Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Cao Jun's Southern Expedition

After obtaining the heads of the Yuan brothers, Cao Cao of course turned his attention to the south.Jingzhou has Liu Biao, and Soochow has Sun Quan. As long as these two are defeated, the great cause of unifying the world can be roughly completed.The rest are only a small group of warlords in the northwest and Liu Zhang in Yizhou. Cao Cao, who conquered the northeast and returned to Ye, dug a huge artificial pool in the north of the city - Xuanwu Lake.This is for the water supply army exercise. Once the Southern Expedition is organized, the Yangtze River and its tributaries will become the main battlefield.Cao Cao has fought countless wars in the past, but he has very little experience in water warfare.So did his subordinates.So he dug artificial pools to train sailors.

——Cao Cao began to train the navy. Of course, this information was reported to Liu Biao and Sun Quan by the southern spy who sneaked into Cao Cao's forces. Liu Biao was bedridden due to a serious illness, and because of family disputes, he had no time to seriously study countermeasures.The so-called family disputes naturally refer to inheritance issues, which is a common phenomenon in powerful families.Liu Biao has two sons, the older one is Liu Qi and the younger one is Liu Cong.Liu Cong was born to Liu Biao's stepwife, and the two were half-brothers.Liu Cong's mother, the Cai family, was born in a wealthy family in Jingzhou, and Liu Biao has always received strong support from him since he came here.Without the backing of the Cai family, Liu Biao might not have been able to achieve what he is today.Therefore, the youngest son Liu Cong, backed by the Cai family, had a slight advantage in the competition to inherit the father's throne.However, of course there are also dissatisfied elements who try to support Liu Qi.

In fact, to the dignitaries behind Liu Biao, the question of which of the two sons would inherit Jingzhou was more important than the information that Cao Cao was about to march south. ——If things go on like this, Jingzhou will surely be doomed! Most discerning people think so.In fact, many people have fled from Jingzhou. ——Brothers fight against each other in order to inherit the father's throne, and Jingzhou will definitely perish because of this.Staying in such a place, not only is it impossible to make a fortune, but even your old life will be lost. It is natural for a discerning person to think this way.

Among the retainers who left Liu Biao was a Sichuan native named Gan Ning.He attempted to join Sun Quan, but was blocked by Liu Biao's general guarding Xiakou—Jiangxia prefect Huang Zu—and was imprisoned for three years. ——Gan Ning's escape will definitely be detrimental to Jingzhou! This was Huang Zu's idea, because Gan Ning led eight hundred children.Tong Ke is one of the ethnic minorities in Sichuan Province, known throughout the country for being fierce and good at fighting. But Gan Ning finally escaped from Xiakou skillfully three years later and joined Sun Quan's camp in the Eastern Wu Dynasty.

"It is said that Cao Cao is training naval forces. I wonder if Liu Biao's camp has any countermeasures?" Sun Quan asked Gan Ning. "There is no countermeasure at all, and their factional struggles are raging." Gan Ning replied. "Isn't this terrible?" Sun Quan frowned. "Indeed." Gan Ning expressed the same feeling. Why didn't Sun Quan want to see chaos in Liu Biao's camp? Because, Cao Cao's Southern Expedition will definitely start with the attack on Liu Biao in Jingzhou.The more tenaciously Jingzhou resisted, the more beneficial it would be to Sun Quan behind.Sun Quan hoped that Cao's army would be weakened due to losses.

What would happen if Jingzhou surrendered to Cao Cao without a fight?The unscathed Cao army united with the Jingzhou army and attacked directly with a huge army. Isn't this a terrible thing! "What should I do? Do you have any plan?" Sun Quan asked. "My lord can fight a battle of revenge." "Revenge battle?" "Xiakou is guarded by Huang Zu." Huang Zu was Liu Biao's general who fought against Sun Quan's father, Sun Jian.Although Sun Jian died of a shooting arrow, his opponent at the time was indeed Huang Zu.Seeing Huang Zu as Sun Quan who killed his father and enemy, he attacked him several times later.

"That's right..." In the past, it was for revenge, but now attacking Huang Zu has a more positive meaning.It is very likely that Jingzhou's entire army will surrender to Cao Cao. Instead of letting the soldiers of Jingzhou take it for Cao Cao, it is better to take some of it yourself.Even if it cannot be captured by force, it is necessary to reduce the number of troops that surrender to Cao Cao as much as possible. "Okay! Let's attack Xiakou." Sun Quan immediately made up his mind.Xiakou is now Hankou City.Sun Quan then took Lu Meng as the vanguard general, suppressed the army, and took down Huang Zu's head.

Although Lü Meng was brave and good at fighting, Gan Ning should be the first to give credit for this battle.After staying in Xiakou for three years, he knew the weaknesses of the place like the palm of his hand, and carried out everything according to Gan Ning's battle plan, and all of them succeeded. For Huang Zu, the most unfortunate thing was that after the lord Liu Biao died of illness, the dignitaries in Xiangyang City of Jingzhou were all too busy with factional struggles.When they received information about Xiakou's crisis, they did not send a single soldier to rescue them.

The area around the three towns of Wuhan, located in the center of China, was then owned by Sun Quan. Liu Qi was in serious distress.Because his father Liu Biao was ill, the important officials backed by the local wealthy Cai family deliberately suppressed him and supported his younger brother Liu Cong. Liu Cong's mother was the daughter of the Cai family, and Liu Qi's wife was also a member of the Cai family. Liu Qi almost gave up the idea of ​​inheritance.Although he wanted to give up, the people around him were not reconciled.For they have made him a rich man. ——You are the eldest son, and it is a matter of course for the eldest son to inherit the family!

They urged him not to relinquish his rights. But how difficult it is to take it for granted.Because most of the powerful figures in Jingzhou rely on their younger brothers.The terrible thing is that things can't be solved by giving up.After the younger brother becomes the lord of Jingzhou, the position of being an older brother will become very awkward.This is no longer a problem for the younger brother alone. The people around the younger brother probably won't allow the existence of this older brother, right? ——Liu Qi must be eliminated.This is the best way to maintain peace in Jingzhou.

The close ministers will definitely persecute the younger brother in this way. If you give up your desires, your life will be in danger.Deeply distressed, Liu Qi finally planned to go to Zhuge Kongming, known as the most wise man in Jingzhou, to ask him how to deal with it. However, Kong Ming was already Liu Biao's guest minister to Liu Bei. If he raised his voice on the issue of the succession of the Liu family, it would embarrass his master Liu Bei's position, so he avoided meeting Liu Qi. One day, Liu Qi met Kong Ming unexpectedly in the courtyard. Liu Qi pointed to the tall building next to him and said: "How about we go up there together? The scenery from a high place is pretty good." Kong Ming had no choice but to follow Liu Qi up the tall building.Liu Qi told his subordinates to remove the ladders used to climb the stairs after the two of them climbed the stairs. "Brother Kong Ming, this is my current position. I can't go up to the sky, and I can't go down to the earth. There are only you and me here. Please teach me the path I should take!" Liu Qi said with an expression of asking for help. "Shen Sheng died because he stayed in China, and Chong Er was born because he went abroad." Kong Ming replied. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Duke Xian of Jin had two excellent sons, Shen Sheng and Chong Er.Later, Duke Xian's beloved concubine Li Ji gave birth to a son, and hoped that his son would inherit the great business, so he slandered Xian Gong and framed the two princes.As a result, elder brother Shen Sheng was forced to commit suicide because he stayed in the country, and Chong Er survived because he fled abroad.Not only did he not die, but after nineteen years of wandering abroad, he was welcomed back by his homeland and became the Lord of Jin.Jin Wengong, who is famous for his overlord, is the son Chonger. —Leave Xiangyang! This is Kong Ming's advice to Liu Qi. "How do I leave Xiangyang? Escape?" "The young master can volunteer. Isn't the position of Jiangxia prefect currently in short supply?" Kong Ming taught him this method. Huang Zu, the prefect of Jiangxia appointed by Liu Biao, was attacked and killed by Sun Quan.Since Xiakou was captured by the enemy, the prefect of Jiangxia has no territory to govern, so no successor has been appointed so far. Liu Qi then wrote a petition to his sick father: —— Xiakou was taken away by Sun Quan, it is really heartbreaking, my son lost sleep all night because of unwillingness, and now I am determined to take back Xiakou, I implore my father to bestow the post of Jiangxia prefect, I hereby write this book, please accept it. Liu Qi's request was accepted, and he was able to lead more than 10,000 troops and leave Xiangyang, the capital of the state.This happened in August of the thirteenth year of Jian'an (AD 208).Liu Cong's supporters were relieved that their rivals withdrew voluntarily. But Liu Biao fell into a critical state soon after, and Liu Qi rushed back to Xiangyang immediately after receiving the news.But Cai Mao, the elder of the Cai clan, said angrily to Liu Qi: "The general appointed you as the prefect of Jiangxia. This position is so important! You are determined to recapture Xiakou, but you have not succeeded. If you meet with the general at this time, what should you do if something happens! If the general gets angry again and makes his condition worse , you are not unfilial!" Liu Qi had no choice but to turn back to the south with tears in his eyes. Cao Cao's Southern Expeditionary Army appeared in Xinye in September.Xinye is now Xinye County, Henan Province. It is located in the upper reaches of the Han River, and Jingzhou is located down the river.There is an important place called Fancheng in the north of Xiangyang, the capital of Jingzhou Prefecture, where the guest Qing Liu Bei's army was stationed. Liu Bei was the first to confront Cao Cao's Southern Expedition Army. Liu Biao was dead at this time.Of course, Liu Bei, who was a guest, rushed to see Liu Biao for the last time before he died.It is not far from Fancheng to Xiangyang, only more than ten kilometers away. —I hope you take good care of my two sons.Please be more careful about this... Liu Biao grabbed Liu Bei's hand and begged in a small voice. — General, please rest assured.I will definitely help the two sons with all my strength. Liu Bei held Liu Biao's bony hand and promised so.As soon as the funeral was over, he frequently received information about the advance of Cao Cao's southern expedition army, so he rushed back to Fancheng. After Liu Bei returned to Fancheng, the leaders and staff of Jingzhou gathered in Xiangyang, the capital of the state, for a meeting. The theme of the meeting was to discuss countermeasures against Cao Cao's southern expedition. During the banquet, Kuai Yue, the prefect of Zhangling, and Fu Xun and other important forces advocated the peace.The so-called peace negotiation is actually a surrender to Cao Cao. "Cao Cao has the Son of Heaven in his arms, and we, as ministers, fight against the master. This is treason. There are principles in obedience and indifference, and strength and weakness are determined. With the power of the new Chu Jing (Hunan, Hubei), it is absolutely impossible to resist the forces of the Central Plains. " Kuai Yue took this as an argument. "Isn't there Liu Bei who will help us?" Liu Cong, who has the temperament of a young master, actually said such a thing, he wanted to rely on the guest Qing Liu Bei. "This is absolutely impossible!" Kuai Yue said in a decisive tone: "If Liu Bei has the ability, he will never stay under the general's curtain. This is an obvious reason." No one was in favor of sending troops to aid Liu Bei of Fancheng in order to prevent Cao Cao from attacking.Liu Bei once ran away from Cao Cao's camp, so Cao Cao must hate Liu Bei, let the two confront each other first, and then surrender Jingzhou, which will be a valuable surrender. ——When someone resists stubbornly, the person who surrenders obediently will appear particularly obedient. ——Don't let Liu Bei know about the surrender, let him confront Cao Cao. This is the conclusion of the Jingzhou staff meeting.They made up their minds to see Ke Qing die.The strategy of troubled times is indeed heartless. But this incident was discovered by the spies sent by Zhuge Kongming, and it was known to Liu Bei's camp. "What should I do?" Liu Bei asked. He finally opened his mouth to ask such words, how much he longed for such a day in the past!In the past, it was impossible for him to ask his subordinates such words, because there was no one who wanted to ask. ——Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun are all strong generals who can stand up to thousands, but they are not wise generals. Now with Zhuge Kongming, Liu Bei finally has a counselor with whom he can discuss big plans. "Cao Gong probably won't forgive the Lord?" Kong Ming said. If you surrender, you will be beheaded.As far as Cao Cao is concerned, it is absolutely impossible for him to be merciful to those who have betrayed him. "Is there only a way to fight bravely?" "I can't beat a desperate fight—" "What should I do?" "Thirty-six strategies, going is the best strategy. We can kill Liu Cong in Xiangyang, the capital of Jingzhou Prefecture, and capture his army while fleeing south. Then we flee south. In this way, we will get closer and closer to Sun Quan's forces. Once we join forces with Soochow Sun Quan, won't we be able to fight Cao Cao on an equal footing?" Zhuge Kongming made such an explanation. "You can't kill Liu Cong..." Liu Bei shook his head and answered. "Why? He was going to send us to die! If it weren't for the news from the spies, we would have been put to death almost helplessly in Fancheng! Why can't such Liu Cong be killed?" "When Liu Cong's father, Liu Biao, was dying, he once held my hand and begged me to take good care of his two sons. The head is removed, how can I do such a thing?" "Okay, then let's not kill Liu Cong! However, please don't forget that capturing Jingzhou's army and going south is our only way to survive." "I know that." Liu Bei nodded.