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

Sixty miles south of Puban stands a city—Linjin City.

One of the Three Prefectures, the seat of Fengyi Commandery.

On the main road to the north, squads of Wei soldiers, with their flags askew, were hurrying south.

The Wei army, retreating from the north, was like a weary and panicked torrent, gradually converging on the city.

These Wei soldiers had faces full of exhaustion and frustration, and their eyes revealed confusion and fear about the future.

As the routed troops gradually regrouped, the Wei army's strength was somewhat restored, and the number of troops in the city reached nearly 30,000.

However, nearly the same number of Wei troops failed to withdraw from Puban Pass.

At this moment, inside the government hall of Linjin City.

The atmosphere was so oppressive that everyone felt suffocated.

Cao Cao sat listlessly on his throne, his hand supporting his forehead, his face as gloomy as the sky before a storm.

His brows were furrowed, and his eyes revealed anxiety.

The generals below the hall all hung their heads in dejection, their expressions listless and gloomy, like eggplants wilted by frost.

Their bodies were all hunched over, as if their spines were bent by an invisible pressure, and an atmosphere of despair, like a cold tide, was now spreading through the hall.

There was no way around it; they suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Puban Pass.

With more than half their troops lost, the painstakingly constructed Puban defense line proved to be as fragile as paper, and the natural barrier of the Yellow River was easily breached by the Han army…

This crushing defeat seems to have shattered the morale and backbone of the Wei army.

"Puban has fallen, and more than half of my 60,000-strong army has been lost. The big-eared traitor has already entered Guanzhong. Tell me, how should I turn the tide?"

Cao Cao could only force himself to stay alert, his gaze slowly sweeping over his ministers, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a hint of undisguised exhaustion.

His eyes were filled with expectation, hoping to find a glimmer of hope among his ministers.

A brilliant strategy to turn the tide!

Sima Yi dared not utter a sound; his head was slightly lowered, and his eyes revealed a trace of guilt and unease.

It was he who instigated Cao Cao to forcibly defend Puban, resulting in the loss of troops and territory.

His own decision-making error had brought huge losses to the State of Wei. At this moment, it was already a blessing that Cao Cao did not make him take the blame or punish him. How could he dare to offer any more good ideas?

Moreover, given how far things had developed, he felt helpless and had no other options.

Jia Xu wanted to speak, but hesitated and stopped.

His lips moved slightly, but he ultimately swallowed back the words that were about to come out.

Jia Xu had already determined that the plan he offered was merely a means to prolong the situation, and even if he presented it to Cao Cao, Cao Cao might not listen to it.

At this critical moment, he chose to remain silent.

Seeing that his ministers remained silent, Cao Cao's anger gradually flared up, like a volcano about to erupt.

His hands were clenched into fists, as if he wanted to vent his anger and dissatisfaction.

Just then, one person took a deep breath and resolutely stepped forward:

"Your Majesty, the natural barrier of the Yellow River has been lost, and there is no defense in Guanzhong. We can no longer stop hundreds of thousands of Han troops."

"Whether we hold the Wei River or retreat to Chang'an, we cannot stop the Han army. It will only be a repeat of the mistakes at Puban Pass."

"In my opinion, given the current situation, abandoning Yongliang and retreating to Liangzhou is the best course of action."

"Only in this way can we rely on the Longshan Mountains as a barrier to block the advance of the pseudo-Han army."

"This is our only chance to live!"

The person who offered the advice was Yang Fu. His expression was firm, and his eyes revealed a resolute determination.

He was actually advising Cao Cao to give up Yongzhou!
This statement was like a thunderclap, exploding in the tent and immediately causing an uproar.

The generals whispered amongst themselves, their faces showing surprise.

Cao Cao's expression changed drastically, and his astonished gaze shot towards Yang Fu.

The State of Wei now only has the two provinces of Yong and Liang left. These two provinces are crucial to the State of Wei, like the foundation of a great building.

Moreover, of these two states, Liangzhou is barren and serves no other purpose than providing Xiliang cavalry.

With so many mouths to feed throughout the Wei Kingdom, they all basically depend on Yongzhou, which is the Guanzhong Plain, for sustenance.

Giving up Yongliang was tantamount to giving up the last remaining fertile land of the Wei Kingdom.

The remaining grain-producing areas and the largest source of soldiers were all handed over to Liu Bei!
What difference is there between this and the fall of a country?
"Yang Fu!"

Cao Cao flew into a rage, slammed his fist on the table, and roared:

"Chang'an is the capital of the Great Wei Dynasty, and Yongzhou is the foundation of the nation. How dare you ask me to abandon it without a fight?"

"Is this your brilliant plan to turn the tide?"

"You have disappointed me so much, you have disappointed me so much!"

Cao Cao's voice was like thunder, echoing throughout the mansion.

His face flushed red, and his eyes blazed with fury, as if he wanted to devour Yang Fu. He vented all his dissatisfaction and disappointment in front of everyone.

Yang Fu gritted his teeth inwardly, his face filled with sorrow, and his heart was filled with endless grievances at Cao Cao's public rebuke.

His body trembled slightly, and his eyes revealed a hint of pain and helplessness.

He had offered his sincere advice for the survival of Cao Wei with utmost sincerity, but Cao Cao had criticized him so harshly. He felt that his heart had been misplaced.

However, for the sake of the country and its people, he had no choice but to swallow this grievance.

"Your Majesty, how could I not know that Yongzhou is the foundation of our Great Wei, and Chang'an is the capital of our Great Wei? We must never abandon them to the enemy unless absolutely necessary."

Yang Fu took a deep breath, suppressing his grief, and continued to explain:
"But Your Majesty, may I ask you this: given the current situation, even if we do not abandon Chang'an and Yongzhou, what will we use to defend them?"

"Does His Majesty truly disregard the lessons learned from Puban Pass and intend to annihilate the last remaining troops of our Great Wei in Yongzhou?"

Filled with grief and indignation, Yang Fu questioned Cao Cao, his voice trembling slightly.

Cao Cao suddenly shivered, and the anger and resentment on his face vanished in an instant.

His body swayed slightly, as if Yang Fu's words had struck a nerve.

Cao Cao began to reflect on his decision, wondering if, as Yang Fu had said, holding onto Yongzhou would only lead Wei into an irrecoverable predicament.

A hush fell over the hall.

The generals all lowered their heads, pondering Yang Fu's words.

If we abandon Yongliang and retreat to Liangzhou, although we can rely on the Longshan Mountains as a barrier to block the Han army's attack, we will also lose a large area of ​​fertile land and an important source of soldiers.

Abandoning the capital Chang'an would be a heavy blow to the morale and public support of the Wei Kingdom.

However, if they hold Yongzhou, with Wei's current military strength and resources, it will be difficult to withstand the attack of Liu Bei's hundreds of thousands of troops.

The disastrous defeat at Puban Pass was a painful lesson; if the same mistake were repeated, the State of Wei would face annihilation.

By then, not only will Yongzhou be lost, but Liangzhou may also fall into enemy hands, and the Wei Kingdom will be completely destroyed.

For a moment, Cao Cao was caught in a dilemma, unsure of what to do. (End of Chapter)