The hall suddenly became quiet. Cao Rui took a deep breath and looked sideways at Guo Yao beside him:
"I understand your thoughts, but I have been busy these past two years." Cao Rui whispered, "It took more than half a year to conquer Shu, and it took eight or nine months to go to Hebei and attack Liaodong this year. I brought you to Xuchang and left you here. This was indeed wrong of mine."
Cao Rui took a step back while speaking, and Guo Yao was sensible and didn't say much, for fear of annoying him. Her pair of peach blossom eyes seemed to be able to speak, and she looked into the eyes of her husband beside her:
"I am not blaming Your Majesty, but Your Majesty has countless women in his harem, and I only have one husband, Your Majesty. How can I bear to be separated from Your Majesty?"
Cao Rui smiled and said, "Okay, then we won't separate. I'll take care of you in Xuchang. If I go back to Luoyang, I'll take you with me, okay?"
Guo Yao nodded repeatedly and talked a lot with Cao Rui in private. It seemed like they had endless things to talk about after meeting each other after a long separation.
"Alright." Cao Rui drank a spoonful of soup, put the food in his mouth down, put down the ivory chopsticks and stood up: "I have finished my dinner and now I have to go to the study. Yao'er, you can take your time."
"Your Majesty, why are you leaving so soon?" Guo Yao stood up in surprise and asked, "Will you come to see me in the evening?"
Cao Rui chuckled, straightened his collar, and walked out, slightly turning his head back, saying as he walked: "I have to discuss matters with the Minister of Works and the Privy Council, and I don't know when I can be back. If you are impatient, just go to bed."
Guo Yao took small steps forward, and after walking for two seconds, she did not dare to chase after him. She looked at the emperor's back as he walked away, and muttered softly, "I have been waiting for half a year. How can you not wait for just a few hours? Whatever your majesty has lost this year, I will take back tonight!"
……
Being an official in the court is a very difficult thing. Not to mention intelligence, character, and ability, but also manners and grace are important qualities for high-ranking officials, and good health is also required.
Dong Zhao is 75 years old this year, and he can still handle state affairs in the West Pavilion for days. For Sima Yi and Liu Ye, who hold real power, working around the clock, traveling long distances, and riding horses are basic operations, and eating quickly in the palace is also one of them.
Sima Yi's hasty return to Luoyang from Xiangping and Liu Ye's long-distance attack on Goguryeo County from Lulong Pass are typical examples. Those who can rise in the great waves of Jian'an and the end of the Han Dynasty are not easy people.
When Cao Rui leisurely walked to the door of the study, the two of them were already waiting there.
"Come with me."
Cao Rui didn't say much, just glanced at the two of them, and was the first to cross the threshold and enter. The two of them followed him, and after they sat down, Sima Yi spoke first:
"Your Majesty, yesterday I discussed with the two Privy Councilors Liu and Wang, as well as the two Shangshus Wu and Fu, about the strategy of sending troops from Yangzhou to build cities and fortifications in front of the enemy, and we have listed three strategies: the best, the middle, and the worst."
"Three strategies again?" Cao Rui had just finished dinner with Guo Yao and was in a good mood. He smiled and said jokingly, "Sikong, is it because the best strategy is too difficult and the worst strategy is too stupid that you want me to choose the middle strategy?"
Sima Yi sensed the emotion in the emperor's words, and smiled and bowed his hands in response: "Your Majesty, the three strategies are somewhat different, but not completely mutually exclusive. Your Majesty can choose one of the three, or you can choose some from each of the three."
"That's right. After we report this to Your Majesty, this matter will still be decided by Chen Situ of Yangzhou." This matter was originally proposed by Liu Ye, who also added on the side.
"Okay, then go ahead and tell me. I'm listening."
Cao Rui leaned back on the recliner and relaxed, but the outline of a map from Shouchun to Ruxu had already appeared in his mind.
Sima Yi said: "Your Majesty, the best strategy is to feint and attack Ruxu, but actually build the four cities."
"Four cities?" Cao Rui was a little surprised when he heard this number: "Why do we need to build four cities?"
Sima Yi knew that Liu Ye was impatient, so he said, "This matter was initiated by Liu Shumi, so let him speak."
Liu Ye immediately responded, "Your Majesty, the so-called Ruxu Fortress of Wu is not a single city, but two places, located on the east and west banks of the Ruxu River where it flows into the Yangtze River. Therefore, if we want to build a city near Ruxu Fortress, we have to build two places."
Cao Rui nodded slightly: "I understand this, then where are the other two places built?"
"In Dongxing!" Liu Ye had no map, so he just spoke: "I wonder if Your Majesty can remember that if we talk about the waterway of Yangzhou, we can go from Shouchun to Shishui and then pass through Hefei to Chaohu Lake. Chaohu Lake flows into Rushu River at Juchao. Thirty miles from Rushu River, the two most precipitous mountains, Rushu and Qibao, are on the east and west sides. The water of Rushu River is the narrowest here. We can also build two cities here!"
Cao Rui pondered for a few moments and asked, "It would be great if we could build a city in Dongxing. But I have a question, is it for the transportation of food and logistical convenience, or for some other reason? Tell me the main reason!"
"For both attack and defense!" Liu Ye replied: "If we can build a city in Dongxing, the soldiers from Hefei can reach Dongxing by boat in two days! And the soldiers from Dongxing can reach Ruxu in one day during war. The distance is appropriate, this is the basis for a long-term attack."
"Since Wei wants to take Ruxu by relying on its national strength and logistics, and since we want to build a city, we must not leave any troubles behind. Building four cities is better than two!"
"What's the middle strategy?" Cao Rui took a breath and motioned Liu Ye to continue. Liu Ye was a smart man, and smart people often speak with hidden meanings, so you need to listen with your brain.
If the cities near Ruxu and on the plains cannot be defended, Wei can still rely on the terrain to garrison in Dongxing. In short, Ruxu can be reached in one day!
We built four cities, and if we lost two, there would still be two left!
Liu Ye continued: "The so-called middle strategy is to actually attack Ruxu!"
"Real attack? Didn't you say yesterday that Ruxu was difficult to capture?" Cao Rui looked somewhat helpless. Sima Yi said, "I and others carefully studied it yesterday. The situation of Ruxu being difficult to capture in the past seems to be somewhat different from the current situation."
"Why is it different?" Cao Rui asked.
Sima Yi coughed lightly. "When Cao Zixiao attacked Ruxu in the past, he made many mistakes due to old age and illness. At that time, Wu had General Zhu Huan stationed in Ruxu. He was killed by the king's army in the battle of Wancheng in the first year of Taihe. Now Sun Quan is leading his elite troops to attack Xiangfan again, and the troops in Ruxu must be weak."
"Now in Yangzhou, Chen Situ has nearly 40,000 foreign troops available, and Yangzhou also has many soldiers from prefectures and counties available. In addition, there are farmers who can do corvée labor, which is enough to support multiple battles. Xianxi and Liyang, along the northeast of Ruxu, are also places that the Wu army must rescue. There is also Jia Liangdao in Wankou, who can also send troops to cross the river.
Cao Rui said, "I understand what Sikong meant. The so-called middle strategy is to use the large number of people to disperse and attract Wu soldiers to defend everywhere. The main force of the foreign army in Yangzhou can take the opportunity to attack Ruxu, right?"
"If we can steal Ruxu, then it will be done. If we can't steal Ruxu, then we can leave two camps in the north of Ruxu, so that it won't be in vain. Is that right?"
Sima Yi smiled awkwardly. This was true, but when His Majesty said it, it didn't sound right.
"Your Majesty is holy."
Cao Rui shook his head slightly: "What's the worst option?"
Sima Yi said calmly: "The worst strategy is to abandon Ruxu and march westward from Wancheng to capture Wu's Qichun County, so that the two counties of Lujiang and Jiangxia in the north of the Yangtze River in Wei can be connected as one!"
"What you said is beyond my expectation." Cao Rui touched his chin and narrowed his eyes in thought.
In short, due to complicated historical reasons, Sun Quan still had many territories north of the Yangtze River.
Take Yangzhou for example. In the first year of Taihe, the Wei Dynasty took Yangzhou and the westernmost Lujiang County in the north of the Yangtze River. Wancheng and Wankou are located here, and are now garrisoned by General Zhennan Jia Kui.
As for Jingzhou in the west, the easternmost part of Jingzhou in northern Jiangsu is the small half of Jiangxia County where Wen Pin is located.
The area between Jiangxia and Lujiang was Qichun, which still belonged to Wu. Qichun was like a nail, nailed between Wen Pin of Jiangxia and Jia Kui of Lujiang, preventing their defense zones from bordering each other.
Geographically speaking, the area under the jurisdiction of Qichun County is a narrow strip of land south of the Dabie Mountains and north of the Yangtze River. It is the farthest from Xinye in Jingzhou and Hefei in Yangzhou by land, and was seized by Sun Quan by taking advantage of the river.
Sima Yi looked at the emperor in thought and said, "The reason why Liu Shumi and I ranked the attack on Qichun as the worst strategy is actually because it is the most difficult strategy to implement."
"I know." Cao Rui said calmly, "Qichun is the farthest from Wei, but the closest to Wuchang of Wu. It is right next to Sun Quan's mouth. Whenever he wants to attack from Wuchang, Wei will be too late to rescue."
"Then why did you make this proposal? Are you just trying to make up the numbers?"
Sima Yi saw that His Majesty's attitude had cooled down a bit, so he quickly explained: "Although this is difficult, it is not impossible."
"Before the Wei Dynasty took Wancheng, wasn't it the farthest from Shouchun? But your majesty asked Jia Kui to lead 20,000 people to station in Wancheng. After several years of management, the city is high and has abundant food, so the Wu army dared not attack."
"I understand." Cao Rui said with a smile: "It is possible to attack Qichun County, but it is difficult to defend Qichun County. Are you explaining this to me in advance? Tell me, how many troops do you think are needed to defend Qichun?"
"Thirty thousand!"
Sima Yi held up three fingers and said, "We need a loyal and capable general to lead 30,000 soldiers to hold Qichun and deal with the Wu army without any danger!"
Cao Rui sighed softly: "Let's not talk about where these 30,000 soldiers will come from. Where can I find such talents? Previously, there was a Jia Kui Jia Liangdao who was both civil and military, and I sent him to Wancheng. Now where can I find another Jia Liangdao that I can put in Qichun?"
When Cao Rui spoke, Sima Yi's expression was already a little strange. As soon as Cao Rui finished speaking, the Right Supervisor of the Privy Council Liu Ye bowed and said:
"The matter of Yangzhou is my suggestion. If Your Majesty really has no one to choose, I, Liu Ye, am willing to garrison Qichun for Your Majesty!"
Cao Rui curled his lips slightly and looked at Liu Ye:
"I'm not allowed!"
Liu Ye became more and more embarrassed, and cupped his hands: "Yes, I obey your order."
Cao Rui said softly: "It's not that you can't lead the army, but Ruxu is the base for Wei to enter the Yangtze River. If we take Qichun but can't cross the river here, what benefit will it bring to Wei?"
"Draft an order." Cao Rui pointed at Liu Ye and said, "Ask Chen Situ for me which of the two of you is the best and the middle strategy and which one he is willing to implement. Within one hour after receiving the order, choose one of the two strategies and have the messenger bring back the result! If he has made his choice, I will allow him to start mobilizing troops immediately."
"We will obey your majesty's order!" Sima Yi and Liu Ye stood up together and bowed. (End of this chapter)
