Spring of the Ninth Year of Jian'an

When the Taiping Army under Guo Jia's command destroyed Han Sui at Yumen Pass, Cao Cao personally led his army north and arrived at Yecheng!

The spring breeze is gentle, but there is a cold and murderous aura outside Yecheng.

Cao Cao's army surrounded the city on all sides. Three days after the besiege, Cao Cao finally ordered the attack, but it was not fierce, but a temptation.

Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan fought in Qingzhou, and Shen Pei was the one who stayed in Yecheng.

In the camp outside the city, Cao Cao was wearing a green cloak and holding a bamboo slip, which was lukewarm.

There were three men in the tent, Cheng Yu, generals Xu Huang, Yu Jin and Xiahou Yuan, waiting for the dispatch.

Li Dian was the one who was in charge of the siege outside. Cao Cao only brought these four generals to the expedition this time, and no matter how many, he would not be able to use it.

The three generals seemed bored sitting in the tent. They looked at each other and asked for a fight, and they were not allowed to sit here, and they felt a bit painful.

After noon, the temperature rose. Cao Cao's shoulders shook and his cloak fell from his shoulders. He put down the bamboo slips and leaned back, closed his eyes and said, "Zhongde, what do you think of Guo Jia's killing in the northwest?"

This time, Guo Jia conquered Northwest and committed murders that were far more serious than he used to be.

Even in Yizhou, which has a larger population, Guo Jia never slaughtered more than 50,000 people. However, Guo Jia slaughtered nearly 100,000 people in the northwest. This is only Han Sui's territory, not including Ma Chao's previous territory.

The three generals stared at Cheng Yu. Now there is a topic that can finally help them relieve their boredom.

"As Xiaguan expected, there are two reasons. Guo Jia wanted to quickly pacify the northwest and gain time to go out to Kanto. At the same time, Guo Jia wanted to use this method to shock Kanto."

Cheng Yu stroked his white beard and said with a faint expression.

The princes were playing games, and they were staring at each other's movements. Guo Jia's iron-blooded strategy for the northwest surprised Cao Cao. This change seemed to have changed Cao Cao's impression of Guo Jia's actions.

Guo Jia advocated loving the people, governing the army rigorously, and promoting policies that are beneficial to the people. Whether in Guanzhong or Yizhou, they all opened their doors to treat the people who fled. Over the past ten years, Guo Jia has accumulated a good reputation and the image of a benevolent and righteous monarch.

But this time the massacre of the northwest shocked everyone in the world.

Cao Cao speculated about Guo Jia's thoughts. After a while after Cheng Yu finished speaking, he closed his eyes and said, "The first reason Zhongde said is not valid. If Guo Jia wants to go out to Guandong, he will not take the initiative to attack the northwest. Since he has fought, he will not be able to get involved in Guandong in a short time. This is very clear. What I guess is, there are two reasons. One is what Zhongde said, Guo Jia wants to use killing to shock foreign enemies. Secondly, Guo Jia was successful at a young age, and he became a master when he was less than twenty years old. He entered Yizhou to attack Guanzhong to attack the northwest. He is now the number one prince in the world, and he will inevitably have arrogance. What he dislikes most is the people who oppose him, so he wants to kill, Shunchang will perish."

Cao Cao frowned slightly, and a sense of worry suddenly lingered in his heart.

From sending troops to Yumen Pass in Chang'an, the journey is no shorter than sending troops to Xuchang from Chang'an. In the stage after the Battle of Guandu, Guo Jia had only two choices, either subdue the northwest or take advantage of Cao Cao's attack on Hebei to advance to the Central Plains. Choose one of the two, and you cannot have both fish and bear's paw.

Because after sending troops west or east, the three armies will inevitably experience a great war, and the chariots and horses are exhausted and cruel, and after the war, it is not advisable to fight again. Secondly, if you conquer the territory in the northwest or make progress in the Central Plains, you must immediately start recuperating and stable rule after the war, and consolidate the fruits of victory, so as to avoid changes in the elbows and armpits.

In terms of whether to go west or east, Guo Jia chose to go west. It was because Guo Jia moved first that Cao Cao dared to march north. If Guo Jia's troops did not move, Cao Cao would still be calm and watch the two sons of the Yuan family consumed in Qingzhou.

"There is no immediate worries, but there are long-term concerns. This joy and sorrow make me wonder whether to laugh or worry. However, if Guo Jia's original intention of slaughtering the northwest is that he is arrogant, then in the long run, it will be a good thing."

Cao Cao sighed.

After a close worry, Guo Jia did not leave the gate. Within a few years, Kanto and Guanxi were in peace.

With long-term considerations, Guo Jia's unification of Guanxi has been a foregone conclusion, and the next time he goes out to Guandong, he may sweep across the Central Plains and Hebei with a one-piece attitude, and even the entire world may be.

As for the good thing Cao Cao mentioned, it was just a sign.

In a more formal way, class limitations.

Guo Jia has a low background and has been suffering since Xiaohan. Now he is the greatest prince in the world, which is a test.

The test of whether he can stand at the peak and lower his posture. This is a change in his mentality.

If the massacre of the northwest is a beginning and a precursor, then Cao Cao would not worry anymore. If Guo Jia is given five years, ten years, or even longer, Guo Jia's rule will be self-defeating.

Ordinary people cannot resist the corruption of glory and wealth. Many people with lofty ambitions fall to the face of high-ranking officials and wealthy officials. Now, if Guo Jia changes from the mentality of pioneering and entrepreneurship to the mentality of enjoying results, then this is Guo Jia’s biggest danger.

Whether before the Qin and Han Dynasties or after the Wei and Jin Dynasties, just talking about the Three Kingdoms era, many heroes perished themselves before their hegemony was achieved. For example, Dong Zhuo was originally a warlord, but his ambition was revealed after controlling Luoyang. He secretly occupied the Longting and poisoned the court, causing the disaster of destruction. Yuan Shao, four generations and three ministers, listened to the four prefectures of Hebei, and rarely did he make decisions when he was arbitrary and decisive. However, after he unified Hebei, he was blindly arrogant and eventually ruined all the power of the Yuan family's management for a hundred years in Guandu. Even Liu Yan, who was promoted to the governor of Yizhou, occupied the high and far away of the emperor, so he committed an arbitrary and used the emperor's ceremonial guard to arouse dissatisfaction among the Han ministers.

During these twenty years, many heroes were arrogant and complacent when they made some achievements, and were determined to act alone and did not accept loyal advice, which eventually led to destruction.

If Guo Jia repeats the mistakes of Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shao at this time, then Cao Cao could even foresee that the regime that emerged from Guanxi that rose to the southwest would collapse in an instant on the road of glorious avenue!

Of course, this was just Cao Cao's guess. It was because Guo Jia's strategy of fighting has changed from being gentle to being iron-blooded, and he had this idea. Will Guo Jia be so proud of being so successful? Only time can he give the answer.

And Cao Cao himself cannot just stare at Guo Jia.

Guo Jia has already unified Guanxi, and all he has to do is to swallow Hebei before Guo Jia finishes resting!

At dusk, the attack and defense of Yecheng came to an end, and the two sides were in a stalemate. It was imperative that Cao's army temporarily retreated.

Cao Cao walked out of the camp with his hands behind his back, looked at Yecheng from afar, and looked at the sky again. Under dusk, Cao Cao turned his head and asked Cheng Yu: "Is the time for Feng Li to say that is coming soon?"

Cheng Yu bowed his hand and whispered: "It's just the hour of You today."

Cao Cao nodded and said, "Don't enter the city in large quantities. First, send a thousand people into the city to investigate the movement. If there is no ambush, then guard the city gate, our army can drive straight in."

After receiving the order, Cheng Yu went to pass an order to Li Dian, who was in charge of the war.

At the end of Yecheng, Shen Pei was busy commanding the fortifications. The sound of killing outside the city was shocking. The soldiers on the front of the city were very nervous. Shen Pei was exhausted and panting.

When fighting, he is not here.

Just at dusk and sunset, Shen Pei's subordinate had a general named Feng Li. When Cao Cao's army attacked, he secretly surrendered to the enemy and promised to be Cao Cao's inner lord to open the city gate.

However, Cao Cao was not at ease with him, for fear that it was a vicious plan for Shenfu to ask you to get into the trap.

Cao's army retreated like a tide. Shen Pei wiped his sweat and looked at the sky again when he saw this scene. He thought to himself that Cao's army wanted to fight again tomorrow.

But at this moment, a sudden change arose!

The gate under the city suddenly opened from inside!

Among the Cao's withdrawn troops, a team of thousands of people rushed straight to the city gate. Shen Pei was so shocked that his face was bloodless. He looked down and saw Feng Li, who was riding on a horse at the city gate, and his eyes were so angry that he was so angry that his teeth were bitten to pieces.

"Shoot!Shoot!"

Shen Pei shouted in a hurry.

The soldiers who had just relaxed on the top of the city quickly raised their bows and arrows and shot them down.

The power of the bow and arrow lies in the correct target. It would be fine if Cao's army's thousand soldiers were only outside the city. If they spent more bows and arrows, they would definitely be able to kill them. However, the city gate was already open. Cao's army entered the city with the rain of arrows, and the archers on the city wall were helpless.

Seeing that Cao's army had entered the city and was fighting with the defenders inside the city gate, Shen Pei was so panicked that he looked around for a long time, as if he was looking for a solution.

Suddenly, he saw the huge rock placed on the top of the city at the corner of his eyes. With a light of inspiration, he immediately shouted to his left and right: "Move the stones! Block the city gate!"

The soldiers worked together to hold large stones and threw them from the city gate, blocking them at the gate. After a rumbling sound, the vanguard troops of Cao's army were cut off from it, and more than 600 soldiers entering the city became lonely and were shot and killed in the city on the spot. The Cao army outside the city heard the orders behind him and retreated in the rain of arrows.

Feng Li was killed on the spot by the soldier, and the head of the neck was hung on the top of the city to warn You.

It was getting dark, and Shen Pei breathed a sigh of relief.

Under the nightfall, Cao Cao stood outside the military camp and looked at Yecheng from afar. He had no headaches and helplessness at the inextricable deadlock in front of him.

Cheng Yu came behind him and remained silent.

If you want to break Ye City, Cao Cao will definitely be able to break under his fierce attack. After all, the main troops in Hebei were taken to Qingzhou and fought with Yuan Tan to death by Yuan Shang.

"This battle should not cause too many casualties."

Cao Cao sighed lightly.

He can't put his foundation in Hebei. If he swallowed Hebei and hurt him, it would probably take a longer time to recover. In that case, the gap between him and Guo Jia will become increasingly disparate.

"At the time of siege and not attack, Yecheng will belong to the lord sooner or later."

Cheng Yu said softly.

Cao Cao looked up at the night sky, with stars and dazzling charming. Why is the sky in Hebei more comfortable than the Central Plains?

Thinking of something, a strange smile appeared on the corner of Cao Cao's mouth.

"Zhongde, do you remember how the rebellious general Zhang Baiqi under Guo Jia died?"

Cheng Yu didn't react for a moment, he was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized and smiled happily, "This strategy is amazing."

...
Chapter completed!