At the end of the ninth year of Jian'an (196), Ma Yue led his army to fight in person, Zhang Lu rebelled and surrendered, and Hanzhong was settled.

When Liu Zhang, the governor of Yizhou, heard the news, urgently ordered the general Yang Huai to lead an army of 30,000 to defend Jiameng Pass, and ordered the powerful general Zhang Ren in Shu to lead 3,000 elite troops to guard the dangerous Jiange, and strictly prevent the Liang army from taking advantage of the situation to go south and plot against Xichuan.

During the heyday of the Western Han Dynasty, Yizhou once had a population of more than 7 million.

Later, after the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the population of Yizhou decreased significantly. However, during the Jian'an period, Liu Yan and Liu Zhang and his son ruled Yizhou, they adopted a policy of rest with the people. The situation in Yizhou did not worsen as the Central Plains states due to warlords, so there were still nearly five million people! Among them, Shu County, Yongchang County (now Yunnan, Guizhou area), and Ba County each had a population of more than one million, which was the three largest counties with the largest population in Yizhou.

Such a huge population base is undoubtedly quite terrifying, far from comparable to a population of only 200,000 in Hanzhong.

Although Liu Zhang was incompetent, he had some talents under his command, including Zhang Song, Dong He, Wang Lei and others in literature, Yan Yan, Zhang Ren, Yang Huai, Wu Yi, Lei Tong, and Wu Lan. He was both civil and military. Moreover, from Hanzhong to Xichuan, there were natural dangers and obstacles on the road. Jiange and Jiameng Pass were all natural dangers. One man was at the pass, and tens of thousands of men could not open it.

More importantly, the Liang army was not familiar with the terrain of Xichuan, and Li Su's fine nets made no achievements in Xichuan. When the weather, place, and people were not in good condition, it was likely to be dragged into the long-term consumption quagmire by the Sichuan army, which is what the current Liangzhou military group should try hard to avoid.

After careful consideration, Ma Yue and Jia Xu both believed that the time to go south to Xichuan was far from ripe, so they finally decided to give up attacking Xichuan and led their troops north to Guanzhong in the first month of the tenth year of Jian'an (197).

In the summer of the tenth year of Jian'an, Emperor Xian of Han.

The Central Plains was severely drought, the Yellow River was broken, the red land was thousands of miles away, and the people in Yan and Henan had no harvest, and the people fed each other. However, Hebei was in good weather and rain, and wheat was harvested in spring. Yuan Shao believed that this was a metaphor for the celestial phenomena. The time for going south to the Central Plains and attacking Cao Cao was ripe. So in July of the tenth year of Jian'an (197), the adviser Chen Qun wrote a manifesto to fight against the thieves and inform the world.

In mid-August, Yuan Shao set off a total of 300,000 troops from Ji, You, Qing, and the four prefectures, and claimed to be 700,000 to the outside world. He marched towards Liyang from all over Hebei. It was not until early September that the armies gathered outside Liyang City one after another, and the camps lasted for hundreds of miles, which was quite spectacular.

In mid-September, Yuan Shao ordered his eldest son Yuan Tan to lead 30,000 elite troops from Youzhou to cross the Yellow River to attack Baima, and ordered his second son Yuan Xi to lead 30,000 elite troops from Qingzhou to attack Yanjin. The famous battle of Guandu broke out.

Nanyang County.

Ma Yue and Jia Xu, who had arrived in Wancheng for a long time, hurried to the Liang army camp in the east of Wancheng. Li Su, who arrived in Wancheng first, had already been waiting outside the gate with Ma Chao. Ma Yue turned over and dismounted, and his personal soldiers had already stepped forward and led the horse reins. Ma Yue threw the whip in his hand into the arms of his personal soldiers. While walking towards the central tent, he turned around and asked Ma Chao. Li Su said, "What is the situation of the battle between Meng Qi, Zi Yan, Yuan and Cao?"

Ma Chao followed Ma Yue step by step and replied respectfully: "Brother, Yuan Shao's 700,000 army has gathered and stood on standby in Liyang, and Cao Cao is also gathering troops to transport grain and grass, preparing to go north to Guandu to fight Yuan Shao."

"Seven hundred thousand!?"

Ma Yue suddenly stopped and turned around and looked at Ma Chao in disbelief.

Li Su hurriedly said: "Yuan Shao is just bluffing. Although he claims to be 700,000, he thinks that the Hebei army has only 300,000 at most!"

"Well, the number of 300,000 is more credible." Ma Yue said, "Although Yuan Shao has been desperately expanding his army in recent years, the population of Jizhou, Qingzhou, Youzhou and Bingzhou has increased by as many as seven or eight million people, it would be a bit exaggerated to say that Yuan Shao can pull up a 700,000 army within a few years."

Jia Xu said: "Even if there are only 300,000, it is far from what Cao Cao can compare to!"

Ma Chao said: "What the military advisor said is that in recent years, Yan and Henan Province have suffered natural disasters and the people have lived in poverty. Moreover, Cao Cao and our army have been fighting for many years, which consumes a lot. Although they annexed Xuzhou last year, they can only alleviate the embarrassment of lack of money and food. In less than three to five years, it will be difficult for the Cao army to recover its vitality."

Li Su said: "According to the detailed information sent back, I think that Cao Cao could only assemble 30,000 troops in this battle of Guandu, which means that Cao's army's strength was only one-tenth of that of Yuan Shao's army. Moreover, in the first half of this year, Yan and Henan provinces suffered another severe drought, and Cao's army's military rations were extremely scarce, so it may be difficult to maintain it for a long time."

Just as they were talking, everyone had already arrived at Ma Chao's central army tent.

Ma Yue stood in front of the screen with a big golden sword. Li Su rushed forward and put down the rolled-up map. Ma Chao reached out and pointed to Ma Yue and said, "Brother, please see, this is Li Yang, Yuan Shao's army gathered here, this is white horse, this is Yanjin, and Yuan Tan and Yuan Xi's army are attacking these two places."

Ma Yue said: "Who is guarding Baima and Yanjin?"

Ma Chao said: "The White Horse Guardian is Liu Yan, and the Yanjin Guardian is Lu Qian. Both of them have only three thousand county soldiers. Not only are they at an absolute disadvantage in terms of military strength, but they also lack training and their equipment is far inferior to Yuan Shao's army. If Cao Cao does not send reinforcements, at most half a month, the White Horse and Yanjin will be lost."

Ma Yue frowned deeply. Although he knew the Battle of Guandu, he had no idea about the progress of this battle and the rise and fall of both sides. In fact, even if Ma Yue could understand the Battle of Guandu in history, it did not mean that this scene would be repeated here. Because of Ma Yue's arrival, the entire history of the late Han Dynasty had been completely rewritten. No one knows how the Battle of Guandu will develop and evolve?

Jia Xu suddenly asked: "How many troops does the Cao army on the front line of Yingchuan have left behind Luoyang? Who did Cao Cao send to preside over the overall military and political situation in Luoyang? Has the guards of Hangu Pass, Hulao Pass and Yingchuan found out?"

Li Su replied: "The one who presided over the overall situation of Luoyang was Cao Ren and Cao Hong, the one who guarded Hangu Pass was Cao Xiu, and the one who guarded Hulao Pass was Cao Zhen, Cao Cao's adopted son, who was only eighteen years old and very young. However, it is said that he was skillful in bows and horses, very brave, and was taught by Cao Cao in his young age and was very good at strategy. The one who guarded Yingchuan was Cao Cao's confidant general Yu Jin."

"The Cao army on the front line of Yingchuan in Luoyang has about 30,000 troops, including 3,000 Hangu Pass, 2,000 Hulao Pass, and about 10,000 people each. The remaining 5,000 troops were led by Cao Hong to station troops in Yiyang, and they were mutually supportive with Luoyang to prevent our army from heading north from Wancheng and conquer Luoyang."

Ma Yue said sternly: "Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Cao Xiu, Yu Jin, these people are either Cao Cao's clan confidants, or his confidant generals. Cao Zhen was entrusted by Cao Cao to guard Hulao Pass at the age of eighteen. I think it is not an ordinary person! Now that Yuan Shao's army is approaching, Cao Cao's military strength is already in short supply, but even in this situation, Cao Cao has never been willing to mobilize the 30,000 elite soldiers stationed in Luoyang and Yingchuan. It seems... in Cao Cao's heart, he always lists himself as the number one enemy."

Jia Xu sighed and said, "This is Cao Cao. Like his lord, Cao Cao never took Yuan Shao seriously. He always believed that only his lord was his biggest concern."

"Okay, that's the case!" Ma Yue turned around and glanced at everyone and said loudly, "Yuan Shao led his army of 300,000 to Liyang. Cao Cao was about to lead a 300,000 army into Guandu, and the two armies were about to confront each other across the Yellow River! The Cao army left on the western front was about to have about 30,000 troops. Zi Yan has just introduced the force configuration. Everyone will tell you how to fight this battle?"

"It depends on what the lord hopes for the battle to be the result?" Fa Zheng, who had just returned from the Western Regions, suddenly stepped out and said, "The lord just hopes that Cao Cao will perish? Or does Yuan Shao and Cao Cao both suffer losses? Also, does the lord value Yan, Yu and Xuzhou under Cao Cao's rule? Or does the lord value the emperor in Xuchang City more?"

"Good question!" Ma Yue gave Fa Zheng a glimpse of appreciation and said loudly, "There is only one main target of Gu, that is, Cao Cao's defeat. If fish and bear paw can have both, Gu still hopes that Cao Cao can defeat Yuan Shao and both lose money. As for which emperor in Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Xuzhou or Xuchang City is more important, then there is no need to say more, Gu?"

A knowing smile appeared on the corner of Fa Zheng's mouth and asked again: "There is another question, how large-scale army is the lord planning to mobilize to attack Cao Cao?"

"There are not many troops." Ma Yue said, "There are only 40,000 people in total, but whether the 5,000 people from Xu Huang in Hedong and 20,000 Hanzhong surrendered troops from Guanzhong will participate depends on the situation. After all, Shuo, Yong and Liang prefectures are still resting and resting. The food and supplies that our army can raise are extremely limited. As the saying goes, good steel should be used on the blade. I am ready to concentrate this limited food and supplies and fully support the 20,000 elite Liang army in Wancheng!"

"That's very simple." Fa Zheng smiled, "We have won this battle before the battle is fought!"

Ma Yue turned around and glanced at Jia Xu. Jia Xu understood and asked, "Why is Xiaozhi so sure that our army will win?"

Fa Zhengdao: "Cao's army suffered eight defeats, but our army won four victorys, so he won the final victory."

Jia Xu said: "I hope to hear the details."

Fa Zhengdao: "Cao Cao went to war with his two powerful neighbors at the same time with his weak people, which was one defeat; from Yingchuan to Hangu Pass, the Cao army's defense line stretched for thousands of miles, and its troops were scattered, which was easy to be defeated by our army, which was two defeats; Cao army lacked food and grass, which was difficult to last for a long time, which was three defeats; Cao army fought for years, and soldiers were tired of war, which was four defeats; Central Plains suffered natural disasters, and the hearts of the gentry were floating, which was five defeats; Yanzhou had no danger to defend, which was six defeats; Xuzhou's new people's hearts were not stable, which was seven defeats, and Cao's army was mostly infantry, and lacked cavalry and made them slow, which was eight defeats!"

"Our army is very good and the food is enough, the generals and commanders are united, and the three armies use their lives. This is one victory; the people under the rule are rich and well-dressed, and people are determined and have no worries. This is two victory; the power of the Western Liang iron cavalry is thunderous, and the Kwantung Army is difficult to compete with, which is three victory; our army takes over the remaining power of the victory of a hundred and gathers 20,000 elite troops to attack Cao's army, which is like a powerful crossbow to break the oars and white silk, which is four victory."

"What a gathering of 20,000 elite troops to attack Cao's army, with a force like a powerful crossbow and breaking the oars and straits!" Ma Yue was ignited by Fa Zheng's incisive and unique analysis, and said excitedly, "In accordance with Xiaozhi's opinion, what point should our army attack Cao's army?"

Fa walked to the map with a smile, stretched out his hand and finally settled between Yingchuan and Yingyang, saying loudly: "Now the Central Plains is severely drought, the Yellow River is cut off, and the Yingshui level has also been greatly reduced. The defense line arranged by Cao's army along the Yingshui River is vulnerable! Our army can completely bypass the dangerous ferry crossings that Cao's army has heavily defended and forcibly built a floating bridge to cross the river in the middle section!"

Ma Yue's face suddenly changed, and he crossed Yingshui from the direction of Fa Zheng's finger, which was less than a hundred miles away from Xuchang!

Xuchang, Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Cao Cao looked gloomy and was staring at the map on the table and was deeply thinking. In the hall, Cheng Yu, Xun You, Xun Yu, Liu Ye, Jia Kui and others all looked solemn. Tibetan Ba, Yin Li, Sun Guan, Zhang Liao, Song Xian, Cao Bao, and Guan Yu were also silent. The atmosphere in the hall seemed a bit solemn.

The sound of rapid footsteps suddenly sounded outside the hall. When Cao Cao looked back, Guo Jia had already walked in from outside the hall with a slight pace. Guo Jia's face was pale, his lips were chapped, and the corners of his eyes were covered with blood. He looked exhausted. Cao Cao rushed forward to support Guo Jia and said, "Fengxiao, why are you here?"

"Cough cough cough..." Guo Jia bent down and coughed twice, his pale face suddenly turned flushed, and he gasped, "At this time of crisis, although an 80-year-old man and a three-year-old boy were still eating a pot of slurry to reward the army. As a military advisor, how could Jia not stay in front of the tent and give advice to the lord?"

"well."

Cao Cao said nothing, but just held Guo Jia's hand and shook it hard twice.

"Lord." Guo Jia opened his bloodshot eyes and asked Cao Cao, "What's the situation now?"

Cao Cao turned around and said to Liu Ye: "Ziyang, explain to the military advisor the situation facing our army."

"As for the order." Liu Ye bowed to Cao Cao, then bowed to Guo Jia again, and then began to explain, "Now Yuan Shao held 700,000 soldiers in Liyang, performing day and night, and looked at the Central Plains. Under the tent are Tian Feng, Shen Pei, Feng Ji, Xun Chen, Xu You, Xin Ping, Xin Pi and other famous scholars, and martial arts include Zhang He, Jiang Qi, Han Meng, Chunyu Qiong, Tian Yu, Tian Yue, Jiang Yiqu, Yan Ming and other powerful generals. They can be said to be strong and powerful, with a lot of talents."

Xun You continued: "In recent years, Yuan Shao has won consecutive battles and won over Ji, Qing, You, and the states, and wiped out Han Fu, Gongsun Zan, Zhang Ji, Zhang Yang and other separatist princes. Now they are very good at soldiers and enough food, and the three armies are sharp. What is particularly worrying is that the Northwest Horse Butcher seemed to have reached some kind of agreement with Yuan Shao. Because Yuan Shao had no worries, he dared to fight with the lord in the south. "

Xun Yu said: "The lord has fought fiercely with the butcher Ma in recent years. The loss of soldiers and money and food was extremely high. Although Lu Bu was destroyed last year and he obtained some money and food, this is far from enough to alleviate the difficulties faced by our army. In addition, the Central Plains suffered another severe drought this year, and the income from farming in various places was only enough to maintain food and clothing, and he could not collect all military food for half a year."

Guo Jia's expression turned pale again, and he asked Cao Cao weakly: "How do you want to fight Yuan Shao? How do you want to guard against the horse butcher?"

Cao Cao said: "I personally led 30,000 troops out of Guandu to fight Yuan Shao, and then ordered Zixiao (Cao Ren) to lead 8,000 troops to guard Luoyang, Ling Wenze (Yu Jin) to lead 8,000 troops to guard Yingchuan, Zilie (Cao Xiu) to guard Hangu, Cao Zhen to guard two thousand troops to guard Hulao, and Zilian to lead 6,000 troops to station in Yiyang, and backed by Luoshui to resist the troops in Nanyang."

[The actual military configuration of Cao's army is somewhat different from that of the military configuration controlled by spies Li Su, because the spies of Liang's army cannot reach the core of power of Cao's army.]

Xun You said: "It is said that before the army moves, food and grass will go first. If the horse butcher really wants to dispatch a large army to attack Xuchang, Hangu Pass will definitely be the first to be affected! Because the journey from Wuguan and Nanyang to transport food and supplies is far away, and they have to pass Liu Biao's territory on the way. The risk is too great. Only by walking the ancient road of Chang'an and going directly to Luoyang from Hangu, is the most convenient road, and can we ensure that the food and supplies are continuously transported from Guanzhong to Guandong, which is enough to support the Xiliang army to launch a continuous offensive against our army."

"So, if you want to resist the Liang army, Hangu is the first priority. If Hangu goes down, Guanzhong's money, grain and supplies can go directly to Luoyang along the Chang'an Ancient Road. Luoyang will no longer be defended. If Luoyang is lost, Hulao Pass will not be relied on. Xu Du will be deeply trapped in Yuan Shao in the north, and the three-sided siege between the horse butcher in the west and Ma Chao in the south, and the situation will be irreversible."

"Cough cough cough..." Guo Jia suddenly started to cough violently, and after a long time of breath, he said to Xun You and others with a flushed face, "But have you ever thought that division of troops and refusing to defend is a taboo in military strategists! What should the butcher Ma gathers superior forces to attack our army a little? Our army sends troops everywhere and sets defenses everywhere, but in fact, it is not to set up defenses everywhere."

Xun You said: "The military advisor's concerns are exactly what we are worried about, but Hangu Pass, Hulao Pass, Luoyang, and Yingchuan are all dangerous passes. The gains and losses of these strongholds are directly related to the safety of Xudu and the victory or defeat of the entire war. Our army must not fail to defend it.

In order to avoid being defeated by the Liang army, the lord has sent troops to the capital, Yingchuan, and Runan counties to build beacon towers. After the beacon tower is completed, no matter how the Liang army hides and sneaks, it will not be able to escape our army's attention. In this way, even if the Liang army has the fast-moving Western Liang cavalry, our army can still deploy troops in advance to prepare for defense."

Wancheng east of the city, Liang army camp.

Jia Xu smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying to Fa Zheng: "Xiaozhi's idea is certainly good, but the problem is that Cao Cao sent troops to build beacon towers in the counties of Jingji, Yingchuan and Runan. With these beacon towers, Cao's army can mobilize our army and make advance troops.

In this way, our army's strategic idea of ​​concentrating superior forces to attack Cao's army will be shattered. I am afraid that our army had just crossed Yushui and had not entered Yingchuan County, and Cao's army had already learned the news and transferred the troops left behind Luoyang, Yuyang and Hulao Pass to Yingchuan."

Ma Yue said: "Yes, Cao Ren's army and Yu Jin's army will have nearly 20,000 troops. Our army has only 20,000 elite troops in Nanyang. When the army goes to war, it will definitely leave a considerable force to guard against Huang Zhong in Xinye. Therefore, it can only send at most 15,000 people. In this way, our army is already at a disadvantage in terms of military strength, and it is difficult to say that we will win."

"How can a few beacon towers solve the weakness of the dispersed forces of Cao's army!" Fa Zheng smiled faintly, showing a confident look, and said casually, "Youwang beacons and princes are playing with the princes, and the Zhou Dynasty is destroyed. If Cao Cao really thought that a few beacon towers could stop our army's troops, then the day of Cao's defeat would be not far away."

Xuchang, Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Guo Jia smiled bitterly and said, "Your Ma Da is not bad. How can a few beacon towers reverse the weakness of our army's dispersed forces? If the horse butcher sent a team of elite soldiers to condemn the beacon tower, and the defenders gave us the method of transiting our army, the spies of the Liang army could falsely spread the military information, causing our army to run back and forth, exhausted."

"If this is true, the Liang army only needs a few spies to put our army in a state of doom."

"Ah, this..."

Xun You was suffocated when he heard this, and looked at Cheng Yu, Xun Yu and others in shock. Cao Cao felt even more shocked, thinking that if Guo Jia had not come to remind him when he was sick, the Cao army really put his hope of resisting the Liang army on the beacon tower, the consequences would be unimaginable! Cao Cao was shocked and sweated in a cold sweat, and sighed, "If it weren't for the filial piety, he would be lonely and in danger."

Wancheng east of the city, Liang army camp.

Fa Zhengran said: "The lord only needs to send a few elite troops, Qiao Zhuang merchants sneak into the enemy territory, seize several beacon towers with lightning speed, and then force Cao's army to send a method of transmission from the defenders. In this way, our army can fake military reports, so that Cao's army can run back and forth and run away with exhaustion."

"Ah, it's so simple!"

Ma Yue beat the quarrel hard, but he thought with regret that if he could have thought of this method back then, the eight hundred bandits would not have to be driven around by Kuai Yue like a stray dog, and finally left Nanyang sadly. But then again, if the eight hundred bandits did not leave Nanyang, would there be the horse butcher today?

"It's so simple." Fa Zhengdao, "But with Guo Jia's ability, it is impossible to imagine the weakness of the beacon transmission, so the Cao army should not place its hope of defending the enemy on the beacon transmission. In this way, the situation will return to the situation just now. The Cao army must divide its troops to guard all the dangerous passes, but our army can concentrate its forces and defeat them one by one."

Xuchang, Prime Minister’s Mansion.

General Zang was domineering: "If the method of sending fire to the beacon does not work, the weakness of our army's dispersed forces may be difficult to reverse. How can we resist the concentrated attack of the Liang army's superior forces?"

Almost everyone's eyes focused on Guo Jia, the sick ghost, and Cao Cao asked with anticipation: "I don't know if there is a good solution to the problem with filial piety?"

Guo Jia said tragically: "There is no other way now. Jiayuan assisted Prince Zhen (Cao Zhen) to lead the army to take the initiative to attack. The Liang army was caught off guard. Only in this way can we resist the enemy outside the country and relieve our worries for the lord, so that the lord would be eager to join the decisive battle with Yuan Shao!"

Cao Cao said: "Zhen Er dared to make decisions and was very respectful. If you have the help of filial piety, you should not be afraid of the tyranny of the horse butcher, but you should be filial to your body..."

Guo Jia said: "Jia is just a cold wind, so you don't need to worry."

Cao Cao looked sad, and a hint of unbearableness flashed across Xun You and Cheng Yu's face. The two of them were not unwilling to go on the battlefield instead of Guo Jia, but the reality was that only Guo Jia could compete with Ma Butcher Ma and Jia Dushi. Xun You and Cheng Yu never underestimated themselves, but were not arrogant enough to think that they could beat Jia Dushi.

Wancheng, Liang army camp.
To be continued...