Chapter 1571

As Guo Jia's words fell, the atmosphere within the military camp suddenly became a bit more solemn. Cao Cao's brows were tightly locked, clearly weighing the pros and cons of this plan. He knew that such an action not only required a large amount of troops but could also trigger greater warfare, and might even allow other forces to take advantage of the situation. But on the other hand, Gu Yi's existence was indeed like a sharp sword hanging over his head, making him unable to sleep at night.

"A large number of elite troops... how many troops does this require? What is our current troop distribution?" Cao Cao asked in a deep voice, beginning to seriously consider the feasibility of this plan.

Guo Jia had long been prepared; he quickly took a map from his sleeve, spread it on the desk, and explained in detail to Cao Cao: "Currently, our main force is scattered in various places, and it is not easy to assemble a large number of troops in a short time. However, if my lord's determination is set, we can mobilize elite troops from the nearest strongholds, which can assemble about fifty thousand troops. But this is already the limit; any more might affect the security of other defense lines."

Cao Cao stared at the map, his fingers gently tracing the symbols marking the troop distribution, calculating in his heart. Fifty thousand troops sounded like a lot, but facing Gu Yi and the warriors under his command who could each take on a hundred, this number seemed so thin.

"Fifty thousand troops... is it enough?" A trace of uncertainty revealed itself in Cao Cao's tone.

Guo Jia sighed softly and said: "Whether it is enough or not depends on whether we can precisely locate Gu Yi's whereabouts and formulate a meticulous encirclement plan. If we can utilize natural conditions such as terrain and the cover of night, perhaps we can increase the chances of success."

Cao Cao nodded; he understood what Guo Jia meant. This battle was not only a test of military force but also a contest of wits. He had to ensure that every step was calculated accurately; otherwise, once it failed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Good, then it is settled." Cao Cao finally made up his mind. "Guo Jia, you are responsible for planning the specific action scheme; you must ensure there are no mistakes. At the same time, I will personally arrange the matter of mobilizing troops to ensure everything proceeds smoothly."

Guo Jia received the order and was just about to withdraw when Cao Cao called him back: "Also, regarding those experts under Gu Yi, do you have any special countermeasures?"

Guo Jia paused his steps, pondered for a moment, and then replied: "The experts under Gu Yi are each battle-hardened and difficult to deal with. However, your subordinate has thought of a method that might work—a strategy of sowing discord. We can try to spread rumors to drive a wedge in their relationships, causing internal conflict among them, thereby weakening their combat effectiveness."

Hearing this, a glimmer of approval flashed in Cao Cao's eyes: "Good idea! Go do it immediately; you must ensure the rumors spread as fast as possible and as realistically as possible."

In the following days, Cao Cao and Guo Jia prepared intensively for the encirclement plan against Gu Yi. On one hand, they secretly mobilized troops to assemble in the areas where Gu Yi might appear; on the other hand, the rumors meticulously designed by Guo Jia began to spread in the pugilistic world, attempting to shake the foundation of Gu Yi's team.

However, Gu Yi was no ordinary person; he quickly sensed the abnormality in the surrounding atmosphere. Gu Yi's subordinates, those loyal and powerful warriors, also began to sense that something was wrong. Although the trust between them was solid, under the erosion of rumors, cracks inevitably began to appear.

Facing the impending crisis, Gu Yi did not choose to flee but decided to face it head-on. He summoned his subordinates to hold an emergency meeting to discuss response strategies.

"Brothers, it seems our whereabouts have been exposed, and that old thief Cao Cao is planning to take action against us." Gu Yi's voice was steady and powerful, and his eyes revealed an unyielding fighting spirit. "But who have we ever feared? Since we started out, when have we ever feared a challenge?"

Gu Yi's words stirred resonance among everyone, and they expressed one after another their willingness to follow Gu Yi through fire and water, without hesitation.

"Good! Since that's the case, let's give them an unforgettable lesson." Gu Yi stood up and looked around. "We must not only hold our ground but also take the initiative to attack and disrupt their deployment. Guo Jia's strategy of sowing discord is nothing but a child's trick; as long as we are united as one, no rumor can shake us."

Under Gu Yi's leadership, Gu Yi's team began a thrilling counterattack. Utilizing their familiarity with the terrain and their predictions of the enemy's movement routes, they successfully ambushed Cao Cao's vanguard troops multiple times, causing significant losses to the enemy.

As for Cao Cao's side, although they had numerous troops, they appeared somewhat clumsy in the face of Gu Yi's flexible tactics. Although Guo Jia's strategy was ingenious, under the close cooperation of Gu Yi's team, the effect of the rumors was greatly reduced.

Both sides traded blows, and the battle lasted for several months, with the situation falling into a stalemate. Although Cao Cao occupied the advantage in troop numbers, he was unable to completely defeat Gu Yi; and although Gu Yi was flexible and varied, it was also difficult for him to break through Cao Cao's heavy defense lines to expand his gains.

Just as both sides were deadlocked, unexpected news broke the calm. Cao Cao's ally, a powerful warlord, suddenly announced the withdrawal of his troops, no longer participating in the encirclement of Gu Yi. This change caused Cao Cao's troop strength to suddenly become stretched, and the situation took a sharp turn for the worse.

Gu Yi seized this opportunity to launch a large-scale counterattack, not only recovering lost territory but also pursuing the victory, penetrating deep into Cao Cao's territory, forcing Cao Cao to have to sue for peace with Gu Yi.

Expanding their territory, both sides agreed to share peace and prosperity at the border. Although this war, which lasted for several months, ended in a peaceful manner, the undercurrents hidden behind it were far from subsiding.

Cao Cao returned to Xu Chang with mixed feelings. He was both glad that he could finally avoid greater losses and resentful that he had failed to completely eliminate Gu Yi. In the court, he summoned his advisors to discuss how to consolidate border defense and prevent Gu Yi from rising again.

"Although we did not achieve a complete victory in this war, at least we preserved the big picture." Cao Cao looked around at everyone, his tone carrying a trace of helplessness. "But this man Gu Yi is ambitious; we must never lower our guard."

Guo Jia nodded in agreement: "My lord's words are very true. Although Gu Yi has retreated for the time being, his power still remains; we must strengthen border defense while looking for opportunities to gradually weaken his strength."

Other advisors also offered their strategies one after another; some proposed strengthening military training to improve soldiers' combat effectiveness; others suggested developing the economy to enhance national strength in preparation for emergencies. Cao Cao listened to them one by one, but he had other plans in his heart.