Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Chapter 30 Emergency Military Report

Luoyang.

In the middle of the night in Luoyang City, the silence was pierced by the sound of hurried horse hooves.

Two knights holding torches and carrying urgent military intelligence on their backs entered Luoyang City from Yiyang Gate, the southernmost gate, and headed north along Tongtuo Street before knocking on the door of the Shangshu Terrace.

The Shangshu on duty at the Shangshutai today is Wei Zhen, a capable minister trusted by both the late Emperor Cao Pi and Emperor Cao Rui.

After receiving the military report, Wei Zhen knew the military situation was urgent and dared not delay at all. He rode out on his horse and knocked on the gate of Beigong.

At this time, Cao Rui was sleeping soundly in the study.

After ascending the throne for more than two months, Cao Rui initially joked about compiling the collected works of Cao Cao and Cao Pi, but as Cao Rui continued to compile, he found that the matter was becoming more and more interesting.

It's really interesting.

The changes and development of local tyrants, the connections between aristocratic families, the early experiences of civil officials and military generals, various unknown secrets... there are always some interesting discoveries.

Since his early years as the Prime Minister's Office, Cao Cao had consciously preserved various written archives. After Cao Pi succeeded to the throne, he also inherited Cao Cao's habit, and a copy of the archives of various matters was always available in the palace.

But many of the files are private and cannot be disclosed or shown to the ministers.

This is one of the reasons why Cao Rui always studied in the study room by lamplight. Often, Cao Rui would sleep in the study room until late at night.

Of course, there must be a bed in the emperor's study.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, wake up, Your Majesty~"

The shrill voice that Bi Jin hated came from outside again.

Cao Rui lifted the bed curtain and took a look. The light in the room was dim, and it was obviously not yet dawn. This was the first time that Bi Jin called him at this time.

Cao Rui was somewhat alert at this time. He put a few fingers of his right hand on the sword placed on the side of the bed and asked a question.

"Why are you calling me?"

Bi Jin's voice outside the door was a little hurried: "Your Majesty, Minister Wei Zhen came to the North Palace to knock on the door, saying that he had urgent military information to report."

Wei Zhen? Military intelligence?
Cao Rui got off the bed barefoot. Although it was summer, the floor felt cold. He took a few quick steps and opened the door, only to see Bi Jin holding an exquisite bamboo tube in his hands.

Without time to think, Cao Rui saw that the wax seal had been opened, and it was obvious that Wei Zhen had already read it, so he removed the wax seal from the bamboo tube, took out the military report inside, read it for a moment, and quickly ordered: "Ask Minister Wei to come here quickly."

Bi Jin took the order and left. Cao Rui took a look at the military report and asked the guard standing at the door, "Who is on duty in the Wuwei Camp tonight?"

The guard outside the door replied, "It's Captain Xiahou Xian and Chen Tai."

Cao Rui replied: "Tell them both to come over to my study."

After the guard trotted away, Cao Rui slowly walked to the bed, half-sitting on the quilt, closing his eyes and thinking.

The content of the military newspaper is simple and direct.

Wen Pin, who was the rear general and Marquis of Xinye, sent an urgent report from Jiangxia to Luoyang, saying that a large number of Wu troops had crossed the river and that Wen Pin had dispatched troops to prepare for defense.

That's all.

Sun Quan crossed the river? Cao Rui remembered that in the original timeline, Sun Quan did not gain any victory, but was defeated by Wen Pin. Moreover, Cao Rui sent Sima Yi to lead the army to deal with it, and Sima Yi also defeated Zhuge Jin.

But at this time, Cao Rui no longer dared to rely entirely on the memory in his brain.

The reason is very simple. Most of the memories in Cao Rui's mind are strategic.

For example, Zhuge Liang repeatedly went north to conquer the Central Plains, Cao Xiu and Cao Zhen would die one after another, Sima Yi launched the Gaopingling Incident and took power alone... He remembered all of these. So facing the four assistant ministers, Cao Xiu, Cao Zhen, Sima Yi, and Chen Qun, Cao Rui was not at all intimidated. He knew the final outcome of these people, so there was nothing to worry about.

On the contrary, it is the people who do not exist in Cao Rui's memory who are more worthy of Cao Rui's attention and vigilance.

For example, Cao Rui had previously taken Huang Quan and Zhong Yu to the Wuwei Camp, only to discover that Chen Qun had taken control of the entire Imperial Guard.

Although Chen Qun, as a civil official and the general of the Zhenjun Army, did not take the initiative to command the Imperial Guard, he was nominally the leader of all the Imperial Guards.

This incident was very shocking to Cao Rui.

For example, half a month ago, Cao Rui went to the Shangshutai and was blocked by Chen Jiao. Cao Rui only found out later that Chen Jiao was also involved in the refutation planned by Sima Fu.

This led to Cao Rui's continuous research on those people who did not hold the highest official positions but still had important powers.

This is probably the reason why Cao Rui has been studying late into the night recently.

As Cao Rui was thinking, he heard hurried footsteps outside.

Wei Zhen arrived, and the two captains Xiahou Xian and Chen Tai who were on duty tonight also arrived.

Cao Rui put on his silk robe, put on his shoes and slowly stood up. The eunuch had already lit the candle in the study, Cao Rui sat behind the desk and called the people waiting outside to come in.

Wei Zhen simply bowed in greeting, while Xiahou Xian and Chen Tai knelt on the ground in greeting.

Regardless of the differences in their ranks, there are still some differences in the way civil officials and military generals perform etiquette.

Cao Rui cleared his throat and said to the others, "Master Wei, I have read the military report. What do you think?"

Wei Zhen looked at the confused expressions of the two generals standing next to him, and then briefly introduced the contents of the military report.

After Wei Zhen's statement, he slowly expressed his own opinion: "Your Majesty, Sun Quan invaded Jiangxia. Did he only invade Jiangxia?"

Cao Rui interrupted: "I don't know."

Wei Zhen nodded: "Your Majesty doesn't know, and neither do I. But I do know that since the death of Zhenhou Cao Ren, the late emperor sent Xiahou Shang, the governor of Jingzhou, to govern Jingzhou and Xiangyang."

"But since the end of last year, Xiahou Shang returned to Luoyang to recuperate due to illness, the military reports from Jingxiang can only be sent to the late emperor."

"What I want to say is that it is not surprising that Sun Quan invaded the border. Our Great Wei has been fighting with Jiangdong for twenty years. Wen Pin is the rear general and has been in Jingxiang for a long time. He can also ensure that Jiangxia is worry-free for a while."

"I would like to ask Your Majesty, if we send military reports from Jiangxia, is it closer to Xiangyang or Luoyang? If Sun Quan attacks many places, is it faster to dispatch troops from Xiangyang or Luoyang?"

Cao Rui understood what Wei Zhen meant: "I understand. It must be Xiangyang."

Cao Rui then asked: "In your opinion, should we send out a few generals?"

Wei Zhen said: "That's right."

It has to be said that Cao Rui and Wei Zhen still have some tacit understanding.

Wei Zhen's meaning was very simple and clear. Sun Quan's invasion was nothing strange, and there was nothing that could not be defeated. The generals in charge of border defense could resist the first wave and hold out for dozens of days without any problem.

The key to the problem lies in dispatch. If Sun Quan invades multiple places, then a command center on the front line will be ten or a hundred times more efficient than Cao Rui commanding in Luoyang.

Wei Zhen's conclusion was clear: the system of military governors must be restored. It was no longer appropriate for Cao Rui to keep Cao Xiu and Cao Zhen in Luoyang in the name of funerals and assisting the government at the beginning of his reign.

It's time to send the ministers out.

What Wei Zhen didn't know was that Cao Rui was thinking in his mind that it was a foregone conclusion that Cao Xiu would be in the east and Cao Zhen would be in the west.

If Sima Yi was not sent to Jingxiang and Chen Qun was sent instead, how could Chen Qun win?
(End of this chapter)