Three Kingdoms: The Peerless Strategist of Wei

Chapter 6 was right?!

Diao Chan and Zhou Tai were both taken aback upon hearing this.

Zhou Tai scratched his head, puzzled, and asked, "Liheng, we're doing just fine here in Gu Family Village, why are we suddenly going to Ye County?"

"Of course, it's to make big money."

A playful smile appeared on Gu Cheng's face.

"make money?"

Zhou Tai looked completely bewildered and pressed for an answer: "How do you make money?"

Gu Cheng said calmly, "You should immediately use all your funds to buy up large quantities of grain, then transport it all to Ye County to stockpile. Just wait to raise prices and make a fortune."

"Ye County?"

Zhou Tai's eyes darted around, and he suddenly realized, "Ye County is close to Wancheng. I heard that Cao Sikong is preparing to launch a southern expedition against Zhang Xiu in Wancheng. Could it be that you are planning to sell grain to Cao's army?"

"Otherwise, what else could we do but sell it to Zhang Xiu?"

Gu Cheng retorted with a cold laugh.

Zhou Tai suddenly realized, but then said with some worry, "But I heard that Cao Sikong has already prepared enough provisions for this southern expedition, so I'm afraid he won't even look at our meager grain."

Don't worry.

Gu Cheng said meaningfully, "Cao Cao will definitely suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of Zhang Xiu this time. At that time, his supplies will be completely exhausted, and he will only be able to retreat to Ye County. Our grain will be just what he needs to solve his immediate crisis!"

This statement came out.

Zhou Tai and Diao Chan's expressions changed drastically at the same time.

"Everyone says that Cao Cao is a brilliant strategist, and this southern expedition is well-prepared with strong troops and ample supplies. How could Zhang Xiu possibly defeat Cao Cao?"

Even Diaochan, who knew nothing about military strategy, knew that the two sides were vastly different in strength and that Cao Cao was bound to win.

"Yes, Liheng."

Zhou Tai nodded repeatedly and advised, "Grain prices are high right now. If we use all our money to buy grain, and then we can't sell it, all the money we made before will be wasted."

"What, you don't believe my judgment?"

Gu Cheng stared intently at the two of them and asked.

Upon hearing this, Diao Chan's expression hardened, and she nodded emphatically: "Young Master has always been incredibly insightful, and I trust you. I will go and arrange the grain purchase now."

Zhou Tai sighed and said, "Alright, brother, I'll trust you this once. Let's go buy the grain!"

...

Seven days later.

Under Zhou Tai's protection, Gu Cheng led dozens of large carts loaded with grain southward from Xudu to Ye County.

After arriving in Ye County, Gu Cheng bought a spacious house in the south of the city and began a two-month period of seclusion.

at the same time.

Cao Cao personally led 30,000 elite Cao troops, setting off from Xuchang and heading south towards Wancheng.

When news of Cao Cao's army's large-scale southward advance reached the south, the entire Nanyang Commandery was shaken, and even Liu Biao, the governor of Jingzhou, who was far away in Xiangyang, was uneasy.

On the third day of the first month of the second year of Jian'an, Cao Cao's army captured Bowang City, the northern gateway to Wancheng, without shedding a drop of blood.

This city is only fifty miles away from Wancheng.

Inside the main hall of the Bowangcheng County Government.

Cao Cao was discussing with his strategists and generals the specific strategy for capturing Wancheng.

"Report—!"

"Reporting to the Minister of Works: Zhang Xiu of Wancheng has sent a messenger with a handwritten letter!"

A member of the Tiger Guard rushed into the hall and presented a sealed letter with both hands.

Upon seeing the letter from Wancheng, Cao Cao's eyes flickered, and a strong premonition suddenly arose in his heart.

"Could it be that Gu Cheng's prediction really came true..."

He was momentarily lost in thought, then waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "Open the letter and read it aloud in front of everyone!"

The Tiger Guard soldier received the order, opened the letter, and read it aloud in front of everyone.

It was actually a letter of surrender!

In his letter, Zhang Xiu expressed his willingness to lead his troops to submit to the imperial court and accept the command of the Minister of Works.

The lobby erupted in excitement, with everyone's faces beaming with delight.

Cao Cao suddenly stood up and looked anxiously at Xi Zhicai beside him.

At this moment, Xi Zhicai's eyes were also filled with disbelief and shock.

"Gu Cheng was right! This man is truly a genius, a master strategist!"

Both Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai had this same thought in their minds.

Cao Cao suppressed his excitement, snatched the letter, and read it over and over again before he was convinced that Zhang Xiu really wanted to open the city gates and surrender.

"I, Cao Cao, am determined to take this son-in-law!"

Cao Cao was in high spirits and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The news of Zhang Xiu's surrender quickly spread throughout Cao Cao's army camp, and the entire army was overjoyed and excited.

That afternoon.

Cao Cao then led his army south and successfully reached the walls of Wancheng.

As promised, Zhang Xiu opened the gates of Wancheng, led his troops to surrender, and personally went to Cao Cao's camp to meet Cao Cao.

At this time, Zhang Xiu still had 7,000 elite Xiliang cavalry under his command. These men were his old subordinates who had followed Zhang Xiu in his campaigns in the north and south, and they only obeyed Zhang Xiu's orders.

To appease the 7,000 Xiliang cavalry, Cao Cao bestowed great rewards upon Zhang Xiu and allowed him to continue commanding his former troops.

...

One month later, in the main hall of Wancheng County Government.

"Over the past month, Cao Cao has frequently summoned the officers and generals of our various camps, and he has been very generous in bestowing rewards upon them. Now, when the officers in our camps mention Cao Cao, they all speak highly of him and are filled with gratitude."

"Young General, Cao Cao is clearly trying to win over people's hearts and poach your men!"

Hu Che'er said with a solemn expression.

Zhang Xiu, sitting in the main seat, had a face so gloomy it could drip water, and his hands were clenched into fists.

Hu Che'er lowered his voice again and said, "This humble general has also heard that Cao Cao has actually set his sights on Lady Zou, wanting to take her as a concubine. If this succeeds, our Zhang family army will truly become Cao family's army!"

"What?! Is that really true?"

Zhang Xiu's expression changed drastically. He stood up abruptly, his tone filled with anger and tension.

Lady Zou was the widow of his uncle Zhang Ji. She held a very high position in Zhang's army, and all the soldiers respected her.

Even after Zhang Ji died in battle, it was Madam Zou who made the decision that the Zhang family army would support him as the new commander.

Cao Cao wanted to take Lady Zou as a concubine, which was clearly an attempt to use Lady Zou's prestige to weaken his control over Zhang's army and ultimately seize his military power!

"Jia Wenhe!"

Zhang Xiu glared angrily at the white-haired scholar beside him and complained sharply, "You were the one who strongly urged me to surrender to Cao Cao back then, but now Cao Cao is going too far and wants to seize my military power. What do you suggest we do now?!"

That white-haired scholar was none other than Jia Xu, known as the "Poisonous Scholar".

His gaze was cold and calm as he slowly stroked his white beard, remaining silent for a long time.

After a long silence, Jia Xu let out a soft sigh and said in a deep voice, "Since that's the case, then General, why don't you rebel? Let's catch Cao Cao off guard and launch a surprise attack!"

Meanwhile, inside the central command tent of Cao Cao's army camp.

Cao Cao was holding a wine cup, sipping slowly, but his gaze fell on his eldest son, Cao Ang.

"Father, in the past month, we have successfully won over more than half of the officers and soldiers in Zhang Xiu's army. They are all grateful to you and hold you in high esteem."

Cao Ang bowed to report.

Cao Cao's eyes showed satisfaction, and he nodded, saying, "Ang'er, you have done a good job. Continue to do so, and do not be stingy with money."

"I understand."

Cao Ang cupped his hands in response.

He hesitated for a moment, as if he had something else to say, but then stopped himself from speaking.

Cao Cao noticed his hesitation, so he waved his hand and said, "Between father and son, you can speak freely without any worries."

Cao Ang hesitated for a moment before mustering his courage to ask, "Forgive my bluntness, but Father, is it truly necessary for you to take Zhang Xiu's aunt, Zou, as your wife?"

"You, you're still too young. Do you really think your father is just lustful?"

Cao Cao sneered and asked in return.

Cao Ang was taken aback upon hearing this, and a look of bewilderment appeared in his eyes.

Just then.

Xi Zhicai explained with a smile, "Young Master, you may not know this, but that Zou woman carries considerable weight in the Zhang family army. After Zhang Ji's death, Zhang Xiu was able to smoothly take over the Zhang family army entirely thanks to Zou's strong support. That's why the Minister of Works wants to take her as a concubine."

After listening to Xi Zhicai's explanation, Cao Ang suddenly understood.

He couldn't help but look ashamed, and cupped his hands, saying, "So Father intended to use the matter of taking a concubine to further win over the hearts of the Zhang family army. I was foolish and failed to understand Father's deeper meaning. Please forgive me."

"You don't need to blame yourself."

Cao Cao waved his hand and said calmly, "You are still young. The art of political maneuvering cannot be learned overnight. Learn it slowly."

Cao Ang finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The air inside the central command tent was filled with the aroma of wine, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

Just then.

Dian Wei strode into the tent, cupped his hands, and reported: "Minister of Works, Zhang Xiu has sent another hundred jars of fine wine from Nanyang to reward the troops."

"Distribute it all out so that all the soldiers in the camp can have a taste."

Cao Cao said dismissively.

Xi Zhicai suddenly frowned, a hint of ominous gloom flashing in his eyes.

Sudden.

His expression suddenly changed, and he involuntarily shivered.

"Zhicai, what's wrong? Is something on your mind?" Cao Cao keenly noticed his unusual behavior and asked.

Xi Zhicai's expression hardened, and he quickly cupped his hands, saying, "Minister, I suddenly remembered that at the end of last month when I went to the Gu family's pharmacy in Xu County to purchase medicine for the army's wounds, that young master Gu Cheng solemnly reminded me that although Zhang Xiu had surrendered, he was very likely to rebel again!"

"Um?"

Cao Cao's hand, which was holding a wine cup, suddenly paused. A glint flashed in his eyes, and he asked urgently, "Did he really say that to you word for word?"

Xi Zhicai nodded heavily, his expression extremely solemn.

"Sikong, you secretly sent people to win over Zhang Xiu's old troops in Liangzhou. It's impossible that Zhang Xiu was unaware of this. Normally, he would harbor deep resentment. But instead of showing any dissatisfaction, he has been sending fine wine and cattle and sheep from Xiliang to reward our army day after day. This is really too abnormal."

"Just three days ago, Zhang Xiu specifically submitted a memorial requesting that his army camp be moved to the high ground north of Wancheng. That terrain is more than three zhang higher than our army camp. Standing on it, we can see every move of our army camp clearly, which creates a superior and oppressive situation!"

"These unusual signs suddenly connected in my mind, instantly reminding me of Young Master Gu's warning. Could it be that Zhang Xiu has been harboring evil intentions all along and has been secretly plotting a rebellion?"

Xi Zhicai poured out all the worries that had been building up in his heart, word by word.

Cao Cao's bronze wine cup shook violently, spilling a few drops of wine onto the brocade cloth on the table.

"Father, who exactly is this Young Master Gu?"

"Since Zhang Xiu has already surrendered the city, why would he go back on his word and rebel again?"

Cao Ang stood to the side, his brows furrowed, his eyes full of doubt, clearly not quite believing the matter.

"Bang!"

Cao Cao slammed his wine cup down on the table, spilling wine everywhere. He said in a deep voice, "This man has predicted things with uncanny accuracy several times before. It's better to believe it's true than not! Immediately issue the order to all camps to stop their banquets and put the entire army on high alert!"

"promise!"

Xi Zhicai bowed and accepted the order, then turned and quickly left.

The order quickly spread throughout Cao Cao's camp.

The Cao army soldiers, who were drunk and staggering, were driven out of their tents by their respective captains and officers, who shouted and cursed at them. One by one, they picked up their weapons and stumbled towards the camp wall to set up defenses.

North of Wancheng, Zhang Xiu's army camp.

Inside the central command tent, the lights were on, and Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu sat facing each other, discussing something in hushed tones.

"Splash!"

The tent flap was suddenly flung open, and Hu Che'er, dressed in full military attire, strode in, panting heavily, and said, "Young General, our spies planted in Cao Cao's camp just sent an urgent report: Cao Cao's camp has suddenly and comprehensively strengthened its defenses. All soldiers have been driven out of their tents and are now setting up defenses on the camp walls!"

"What?"

Zhang Xiu's expression suddenly changed drastically. He abruptly stood up, his brows furrowed, and said in a deep voice, "How is this possible? How could Cao Cao suddenly notice something amiss? Our plan was flawless, every step was watertight, there's no way he could have discovered it!"

"I've heard that Xi Zhicai, one of Cao Cao's generals, is exceptionally intelligent and adept at reading people. Could it be that he's seen through some weakness?"

Hu Che'er frowned and guessed.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiu immediately turned to look at Jia Xu beside him.

Jia Xu slowly stroked his white beard and said, "Xi Zhicai is indeed quite resourceful and can be considered one of the top strategists in Cao Cao's camp. However, with his intelligence, he may not be able to see through my elaborate scheme. There must be another reason behind this. Someone else must have reminded Cao Cao."

"Someone else?"

Zhang Xiu's eyes were filled with astonishment, and he asked doubtfully, "Sir, your plans are always flawless. Apart from Xi Zhicai, who else in this world could see through them beforehand?"

"I can't figure out who this person is for the time being, but to be able to see through my scheme in advance, this person's wisdom is probably even greater than mine."

Jia Xu sighed softly, a hint of indescribable admiration appearing in his eyes.

Zhang Xiu immediately became anxious and stepped forward, saying, "Mr. Wenhe, now that Cao Cao has become aware of the situation, what should we do now? Should we continue with the plan?"

Jia Xu sneered, a cold glint in his eyes: "It's alright. Most of Cao Cao's soldiers have been thoroughly drunk by the fine wine we've been sending them for days. Even if Cao Cao realizes it now, it's too late. Let's just turn the tables and strike ahead of time, immediately leading the entire army in a night raid on Cao Cao's camp!"

"good!"

Zhang Xiu's eyes flashed with murderous intent. He grabbed the tiger-headed golden spear standing to the side and shouted sharply, "Pass down the order! The entire army must assemble immediately and follow me to break through Cao Cao's camp and capture Cao Cao alive!"