My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Chapter 194: The Northern Expedition was won with one blood! Cao Zhi was confused: I came here to make merit, how come I became Liu Bei’s prisoner?
Guangling County, Huaiyin City.

As the setting sun was setting, Cao Zhi was wearing armor and holding a sword, patrolling the city accompanied by Yang Xiu.

It was not yet late and the city gates had not yet been closed. Merchants and common people were still rushing in and out of the East Gate in the last half hour.

When Cao Zhi was patrolling at the East Gate, he felt a craving for wine, so he asked his attendants to take out the wine bags they always carried with them, and started drinking on the city wall.

"Master Zijian, you have a military post now, and you are also responsible for defending the city. I think you should set an example and drink less."

Yang Xiu had to dissuade him.

Poetry and wine have been inseparable since ancient times. Cao Zhi was extremely talented and his poetry and prose were the best in the world. Whenever he recited poems and wrote essays, he would drink to cheer himself up and inspire inspiration.

Over time, he naturally developed a habit of drinking.

Although he asked Cao Cao for permission to serve in the Huainan Army as General Zhonglang, he still couldn't control his love for wine.

"Huaiyin is far from the front line. Uncle Zixiao sent me to a place like this to idle away. It's obvious that he doesn't take me seriously."

"We have nothing to do all day, so what's the big deal about having a glass of wine to relieve our boredom?"

Cao Zhi's words revealed a hint of helplessness. He stuffed the other wine bag to Yang Xiu and said with a wry smile:
"Dezu, don't worry too much. Come, come, sit down and have a couple of drinks with me. That's the real business."

Yang Xiu could naturally see that Cao Zhi was upset and had complaints and dissatisfaction with his uncle Cao Ren.

This is not Cao Ren’s fault.

Everyone in the Cao family knew that the brothers Cao Pi and Cao Zhi had fallen out of favor, and Cao Cao wanted to support the prodigy and illegitimate son Cao Chong to take the throne.

Under such circumstances, Cao Ren could not get too close to Cao Zhi, so as not to cause unnecessary misunderstandings and suspicions from Cao Chong.

After all, if Cao Chong inherits the Cao family business in the future, he will still have to beg for food from his prodigy nephew.

Therefore, after Cao Zhi was transferred to Hefei, Cao Ren transferred him out of Shouchun to guard Huaiyin City within two days.

Firstly, I can keep a distance from him, and secondly, Huaiyin City is far away from the front line, which can be regarded as a kind of protection for him.

"It's true that human nature is fickle and the world is cruel."

"Dezu, it seems my chances of achieving merit in Hefei and regaining father's favor are slim~~"

Cao Zhi smiled bitterly and sighed, then raised his head and gulped down the wine.

According to Sima Yi's plan, Cao Pi followed Cao Cao to attack Guanzhong, while he fought for the job of guarding Hefei, hoping to make merit and regain Cao Cao's favor.

But Huaiyin City is far away from the front line and has nothing to do with Liu Bei who is heading north. Where would the opportunity to make meritorious service come from?

At this time, Cao Zhi was inevitably discouraged and felt like he was giving up.

"Master Zijian, although Huaiyin is far from the front lines, you may still have the opportunity to make a contribution."

However, Yang Xiu held down the wine bag raised by Cao Zhi, and a playful sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth.

Cao Zhi was startled and quickly put down the wine bag, looking at Yang Xiu blankly.

"Although Liu Bei led his main force north out of Hefei and was attacking Chengde, according to spies, Liu Bei only had over 60,000 troops attacking Chengde."

"And according to my estimation, since Liu Bei didn't send reinforcements to Wancheng, the number of troops he could mobilize to march north should be around 80,000 to 90,000."

Yang Xiu counted on his fingers and then asked:
"Where did the remaining 20,000 people go?"

A look of doubt appeared on Cao Zhi's face.

Yang Xiu turned his gaze to the south and sneered:

"So, according to Xiu's estimation, Liu Bei must have divided his troops into two groups. The main force pretended to attack Chengde from Hefei to the north, while the other group marched north from Zhongdu River, intending to attack Huaiyin."

"In this way, the enemy army can enter the Huai River from Huaiyin, and with the advantage of naval power, advance westward along the Huai River and directly penetrate the flank of Shouchun, forming a pincer attack with Liu Bei's main force from the north and south!"

Hearing this, Cao Zhi was startled.

But after being surprised, Cao Zhi's eyes were filled with joy.

If, as Yang Xiu said, Liu Bei wanted to divide his troops to attack Huaiyin, then his Huaiyin City would become the front line, and wouldn't he have the opportunity to make a contribution?
Cao Zhi was greatly encouraged and immediately became excited.

"If Liu Bei's troops want to attack Huaiyin, they must first capture Gaoyou, the seat of Guangling."

"Guangling Governor Chen Jiao is currently stationed in Gaoyou City with approximately 3,000 soldiers under his command. With his abilities, if the enemy attacks, he should have no problem holding Gaoyou for five or six days."

"When the time comes, my lord, you will mobilize all the troops in Huaiyin and march south at full speed to support Gaoyou. You will surely be able to defeat the enemy from within and without, and lift the siege of Gaoyou."

"We could even pursue the victory southward, recapture Guangling City in one fell swoop, allow our horses to drink from the Yangtze River, threaten the heartland of Jiangdong, and force Liu Bei to withdraw his troops south."

"In this case, Master Zijian has accomplished a remarkable feat. Are you still worried that he won't be able to regain the Prime Minister's favor?"

Yang Xiu pointed to the south, with a confident look on his face as he outlined a blueprint for Cao Zhi in a very eloquent manner.

The gloom on Cao Zhi's face disappeared, and he became more and more surprised as he listened.

at this time.

A soldier rushed in and presented a piece of silk letter, claiming that it was an urgent report just delivered from eight hundred miles away by Chen Jiao, the prefect of Guangling.

Cao Zhi was shocked and exchanged glances with Yang Xiu.

Yang Xiu took the silk book, glanced at it, and a smug smile flashed across his face:
"Just as I expected, Master Zijian, this is the heavens helping you!"

Cao Zhi was invigorated and quickly snatched the silk book, eager to take a closer look.

That was Chen Jiao's emergency document, claiming that Liu Bei's general Ding Feng led 8,000 naval forces from Guangling City into Zhongdu River, and now they were at the gate of Gaoyou City, intending to besiege the city!
Cao Zhi was instantly overjoyed, jumped up, and praised loudly:

"Grandmaster Dezu, you truly foresaw the future. The big-eared thieves really did split their forces and marched across Zhongdu River, intending to attack Huaiyin!"

"You're right, God is helping me, Cao Zhi!"

"Hahaha--"

Cao Zhi threw the wine bag aside, held the urgent message in his hand, and laughed excitedly.

Yang Xiu stroked his thin beard and said with a smile:
"Since Liu Bei has handed over such a great achievement to Master Zijian, how can you refuse to accept it?"

"Sir, please gather your troops now. We will set out secretly at night and march day and night to reach Gaoyou City in two days."

"Then we will raise fire as a signal and attack Ding Feng from both inside and outside. We will surely defeat him!"

Cao Zhi agreed with this and immediately issued an order, ordering the 5,000 Cao troops in the city to assemble at the south gate and wait for orders.

With great success ahead of him, Cao Zhi was in a very good mood, so he asked his personal guards to prepare some food and wine so that they could have a drink before setting off to celebrate the great achievement in advance.

Yang Xiu no longer tried to stop him, and with a cheerful face, he accompanied Cao Zhi in drinking to his heart's content.

On the east gate tower, Cao Zhi and Yang Xiu were chatting and laughing, drinking happily.

The two of them were completely unaware that a fleet was already coming up the Huai River and rapidly approaching Huaiyin City.

On the flagship, Gan Ning stood proudly, sword in hand, his cold gaze fixed on the approaching Huaiyin City.

"Military Advisor Bo Wen's strategy of entering the Huai River from the sea is truly a stroke of genius."

"That Cao Ren would never have expected that I would take the sea route and launch a surprise attack on his Huaiyin City from the lower reaches of the Huai River..."

Gan Ning muttered to himself, his brows full of admiration and emotion.

The boat sailed like the wind, and in a blink of an eye it had passed the Zhongdu Water Mouth, and Huaiyin City was right in front of it.

Gan Ning took a deep breath and shouted:
"Pass on my order. All ships rush to the ferry. Seize the East Gate in one swift move and charge into Huaiyin City!"

The order was passed down.

Dozens of frigates rushed out of the fleet first, and pounced on the Huaiyin East Gate Ferry like swordfish.

On the city floor.

Cao Zhi and Yang Xiu were still enjoying their drinking.

Suddenly, screams of soldiers were heard outside the city wall.

"Downstream, a large number of warships are approaching."

"Dozens of ships are rushing towards our ferry."

"Oh no! Soldiers rushed out from the ship and attacked our ferry!"

"Liu Jun, it seems to be Liu Jun!"

A scream of terror suddenly rang out.

Cao Zhi and Yang Xiu's faces changed. They looked at each other anxiously, jumped up and rushed out of the city wall.

Looking up, I saw more than a hundred warships, like ghost ships, suddenly coming from the lower reaches of the Huai River.

Dozens of warships rushed into the ferry first, and thousands of Liu's soldiers rushed off the ships and killed all the more than a hundred guards at the ferry in a blink of an eye.

The soldiers of Liu's army who landed on the shore, holding high the flag with the word "Gan", were rushing towards the nearby East Gate.

"The flag with the character 'Gan' on it is Gan Ning!"

"This is Liu Bei's navy!"

Yang Xiu was horrified and cried out in shock.

Cao Zhi's face turned pale with horror, as if he had seen a ghost, and he asked in shock:
"Didn't Liu Bei's navy just reach Gaoyou? How could they reach Huaiyin so quickly?"

"This... this is unreasonable. This is totally unreasonable~~"

Yang Xiu's eyes darted around, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, he shuddered suddenly and woke up suddenly.

"Oh no! This is Liu Bei's third army. This is not Ding Feng's army."

"This Gan Ning must have taken the sea route into the Huai River, then sailed west along the Huai River, launching a surprise attack on our Huaiyin City!"

"This is Liu Bei's plan of repairing the plank road in the open while secretly marching through Chencang. His army crossed the river and marched north, and his target from the very beginning was our Huaiyin City!"

"General Zixiao has fallen into a trap!"

Yang Xiu was so smart that he finally figured out the secret.

Cao Zhi suddenly woke up, his legs trembling with fear, and he almost couldn't stand.

"Sir, quickly order the city gates to be closed and the drawbridge raised. We must not let the enemy in!"

"Transfer the troops from the South Gate to the East Gate. We must defend Huaiyin City at all costs!"

"If we lose Huaiyin again, you, my lord, will never have a chance to turn things around!"

Yang Xiu came back to his senses and shouted excitedly.

Cao Zhi shuddered again, suppressing his fear and shouting anxiously:

"Pull up the drawbridge, close the city gate, close the city gate quickly—"

Under the city gate.

Upon receiving the order, Cao's guards hurriedly drove out the merchants and civilians entering and leaving the city gate, trying to close the city gate.

"Brothers, follow me to seize the city gate and welcome General Dangkou's army into the city!"

In the crowd, Su Fei, who had been disguised for a long time, drew his sword and shouted.

Dozens of Jinfan soldiers, who were also disguised as passers-by, immediately took off their disguises, revealed their weapons and armor, and rushed towards the bewildered Cao army guards.

This was Gan Ning's plan.

When the main force of 12,000 was traveling by water, Su Fei was first sent with more than a hundred elite soldiers, disguised as civilians entering the city, just to launch an attack at the critical moment, seize the city gate, and buy time for Gan Ning's main force to enter the city.

Su Fei suddenly launched an attack, and the guards were killed by surprise. The city gate that should have been closed was still open.

In just this short moment, Gan Ning had led thousands of soldiers ashore and rushed towards the east gate like a tide.

"Dezu, what should we do? What should we do?"

Cao Zhi, who was immersed in poetry and wine all day long, was obviously unable to cope with such a critical situation and was in a state of panic at this time.

Yang Xiu sighed deeply and said helplessly:
"The situation is hopeless. The East Gate cannot be defended. Master Zijian, abandon the city immediately and retreat to Shouchun through the West Gate!"

Cao Zhi had already lost his mind and hurriedly fled the city, dragging his half-drunk body, surrounded by his personal guards.

The crowd helped Cao Zhi onto his warhorse and fled along the main street.

At this moment, countless Liu army soldiers behind him poured into the east gate like a torrent.

Gan Ning took the lead, swung the long sword in his hand left and right, and knocked to the ground the two Cao soldiers who were blocking his way.

With his bloodshot eyes, he saw that not far ahead, a group of Cao's soldiers were fleeing with a young general in bright clothes and armor, with slicked-back hair and powdered face.

If it’s not Cao Zhi, who else could it be!
Gan Ning's eyes instantly became bloodshot with excitement. He spurred his horse and chased after him, shouting:
"Cao Zhi, where are you escaping to—"

This sound was like a tiger's roar, making Cao Zhi's ears buzz in the front.

He was already half drunk and could barely ride a horse. Gan Ning's roar frightened him so much that he could no longer grip the horse's belly with his legs and fell off the horse to the ground.

Cao Zhi fell to the ground, ignoring the severe pain and struggling to get up. Gan Ning had already caught up on horseback, and his towering figure cast a shadow over him.

"God has been very kind to me, Gan Ning, and has let me catch another rare treasure!"

Gan Ning sneered, and the bloody knife was already against Cao Zhi's neck.

(End of this chapter)