Suddenly, the hall fell silent, Cao Rui gently inhaled a breath, and turned his side face towards Guo Yao beside him:
"I understand your thoughts, but these past two years have indeed been busy," Cao Rui said in a low voice. "The campaign to conquer Sichuan took over half a year, and this year's campaign to the North China and the attack on Liaodong also took eight or nine months. Bringing you to Xuchang and leaving you here is indeed wrong of me."
Cao Rui's words had stepped back, Guo Yao was also intelligent and did not say more, only afraid of causing him to be annoyed. A pair of peach blossom eyes seemed to speak as they met the gaze of her husband by the side:
"Woman is not blaming Your Majesty, but, Your Majesty has so many consorts in the palace, and I have only one husband to Your Majesty. How could I bear to be separated from Your Majesty?"
Cao Rui smiled and said, "Alright, then let's not separate. I will take care of you in Xuchang, and if I return to Luoyang, I will also bring you along."
Guo Yao nodded repeatedly, and also said many heart-to-heart words to Cao Rui. It was as if they had not seen each other for a long time and had so much to talk about.
"Alright." Cao Rui took a spoonful of soup, swallowed the rice in his mouth, put down the ivory chopstick, and stood up: "I have finished my evening meal. I now need to go to my study, so you can take your time with your meal, Yao'er."
"How can you leave so soon, Your Majesty?" Guo Yao also stood up in surprise, "Will you come find me tonight?"
Cao Rui laughed lightly, straightened his collar, and walked out. He slightly turned his face back, walked and said, "I need to discuss with the Premier and the Chief of staff. I don't know when I can return. If you get impatient, you can go to sleep."
Guo Yao took a few small steps forward, but stopped when she had walked a moment, watching the emperor's back as he strode away. Whispering to herself, she murmured, "I've already waited for half a year. How can I wait just a few more hours? Your Majesty has missed me this year; tonight, I'm going to make it up for it!"
...
It is extremely difficult to serve in government. One does not need to mention talent, morality, and ability. The posture, temperament are also important skills for high officials, and the body must be top-notch.
Dong Zhao is seventy-five years old this year and is still able to handle state affairs in the Western Pavilion day after day. For important ministers like Sima Yi and Liu Ye, who hold real power, working tirelessly, traveling long distances, and galloping on horseback are basic operations. Quickly eating in the palace is also one of them.
Sima Yi rushed back to Luoyang from Xianping, and Liu Ye led the army to launch a long-distance attack on the Goguryeo County. These are all typical examples. Those who rose from the great upheaval of the year 220 and the end of the Han Dynasty are not ordinary people.
When Cao Rui leisurely walked to the door of the study, the two had already been waiting there.
"Come with me."
Cao Rui did not say much, looked at the two of them, and stepped over the threshold into the room first. The two followed suit, sitting down after entering, and Sima Yi was the first to speak:
"Your Majesty, yesterday I discussed with Liu, Wang, and the two Grand Secretaries, Wu and Fu, the strategy for the military operations and fortification in Yangzhou. We have come up with three strategies: upper, middle, and lower."
"Another three strategies?" Just having shared the evening meal with Guo Yao, Cao Rui was in a good mood and laughed while teasing, "Is it that the top strategy is too difficult and the bottom strategy is too stupid, leaving it up to me to choose the middle one?"
Sima Yi felt the emotions in the emperor's words and smiled, bowing his hands in response: "Your Majesty, although the three strategies are different, they are not entirely mutually exclusive. You can choose one from among them, or select some elements from each one."
"That's right. After we reported it to the emperor, the decision on this matter will still have to be made by the Duke of Chen in Yangzhou," which was originally proposed by Liu Ye. He also supplemented from the side.
"Very well, go ahead and speak. I am listening."
Cao Rui leaned against the reclining chair, relaxed his body, but the outline of the map from Shouchun to Runxu had already appeared in his mind.
Sima Yi said: "Your Majesty, the top strategy is to feign an attack on Runxu while building four fortifications in reality."
"Four cities?" Upon hearing the number, Cao Rui was somewhat surprised: "Why build four forts?"
Sima Yi knew that Liu Ye was impatient by nature, so he opened his mouth and said: "This matter was first proposed by Liu Junchu, please let him speak."
Liu Ye immediately responded: "Your Majesty, Wu's so-called Runxu post is not a single fort, but two located on the east and west banks of the Runxu River as it flows into the Yangtze River. Therefore, if we build a fortress near the Runxu post, we will have to build two."
Cao Rui slightly nodded: "I understand that. Where are the other two fortresses to be built?"
"In Dongxing!" Liu Ye did not have a map, so he spoke empty-handed: "Your Majesty, do you remember that when discussing the waterways in Yangzhou, if we take the route from Shouchun via Shi Water and pass through Hefei, we can reach Chaotu Lake. Chaotu Lake enters Runxu River at Jucao. At the thirty-mile mark of Runxu River, there are two mountains on both sides of the river, namely Runxu and Qibao. Here is where the water of Runxu River is narrowest. We can also build two cities here!"
Cao Rui pondered for a moment and asked, "If we can build a city in Dongxing, that would be good. However, Your Majesty has a question. Is it mainly for the convenience of transporting grain and logistics, or for some other reason? Choose the most important one!"
"For both offense 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 in Dongxing can reach Runxu in one day during war. The distance is just right, which is the basis for a long-term offensive campaign."
"Since the Great Wei wants to conquer Runxu with its strength and logistics, since we are going to build a city, we must not leave any backstabbers. Building four cities is better than two!"
"What about the middle strategy?" Cao Rui took a deep breath and indicated Liu Ye to continue. Liu Ye was a clever man, and when a clever man spoke, there were often implicit meanings that needed to be listened to with the mind.
If the cities on the bank of Runxu post and on the plain cannot be held, then the Great Wei can still rely on the terrain to station troops in Dongxing. In any case, it can reach Runxu in one day!
If two cities are lost, there are still two left.
Liu Ye continued: "The so-called middle strategy is to actually attack Runxu!"
"Actual attack? Didn't you say yesterday that Runxu was hard to conquer?" Cao Rui's expression was somewhat helpless.
Sima Yi said: "Yesterday, we carefully analyzed the situation and it seems that the difficulty of conquering Runxu in the past is somewhat different from the current situation."
"How is it different?" Cao Rui pursued the question.
Sima Yi coughed lightly and said: "When Cao Zixuan attacked Runxu in the past, he made many mistakes due to his old age and illness. At that time, there was a Wu general named Zhu Han stationed in Runxu. This person was killed by the Song army in Anxiang City in the year 229. Now that Sun Quan is leading his troops to attack Xianbei and Xuchuan, the force at Runxu will inevitably be weak."
"Currently in Yangzhou, Duke Chen has nearly four thousand outside troops available, and there are also many state and county troops available in Yangzhou. In addition, there are workers on the government-owned land who can be used for labor, which is sufficient to support multiple lines of operation. The Qianxi and Liyang areas to the northeast of the Yuchuan River are also places that Wu troops must rescue. There is also the Jia Liang Pass at Wukan, from which troops can cross the river."
Cao Rui said: "I understand what Marquis Sima's meaning is. So, the middle strategy is to take advantage of the large number of troops, spreading them out in a dispersed manner to draw Wu troops into defending everywhere, while the main force of the outside troops in Yangzhou takes this opportunity to attack Runxu, is that correct?"
"If we can secretly attack Runxu and succeed, then it's a win. If we can't, then we can leave two encampments to the north of Runxu, which would also count as not coming empty-handed, is that correct?"
Sima Yi smiled awkwardly and said: Although the principle of this strategy is sound, when it is put into words by the emperor, it just doesn't sound right:
"Your Majesty is wise."
Cao Rui slightly shook his head: "What about the bottom strategy?"
Sima Yi calmly said: "The bottom strategy is to abandon Runxu and take advantage of the opportunity, starting from Wu's Xiancheng City and heading west to capture the city of Qichun in Wu, allowing the two prefectures of Lujiang and Jiangxia in northern Jiangnan to be connected!"
"This strategy you mentioned is quite unexpected," said Cao Rui, stroking his chin and furrowing his brow in thought.
Simply put, due to the complex historical reasons, Sun Quan still has many territories in the north of the Yangtze River.
Taking Yangzhou as an example, in the year 229, the Great Wei took the most western Anjiang Prefecture in northern Jiangnan. Wu City and Wukan Port are located here. It is currently garrisoned by General Jia Kui, the southern commander.
And to the west, in Jingzhou, which is the easternmost part of Jiangnan in northern territory, it is the small half of Jiangxia Commandery where Wen Pin resides.
The region between Jiangxia Commandery and Lujiang Commandery is still part of Wu territory and contains the Qichun Commandery. Like a nail, Qichun Commandery is stuck between Wu's Wen Pin in Jiangxia and Lujiang's Jia Kui, making it difficult for their territories to connect.
Geographically, the area under the jurisdiction of Qichun Commandery is a narrow strip of land to the south of Dabie Mountains and to the north of the Yangtze River. It is farthest from Xinwei in Jingzhou and Hefei in Yangzhou on land. Sun Quan took advantage of the Yangtze River to seize this area.
Looking at the emperor deep in thought, Sima Yi said, "Your Majesty, Liu Junchu and I regard attacking Qichun as the bottom strategy because this strategy is the most difficult to implement."
"I know," said Cao Rui calmly. "Qichun is the farthest from the Great Wei but the closest to Wu's Wuchang. It is right under Sun Quan's nose. If he ever wants to attack from Wuchang, Wei forces would not be able to save themselves in time."
"So why did you still make such a proposal? Is it just to make up numbers?"
Sima Yi saw that the emperor's attitude was slightly cooler and quickly explained, "This matter is difficult, but it is not impossible to carry out."
"Before the Great Wei captured Wu City, it was also the furthest from Shouchun. However, Your Majesty ordered Jia Kai to garrison two thousand soldiers there, and over the years of careful cultivation, the city has grown tall and its supplies have increased. Wu forces dare not attack it."
"I understand." Cao Rui laughed. "It is possible to attack Qichun Commandery, but it will be difficult to defend it. You are saying this in advance, right? Just tell me, how many troops do you think we need to defend Qichun if we can hold onto it?"
"Thirty thousand!"
Sima Yi extended three fingers and said: "Only with the loyalty and wisdom of one true minister and a talented general can the Great Wei command thirty thousand troops to defend Qichun and counter Wu forces without any worry!"
Cao Rui sighed lightly: "First of all, where would these thirty thousand troops come from? Such talents, where should I find them? Previously, there was a Chai Kuidao who was both learned and capable. I placed him in Wu City. Now where would there be another Chai Kuidao for me to put in Qichun?"
As Cao Rui was speaking, Sima Yi's expression had already become slightly strange. And as soon as Cao Rui finished his sentence, the right supervisor of the Secretariat, Liu Ye, bowed and replied:
"The affairs of Yangzhou are my suggestion. If Your Majesty really has no one to choose from, I, Liu Ye, am willing to serve as Your Majesty's garrison at Qichun!"
Cao Rui's lips slightly twisted, and he raised his eyes to look at Liu Ye:
"No, I won't allow it!"
Liu Ye became even more embarrassed, bowing his hands: "Yes, Your Majesty, I will comply."
Cao Rui spoke softly: "It's not that you're not capable of leading troops, but Runxu is the foundation for Wei's entry into the Yangtze River. If we take Qichun, we cannot cross the river here. What benefit will this be to the Great Wei?"
"Draft the edict." Cao Rui pointed at Liu Ye. "Ask Duke Chen about it. Ask him which strategy of yours and mine he is willing to implement. Within an hour after receiving this command, choose one of the two plans and have the messenger bring back the result! If he makes a choice, I will allow him to start mobilizing troops immediately!"
"We will comply with Your Majesty's command!" Sima Yi and Liu Ye stood up together, bowing deeply in respect. (This chapter ends.)
