Chapter 414: The death of a son is a tradition of the Cao family! I knew that Liu Bei was planning another big move!

boom!
At that moment, it was like a bolt of lightning from the blue sky, crashing down from the sky.

It hit Cao Ren's head squarely.

The Qin cavalry general was stunned for a moment.

He stood there like a stone statue, his body stiff, his mouth wide open, his eyes bulging, his face frozen in a moment of horror and astonishment.

The smile on Cao Zhi's face disappeared, and he was so shocked and stunned as if he had seen a ghost.

The strategizing look on Yang Xiu's face was also replaced by shock, astonishment and disbelief.

Wasn’t the Han army attacking Jingxing Pass and Tong Pass?

How come, out of nowhere, they suddenly breached Ji Pass without any warning?

and.

Even Cao Ren’s eldest son, Cao Tai, was killed in battle?

Was it the person who killed Cao Tai, or the rebel general Ma Chao?
All these drastic changes came so suddenly that everyone was stunned for the first moment.

"impossible--"

"Why did the Han army appear in Jiguan?"

"How could Zi'an be killed by Ma Chao?"

"This is impossible, impossible--"

Cao Ren, who was frozen in a trance, suddenly woke up and roared in anger and excitement.

Endless doubts and endless grief and indignation burned his body and mind in an instant.

There was a sudden explosion on the top of the city.

When the Qin soldiers heard this shocking news, they finally reacted. They were all shocked and there was an uproar.

"This really doesn't make sense, Dezu, what is going on?"

"Why did the Han army suddenly attack Jiguan?"

"What does that big-eared thief want to do?"

Cao Zhi also woke up with a trembling voice and looked at Yang Xiu anxiously with a look of surprise and confusion.

Yang Xiu's forehead was covered with cold sweat, and his thoughts were racing, deducing all the possibilities.

The loss of Jiguan and the killing of Cao Tai were completely unexpected and beyond his control.

Liu Bei did not act according to his script.

Sudden.

Yang Xiu's heart was shocked, and a strange color flashed in his eyes, as if he had deduced the truth.

He suddenly clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and his face gradually became angry, but he couldn't say anything.

"General Hussar, we may have fallen into a trap!"

Xun You, who had remained silent all this time, finally let out a helpless sigh.

Cao Ren was suddenly shocked, and hurriedly shouted at Xun You:

"Xun Gongda, what exactly is going on? How did we fall into the trap of the big-eared thief?"

Everyone's eyes turned to Xun You.

However, Yang Xiu frowned and glared at Xun You secretly, as if his eyes did not want Xun You to tell the truth.

"Now it seems that the speculation made by Prince Chenliu in the Chang'an Palace that day was only half right."

"Liu Bei's attack on Tongguan was indeed a feint, and its purpose was to attract Your Majesty and the main force of our Qin army to Tongguan, so as to provide cover for him to seize Bingzhou."

"But what you speculated wrongly, Prince Chenliu, is that Liu Bei's direction of attacking Bingzhou is not along the Taihang Mountains such as Jingxing Pass, but to attack Ji Pass from the south and take Hedong first!"

"He must have taken advantage of the fact that the General of Cavalry had stationed his main force at Jingxing and secretly sent Ma Chao to lead the light cavalry to enter Henei by boat from Tongguan. He wanted to use the convenience of the water route to launch a surprise attack on Jiguan before our army noticed!"

"After breaking through Jiguan, we will first take Hedong, block the Yellow River, cut off the connection between Hedong and Guanzhong, and then seize Bingzhou!"

"This is Liu Bei's true intention!"

Xun You deduced the truth in a solemn tone.

Cao Ren took a deep breath, finally woke up and understood everything.

"In fact, during the military meeting in Chang'an that day, I always had an indescribable feeling. I always felt that Liu Bei's strategy was not as simple as a feint to the east and attack in the west."

"That Xiao Fang is extremely clever and intelligent, like a reincarnated sage."

"Liu Bei's subordinates Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, and Tian Feng were all rare and extraordinary people."

"I heard that Liu Bei recently got a man called Fa Zheng. Although he is not well-known, according to what Zhang Song said, he is also a cunning man."

"Liu Bei has so many talented people under his command, how could he only use a strategy like making a feint to the east and attacking in the west?"

"Now it seems that my worries were not groundless. Liu Bei really did not just make a feint to the east and attack the west. He was using a double feint to the east and attack the west!"

"I actually didn't realize it in time. I really shouldn't have done that. I really shouldn't have done that..."

Xun You kept shaking his head and sighing, his words full of regret and self-blame.

Cao Ren suddenly woke up, but the anger in his heart could not be suppressed like a volcano and suddenly erupted.

"Big-eared thief, you are such a sinister and despicable villain!"

"How dare you use such a treacherous scheme to seize my Jiguan and kill my son Cao Tai!"

"I will kill you. I will definitely kill you to avenge my son—"

Under the pain of losing his son, Cao Ren almost lost his mind and roared and cursed like a wild beast.

Cao Zhi, who was standing aside, had a stunned look on his face and dull eyes, as if his soul had been taken away.

Cold sweat was pouring down his forehead.

At the military meeting in Chang'an, he stood up and strongly advocated that Liu Bei should make a feint to the east and attack in the west. He judged that Liu Bei would attack Jingxing Pass from the east in order to seize Bingzhou.

Cao Cao also deployed his troops based on his calculations.

He never expected that he had miscalculated and was actually played a trick by Liu Bei!
Jiguan was lost, Cao Tai was killed, Hedong was in danger, and Bingzhou was in imminent danger... The situation of Qin State was originally very good, but it took a sharp turn for the worse in an instant because of his miscalculation.

If Bingzhou is lost, he will be to blame!

"Dezu!"

Cao Zhi, who had recovered from his shock, turned his head tremblingly and looked at Yang Xiu.

After all, he was just a mouthpiece, and all the judgments of the military meeting that day were made by Yang Xiu.

It was Yang Xiu's miscalculation that led to the current rapid turn of events!

"This shouldn't happen. Liu Bei would actually use Jiguan as a breakthrough point?"

"Who on earth planned this strategy for Liu Bei?"

"Could it be that Xiao Fang again?"

"This this…"

Yang Xiu's forehead was also covered with cold sweat, and he stammered, not knowing how to face Cao Zhi's questioning gaze.

The previous demeanor of being in control of everything was now gone.

"It is indeed a pity that Master Zi'an died."

"Please accept my condolences, General Hussar, and put the overall situation first."

"Now that Jiguan has been lost, Liu Bei's main force at Tongguan will immediately cross the river and head north, entering Hedong County from Hanoi via Jiguan."

"Once Hedong is lost, Bingzhou will be cut off from Guanzhong, and the consequences will be disastrous!"

"General Huqi, you must first lead us and help us get through this crisis!"

After all, Xun You was a man who had seen many storms and waves. At the critical moment, he was much calmer than young rising stars like Yang Xiu, and he was the first to calm his mind.

Cao Ren, who was in the midst of a mental breakdown, shuddered violently as if he was suddenly awakened by a blow from Xun You.

"Gongda's words make sense. Now is not the time for me to feel sad and angry for Zi'an. I have to put the country of Qin first!"

Cao Ren wiped away the tears from his eyes, forced himself to cheer up, and asked anxiously:
"Gongda, what should I do according to your opinion?"

Xun You hurriedly asked for a map and spread it out on the top of the city wall.

"Although the enemy attacked our Ji Pass, their troops are unlikely to be too numerous. They will most likely defend Ji Pass and wait for Liu Bei's main force to arrive."

"The Han army should not have entered Hedong County yet. We still have a chance."

"General Huoqi immediately ordered all the troops from Hedong County to gather at Pubanjin to prevent the Han army from cutting off our connection with Guanzhong and to guard the most convenient crossing point to Hedong for the Guanzhong reinforcements."

"Secondly, the general should lead his army back to Jinyang immediately, and then quickly march south to Hedong County."

"At the same time, we should send a messenger with a horse that can travel 800 miles to Tongguan to report the news to Your Majesty, asking Your Majesty to lead the army to Hedong as soon as possible and station at Anyi and other key points."

"As long as Hedong is not lost, even if Liu Bei's main force can enter Hedong from Jiguan, as long as Anyi and Pubanjin are in our hands, Liu Bei's plot will never succeed."

Xun You pointed at the map and in just a few words he outlined a countermeasure for Cao Ren.

Cao Ren calmed down completely and nodded without hesitation:
"Follow Gongda's plan, follow Gongda's plan, quickly pass on my order, and quickly send people to Tongguan to ask for help from Your Majesty--"

...

Tongguan.

On top of the city wall, Cao Cao was also overlooking the Han camp outside the city wall, with a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

Unlike the raging battle at Jingxing Pass, Liu Bei had stopped his offensive on Tongguan three days ago.

The 200,000 Han troops stopped fighting and all hid in their tents, sitting around the fire, chewing Hu cakes, drinking liquor, and enjoying the rare comfort in the cold winter.

"The big-eared thief suddenly stopped attacking and has been doing so for three days. Is he planning some treacherous scheme?"

Cao Cao struck the battlement with his fist, expressing his concerns.

After all, he had suffered too much at the hands of Liu Bei over the years, even losing his most beloved son.

Although his self-confidence has been restored since he swept Guanlong and ascended the throne to become emperor, the shadow that remains in his heart still lingers.

"I also think that Liu Bei's move is somewhat suspicious."

"Could it be that his plan of making a feint to the east and attacking in the west failed, and seeing that our Taihang Mountain defense line was well prepared and solid as a rock, and Zhang Fei's repeated attacks were fruitless, Liu Bei wanted to retreat and change the direction of attack?"

What Guo Jia was thinking coincided with what Cao Cao was thinking.

The two looked at each other, then immediately asked for the map and began to examine it.

Baidi City, Wuguan, Huguan, Pingcheng...

Cities that the Han army might turn to for the main attack passed by his eyes one by one, but he shook his head in denial.

"From Dai County in the north to Badong County in the south, our defenses on all fronts are flawless and impeccable."

"Even if Liu Bei wanted to change the direction of attack, where would he start?"

Guo Jia frowned and muttered to himself.

Cao Cao also frowned, his eyes quickly scanned the map, and for a moment he could not see where the flaw was.

"Your Majesty, I have a small worry."

Jia Xu, who had been keeping out of the matter, finally couldn't help but stepped forward and pointed:
"Are we not guarding Jiguan with too few troops?"

Jiguan?

Jia Xu immediately directed Cao Cao and Guo Jia's attention to the inconspicuous little pass in the Wangwu Mountains.

The two men's faces changed and they shuddered violently, as if they had a premonition of something at the same time.

At this moment, Cao Xiufeng hurriedly climbed up the tower, panting and shouting:
"Your Majesty, General Huoqi has sent an urgent report from Bingzhou!"

"Liu Bei sent Ma Chao to lead the cavalry to raid Jiguan and succeeded. Cao Zi'an was killed by Ma Chao!"

"The General of the Cavalry has led his army south to Hedong. Your Majesty, please send troops north as soon as possible to reinforce Hedong!"

Cao Cao's face changed drastically.

(End of this chapter)