This urgent dispatch arrived almost immediately after the previous one from Xuchang, which had been sent as a seven-hundred-li urgent report.
The two urgent reports were dispatched only two days apart.
However, one was carried by horse at a full gallop, while the other was carried by carrier pigeon. Naturally, their speeds were incomparable.
As both were urgent reports from Henei, the soldier responsible for delivering the message dared not delay and immediately went to find Chancellor Cao.
At this moment…
Beside the Sishui River, Cao Cao’s mood had somewhat eased, but Xun You and Xi Zhicai were still somewhat worried.
Xun You proactively suggested, "Chancellor Cao, while it is true… Grand Scribe Lu’s words are all reasonable, and his analysis has always been precise, to ensure absolute certainty, we should still make preparations for both eventualities!"
"In my opinion, why not… mobilize some troops from Lujiang, Xuzhou, and Yuzhou to reinforce Xiapi, and continue to pressure Lu Bu. Our main army can also be ready to return and reinforce at any time! Should an accident truly occur, we would not be flustered or at a loss…"
As these words left his mouth, Cao Cao nodded.
Xun You was always steady and meticulous in his work; making preparations for both eventualities was very sensible.
"Very well… however…"
Cao Cao first nodded to Xun You, expressing his agreement.
Then, he turned his gaze back to Lu Yu. "Grand Scribe Lu, you are the most astute; do you have any plans to capture Xiapi city in a short time?"
Cao Cao's expression had already softened considerably. He was even trying to explore a new line of thought, to see if Xiapi could be captured in one decisive push within a short period.
If Xiapi could be taken, even if Zhang Yang launched a surprise attack on the rear, with Xiapi already captured, it would be a done deal. Zhang Yang would have to return in vain. This could be considered… another way to break the stalemate.
However…
Lu Yu shook his head slightly. "Chancellor Cao, you must know that even if we resort to a direct assault, Xiapi might still be taken, but the casualties among the soldiers are likely something you cannot accept. Furthermore, all our previous plans would be wasted…"
"Sun Tzu's Art of War states: The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. It is best to take the enemy's state intact; to attack it and break it is the next best. It is best to take the enemy's army intact; to shatter it is the next best. It is best to take the enemy's battalion intact; to break it is the next best! To defeat the enemy without bloodshed far surpasses attacking a city!"
"Moreover… I have observed the celestial phenomena, and an opportunity will present itself next month… At that time, our army can capture Xiapi city without bloodshed!"
Upon saying this, Lu Yu’s gaze swept towards the Sishui River.
Next month? Sishui River?
Xun You seemed to understand instantly. "Grand Scribe Lu means to use the Sishui River?"
Precisely…
Lu Yu nodded, but Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai had not yet reacted. Cao Ren directly asked, "The Sishui River is used for defending the city… How can it be used for attacking!"
As this sentence left his mouth, Lu Yu smiled slightly. He looked at Xun You, "Please, Military Advisor Xun, explain this to everyone on my behalf!"
"Alright…" Xun You smiled lightly and recited, "The weather has been unpredictable recently, with heavy clouds, yet no rain for a long time, which is extremely strange."
"And based on Grand Scribe Lu's predictions from the Yin-Yang school’s Five Qi and Eight Auspices, he has likely foreseen that there will be a torrential downpour next month, hasn't he? The Sishui River is indeed used for defending the city, but, haha… what is gained from it, can also be destroyed by it!"
Understanding the implication…
From Lu Yu's mention of observing celestial phenomena, to his gaze directed at the Sishui River, and to this capricious weather!
This was enough for Xun You to fully deduce his intentions.
A torrential downpour; Xun You could not pinpoint the exact day, but… it was likely imminent, with the wind filling the tower signaling the coming rain.
Hearing this…
Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai suddenly understood.
Fei'er and Gongda intended to divert the water of the Si River to flood Xiapi city, intending to turn Lu Bu and his Bing Province troops into drowned rats!
And as far as Cao Cao knew…
The only one in Xiapi city who could devise such a plan was Chen Gong, and precisely because of Fei'er's planning, Chen Gong was not being utilized.
– Water and fire are merciless; heaven aids us!
Cao Cao's heart suddenly surged with excitement.
However, before this surge of excitement could fully manifest, Cao Cao's mood sank again.
If this torrential downpour was to occur next month, what about this month?
Cao Cao’s gaze involuntarily drifted towards the northwest. He was still concerned about the Henei region and Zhang Yang, who was advancing south.
If…
If, as Fei'er had predicted, Zhang Yang's southward advance was stillborn, then… then the Central Plains would truly be pacified!
Just then.
The sound of "dada da" from horse hooves echoed by the Sishui River. A Tiger Guard soldier on horseback shouted, "Chancellor Cao, urgent dispatch, urgent dispatch from Henei!"
Henei? Urgent dispatch?
Another urgent dispatch from Henei? How long had it been since the last one? Another one had arrived so soon?
Cao Cao’s expression turned stern…
At this moment, not only Cao Cao, but everyone’s hearts were in their throats. There were two possibilities: one was that, as Lu Yu had said, a turning point had occurred in Henei, but this possibility was very slim, given how close the two urgent dispatches were; even with a turning point, it shouldn't have happened so quickly.
The other possibility was that Zhang Yang had already dispatched his troops, and perhaps… had even reached Dongshi County!
The worst-case scenario was that Dongshi County had fallen.
"Read it directly!" Cao Cao's expression was exceedingly cold. He maintained an unwavering demeanor, as if nothing had happened. Even if something had truly occurred in the rear, he, Cao Cao, had to remain calm. If he panicked, the entire Cao camp would fall into disarray.
Cao Ren took the urgent dispatch from the Tiger Guard soldier and quickly unfolded it.
"Henei spies sent a carrier pigeon to the Imperial Secretariat: Zhang Yang has assembled a five-thousand-man army and intends to march south the next day, attacking Dongshi Commandery, with his forces pointing directly at Xuchang City. This is a crisis of life and death, but… Long Xiao Battalion’s Commander Cheng Yu has gone to Henei Commandery alone…"
Cheng Yu…
Indeed, it was exactly as Fei'er had said, Cheng Yu had arrived in Henei Commandery.
So… what happens next?
Hearing this, Cao Cao's heart was racing. His gaze involuntarily turned to Lu Yu.
Lu Yu could no longer contain himself, his pupils widening. Had Cheng Yu succeeded or not?
Although he had confidence, confidence and reality were two different matters.
"Zixiao, focus on the important points and read faster!" Cao Cao urged anxiously…
– "Zhang Yang has been executed!"
– "……"
It had to be admitted that Lord Xun’s urgent dispatch was too verbose. The important points in the entire text were so few, almost as watered down as some novels from later generations, making one’s temper flare.
Cao Ren finally found the crucial parts. When he read aloud – "Zhang Yang has been executed" – the entire world fell silent.
Silence, a silence so profound that a needle drop could be heard.
Cao Ren felt as though he had misread. He quickly combined it with the context and read it again, continuing to recite.
– "Commander Cheng successfully incited the enemy general Yang Chou. At dawn the next day, the three armies mutinied, Zhang Yang was executed! All resisters were killed!"
"……"
Another round of gasps of cold air!
Even with Cao Ren combining it with the context and reading it a second time, the surroundings remained silent, as if… the entire world had frozen, with only the faint sound of exhaled air in the atmosphere.
Xi Zhicai was the first to react. His furrowed brow was filled with excitement. "Zhongde… Zhongde actually… actually did it!"
Lu Yu also let out a long sigh of relief.
Indeed, Cheng Yu was still Cheng Yu, the one who dared to be the first, dared to eat human flesh, was revered by ghosts and spirits, and was known as the terror of the Central Plains, Zhongde Yu!
Amazing, truly amazing!
Inciting Yang Chou to rebel and executing Zhang Yang was ordinary.
But… the crucial point was that after eliminating the rebels, the entire Henei region was adorned with banners bearing the character "Cao". This altered the historical records.
In other words, Yang Chou was not killed in retaliation, but rather killed Sui Gu. The Henei army transformed and joined Cao Ying. This was a gain for them and a loss for the enemy, a substantial profit!
This time, Cheng Yu had performed a great service!
Cao Cao’s expression had softened considerably, but he remained anxious. He asked urgently, "What happened after that?"
On the faces of Xun You and Xi Zhicai, relief was gradually appearing. Upon hearing the words "Zhang Yang has been executed," Xi Zhicai's voice became choked with emotion.
As a military advisor, he understood perfectly… the implications of Zhang Yang's death for the current situation. Without worries in the rear, they could slowly wear down Lu Bu in Xiapi city. Moreover… they could make a series of plans, and the room for maneuver had undoubtedly expanded significantly.
"Zhang Yang’s deputy, Yang Chou, voluntarily surrendered the Henei Commandery seals and household registration. The heads of Zhang Yang and a group of rebels were hung on the city walls of Henei. The entire Henei region was filled with banners bearing the character 'Cao'. Over thirty thousand Henei soldiers surrendered to Chancellor Cao! The Imperial Secretariat has already dispatched officials to accept the surrender!"
Cheng Yu was on a path to "defy the heavens"!
Cao Cao's mind raced through countless thoughts. He couldn't help but feel an immeasurable stirring in his heart, overwhelming joy…
Just as Fei'er had said, Zhang Yang's rebellion had ultimately turned from a great disaster into a great fortune. Indeed, fortune and misfortune are intertwined! Until the last moment, it is truly difficult to predict fortune or misfortune!
Hoo…
Lu Yu also let out a long sigh of relief. Although only thirty thousand Henei soldiers surrendered, it was slightly less than the number he had anticipated.
He felt a little bit of regret in his heart!
He imagined that the remaining twenty thousand were still loyal to Zhang Yang. It was a pity they would never have thought that their comrades of yesterday would stab them fatally in the chest today!
What a tragic death!
Of course, thirty thousand surrendered troops were already a considerable number… at least, Cheng Yu's appearance prevented them from surrendering to Yuan Shao, and his contribution was undeniable!
And with this, the number of troops persuaded to surrender by Cheng Yu for Old Cao increased to 180,000.
Good heavens, Old Cao had never fought such a prosperous war before the Battle of Red Cliffs!
Most importantly, Cheng Yu was safe, which was more important than anything. One must know that within the Long Xiao Battalion, Lu Yu valued this Commander Cheng Yu the most!
"Good! Good! Good!" With three consecutive exclamations of "Good," Cao Cao could no longer suppress the stirrings in his heart. He shouted with great excitement, "Great merit, Grand Scribe Lu has performed greatly; Commander Cheng has performed greatly!"
Hahaha…
Xi Zhicai, Xun You, and Cao Ren all relaxed their brows and smiled!
Of course.
Beyond the stirrings in their hearts and the smiles on their lips, they were even more astonished by Lu Yu!
If not for him having foreseen that Lu Bu would ally with Zhang Yang;
Foreseen that Zhang Yang would launch a surprise attack on the rear;
Foreseen that Zhang Yang's subordinates harbored rebellious thoughts, foreseen that he would ultimately be abandoned by all, and then, at the opportune moment, arranged for Cheng Yu to go, what would the situation be like now?
Of course, for Xi Zhicai, Xun You, and Cao Ren…
This astonishment towards Lu Yu quickly dissipated.
It seemed…
No one’s heart was as shaken as imagined, as if they had grown accustomed to it!
Lu Yu’s flawless planning, his foresight in anticipating the enemy, his strategy of attacking the enemy’s mind, and his ability to subdue the enemy without fighting were not new occurrences; they had become accustomed to it.
"Haha…" Cao Cao said with a laugh, "Grand Scribe Lu, this time you and Zhongde have both made great contributions. I shall record these merits for now. After we have eliminated Lu Bu and returned to the court, I will petition His Majesty to grant you rewards!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yu cupped his hands slightly.
"Then Lu Yu thanks Chancellor Cao on behalf of Commander Cheng."
With the rear secured, they could now focus all their attention on Xiapi city before them.
Cao Cao recalled that it seemed Fei'er had made the plan, and Xun You had proactively proposed the water-flooding of Xiapi city.
With this thought in mind, Cao Cao raised his gaze again, looking at the surging Sishui River behind him.
"Grand Scribe Lu, Gongda, why don't you explain in detail about this matter of flooding Xiapi."
Upon saying this, Cao Cao seemed to recall something. His eyes turned back to Lu Yu. "Grand Scribe Lu, why don't you speak frankly, will there really be a torrential downpour next month? Specifically, on which day? And how heavy will this downpour be?"
This…
Lu Yu scratched his head. He didn’t know the answers to these soul-stirring questions posed by Cao Cao!
Indeed, whether through dramatic interpretation or historical records, the "flooding of Xiapi" at this time had been documented. However, Lu Yu did not know the specific date!
He was not the Dragon King; how could he calculate the date of rain just by counting on his fingers!
It was merely a pretense, a way to maintain his "divine status" as a descendant of the Yin-Yang school!
However…
The general idea was sound.
"Chancellor Cao, I predict the heavy rain will occur next month, but the specific day is hard to say… this is beyond my ability!"
Lu Yu was very honest. "However, regardless of which day the torrential downpour occurs, time is now extremely tight for Chancellor Cao!"
Lu Yu paused here.
"There are two rivers outside Xiapi city – the Sishui and the Yishui! And before the torrential downpour, Chancellor Cao needs to dispatch men to dig trenches around Xiapi city. One end of the trench will be connected to Xiapi city, and the other end will be connected to these two rivers. In this way, when the torrential downpour comes, by opening the last section of the river, the water level will rise and flood Xiapi city!"
Do not think that in the television dramas, the scene of flooding Xiapi was passed over in a single shot.
However, in actual operation, it was not simple; this was a major engineering project that would involve tens of thousands of engineers.
Hoo…
Digging deep trenches? Flooding with river water?
Cao Cao’s eyes narrowed. His gaze followed the Sishui River beside him towards Xiapi city not far away. He was carefully assessing how long it would take to dig such a deep trench.
Would it be in time for the torrential downpour?
After careful consideration, Cao Cao’s eyes suddenly widened.
"Zixiao…"
"Your subordinate is present." Cao Ren cupped his hands.
"Immediately deploy all soldiers to surround Xiapi city and dig deep trenches to divert the Yishui and Sishui rivers to flood Xiapi city!" Cao Cao commanded decisively.
"Yes…" Cao Ren cupped his hands and accepted the order.
Deploying the entire army to dig trenches would certainly be fast, but it carried a hidden danger. If Lu Bu were to lead his troops out at this moment, it would be a different story.
However, Cao Cao was certain that Lu Bu, without Chen Gong's assistance, would not think of this!
He wouldn't even guess why the Cao army was digging trenches!
The silly and cute Lu Bu, at times, seemed truly adorable.
Heh heh…
The floodwaters flooding in, the water-flooding of Xiapi, they would just have to wait until next month.
With this thought in mind, a sharp glint appeared in Cao Cao's eyes, as if Xiapi city was already within his grasp, and as for the Central Plains, heh heh, he, Cao Cao, was about to ascend to dominance of the Central Plains!
…
…
Inside the prison of Xiapi city.
Chen Gong sat on the ground, his hair disheveled. Before him was a worn stone desk, upon which were placed a plate of small dishes and a pot of wine.
The prison was extremely cold, causing Chen Gong to shiver all over.
But… at least there was this small pot of wine. When he couldn't bear it, he would take a small sip, and a warmth would spread through his body.
Speaking of which, Chen Gong always held his head high. His innate unyielding spirit and steadfast conviction prevented him from yielding.
Even in this unfavorable situation?
Even if he could not see the light for an entire day.
But…
Hope, he still held hope in his heart.
When Zhang Yang launched a surprise attack on Xuchang city, and when the Cao army retreated, Lu Bu would awaken and realize that he, Chen Gong, was the truly loyal minister!
"Bring this lord another pot of wine…" Chen Gong shouted to the prison guards. "I tell you, it won't be more than two days before the Cao army retreats, and Fengxian will realize that I, Chen Gong, am the one who helps him! Unlike some villains who smile with daggers hidden in their mouths and speak honeyed words!"
"When I get out, you… you will all be rewarded! Hurry, bring this lord some wine!"
Indeed…
The wine and small dishes before Chen Gong’s table were specially prepared for him by the prison guards.
Firstly, Lu Bu had ordered them to treat him well!
Secondly, judging by Marquis Wen’s intentions, it seemed Mr. Chen still had room for negotiation. At this juncture, if they were to offer assistance during his misfortune, perhaps… they could achieve prosperity and wealth in the future!
"Mr. Chen, we have drunk all the wine in this prison… there is none left, but… please don't be angry, I will go to the wine shop to get some for you!"
The prison guard called out with a smile…
Chen Gong, however, waved his hand. "By the way, go out and inquire about the situation outside the city? Has the Cao army made any new moves?"
"This…" The prison guard replied truthfully, "Didn't I tell you? The Cao army has been digging holes recently. I don't know what they are thinking, do they really want to dig tunnels to get in!"
Digging tunnels…
Such a novel tactic was indeed used by someone during the Three Kingdoms period!
This was Yuan Shao Yuan Benchu's moment of glory.
At this very moment, he and Gongsun Zan were locked in a fierce battle in You Province. Yuan Shao adopted the tactic of digging tunnels, and a single tunnel captured Zhuo Commandery, the largest city in You Province!
Even Gongsun Zan could not help but exclaim – Yuan Shi’s attacks seemed like those of gods and demons; horns sounded from beneath the earth, and siege engines danced upon my towers!
The principle was indeed as stated!
But…
You Province was You Province, and the moat of Xiapi city was deep. How could they possibly dig through with tunnels!
"Tunnels? They are still digging tunnels?" Chen Gong's eyes narrowed… "Go, go get some wine. This time, inquire if there is any news from Henei Commandery…"
Mentioning Henei Commandery, Chen Gong's tone became significantly heavier. Naturally… this was what he was most concerned about now.
The turnaround depended entirely on this!
"Alright…"
Saying this, the prison guard prepared to leave the prison.
Unexpectedly, as he turned, with a "bang," the prison guard felt as if he had bumped into a wall.
He was thrown back and, looking up, was immediately terrified…
"Marquis Wen, this subordinate did not know it was Marquis Wen who arrived, please forgive my offense, forgive my offense…"
The prison guard called out in a hurry…
That’s right, the visitor was none other than Lu Bu, and he had been listening outside the door for a long time.
Hoo…
With a cold exhale, he pushed aside the prison guard before him, his eyes gazing deeply at Chen Gong. "Sir, you seem to be living quite well in this prison, with wine and meat!"
Seeing Lu Bu, Chen Gong became agitated. He grabbed the prison bars with both hands.
"Fengxian, is it… is it that news has come from Henei! Is it that Cao Cao… has Cao Cao retreated!"
Hearing this…
Lu Bu’s eyes narrowed.
He paused for a moment before finally saying, "Indeed, news has come from Henei… however…"
Visibly, Lu Bu’s fists clenched tightly. The force of this grip was enough to crush stone steps. "Just as Mr. Chen said, Henei has indeed brought good news!"
Boom…
A punch was thrown… no, to be precise, a punch was hurled!
The fierce force, like the full might of an ox concentrated on a single point, smashed forcefully towards the prison bars before him!
…
…