Chapter 7 Chapter Two Difficult South Expedition

In just a few months, Cao Cao established a new base centered on Xu County. The sphere of influence has expanded from Yanzhou to a part of the Yuzhou Governor's Department and Sili Xiaowei Department. The effective control area has doubled. many. The generals under Cao Cao also grew rapidly. Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Xia Houyuan, Yu Jin, Le Jin, Cheng Yu and others have become generals who command troops independently, and some of them also serve as prefects of counties and states.Since the full implementation of the farming policy in the early years of Jian'an, the "Caotong District" has been filled with lively scenes such as economic recovery, production development, and personnel return, forming a contrast with other surrounding areas.

But Cao Cao knew very well that his position was actually the most unfavorable. Yanzhou, Yuzhou and Sili Xiaowei were in the hinterland of the Central Plains and were surrounded by enemies.It's like playing Go, where the corners and sides are the easiest to defend and also the easiest to empty. Although Tianyuan's position is eye-catching, few people are willing to put pieces here from the beginning. Cao Cao is now guarding Tianyuan, seeing people tossing on the corners and sides, he has nothing to do. The only way is to make an empty space and develop in all directions.The question is, where should we start first?

Yuan Shao is in the north, Lu Bu and Liu Bei are in the east, Yuan Shu is in the southeast, Liu Biao is in the south, and Liangzhou warlords are in the west. Currently, he and Yuan Shao still belong to an alliance in name, although this is a formidable opponent and an enemy that he will face sooner or later, he cannot turn his face at this moment.Liu Biao showed no signs of challenging himself for the time being. Among the various forces, he has the strongest hard power and the weakest aggressiveness. Now that he has expressed his allegiance to the imperial court, he can let it go first.The Liangzhou warlords in the Guanzhong area fell into internal strife after Emperor Xian returned to the east, and Ma Teng and Han Sui became more powerful, but they were still busy with their own affairs and had no time to take care of the Central Plains.

Although Yuan Shu is also a formidable enemy, firstly, the distance is relatively far away, and secondly, since this gentleman was driven out of the Central Plains, his ambition seems to have dropped sharply. He has adopted a defensive strategy, so he can let it go for a while. Cao Cao looked around and decided to start with Lu Bu and Liu Bei in the east, mainly targeting Lu Bu, because Liu Bei's power is very weak now after being plotted against by Lu Bu, and he has deep conflicts with Lu Bu, so he can use it when necessary. Cao Cao decided that the main task in the second year of Jian'an (197) was to attack Lu Bu in Xuzhou.However, before this military operation could be implemented, new changes occurred in the situation on the southern front, and Cao Cao had to temporarily give up his plan to march eastward.

To the south of Xu County is Nanyang County of Jingzhou Governor's Department, where the government is located in Wan County (now Nanyang, Henan), which belongs to the fringe area of ​​​​Liu Biao's forces.Yuan Shu once entrenched here, but was suppressed by Liu Biao and turned to the Yangzhou Governor's Department for development.After Yuan Shu left, this area actually became a guerrilla zone for the rest of the Yellow Turbans, and Liu Biao and Cao Cao also controlled a part of it.The situation in the entire Nanyang County was relatively chaotic and lacked a unified leadership. This situation did not change until a group of people entered the area.

This team belongs to the Liangzhou Group, and the leader is Zhang Ji, a general in the Liangzhou Army who is as famous as the "three-member group" in the past. He also participated in the action to welcome Emperor Xian to return to the east, but changed his mind halfway and turned against Emperor Xian. Li and Guo Si who moved eastward.The highest position held by Zhang Ji was the deputy commander-in-chief of the national armed forces (General Hussars). After Cao Cao took Emperor Xian to Xu County, this appointment should have been revoked. Zhang Ji later stayed in Hongnong County between Guanzhong and Luoyang. After a series of civil wars and natural disasters, the economy here has completely collapsed, and a large number of people have flowed out. Zhang Ji is facing a serious survival crisis. As a last resort, he led his troops to leave Hongnong County turned to Jingzhou for development.

When Liu Biao heard that Zhang Ji, the mighty general of the Liangzhou Army, was coming towards him, he was shocked, and quickly ordered the troops in Nanyang County and Nanjun County to prepare to meet the enemy. Zhang Ji led his troops into Nanyang County, burning, killing and looting all the way. They may be really hungry and a little unscrupulous. In addition, the Liangzhou Army has always been known for its brutality, which aroused the resistance of the people of Nanyang County.In the battle against Rangcheng, Zhang Ji was shot to death by random arrows. When Zhang Ji died, Liu Biao's subordinates came to congratulate him, but Liu Biao had his own plans. He knew that the Liangzhou army was very powerful. more than his uncle.Instead of forming a feud, it is better to take advantage of Zhang Ji's death and recruit security when his subordinates are in a panic, so as to help themselves.

Zhang Xiu is indeed a fierce general. He was a well-known knight in his early years in Zuli County, Wuwei County (now Jingyuan, Gansu).At that time, he was a county magistrate in the county. A man named Sheng rebelled and attacked and killed the county magistrate. Zhang Xiu found an opportunity to kill Sheng and became famous. Later, he simply gathered a group of young people and became a local hero. . Zhang Ji died in battle, Zhang Xiu had no idea what to do with this Liangzhou army.At this time, Liu Biao's envoy found him and expressed his willingness to reconcile.Out of survival considerations, Zhang Xiu accepted. According to the agreement reached by the two parties, Liu Biao supported Zhang Xiu's development in Nanyang County, and the two formed a strategic alliance.

It should be noted that Zhang Xiu did not surrender or surrender to Liu Biao, the two were in an alliance.Zhang Xiu placed his base camp in Zhisuowan County, Nanyang County.The reason why Liu Biao was willing to support Zhang Xiu was because of the combat effectiveness of the Liangzhou Army. He had already realized that Cao Cao, who had camped not far from him, would be a formidable opponent. very necessary.Liu Biao's idea is correct. Thanks to Liu Biao's support, Zhang Xiu's power increased greatly, and he soon gained a foothold in Nanyang County.Zhang Xiu felt that if he wanted to succeed, he had to bring someone to help him, and this person was Jia Xu.Both Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu were from the Liangzhou Army. Zhang Xiu knew that Jia Xu was an extraordinary strategist and a genius, so he wanted to win Jia Xu over to become his right-hand man.Where is Jia Xu at this time?

Jia Xu is at Duan Yao's place. Duan Yan is also a Liangzhou warlord, but he was born in a family of famous generals, and Duan, one of the "Liangzhou Sanming", is his cousin.Duan Yan was stationed at Huayin at the foot of Huashan Mountain at this time. When Emperor Xian passed by Duan Yao's defense area on his way back to the east, Duan Yan came forward to protect him, which caused dissatisfaction among other Liangzhou warlords. According to "Wei Lue", Duan Yan actively developed agricultural production in Huayin, and did not engage in burning, killing and looting. The book "Xiandi Ji" also records that Duan Wei was later summoned by Cao Cao and appointed as Dahong Luqing and Guanglu Doctor in the name of Xiandi, and died the second year after the Battle of Chibi.

According to the records of "Three Kingdoms Jia Xu Biography", Duan Yao has a relatively small mind.Jia Xu left Li and came to Duan Yan's place. Duan Yan knew that Jia Xu had always had a high reputation in the Liangzhou Army, and was worried that he would seize power, so he was especially wary of him, but on the surface, he was respectful, which made Jia Xu feel uncomfortable. Self-comfort (simmering inside for fear of being seized by others, but outside boasting that the etiquette is very prepared, the more uneasy). At this time, Zhang Xiu quietly sent someone to contact Jia Xu, hoping that he would come to Nanyang County.Jia Xu decided to leave. A good friend found out and persuaded Jia Xu, "General Duan has treated you well, why do you want to leave?" Jia Xu said: "Duan Yan is suspicious by nature, and he is more suspicious of me. Although he treats me well, he can't last long (although the courtesy is generous, it can't be trusted). He will be happy if I leave now. At the same time, he also hopes that I can form foreign aid. , so I must treat my wife and children generously. Zhang Xiu has no one to advise, and he really wants me to go, so that I and my family can be preserved." Jia Xu always predicts things like a god, and this time is no different.He was going to Nanyang County, but Duan Yao did not stop him, happily sent him away, and treated his wife and children generously.When Jia Xu went to Zhang Xiu's place, he was also reused. "The Biography of Jia Xu in the History of the Three Kingdoms" said that when Liu Biao came to ask for a marriage, Jia Xu had already arrived, and he urged Zhang Xiu to agree to join forces with Liu Biao. Jia Xu is fifty years old this year, and Zhang Xiu's age is unknown, probably much younger.As a colleague of his uncle, Zhang Xiu treats Jia Xu as an elder (Xiu holds the etiquette for descendants) and respects him the most. The arrival and rapid rise of Zhang Xiu brought Cao Cao a difficult problem.Originally, he planned to attack Lu Bu in the east after he settled down in Xu County, but now there was a powerful enemy in the south, like a tiger coming from the side of the couch, how could he feel at ease and go on an expedition? The Liangzhou army has always been an enemy that is not easy to deal with. Cao Cao's worst defeat since the uprising was against the Liangzhou army, which is still fresh in my memory.With the help of Jia Xu, Zhang Xiu is even more powerful, and with the support of Liu Biao behind him, the tiger in Nanyang County is not kept in a cage for people to admire, it will eat people at any time. If Cao Cao leads the main force to march eastward, it is difficult to guarantee that Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao will not take the opportunity to attack Xu County.Under such circumstances, the matter of conquering Lu Bu in the east can only be put aside first, and the top priority is to destroy the tiger in the south.