My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Chapter 243 An Unparalleled Humiliation in History! The Strategist's Plan: Han Xin Defeated Xiang Yu, and Four Hundred Years Later, I Defeated Cao Cao!
Xiao He's original intention was to have Lady Bian curse Cao Cao a few times and say some harsh words.

For example, Cao Cao, you cruel and ruthless beast, how dare you hurt my daughter! I'm standing right here in Gaomi City, watching how you die at the hands of Xiao He.

Cao Cao was provoked and sent his troops across the river; his provocation tactic worked.

What Xiao He didn't expect was that Lady Bian hated Cao Cao so much that she directly sent a letter of divorce!
Since ancient times, it has always been the husband who divorces the wife; there is no reason for the wife to divorce the husband.

That's also called a peaceful divorce, where both parties amicably dissolve their marriage.

The dignified Duke of Wei was already betrayed by his wife and children, and had the Imperial Seal of the State stolen from him. Now, his wife has even openly issued a letter of divorce.

What a shame!
This is an unprecedented and humiliating disgrace!

It would be strange if Cao Cao didn't get so angry that he vomited blood on the spot, or if he didn't launch a large-scale invasion across the river in a fit of rage.

"Thank you for your help, Madam. With your letter of divorce, we will surely defeat Cao Cao!"

Xiao He suppressed his sneer, bowed to Lady Bian in thanks, and then ordered the letter of divorce to be sent immediately to Cao Cao in Chang'an City on the west bank.

Bian curtsied and expressed her gratitude before hurrying into the inner room to take care of Cao Jie.

Xiao He then went back to the outer hall and told the generals about Bian's letter of divorce.

The hall immediately erupted in excitement, with everyone filled with delight.

"Strategist Bowen's plan is brilliant! When Cao Cao sees this letter of divorce, he will be furious and will surely lead his troops across the river!"

Gan Ning laughed and made sarcastic remarks.

"Even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs. Cao Cao was so cruel and ruthless that he ended up with his wife and children betraying him. It was his own fault."

Zhang Liao sighed with emotion.

Suddenly remembering something, he said:

"I have no doubt that the strategist's provocation will lure Cao Cao across the river."

"However, with Cao Cao's wisdom, even if he wants to cross the river, he should be able to see that this is the strategist's provocation. Our army will wait to attack him while he is crossing the river."

"Liao is worried that if Cao Cao is prepared to cross the river and is ready to ambush us while we are crossing, what should we do?"

The hall fell completely silent.

The sarcasm and excitement on the faces of the generals vanished instantly, replaced by slight frowns.

"Strategist, Wen Yuan's reminder is not without reason."

"If Cao Cao is prepared, our army may not be able to succeed in attacking him while he is crossing the river."

"Moreover, the Wei army has more than 40,000 men. If we cannot defeat them on the shore and allow them to establish a firm foothold on the east bank of the Wei River, the situation will be unfavorable for us."

"After all, the Wei River is too shallow and narrow, so my navy is practically useless and can't cut off the Wei army's retreat at all."

Gan Ning nodded in agreement.

Xiao He remained calm and composed, simply watching as the others voiced their concerns.

How could he not know Cao Cao's military prowess?

He had certainly considered the concerns they mentioned.

"Then let's use a surprise move, so that even if Cao Cao is on guard, it will be useless!"

Xiao He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, turned his gaze to Zhang Liao, and then gave him a plan.

The worries in the generals' eyes vanished and were quickly replaced by joy.

Zhang Liao's eyes narrowed, and he asked in surprise:

"When Han Xin conquered Qi, he fought a great battle with Long Ju on the Wei River, and it was precisely with the help of the strategist Bo Wen that he made this plan."

"Could it be that the strategist intends to use Han Xin's strategy from back then on this same battlefield to defeat Cao Cao?"

Xiao He showed a hint of approval.

Zhang Liao's ability to recall this anecdote truly makes him a rare figure among the Five Tiger Generals, possessing both wisdom and courage.

So Xiao He smiled slightly and nodded, saying:
“Wen Yuan is right. I’m going to use the same strategy that the military genius used to defeat Long Ju to defeat Cao Cao here on the Wei River.”

"With Cao Cao's intelligence, if he had remained calm, he might have come up with this plan."

"However, once Madam Bian's letter of divorce arrives, he will be so enraged that he might not be able to think of it."

Zhang Liao's confidence soared, and he readily accepted the order.

That very night, under the cover of darkness, Zhang Liao led several thousand elite cavalrymen quietly south of Gaomi City.

...

Chang'an City.

Cao Cao, his face ashen, stared at Wang Yue, who was kneeling on the ground, and anxiously reported on the failed assassination attempt.

"You mean, your hundred-plus swordsmen, each capable of taking on ten, were all routed and forced to flee by a single, unknown old soldier?"

Cao Cao asked in a deep voice, his eyes and tone full of doubt.

Wang Yue sensed Cao Cao's displeasure and hurriedly explained:

"It is not that I am unwilling to fight to the death, but that the old general's spear skills are superb, and his bravery is no less than that of Lü Bu in his prime. My men and I fought valiantly but were no match for him, so we had no choice but to retreat."

"However, one of my men pierced the carriage and seriously injured the person hiding inside, but I do not know who was injured."

Cao Cao's face darkened, his expression filled with disappointment.

I thought Wang Yue was really capable, boasting that he could intercept and kill Bian's mother and son and take back the Imperial Seal of the State with just over a hundred swordsmen.

When Wang Yue set off, he was full of hope and even fantasized for a while.

Who would have thought the outcome would be like this?

Wang Yue and his group suffered heavy casualties, and their only gain was stabbing one of Bian's mother and son, though it was uncertain whether they had killed them.

It seems that Cao Pi also misjudged people; the Wang Yue he recommended was nothing but a fraud.

"Alright, I understand."

"I don't need you here anymore. Set off immediately and go back to Zihuan's place."

Cao Cao waved his hand impatiently.

Wang Yue felt a pang of sadness.

Cao Cao was disappointed in him, regarding him as someone with an empty reputation, and wanted to send him packing and getting rid of him.

After a silent sigh, Wang Yue had no choice but to take his leave.

"If what that good-for-nothing Wang Yue said is true, then that sword strike that killed that vile woman is a blessing from heaven, and it hasn't failed me..."

Disappointed, Cao Cao still harbored some illusions.

Footsteps sounded, and the Tiger Guard hurriedly entered, holding a silk scroll aloft.

"Reporting to Duke Wei, an envoy from the false Chu state has sent a letter, claiming that he wishes to present it to you."

An envoy from the State of Chu?
letter?

Jiang Ji, Zhang He, and the others immediately became alert.

In a foul mood, Cao Cao didn't think twice and simply waved his hand, casually saying, "Read it!"

Tiger Guard then unwrapped the silk scroll and read it aloud to the crowd. Upon hearing just a few words, Jiang Ji and the other officials paled in astonishment, and a murmur of disapproval immediately broke out.

Cao Cao's expression changed drastically. He abruptly raised his head, his eyes widening in disbelief as he looked at the letter in the Tiger Guard's hand.

That was actually a letter written in Bian's own handwriting!
It's still a letter of divorce!
In her letter, Lady Bian hurled insults at him, calling him heartless, cruel, and a ruthless predator...

It can be as ugly as it can be.

Finally, Lady Bian declared that she had severed all ties with Cao Cao and thus divorced him from her home!

"Shut up, shut up!"

Cao Cao was furious. He roared and rushed down, snatching the silk scroll from the Tiger Guard's hand.

I couldn't wait to unfold it and saw that it was indeed Bian's handwriting.

This letter of divorce was indeed written by Bian.

Cao Cao's eyes were bloodshot, his face turned purple, and the veins on his forehead were bulging as if they were about to burst.

The dignified Duke of Wei was actually scolded mercilessly by his own wife.

He was even divorced by Lady Bian!
This is an utter disgrace, whether for a man or for the ruler of a nation!

When future historians read this passage, they will surely burst into laughter.

"You vile woman, I will kill you, I will kill you!"

Cao Cao tore the letter to shreds and shouted angrily:

"By my order, the army shall immediately break camp and advance eastward. I will cross the Wei River and crush Gaomi!"

"I will kill that vile woman! I will tear Xiao and that demon to pieces to vent my hatred!"

The officials, including Jiang Ji, were all greatly surprised.

No one expected that Lady Bian would actually write such a letter of divorce to humiliate their Duke Wei.

It is obvious to anyone with discerning eyes that this letter from Bian was written at Xiao He's behest, a tactic to provoke Cao Cao into crossing the river.

Jiang Ji and the others wanted to persuade him, but seeing that Cao Cao was in a fit of anger, no one dared to utter a word.

On that day, more than 40,000 Wei troops marched out of Chang'an and headed towards Gaomi in a mighty procession.

The next morning.

More than 40,000 Wei troops advanced to the west of Gaomi, on the west bank of the Wei River.

Looking up, one could see that more than 20,000 Chu troops had gathered on the east bank of the opposite bank, ready for battle.

"Lord Wei, please forgive my boldness in speaking frankly."

"Lady Bian's letter must have been a ploy by Xiao He to provoke Duke Wei into crossing the Wei River in anger."

"The Chu army is clearly well-prepared. If our army forces its way across the river, we will be caught in a crossfire and suffer heavy losses."

Seeing that Cao Cao's anger had subsided somewhat, Jiang Ji dared to offer his advice and reminder.

Although Cao Cao's anger had not subsided, he finally calmed down a bit after marching all night.

Jiang Ji's reminder made him wary as well.

He absolutely had to cross the Wei River.

How can Bu Du flatten Gaomi and kill the Bian family to quell his hatred?
We must be prepared for Xiao He's attack while he's crossing the river; we can't be foolish enough to fall into Xiao He's trap.

Cao Cao's mind raced as he devised a foolproof plan.

At this moment, the sun is rising in the east, and the entire Wei River can be seen clearly.

Cao Cao's eyes suddenly lit up, and he pointed with his whip:
"Quickly send a team to probe across the river and test how deep the water is."

A team of scouts received the order and went out.

A moment later, they brought back a result that Cao Cao had expected:
The water level of the Wei River is not above knee-high!
Cao Cao's lips curled into a cold smile, and he pointed his whip:
“Zitong, you heard it too. The water level of the Wei River is only knee-deep. Our army does not need boats or rafts; we can cross the river by wading.”

"If that's the case, how did that sorcerer surnamed Xiao manage to attack them while they were crossing the river?"

Jiang Ji was speechless.

He was well-versed in military strategy, and the essence of attacking while the enemy was crossing lay in the word "crossing".

To cross the river, you need to use boats or rafts. Once you reach the other side, your soldiers must disembark and regroup.

The enemy forces on the opposite bank will launch an attack just as half of your troops have landed and before they have formed a proper formation and gained a foothold, driving you back into the river in one fell swoop.

"What Lord Wei says is absolutely right!"

Cao Zhen's eyes also lit up, and he said happily:

"It is currently the dry season, and the water level of the Wei River has been dropping. Now that it has dropped to below knee level, our troops can form ranks and wade across the river."

"Our army has 40,000 men, twice the number of the enemy. As long as we form ranks and advance across the river, how can the Chu bandits attack us while we are crossing?"

Cao Zhen pointed out the deeper meaning behind Cao Cao's question.

The generals on either side suddenly realized what was happening and were all excited and invigorated.

Jiang Ji had nothing to say.

Cao Cao looked towards the opposite bank and sneered:
“Xiao He, you wanted to use a provocation tactic to lure me across the river and then attack me halfway across, but you forgot to calculate the water level of the Wei River.”

"This time, Heaven is finally on my side."

"Hahaha--"

Cao Cao let out a wild laugh, then cracked his whip:
"By order of the King, Zhang He shall lead his cavalry to remain on the west bank to prevent the Chu cavalry from crossing the river and taking the opportunity to attack the King's rear."

"The rest of the troops, immediately form a battle formation and cross the river for me!"

The order was given, and the military flag waved.

Zhang He led over four thousand cavalrymen, stationed on the west bank to guard the rear.

Nearly 40,000 Wei infantrymen formed large and small battle formations and advanced majestically towards the east bank.

really.

The Wei River's water level was no higher than knee-deep, so the Wei army didn't need boats or rafts; they could easily wade across the river using only two rafts.

In a short while, the main force of the Wei army had entered the water, covering the river surface in a dense, overwhelming mass, and advancing towards the opposite bank like a wall.

East bank.

Gan Ning's 20,000 Chu troops stood solemnly on the riverbank, ready to fight.

Xiao Heze stood at the west gate of Gaomi, looking down at the Wei River from a high vantage point.

Every move of the Wei army was under their watchful eyes.

Seeing that most of the Wei army had already entered the water, Xiao He smiled coldly and waved his hand lightly:

"Light the signal fire and send a signal to Wen Yuan."

Three pillars of smoke rose in the blink of an eye atop the city walls of Gaomi.

(End of this chapter)