Jia Xu spoke eloquently: "Prime Minister, we should attack the easy things first and then the difficult ones.
We should first sweep through Jingzhou and Jiangdong in the south, and finally join forces with the world to attack Lu Bu.
Otherwise, we will use all our strength to fight against Lu Bu.
If we win, our strength will be greatly reduced.
Need to rest for many years Only then can we regain our strength.
If we lose, we will be defeated.
At that time, not only Lu Bu will launch a massive counterattack on our Yan, Qing, Xu, Ji, and You states, but also Liu Biao from Jingzhou will attack us.
My territory and population.”
"It's not that I don't know what Wen He said, but when my army goes south, Lu Bu can attack our rear from Bingzhou, Guanzhong, and Nanyang.
Nanyang, in particular, is the place that must be passed by when going south to attack Jingzhou.
Lu Bu crosses the Han River eastward.
It can cut off the return route of my southward army.
How can this make people feel at ease in the southward expedition?"
Cao Cao asked doubtfully.
Jia Xu had already planned this.
He smiled slightly and said: "This is easy to handle.
First, before we march south, we must find a way to prevent Lu Bu from attacking us.
We only need to send three groups of envoys, all the way across the northern part of Bingzhou.
Xianbei, the Southern Xiongnu who crossed Hetao, secretly entered Shu, and Liu Zhang's army crossed Yizhou.
During the southern expedition, let them attack Lu Bu's territory.
Secondly, call in civilian labor and build a strong pass on the basis of the existing fortress defense line in the east of Tongguan to block Lu Bu's two strongholds.
These two-pronged measures can ensure that Lu Bu cannot attack our rear from the east during our army's southern expedition."
After hearing this, Cao Cao nodded slightly in approval, and then added: "This strategy is good.
I want to add another one.
Our army will send a branch from Nanyang to attack his Zhugu County.
If we can win this Two counties and Fangling in the upper reaches of Zhushui.
Then my southern expedition army based in Nanyang will be able to sit back and relax, and open the door to the east of Han Dynasty."
At this time, Xun Yu came out and said: "My lord, I heard that Lu Bu's long wall of valley construction has been painstakingly worked on for more than ten years.
It is impregnable.
It is not easier to attack than Tongguan and Taihang Xingdao."
Cao Cao smiled and said: "Under the attack of several armies, Lu Bu will definitely divide his troops for defense.
At that time, the troops building the valley will definitely be weak.
Although they have long walls to build the valley, as long as we take Xiangyang, we can attack A team of elite soldiers bypassed the long wall from the southwest mountainous area and attacked from both inside and outside.
I don't believe they can break it."
After hearing this, Xun Yu nodded in conviction.
A few days later, three teams of fast riders galloped out of Xudu City and ran in three directions.
This was the envoy sent by Cao Cao in the name of Xu Du's secret envoy to the Han Dynasty.
In addition, the armies from Yanqing, Xuyu and other prefectures under Cao Cao began to gather at Yingcheng, south of Xudu.
Groups of Cao's troops marched southwest on the Huanghuai Plain as far as the eye could see.
Cao Cao's actions immediately caused Liu Biao to panic, and he immediately summoned Jingzhou's generals, staff, and wealthy families to discuss countermeasures.
Even Liu Bei, a guest general from Xinye, was summoned to Xiangyang.
Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun came with Liu Bei.
In the hall, everyone quickly divided into two groups, one group advocated surrender, and the other group advocated war.
Those who advocated peace were mainly wealthy local noble families in Jingzhou.
Preventing Jingzhou from war and preserving the property and safety of these wealthy noble families is their core interest.
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As for the main fighting faction, after Liu Biao settled in Jingzhou, foreign forces came to join him one after another, such as Huang Zu, Huang Zhong, Han Xuan and others, and of course Liu Bei, the guest general stationed in Xinye.
Most of them took refuge in Liu Biao because they were betting their future on Liu Biao's.
If Liu Biao demotes Cao Cao, then their status will definitely be much lower than that of the generals of the same level in Cao's army.
All their previous qualifications will be wiped out and they will have to start from scratch.
As for Liu Bei, it goes without saying that he is an enemy who has a personal grudge against Cao Cao.
Liu Biao surrendered to Cao Cao, and he didn't know where he would wander again.
The two sides were quarreling with each other, and they were fighting in the hall.
Liu Bei wanted to stand up and say a few words, but Zhuge Liang grabbed his sleeve, so he continued to "watch the battle" expressionlessly.
In the end, there was no result from the discussion in the hall, but Liu Biao felt exhausted mentally and physically.
He waved his hand and said: "Let's stop the discussion now.
Anyway, Cao Cao has not formally issued a letter of war to Jingzhou now.
Let's discuss it in the long term."
After that, he returned.
After resting in the back hall, everyone dispersed one after another.
On the way back to the post house, Liu Bei asked Zhuge Liang: "Why did the military advisor stop me from speaking in the auditorium just now?"
Zhuge Liang shook a large goose feather fan and said slowly: "My lord, Cao Cao's southern invasion is a crisis for Liu Biao, but it is an opportunity for you.
So we don't need to express our attitude first, but should wait and see what happens."
Liu Bei asked doubtfully: "What opportunity did Kong Ming have to say this?"
A sly smile appeared on Zhuge Liang's face: "My lord, isn't your greatest wish to have a solid foundation?
The strategy I proposed originally also spanned Jingyi, and now Jingzhou is at your fingertips.
This is the opportunity I'm talking about."
"You want me to attack Liu Biao" "Exactly, now that Cao Cao is about to invade the south, people in Jingzhou are panicked, and everyone has their own ideas.
Liu Biao can no longer unite the people.
The lord can take this opportunity to quietly attack those who are leading the battle, and then take advantage of Liu Biao's unpreparedness and kill him in one fell swoop.
Capture Jingzhou."
Zhuge Liang put away his smile and said seriously to Liu Bei.
Liu Bei frowned slightly and said, "That's not right.
I, Liu Bei, have been basing my life on benevolence and righteousness for decades.
This Liu Biao took me in when we were desperate and was kind to me.
How can I repay kindness and add insult to injury now?"
, how will I be viewed by the people of the world if I annex this land?"
This is Liu Bei's verbal reason.
In fact, there is another reason, that is, he thinks that swallowing Jingzhou in this way is too risky.
Whether it can succeed is a question, and whether it can rule Jingzhou firmly after success is an even bigger question.
When Zhuge Liang heard what Liu Bei said, he sighed secretly and had to give up.
Liu Biao returned to the back hall.
When he was sighing in sorrow and not thinking about food and tea, Kuai Liang came to see him.
"Lord, why don't we ask Lu Bu for help?"
Kuai Liang said to Liu Biao.
Liu Biao looked at Kuai Liang sadly and said, "Cao Cao is a wolf, but Lu Bu is also a tiger.
Asking him for help is nothing more than driving the wolf into the tiger."
Kuai Liang hurriedly replied: "Otherwise, you can drive away wolves, but tigers may not be able to enter.
My lord, please look at the map.
As long as Lu Bu launches an attack on Cao Cao in the direction of Tongguan or Bingzhou, it will have a miraculous effect in encircling Wei and rescuing Zhao."
"But why does Lu Bu want to help us?"
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"He is not only helping us, but also helping himself.
After Cao Cao captures Jingxiang, he will definitely pose a serious threat to his Zhugu and the three eastern counties of Han Dynasty.
As long as we are reasonable, we should be able to convince him."
Kuai Liang replied. road.
After hearing this, Liu Biao felt better and said to Kuai Liang: "That's very good.
I will entrust you to lobby Lu Bu."
However, Kuai Liang was wrong.
At this time, Lu Bu was not worried about Cao Cao's possible attack on the three eastern counties of Han Dynasty, nor did he plan to attack Cao Cao's rear.
Instead, he was thinking of Liu Zhang in Yizhou, planning to take advantage of the melee between Cao Cao and Liu Biao, Sun Quan, Liu Bei and others to attack Liu Zhang and occupy Bashu.
But Cao Cao did not give him this chance: