lovenovelstory Chapter 84 One Cannon Kills Three Wise Men
Chapter 84 One Cannon Kills Three Wise Men
Jia Xu sat alone in his study, the tea in front of him had gone cold.
He pondered Xinpi's words, especially the phrases "leave yourself a chance to win" and "the gates of Qingzhou will always be open to those who are pragmatic and adaptable."
Did Xinpi come here merely to establish a good relationship with me?
He suddenly thought of the rumors circulating in Wancheng lately.
Zhang Xiu also specifically asked him for advice on this matter.
Of course, he also reassured Zhang Xiu several times that these were just baseless rumors.
But now, Xinpi has suddenly arrived in Wancheng at this time.
One cannot help but suspect that these rumors may be related to Xinpi.
So Yuan Tan's purpose was to incite conflict between Zhang Xiu and Cao Cao?
He was afraid that I would see through his scheme, so he specially sent someone to extend an olive branch to me.
So, should I help with this?
Zhang Xiu was brave but lacked strategy; he was by no means destined for greatness.
Furthermore, Wancheng is a battleground on all sides, and even if he possesses extraordinary strategic acumen...
It would probably be difficult to help Zhang Xiu gain a foothold.
I can't put all my eggs in one basket; I need to find another job as soon as possible.
Originally, Cao Cao was someone I valued.
Therefore, he also advised Zhang Xiu to surrender to Cao Cao.
However, after surrendering, Cao Cao did not show the respect he deserved to his surrendered officials.
Instead, he was extremely dismissive, which made him feel as if he had never met a wise ruler.
Just then, Yuan Tan extended an olive branch to him.
This gave him the feeling of having met a kindred spirit.
Looking at all the warlords in the land, Liu Biao was a ruler who maintained the status quo, while Liu Yan had great ambitions, but unfortunately he was too old.
Lü Bu was merely a larger version of Zhang Xiu, also a brave but reckless man, and utterly devoid of integrity.
Yuan Shao was fierce in appearance but cowardly in reality. He was good at scheming but indecisive. He was afraid to risk his life when it came to great things, but he was willing to risk his life for small gains. He was not the kind of person who could accomplish great things.
Cao Cao greatly underestimated him and was not someone he could entrust with anything.
In comparison, it seems that only Yuan Tan performed the best.
He really didn't have a better choice than him.
So since that's the case, it's better to do Yuan Tan a favor.
When the time comes for them to seek refuge in the future, they can be sold at a higher price.
Having figured out the crux of the matter, Jia Xu decided to stop paying attention to the rumors.
Just then, a servant came to report:
"Strategist! The lord wishes to see you!"
He's probably asking about the recent rumors again...
Jia Xu immediately went to Zhang Xiu's residence, where he found Zhang Xiu already waiting for him. He immediately apologized and said:
"I apologize for my lateness, my lord. May I ask what business you have with me?"
Zhang Xiu began to speak:
"No need for formalities, I just arrived myself. I've asked you to come here to ask what your thoughts are on the rumors."
Having already figured everything out, Jia Xu no longer cared about the escalation of the conflict between the two.
Instead, they fueled the fire by saying:
"My lord! I believe that Cao Cao is truly going too far! These rumors circulating among the people are probably not unfounded. If we continue to stand idly by, we fear that Cao Cao will completely usurp our power!"
Zhang Xiu was also taken aback upon hearing this, as he had originally intended to test Jia Xu's reaction.
I never expected Jia Xu to react so strongly!
Could it be that he also heard the rumors that Cao Cao coveted his aunt?
But this is good too. Since Wenhe agrees, it will be easier for me to make plans.
"To be honest, Wenhe, the former general and governor of Qingzhou, Yuan Tan, secretly sent someone to meet with me and promised to support our troops and supplies. If we take advantage of this opportunity to rise to power, it would be like heaven helping us."
Just as I suspected! Yuan Qingzhou had indeed planned it all out!
Jia Xu remained outwardly calm:
"If Yuan Qingzhou is willing to help us, then we have nothing to fear from Cao Cao's retaliation!"
Zhang Xiu nodded:
"In that case, Wenhe, what do you think I should do to deal with that traitor Cao?"
Jia Xu had already anticipated Zhang Xiu's question and had also realized that Wancheng was already full of dry firewood, just waiting for a spark.
He slowly raised his eyes, his voice low and deep:
"General, please calm your anger. Cao Cao is powerful, and a direct confrontation would be like throwing an egg against a rock. However, his current predicament lies precisely in his arrogance and lack of preparedness. Although our army is weak, a desperate army is bound to win, and we also have the advantage of terrain. If we take a risk and fight, we may still have a chance of victory."
Zhang Xiu asked urgently:
"What plan should we devise? Please enlighten us, sir!"
A glint of malice flashed in Jia Xu's eyes, but he remained calm and unhurried, revealing the treacherous plan he had already devised:
"General, you may personally go to Cao Cao's camp tomorrow and explain that your former Xiliang troops, who have been stationed in Wancheng for a long time, are homesick and their morale is unstable. Request that some of your troops be transferred to garrison outside the city. This will not only reassure the troops but also show that you have no intention of hoarding troops for personal gain. Cao Cao will be even more lax when he sees that you are reducing your own forces."
"After part of our army is transferred out of the city, the general may request that Cao Cao's personal guard Tiger and Leopard Cavalry camp be moved to a more distant location on the grounds of 'easier management and cost-saving'."
At the same time, under the guise of entertaining the troops, prepare plenty of fine wine and delicacies, and especially bribe Dian Wei, the commander of Cao Cao's personal guards, and his personal soldiers with large sums of money. Dian Wei is a heavy drinker, and many of his subordinates are also fierce and fond of drinking, so they will surely fall for the trap. Once they are completely drunk, they will be like tigers with their teeth pulled out.
"Dian Wei is the bravest warrior in the army, relying on a pair of eighty-pound iron halberds. We can send General Hu Che'er, a man of extraordinary strength and quick wit, to sneak into Dian Wei's camp at night, feign friendship, and seize the opportunity to steal the halberds. If the halberds are lost, Dian Wei's fighting strength will be reduced by seventy or eighty percent!"
"On the night of the uprising, we can divide our forces into two groups. One group will accompany Cao Cao in attacking his residence, creating chaos and drawing the attention of the remaining defenders; the other elite force, led by the general himself, will rush straight to Cao Cao's sleeping quarters!"
A swift victory is needed; the goal is not to annihilate Cao Cao's army, but to kill or capture him! If Cao Cao dies, the army will be leaderless and collapse on its own!
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiu felt that the plan was ruthless and meticulous, taking into full account Cao Cao's arrogance, Dian Wei's weaknesses, and the advantage of terrain. His mind suddenly became clear:
"Sir, your strategy is brilliant! We shall proceed according to this plan!"
Several days later, at night in Wancheng.
Everything went exactly as Jia Xu had predicted.
Zhang Xiu's "sincere" request was contemptuously granted by Cao Cao, and some of the Xiliang troops were transferred out of the city, while the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry camp was relocated.
Hu Che'er successfully befriended Dian Wei through heavy drinking, and while Dian Wei was drunk, he stole the pair of halberds that were famous throughout the world.
The night was deep and Wancheng was deathly silent, except for the faint sounds of drunken revelry coming from near the government office where Cao Cao was staying.
Just after midnight, shouts of battle suddenly erupted!
As planned, one of Zhang Xiu's troops launched a fierce attack on the front gate of the government office, and flames soared into the sky!
Cao Jun was awakened from his sleep in a panic.
Zhang Xiu personally led his elite elite soldiers and stormed straight into Cao Cao's bedchamber!
"You traitor Cao, prepare to die!" Zhang Xiu roared, charging ahead of his horse into the fray.
Inside the palace, Cao Cao was fast asleep, embracing the beautiful concubine he had summoned from Tingtao Pavilion. Hearing the commotion, he awoke with a start, his clothes disheveled!
Upon hearing the news, Dian Wei, still hungover, roared and rushed out to protect his lord, only to find that his twin halberds were missing!
"Bring the halberds! Bring the halberds!"
Dian Wei's eyes were bloodshot with rage. He grabbed a waist knife and stood guard at the gate, looking like a madman!
He was incredibly brave and strong. Although he had no suitable weapon, he still killed dozens of Zhang Xiu's soldiers who charged at him. The corpses piled up like mountains and the blood flowed like rivers!
Zhang Xiu's army was momentarily intimidated by its divine might and dared not approach too closely.
However, even a fierce tiger is no match for a pack of wolves, and its weapon is not handy.
Despite suffering dozens of wounds and his battle robes stained with blood, Dian Wei fought on relentlessly, buying Cao Cao precious time to escape.
With the desperate protection of a few personal guards, Cao Cao fled in a panic through the back door. He didn't even have time to prepare a warhorse, so he had to ride the mount given to him by his eldest son, Cao Ang.
In the chaos of battle, Cao Ang and Cao Anmin both died protecting Cao Cao!
Cao Cao was in a terrible state and fled all the way to the Yu River before he finally stopped.
Looking back, he saw flames illuminating half the sky in the direction of Wancheng, and only a few dozen riders remained by his side, all of them wounded.
Thinking of the deaths of his beloved general Dian Wei, his eldest son Cao Ang, and his nephew Cao Anmin, Cao Cao was overcome with grief and wept bitterly.
"I have lost my great general Dian Wei! I have also lost my beloved son Ang'er! Heaven has forsaken me!"
The entire army was filled with grief, and morale plummeted to rock bottom.
Just as Cao Cao was disheartened and preparing to gather his remaining troops and retreat to Xuchang to regroup,
"Report! My lord! Dust is rising from the southwest. We've spotted cavalry pursuing us, carrying banners with the character 'Zhang' on them. There are about a thousand of them, and they're speeding towards us!"
A scout rode up on horseback to report, his voice filled with terror.
Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's expression changed drastically!
At this moment, he was surrounded by wounded and exhausted soldiers. How could he possibly withstand Zhang Xiu's fresh troops?
Could it be that Heaven intends to destroy me, Cao Mengde, here?
"Protect our lord! Prepare for a desperate battle!"
Xiahou Dun's eyes were bloodshot. He raised his long sword, ready to fight like a cornered beast.
However, everyone knows that this is futile and like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
At this critical moment!
Suddenly, another force appeared from the southeast corner. A person who shouldn't have been in this battle was leading his troops in a desperate attack.