Chapter 358

It is that they have already given up the plan to eliminate Dong Zhuo's forces.

Let alone forming two coalitions.

Even if they form a few more.

I fear they simply cannot defeat Dong Zhuo's forces.

The current pattern of the world has the same effect as the situation between the pre-Qin period and the six eastern states.

The Guandong feudal lords are already powerless to stop Dong Zhuo's forces from becoming the only hegemon-level force in the world.

For them.

What they can do now.

Is only to try their best to contain the further expansion of Dong Zhuo's forces while striving to develop and strengthen their own forces.

Survival of the fittest.

Big fish eat small fish.

Small fish eat shrimp.

This is the status quo among the Guandong feudal lords.

And Xuzhou, which lost Tao Qian and has continuously lost soldiers and generals.

Undoubtedly, it is simply not the opponent of Cao Cao or Yuan Shao and others.

Compared to Gu Yi.

Cao Cao and Yuan Shao and others are the biggest threats Xuzhou faces!

Among the feudal lords who formed the first Guandong coalition, those who died directly or indirectly at the hands of these two reached half the number!

Nowadays.

Cao Cao took advantage of Xuzhou's weakness and sent troops again.

For Xuzhou, it has reached a critical moment of life and death.

Seeking help from Gu Yi for survival is nothing to be ashamed of.

However.

Xuzhou and Gu Yi have not established any diplomatic relations so far.

On the contrary, because of the previous two coalition events, the relationship between the two sides has become very awkward.

To get Gu Yi to send troops to rescue Xuzhou, Cao Bao, Chen Deng, Mi Zhu, and others must demonstrate their own value.

Thinking of this, Chen Deng raised his head slightly and looked at Mi Zhu and said:

"supplies and baggage, seeking help from Gu Linzhi is indeed feasible."

"But Gu Linzhi will not do that kind of losing business."

"What can my Xuzhou pay for this?"

Being able to sit in the position of the top three aristocratic families in Xuzhou, whether it is Mi Zhu, Chen Deng, or Cao Bao, none of them is a fool.

(PS: Some novels set Mi Zhu as a simple businessman with no political status, this statement is very imprecise.)

(Mi Zhu's official position is Xuzhou Bieja, equivalent to the second-in-command of Xuzhou, how could he be just a simple businessman?)

(Referring to the second-in-command of other major provinces, such as Jizhou Bieja Ju Shou, Yanzhou Bieja Xun Yu, Yizhou Bieja Zhang Song, Mi Zhu is also similar, the Mi family must be one of the top aristocratic families in Xuzhou, otherwise Mi Zhu would not sit in the position of Xuzhou Bieja.)

Chen Deng's words made Mi Zhu and Cao Bao fall into thought.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in the world.

Gu Yi will not send troops to help Xuzhou for free.

If you want Gu Yi to send troops, you must pay corresponding benefits.

But what can Xuzhou give Gu Yi now?

Suddenly, an idea popped into Chen Deng's mind.

He turned his head to look at Tao Shang, who was sitting in the upper seat, panicked.

Then he clasped his fists and asked Tao Shang:

"My lord, I have a matter I want to ask you."

"Please answer according to your own heart."

Facing Chen Deng's sudden inquiry, Tao Shang obviously did not expect it.

However.

Under Chen Deng's gaze, Tao Shang had no way to avoid this question, so he had to respond:

"Please speak directly, Mr. Yuanlong, what kind of matter needs to be asked of me."

Not only Tao Shang, but Mi Zhu and Cao Bao also looked at Chen Deng with slight surprise.

Among the three, Chen Deng has the highest IQ.

And besides Chen Deng, the Chen family has another resourceful person.

Yes, that person is Chen Deng's father, the previous head of the Chen family, Chen Gui.

In the original history, the father and son Chen Gui and Chen Deng helped Cao Cao deceive Lu Bu.

After Lu Bu believed their nonsense.

He concentrated all the military strength of Xuzhou in Xiapi City.

He retreated to Xiapi in a desperate gamble, intending to resist the fierce attack of the Cao army.

This is equivalent to leaving other strong cities in Xuzhou undefended and instead trapping himself in a lonely city.

To put it nicely.

It is called "strengthening the walls and clearing the fields to frustrate the enemy's sharpness!"

To put it bluntly.

It is called having a screw loose, not walking the main road, but insisting on walking the single-plank bridge path!

If the Cao army's grain and supplies were not sufficient.

Perhaps this strategy of retreating to Xiapi could have a miraculous effect.

But the key to the problem is.

In history, when Cao Cao attacked Lu Bu, he was not short of grain and supplies at all!

In the second year of Jian'an, the Yuan Shu emperor declaration event happened in the original history.

Although Cao Cao gathered several feudal lords to crusade against Yuan Shu.

But undoubtedly, the people who really worked hard must be the Cao army.

Therefore, after defeating Yuan Shu, Cao Cao captured a large amount of grain and supplies from Yuan Shu.

So, at the beginning of the third year of Jian'an.

Cao Cao couldn't wait to listen to Xun You's suggestion and started the eastern expedition with the excuse of rescuing Liu Bei.

In other words.

There was only half a year between Cao Cao attacking Yuan Shu and attacking Lu Bu.

The Cao army was in high spirits, and the grain and supplies were sufficient.

Lu Bu's strategy of retreating to Xiapi was completely self-imprisonment.

Sure enough, the original history also proved this point.

The Cao army was unhurried and surrounded Xiapi.

Directly starting a siege war that lasted for seven or eight months!

The soldiers of the Lu Bu army trapped in Xiapi City, because they were surrounded by the Cao army, did not know what the situation was outside at all.

Therefore, with the passage of time, the morale of the Lu Bu army became worse and worse.

If it weren't for the restraint of Zhang Liao and Gao Shun and others, I fear several mutinies would have occurred in Xiapi City.

In the end, although Zhang Liao and Gao Shun and others tried their best to mend things for Lu Bu, they still couldn't save the defeat of Lu Bu's forces.

In the final analysis, it was because Lu Bu listened to the suggestions of Chen Gui and Chen Deng.

Giving up so many cities in Xuzhou undefended.

Instead, retreating to such a lonely city as Xiapi.

Until the White Gate Tower.

Lu Bu finally knew that Chen Gui and Chen Deng had already surrendered to Cao Cao in secret!

Everything was the conspiracy of these two spies!

It can be seen from this.