Jiang Wei bowed and asked, "General, there is something I don't understand. I hope you can help me."
Man Chong nodded: "Tell me!"
Jiang Wei said: "If the court forcibly recruits Hu people as soldiers, and if there are too many casualties during the war, won't Budugen, Suli and other Hu chieftains become disloyal? My family has been in Longxi for a long time. When the Qiang tribes are recruited to join the army, if there are too many casualties, their tribes will not allow them to continue fighting!"
"Hahaha." Man Chong stroked his beard and laughed, "Bo Yue is still too honest."
Jiang Wei looked a little confused, and Cao Shuang was even more confused about the situation.
Man Chong said: "The Qiang people are very different from the Xianbei, Wuhuan and other Hu peoples. Instead, they are similar to the Han people. And among the Hu peoples of the grasslands, how many people have real ambitions? Most of them regard their people as private property."
"The court gave them titles and salaries, allowing them to enjoy wealth and luxury on the grassland. Since their private property has been damaged, it is enough to provide them with financial compensation."
Jiang Wei and Cao Shuang were both filled with emotion.
Man Chong said: "Let's not talk about the Hu people, let's just talk about you two. This time we got Kebi Neng's head, and I will naturally report your merit to His Majesty."
"Zhao Bo, Bo Yue, among the two of you and Chang Si, who can take the first place in merit and who comes second?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wei immediately stood up and said, "General, it was Zhaobo who led his troops to capture Kebineng's head, so Zhaobo should be credited with the greatest achievement!"
In front of Man Chong, the former general of Wei and minister of the Western Pavilion, Jiang Wei took the credit cleanly and neatly without wasting a single moment, which showed his extraordinary agility.
Cao Shuang was stunned for a few moments, then he also stood up and said:
"General, when the general sent the three of us north together, he told us clearly that we should discuss things together."
"Bo Yue and I fought together, but the distribution was different. Brother Changsi left his horse to cover the rear, without him, we would not have succeeded." Cao Shuang bowed his hands and said earnestly, "This is the achievement of the three of us. It is the same for the three of us. I dare not steal the first place. I hope the general will understand."
Man Chong stroked his beard and said, "I know what you two said. Go back to your camps."
"As you command, I'll take my leave." The army was vigorous and decisive, so the two men did not delay and slowly left the tent after saying goodbye to Man Chong.
Outside the central army tent, the night was as dark as a curtain, and armored soldiers were patrolling back and forth. Cao Shuang and Jiang Wei walked side by side towards their own camp.
As the two chatted, they laughed heartily from time to time. One was humble and the other was open and aboveboard, and they worked together to bring out the best in each other.
In front of the sentry post at the camp gate, Cao Shuang stopped in the light, and Jiang Wei also stopped at the same time.
"What's the matter, Zhao Bo?"
"Brother Boyue, I do have something I want to ask you." Cao Shuang looked straight into Jiang Wei's eyes in the light of the fire.
Jiang Wei felt that Cao Shuang was a little strange: "If you want to ask, just ask. Why is there such a commotion?"
Cao Shuang said, "I am the eldest son of the general, a member of the Cao clan, and a good friend of your majesty, so my future is naturally worry-free. To be honest, whether Brother Boyue gives me the first credit or not, it has no effect on me at all, so it's okay for me to give it to you."
"Brother Boyue is a first-rate person with first-rate talents. It is my honor to be able to be your friend. But there is one thing I don't understand. How did His Majesty select you from the Imperial Academy? How could he let you be a general of 2,000 stones in the Central Army? The only person in the court who is similar to you is the Central Army Commander Guanqiu Zhonggong, and he was born in His Majesty's private residence!"
Hearing Cao Shuang's question, Jiang Wei was speechless for a moment.
The two lieutenants stood here at night, and the ten soldiers on duty at the camp gate straightened their chests, fearing that they would displease the lieutenants. The fire crackled, and the flickering light reflected on Jiang Wei's profile, outlining the outline of his face more clearly.
"Me?" Jiang Wei was stunned for a long time, then looked up at the twinkling stars in the sky: "Zhao Bo asked a good question, which stumped me."
"In the seventh year of Huangchu, I was blessed by your majesty to reopen the Imperial College, and was able to come to Luoyang from my home in Longyou to study. When your majesty personally came to the Imperial College for lectures, I was valued by your majesty because of my good performance in public, and was selected as a Sanqi together with Xiahou Taichu."
"Four years have passed, and Xiahou Taichu is still a cavalryman. But I, who was born in a noble family in Longyou and am only thirty years old, have become a general with a salary of two thousand stones. It seems like a dream to have reached such a high position."
Jiang Wei retracted his gaze and looked at Cao Shuang seriously, with a faint fire flickering in his pupils: "Zhao Bo asked me this, and I really don't know how to answer. In the past few years, I have been loyal and dedicated to everything I have done. There is no other answer other than this."
Cao Shuang nodded vigorously, put his arm around Jiang Wei's shoulders, and pushed him from behind into the camp: "Be loyal and do your best. These four words are of great weight. With the Holy Lord in power, border affairs have improved greatly in the past few years. The two kingdoms of Wu and Shu will not be able to last long. Brother Boyue, you and I have served in the army together, and we will surely go down in history!"
As Jiang Wei walked, he nodded seriously: "It is my honor to be friends with Zhao Bo! The road ahead is long and difficult, but we will walk together!"
……
The next morning, the emperor's carriage, which set out from Luoyang, along with nearly a thousand attendants and four thousand cavalry from the Central Commander's Camp, also arrived at Mobei in Yingchuan County.
At the beginning of the year, when Cao Rui led all the central army here, he reviewed the troops at Mobei. The temporary palace and camp were ready here, and it was here that the imperial guard met the messenger sent by Xu Shu from Deng County. Liu Ye hurriedly walked into the palace from outside, bowed, and handed Xu Shu's letter to Cao Rui:
"Your Majesty, Xu Ningyuan has led Xinye Shen Dan's troops to Deng County to support Lu Shi's troops in Fancheng. This is the urgent military report he sent from Deng County."
Xu Ningyuan was referring to the newly appointed Ningyuan General Xu Shu and Xu Yuanzhi. Cao Rui was stunned for a moment when he heard the name, and then he realized that it was Xu Shu himself.
"Give it to me." Cao Rui took it and asked Liu Ye, "Have you read the military report? What do you think?"
Liu Ye said: "I think what he said makes sense."
"The Wei Kingdom and the Wu Kingdom are fighting on two fronts, one for Jingzhou and the other for Yangzhou. Although the two states are far apart, the war is actually one."
Cao Rui nodded: "I understand. Call Sikong, Wang Guan, and Pei Qian as well. I want to discuss the matter."
"As you wish." Liu Ye slowly stepped back, and Cao Rui leaned on the armrests of his chair and began to concentrate on thinking.
It would take some time for Qian Zhao's Wuwei Camp to arrive at the battlefield. It was also unknown whether Xiahou Ru could send reinforcements from Jiangxia to Fancheng. Under this circumstance, in order to prevent the military situation in Xiangfan from deteriorating further, Xu Shu suggested that Chen Qun of Yangzhou send troops to the south to threaten Sun Quan and make him withdraw his troops out of concern.
Logically speaking, Xu Shu's idea was right. Obviously, Wu's elite central army was already near Xiangyang and Fancheng, and Wuchang and the Jing and Yang areas east of Wuchang must have weak defenses and no preparations. Attacking them will inevitably save them, and forcing Sun Quan to retreat is the correct way of military strategy.
But the problem is that this time Sun Quan's troops are marching northward along the Han River by boat, and he can also lead his troops down by boat at any time!
It would take the army three days to sail from Xiangyang to Wuchang, and seven or eight days to reach Ruxu, and no more than ten days at most.
With such a rapid marching speed along the river, if they really attacked Ruxu in Yangzhou or even crossed the river to fight, they would be defeated by the navy led by Sun Quan who came back to support them because of their superior numbers. This would be a laughing stock!
The theory is correct, but how to implement it is extremely difficult.
Just as Cao Rui was thinking, Liu Ye, Sima Yi, Wang Guan and Pei Qian hurried in. After bowing, they took their seats.
"Mr. Liu, please tell the others what Xu Shu said."
"As you wish." Liu Ye responded with a bow, then stood up and briefly stated Xu Shu's request. The three of them either frowned or thought about it, and no one spoke for a while.
Cao Rui gently tapped the armrest with his hand and asked, "What does Sikong have to say?"
Sima Yi coughed lightly and said, "Xu Yuanzhi is right. Sun Quan has placed a large number of troops in Xiangfan, so Yangzhou must be unprepared. But how to mobilize Sun Quan and how to prevent him from coming back to reinforce us after mobilizing him has become the top priority at the moment."
"Yangzhou's military forces are concentrated in two places. One is in the Shouchun and Hefei area, with nearly 40,000 foreign troops under the command of Chen Situ. The other is in the Wancheng and Wankou area, with 20,000 troops under the command of Jia Zhennan. If we send troops, we can only send them from these two places, there is no other option."
Cao Rui raised his eyes to Sima Yi and asked, "Sikong, where do you think there will be action?"
Sima Yi thought for a moment and said, "Except for Ruxu, there is no other option. The Wei army in Yangzhou should not cross the river, and the only place where Wu is located in the north of the river is Ruxu."
Cao Rui frowned and said, "If that's the case, the first question now is how to fight Ruxu?"
Sima Yi nodded silently.
"What about you? What do you think?"
Pei Qian was the first to bow: "I agree with the Minister of Works. Right now, for Wei, the only obstacle that prevents Yangzhou's troops from advancing southward is Ruxu. If we can capture Ruxu, the Wei navy can go straight down to the Yangtze River through the Huai River, Hefei, Chaohu Lake, and Ruxu River. Without the Ruxu barrier, the Wu army's destruction is only a matter of time!"
Cao Rui shook his head and said, "Ruxu should be attacked. Pei Qing doesn't need to say anything about this. From Emperor Wu to the previous emperor, twenty years have passed. The importance of Ruxu is self-evident."
Wang Guan said, "Your Majesty, can we go to Guangling? Guangling is far away, and Sun Quan in Xiangyang may not be able to come to the rescue in time."
Liu Ye immediately retorted: "This is wrong. Guangling is only a few days away from Ruxu by water. It is a long way for our Yangzhou army to attack Guangling, but the Wu navy is very close. We should not do this."
Wang Guan bowed and sat back in his chair silently.
Cao Rui glanced at Liu Ye and said, "You speak!"
Liu Ye said, "Your Majesty, since Ruxu is a must-attack place for Wei to attack Wu, I wonder if we can take advantage of Sun Quan's presence in Jingxiang to gain some advantages for the future attack on Ruxu."
"Advantages? What advantages?" Cao Rui asked.
Liu Ye cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I have an idea. Can we take advantage of the current strength of Yangzhou's army and build another Wei city next to Ruxuwu?" (End of this chapter)
