Yanzhou, Taishan County, Fenggao City.
At this time, Cao Cao was in his mansion in the city, with dozens of advisers and generals in his hall. The advisers included Xun You, Chen Qun and others, and the generals included Cao Hong, Xiahou Yuan, Le Jin, Yu Jin and others. Nearly half of the core elite troops were gathered together.
Now no one expected that when Cao Cao accepted the call to attack Yuan Shu, he did not start from Runan in the western part of Yuzhou where Yuan Shu was weak, but went to Taishan County in the northwest of Xuzhou!
But Cao Cao's face was a little gloomy at this time, "Why would Xionghu go to Xuzhou at this time?"
"Is he in a hurry to fight Yuan Shu?"
Xun You was also sweating, "This ferocious tiger's behavior is unbelievable, it shouldn't be like this!"
"It is not necessary for him to send troops at this time!"
Chen Qun said, "But the fact is that he left Jicheng with his soldiers a few days ago and headed for the port of Yuyang Piaoyuyi."
"If we take this route, we must go south to Xuzhou by sea."
Cao Hong asked, "Is it possible that he went to Liaodong by boat?"
"I heard that he has joined forces with the Gongsun clan. It is not impossible for me to go to Liaodong to meet him now."
Xun You shook his head and said, "It's unlikely. I heard that he brought hundreds of students from the charity school with him. This is obviously to arrange for him to take up his post in Xuzhou. There is no need to bring so many people with him to Liaodong."
Xiahou Yuan said angrily: "This fierce tiger is too abominable!"
"He has ruined our plans time and again. Now he is heading south to Xuzhou. Did he know something in advance?"
When Xiahou Yuan said this, everyone's face changed slightly and they lowered their heads in silence.
Because they gathered here secretly and secretly transferred tens of thousands of elite troops into Taishan County, they were preparing to carry out a major action in a premeditated manner.
As a result, for some unknown reason, it just so happened that Cao's camp received news that Yuan Xi had set out from Jicheng and was most likely coming to Xuzhou. This made them wonder if there really was a traitor inside Cao's camp?
Yu Jin felt as if there were several vague gazes sweeping over him. He wanted to cry but had no tears. He had only spoken a few words to Yuan Xi in Dongwuyang that year, and then he had been suspected for two years. He has not been able to completely prove his innocence until now!
Yuan Xi, you sinister villain, when did I ever provoke you? Why did you want to trick me like this?
Cao Cao waved his hand and said, "Don't mention anything else. I want to know whether to continue with the matter regarding Liu Bei."
"Will the fierce tiger's unexpected move south ruin our plan?"
He first looked at Chen Qun, who understood and said hurriedly, "I asked him, since I once worked under Liu Yuzhou, how much do I know about him?"
"This man is quite loyal and relies heavily on his two brothers. Moreover, the three of them are quite methodical in fighting, and can be said to be first-rate."
"If we use military force against them, I'm afraid we won't be sure of victory."
"Now that the variable of the fierce tiger has been added, we need to consider it carefully."
Cao Hong snorted, "Mr. Changwen, why do you have to boost others' morale? Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are known for their bravery, that's fine, but can Liu Bei also lead troops to fight?"
Chen Qun hesitated for a moment, "If Liu Yuzhou leads several thousand men to fight, few people in the world can stop him."
Everyone was stunned. They didn't expect Chen Qun to have such a high opinion of Liu Bei.
But since Chen Qun defected to Cao Cao, he has had unique insights on many things and gradually won over Cao's advisers and generals, so his current speech is very convincing.
Xun You's eyes flashed: "The long article said that he brought thousands of soldiers. What if he brought more?"
Chen Qun pondered for a moment, "If he leads tens of thousands of soldiers, it will far exceed Liu Yuzhou's own ability, and mistakes will definitely occur."
Xun You pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Isn't this simple?"
"Doesn't he trust Guan Yu and Zhang Fei the most?"
"Find a way to remove him from Liu Bei's side and let Liu Bei lead the army alone. Wouldn't that greatly increase our chances of victory?"
Everyone's eyes lit up, and Xiahou Yuan said, "Mr. Gongda, do you have any good ideas?"
Xun You said complacently: "Although I have some ideas, I would like to ask you, using troops against Liu Bei should be a last resort, right?"
"The best strategy is to attack the enemy's plan. Shouldn't we try to win him over beforehand? If he can surrender to you, why bother with a war?"
Cao Cao nodded and said, "Gongda is right. Liu Bei is a rare hero in the world. I don't want to fight him unless it is absolutely necessary."
"Originally our plan was to use the Emperor's edict to lure him over and get him to join us."
"If they are stubborn and refuse to change their ways, we can take advantage of the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on Xia Pi while they are negotiating with us!"
"If he is defeated, Xia Pi will be in our hands. This is a crucial step in the future attack on Yuan Shu. It can even be said to be the most important move!"
"Yuan Shu has just proclaimed himself emperor, and he will not use troops in Xuzhou in the short term. This is a great opportunity for us. At least within the next two months, we can slowly talk to Liu Bei."
"If they refuse, we will have plenty of time to mobilize troops."
"But now there is the variable of the fierce tiger!"
"He shouldn't have shown up so early. If he goes to Guangling now, it will not only affect our negotiations with Liu Bei, but it may also hinder our plans for Xuzhou!"
"This change really makes me unable to sleep or eat!"
Having said that, Cao Cao couldn't help but hold his aching head tightly.
It hurts, it hurts so much!
What is going on with this ferocious tiger?
If there really was a traitor in his group, Cao Cao didn't care much. Many people were secretly playing both sides. He didn't care about their loyalty, he just wanted them to work for him.
But there is another possibility, that is, the ferocious tiger relies on the art of stargazing to predict its own actions!
This is what Cao Cao fears the most. He cannot deal with this kind of method at all!
Could it be that the evil tiger really has the ability to observe the stars and is here to ruin his good deeds?
Everyone was also very confused. They naturally didn't know that Yuan Xi had set out for Guangling early for another purpose, but by some strange coincidence, he made everyone in Cao's camp suspicious.
Now Yuan Xi had no idea that Cao Cao had already secretly plotted against Liu Bei!
Xun You said, "The variable of the fierce tiger must be taken into account."
"But before that, we need to think carefully about how to plot against Liu Bei."
"First courtesy, then force. You can win over Liu Bei by recommending him for an official position."
Cao Cao nodded and said, "Yes, send a letter to Liu Bei. I plan to appoint him as General Zhendong, Governor of Yuzhou, and Marquis of Yichengting. I think he will accept my offer."
Chen Qun praised: "Your Excellency is wise. This position is enough to impress Liu Bei."
"Moreover, General Zhendong is half a rank lower than Xionghu's General Zhengdong, so there must be resentment between the two."
Xun You said worriedly, "Even so, Liu Bei is not stupid. If we want him to surrender, I'm afraid he won't be willing to surrender just by promising him a few empty titles."
Everyone agreed that Liu Bei was a veteran with many years of experience, so how could he be blinded by such things?
Chen Qun sneered, "He is a man who won't release his eagle until he sees the rabbit. Without any practical benefits, it will be difficult to trap him."
Xun You smiled and said, "You are much better at long essays than I am. Do you have any good plans?"
Chen Qun said with a gloomy look: "Don't release the eagle until you see the rabbit."
"If you want to impress him, you have to show him some practical benefits."
"For example, you can agree to send troops to attack Yuan Shu with him, and after the success, you can give him Yuzhou. This kind of condition is more attractive to him than a title."
"As for Zhang Fei, I have seen that he has a bad temper and is very harsh to others. The previous loss of Xia Pi and Tancheng was caused by the civil strife caused by him."
"We can find ways to exploit its weaknesses and prescribe the right remedy."
"Oh, right," Chen Qun suddenly clapped his hands, "I remember now. I heard him complain about not getting married several times at banquets."
"If we can marry him a girl from the Cao clan, we will surely be able to win him over."
"The most troublesome person is Guan Yu. He has a clear mind and is hard to deceive. He is also very upright and cannot be bribed by ordinary benefits."
"If you really want to attack Liu Bei, it would be best to transfer Guan Yu away so that you can start the attack."
"From what I can see, this person's only weakness is that he is too conceited."
"I heard that Guan Yu trained a navy at the East China Sea port, which is known as an elite force."
"We can find a way to cause chaos on the sea route and have him go to the East China Sea to lead troops to quell the rebellion. He will naturally leave Liu Bei."
Chen Qun had been under Liu Bei for quite some time and knew Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei very well. He was also resentful because his opinions were not accepted, so after he defected to Cao Cao, he became even more scheming and plotted against Liu Bei in order to vent his anger.
He finished his long speech with great enthusiasm, and everyone was convinced. Cao Cao praised him, saying, "Your long article is very insightful. If this is accomplished, you will be credited with the first achievement!"
Cao Hong said with regret: "It's a good plan, but giving away Yuzhou is too expensive."
Cao Cao laughed and said, "Zi Lian, you are too narrow-minded!"
"What I have now is for Yuan Shao to use this to grow stronger, so the benefits of conquering Yuan Shu must not be allowed to the Yuan family!"
"Only in this way can I gain strength to rival Yuan Shao after defeating Yuan Shu!"
"So I'll suffer a little loss to let Liu Bei gain the advantage, and I won't let that fierce tiger take advantage!"
"Besides, since I can give Yuzhou to Liu Bei, I can naturally take it back!"
When everyone heard this, they all laughed and said, "Your Excellency is wise!"
Xun You thought for a while and said, "The letter to Liu Bei can be sent now."
"But there is one thing that can also be done at the same time."
"Choose one of the women from the Cao clan to marry Zhang Fei."
"Anyway, no matter if they are hostile or not, she can still play a role. She is just a woman."
Cao Cao nodded and said, "Gongda is right. Even if we fall out with Liu Bei in the future, she is just a woman and has no bearing on the overall situation."
"But after all my calculations, I think that only the woman who wanted to marry Sun Ce is of the right age. But it would be a pity to marry her to Zhang Fei, and she will have other uses in the future."
He turned to Xiahou Yuan, "I heard you have a niece?"
Xiahou Yuan was stunned and said, "She is the daughter of my late brother..."
Cao Cao waved his hand and said, "It's settled. If a woman's status is too low, it will be difficult to win over Zhang Fei. Your niece's status is just right."
Xiahou Yuan hesitated to speak, and could only bow and say, "I obey your command, sir."
Xun You said, "That fierce tiger should arrive in Guangling soon. It may go to Haixi, or it may go directly to Guangling City. How should we deal with it?"
Cao Cao listened and said in a deep voice: "First, send the spies in the two cities to gather information and wait and see what happens."
"If there is any unusual movement, send a message immediately."
Everyone had made up their mind, and finally Cao Cao said, "What we are discussing today are all important matters concerning the future of our Cao family."
"I believe in your loyalty to the Cao family, so I did not evade it. But after you go back, please do not reveal the details."
Everyone was filled with gratitude and bowed, saying, "We will serve you even if it means death!"
Cao Cao looked at the backs of the people leaving, his eyes narrowed, and he thought that it didn't matter if the information was leaked out, as long as he kept winning.
He looked at Cheng Yu, who had said nothing from beginning to end, and said, "Zhongde, now we can have a good talk about how to view the fierce tiger."