sjar Chapter 1303 Cao Army Returns to Reinforce Runan, but Loses It
Chapter 1303 Cao Army Returns to Reinforce Runan, but Loses It
Inside the Qiao Commandery government office, Cao Pi clutched the urgent report delivered by Cao Hong, his knuckles white from the force, almost crushing the paper. He stood there, stunned, for a long while before muttering, "Nanyang...is it really lost?"
The candlelight flickered inside the tent, illuminating the solemn faces of Jiang Ji and Man Chong. The two circled the map, repeatedly analyzing the situation, but they still couldn't find a way to break the deadlock. Cao Hong was besieged in Runan, the Jingzhou army was at its peak, and Cao Cao, the father of the Yanzhou army, was too far away to come to the rescue. The troops in Qiao County were already weak and could not spare any extra troops to send to their aid.
"What should we do?" Cao Pi turned to the two men, his voice filled with barely concealed panic. "If Runan falls, Liu Bei's Jingzhou army will be like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, heading straight for Qiao County. At that time..."
"Second Young Master," Sima Yi, who was standing by his side, suddenly spoke, his voice as steady as a rock, "In my opinion, the most urgent task is to report to the Lord urgently. We must explain the predicament of Runan. If this city falls, Qiao County will be indefensible, and the rear of Yanzhou will also be threatened. It would be better to ask the Lord to temporarily abandon the offensive on Yanzhou and return to rescue it. This is the safest course of action."
Before the words were finished, an urgent shout came from outside the tent: "Second Young Master! Where is the Second Young Master?"
Cao Pi hurriedly went out to greet him and saw Xiahou Dun, clad in armor, striding in with a look of anxiety on his face. "Uncle Yuanrang," Cao Pi stepped forward to greet him, "What brings you here?"
Xiahou Dun grabbed his arm and said urgently, "I just heard that Cao Hong has asked for reinforcements again. Nanyang County is probably really lost! We absolutely cannot lose Runan! If that place falls, the Jingzhou army can reach Qiao County in no time, and we won't even have time to catch our breath!"
"Uncle Yuanrang, don't be anxious." Cao Ren stepped out of the tent and said in a deep voice, "We are just discussing asking Father for help so that he can return to resolve this crisis."
"Return to the capital?" Xiahou Dun waved his hand, a look of urgency flashing in his eyes. "Our lord is stuck in Yanzhou, and it will take at least half a month for him to come and go. By the time he arrives, Runan will already be his! In my opinion, we should quickly ask the eldest son for help!"
"Brother?" Cao Pi was taken aback.
"Exactly!" Xiahou Dun said, "The eldest son is stationed in Xuzhou, where his troops are well-trained and well-supplied. If we can persuade him to lead his army westward, we can definitely stop Liu Bei's offensive!"
Upon hearing this, Man Chong clapped his hands and said, "General Xiahou is absolutely right! The eldest son has been managing things in Xuzhou for several years and has a well-established reputation. His soldiers are skilled in battle. With his help, the siege of Runan can be lifted!"
Cao Pi frowned and paced back and forth a few steps: "Before Father left, he instructed that my elder brother should guard Xuzhou and defend against Jiangdong, while we should guard the rear of Qiao County. If my elder brother is summoned to reinforce, Xuzhou will be left undefended. What if Jiangdong takes advantage of the situation and invades?"
Silence fell over the tent. Xiahou Dun stamped his feet anxiously, "But Qiao Commandery is in even greater danger right now! Xuzhou has Chen Deng and his son to assist them, so things won't get out of hand for a while. But if Runan is lost, we'll lose our homes!"
Cao Pi gazed at the deep night outside the tent, his heart torn between two conflicting emotions. He knew Xiahou Dun was right, but his father's instructions still echoed in his ears. His father hadn't seen his elder brother for years, displaying such estrangement—wasn't this all a prelude to him inheriting the throne? Now, if his elder brother came to his rescue, the hearts of the Cao clan would be completely won over by his brother. If things really came to that, who would still support him in the future?
"Fine," he finally said through gritted teeth. "First, send an urgent report to Father, detailing our current predicament, and ask him for a decision. If Father orders my elder brother to come to our aid, I will send another messenger; if Father has other plans, we will discuss them further."
Sima Yi watched silently, a barely perceptible glint in his eyes. He knew that this power struggle concerning the succession of the Cao family emperor had only just begun. And what choice would Cao Cao, far away in Yanzhou, make upon receiving this urgent report?
The smoke from the battle on the walls of Jiyin County had not yet dissipated when Cao Cao stood atop the city tower, watching his troops enter the city in orderly ranks. A smile had just appeared on his face when a personal guard rushed in with an urgent letter sealed with wax: "My lord, an urgent report from Qiao County! Written by the Second Prince himself!"
Cao Cao received the letter and saw Cao Pi's personal seal on the sealing wax, which made him uneasy. Upon opening it, he saw that the handwriting was hasty and messy, and the words were full of anxiety. Nanyang had been lost, Runan was besieged, Liu Bei's Jingzhou army was at its peak, and Qiao County was in imminent danger. He implored his father to return to the rescue immediately.
With a "buzz," Cao Cao felt dizzy and lightheaded. He quickly grabbed the edge of the battlements, the veins on his forehead throbbing. He had fought for half his life and had never been in such a dilemma. After months of fierce fighting in Yanzhou, he had finally broken through Jiyin County and was on the verge of recovering the entire territory when this mess occurred in his rear.
"Brother! What's wrong?" Cao Ren rushed forward to support him. Seeing his pale face and glancing at the letter on the ground, he immediately understood. "Something... has happened back home?"
Xun You bent down to pick up the letter, quickly glanced through it, and frowned: "My lord, the Jingzhou army has successively captured Nanyang, and now their troops are pointing towards Runan. If Runan is lost again, Qiao County will be the front line. The Second Prince requests your return to reinforce the rear, as this concerns the foundation of our rear."
Cao Cao took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and said in a deep voice, "Issue my order to summon all the generals for a meeting!"
A moment later, all of Cao Cao's generals gathered on the city tower. Cao Cao then relayed the urgent report from Qiao County, and the tent erupted in chaos.
"My lord!" Cao Xiu was the first to step forward, his hand on his sword, and said, "The situation in Yanzhou has just taken a turn for the better. Jiyin has fallen, and the remaining counties will be captured soon! If we withdraw our troops now, it will give Yuan Shang a chance to catch his breath. In the future, it will take much more effort to recover Yanzhou!"
Li Dian echoed, "General Cao Xiu is absolutely right! Although Liu Bei is in a strong position in Nanyang, Cao Hong is stationed in Runan, and there are also troops in Qiao County. He may not necessarily be unable to hold out. We should take Yanzhou in one fell swoop, and then it will not be too late to turn back and deal with the Jingzhou army!"
Cao Ren nodded: "Brother, Yanzhou is Yuan Shang's right-hand man. If this arm is severed, he will be helpless in Hebei. Although the rear is in dire straits, it may not be beyond repair. Perhaps..."
"No!" Yu Jin interrupted abruptly, his voice deep and serious. "My lord, the rear is our foundation! Even if we capture Yanzhou, if Qiao County and Xuchang fall into Liu Bei's hands, we will be like rootless duckweed! Liu Bei's Zhuge Liang is a master strategist, and Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun are skilled warriors. The Jingzhou army is now powerful and far beyond what Cao Hong and Man Chong can withstand. Once the rear is lost, we will be caught in a dilemma, and at that time, let alone Yanzhou, we may not even be able to stand firm!"
Xun You agreed, saying, "General Yu is right. Yuan Shang is already a fish in a cauldron, so it's alright to deal with him later; but if Liu Bei gains a foothold, he will be a major threat. Right now, we should focus on securing our rear, returning to Qiao County to reinforce it, defeating the Jingzhou army, and then we can take over Yanzhou later."
Cheng Yu added, "My lord, Liu Bei has always been ambitious. This time, under the pretext of suppressing the rebellion, he marches north to expand his territory. If he were to occupy Nanyang and Runan and approach Qiao County, it would be like stabbing us in the ribs, with endless consequences!"
The two sides held sharply contrasting opinions. Cao Xiu, Li Dian, and others advocated fighting in Yanzhou, while Yu Jin, Xun You, and others strongly advocated returning to reinforce the city. The debate raged on in the tent.
Cao Cao paced back and forth on the city wall, his hands behind his back. His gaze swept over the troops below, who were preparing for battle, and then looked south towards Qiao County, the rear base he had painstakingly built. Taking Yan Province would severely damage Yuan Shang; securing the rear was essential to stabilizing the overall situation.
"Enough!" Cao Cao abruptly stopped, his voice carrying an undeniable authority. "The war in Yanzhou... is suspended."
All the generals were taken aback.
Seeing that Cao Cao was determined to return to the aid, Cao Ren stepped forward and said urgently, "Brother, the battle in Qiao County may not have reached the point where you have to personally come to the aid! The eldest son is stationed in Xuzhou with elite troops under his command. If we send him to aid Qiao County, with the eldest son's prestige and ability, he will surely be able to hold off Liu Bei's army!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Jin's eyes lit up, and he quickly cupped his hands in agreement: "General Cao is absolutely right! My lord, summoning the eldest son here can not only relieve the siege of Qiao County, but also allow us to continue the battle in Yanzhou. It is truly a win-win situation!"
The tent fell silent for a moment, all eyes fixed on Cao Cao's face. Cheng Yu and Xun You exchanged a glance, both seeing the same understanding in each other's eyes. They knew Cao Cao's thoughts best. In recent years, their lord had deliberately placed Cao Ang in charge of Xuzhou, seemingly giving him an important position, but in reality, intentionally distancing himself from him to reduce his influence in the army and the rear, so that Cao Pi could establish a firm foothold and pave the way for future succession.
If Cao Ang were to be dispatched to reinforce Qiao Commandery at this time, given his military achievements and benevolence, coupled with his troops, and especially with Tian Feng and Ju Shou, two strategists once relied upon by Yuan Shao, they would surely be able to hold off Liu Bei. However, this would undoubtedly make both the military and political factions more inclined towards him. The influence that Cao Pi had painstakingly built up in Qiao Commandery over the years would likely be overshadowed by his elder brother's brilliance in an instant, or even vanish completely.
As expected, Cao Cao frowned, his fingertips tracing the hilt of his sword repeatedly, and said in a deep voice, "Ang'er is in Xuzhou, bearing heavy responsibilities. He has to be wary of the remnants of Yuan Tan's forces in Qingzhou, and also keep an eye on Sun Ce's movements in Jiangdong. How can we act rashly? If we don't take Yanzhou today, we can take it another day. There's nothing to regret."
He looked up at his generals and said in a resolute tone, "My mind is made up, there's no need for further discussion! Issue the order to break camp immediately and return with me to reinforce Qiao County!"
Cao Ren wanted to persuade him further, but was stopped by Cao Cao's sharp gaze. Yu Jin opened his mouth, but ultimately lowered his head and stepped aside. Cheng Yu and Xun You nodded silently. They knew that in their lord's heart, while the stability of the rear was important, maintaining the balance among his sons and ensuring Cao Pi's position were the fundamental issues that could not be shaken at the moment.
Military orders are absolute, and the troops in Jiyin Commandery quickly assembled. Cao Cao mounted his horse, gazing at the dust rising to the south, his heart filled with both anxiety for the rear and complex emotions for his eldest son. He reined in his horse and said in a deep voice, "Let's go!"
The sound of hooves rang out again, but this time, the direction was no longer the heart of Yanzhou, but galloping towards Qiao County. Sunlight shone on Cao Cao's armor, reflecting his resolute yet weary profile. He had a better choice, but Cao Ang's attitude left him with no option.
Cao Cao made the decision to return to the aid of Jiyin County without any hesitation. However, what he did not know was that the city gates of Runan County had already been flung open the day before he received Cao Pi's letter requesting assistance.
That day, Cao Hong held out on the city wall for seven days straight. He ran out of arrows and rolling stones, and even forced the laborers to fight on the city wall. Wen Ping's Jingzhou army, however, launched wave after wave of fierce attacks. Zhang Fei set up ladders at the east gate, Zhao Yun used battering rams at the west gate, and Huang Zhong led archers to suppress the city walls. Under the three-pronged attack, a breach was finally torn in the city wall.
"General, we can't hold the city!" A guard, covered in blood, rushed to Cao Hong. "The Jingzhou army has entered the city!"
Cao Hong watched the enemy troops pouring into the streets and alleys. His long sword was already dulled. He gave a bitter laugh, raised his sword to charge, but was held back by his personal guards: "General, run! As long as we're alive, we can always fight again!"
The remaining soldiers escorted Cao Hong through the north gate, fleeing south, with Runan County already ablaze behind them. The main army entered the city, pacifying the populace while simultaneously sending messengers to report the victory to Liu Bei. With Nanyang and Runan now in their grasp, the next step was to march directly on Qiao County.