Chapter 79: Driving Out the Wolves and Repelling the Tigers
Not long after the news of the disastrous defeat of Xiahou Dun and Yu Jin in the Chenliu camp arrived, military intelligence from Zhong Yao in Guanzhong was also delivered to Cao Cao.

This matter was relatively secretive, so he summoned Guo Jia alone and let Guo Jia make the decision.

Guo Jia carefully read Zhong Yao's military documents and finally couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

The deepest spies buried in Hebei were also removed.

It cannot be said that all the Yingchuan people who stayed in Hebei were members of the Xudu court. It was just because many Yingchuan people in the Xudu court held important positions and the relationship between the two sides was too close, so it was normal for private interactions between in-laws and clansmen.

Since Shen Pei proposed to have Yuan Tan adopted by his uncle Yuan Ji last year, Yuan Tan has lost power.

After failing to compete with Shen Pei for power in Hebei, Guo Tu had no choice but to turn to Yuan Tan for support. Yuan Tan's brother-in-law Guo Yuan also had a similar reason.

Guo Tu and Guo Yuan, two of his fellow clansmen, could only occasionally pass on some unimportant news to Guo Jia.

As a result, the two Yuans worked together to clean up this eyeliner.

Guo Tu and Xin Ping were killed in the street by the swords of the White Goose bandits. Xin Ping's brother Xin Pi was captured and killed by a small guard of Guanjin while he was fleeing.

Xun Yu's fourth brother, Xun Chen, was stationed in Yecheng to supervise Hebei during the Battle of Guandu. As soon as Yuan Shao died, Xun Chen was forced to hang himself by Shen Pei and others.

Only Guo Yuan, who was far away in Taiyuan, reacted quickly. He fled back to Guanzhong via Hedong and relied on his uncle Zhong Yao.

Brought important military information that Yuan’s army was about to attack Guanzhong.

Guanzhong is not far from Guandong. From Chenliu Camp to Chang'an, the Heluo and Hangu Passes in between are only 1,300 miles away.

However, the population in the Heluo area was fleeing rapidly, and when the army went out to war, it was basically impossible to obtain food locally, let alone recruit labor service nearby.

These can be solved by dispatching manpower and material resources from the rear. The most difficult problem is Hongnong Sanmenxia, ​​where the Yellow River is turbulent.

There are huge rock pillars in the middle of the river, which cause many eddies and undercurrents on the river surface that are difficult to control and resist.

If we don't use the canal transportation, it will take more manpower to transport by land to bypass Sanmenxia.

Every time Cao's army went out, the scale of manpower deployed to the front line was the result of careful calculation; it was necessary to ensure that there was sufficient military force required for military operations, while also not hindering production in the rear.

But just the transportation of grain in Sanmenxia requires at least 20,000 people.

As for replenishing food from Guanzhong or Hedong... Zhong Yao has limited face now.

Although forced requisition can obtain food, it will also directly force Guanzhong and Hedong to the opposite side.

Guo Jia felt extremely troubled and could hardly find a solution.

Not only is the cost of sending troops too high.

It is more about the purpose of sending troops, which is to drive out and repel Yuan’s army and keep the western front.

Controlling Guanlong will continue to restore the prestige of the imperial court.

But the people of Guanzhong had already become frightened birds. If the imperial court dispatched 30,000 to 40,000 troops into Guanzhong, the slightly recovered Guanzhong would immediately fall into chaos.

The fastest way to recovery is to keep Guanzhong undisturbed.

Guanzhong today cannot withstand any exploitation or turmoil.

If troops were sent out, Guanzhong would be devastated again, which would go against the fundamental purpose of maintaining the western front.

But if we don't send troops, the entire western front will fall into the hands of Yuan's army.

Rather than this, it is better to smash it.

But is there a way to keep the Western Front without sending troops?
To put it another way, is there a way to prevent Yuan's army from taking over the Western Front without sending troops?
With Cao Cao's intelligence, he would definitely be able to think of a solution.

Guo Jia thought for a while and understood his duty, so he said, "With your foresight, you should know that Ma Teng and Han Sui are not in harmony with each other, and sooner or later they will cause trouble."

When Cao Cao heard the name Ma Teng, he sat up straight: "This old Ma started out as a rebel, how could he be someone who would pity his son's life? Is Feng Xiao trying to drive away wolves and repel tigers?"

"Exactly."

Guo Jia calmly recounted: "The generals in Guanzhong are headed by Ma Teng and Han Sui. Ma Teng is particularly powerful by relying on the name of the Maoling Ma family. If he receives generous gifts from the Yuan family, he will inevitably have a rebellious heart. If the court fails to rescue him in time, he will definitely rebel."

The question is, is it possible for the imperial court to rescue Guanzhong?
It’s too difficult. Zang Ba, Lu Qian and Lu Zhao on the eastern battlefield cannot be mobilized.

The Wankou defense line suffered a great loss, so not only did they have to send troops to make up for the losses, but they also had to send more troops to show their attention and cut off the possibility of Liu Biao sending troops to help.

We need to give the people of Jingzhou an excuse that there is no need to send more troops to help Liu Bei, so that they can reject Liu Bei in a dignified manner.

If Liu Bei, who had no reinforcements, was given another chance, he would probably only dare to wander around Wankou and would not dare to advance alone.

The troops on the front line, second line and south bank of Liyang cannot retreat, and they even have to continue to increase troops according to the plan to shrink the encirclement of the two cities of Liyang.

The troops in the Chenliu camp could not be moved either, as they were the backbone of the army on the Liyang front line.

There is a wrestling match going on in front of you, how can you just move your back?

So objectively, Cao Cao was unable to support the western front.

Guo Jia pointed to the west and said, "Rather than waiting for Ma Teng to rebel against the court and become an accomplice of Yuan, it is better to appoint him as a general and give him a great responsibility. Han Sui will not be willing to be under him. If Han Sui attacks him next year, the court can deal with him calmly."

As long as Ma Teng does not openly rebel and join the Yuan camp, and as long as Ma Teng remains a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty under the banner of the Xu Du court, many things can be slowly implemented.

In the fourth year of Jian'an, after Zhong Yao's lobbying and guarantee, Ma Teng sent one of his sons to the court as a palace attendant as a hostage and formally surrendered.

With Ma Teng taking the lead, the generals in Guanzhong had to send their sons to the court one after another.

In order to put the two tigers, Ma Teng and Han Sui, into cages, Cao Cao has put a lot of thought into it over the past few years.

Although they were far apart, he asked Zhong Yao to win over and lobby Ma Teng, and persuade Han Sui through Wei Duan, the governor of Liang Province. Finally, under pressure, Ma Teng and Han Sui, who had been fighting each other for several years, came together to the court and sent their sons to Xudu as hostages.

Back then, it was like two tigers fighting each other. Whoever didn't obey would join forces with the other to kill him. Originally, these two people sometimes joined forces and sometimes fought each other. Their relationship was very chaotic. When Li Jue and Guo Si were destroyed, Ma Teng and Han Sui became even closer and became brothers of different surnames.

As a result, the two men fell out again not long after. Ma Teng's attack on Han Sui failed, and Han Sui counterattacked Ma Teng and directly killed Ma Teng's wife and children.

Han Sui's son-in-law Yan Xing almost broke Ma Chao's neck during a fight with him.

Later, they joined the imperial court together, but the broken relationship was difficult to repair.

From a normal perspective, it is impossible for Ma Teng and his son to forgive Han Sui.

In this case, support and power were delegated to Ma Teng, allowing Ma Teng to once again become an important general in the semi-separatist faction, like the Tibetan tyrant who was fully responsible for the Qingxu battlefield on the eastern front.

Then Han Sui would definitely not be happy and would most likely counterattack and cause trouble.

Han Sui has three choices. The first is to respond to Yuan, the second is to fight with Ma Teng alone, and the third is to continue to endure with a low probability.

It is not difficult to accept giving power to Ma Teng. This person is relatively easy to talk to.

The one who needs to be carefully considered is Han Sui. Han Sui accidentally became a follower of the bandits in the past. In order to save his life, he directly destroyed the northwest border defense like a mad dog.

Maybe he can't do something well, but if he is determined to sabotage you, it will be difficult to defend against him.

Cao Cao raised his hand and stroked his beard, thinking about the key point, and said in a slow tone: "Ma Teng is now the Marquis of Huaili, the General before the Festival. If he wants to be promoted again, he must be the General of Zhenxi."

He glanced at Guo Jia and said, "Normative promotions to higher positions are likely to sway his resolve. This General Zhenxi still has to set up a government office to govern the country."

The important general titles previously held by Liu Bei, Lu Bu and Yuan Shu were Left General and Rear General among the Four Generals.

Currently, the only generals more valuable than the Four Directions Generals are the Four An, Four Zhen and Four Zheng Generals.

General Zhennan Liu Biao was appointed as the governor of Yitong Sansi, and the imperial edict clearly stipulated that he was in charge of the four states of Jing, Yi, Jiao and Yang.

Corresponding to Liu Biao, there was also a General Zhenbei, Wang Yi.

When the emperor fled from Guanzhong, he took refuge in Hedong and was received by Wang Yi, the governor of Hedong County. Wang Yi was appointed as the General Zhenbei.

This General Zhenbei was a bit of a watered-down figure, but Liu Biao raised the ranks of the Four Generals too high.

The two general titles Zhengbei and Anbei cannot be used easily. When it is necessary to establish a regional general to conquer Hebei, these two important generals can be activated.

At this time, Guo Jia advised again: "Mingsir, if the General of Zhenxi is given to Ma Teng, Han Sui can only be the General of Anxi. In my opinion, it is better to appoint Ma Teng as the General of Zhengbei, with the title of Grand Master, and Han Sui as the General of Zhengxi, also with the title of Grand Master and Imperial Envoy."

In the past few years, including now, everyone in the court was afraid that either Ma Teng or Han Sui would suddenly die.

The fates of these two people were intertwined since they were young. Sometimes they united, and sometimes they fought among themselves, which made it possible for the dangerous and ferocious land of Guanlong to never produce a second Dong Zhuo.

There seemed to be a sign that the outcome was about to be decided, so Cao Cao quickly intervened to mediate.

If one is Zhenxi and the other is Anxi, it is really possible that the conflict will be intensified and the two people will fight again.

If you want to fight, you have to wait until later. You can’t fight now.

Giving Ma Teng the title of General of the Northern Expedition indicated that Ma Teng would counterattack Bingzhou; giving Han Sui the title of General of the Western Expedition raised Han Sui's status.

Otherwise Han Sui would lose face and hold a grudge, and cause trouble at such a critical moment.

Winning over Ma Teng alone would not achieve much result. If Han Sui was forced to join the Yuan camp, the indigenous forces on the Guanlong west line would fall into internal strife and would be easily pulled away by the Yuan family.

Just like the imperial court subdued Ma Teng and Han Sui, if anyone of these two dared to oppose it, the imperial court would join forces with the other to launch a war of attack and destruction.

Ma Teng and Han Sui were like two snakes entangled tightly together, their fates already firmly bound together.

Guo Jia's proposal made sense, and Cao Cao agreed after a little thought.

He smiled relievedly: "Since we have given it, we might as well give it in place to make them happy. What is the name of the son that Ma Teng held as a hostage? Forget it, promote him to be the Yellow Gate Minister and accompany the envoy to Guanzhong. I will give Ma Teng everything inside and outside, and see how he responds."

We just hope that the western front doesn't fall into the hands of the Yuan family. It won't be a big problem to untie the shackles of Ma Teng and Han Sui.

If these two people survive together and restrain each other, they can put the dog chain on them at any time.

No one can escape, the old and the young.

The strategy for the western front was formulated in a dull atmosphere. Cao Cao smiled briefly and asked seriously, "How is the investigation of the White Goose Thief going?"

"Mingsir, we are digging up the dead corvée victims in Meng County these days. When they are dug out, the corvée victims of the same period can probably be recruited back. Examine the bodies. If Black Letter is missing, it means that the leader of the White Goose Bandits, Black Bear, is Black Letter in disguise."

Guo Jia calmly said: "I agree with the military advisor's opinion. The Black Bear is just a name. The leader of the White Goose Bandits should be that bandit general. Hebei and Jingzhou should know the true details of this bandit general."

Judging from the confessions and witnesses currently available, Hei Xin only seems to have a rough enlightenment and it is impossible for him to have the decisiveness of "Black Bear".

Therefore, Xun You determined that the real leader of the White Goose Bandits was the tall and strong general who mastered the arts of teleportation and the Hu Tian technique.

A brave and fierce general who could suddenly appear and disappear on the battlefield made Cao Cao feel uneasy.

This is a battlefield, what about outside the battlefield?

What if this person suddenly appears and stands in front of your bed with a sword?

The weather was hot and humid during this period, so Cao Cao gave up his plan to go out hunting to escape the heat and stayed in the camp because he was concerned about the dangers in this regard.

Find the specific information of the White Goose Thief. As long as you are alive, you will always have family and friends.

Cao Cao also roughly agreed with this inference, but still instructed: "After confirming whether Hei Xin is alive or dead, immediately arrange for the father and son to meet. Once Hei Xin is found, the truth will be revealed."

"Yes."

(End of this chapter)