Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Chapter 62: One Hundred Thousand People (Seeking Follow-up Reading)

Cao Rui also laughed when he heard this and said, "I think so too."

Sun Shiwan is a title known to everyone in later generations. How could Cao Rui not know about it?

But jokes aside, a population of one hundred thousand is a number that cannot be underestimated in any dynasty or place.

Due to many factors such as logistics, transportation, and management, the number of troops that a warring party can gather on a single battlefield is almost the upper limit of this era.

If you want to gather more than 100,000 troops, you must either work hard on logistics or have a heavyweight figure in management to supervise the battle.

Cao Pi went south to attack Wu three times during his reign. The first time he led the largest number of troops, more than 200,000. These 200,000 troops were not distributed on the same battlefield, but were divided into three routes: Guangling in the east, Ruxu in the middle, and Jiangling in the west.

If Sun Quan really dispatched 100,000 troops in Wancheng, it would not be easy to respond.

Cao Rui said to Cao Zhen: "General, go back to my study. I want to consult with you on the map."

Cao Zhen naturally agreed. When the two returned to the emperor's study, Sima Yi had been waiting outside the study for a long time.

Cao Rui thought it was normal, since it was Cao Rui who sent someone to summon Sima Yi. But Cao Zhen was puzzled. He came to the emperor to report military information, so why did Sima Yi come?

In the end, I couldn't ask.

In fact, whenever Cao Rui summoned Cao Zhen and Sima Yi to discuss matters in his study, they would almost always be here at the same time. If Cao Zhen came first, Cao Rui would call Sima Yi over. If Sima Yi came first, Cao Rui would invite Cao Zhen over.

One is civil and the other is military, and they check and balance each other.

Cao Rui saw Sima Yi saluting and nodded, "Sima Qing, you have come at the right time. I thought Zhou Cang was pretending to surrender, so I want to discuss military affairs with the general. You should also join me."

Zhong Yu was a man with sharp eyes. When he heard on the way that the emperor wanted to use a map, he tiptoed to the bookshelf, took down the map, spread it on the table and slowly unfolded it, then retreated to the corner of the room.

Cao Rui glanced at Zhong Yu but didn't say anything. Although Zhong Yu was only fourteen years old, he was cautious and measured in everything he did. He was a seed that could be cultivated.

When Cao Rui saw the map unfolded, he called two assistant ministers forward to look at it together, and pointed with his finger to the place where Zhou Cang had planned to meet Cao Xiu in the letter.

Cao Rui said: "There are two most crucial points mentioned in Zhou Cang's letter. I will tell you one by one."

"The first is the military strength. Zhou Cang suggested that the Grand Marshal lead 10,000 troops to the south. If Sun Quan wants to swallow up the Grand Marshal's 10,000 troops, he will need at least 20,000 to 30,000 troops."

"I just discussed with the general, and Sun Quan's troops can gather a maximum of 100,000 men."

"The second is the location. Zhou Cang also mentioned that we should go from Wancheng along the Wanshui River to the Yangtze River. But the Wanshui River flows through Wancheng. Wancheng is currently occupied by our Wei State, but the Wankou where the Wanshui River flows into the Yangtze River is in the hands of the Eastern Wu State!"

Cao Rui used a brush to point from Wancheng to Wankou on the river bank, and tapped the tip of the brush twice heavily at Wankou.

Cao Zhen was silent for a moment and said, "But according to Zhou Cang's words, if Sun Quan attacks from four directions to the north, then places like Wankou along the river will be empty. So it seems that Sun Quan will definitely deploy heavy troops in Wankou."

Cao Rui nodded and said, "Wankou is located beside the Yangtze River, with Jianye below and Wuchang above. Sun Quan can transfer troops and food more conveniently than Wei."

Cao Zhen was puzzled and asked, "What should we do? If we go south from Wancheng without passing through Wankou, how can we get to the river?"

Cao Rui sneered: "Since we can't get there, then don't go to the river!" "I have made it very clear. If the Grand Marshal goes south, Sun Quan will definitely ambush us along the road from Wancheng to Wankou. How to eat up Sun Quan's ambushing forces is what we should consider!"

"As for Zhou Cang's letter of surrender, it only tells us that Wancheng is the battle site. You don't need to pay attention to the rest."

Sima Yi squinted his eyes and listened to the conversation between the emperor and Cao Zhen. Sima Yi arrived late and did not know that the emperor and Cao Zhen had already concluded that Zhou Cang was faking his surrender, but he had heard it in their conversation.

It seems that the emperor wanted to take advantage of the situation and let Cao Xiu go south to lure Sun Quan into an ambush, and then destroy Sun Quan's ambushing troops.

The ideal is very good, but it may not be possible in reality. Sima Yi keenly discovered that according to the emperor's assumption, Sun Quan was able to gather 100,000 people in the Wancheng-Wankou area because Sun Quan relied on the convenience of water transportation.

If the State of Wei wanted to annihilate Sun Quan's army, which could be as few as 20,000 to 30,000 or as many as 100,000, how many soldiers would it need and how would it fight?

Even a wise man like Sima Yi was surprised at the emperor's big appetite.

If Sun Quan sent out an army of 100,000 and Wei sent out more than 100,000 troops, would there be a battle of 200,000 troops on the battlefield from Hefei to Wancheng and then to Wankou?
Sima Yi was certainly not ready yet. He didn't know how to prepare and even couldn't believe that Sun Quan could mobilize so many people.

Sima Yi said at this time: "Your Majesty, are you overestimating Sun Quan? How can Sun Quan mobilize 100,000 people in Wancheng?"

"Even if the Grand Marshal really follows Zhou Qian's advice and marches south along the Wancheng line, how can Sun Quan mobilize as many as 100,000 troops? Thirty to fifty thousand may be the upper limit."

Cao Rui shook his head. Sima Yi's words were in line with his usual style. Sima Yi had been preparing logistics for Cao Pi's southern expedition for a long time, so naturally, his mind was full of food, fodder, and equipment needed for the mobilization of troops.

When Sima Yi made his decision, he didn't know what was worth Sun Quan's dispatching 100,000 men to Wancheng.

Sima Yi didn't know, but Cao Rui knew it clearly.

After Sun Quan's defeat in Jiangxia and the two consecutive surrenders of Han Zong and Zhai Dan to the enemy, Sun Quan was in urgent need of a big victory to cover up the decline.

Therefore, Sun Quan sent Zhou Cang to find Cao Xiu to pretend to surrender. Zhou Cang's pretend surrender happened two years earlier than the original history!

In history, it was thanks to the victory of the Eastern Wu in the Battle of Shiting that Sun Quan's prestige increased greatly and he was able to become emperor.

In other words, Sun Quan's decision to have Zhou Yu surrender was not a military operation at all. It could neither capture cities nor plunder land, nor change the strategic situation between Wu and Wei.

So what did Sun Quan want? Sun Quan wanted to gain more kills and more achievements! Sun Quan needed a big victory to cover up the decline and even help him become emperor. This was basically a battle for political purposes!

Sending out an army of 100,000 to fight Cao Xiu's 10,000 is no loss at all!
Cao Rui looked at Sima Yi and said slowly, "Sima Qing, why do you think Sun Quan sent Zhou Cang to feign surrender?"

Sima Yi thought for a moment and said, "Could it be that the battles in Jiangxia and Xiangyang in August were too bad, and they wanted to stabilize the internal situation with victory? Perhaps it was also because Han Zong and Zhai Dan surrendered. I heard that the generals along the Yangtze River in Dongwu were already unstable."

Sima Yi guessed most of it right. Cao Rui asked, "What if I said that Sun Quan was eager to become emperor?"

Sima Yi's eyes widened slightly. This idea was something Sima Yi had never thought of. But Sima Yi was still smart: "Then according to your majesty, Sun Quan just wanted to win a victory this time to increase his prestige?"

Cao Rui nodded, and Sima Yi immediately fell into deep thought.

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(End of this chapter)