Chapter 286 The Wheat is Ripe
After May, plum rains become frequent.

It was a rare sunny day in the northern suburbs of Xudu, so Cao Cao led more than a hundred fellow villagers for an outing and hunting.

High in the hunting ground, double curtains.

After returning from hunting, Cao Cao took off his archery clothes, washed his face, and sat under the green umbrella behind the curtain, looking outside the curtain.

The curtain faces the slope below, where the river has abundant water. After continuous rainfall, the grass and trees everywhere grow rapidly.

Under today's rare sunshine, the whole scene presents a layer of fresh green, full of vitality.

By the river, dozens of teenagers were collecting prey. Cao Cao squinted his eyes at Qin Lang who was busy, then looked at Cao Zhang, and finally his eyes fell on Liu Asheng who was squatting by the river washing sheep stomachs.

Cao Cao smiled when he saw the military commander Ding Fei approaching, but he saw that Ding Fei's steps were hurried and he was holding a stack of official documents that were still sealed with mud in his hands.

Cao Cao frowned immediately, but Xu Chu, who was on duty, did not stop him. Ding Fei slowed down his pace when he entered the inner curtain: "Mingsir, urgent news from Luoyang!"

"What did Yuan Rang report?"

"I don't know."

Ding Fei stepped forward to present the document, and seeing Cao Cao's smile fade, he said, "Mingsir, I think it should be the military intelligence of Xizhou."

"Unseal."

Cao Cao uttered two words and now he didn't want to look at Ding Fei, but Ding Fei just stood in front of him.

Ding Fei also knew that the urgent delivery from Luoyang was not good news. He stepped back a few steps, took out the knife he carried with him and cut open the mud seal.

He took out the official document and opened it to read it, his face became serious: "Mingsir, troops have been dispatched from Guanzhong."

"Show it to me."

Cao Cao reached out and took the silk book between the two wooden slips. He unfolded the book and read with his eyes downcast: "As Hua Ziyu expected, Sun Quan has no intention of sending troops. This is a threat to the court."

Ding Fei replied: "With Sun Ce as a precedent, Sun Quan will naturally want to follow suit."

How did Sun Ce get the title of Marquis of Wu?

Wasn’t it extorted from the imperial court when Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor?
The imperial court gave Sun Ce the heavyweight title of Marquis of Wu in exchange for Sun Ce's rebellion against Yuan Shu.

And now Sun Quan has stopped his troops, isn't he just waiting for the court to make clear bargaining chips?

Cao Cao thought for a moment and asked, "How is Chen Qun doing recently?"

"Live in seclusion, go out less, and rarely interact with others."

Ding Fei thought for a moment and then answered, "Are you suspicious of Chen Qun?"

"Chen Qun is not the kind of person who would plot rebellion. How could a person like him who respects himself and cherishes himself tarnish his reputation?"

Cao Cao raised his head and looked at the young men standing by the river below the slope outside the curtain: "It's time to talk to Liu Xuande."

"What about Sun Quan?"

"He couldn't do anything to Liu Fu in Hefei, so what can he do to me?"

Cao Cao handed the document to Ding Fei: "Transfer it to the military advisor and tell him that our army cannot fight on two fronts."

At this moment, another messenger arrived on a fast horse, dismounted in front of the curtain, handed a military book to the tiger soldier, and then was dragged away to rest.

After this military book was handed over to Xu Chu, he immediately presented it to Cao Cao.

Cao Cao flipped it open and took a quick look, and saw that it said 'After the wheat harvest, Chang Xi, the Prime Minister of Donghai, raised his army in rebellion'.

Ding Fei was about to leave when he saw the message and asked, "Sir, are you going back to the capital?"

"Alright."

Cao Cao took a deep breath. Liu Bei had already made his move. He stood up suddenly, only to feel his vision suddenly go dark. He swayed and staggered two steps before he stood firm again.

Xu Chu and Ding Fei wanted to step forward to help, but Cao Cao instinctively waved his hand to refuse them.

Xu Chu and Ding Fei could only stand there and watch Cao Cao regain his footing.

After stabilizing himself, Cao Cao looked at Xu Chu as if nothing had happened: "Zhongkang, prepare the horses." "Yes!"

Ding Fei said nothing. Based on his understanding of Cao Cao, he not only had to talk to Liu Bei in private, but also had to talk to Hei Xiong and Yuan Shang together.

Hebei has suffered from drought for two consecutive years. There was some rain in the early spring this year, but it was still a drought and spring locusts reappeared.

This year, Hebei lacks food for large-scale military operations.

This is ultimately very good news for Central Plains.

However, Hebei does not have enough food to mobilize troops this year, but the anger will not dissipate easily and it is very likely to accumulate and then erupt next year.

Cao Cao rode back to Xudu and went to Sikong Mansion.

Military advisor Xun You was fiddling with chess pieces on the map, while Guo Jia and Cheng Yu sat on both sides of Xun You, analyzing the situation together.

Cheng Yu said solemnly, "Chang Xi is causing trouble, and the generals at Mount Tai are holding their ground and watching the situation. If we cannot send troops to attack or surround Chang Xi, then Chang Xi will surely cause chaos in Donghai, Xiapi, Pengcheng, and Langya counties. Given the friendship between Chang Xi and Liu Xuande, Liu Xuande will not sit idly by and watch our army attack Chang Xi. Attacking from both sides will make it difficult to take care of both the east and the west."

Guo Jia also expressed his opinion, "Chang Xi is self-confident about his bravery and has long been unwilling to submit to Lü Bu and Zang Ba. Now that he has started a rebellion, given his character and the training of his officers and soldiers, he is very likely to resort to the same old tricks and will stop the troops and defend."

As he spoke, Guo Jia glanced at Cheng Yu and said to Xun You, "I don't think Chang Xi has the intention to send troops to plunder and coerce the surrounding counties. He is a hypocrite who praises Liu Xuande. He will only defend himself and wait for changes in the times."

Guo Jia and Cheng Yu had opposite opinions. Cheng Yu was worried that Chang Xi would quickly destroy and coerce the surrounding military commanders and county officials and people.

Cao Cao, who was sitting on the throne at this time, heard this and said, "I am not afraid of Chang Xi's sending troops to plunder, but I hate that he is defending the city. If he does not send troops, the east will be devastated day by day. If he does send troops, he will be trapped in a strong city."

Chang Xi chose to rebel during the summer wheat harvest, so he has no shortage of food now.

The surrounding military commanders took the opportunity to wait and see, and just stopped paying tribute of summer grain.

Chang Xi was determined to defend the city to the death, so if he sent troops there, they would have to lay siege to the city and wear it out.

Too few soldiers will be useless, but too many soldiers will waste manpower and delay the decisive battle on the front battlefield.

Based on Cao Cao's understanding of Chang Xi, he instinctively concluded that this man would be trapped in a fortified city.

Either the city would be captured and the whole family would be killed, or they could negotiate surrender and maintain superficial peace, or they could defend the city and delay Cao's army, thus ushering in a turning point for great changes in the Central Plains.

But unfortunately, troops must be sent there, as it concerns the dignity and respect of the court.

If this majesty is gone, it won't just be Chang Xi who will rebel in Qingxu.

Xun You also felt that the situation was difficult, so he asked, "In your opinion, who is suitable to suppress the rebellion?"

"Transfer Xiahou Miaocai as the general, Xu Gongming and Li Mancheng as the assistants, gather the armies of Liu Dai and Wang Zhong, a total of 20,000 troops, and attack Donghai!"

Cao Cao stood up and walked closer to the map, looking at the Heluo area with lowered eyebrows: "The summer wheat in Donghai is ripe, and the summer wheat in Heluo is also ripe."

Cao Cao had a hunch, or perhaps it was a fluke, he felt that the black bear might not be willing to kill his three clans.

Judging from the information currently available, the black bear most likely came from the royal family of Chen.

It was Yuan Shu and the Chen state scholars who killed King Chen Liu Chong and destroyed the royal family of Chen. What does this have to do with him, Cao Cao?
Anyway, he didn't want to fight with the black bear now.

He lowered his eyebrows and looked at the map, then raised his finger and pointed it at Heluo: "Military Advisor, who is suitable to go to Heluo and mediate the war?"

Xun You and Guo Jia looked at each other and had a tacit understanding.

Guo Jia stood up and bowed: "Mingsir, I met Hei Da Sima several times when I was in Jingzhou. I would like to go and lobby for him."

"Feng Xiao, when you go, you must make sure to explain the bottom line of the imperial court to Hei Da Sima."

What will be the bottom line?
Guo Jia was thinking suspiciously, and then he heard Cao Cao say: "I know that the court has failed King Chen, and will confer a posthumous title on King Chen soon. The country's northwest still needs the Black Sima as a barrier. The court knows that the royal family of Chen has been wronged, and after the posthumous title of King Chen is completed, the Black Sima will be granted the title of king to continue the Chen Kingdom. I hope he will not be deceived by treacherous officials. If he fights with the court, it will be like two tigers fighting each other."

Guo Jia took a deep breath and said, "Be crowned king?"

"Well, for now, the only solution is to give him his king title."

Cao Cao sighed and said, "If this continues, the future will be a battle between the State of Chen and the emperor."

(End of this chapter)