Chapter 318 It’s time to live a big life [Subscribe please]

study.

in the afternoon.

Cao Cao unfolded Ke Bineng's handwriting.

Kebineng's Chinese characters are crooked, and in some places he doesn't know how to write them, so he uses words from the grassland and symbols instead.

Even with Cao Cao's erudition, he still frowned as he watched.

He waved to Wen Ji to come over.

In the past two years, Wen Ji has been studying the languages ​​and scripts of some tribes near the Central Plains.

It should be noted that the scale of Cao's spies is constantly expanding and has gradually infiltrated into the surrounding tribes.

This included some high-level spies from foreign tribes who would directly pass on messages involving foreign texts. Even Jia Xu would sometimes ask Wen Ji what was written when he received some special messages.

Historical records say that Wen Ji was knowledgeable and had a good memory, and her father Cai Yong had a collection of more than ten thousand volumes of books.

Wen Ji could recite these books in their entirety after reading them once or twice, and many years later, she could still remember 70% to 80% of the content.

After Cao Cao got Wen Ji, he basically didn't need to look for the files in the study, he could just ask directly.

There was no one in the study at this time. Wen Ji let her husband hold her slender waist and sit on his lap. Her delicate and lively eyes moved around, scanning the letter, and then repeated it to Cao Cao:

"It says here that after the Eastern Xianbei were defeated, they sought help from the Western Xianbei and the Central Xianbei, trying to form an alliance and move south."

"Kebineng said that you are a great leader of the Central Plains, but you must be more careful. After you defeated the Wuhuan and Eastern Xianbei, you have attracted the attention and hostility of the entire grassland tribe."

"Murong Tuoye, the leader of the Eastern Xianbei, hates you even more."

"He insisted on traveling even in the cold winter, and now he has reached Xixianbei."

"The letter also said that the leader of the largest tribe in the Western Xianbei was very angry about your invasion of the Xianbei."

Looking north from the Central Plains, there is a vast expanse of fertile grassland.

Since the Xiongnu were defeated during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han and their situation became increasingly deteriorating, the Xianbei took advantage of the situation and began to rise and rule the vast grassland.

The Western Xianbei were located in the area corresponding to the north of Yunzhong, Yanmen, Beidi, Daijun, and Taiyuan.

If measured by the national border of the Western Han Dynasty, by the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, much of the Han people's northern border had been invaded by the Xianbei from the south and occupied.

Kuitou, the leader of the largest tribe of the Western Xianbei, was in his prime, with a stout build and square cheeks.

He tied his hair up casually and stuck a steppe eagle feather on his head as decoration.

He sat in the king's tent of the Western Xianbei and entertained Murong Tuoye, the leader of the Eastern Xianbei.

"Murong, you were too careless. The Han people attacked your tent by surprise. This is a shame you will never be able to wash away."

Kuitou said in a loud voice:

"If I were you, I would no longer have the face to lead the tribe. You should hand over the tribe's men and horses to me, and I will help you to avenge the blood debt owed by the Han people to the Xianbei."

Murong Tuoye: "If you want my tribe and my troops, you must defeat the Han people first."

The situation within the Xianbei was also complicated. The leaders of the powerful tribes all wanted to become the second Tan Shihuai and unify the Xianbei.

When the Eastern Xianbei were at their peak, Murong Tuoye also had similar ambitions.

He was defeated at this time and came to Kuitou to seek an alliance.

Kuitou took the opportunity to put forward conditions and wanted to annex the Eastern Xianbei.

If the Eastern Xianbei could be incorporated into his throne, and he controlled both the Eastern and Western Xianbei at the same time, he would have a chance to compete for the throne of the Central Xianbei.

The number of combat troops of the Western Xianbei was similar to that of the Eastern Xianbei at its peak.

The women and children in the tribe can also ride horses and hold spears.

All adult men are soldiers and can go to war on horseback. When it comes to flexibility, they are unparalleled in the world.

Fighting on horseback is the basis of their survival.

The Han people had to undergo extensive training and screening before they could form cavalry.

Cavalry also costs more.

This resulted in the Han people being able to form a strong cavalry and have the ability to take the initiative to attack only when the country was rich and powerful.

Once defeated, the cost of war would be far greater than that of the grassland tribes.

Therefore, in the war with the northern grasslands, the Han people were on the defensive most of the time.

This is the offensive and defensive relationship determined by the different social structures of the two sides.

Inside the king's tent, Kui Tou said, "Murong, I heard that you have a beauty in your tent. She is from the Xiaotuohe tribe and has the fairest skin. Please give her to me."

A hint of anger flashed across Murong Toye's face:

"You want her, you can!

Her head was piled up on top of tens of thousands of corpses by the Han army, and after a winter, it had been dried by the wind.

I can have it brought to your tent as a gift."

Kuitou then realized that the Han people had killed Murong Tuoye's women during their raid last year, so he laughed out loud:
"That's a pity. It seems that I can only snatch women from the Han people to replenish my royal tent."

"Rob a Han woman?"

"If you look down on them, you will probably be defeated."

Kui Tou's laughter encouraged the king's tent: "You are wrong, I never underestimate the enemy.

I have never forgotten that the Han people once defeated the powerful Xiongnu. But if we go to war, I am absolutely sure that I can defeat them!"

Murong Tuoye thought for a moment: "You have helpers? Are they the soldiers of the Central Xianbei? Or... the Qiang people?"

Kuitou smiled even more and avoided answering.

But Murong Toye's guess was correct.

The relationship between geographical location.

The Western Xianbei and Qiang Hu were neighbors of the remnants of the Southern Xiongnu.

The area to the north of the Hexi Corridor and its border with Bingzhou is the territory of the Qiang and Hu peoples.

Qiang Hu was also one of the Five Barbarians who invaded the Han Dynasty in the later period.

They are widely distributed on both sides of the Hexi Corridor.

The richest area of ​​their territory, the plain between the mountains, is the Hexi Corridor occupied by the Han people. For many years, Qiang Hu has always hoped to take back the Hexi Corridor, but unfortunately they have always been suppressed by the Han people and it is difficult to take back Hexi.

Some Qiang and Hu tribes chose to rely on the Han people.

There were a large number of surrendered Qiang and Hu people in the Liangzhou army.

This is the complex situation in Liangzhou at present, with the Han people and surrounding tribes intertwined.

Murong Tuoye and Kuitou discussed attacking Han, and at the same time contacted Qiang and Hu to form an alliance, intending to act together.

After receiving Kebinen's letter, Cao Cao looked at the map of the northwest.

Ke Bineng and Cao Cao had a mutually beneficial relationship.

He now does not have enough troops to support his ambitions, and wants to use the Han army to balance the various tribes on the grassland, profit from it, and strengthen himself.

The letter he sent did not reveal a lot of information and even deliberately concealed the core part.

Cao Cao stared at the map for a while and made several marks in the northwest direction.

Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong had already rushed back to the front lines.

Cao Cao thought to himself: "When wolves come, I have shotguns. When friends come... there are no friends around."

The rogue ethnic groups near the Han territory are like a pack of wolves. Even if they think their prey is strong and they dare not pounce on it for the time being, they will still wander around, test you, and stare at you.

If you show any weakness, they will pounce on you.

Fortunately, there was some food left over.

After Cao Cao thought about it, it was almost evening.

On the side of the study, a tall woman, followed by two servants, came to the study carrying a food box to deliver food to Dian Wei.

Afterwards, someone came to Xu Chu's side to deliver food.

In later generations, Dian Wei's wife was probably a model with regular facial features and was quite beautiful.

The food box she brought was very conspicuous because it was big.

Other people’s food boxes can be carried in one hand and are no more than two feet high.

This one at Dian Wei’s house is a big cabinet.

Two servants carried it from behind, following Dian Wei's wife.

It’s said that meals are delivered, but actually the whole family eats Boss Cao’s food.

When the time comes, we go to the kitchen to get food. Each person gets one portion, and those who can eat get two portions.

Dian Wei’s wife: Give me twenty servings.

She came to deliver it personally and brought her own cooking pot with her. She also made delicious food at home and gave it to Dian Wei.

There were also people delivering food to Cao Cao.

Yin put a special food box on his back, and he carried it like a juggler, jogging all the way. He arrived at the study room first, even though he started late.

Then a servant came in, took out the dishes and placed them on a low mat on the side.

Yin sat next to the tiger, sniffed and stared at what Cao Cao was eating.

He ran out again to see what Dian Wei and Xu Chu had sent.

Whenever someone’s food is delicious, it will sit next to you, stare at you with its big eyes, and ask you if you want to give it to me.

It looked around and returned to Cao Cao, perhaps there was something it wanted to eat there.

Cao Cao asked Dian Wei and Xu Chu to come in and eat together.

The two men each brought in a food box from outside, and took out lamb ribs, lamb tendons, donkey shanks, and a plate of hot beans, which were equivalent to peanuts.

There are also two pig trotters and some vegetables.

The dishes are quite rich.

Dian Wei started eating quickly.

Cao Cao gave most of the food to Dian Wei and Yin, and at the same time praised Xu Chu for his hard work in training his troops recently and for playing a good leading role.

These two people's greatest hobbies were satisfied at the same time, and they were very happy.

As they ate, Cao Cao asked, "Among the soldiers sent from various places, are there any good ones recently?"

After unifying the north, the Qingzhou Army, Youzhou Cavalry, Liangzhou Cavalry, Bingzhou Army, and the Danyang Army in Xuzhou that originally belonged to Tao Qian were included.

These excellent sources of soldiers are screened over and over again, and the selection of soldiers becomes more and more meticulous.

The best soldiers sent from all over the country were gathered in Yecheng.

Xu Chu and Dian Wei took turns going to the barracks on the outskirts of the city to select good fighters.

During this process, the number of Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and even the royal heavy cavalry, as well as their combat effectiveness, continued to increase, with the weak being eliminated and the strong being retained.

After a winter of selection and training, the heavy cavalry had eleven more men, totaling fifty-nine.

After this winter, Cao's army is like a tiger in a sluice gate, and their fighting spirit is at its highest!
Dian Wei and Xu Chu became alert immediately when they heard Cao Cao asking about the military situation, and said in unison:

“Is there going to be a war?

King Wei, are you going to lead the troops yourself?"

There is a reason for the two men to be excited. Cao Cao never plays low-end games. If he takes action, there will be a big battle.

Cao Cao told the two men to stop talking nonsense and not discuss it publicly.

If Xun Yu knew that he was going to the front line again, he would be furious.

Cao Cao was worried about how to leave without telling Xun Yu so that he wouldn't become suspicious.

"There is still some time before the war starts. But you should send your troops out in batches and small groups now. Otherwise, when the time comes and the large group of soldiers leaves the camp, Wen Ruo will know immediately.

We have to conceal this from the world this time. After we come back from the fight, we can’t let Wen Ruo know about it.”

Yin was standing aside, listening with his tiger head tilted. Suddenly he raised his big paw, indicating that he also wanted to go to the front line. He also pointed at the palace on Xun Yu's side with his paw, saying that he would go and inform on the enemy if he was not taken with him.

Cao Cao: "Are you going to become a spirit?"

At this time, the imperial guards came to report: "King Wei, the side courtyard sent news that Jiangdong had captured prisoners. Old Madam Wu and Madam Qiao have important matters and want to see you."

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(End of this chapter)