12dz Chapter 239 Encircling Wei and rescuing Zhao
Chapter 239 Encircling Wei and rescuing Zhao
Chapter 239: Surrounding Wei and rescuing Zhao
The Han court reacted rather calmly to the drastic changes in the south and took almost no immediate measures.
Both the Secretariat and the Grand Marshal's Mansion behaved very restrainedly.
The joint efforts of the Censorate and the Ministry of Personnel to "clarify the administration of officials" were still being promoted, and the situation was becoming increasingly severe.
In early February, King Liu Xie of Bohai brought nearly 30 officials from the Censorate and the Ministry of Personnel and set out from Sili, and then to Bingzhou. He also planned to go to Youzhou, Jizhou, Yanzhou and Qingzhou.
The most important thing, however, is not "clarifying the administration of officials", but rather the "land survey" and "household registration" by the Household Department.
As the states gradually stabilized and refugees continued to return, many things became complicated and faced many obstacles.
After inspecting the three prefectures, Xun Yu, the Minister of Revenue, also moved to Bingzhou.
Bingzhou was the first place to implement the "New Deal", achieved the best results, accumulated the most experience, and has important reference significance.
Liu Bian was stationed in Luoyang, eyeing the "Nine-Rank System" with eager eyes.
The court was very busy. In early March, just after the beginning of spring, Cao Cao submitted a memorial. After obtaining permission, he left Luoyang and went to the imperial guard camp to inspect the troops.
Zhao Yun stood beside Cao Cao and said, "General Cao, the 30,000-man army is ready."
Cao Cao watched Xiahou Dun, Le Jin, Cao Ren and others selecting the troops. He was very satisfied with the elite soldiers and generals Zhao Yun had given him. He smiled and said, "If Your Majesty couldn't live without Zilong, Cao would sincerely take Zilong with him to the battle."
Zhao Yun raised his hand politely and said, "General Cao will surely be invincible in this expedition, annihilate the Black Mountain Army, and return with a great victory!"
Cao Cao raised his hand and said politely with a smile.
Cao Cao not only valued Zhao Yun's bravery, but especially because Zhao Yun came from Liu Bian's side, so he naturally paid more attention to him.
Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai and others behind Cao Cao did not say anything. They did not care much about this expedition.
The Black Mountain Army had been badly damaged after the battle in Jizhou the year before last, and it was difficult for them to organize a "million-strong" army. Zhang Yan was even more disunited and his strength was greatly reduced.
With the gradual stabilization of Jizhou and the cooperation of You, Bing and Yan, the imperial court no longer had to worry about the expedition becoming a long war of attrition and could simply defeat them one by one.
At this time, Zhang Xiu came over from not far away and said to Zhao Yun: "General, five thousand good horses are ready."
Zhao Yun nodded and said to Cao Cao, "General Cao, do you need anything else?"
Cao Cao naturally knew Zhang Xiu. Seeing his powerful aura, he smiled and said, "Captain Zhang, how about you follow me into battle?"
"Hmph!" Zhang Xiu snorted coldly, turned his head and looked disdainful.
Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai and others were stunned. What did this embroidery mean?
You know, Cao Cao was not only favored by the emperor in the past, but now he is also the Chief Clerk of the Grand Marshal's Mansion. I don't know how many people say that he will be the next Grand Marshal.
Who dares to underestimate such a person?
Still so rude!
Zhao Yun was also puzzled, but as Zhang Xiu was his subordinate, he naturally had to calm down the situation. Just as he was about to explain to Cao Cao, Cao Cao spoke first.
"Since you don't want to, then forget it."
Cao Cao remained calm and said with a smile: "Zilong, prepare more arrows."
Zhao Yun nodded and ordered his men to prepare.
Half an hour later, after Cao Cao checked all the equipment and food supplies, he held a brief swearing-in ceremony and then set out for Jizhou.
Faced with the imperial court's expedition, the Black Mountain Army would naturally not sit idly by and wait for death. They would gather as many people as possible and try to resist.
Jizhou Mu Ying Shao and Zhonglang Jiang Zhang Liao would naturally not let them get their wish, so they sent troops from many directions to encircle and intercept them, trying to separate them in different places so that they could not take care of each other.
The originally peaceful Jizhou was suddenly in turmoil again.
Just when Jizhou was trying to prevent the Black Mountain Army from joining up with Cao Cao and he led his troops eastward and had just entered Henei County, Bai Rao, the commander of the Black Mountain Army in Puyang, suddenly sent troops to attack Yanzhou East County.
"General, we have to speed up our march. Dongjun cannot be lost." Le Jin said as he rode his horse behind Cao Cao.
His body was like a flame, but his face was as fair as a scholar's.
Cao Cao was riding a horse, trimming his beard with a knife in his hand, and he didn't say anything.
Cao Ren saw this and stepped forward and said, "General, there is no time to lose."
Xiahou Dun and others did not say anything, but just stared at Cao Cao.
Cao Cao trimmed his beard very seriously, and the horse under him walked very slowly, seeming careless.
Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun, Le Jin and others looked at each other and at the carriage behind them.
Sitting in the carriage were Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai and other "civil servants".
In the entire army, the only person who could make Cao Cao listen to him was Guo Jia.
Cao Cao seemed to sense their actions. A cold look flashed across his narrow eyes. He put down his knife, stroked his beard, and said, "I'm not going to Dongjun."
At this time, Xiahou Dun, who was always cautious, couldn't help but asked, "Where are we going?"
Cao Cao turned his gaze towards Puyang and said with a loud laugh, "Last year I was chatting with Zilong and he told me about raiding Bai Rao's lair. I want to raid it again."
Le Jin immediately reacted and said, "General, you are wise!"
Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun were silent. Cao Cao’s intention was very simple: besiege Wei to save Zhao!
Bai Rao and others are attached to their "old nest". Once their "old nest" is in danger, they will have no place to stay and can only return to the army.
In the carriage not far away, Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai had a panoramic view of the conversation between Cao Cao and others.
Xi Zhicai looked sick, looked at Guo Jia who was still drinking, and said with a smile: "Fengxiao, what do you think of General Cao's strategy?"
Guo Jia was lying on his side, his face was pale, perhaps because he drank too much. He said nonchalantly, "It's just a Bai Rao, why bother about him?"
Xi Zhicai observed Guo Jia calmly and said, "The total number of the Black Mountain Army exceeds one million. Apart from Jizhou, they are also scattered in the border areas of Sili, Yanzhou, Bingzhou, Youzhou, etc. There are hundreds of them, big and small. If we want to completely wipe them out, I'm afraid it will take more than one or two years."
Guo Jia could see Xi Zhicai's intention, so he laughed and said, "The Yellow Turban Army in Qingzhou also had over a million soldiers, but they were wiped out in the blink of an eye by General Cao."
Seeing that Guo Jia was unwilling to say more, Xi Zhicai stopped asking questions and looked ahead, saying, "Jizhou has been a place where great things have been accomplished since ancient times."
Guo Jia was drinking alone and seemed not to hear anything.
Cao Cao made a plan and the army turned to Puyang.
The march was carried out with great fanfare, as if they were afraid that no one would know about it.
But even so, Cao Cao's army arrived in Puyang first and surrounded Luyang Mountain.
After some probing, Le Jin returned to the camp and said to Cao Cao, "General, we have to send out all of them. There are only a few elderly, weak, women and children in the mountain stronghold, no more than a thousand people."
Cao Cao held the sword in one hand, turned his head and looked towards the direction of Dongjun, and said, "At the latest, Bai Rao will arrive early tomorrow morning."
Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun immediately raised his hands and said: "General, we request an ambush!"
Cao Cao stroked his beard and said, "Leave a hole for escaping to the north."
Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun looked at each other and said, "As you command!"
The two men took the command arrows and began to select the troops, preparing to ambush Bai Rao.
Guo Jia came over from behind and said, "It would be best if you ask Envoy Ying and General Zhang to let it go as well."
Cao Cao glanced at Xi Zhicai out of the corner of his eye. Seeing that he didn't say anything for a while, he said, "Okay, I'll write the letter right away."
Xi Zhicai ignored him, held his hands in front of his abdomen, coughed lightly, and said, "I am a usher."
The so-called "Yezhe" is the censor.
Xi Zhicai was affiliated with the Censorate, and the court sent him to accompany Cao Cao in the army. In essence, he was a "military supervisor" and it was also a sign of distrust of Cao Cao.
Or maybe the court didn't trust not just Cao Cao, but all the military commanders.
When Cao Cao heard Xi Zhicai's words, he walked over with a big laugh and said, "Zhicai, would you like to join my shogunate?"
Xi Zhicai's eyes flashed with surprise, and he smiled and said, "General, you have loved the wrong person."
Cao Cao has always been "longing for" the "talent of Yingchuan". Seeing that Xi Zhicai was unwilling, he did not force him and said, "Zhicai, I want to wipe out the Black Mountain Army as soon as possible. Please report the truth."
Xi Zhicai's official position is not high, but he is a "new noble" in the Censorate. At the same time, because he is from Yingchuan, he has a close relationship with Erxun and others.
No one can underestimate it!
"Of course." Xi Zhicai said neither humbly nor arrogantly.
At this moment, Guo Jia came forward and said, "General, it is getting dark. Why not light a fire to show Bai Rao the way so that he won't get lost in the dark."
Cao Cao knew that Guo Jia was here to interrupt, so he laughed and said, "Feng Xiao's words are very much to my liking. Let's go in!"
Le Jin raised his hand and said, "I obey your orders!"
Le Jin immediately turned around and went up the mountain, preparing to attack Bai Rao's stronghold.
Xi Zhicai said no more, but just watched coldly and secretly recorded everything in Cao Cao's army.
Soon, a raging fire engulfed the village, which contained only a thousand elderly, weak, women and children.
When it got dark, the fire burned even more fiercely, lighting up half the sky.
Bai Rao returned faster than expected. When he saw the conflict and fire on the top of the mountain, his eyes suddenly widened and looked ferocious.
"Cao Cao, I will not be a human being if I don't kill you!"
Bai Rao was furious and rode his horse at full speed.
His village also suffered many disasters. It was raided once by Zhao Yun two years ago. He finally rebuilt it, but he didn't expect Cao Cao to be unethical and steal his house again.
A guard beside him followed closely and shouted, "Commander Qu, be careful, there's a trap!"
Bai Rao, however, wouldn't listen and kept beating his horse.
The year before last, we suffered a great defeat in Jizhou and everyone suffered heavy losses. Although he had held back, he still lost more than half of his men.
As the imperial court's power in various states continued to grow, if he lost his hometown, he would have no place to stand!
Seeing the village getting closer and closer, Bai Rao became more anxious and said, "Go, check on the movements of Cao the thief!"
Bai Rao was not completely confused, and he still knew to send out scouts.
When they went around a hill, they saw flames rising into the sky right before their eyes. Bai Rao had a terrifying expression on his face, as if he wanted to eat someone.
"kill!"
Before Bai Rao could react with too much emotion, loud shouts suddenly broke out from the woods on both sides, flames suddenly lit up, and countless government troops rushed out like a tide.
Bai Rao was extremely shocked and angry, but he also knew that he had been ambushed. Looking at the hilltop of his hometown, he didn't know how long it had been burning and how much was left. His heart was bleeding!
"withdraw!"
Bai Rao roared, turned his horse around, and fled.
Cao Cao's original intention was not to completely annihilate Bai Rao's troops. Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun followed up and chased them.
The pursuit lasted from late at night until dawn, and from Puyang towards Dongjun.
Cao Cao led his army and headed north.