Chapter 457 Extra 8 (1)
(Historical Three Kingdoms characters traveled through the Dayong era)
In May of the 21st year of Jian'an, Liu Xie conferred the title of King of Wei on Cao Cao and allowed him to report his disloyalty and refuse to bow when receiving the imperial edict.
In the 23rd year of Jian'an, Liu Bei's troops advanced into Yangping Pass with the intention of seizing Hanzhong. Cao Cao personally led a large army to Chang'an and took charge of Guanzhong.
In the same year, war broke out again in the border areas, and Cao Zhang and Tian Yu were ordered by Cao Cao to march north to attack the coalition forces of Wuhuan and Xianbei.
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Chang'an was unusually hot and humid in July.
In January of this year, the Imperial Physician Ji Ben and his sons Ji Miao and Ji Mu, the Minister of the Imperial Household Geng Ji, and the Prime Minister's Secretary Wei Huang attacked the camp of the Prime Minister's Chief Clerk Wang Bi, and a fire broke out in Xudu at night. ①
Although Wang Bi and Yan Kuang suppressed the rebellion as quickly as possible, Wang Bi still died of an arrow wound more than ten days after the rebellion. In anger, Cao Cao rushed straight to Xuchang and killed all those who had caused chaos in the name of putting out a fire.
Half a year had passed since the disaster, and Cao Cao, who was in Chang'an, felt particularly indignant when he thought about it.
But what made him feel most depressed was not the fact that the imperial physician, who was so close to him, had the intention of treason, but the war situation in Hanzhong.
The defeat at Red Cliff shattered his hope of destroying Liu Bei and the Jiangdong regime in one fell swoop, and even gave Liu Bei the idea of rising from the ashes.
There is a saying in the world, "Without Hanzhong, there is no Shu". After Liu Bei took over Shuzhong by using Jingzhou as a springboard, he must go north to attack Yizhou, and after seizing Hanzhong, he will plan to take Guanzhong.
To prevent this situation from happening, three years ago, Cao Cao personally led a large army to attack Zhang Lu who was in Hanzhong, and captured Yangping Pass in one fell swoop. Zhang Lu was forced to surrender.
Fortunately, the advantage in the war was still on his side. Two years ago, he marched south again and attacked Ruxukou. This time, Sun Quan failed to stop his offensive and sent envoys to ask for surrender, and the two sides became relatives.
But this year, because the main force that he had used to attack Hanzhong withdrew from Hanzhong, Liu Bei immediately led his army north.
Xiahou Yuan and Liu Bei confronted each other at Yangping Pass. Although he repeatedly repelled the opponent's offensive, he was increasingly unable to cope with the situation and had to ask Cao Cao for support.
But what was beyond his control was not only the defense of Hanzhong, but also Cao Cao's own health!
July is not the time of season change, but the summer heat seemed to have aggravated his headache. When he was feeling the most sleepy tonight, Cao Cao felt an extreme pain in his head for a moment, and the next moment he lost consciousness.
This was not the first time that such an outbreak had occurred, but at this moment Cao Cao could not help but think that if he really died of the illness at this moment, would Cao Pi, who had been promoted from the position of General of the Five Officials to the position of Crown Prince of Wei just last year, be able to take on the legacy he left behind and mediate with Liu Bei and Sun Quan.
However, given the fact that it was difficult for the Wei Kingdom and the Han Dynasty to coexist, could Cao Pi achieve that further goal for him, who called himself "King Wen of Zhou"?
Cao Cao could not see any clues from Cao Pi's behavior that he was trying to keep a low profile.
But if his life span is really over, why should he care about what happens after his death?
It was unknown how much time had passed after the darkness that completely engulfed him before Cao Cao finally woke up from his coma.
But what Cao Cao never expected was that what appeared before his eyes was not the Chang'an Palace where he was originally, but a military tent.
Cao Cao: “…”
It is absolutely impossible that his subordinates moved him from Chang'an to Hanzhong while he was still in a coma in order to provide support to Xiahou Yuan as soon as possible.
When he thought of this, he pinched himself.
The pain in his legs made him realize that he was not in a dream at the moment, but was completely awake.
But both the furnishings around him and the smell in the air were completely different from before he fainted!
Perhaps the only thing that gave him a sense of familiarity was that the surrounding furnishings still met his aesthetic standards. When he raised his hands in front of him, he discovered that there was a familiar scar on these hands, which looked more than ten years younger than when he went to bed.
Those were the scars left from the Battle of Changsha when he participated in the campaign against the Yellow Turbans in his early years!
This still seemed to be his body.
Could it be that he actually went back to more than ten years ago in his sleep?
What was he doing at that time?
If he had been on the march, he would have pacified Jizhou and Qingzhou around the tenth year of Jian'an. After Yuan Shao's death, he conquered Yuan Tan's forces. In order to completely resolve the issue of Wuhuan, he personally led an expedition to Liaodong.
The memories from more than ten years ago seemed a little vague to Cao Cao, and he was unable to confirm whether this was the situation at the time.
Cao Cao was so anxious to confirm where he was at the moment that he didn't care about anything else. He immediately got out of bed, lifted the curtain and went out.
But as soon as he opened the military tent, which was a little too thick, he saw a scene outside that he had never seen before.
The continuous military tents were stationed on the thick grassland. Only an area was cleared around the tents. A little further away from the tents, there was also grass gathered in one place.
Due to the obstruction of the surrounding tents, Cao Cao could not see what was outside the camp. He could only see the vague snow-capped mountains piercing the sky in the distance.
It was at this glance that Cao Cao suddenly realized that the sky above his head was much brighter and bluer than what he usually saw, and it was also closer to him than what he usually saw!
This kind of change in the sky that he could see every day would never disappear from his memory as time passed, and it also made him extremely sure that he was indeed not in any place he could name!
Cao Cao's experience of the ups and downs of officialdom and the struggle for supremacy among many heroes over the years made him feel upset, but he did not show it on his face.
The soldiers guarding outside the tent stood solemnly with spears in their hands. They just shouted "General Cao" to him and did not notice that their boss had changed today.
But before Cao Cao could change out of his pajamas and explore outside, he heard a voice shouting "Father" in the distance.
When he looked in the direction of the sound, he saw a man in his thirties, holding a helmet in his hand, striding towards him.
It was this one glance that made Cao Cao stand still as if struck by lightning.
The appearance of the person who came was indeed very different from what he remembered, but the contours of his eyebrows and eyes still clearly showed the same look as before.
Cao Cao had no doubt that if his eldest son who died in the Battle of Wancheng could live to this age, he would definitely look like what he saw!
The other party's steps were steady, and his expression showed the demeanor of a mature general. Although he no longer had the youthful vigor he had in the past, he was exactly the same as what Cao Cao had imagined countless times in his dreams at midnight.
This made him subconsciously shout "Zi Xiu" when the other party approached.
Cao Ang never thought that his father had changed his mind overnight. He just smiled and said, "Did my father fall asleep? Your Majesty heard that my father attacked Zangyuan and was blocked by Tang Mao and Fa Qiang, so he sent more troops to support him. Since Hanzhong was safe, he simply asked me to come with him. It can be regarded as a way for my father to see me again, his son whom he has not seen for several years."
Cao Ang pushed Cao Cao into the tent and said, "It's a pity that the reaction on the plateau is really hard to endure, otherwise I would bring your granddaughter and grandson here to meet you."
Cao Cao and his men were all stunned by what they heard.
What Your Majesty, what Tang Mao and Fa Qiang?
Why would his son, who should have been dead for more than 20 years, suddenly say that he was coming from Hanzhong to provide support, and also said that it was a pity that he had altitude sickness, otherwise he would have brought his son and daughter with him?
After just a few words, Cao Cao's brain almost turned into paste.
It was his strong psychological quality of not showing any emotion even when facing a huge crisis that prevented him from showing any sign of losing composure at this moment. Instead, he asked casually, "How is your mother?"
Cao Ang's biological mother died early, and he had always been raised by Madam Ding.
Cao Cao judged based on his own physical condition and Cao Ang's age that if time really went back ten years, Madam Ding should not have died of illness yet. Since she had never been with the army, she should not be here. So this was certainly a relatively safe statement, and it was also one that allowed Cao Cao to further inquire about the situation.
But even though Cao Cao had prepared himself mentally, he never expected to hear from Cao Ang: "Mother has been appointed by His Majesty as one of the examiners for this imperial examination. She will be in seclusion for the next six months. I didn't see her when I passed through Sili. Didn't I tell father about this yesterday?"
Having said that, Cao Ang looked at Cao Cao suspiciously, wondering why this question came from Cao Cao's mouth.
But perhaps because his father's tone had changed a little, but it still had the normal tone of father-son conversation, he didn't really feel anything wrong. He just reached out and touched Cao Cao's forehead. He didn't feel any signs of fever, so he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "If father is unwell, it's better to ask the doctor to come and see him as soon as possible. Mr. Yuanhua should have screened the camp's doctors again when he went to Qinghai County last year. Father doesn't have to think that these people are incompetent just because they are young."
"If you keep hiding your illness and avoid medical attention and fall ill again like you did two years ago, I'm guessing His Majesty will not let you take on this mission to conquer the West."
Cao Cao: “…”
Since he woke up, no piece of news had been what he expected.
This scene was so real and flawless that Cao Cao didn't think it was a prank at all.
But even though it was just these few words, he was already certain that the Majesty mentioned by Cao Ang would definitely not be Emperor Liu Xie!
Liu Xie, who was placed in Xudu as a mascot, no matter how many imperial titles the Han Dynasty bestowed on him or how many clever ideas he had, could never surpass Cao Cao and do something like that which made Cao Ang say, "Your Majesty does not allow you to hold a certain position."
What kind of place is he in?
What kind of situation is he facing?
When his mind was in a mess, Cao Ang pushed him on the stool in the tent.
Cao Cao, who was totally unaccustomed to sitting on such a high stool, was suddenly startled and immediately retracted his scattered thoughts. When he turned around, he looked at the mirror in front of him.
It was not a bronze mirror, but an extremely rare piece of transparent glass with a layer of silver coating, which allowed his figure to be clearly reflected on the silver reflective layer.
The self in the mirror, who was a dozen years younger and looked even more energetic than twenty years ago, made Cao Cao feel a sense of strangeness. Especially the Cao Ang who also appeared in the mirror, made him feel an indescribable feeling.
He knew that he had said too much and made many mistakes, so he could only continue what Cao Ang had said: "I was confused in my sleep. You are right, I was confused in my sleep. This is what happens when people get old."
Cao Ang handed the hair crown to Cao Cao and replied, "You are only in your early fifties. Cheng Zhongshu and Jia Qingzhou have not said that they are old. You are a few years younger than them, even ten years younger. How can you admit that you are old like this?"
"Your Majesty has already said that although there is only one Qinghai County now, it is also under the jurisdiction of Liangzhou because the war supplies come from Liangzhou. However, if we can recover Zangyuan, especially pacify Tangmao and Faqiang, this place should have one or two more counties. We might as well establish Xizhou with these two counties, and then open Suizhou like Liaodong."
"You said in the memorial you submitted two years ago that if there really was to be a Western Province, you would be the first Western Province Governor. This would be more in line with our ambition to conquer the West than the title of General of Chariots and Cavalry. Why are you saying you're old now?"
Although he was still in the tent, Cao Cao was almost blown away by the wind!
If he guessed correctly, from what Cao Ang said about Cheng Zhongshu and Jia Qingzhou, if one inferred that their ages were a few years to a dozen years older than him, among the people he knew, only Cheng Yu and Jia Xu met this condition.
But Jia Xu has been well aware of the way to protect himself since he persuaded Zhang Xiu to return to the throne in the Battle of Wancheng. Before Cao Cao lost consciousness, he even stayed at home because of the dispute over succession, and only hinted that the eldest son should not be deposed and the youngest son should be enthroned. Why has he become the Governor of Qingzhou or the Mu of Qingzhou now? ?
As for the name of Liaodong Suizhou, according to the information revealed by Cao Ang, it does not sound like it was separated from Youzhou. Instead, it seems like it was established by conquering new territory.
Which emperor of the Han Dynasty has the ability to rule the world like this!
Cao Cao did not believe in gods and ghosts, but if he had not realized at this time that he had come to another world that was different from where he originally lived, he would not be worthy of the title of King of Wei.
He dressed himself with an expressionless face, and while Cao Ang was not paying attention, he flipped through two pages of the marching notes at "his" bedside, confirming that today was the day to march.
In order to avoid missing the opportunity to fight and letting others discover that there was something unusual about him, Cao Cao directly transferred the power to send troops to Cao Ang, saying that he wanted to see his progress in the past few years.
Cao Ang immediately took it over and together with the even more bold Cao Hong, he mobilized the soldiers in the camp.
As the entire army set out, Cao Cao seemed to be looking at an unfamiliar scene, and just like that he saw the world outside.
On the Tibetan Plateau west of Liangzhou, there is a landscape that has never been developed by human beings even more than Liaodong.
And when these soldiers, who were fully armored and even better equipped with swords than Cao Cao's own elite troops, led by Cao Ang, faced the Qiang troops in the distance, there was no need for more words to contrast the huge difference between the two sides.
But at this moment, Cao Cao did not see Cao Ang issue the order for the front army to attack, but after talking with Cao Hong for a few words, he pushed out a strange iron barrel from the rear army.
Before he could see clearly what it was, he saw the iron cylinder that was ignited by fire emit an earth-shaking roar.
Amid the burst of flames, a black and red iron ball left a trail of fire in the air, crossed the distance between the two armies, and slammed heavily into the enemy camp in a way that was completely impossible to block!
Regardless of whether the enemy troops were thrown to the ground by this sudden attack, Cao Cao subconsciously turned his horse's head and was about to retreat to avoid being affected by this thing that was more terrifying than the thunder chariot.
However, the surrounding teams obviously did not give him a chance to retreat.
The next moment after he made this move, Cao Ang turned around and looked at Cao Cao blankly: "Father?"
The author has something to say:
Cao Cao: What the heck is this! (I need to be calm)
①The name given to him in Romance of the Three Kingdoms is Jiping, but his name in official history is Jiben. Seen in "Records of the Three Kingdoms·Wei Shu·Biography of Emperor Wu"
According to official history, Cao Cao died in the 25th year of Jian'an.
Choosing to travel back in time in the twenty-third year gives the people of the Three Kingdoms some room to change history.
The Battle of Dingjun Mountain, where Xiahou Yuan died, occurred in the 24th year of Jian'an.
Guan Yu died in the 24th year of Jian'an.
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(Source of this book: Longfeng Internet)
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