Chapter 663

Cao Cao sent an envoy, Xin Pi.

Liu Bei received him.

Xin Pi cupped his hands.

"Lord Xuande, the situation in the Central Plains is chaotic. The Wuhuan in the northeast have risen, and the Wuhuan leader Kill Tadun has taken the opportunity to occupy most of Liaoxi Commandery. Now he is harming the Han people, and Duke Wei intends to launch an expedition against Kill Tadun."

Liu Bei nodded.

"The Wuhuan are foreign tribes with great ambition. Brother Mengde launching an expedition against them is something I naturally approve of; why come to ask me?"

Xin Pi cursed inwardly—isn't Liu Bei just playing dumb? Cao Cao is naturally afraid that Liu Bei will take the opportunity to attack Hebei.

"Lord Xuande is deeply righteous and protects the people of our Great Han; Duke Wei would like to ask Lord Xuande to send troops to assist."

Zhang Fei laughed loudly.

"Is Cao Cao locked in the Bronze Bird Terrace? He needs my big brother's help to fight the Wuhuan."

Liu Bei waved his hand.

"Yide, you cannot say that. The Wuhuan have bullied our Han border people for years; it is time to deal them a heavy blow."

Liu Bei nodded.

"Xin Pi, help me reply to Brother Mengde that I will send troops from Yanmen Commandery, no fewer than eighty thousand cavalry."

Xin Pi was secretly delighted, not expecting his mission to go so smoothly.

"Lord Xuande is highly righteous; I admire you greatly."

Liu Bei invited Xin Pi to go drink. Xin Pi was an upright man with no lack of talent, and he had a talented daughter at home, Xin Xianying, who was even more talented than he was.

Liu Bei didn't intend to lead the expedition himself this time, but rather treated it as an opportunity to train his troops.

The Wuhuan naturally had to be dealt with, and Liu Bei also wanted to take the opportunity to attack the Liaodong separatist force Gongsun Kang, as well as Goguryeo.

A few days later,

Liu Bei announced that he would send ninety thousand troops this time, divided into three armies, with Zhao Yun as the commander-in-chief.

The first army was led by Zhao Yun, with Fa Zheng as the strategist, and Tian Yu and Guanqiu Jian as assistants.

The second army was led by Zhang Liao, with Liu Ye as the strategist, and Pang De and Wen Qin as assistants.

The third army was led by Taishi Ci, with Zhuge Jin as the strategist, and Gao Lan, Wu Anguo, and others as assistants. Taishi Ci had avoided disaster in Liaodong in his early years and was very familiar with the terrain.

The goal was to crush the Wuhuan, head straight for Xiangping in Liaodong, establish a base there, and launch an expedition against Goguryeo and the lands of the Three Han.

The country of Goguryeo was also an agricultural culture, originating in the northeast, and had long been separated from the Central Plains dynasties; it must be destroyed.

And those sticks from the Three Han tribes must also be wiped out!

Liu Bei also had Xu Huang replace Zhang Liao to guard Jiyin Commandery.

Zhang He guarded Beihai.

Zhuge Liang took Wang Ping, Guo Huai, Yan Xing, and others to guard Bingzhou.

Gao Shun, Ju Yi, and others continued to lead troops to garrison Xuxian.

Yecheng,

Cao Cao didn't expect that Liu Bei would not only send troops but also intended to send ninety thousand.

"This Liu Bei wouldn't be thinking of taking the opportunity to seize my Youzhou, would he?"

He thought about it and felt he probably wouldn't.

Xun Yu cupped his hands.

"My lord, I suspect that Liu Bei not only wants to strike the Wuhuan this time but also wants to occupy the land of Liaodong!"

"Liaodong?"

Cao Cao nodded.

"Liu Bei is indeed extremely ambitious. I only asked him to fight a foreign tribe, and he actually..."

Cheng Yu bowed.

"My lord, Liu Bei probably also has the intention of training his troops this time."

Cao Cao was very depressed; Liu Bei now had many soldiers and generals and could easily send out ninety thousand troops—Zhao Yun, Zhang Liao, and Taishi Ci were all great generals.

"I fear Liu Bei also has the idea of expanding his territory this time, occupying Liaodong, Goguryeo, and the land of the Three Han."

Cao Cao held the bamboo slip.

"Liu Bei appointed Bu Zhi as the Inspector of Jiaozhou, and after conquering Jiuzhen and Rinan commanderies, he continued to launch expeditions south to the peninsula, expanding our Great Han's territory by several hundred miles to the south."

Cao Cao thought of the dozen or so Jiuzhen Jing indigenous women in the Bronze Bird Terrace and couldn't help but feel a bit sour.

"I heard he is also building sea ships, intending to launch expeditions against Luzon, Yizhou (Taiwan), and Zhuya Island."

When Cao Cao said this, he was completely sour; he had intended to do these things himself, but now they were all done by Liu Bei, and he could only stare blankly.

Cheng Yu sighed.

"With Liu Bei doing these things, his prestige will be extremely high; I fear he is not far from declaring himself emperor."

Cao Cao snorted.

"Declaring himself emperor? Who will win the deer is yet to be known!"

He pondered for a while

and decided to send forty thousand troops this time, with Cao Ang as the commander, Xia Hou Dun as the assistant, Man Chong as the strategist, and Cao Zhang, Cao Zhen, and Xia Hou Shang accompanying the army.

Anyone with eyes knew that this was Cao Cao starting to groom Cao Ang.

Lady Bian was a bit unhappy; her own sons Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, and Cao Zhi were all outstanding.

Yet Cao Cao favored Cao Ang and Cao Chong.

Cao Chong was born to Lady Huan and was a concubine's son.

Cao Ang was born to the concubine Lady Liu but was adopted by Lady Ding, giving him the status of a legitimate son.

As Cao Cao aged, he also had to face the infighting among his heirs.

Early in the seventh month,

The armies of both sides converged at Jixian and set off together for Liucheng of the Wuhuan.

The one hundred and thirty thousand troops soon arrived at Mount Wuzhong, preparing to take the road along the sea through Shanhai Pass and the Liaoxi Corridor.

Who knew that heaven would not be kind, and a torrential rain began to fall, making the roads muddy, while Kill Tadun sent troops to guard them strictly.

The coalition forces were blocked.

Zhao Yun sat in the main seat.

"Everyone, the low-lying coastal areas are difficult to travel, and the weather is bad. If we remain deadlocked like this until winter, our army will have no chance of victory and will have to retreat. Do you have any suggestions?"

Xia Hou Dun's mouth twitched.

"General Zhao, you are the commander of the coalition forces; naturally, we will listen to you."

Zhao Yun nodded.

"Good, when my lord set off, he had already anticipated this."