novelSusiti Chapter 99 White Horse Crisis
Chapter 99 White Horse Crisis
The weather at the beginning of autumn is hotter than in summer, much like the current state of the world.
Yuan Shao's general Zhang He led 30,000 troops straight to Baima, and Yuan Shao acted in tandem.
He personally led an army of 50,000, which was said to number 120,000, straight to Guandu.
Gao Lan then headed towards Yanjin, which would directly threaten the three major ferry crossings in Yanzhou, putting them under immense pressure!
Regardless of which of these three positions is breached, Yanzhou will be instantly exposed to Yuan Shao's army.
Yuan Shao made up his mind to act as quickly as possible not only because he had no choice but to retreat.
more importantly.
Li Zhao cannot pose a threat to Ji Province in the short term!
Of course, it wasn't just because Li Zhao made a written promise.
Rather, he has a way to counterattack; as long as he doesn't get bogged down on the battlefield, he can ensure his safety by getting away as soon as possible.
When the news spread, the entire Yanzhou was in an uproar.
Many people in the court who were already dissatisfied with Cao Cao immediately began to spread rumors.
They proclaimed that Yuan Shao was invincible and on the side of absolute justice.
Cao Cao attempted to control the emperor and the court, and sooner or later he would meet a terrible end, etc.
The morale of the soldiers at the front was thrown into chaos.
For these ordinary soldiers, Yuan Shao and his family's background made them even more invincible.
The reports sent from the front were all requests for support and inquiries about how to handle the situation.
The Sikong Mansion.
Cao Cao, who had just returned, sat down looking exhausted.
Xun Yu's strategist had been waiting there for some time and noticed the weariness on his face.
It's obvious what happened in the imperial court.
nowadays.
Yuan Shao's military campaign caused a dramatic shift in public opinion, with countless people predicting their downfall.
They were even considering what arrangements to make after Yuan Shao's army entered Yanzhou.
Countless people petitioned Emperor Xian of Han, suggesting that they should proactively welcome Yuan Shao into Yanzhou.
This allowed this pillar of the court to regain control of the situation.
"I believe you are all aware of the reports sent from the front!" Cao Cao said softly, flipping through the things in front of him.
His voice betrayed no emotion, but those who knew him well knew that this was the calm before the storm.
"Yuan Shao's massive army is pressing in, and the morale of the troops at the front is in disarray. Tens of thousands of troops are coming from Baima and Yanjin."
"My biggest worry is Guandu. If it is breached, we will be facing Yuan Shao's 100,000-strong army."
"Tell me, what should we do now?"
This time...
None of the people standing in front of him spoke first; instead, they fell into a long silence.
Cao Cao did not urge him, but waited silently.
The reason why the military officers were not invited today was to allow them to act freely.
The next battle will determine their life or death!
Every step must be taken seriously!
"My lord..." Xun Yu stepped forward thoughtfully, "Yuan Shao is now attacking from three directions, his forces spread out widely. I believe that our focus should not be on defense, but rather on how to concentrate them at one point!"
"Furthermore, we must act as quickly as possible; otherwise, if problems arise, we may find ourselves overwhelmed and unable to cope!"
Upon hearing this, all the strategists present nodded in agreement.
Yuan Shao's current deployment of troops will indeed put them under great pressure.
But as long as we hold on and find a way to focus them on one point.
In this way, we can find a way to break through!
"That might be difficult!" Cheng Yu sighed deeply, his voice filled with worry.
"Yuan Shao's men aren't all fools; they should understand the weaknesses of this formation!"
"It's virtually impossible to mobilize them all to one point!"
A bucket of cold water was poured over everyone's heads, and they all understood that this was the truth!
Cao Cao listened quietly, his gaze occasionally falling on Jia Xu, who was not far away.
He remained silent throughout, showing no intention of speaking.
"Wenhe, what do you think?" Cao Cao's eyes flashed almost imperceptibly.
Only then did Jia Xu step forward, calmly cupping his hands and saying, "I was merely wondering if Yuan Shao is suitable for large-scale military operations like this?"
This seemingly inexplicable question quickly elicited a response from many people.
Especially Cao Cao...
He immediately understood Jia Xu's meaning, a smile playing on his lips.
This old guy never says things outright, but he always manages to make them easy to understand.
Guo Jia's gaze sharpened, as if he had figured something out, and a slight smile appeared on his face.
immediately.
He stood beside Jia Xu and said very seriously, "Wenhe's words are very reasonable..."
"Yuan Shao is far inferior to our lord; he is indecisive in his actions."
"You only realize what you should have done after everything is over!"
"Such large-scale military operations often require absolute decisiveness. Opportunities on the battlefield are fleeting, and any mistake will be the responsibility of the entire army!"
As they were talking.
He went straight to Cao Cao, and after receiving permission, picked up several pieces of military intelligence.
"According to the news from the front, Zhang He is leading an army of 30,000 to attack Baima, while Yuan Shao and his son Yuan Shang are leading troops to Guandu!"
"Gao Lan's march to Yan Jin may seem imposing, but coordinating these three armies will be far more complicated than anticipated!"
"Especially the information exchange between us, so we only need to focus our attack on one location!"
"If any one of these three routes fails, the other two can be quickly drawn over!"
Xun Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. "No, to achieve this effect, it must be Guandu, where Yuan Shao is located!"
"That's right. This first battle must be fought in the fastest and most decisive way possible, so that Yuan Shao will believe he has suffered a fatal blow and will quickly mobilize the other two armies!"
"When that time comes, with Baima and Yanjin attacking simultaneously, Yuan's army will surely be defeated!"
"but……"
A hint of worry appeared on Guo Jia's face. "All of this depends on the premise that we must execute the coordination to the best of our ability, without any hesitation!"
"More importantly, we can't make a move in Qingzhou. If Li Zhao takes advantage of the situation, he'll pose a greater threat than Yuan Shao!"
He was constantly worried about Li Zhao's situation...
All sorts of reasoning and logic suggest that he won't take action, but the problem is that reality often doesn't follow any logic.
We must prepare for the worst, what if he comes?
Cao Cao slowly rose to his feet, his deep voice resounding, "Preventing him from making a move is quite simple!"
"As long as we keep Yuan Shao trapped here, his mind won't be on Yanzhou!"
"Furthermore, Yan Jin and Bai Ma cannot be defended to the death. I know Yuan Shao well; we must give him enough hope first, otherwise, the effect will be greatly reduced!"
After careful deliberation, Cao Cao decided to abandon Baima, leaving Zhang He, a formidable warrior, and his 30,000 troops tied up there.
This is undoubtedly very risky, but it is the best option at present!
……