Chapter 751 Luo Yan enters Luoyang!
Do the princes in the Central Plains know that there is a great battle in Guanzhong?
Fa Zheng's question appears to be a question, but is actually a statement.
Cao Cao occupied Hedong and faced Guanzhong across the Yellow River. He always had a covetous eye on Guanzhong and wanted to take over the entire Sili.
Ma Chao fell silent for a moment.
what to do?
The King of Zhongxia will never retreat.
Will Cao Cao wade into this muddy water in Guanzhong?
Ask yourself, if it were you, would you do the same?
Will definitely come!
Fa Zheng calculated all the situations, took a deep breath and said, "My king, the safety of Guanzhong depends on a group of people. We must contact them immediately."
Ma Chao asked hurriedly.
…
In Cao Cao's camp, Xiahou Dun was mainly stationed in Luoyang. He was the General of the Western Expedition, in charge of the court's western front war, which was actually aimed at Sili.
After Ma Chao, Han Sui and the coalition forces of the Western Liang princes went to war, battle reports appeared on the desks of Cao Cao and the Wei state's advisers.
After Zhongxia Kingdom joined the war, Wei Kingdom's luxurious group of super advisers actually laughed out loud.
Everyone congratulated Cao Cao and said, "Great King, God bless you. Guanxi will be yours."
In fact, the counselors really thought it was too clever. Such an opportunity appeared not long after they conquered the State of Zhao.
Xun You waved his feather fan and said with a smile, "Your Majesty.
Yuan Tan and other former high-ranking officials of the State of Zhao were all relocated to Xuchang, and the former Zhao subordinates were all employed by our State of Wei. With those former Zhao subordinates still around, as long as one army is left on the eastern front, it will be enough to keep the Chu army out.
Your Majesty can lead your army to capture Guanzhong, and most of the world will be in your hands. At that time, Liu Bei, who only controls Qing and Xu states, will be nothing more than meat on the chopping board.
Moreover, after conquering Guanzhong and Liangzhou, the brave Xiliang cavalry in the world will be at your disposal.
Now the area north of Jizhou and Youzhou are controlled by Yan State, which has a large number of cavalry and poses a great threat. If we can obtain the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, it will not be difficult for us to defeat Yan State with our national strength in the Central Plains.
If you take over Guanzhong, Your Majesty will be able to rule the world."
As soon as Xun You finished speaking, the same idea flashed through the minds of Cao Cao and his family members, as well as the counselors and generals under Cao Cao's command.
In this land of Zhu Xia, people have had the surname Zi, Ji, Ying, and Liu. Now it may not be impossible for them to have the surname Cao!
Everyone in the hall looked at Cao Cao with shining eyes.
But Cao Cao did not laugh out loud as he did in the past. Instead, he suddenly stood up from his seat, then walked slowly out of the hall with his hands behind his back, stood on the steps and looked up at the clear blue sky.
All the officials in the hall stood up and followed Cao Cao. Cao Cao knew that everyone was behind him. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "When I was young, I was a guard in Luoyang. At that time, I wanted to be a general to conquer the west, completely solve the problem of the Qiang people, and truly put the Western Regions Protectorate under the control of the court.
But twenty years have passed.
I have been rising higher and higher, until today, when you all said that I could rule the world, I suddenly felt that it was unreal.
How could a person's circumstances change so drastically?
I have never thought about these things. It would be great if Wen Ruo were still alive."
Everyone was stunned when they heard this. Xun Yu was a taboo topic in Cao Cao's camp and no one would mention it.
Even when Cao Cao brought it up himself, no one responded, including Xun You, who only had a hint of sadness in his eyes.
Before his death, Xun Yu talked to Xun You about some of Cao Cao's character. Cao Cao was very emotional, but too suspicious. Don't think you can have a heart-to-heart talk with him. You never know when you might violate Cao Cao's taboos. When you are with Cao Cao, you must be cautious. Xun You is resourceful, but he still highly respects Xun Yu. He always remembers Xun Yu's words on his deathbed, so he never talks much and only makes plans according to Cao Cao's instructions.
Cao Cao sighed for a while, and when no one spoke, he realized that he had said something he shouldn't have said. He changed the subject and said, "I think what you said just now makes sense. We should not miss this opportunity. We will send our army to Guanzhong immediately!
The ancient Hangu Pass Road and the crossing river, two roads run parallel to each other!"
…
Luoyang.
After conquering Zhao State, Cao Cao moved the political center of Wei State from Xuchang to Yecheng. Xuchang completely became a political graveyard, and only the most hopeless people were sent to Xuchang to accompany the Han Emperor Liu Xie.
Cao Cao closely monitored Xu Chang's every move to prevent Liu Xie from making any inappropriate actions, and he basically stopped meeting with Liu Xie.
After deciding to attack Guanzhong, Luoyang, which had long been managed by Xiahou Dun, became Cao Cao's forward base. The army would be transferred from Luoyang to Guanzhong, and another place for mobilizing troops would be Hedong.
Outside Luoyang city.
Qu Yi looked at the towering city in front of him in a daze. This was his first time to truly come to this holy city.
Luo Yan looked at the slightly dilapidated Luoyang and sighed. This holy city had been ravaged by several wars and Cao Cao's incessant migration of population. Compared to its most prosperous period, it was indeed far inferior.
But he sighed because he didn't expect that when he came to Luoyang again, it would be in this situation.
Cao Cao personally ordered Luo Yan and Qu Yi to come to Luoyang. Luo Yan knew exactly what he was thinking.
Led by the attendants, the two men walked into the former imperial palace. There were signs of collapse and fire everywhere, but the main palace was still there. The two men met King Cao Cao of Wei in the main hall.
As soon as he saw Luo Yan, Cao Cao smiled and asked, "Master Yan, do you know why I summoned you and Qu Zhengze to Luoyang?"
Luo Yan said calmly, "Reporting to the king, Yan guessed that they should attack the princes in Guanzhong."
In fact, what Luo Yan wanted to say most was that Cao Cao was worried about him and Qu Yi, so he wanted to transfer the two of them to his side to look after them, which was also a way to make the best use of their talents.
But saying this is really lacking in emotional intelligence.
Cao Cao was a suspicious person, and he did not want to appear to be able to guess Cao Cao's thoughts, lest Cao Cao develop a murderous intention.
Qu Yi had already received Luo Yan's instructions and said nothing.
Everyone knew that Cao Cao transferred him to Luoyang in order to train the vanguard soldiers to restrain the Qiang cavalry under Ma Chao.
Luo Yan thought to himself that he should show some value. Although it was impossible for him to enter the core of the Cao Wei regime, he should at least protect the lives and property of the Hebei families.
Luo Yan clasped his fists and bowed, saying: "My king, if you want to attack the princes in Guanzhong, you only need to pay attention to Ma Chao.
Han Sui was killed by Ma Chao, and the rest of the Xiliang princes were in constant fear. If it weren't for the sudden appearance of King Xia in the Western Regions, these princes would probably have been killed by Ma Chao long ago.
If you are willing to accept the surrender of these Xiliang princes, you can march straight in and obtain a group of Xiliang cavalry with considerable combat effectiveness.
The Western Regions are very powerful, and Ma Chao will certainly suffer heavy losses in a battle with the King of Zhongxia.
You are leading the Xiliang princes and the Central Plains army to attack, so there is no reason for you to fail."
Cao Wei's advisers also said the same thing to Cao Cao, but none of them knew how strong the Western Regions were.
Hearing Luo Yan's words, Cao Cao immediately asked, "The Western Regions are just a remote borderland, how can they be so powerful?"
Luo Yan said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, the Western Regions have excellent forging technology, and their armor and weapons are not inferior to those in the Central Plains. They are also in a chaotic and war-torn area, and their soldiers have been fighting for years and are extremely elite.
The Western Regions have a strong religious faith, with many devout believers. They are fearless and brave in battle, even more so than the Taiping Army of past years.
There were many small countries in the Western Regions before, so the population appears to be small on the surface.
But in fact, the last time the Western Region was inspected, it had a population of more than two million. The king must be well aware of how powerful such a large population is.
How can such a country and army not be strong?
However, no matter how strong the Western Regions army is, a major battle with Ma Chao's Yong Kingdom will result in both sides suffering losses. This is a good opportunity for the king to reap the benefits."
After listening to what Luo Yan said, Cao Cao finally understood where the strength of the Western Regions lies. With a population of two to three million, under extreme circumstances, it can mobilize an army of two to three hundred thousand. It should be noted that the Xiongnu in the pre-Han Dynasty had only this many people at its peak.
This was indeed a powerful opponent that could not be ignored, but fortunately this opponent was quite stubborn and refused to let go of Ma Chao, giving Cao Cao a great advantage.
Cao Cao stared at Luo Yan for a long time and said, "It would have been better if you had married my daughter. It's a pity that you followed Yuan Benchu first. What a pity."
There was infinite regret in Cao Cao's tone. Luo Yan's lord would always be Yuan Shao, and now Yuan Tan, but not him, Cao Cao, this was Luo Yan's son.
He never thought of asking Luo Yan to be loyal to him.
If he had that kind of energy, he might as well go find a new Luo clan member to assist him.
Besides, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao are different. Yuan Shao really wants the assistance of Luo's son.
Cao Cao is different. Even without the assistance of Luo's son, he has also gradually become the greatest warlord in the world.
Qu Yi's eyelids twitched when he listened to Cao Cao's words, but thinking of Yuan Tan and Yuan Xi in Xuchang, he controlled his thoughts. Gongzi Yan was right, they could not let the incense of the late king die here, and they could not let the late king become a wandering ghost.
Luo Yan just bowed slightly, with a calm face, and said with a cupped hand: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. Princess, I am ashamed to be worthy of such a noble title."
Luo Yan's refusal was perfunctory, and it was obvious that she had never thought of changing her wife. Cao Ang and others in the hall felt their eyelids twitching when they heard it, but everyone knew that Luo Yan was not being rude on purpose.
Both the son and daughter of the Luo family were like this. They were faithful to one person throughout their lives. Since the fall of the Luo Kingdom, they had been a couple for their entire lives and had never even remarried.
Wanting Luo Yan to marry Cao Cao's daughter again is simply a dream.
The first meeting between Cao Cao and Luo Yan ended in a bad mood. All of Luo Yan's actions were within the expectations of the Wei high-level officials, and Cao Cao completely determined his strategy against Luo Yan.
It can only be used, not trusted.
Luo Yan would never enter the core circle of the Cao Wei regime, and positions like the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers would never fall upon him.
Yuan Tan of Xuchang held the title of General of Chariots and Cavalry of the Han Dynasty, and Luo Yan worked for Cao Wei as an official under the command of the General of Chariots and Cavalry.
After the two of them walked out of the hall together, Qu Yi suddenly asked in a low voice: "Sir, are you going to get no posthumous title?"
Although Qu Yi was not very smart, he was not stupid. Only kings, princes, generals and ministers could be given posthumous titles. If Luo Yan served under the command of the General of Chariots and Cavalry, his rank would never even reach two thousand stones, let alone a posthumous title.
As they walked, Luo Yan said in a deep voice: "Gong Yu, Zheng Nan, Yuan Hao, Zi Yuan, Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Gao Lan, how many more people in Hebei died in the war?
There are so many that it’s hard to count them.
Is the posthumous title important?
Even if my name no longer appears in the history books thousands of years later, I will not regret what I did today.
I have already got what I wanted, it is in my heart, the Zhao State that is not recognized by the history books will always remain in my heart. "
Qu Yi was a little confused, but he also seemed to understand what Luo Yan said.
Looking at Luo Yan and Qu Yi leaving the hall, Cao Cao looked at Cao Ang and said, "Ang'er, you must resist Liu Bei's attack on the eastern front. You don't need to fight, just hold on.
When my father returns with great power, the Central Plains will be pacified overnight.
After we pacify Guanxi this time, I will make you the crown prince when I return, and from now on all this legacy will be handed over to you."
Everyone in the hall was shocked. Although choosing the successor in the Wei Kingdom was not a problem, after all, except Cao Ang, no one else was qualified to compete.
But this was still the first time Cao Cao made a public statement.
The counselors naturally knew that this was to allow Cao Ang to take control of the war on the eastern front more legitimately, so as to avoid any situation that could not be deterred.
The identity of the future King of Wei, or even the Emperor of Wei, is enough to make everyone maintain basic respect and obedience.
Cao Ang was naturally excited, but he did not show it on his face. He bowed calmly and said, "Thank you for your kindness, father. I will guard the eastern line well and prevent the Chu army from crossing the line."
Cao Cao was extremely satisfied with Cao Ang. He believed that with Cao Ang around, the future of Wei State would be absolutely fine even without him.
Bring the unstable factors in the former Zhao country to your side to prevent the Zhao territory that had just surrendered from joining forces, and then arrange the personnel and troops to guard the eastern front to prevent being attacked from both sides.
Then he mobilized a large army to attack Guanzhong.
Tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry marched towards Guanzhong in a mighty force.
As soon as Cao Cao reached Hangu Pass, Zhang Xiu surrendered directly. Zhang Ji died in the war with Ma Chao. Zhang Xiu was at a loss, so when Cao Cao arrived, he simply surrendered.
The same was true for the Wei army that crossed the river in Hedong. They basically encountered no resistance. Wherever the Wei army went, the princes of Xiliang who had been defeated by Ma Chao surrendered.
Cao Cao never refused anyone who came to him, no matter what their past experiences were, he would not hold them accountable, as long as they were content to serve him in the future.
This generous act instantly calmed the restless hearts of the Xiliang generals. Most of the Xiliang princes surrendered to Cao Cao. Some became vassals, and some simply became generals.
Although both the advisors and Luo Yan had talked about this kind of thing, Cao Cao still felt a little emotional after it actually happened.
————
When Cao Cao attacked Guanzhong, his generals were defeated by Ma Chao and their troops suffered heavy losses. They were afraid of him, so Cao treated him leniently and the generals surrendered. Since Dong Zhuo raised his army, Li Jue and Guo Si surrendered. After more than 20 years, the legend of the Xiliang generals ended here.
It is similar to the death of Zhang Jiao, when the Taiping Army was all dispersed, the people survived and the legend also came to an end! - "Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Biography of Dong Zhuo in Xiliang"
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(End of this chapter)
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