Chapter 8 3. Drop Zhang Embroidery

Before meeting Yuan Shao in a showdown, Cao Cao achieved three phases of results: capturing Lu Bu, defeating Yuan Shu, and surrendering Zhang Xiu. Zhang Xiu was a small warlord entrenched in Wancheng (now Nanyang, Henan), and he was also the first soft persimmon Cao Cao wanted to pinch.Things started off surprisingly well.In the first month of the second year of Jian'an (197 A.D.), Zhang Xiu surrendered as soon as the army arrived in Wancheng.Less than half a year after the implementation of the policy of "following the emperor to order but not ministers", Cao Cao won a complete victory without bloodshed, and Cao Cao couldn't help feeling elated.

What is the result? Zhang Xiu suddenly rebelled, and when Cao Cao was caught off guard, he was beaten and fled.Cao Cao's favorite successor, the eldest son Cao Ang, the most caring personal soldier captain Dian Wei, and his nephew Cao Anmin all died in the battle.Cao Cao himself was wounded by an arrow and almost died. It was Jia Xu who planned this rebellion. Jia Xu is a well-written character and a native of Wuwei. It is said that he is full of intrigues and likes to meddle in other people's affairs.The chaos between Li Jue and Guo Si was his fault.After Dong Zhuo was assassinated, the two prepared to disband the team and flee back to their hometown.But Jia Xu stopped them, saying that if you abandon the army and go alone, a small pavilion chief can arrest you and bring them to justice.It's better to kill back to Chang'an in order to succeed.It's good to be done, but it's not too late to go if it's not done!

As soon as Li Jue and Guo Si heard that they were reasonable, they killed them and went back. As a result, the country, the emperor and the people suffered another disaster.Jia Xu probably also felt that the crime was serious, so he used his influence to contain Li Jue and Guo Si as much as possible, stopped many of their crimes, and protected many ministers, which can be regarded as making up for it. After Emperor Xian left Chang'an, Jia Xu resigned his official position and went to Zhang Xiu's army, but Zhang Xiu obeyed him.This rebellion against Cao Cao was based on Jia Xu's design.Later, he surrendered to Cao Cao again and was also the mastermind of Jia Xu.

But before surrendering, Jia Xu also taught Cao Cao a lesson. In March of the third year of Jian'an (AD 198), Cao Cao marched south for the third time.Before that, Zhang Xiu had been defeated by Cao Cao, and went south to Rangcheng (Rang read like flesh, now Dengzhou, Henan), and formed an alliance with Liu Biao under Jia Xu's help.As a result, Cao Cao's attack was unfavorable, and Liu Biao sent troops as promised, so Cao Cao had to retreat. Zhang Xiu immediately sent troops to chase after him. Jia Xu said, if you can't chase, you will lose if you chase. Zhang Xiu was not willing to listen, but he returned in a big defeat.

Jia Xu said, now you can chase her.Hurry up, there is no doubt that you will win. Zhang Xiu was dumbfounded.He said: Just now I didn't listen to my husband's words, so I ended up in such a defeat.Now that all defeats are lost, what are you chasing after? Jia Xu said, the situation has changed, you just chase after it.go! Zhang Xiu was skeptical, picked up the remnants of the defeated generals and chased them, and he won a big victory. Now Zhang Xiu couldn't figure it out. Zhang Xiu said, just now we pursued the retreating army with elite soldiers, and my husband said that we would be defeated; now we are chasing the winning army with defeated troops, and my husband said that we must win.As a result, every time it was as Mr. expected, Zhang Xiu couldn't figure it out.

Jia Xu said that this is not surprising.When Cao Cao retreats, he must personally cut off the rear, so the general will be defeated.However, when Cao Cao attacked Rangcheng, he made no mistakes and did not try his best. If he retreated without a fight, there must be a problem in the rear.Those who stay behind are not general opponents, so they must win. Facts have proved that Cao Cao's hasty retreat was indeed a fire in the backyard: Tian Feng, Yuan Shao's counselor, proposed to take advantage of Cao Cao's southern expedition to Zhangxiu to raid Xudu and kidnap the emperor.This is of course a big deal, Cao Cao had to give up Zhang Xiu.

Jia Xu really predicted things like a god. However, neither Cao Cao nor Zhang Xiu expected Jia Xu to make a big move. In the fourth year of Jian'an (AD 199), Yuan Shao assembled 100,000 troops and prepared to attack Xudu.Cao Cao's army entered Liyang (now east of Junxian County, Henan Province) in August, and divided into Guandu (now northeast of Zhongmou County, Henan Province) in September. The war was imminent. This is a deadly battle between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, so both sides must fight for the middle power.Yuan Shao first sent someone to recruit Zhang Xiu, but Jia Xu said to the envoy on his own initiative, "Please apologize to Yuan Benchu, and say that he and General Lu (Yuan Shu) brothers are not compatible, can you tolerate the world's soldiers?"

Zhang Xiu's face turned pale with fright.He quietly asked Jia Xu, "My husband sent Yuan Shao's envoy away without showing any face, what shall we do?" Jia Xu said: "It's easy to handle, and I'll take refuge in Cao Cao." Zhang Xiu said: "Yuan Shao is strong, Cao Cao is weak, and we have previous suspicions, why should we go to him?" Jia Xu said: "Only in this way, should we take refuge in Cao Cao." Next, Jia Xu gave three reasons.First, Cao Cao "serves the emperor to order the world", and it is reasonable to take refuge in Cao Cao's name.Second, our troops are insignificant to Yuan Shao, but to Cao Cao, they are a timely help, and we must be valued, which is beneficial.Thirdly, anyone who aspires to be king and hegemony will definitely not care about personal grievances. Instead, he will use us as an example to show the world that he is magnanimous and convincing others with virtue. This is safe.

So Jia Xu said: "General, don't worry." Jia Xu's estimate was not bad at all.As soon as Zhang Xiu arrived, Cao Cao shook hands affectionately and held a banquet to wash away the dust. He appointed him General Yangwu and made him a Marquis. He also asked his son Cao Jun to marry Zhang Xiu's daughter. Liu Bang treated Xiang Bo exactly the same before the Hongmen Banquet. The grievances and grievances in the past are of course not mentioned.From then on, Zhang Xiu became a brave general under Cao Cao's command, and Jia Xu became an important adviser around Cao Cao.He served the Cao Group for two generations, and served as a Taiwei in the reign of Emperor Wen Cao Pi. He died at the age of seventy-seven, and his posthumous posthumous name was Suhou.

Lu Bu and Yuan Shu were not so lucky. Yuan Shu is courting death by himself.He got the jade seal of the Han Dynasty from Sun Jian, and he thought he was destined for destiny, and in the spring of the second year of Jian'an (197 A.D.), he defied the world and proclaimed himself emperor openly. This of course caused public outrage. As a result, Sun Ce, who had the best relationship with him, broke up with him, Lu Bu escorted the envoys he sent to Xudu, and Cao Cao personally led troops to conquer.When Yuan Shu heard the news, he turned around and ran away, and his "Prime Minister" gave all the army rations to the victims.The false prime minister said, anyway, we are doomed, so why not accumulate some virtue?

After struggling like this for two years, Yuan Shu, who had nowhere to go, finally found that he, the emperor, couldn't do it anymore, so he decided to give Yuan Shao the Jade Seal of Chuanguo.However, even this idea could not come true, because Cao Cao had already sent someone to intercept him in Xiapi (now Suining, Jiangsu), just waiting for him to die. Yuan Shu had no choice but to turn around and return to Huainan.When he fled to Jiangting, eighty miles away from Shouchun (now Shouxian County, Anhui Province), he finally got sick.It was June, the sun was scorching, and the heat was unbearable.Yuan Shu wanted to take a sip of honey water, but he couldn't. The kitchen replied that there was only wheat flakes to eat. Yuan Shu, who was truly a loner, sat on the bed and sighed for a long time, then suddenly screamed: How could I, Yuan Shu, have fallen to this point!After shouting, he fell down under the bed, vomited blood and died. Five months after Yuan Shu's death, Zhang Xiu surrendered to Cao Cao; half a year before his death, Lu Bu was captured by Cao Cao.At that time, Lu Bu had already betrayed his relatives, but he did not fall down.He said to Cao Cao carelessly: "Why are you tied so tightly?"Can't you untie it? Cao Cao laughed: "Is it okay to tie up the tiger?" Lu Bu said, "Isn't Lu Bu the Duke of Ming's scruples?"Now that Lu Bu is willing to surrender, Duke Ming can rest assured, right?From now on, Duke Ming will command the infantry, and Lu Bu will command the cavalry. Are you afraid that the world will be in trouble? Cao Cao hesitated. Yes, the red rabbit among horses and Lu Bu among people.Lu Bu is also a talent. At this time, a person next to Cao Cao spoke.He said coldly: Has Duke Ming forgotten how Lu Bu served Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo? Cao Cao suddenly realized that Lu Bu's head was in a different place. We are also very familiar with the man who killed Lu Bu with one word. That's right, he is Liu Bei.