Three Kingdoms: Domination of the World

October, 194 AD.

The battle of Xuzhou was raging. Yu Jin captured Guangwei (east of Peixian County) and marched along the Sishui River all the way to Pengcheng.

Cao Ren, a vanguard under Cao Cao, attacked Tao Qian's general Lü You. After defeating the enemy, he joined forces with Cao Cao. Tao Qian led his troops to meet the attack, but suffered a crushing defeat. He had to flee Pengcheng and retreat to Tancheng in Donghai.

Tancheng, Donghai.

Tao Qian, upon learning of the fall of Pengcheng and Fuyang, was so enraged that he fell seriously ill. He sat on his sickbed, his breath failing, looking at Liu Bei and Sun Bin below.

"Envoy Liu, I entrust Xuzhou to you. My children are unable to defend Xuzhou, so please don't refuse this time." Tao Qian said earnestly, his tone sincere and firm.

This was the third time Tao Qian, the governor of Xuzhou, had given up Xuzhou to Liu Bei, a final gesture before his death. Liu Bei did not refuse and nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry, Mr. Tao. With us brothers here, Cao Cao can't take Xuzhou away." Liu Bei assured.

Tao Qian looked gloomy. He held Sun Bin and Liu Bei's hands tightly and said:

"Military Advisor Sun Bin, it's a pity that we met so late. I leave Xuzhou in your hands. You must assist Lord Xuande well." After saying this, he slowly closed his eyes and passed away.

Tao Qian entrusted Xuzhou to Liu Bei, shocking the world. Earlier, the Mi family of Donghai had already withdrawn their core assets, including shipbuilding, animal husbandry, and handicrafts, to Zhuyazhou and Yizhou.

At this time, the 2 navy led by Tuoba Tao aggressively captured Zhuyazhou, and the 2 navy led by Liu Yuan also successfully captured Yizhou.

In Zhuyazhou, Mi Yun, the head of the Mi clan, hurried over, smiling broadly, bowed and said:

"General Tuoba, Xuzhou is now in troubled times. Our Mi family still has to rely on you." As he spoke, his eyes revealed a hint of flattery and pleading.

Tuoba Tao smiled brightly, helped Mi Yun up with both hands, and said:

"Manager Mi, you are too kind. General Suo is the son-in-law of the Mi family. Then we are family." At this time, Tuoba Tao was wearing a gorgeous Hanfu, with an upright posture, speaking fluent Han Dynasty official language, and looked extremely handsome.

When Liu Bei learned that the Mi family had moved to Yizhou, he was naturally very unhappy. He sent Chen Deng and his son to take over the Mi family's property.

"My Lord, my Chen family will definitely live up to your trust and cultivation." Chen Gui said with a smile. Chen Deng beside him was also very happy. He thought that the Chen family would prosper after meeting a benevolent master.

When Cao Cao learned that Liu Bei was in control of Xuzhou, he was furious and cursed:

"This big-eared thief is really hateful. He actually dared to snatch food from my mouth!" He was burning with anger in his heart and felt extremely angry at Liu Bei's behavior.

Seeing Cao Cao so excited, Guo Jia hurriedly tried to persuade him:

"My lord, don't worry. Although the four brothers Liu, Guan, Zhang and Wei are brave, we can take our time to attack Xuzhou. Now that they have just taken control of Xuzhou and their foundation is not yet stable, it is a good time for us to take action."

Cao Cao's expression softened slightly after hearing Guo Jia's words, but anger and resentment still flickered in his eyes. He knew Liu Bei's strength should not be underestimated, especially Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, both highly skilled in martial arts and fearless. Liu Bei himself was renowned for his benevolence and deeply loved by the people. These factors made Cao Cao wary of seizing Xuzhou.

However, Cao Cao was unwilling to give up Xuzhou. He decided to adopt a more cautious strategy, sending generals such as Yu Jin, Cao Ren, and Xiahou Dun to lead troops to gradually erode the territory of Xuzhou. This would both avoid direct conflict with Liu Bei and gradually weaken Liu Bei's sphere of influence.

At the Tancheng Prefecture Governor's Mansion, Liu Bei solemnly appointed Wei Qing as the general and Sun Bin as the military advisor. Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Chen Deng, Jian Yong, Sun Qian and others were also given different appointments.

Inside the tent, Liu Bei frowned, looking anxious, rubbing his hands restlessly, and asked anxiously:

"Military Advisor, Cao Cao's forces are formidable. How should we repel them?"

Sun Bin sat on the scooter, gently waving a feather fan, his eyes deep and steady, and he said calmly:

"My lord, Cao Cao has been fighting for so long without success that he is at the end of his rope. I have recently heard that Lu Bu is plotting to seize Yanzhou. With the fire in his backyard, Cao's army will soon retreat."

When Liu Bei heard this, he slapped his thigh and suddenly realized:

"Great! The military advisor's words have awakened me. If Cao's army retreats, where should our army go?" His eyes were full of confusion and bewilderment, staring at Sun Bin closely.

Sun Bin raised his head slightly, thought for a moment, and then said in an orderly manner:

"My lord, don't worry. Economically, we must completely take over the Mi family's business. If you can use it for my own purposes, it will surely enrich the treasury. Militarily, with General Guan, General Zhang, and General Wei as the core, we will recruit and form a new army. At the same time, we will completely take over the Danyang Army and train it strictly. It will surely become an elite division. Diplomatically, we must make friends with Yuan Shao and gain his support to ensure the safety of Xuzhou." After saying this, Sun Bin looked at Liu Bei with a firm gaze, as if he was full of confidence in the future development.

Xuzhou has a vast territory and a large population, and can provide sufficient material support and human resources, which is undoubtedly a valuable opportunity for Liu Bei.

......

In order to take Xuzhou as soon as possible, Cao Cao also actively recruited talents and strengthened his military strength. To seize Xuzhou, one must have sufficient strength and wisdom to deal with various challenges.

As time went on, Cao Cao's power continued to grow, while Liu Bei faced pressure from all sides. A fierce battle for control seemed inevitable, and the two sides would fight to the death for this land.

Cao’s army camp.

"Report! Urgent news from Yanzhou!" A messenger rushed to the main tent of Cao's army and shouted

Lü Bu and Zhang Miao made unusual moves. Sima Xun sent a letter to recall General Xiahou Dun. The battle for Xuzhou had entered a critical phase, and Cao Cao refused to retreat easily.