.

A cold wind howled, and the town of Xuxian was under heavy security.

Inside the main hall, candlelight shone brightly, and the generals stood solemnly.

Xiahou Dun, with his single, piercing eye, sat high in the main seat, with Cao Ren standing beside him, his hand on his sword.

On the table lay a topographical map of Henan, with the strategic passes and passes marked by brushstrokes.

Xiahou Dun said in a deep voice:
"Gentlemen, a scout reports that Liu Bei has mobilized an army of 600,000."

"They will attack from the east, north, and south in the near future."

"This battle concerns the survival of our Great Wei. The reason I have gathered you all here today is to devise a strategy to defend against the enemy."

As a result, all the major armies of the Great Wei Dynasty gathered in Yingchuan.

The Wei state's top military leaders then convened a national-level military conference in Xuchang.

As soon as he finished speaking, Cao Hong slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

"What's the point of discussing? Let's mobilize our elite forces and deliver a crushing blow at Guandu!"

"Just like the story of Henan back then, they defeated Yuan Shao with fewer troops!"

Jiang Ji slightly raised his eyes and said calmly:

"...Times have changed."

"Liu Bei is not comparable to Yuan Shao; he now commands troops from several provinces."

"Li Yi was a master of strategy and a profound expert in military tactics."

"Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun are all capable of fighting ten thousand men. If they were to engage in a head-on battle, the outcome would be unpredictable."

Jiang Ji was a typical pessimist and did not have much confidence in the war.

Cao Ren nodded in agreement.
“What Zitong said is absolutely right.”

"In my opinion, the key to this battle lies not in open field combat, but in—"

He slammed his finger heavily on the map, "Chen State!"

Upon hearing this, all the generals in the hall listened intently.

Cao Ren analyzed the situation methodically and carefully:
"The emperor is still under house arrest in Chen. If Liu Bei attacks Henan, he will surely send his elite troops to take Chen directly."

"If the emperor falls into their hands, then the legitimacy will belong to them."

"At that time, our Great Wei will have completely lost morally."

Zhao Yan nodded in agreement, then added in a deep voice:
"Moreover, if the war goes against us, we should at least move the emperor to Guanzhong, or even Xichuan, to preserve the legitimacy of the dynasty."

"otherwise……"

A glint of ruthlessness flashed in his single eye, and he said with a hint of pessimism:
"If we fail in our struggle for the throne and lose Henan."

"Then Liu Bei will have unified the entire Central Plains. Given his reputation, I'm afraid..."

At this point, Zhao Yan stopped talking.

Although we hate to admit it, everyone knows the truth.

Since ancient times, people have believed that Henan and Hebei are the true land of Chinese civilization.

Therefore, this area is also called the Central Plains, or China.

Once Liu Bei unified the Central Plains, he would have the conditions to seize power, both militarily and economically.

Politically, needless to say.

Four generations of high-ranking officials, descendants of the imperial family, plus their service to the legitimate emperor.

Liu Bei had every opportunity to peacefully complete the abdication ceremony from the emperor.

By that time, Liu Bei's popularity would truly be at its zenith.

This was a huge disaster for the Cao Wei regime.

Therefore, protecting the emperor was the top priority for the Cao Wei army.

At the very least, he must not fall into Liu Bei's hands, so that he can complete the "abdication" ceremony.

Xiahou Dun, as the commander-in-chief, nodded slightly and said:

"Your two insights are excellent."

"In my opinion, we should send all our elite troops to the State of Chen."

Upon hearing this, Li Dian frowned and asked:
"If the main force goes to Chen, how will Luoyang and Xu County be defended?"

"If Liu Bei divides his forces to attack, wouldn't we be in grave danger?"

Man Chong smiled slightly and said:
"Liu Bei's ambition is to conquer the world; he will surely first seize the emperor."

"We only need to set up a large force in Chen in advance and wait for the enemy to tire themselves out."

"As for Luoyang and Xuxian..."

He tapped the map lightly with his fingertip, "We can have Du Xi and Guo Huai lead a detachment to garrison the area and buy us some time."

After saying this, he turned to Xiahou Dun and said seriously:
"General, our army's combat strength is inferior to that of the Qi army."

Therefore, we must not engage in large-scale open-field battles with the Qi army.

"Our army has the advantage of a large number of troops and concentrated forces."

"The disadvantage of the Qi army was that its battle lines were long and its troops were scattered and did not gather together immediately."

"We should join forces and attack one route together."

"Only in this way can we have a chance to turn the tide."

Man Chong was well-versed in the art of war.

He actually participated in the Battle of Guandu and fought alongside Li Yi.

He witnessed firsthand how Li Yi commanded the army and managed his subordinates.

Its advanced concepts deeply impressed Manchong.

So much so that Man Chong is now desperately studying Li Yi's works and silently copying his famous quotes.

Knowing yourself and knowing your enemy can help you win a hundred battles.

To defeat the enemy, you must first understand the enemy.

Man Chong did just that, so among all the officers, he might not be the one who had the most contact with Li Yi.

But he must be the one who understands Li Yi the most.

Having studied Li Yi for so long, the most profound lesson he learned about military strategy was—

Use your strengths to attack the enemy's weaknesses, and use your power to attack the enemy's vulnerabilities.

Man Chong concluded that the Qi army would definitely come to Chen to seize the emperor.

If nothing unexpected happens, Chen will be the primary battlefield.

Now that we have an advantage on the front lines at the start, we should set up defenses in Chen as soon as possible.

Strengthen the city's defenses, deploy deer antlers, and stockpile grain and fodder to wait for the enemy to tire themselves out.

Make the most of your strengths!
However, even the best strategy will only have its true value if it is implemented.

Throughout history, whether or not a good strategy can be implemented depends entirely on whether the top leader accepts it.

At this moment, Man Chong and the others all turned their gazes to Xiahou Dun, the supreme military commander of Wei in this Central Plains war.

Xiahou Dun pondered for a long time before looking at Man Chong.

Suddenly, a question unrelated to the current battle was asked.

"Bo Ning, what do you think of Li Yi's military strategy?"

"How can someone who has never been on the battlefield be victorious in every battle?"

Xiahou Dun's question actually reflected the doubts in the minds of many Wei generals.

It should be noted that Li Yi had never actually been on the battlefield before.

Why is it that once someone takes command, they win every battle?

This would put many talented athletes in the military to shame.

Since Man Chong is the one in the army who understands Li Yi the most, then you should explain it to everyone.

Man Chong immediately replied:

"A gifted talent, known without practice."

"Li Yi is indeed a rare genius who appears in the world."

"Warfare is the ultimate art of deception."

"Since Yili's battles, there have been no fewer than sixty battles, and he grasped the essentials of the battles from the very first one."

Man Chong means that war is a complex art, and Li Yi is an unparalleled genius.

Li Yi has commanded no fewer than sixty battles to date, and he learned everything in his very first battle.

Upon hearing this, everyone instinctively held their breath.

The first battle that Man Chong mentioned here actually refers to the Battle of Guandu.

Strictly speaking, the Battle of Guandu was the first battle in which Li Yi truly took full command.

Many people have a misconception that the Battle of Guandu was fought very quickly.

It was a single fire at Wuchao that led to the downfall of Yuan Shao's hegemony.

In reality, the Battle of Guandu was a protracted war of attrition.

The stalemate lasted for a year.

Both sides have reached an extremely high level of war weariness.

In Henan, the military and civilians were suffering immensely, while in Hebei, a large-scale armed rebellion broke out in Yecheng.

The final fire at Wuchao was merely the last straw that broke the giant's back.

It was during this battle that Li Yi underwent his transformation.

Because his theoretical knowledge is extensive enough.

Over the course of more than a year, he put his management and military experience into full practice.

It wasn't until the very last moment of the war, after experiencing the struggle for survival, that he came to understand the essence of war.

Now that Li Yi is a fully capable military commander, Liu Bei would feel very comfortable entrusting him with the command of the military.

Instead of micromanaging from behind.

In other words, the Cao Wei officers were facing an extremely powerful and terrifying opponent who was completely unrestrained.

The officers remained silent for a long time before Xiahou Dun finally broke the silence.

"Having adopted Man Bo Ning's plan, the entire main force of the army marched towards the State of Chen."

Upon receiving the commander's order, all the generals stood up in unison and shouted:
"Here!"

It is evident that Xiahou Dun held a very high prestige in the army, and everyone respected him.

Some people might find it strange,
Isn't Xiahou Dun the guy who "never won a battle, but never stopped getting promoted"?

How could such a person possibly earn the respect of the masses? And how could Cao Cao entrust him with the command of such an important main battlefield?

Admittedly, Xiahou Dun has many valuable human humor stories.

For example, there are names like "Meat Ticket General," "Perfect Body General," "Farming General," and "Blind Xiahou," etc.

However, it is undeniable that if Xiahou Dun were truly an incompetent and mediocre person, he would not have been able to rise through the ranks under Cao Cao.

Even if he is a member of the royal family, it won't work.

Otherwise, just look at Xiahou Yuan next door; he's had a miserable and exhausting life.

What role did Xiahou Dun, as the first member of the imperial clan, play in Cao Cao's camp?

They are roughly equivalent to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei in Liu Bei's camp.

Xiahou Dun was Cao Cao's major shareholder and one of the earliest wealthy and powerful partners.

This is somewhat similar to the role of Zhang Fei.

On the other hand, Xiahou Dun was also adept at logistics and farming.

In ancient times, this ability would actually be more advantageous than being brave in battle.

Just like how modern people usually only admire Zhang Liang and Han Xin, but don't value Xiao He.

They admired Zhang Liang's strategic planning and Han Xin's invincible military prowess.

They looked down on Xiao He's logistics and internal affairs management, feeling that it lacked any technical sophistication.

Therefore, the title "Farming General" cannot be entirely considered a mockery of Xiahou Dun; Cao Cao actually liked that kind of person.

Of course, ability is secondary.

Xiahou Dun has one advantage that neither Zhang Fei nor Guan Yu can match.

That means they are very good at handling situations and understand the workplace very well.

Xiahou Dun was the undisputed number two figure in Cao Cao's camp, Cao Cao's most trusted general, a member of his brotherhood, and the second-in-command.

These labels combined would make anyone feel insecure, but Xiahou Dun didn't.

He never boasted about it.

For example, in the Second Battle of Hedong.

Zhong Yao was then able to directly command Xiahou Dun.

If this happened in Cao Cao's camp, it would be considered an absurd reversal of the natural order, with a general of a different surname being able to command a general from the imperial clan.

Especially since Xiahou Dun's military rank was much higher than Zhong Yao's at the time.

However, Xiahou Dun believed that Zhong Yao was good at appeasing people and was suitable to be the governor. He believed that only by optimizing the allocation of human resources could they seize the world.

Therefore, he willingly accepted Zhong Yao's leadership.

This demonstrates Xiahou Dun's political awareness: he was not arrogant because of his seniority and was able to consider the overall situation.

Admittedly, both Zhang Fei and Guan Yu were skilled warriors, and their military command abilities far surpassed those of Xiahou Dun.

But let's talk about a very real and cruel problem.

That means that as the country's second-in-command, you don't actually need to have high military command skills.

What you need to do most is to unite your colleagues, coordinate relationships, pool your wisdom and efforts, and preserve your foundation.

Being able to fight is certainly a plus, but the points mentioned above are the core factors.

Historically, neither Zhang Fei nor Guan Yu managed their relationships with their colleagues well.

If Liu Bei were in Xuzhou, he would have entrusted Chen Deng with the main power, while letting Zhang Fei only be in charge of military affairs, thus keeping military power in his own hands.

Xuzhou is very difficult to lose.

In Jingzhou, if Liu Bei were willing to entrust great power to Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Ma Liang, or even Pan Jun...

Guan Yu was put in charge of military affairs and given command of the army.

Jingzhou may be a completely different world.

But this is obviously impossible; given Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's temperaments, they would not accept it.

Liu Bei appointed Huang Zhong as a general of the four directions, which angered Guan Yu, who even openly refused Liu Bei's reward.

How could he possibly consider the bigger picture and willingly accept the leadership of the scholars of Jingzhou?

In Guan Yu's view, this was nothing more than officials in Jingzhou protecting each other.

He had a bad relationship with many officials in Jingzhou, such as Pan Jun.

The two had a very bad relationship.

You should know that Pan Jun was essentially the secretary of the governor of Jingzhou.

It's one thing to have a bad relationship with local officials, but it's another to have a falling out with someone of this rank.

It's hard not to feel a pang of regret when Jingzhou was lost later.

In conclusion, Xiahou Dun was Cao Cao's competent and competent second-in-command.

But Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were not.

Both were excellent military commanders, but neither was suitable to be the country's second-in-command.

Both men served as Liu Bei's second-in-command at different times, but the final results proved that they were not a good match.

As the second-in-command of the group, you have to put aside your airs and follow more rules and regulations.

Instead of acting solely on one's whims.

It was precisely because Xiahou Dun possessed such excellent interpersonal skills that he earned the respect of Cao Cao's generals.

Man Chong offered an excellent suggestion, and Xiahou Dun honestly admitted that his military talent was inferior to Man Chong's.

So after consulting with everyone, he chose to accept the proposal.

The next day.

The north wind howled, and the banners fluttered in the wind.

The east gate of Xu County opened wide, and black-armored soldiers surged forth like a tide, while iron cavalrymen moved like dragons.

Xiahou Dun stood before the three armies, his single eye cold and stern, clad in black armor, his warhorse neighing loudly.

Behind them, the great banner of the Wei Kingdom fluttered fiercely in the wind, the character "Wei" shining brightly in the cold light.

"Marching into the State of Chen!"

……

(End of this chapter)