Tiger Owl

Chapter 184 Cao Cao's Military Campaign
In Xuchang, Cao Cao received a secret letter from Zhang Yun informing him that Liu Biao had died. This news made Cao Cao uneasy.

He immediately summoned several key advisors to discuss countermeasures.

"Fengxiao, tell me your thoughts first!"

Historically, Guo Jia died this year, but it's still the beginning of the year. Perhaps the course of history has changed, and Guo Jia's fate will also change accordingly.

Guo Jia pondered for a moment and said, “Hedong has been captured, and the Yuan brothers’ remaining troops number less than 30,000. The Prime Minister only needs to send 100,000 troops to finally resolve the situation. We now have 400,000 troops. After deducting the garrison troops and the northern expeditionary troops, we still have 200,000 troops at our disposal. I think we can divide our forces to attack Nanjun. This is indeed a rare opportunity.”

Seeing the slight disapproval on Cheng Yu's face, Cao Cao smiled and said, "Zhongde, why don't you say a few words?"

Zhongde hurriedly said, "Just as Fengxiao said, Nanjun is indeed an opportunity, but our plan is to attack Jiangnan from Jiujiang County. We have been preparing for this for many years. Now our strategic goal has suddenly shifted to the west. What about the preparations for Jiujiang County?"
Secondly, should I start the campaign for Jingzhou all over again? Would that be a waste of resources? Thirdly, we will face Gan Ning's offensive. If he cuts off the Han River, will we be isolated in Nan Commandery? Therefore, my suggestion is that we temporarily abandon the opportunity in Nan Commandery and wait until the north is completely resolved before considering moving south.”

Cao Cao nodded, then asked Xun Yu, "What is Wenruo's opinion?"

Xun Yu calmly replied, "This humble officer has also considered attacking Jingzhou, but it's not a question of whether we have the opportunity, but rather that we cannot give Liu Bei that opportunity!"

These words hit the nail on the head. Cao Cao, who regarded Liu Bei as his greatest enemy, immediately made a decision: "I have made up my mind. I will send 100,000 troops to attack and occupy Jingzhou!"

Cao Cao immediately appointed Cao Ren as General Who Conquers the South, Zhang Liao as his deputy, and Cheng Yu as his military advisor, leading an army of 100,000 to prepare to attack Nanyang.

Cao Cao also needed to wait for an opportunity. If he attacked now, it would only cause Liu Biao's two sons to abandon their old grudges and join forces against him. Cao Cao had learned his lesson from the Yuan brothers, and he could not send troops too early.

Just then, Cao Cao received a secret letter from Cai Mao, and he immediately summoned Guo Jia for advice.

Guo Jia smiled slightly and said, "It's very interesting. First it was Zhang Yun, then Cai Mao, with five days in between. I guess they discussed it beforehand. Cai Mao was probably still a little hesitant, so Zhang Yun immediately pledged his allegiance. And after Cai Mao tried and failed, he had no choice but to write a letter to pledge his allegiance to the Prime Minister."

"So they wrote to me without knowing it from each other?"

"I guess that's how it is, otherwise they wouldn't be one after the other, at least Zhang Yun would deny it."

Cao Cao nodded, "With Cai Mao and Zhang Yun as inside agents, attacking Jingzhou should not be a problem."

"Wait a little longer. Let's wait until Liu Bei leads his army across the Han River before we send out our troops. That way, we can sweep through the enemy lines and take Nanyang County in one fell swoop. With Nanyang County as our base, it will be much easier to take Xiangyang. In addition, my lord can write a letter to Cai Mao, telling him to hold Xiangyang City and resolutely refuse to fight. Taking Jingzhou will then be a piece of cake."

Cao Cao pondered for a moment and then asked, "What about Gan Ning? Could he also send troops to Nan Commandery?"

Guo Jia smiled slightly and said, "I have been observing Gan Ning for several years. He is a cautious man and will not easily send troops, but once he does, he will do so without hesitation. Unless he is prepared to fight our army to the death in Jingzhou, he will not easily send troops."

Cao Cao was relieved. "With the strategist's words, I can rest assured!"

Cao Cao immediately wrote a reply, encouraging Cai Mao and promising to appoint him as the governor of Nan Commandery and a county marquis. He also instructed Cai Mao to defend Xiangyang Commandery to the death, not to engage in battle even if the enemy had only one soldier, and to patiently wait for his main army to arrive.

Cao Cao's unusual move to mobilize 100,000 troops was still discovered by the intelligence spies planted by the Yuzhang Army in Xuchang. The intelligence spies immediately sent the information to Chaisang by pigeon.

At this time, Gan Ning had already approved Pang Tong's plan to send troops. Pang Tong's plan also relied on waiting. The premise of Pang Tong's entire plan was that Cao Cao would send troops. Once Cao Cao sent troops and entered Xiangyang, the Jingzhou regime would surely be defeated. That would be the time for them to send troops to occupy Jiangling.

Pang Tong arrived at Gan Ning's official residence and reported: "Reporting to the general, intelligence has come from Xuchang that Cao Cao's army has made unusual movements, with Cao Ren leading 100,000 troops to garrison Kunyang County."

Kunyang County was a county seat located at the border of Yingchuan Commandery and Nanyang Commandery, less than 100 li away from Yecheng County of Nanyang Commandery. The intention of sending 100,000 troops to Kunyang County was very clear.

Gan Ning pondered for a moment and then asked, "What is the situation in Jiangling County?"

Pang Tong hesitated for a moment, and Gan Ning, startled, quickly asked, "What happened?"

"Reporting to the general, we have lost contact with Jiangling County."

"What?" Gan Ning frowned. "Our intelligence point has been destroyed?"

"I don't know. Logically, it shouldn't be possible. Our intelligence point is an inn, which is very hidden and discreet. They couldn't possibly have found it."

"Have you sent anyone to check on the situation?"

"They've already been sent, but there's been no news yet."

Gan Ning suddenly had a bad feeling. Liu Qi was an incompetent man. How could he have this ability? It was possible that something had already happened in Jiangling.

Gan Ning's concerns were not unfounded. At this time, Liu Qi and Liu Qing had already led an army of 30,000 north under the pretext of "purging the court of corrupt officials." The commander in Jiangling was none other than the strategist Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang had been planning for a long time. He and Guan Yu led 20,000 troops to Jiangling to devise strategies for Liu Qi. When Liu Qi led his army north to join Liu Bei's army.

Zhuge Liang could certainly persuade Liu Qi that he stationed his troops in Jiangling to prevent Gan Ning's army from launching a surprise attack on Jiangling, while his lord Liu Bei would lead the main force to cooperate with Liu Qi in the battle.

The word "cooperation" left Liu Qi speechless. Others were only there to cooperate; the attack on Xiangyang still depended on him.

Liu Qi had no choice but to lead his army north, while Liu Bei led 30,000 troops to wait near Xiangyang to join forces with Liu Qi, and together they would attack Xiangyang with a total of 60,000 troops.

Guan Yu arrived at the military headquarters and saw Zhuge Liang looking up at the sky. Guan Yu dismounted, clasped his hands, and asked, "Reporting to the military advisor, a search of the city has yielded no unusual findings."

Zhuge Liang smiled slightly and said, "That's because you haven't found anything unusual. Look at the sky."

Guan Yu quickly looked up at the sky and saw more than a dozen birds of prey chasing two pigeons. Guan Yu was taken aback. "Strategist, didn't you bring these eagles?"

Zhuge Liang nodded. "These two pigeons just took off. The enemy's intelligence spies are very well hidden. I don't know where they came from, but I can prevent them from flying out again."

Guan Yu then realized, "The strategist is raising eagles to deal with carrier pigeons?"

Zhuge Liang laughed, "This is what you call raising an army for a thousand days to use it for one. I know that the armies on both sides of the Yangtze River communicate by carrier pigeon. Let's capture their carrier pigeons and see if they can still send messages out."

Before long, the two carrier pigeons were pecked to death and fell to the ground. Soldiers quickly picked them up and ran to hand them to Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang removed the message tube from the pigeon's leg, took out the intelligence, and examined it closely. It contained only two lines: 'Liu Qi has marched north; Liu Bei's 20,000 troops have entered Jiangling.'

The two carrier pigeons carried the same message. Zhuge Liang smiled and handed the message to Guan Yu, saying, "Now their message can't get out. Even if they can't find any intelligence points, they're useless."

Guan Yu was truly impressed. The strategist had been training the eagle since last year, all for this moment.

(End of this chapter)