The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Outside Ye City, Liu Bei and Cao Cao had been locked in a standoff for many days.

One side was barely holding on by plundering grain and supplies, while the other was barely holding on by transporting grain from the rear. Neither side was willing to concede to the other.

In large-scale battles involving tens of thousands of people, where both sides possess both wisdom and courage and are locked in a direct confrontation, it is very difficult to determine a winner in a short period of time.

When one cannot possess an overwhelming advantage, even Yue Yi, who once conquered more than seventy cities of the State of Qi, could not conquer Jimo City, which was defended by Tian Dan.

The side that wants to win can only resort to underhanded tactics.

In the past, Tian Dan used a strategy of sowing discord, while Zhuge Liang directly left Sun Quan a wide road leading to Xuchang, which is similar in effect to Tian Dan's strategy of sowing discord.

When news of Sun Quan's capture of Xudu reached Liu Bei's camp, Zhuge Liang's long-held tension gradually eased.

After enduring fierce fighting for many days, Zhuge Liang's biggest worry was that Sun Quan, like Liu Biao, would not dare to attack Xuchang.

Fortunately, Zhuge Liang made the right bet!
"Now that Xuchang has fallen, my lord can temporarily cease hostilities with Cao Cao." Zhuge Liang's eyes were piercing, and a long-lost smile appeared on his lips.

Liu Bei was also unable to hide his excitement, and his smile was undisguised: "Let's do as the strategist says and let Cao Cao know the military situation in Xuchang first."

The so-called temporary truce did not mean letting Cao Cao leave, but rather a psychological tactic used against Cao Cao, forcing him to abandon Ye City and return to Xuchang to defend it.

Although Xuchang was acquired by Sun Quan, Cao Cao had managed it for many years, and the surrounding area was filled with officials and generals deployed by Cao Cao. It was not impossible for Cao Cao to take it back.

However, without the supplies from Ye City and having given up the advantage of terrain, it would not be as easy for Cao Cao to fight Liu Bei again as before.

After a while.

Huang Zhong shot a letter into Ye City and shouted at the city wall: "Listen up, Sun Quan of Jiangdong has already conquered Xuchang. The Left General is benevolent and does not wish to fight with you anymore. As long as you leave the money and grain of Ye City, you can return safely."

The sudden news left the civil and military officials of Ye City both surprised and suspicious. Cao Cao, too, was filled with doubt and uncertainty as he read Liu Bei's handwritten letter.

"Could it be that Liu Bei is using a trick?"

Cao Cao would not easily believe a letter.

However, Liu Bei not only chose to cease hostilities, but also directly moved his camp eastward, allowing Cao Cao's scouts to make direct contact with Dongjun.

This bizarre action only fueled Cao Cao's suspicions.

As Liu Bei moved his camp eastward, the messengers sent by Cao Pi and others who had fled to Yanzhou finally had the opportunity to enter Ye City.

When Cao Cao learned that Sun Quan had launched a surprise attack on Xudu, that Liu Xie had betrayed the emperor, and that Xun Yu had feigned surrender to cover Cao Pi and others' escape from Xudu, he felt dizzy. Fortunately, Xu Chu was quick-witted and nimble-fingered and helped him up, preventing him from fainting in public.

"Sun Quan, that brat, actually has such courage!"

Although Sun Ce had considered launching a surprise attack on Xuchang during the Guandu period, Guo Jia predicted that Sun Ce would soon be assassinated by a villain, which indeed happened.

Neither Cao Cao nor Guo Jia paid much attention to the newly appointed Sun Quan.

Even with the assistance of Zhou Yu, Zhang Zhao, and others, a teenager could at most defend Jiangdong. That's why Cao Cao issued an edict appointing Sun Quan as acting General of Chariots and Cavalry and Governor of Xuzhou, hoping to lure Sun Quan to attack Chen Deng in Xuzhou.

Unexpectedly, Sun Quan launched a surprise attack on Xuchang and succeeded!
By losing Xuchang, Cao Cao not only lost Xun Yu and the families of some of his civil and military officials, but also lost the righteousness of holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords. Cao Cao would have to taste the disgusting side of this tactic he used to annoy others.

"Issue the order to abandon Ye City and return to Yanzhou."

Cao Cao paused, then his eyes turned fierce. "Prepare plenty of flammable materials, and burn Ye City to the ground! What I can't have, Liu Bei can't have either!"

No one, including generals such as Jia Xu, Xun You, Guo Jia, and Cao Ren, objected to this decision.

Leaving money and supplies to Liu Bei might not necessarily force him to retreat; on the contrary, it would give him more resources to pursue.

Cao Cao acted decisively. After confirming that Xuchang had been captured by Sun Quan, he immediately ordered all camps to retreat. Except for the grain and fodder necessary to return to Xuchang, the rest of the grain and fodder were piled up in Yecheng and burned.

The houses in Ye City were also burned down by Cao Cao's men.

Looking at the raging fire engulfing Ye City, Liu Bei, standing outside the city, couldn't help but sigh to the heavens: "With Ye City burned down, I wonder how many more refugees will be added this year."

But soon, Liu Bei put away his sigh and his gaze became resolute: "Now that Cao Cao has left the city, we must not let him retreat safely back to Yanzhou."

The Yellow River has now thawed, so it's definitely not possible for vehicles and horses to cross it directly.

To cross the Yellow River, one either needs to take a boat from Baimajin or Yanjin, or detour through Henan to cross the river.

What Liu Bei could foresee, Cao Cao could naturally foresee as well.

Especially after the burning of Ye City, Cao Cao could easily guess that Liu Bei would be furious and pursue him.

Therefore, Cao Cao also set up an ambush during his retreat, intending to ambush Liu Bei and have him cross the river again.

However, with the help of Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, Liu Bei was not fooled at all. Apart from arranging for Guan Yu to make a show of force along the way, the rest of his troops went ahead to deploy defenses near Baimajin and Yanjin, determined to stop Cao Cao from crossing the river.

Upon seeing that Liu Bei had already stationed troops at Baimajin and Yanjin, Cao Cao made a decisive move and led his troops westward into Hanoi.

Cao Cao's supplies were limited, making it impossible for him to fight Liu Bei to the death at Baimajin and Yanjin. At present, Cao Cao had no choice but to detour through Hanoi.

While arranging for Cao Ren and others to cover the rear, Cao Cao led his army straight to Hanoi and ordered Sima Lang, who was accompanying the army, to arrange boats for crossing the river in Hanoi.

Sima Lang was originally appointed as the magistrate of Tangyang County in Anping State. After the outbreak of war, Sima Lang also retreated to the frontier with Li Dian and others.

Normally, Cao Cao would not employ Sima Lang, a mere county magistrate. But now that Cao Cao was about to cross the river to Hanoi, Sima Lang, who came from a prominent family in Hanoi, naturally caught Cao Cao's eye.

To prevent Sima Lang from outwardly complying while inwardly disobeying, Cao Cao ordered Xiahou Yuan to accompany Sima Lang, and secretly instructed Xiahou Yuan: "If Sima Lang shows any disrespect, kill him on the spot."

Cao Cao's move to Hanoi was also within Zhuge Liang's expectations.

Or perhaps Zhuge Liang deliberately drove Cao Cao toward Hanoi. Only when Cao Cao fled toward Hanoi could Ma Chao, who controlled Hedong and Hongnong, lead his troops to Hanoi to surround and block Cao Cao.

When Zhuge Liang decided to keep Cao Cao in Ye City, he had already sent someone on horseback to find Ma Chao and have Ma Chao lead an elite cavalry force to bypass Hangu Pass, go east through Hedong, and wait in Henan.

With Sun Zi as an external strategist, Ma Chao didn't hesitate at all. He immediately selected five thousand elite cavalry and, together with Sun Zi, detoured through Hedong into Henan.

Xiahou Yuan and Sima Lang had just prepared their ships at Mengjin when they were discovered by Ma Chao's scouts.

"Zhuge Liang is truly a genius! Cao Cao actually intends to cross the river at Mengjin!" Ma Chao was both surprised and delighted.

What was surprising was that Zhuge Liang had anticipated Cao Cao's movements, and what was delightful was that the great achievement of intercepting Cao Cao was within his grasp!
Sun Zi urgently urged Ma Chao: "This is an opportunity not to be missed! Quickly defeat Cao Cao's troops at Mengjin, then drive your army eastward to completely block Cao Cao in Hanoi! In this way, the overall situation can be settled!" (End of this chapter)