In March of the thirteenth year of Jian'an, the spring breeze blew across the land of China, and all things were revived. However, there was a noisy and solemn atmosphere in the city of Xuchang!
In the court hall of the palace, Cao Cao took a memorial and presented it to the emperor Liu Xie, enumerating the crimes of Liu Bei and Liu Cong.
"Your Majesty, Liu Bei has gathered troops in new areas. He is very ambitious and is suspected of rebellion. Liu Cong is even more violent, killing the Jingxiang family and disrespecting the imperial court. I have sent a petition to your majesty, and I am willing to lead the troops south to conquer Buchen!" It is to hold the emperor's advantage hostage. Last year, I gave you the title of Marquis of Chu, but this year I will say that you are a traitor and a disobedient.
"According to the report, I will give you a holiday and allow you to kill me first and then report it!" Emperor Liu Xie sat on the throne and said feebly.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
After Cao Cao summoned the Emperor to the court, he immediately returned to the Prime Minister's Mansion and asked Chen Lin to write an appeal against the thieves! When Chen Lin was under Yuan Shao, during the Battle of Guandu, she wrote an appeal that made Cao Cao feel better. Cao Cao attacked After destroying the Yuan family, Chen Lin was appointed as a staff member.
In the military camp outside Xuchang City, 230,000 troops gathered!
Cao Cao is wearing armor and standing on a carriage pulled by two horses to review the army!
"Long live the Prime Minister! Defeat Jingchu and bring peace to the whole army!" Yu Jin, who was standing behind Cao Cao, waved his hand to the soldiers and shouted. In an instant, the soldiers below raised their weapons and shouted loudly, "Long live the Prime Minister! Defeat Jingchu and bring peace to the people!" Don’t surrender!”
Cao Cao walked through the army until he reached the commander's platform. When he stepped on the platform, he saw that the soldiers in the north were majestic. In the military formation, the flags were clear and the banners were fluttering. The generals in front of the army were all good and fierce generals!
Cao Cao nodded with satisfaction, "With such a large army at hand, why worry about not being able to unify the world!" At this moment, Cao Cao even felt that when the princes in the south of the Yangtze River saw the powerful army in the north, they should surrender!
Yu Jin cupped his hands beside Cao Cao and said, "Such a large army is all due to the Prime Minister. If the Prime Minister hadn't pacified the north and killed the rebels, where would such a majestic army come from?"
"Hahaha, Yu Wenze has learned to be afraid of flattery." Yu Jin's words made Cao Cao excited and satisfied at the same time. He was satisfied with his own achievements. He didn't think there was anything wrong with what Yu Jin said.
If it weren't for Cao Mengde in the Central Plains, the Northern Territory would have been in chaos for who knows how long, and how long it would have been dilapidated. If it weren't for Cao Cao, how many people in the world would be kings and emperors!
Cao Cao stood on the commander's platform and looked towards the horizon, as if he wanted to penetrate everything and reach the south!
"Raise troops!"
"The Prime Minister has ordered us to raise troops!"
In the thirteenth year of Jian'an, on March 19th, the Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao, announced to the world that he had listed Liu's crimes and raised 280,000 troops, claiming to be 600,000, to go south to conquer!
In Xinye, Liu Bei was coaxing the child with Mrs. Gan in the backyard. Liu Chan was almost one year old. Mrs. Gan was an advanced maternal age. Although her body gradually weakened after giving birth to Liu Chan, she still insisted on feeding and raising the child herself.
"Brother, Cao Cao sent a message to go south." Just when Liu Bei and Mrs. Gan were happy, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei broke in and shouted.
Mrs. Gan trembled all over and her eyes were a little frightened. She recalled the scene in Xuzhou when she was chased by Cao Cao's army and captured in Xuchang.
Suddenly, Mrs. Gan felt warmth coming from the back of her hand. Liu Bei held Mrs. Gan's hand tightly, his eyes full of love and concern, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." Mrs. Gan's heart was instantly filled with a sense of security. Yes, no matter what , because the man in front of her, the princes like Cao Cao and Lu Bu, none of them neglected her. If the sky falls, there will be Liu Bei.
"Let's go to the meeting hall."
When Liu Bei arrived at the meeting hall, Zhuge Liang, Mi Zhu, Jian Yong, Sun Qian and others were already sitting there.
"Lord!"
"No need to be polite, military advisor, Cao Cao's traitor goes south, what should we do?" Liu Bei sat directly on the main seat and asked Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang shook his feather fan in his hand and said, "My lord, although the food and grass we received from Liu Cong last time allowed us to expand our troops to 15,000 men and even 2,000 cavalry. But Liang still said the same thing, Xinye Xiaoxian, We cannot withstand Cao Cao's army, we must enter Jingxiang as soon as possible!"
Liu Bei thought for a while, then stood up and handed the seal to Zhuge Liang, "How to deploy it depends on the arrangement of the military advisor."
Zhuge Liang was not polite. He took the general's seal and began to give the order: "Sun Qian heard the order and set off immediately to go to Xiangyang to meet the Marquis of Chu and ask him to accept us."
"I obey."
"Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, I order you to each lead three thousand soldiers to gather the people of Xinye and prepare to lead them to Fancheng."
"As you command!"
"Zhao Yun, Chen Dao listens to the order. All two thousand cavalry will be handed over to you. You must protect the lord's family!"
"promise!"
"Lord, let's be ready. After Yun Chang and Yide have gathered the people, we will go to Fancheng."
"It all depends on the military advisor's arrangements."
Xiangyang, Zhoumufu, no, it should be called Chuhoufu now.
Naturally, Liu Cong also received the news of Cao Cao's southward journey, and was convening his civil and military officials to discuss matters.
After a few months of getting used to it, Liu Cong has become quite dignified and is in control of Jingzhou affairs. In the past few months, Liu Cong has opened a large number of schools and recruited talents on the basis of Liu Biao's work. He has established official hospitals and issued preferential policies for the people. The policy of medical diagnosis and treatment. In the army, not only the military system was reformed, but also his own portrait was hung. Under Liu Cong's intentional instruction, the whole army in Jingxiang knew that all this was given by Liu Cong.
In Jingzhou now, the people live and work in peace and contentment, and the soldiers are loyal to Liu Cong. Liu Cong's rule over Jingzhou is very stable.
Within a few months, the craftsmen summoned by Liu Cong forged all the 500,000 kilograms of iron sent from Soochow and the pig iron continuously mined in Jingzhou into ordnance.
Three thousand pairs of vests and eight thousand pairs of iron armor were used to form heavy cavalry and heavy armored infantry. There were countless weapons and equipment of all kinds. Even the more than 3,000 large and small warships in Jingzhou were all covered with iron armor!
"Cao Cao gathered troops in Xuchang. It is said that the number of troops and horses is no less than 200,000. Including Cao Ren's troops in Wancheng, it is probably no less than 300,000." Liu Cong sat at the main seat and handed the memorandum in his hand to Jiang Wan.
After everyone saw it, they sighed for a while, and Pang Tong said: "My lord, Cao Cao's thief claimed six hundred thousand in the memorandum. I'm afraid he was trying to intimidate the lord. But if you fold it in half, it's almost enough."
"My lord, the troops in the north are strong and the horses are strong. Cao Mengde is good at conquering and fighting, and he is a god in using troops. We might as well surrender."
"Yes, my lord, the total number of troops in Jing and Xiang is only over 200,000. How can they defeat Cao Cao's 600,000-strong army?"
"Lord, please surrender for the sake of the people of Jingzhou."
"Surrender, lord, we can't defeat you."
Different from Liu Bei's situation, as soon as Liu Cong was discussing something, many people jumped out, knelt down and begged Liu Cong to surrender. What's funny is that they all said it was for the people!
The corner of Liu Cong's mouth rose, "Last year, Gu once said that those who surrender will end up with the same fate as the table that Gu cut off, right?" Gu, after Liu Cong was granted the title of Marquis of Chu, he slowly changed his name and called himself Gu. .
Pang Tong raised his hand to Liu Cong and said: "My lord, I remember that my lord made it very clear that these people also participated in the meeting today."
"Okay, that's enough, come here!" Liu Cong stood up suddenly, "Pull them out, behead them, and sacrifice the flag! Send troops to raid their family."
As soon as Liu Cong gave the order, Xu Feng led his soldiers in and dragged these people out.
"Liu Cong, you are too cruel, God will punish you!"
"My lord, please spare my life. I am doing this for my lord's own good."
"Liu Cong, you will perish!"
Ignoring the cries of these people, Liu Cong glanced at everyone and shouted: "Is there anyone else who wants to surrender?"