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

Chapter 43 Cao Cao: If I let you slip away again, I will write my name backwards!
"Zhongde, what do you mean?"

Cao Cao sat up straight, and his expression of annoyance immediately turned into excitement.

"Liu Bei's water camp is very close to Xiangyang. Food and fodder can be delivered from the city's official warehouse in less than an hour. The soldiers can just cook their food every day. Why would they need to prepare dry rations?"

"Preparing dry food means we will be away from Xiangyang to fight. We won't be able to cook food anymore, so we can only carry dry food with us."

Cheng Yu said as he walked to the map and pointed:
"Prime Minister, please take a look. If Liu Bei wants to attack our Chaoyang granary, it will take him one day to go there, one day to return, and one day to attack. That would be exactly three days."

"Doesn't this just prove that Xu Shu has fallen into the trap and offered Liu Bei a plan to attack our Chaoyang granary."

"I predict that Liu Bei will take action within the next few days!"

Cao Cao suddenly realized and laughed out loud:

"Zhongde, it seems your plan worked. Xu Shu has indeed been used by me to lure the big-eared thief out of his hole!"

There was a commotion inside the big tent.

At this time, Cao Ren suppressed his surprise and asked in confusion:
"Since Liu Bei has fallen into our trap, we have previously calculated that he can mobilize at most 10,000 troops to attack our Chaoyang granary."

"To annihilate this small force, we can set up an ambush with 40,000 men. Zhongde, why do you want the Prime Minister to send another 50,000?"

Cao Cao stopped laughing and looked at Cheng Yu with a puzzled look.

Cheng Yu stroked his thin beard and sneered:

"Because Liu Bei has secretly transferred Liu Qi's Jiangxia army to assist in the battle, the enemy forces have increased in number, so our army naturally needs to increase its troops."

Jiangxia Army to help?
Cao Ren looked confused.

Although the spies deployed by Cao's army in Xiangyang and Xiakou were not as dense as a spider web, they were not enough to cause such a large-scale move as the Jiangxia army's northward transfer. The spies probably had no intelligence on the entire army.

"Zhongde, how did you learn about the Jiangxia Army's transfer north?"

There was the same doubt in Cao Cao's eyes.

"Of course I learned it from Yu Wenzhe."

Cheng Yu smiled and glanced at Yu Jin, then said slowly:

"Wen Ze just mentioned that a large number of grain ships sailed up the river from Jiangxia and arrived in Xiangfan. Our spies have also reported back on this."

"But Wen Ze saw that many soldiers emerged from the hold that was supposed to be filled with food and fodder. They were quickly repelled by the generals, as if they were afraid of being discovered and were deliberately trying to hide their whereabouts."

"Prime Minister, think about this, why is this happening?"

Cao Cao's eyes moved quickly, and suddenly a gleam of light flashed.

"You mean, those grain ships aren't carrying grain, they're actually Liu Qi's Jiangxia soldiers!"

Cao Cao was so cunning that Cheng Yu had hinted at it so clearly, how could he not understand it?

"That's exactly what Yu meant."

Cheng Yu smiled coldly and said:

"Liu Bei must be worried about insufficient troops and the failure of the surprise attack, so he transferred Liu Qi's Jiangxia army north to assist."

"If the Jiangxia army mobilized in a large force, it would surely attract the attention of our spies. That's why Liu Bei came up with this tactic. He hid the Jiangxia soldiers on grain ships and quietly transported them to Xiangfan, using the transportation of grain as a pretext."

"What a pity! Man proposes, God disposes. He planned everything, but he didn't expect Wei Wenze to accidentally see the flaw, and the Prime Minister also knew about it!"

"Since Liu Bei's sneak attack troops have increased, our ambush troops must naturally be doubled. That's why Yu asked the Prime Minister to secretly send another 50,000 troops to Chaoyang!"

Cao Cao's eyes suddenly became clear, and the last trace of doubt on his face disappeared.

"Liu Bei is such a good guy, he actually thought of using such a cunning method to secretly transfer the Jiangxia army to the north."

"This kind of trick must be the work of Xu Shu!"

Cao Cao came to his senses, clenched his fists slightly, and his words revealed deep hatred.

Cheng Yu, however, showed sarcasm and sneered:
"If it weren't for Xu Shu's cunning scheme, how could the Prime Minister have been able to annihilate Liu Qi's Jiangxia troops at Chaoyang?"

"According to this calculation, Xu Shu can be considered a meritorious official."

Cao Cao laughed out loud after hearing this:
"Zhongde is right. Xu Shu is indeed my great contributor. After I defeat Liu Bei, if he falls into my hands again, I will reward him greatly." In the big tent, Cao Ren and others all laughed.

Yu Jin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

I didn't expect that I accidentally brought back such important information. This can be considered as making up for my mistake.

Thinking of this, Yu Jin bowed his hands and said with emotion:

"Prime Minister, I am willing to set up an ambush in Chaoyang and capture Liu Bei alive for you to avenge our previous humiliation!"

When he volunteered, Yu Jin's heart was in his throat again.

If Cao Cao agreed to his request, it would mean that Cao Cao had forgiven his crime of surrendering to Liu and was willing to give him a chance to make meritorious contributions while serving his sentence.

If he refused, it would prove that Cao Cao had a grudge against him and would banish him to the cold palace and no longer use him.

His future destiny and future position in Cao's camp all depend on Cao Cao's decision.

The smile on Cao Cao's face disappeared and he returned to being cold.

After staring for a long time, Cao Cao waved his hand and said indifferently:
"You just returned, so it's not appropriate for you to participate in a major war. You don't need to go to the battle of Chaoyang. I will transfer you to Deng County to take care of the granary. You should rest well for a few days first."

Yu Jin's heart skipped a beat, and disappointment enveloped his whole body.

Not allowing him to participate in such an important battle is clearly not giving him the opportunity to make merit and atone for his sins.

Although guarding the granary was an important position, Liu Bei's main force was going to attack the Chaoyang granary, and the Dengxian granary was very close to the main camp, making it as safe as it could be.

Sending him to guard the Deng County granary was equivalent to giving him a sinecure.

Cao Cao's move clearly showed that he still harbored resentment towards him. He first gave him an idle position, and the next step was to abandon him and completely banish him to the cold palace!
"I obey your command!"

Yu Jin felt sad but didn't dare to show it, so he could only accept the order silently.

After the "exile" became too strict, Cao Cao issued an order that, except for the 40,000 soldiers who stayed in the main camp, the troops in the remaining camps were reduced by half. They followed Liu Bei's example and used the grain team as a cover to move north to Chaoyang at night.

Cao Cao left Cao Ren in charge of the Fancheng camp, and personally headed north to Chaoyang to lead an ambush on Liu Bei's main force.

In the dead of night.

Cao Ren and other remaining military generals and counselors gathered at the North Camp Gate to see Cao Cao off as he headed north.

The moment he stepped out of the camp gate, Cao Cao turned around and looked in the direction of Xiangyang.

"Liu Bei, you went to great lengths to get Xu Shu back. You thought you had gained a wise counselor, but you never expected that you had actually gained a disaster."

"I'll be waiting for you in Chaoyang. If you slip away again, I'll write my name backwards..."

A determined sneer appeared on Cao Cao's lips.

Then he whipped his horse and rode away proudly.

"This thief Liu Bei has slipped away from our grasp time and again. Zhongde, if your plan succeeds, Liu Bei won't be able to escape death again this time, right?"

Cao Ren glanced at Cheng Yu, with a hint of worry in his eyes.

Cheng Yu's face was full of determination, he stroked his thin beard and smiled:
"Various intelligence reports indicate that Liu Bei will undoubtedly lead his main force in a surprise attack on Chaoyang. The Prime Minister personally led an army of nearly 90,000 men in an ambush. I suspect Liu Bei will be unable to escape this time!"

Cao Ren breathed a sigh of relief and laughed heartily:

"In that case, let's secure the camp, prepare a celebration banquet, and congratulate the Prime Minister for annihilating Liu Bei in one fell swoop!"

Everyone laughed.

Cao Cao's figure gradually disappeared into the distance, and the civil and military officials who stayed behind returned to the camp chatting and laughing, with excitement on their faces.

Only Jia Xu stood at the camp gate for a long time and did not leave.

"Cheng Zhongde's plan seems flawless, but why do I always feel like something is wrong? What exactly is wrong..."

Jia Xu stroked his half-white beard and muttered to himself, with a hint of hidden worry in his half-open eyes.

(End of this chapter)