Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Chapter 56: Reappearance of the Stone Pavilion (Seeking Follow-up Reading)

Cao Rui listened to the rumors outside Dongcang and said, "Lord Dong, since I sent Chen Qun to Jingzhou, I have led the Central Army myself. Now I often personally inquire about the affairs of the Central Army."

"If there is an alarm in any direction, I am willing to personally lead the generals to fight like Emperor Wu did. I know that the world is in a state of war, and I also want to accumulate national strength in order to conquer Wu and Shu in the future. I even promised a reward of ten years to conquer Wu and make him a king. Isn't that enough?"

Dong Zhao took a long breath and said, "Your Majesty, I am frank with you. These are all correct, but not enough. Ten years ago, Duke Liu Xie of Shanyang was still sitting in the Xuchang Palace! Which minister would not slack off if you use what will happen ten years later to motivate the ministers? Who can predict what will happen ten years later?"

"As Emperor Wu said, the past days are like morning dew, and there are many sufferings. Your Majesty must seize every day!"

Cao Rui listened attentively, and Dong Zhao continued speaking.

"In my opinion, even if Your Majesty needs to accumulate national strength, there must be no years without fighting and no years without winning battles!"

"If you can't win a big victory, win a small victory; if you can't capture a city, win by holding on to it. Use victory to win prestige for your majesty. Fight with the enemy to use military force abroad, and use victory in battle to reward military officials.

"Your Majesty, you must make it clear to the army and the generals that their positions and titles are not obtained by flattering the generals or the generals, nor by relying on their cronies to be the recorders of the Secretariat! Their positions are obtained by being loyal to Your Majesty, fighting according to Your Majesty's orders, and winning!"

Just as Dong Zhao was speaking to the emperor, a thunderclap exploded outside. Cao Rui narrowed his eyes slightly when he heard the sound, and Dong Zhao also tried to continue speaking. However, the sound of wind and thunder in the sky clearly indicated that heavy rain was coming.

Dong Zhao was worthy of being Cao Wei's strategist, except that he taught Cao Rui how to command the army. It seemed that everything Dong Zhao said was right: it was right to command the army, it was right to lead the central army personally, and it was right to gain prestige through victory.

Regardless of whether it can be achieved, what exactly did Dong Zhao want when he said this?

The light in the east storehouse gradually dimmed with the heavy rain. Cao Rui put the sword of Emperor Gaozu of Han Dynasty into its new scabbard and closed the lid of the exquisite lacquer box containing Wang Mang's head.

After doing all this, Cao Rui said softly: "Then who is Lord Dong loyal to?"

Dong Zhao said firmly: "I am loyal to the Wei Dynasty, to Emperor Wu, and to Your Majesty!"

Cao Rui seemed to have caught the loophole: "Is Lord Dong not loyal to the late emperor?"

At this moment, Dong Zhao was thinking about the emperor's rather casual attitude, combined with the emperor's nonchalant attitude when he just mentioned replacing the Han Dynasty with the Wei Dynasty, and then thinking about the relationship between Cao Rui and Cao Pi... Dong Zhao decided to take a gamble.

Dong Zhao bowed deeply to the emperor and said, "Of course I am loyal! But the late emperor did not use me, and only trusted those people from Yingchuan who helped him fight for the throne! The scholars from Ru, Ying, Wan and Luo formed cliques for personal gain, and the world of Wei is in danger!"

Dong Zhao was gambling that the emperor would trust what he had just said, that the emperor was interested in gathering the army, and that the emperor was also on guard against the aristocratic families who formed factions.

Obviously, Dong Zhao made the right bet. But Cao Rui had a blank expression on his face, showing no sign of disagreement.

From Dong Zhao's words, we can tell that Dong Zhao was not tolerated by the scholars headed by the Yingchuan family.

The reason is very simple. You, Dong Zhao, instigated Cao Cao to replace Han with Wei, and even came up with a set of procedures and systems for being dukes and kings. Dong Zhao was a treacherous minister! He was the one who helped Cao Cao force Xun Yu to death!
Dong Zhao had many conflicts with the scholars in power in the court.

Cao Rui did not want to give Dong Zhao the prize right away: "I understand. Mr. Dong's words are wise and prudent. Let me think about it again when I go back."

……

One day later, Luoyang, Beigong.

General Cao Zhen came to the palace. The military report sent by flying horse from Shouchun was directly delivered to the general's mansion. The military report clearly described the cause and effect of Zhou Cang's false surrender, including the process of Cao Xiu's interrogation. Even the seven pieces of paper written by Zhou Cang on Hu Zong's behalf were sent to Luoyang intact.

Zhou Cang...isn’t he the Eastern Wu hero who cut off his hair to earn the respect of Cao Xiu?
Cao Rui remembered it very clearly. In the original history, it was Zhou Cang's false surrender that led Cao Xiu to lead an army of 100,000 southwards, where they were defeated by the Eastern Wu army commanded by Lu Xun at Shiting.

It was called the Battle of Shiting.

Cao Rui understood that it was the Battle of Shiting that indirectly led to the death of Cao Xiu, Jia Kui and other famous ministers, cut off the Cao clan's military control arm, and made Cao Wei unable to launch a major attack in the southeast for about twenty years.

In the historical Battle of Shiting, both sides sent out at least 200,000 troops, which was much larger than the scale of Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition.

Cao Rui understood that Zhou Cang was pretending to surrender, but Zhou Cang's pretend surrender was not that simple. Instead, it represented a signal that Eastern Wu intended to attack.

History has trends. If Cao Wei did not believe Zhou Yu's false surrender, and Dong Wu launched some other battle, would the result be better?
Even the gods don’t know.

At least it is clear now that the Eastern Wu is preparing to use troops north of Poyang where Zhou Yu is located and near Shiting.

That’s enough to write a lot of articles!

Cao Rui carefully read the letter sent by Zhou Cang. Zhou Cang was very interesting. He actually told the strategic layout of the Eastern Wu in one go.

According to Zhou Cang's letter, Sun Quan will send Lu Fan and Sun Shao to attack Guangling, Quan Cong and Zhu Huan to attack Hefei, Bu Zhi and Zhu Ran to attack Xiangyang, and Lu Xun and Pan Zhang to attack Meifu. He also said that he would let Zhuge Liang attack Guanxi!

Is this the Five-Way Attack on Wei? Could it be that Zhou Cang also wanted Cao Rui to establish a settlement and pacify the Five-Way Attack?
If Zhou Cang was simply leaking information, it would not be surprising. After all, betrayal requires some concrete evidence, and military dispatches are indeed worth some money. But what is interesting about Zhou Cang is that he also arranged for Cao Xiu how to attack Dongwu.

In short, Zhou Cang introduced all the movements of the Wu army, helped Cao Xiu prepare a war plan, and said to Cao Xiu, "If you do as I say, Eastern Wu will be finished." This is simply hilarious.

According to Zhou Qian, Cao Xiu "should" have gone south from Shouchun and Hefei, along the foot of the Dabie Mountains to Wancheng, and then took a boat from Wancheng along the Wan River into the Yangtze River.

Cao Xiu 'should' have brought 10,000 troops, and Zhou Cang would meet them on the south bank of the Yangtze River.

Since Sun Quan will generally send out the troops according to the strategic plan, there should be only 3,000 people left in the capital Wuchang. By then, Cao Xiu's 10,000 men and Zhou Cang's troops should be able to dominate the Yangtze River, and the counties of Dongwu should surrender!
The more Cao Rui read, the more he shook his head. When he saw that Zhou Cang asked for four hundred seals for colonels and commanders, he could no longer read and looked at General Cao Zhen.

Cao Rui said: "General, I have not seen many people surrendering. Have you ever seen someone surrender like Zhou Cang and instruct Wei on how to fight?"

Cao Zhen didn't know what to say at this time. Cao Zhen had indeed seen too many people surrender. When he followed Cao Cao to pacify the north, there were simply too many people surrendering.

But Cao Zhen was either in charge of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry or the Central Army at that time, and was not familiar with the details of the surrender. But Cao Zhen was unwilling to tell the emperor that he was unaware of it.

Cao Zhen could only cup his hands and reply: "There is indeed no one who surrendered like Zhou Cang. This is the first time I have seen such a person."

Cao Rui thought for a moment, then said to Zhong Yu, the attendant in the study: "Please invite Sima Fujun, several attendants, and two secretaries to come here for me."

Cao Zhen understood that the emperor was going to hold another meeting.

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(End of this chapter)