Chapter 416: Powerless

Cao Cao's strategy of exchanging space for fighter planes was indeed very effective. After Chenliu and Yingchuan were captured, Cao Cao actually took the initiative to abandon Runan, Liang Guo, Chen Guo, and Dongping County, fighting and retreating along the way, and did not follow Xu Rong. The head-to-head confrontation with Gao Shun only resulted in breaking bridges and digging water, which caused great trouble to Xu Rong and Gao Shun. Scholars from all over the country also took advantage of Cao Cao's sending troops to delay the Guanzhong Army, dragging their families and wealth all the way east.

As a result, many cities along the way were deserted, and a large number of people followed them out but were ignored, and eventually became refugees. Xu Rong and Gao Shun had no choice but to stop, take in the refugees, and resettle them.

Thanks to Lu Bu's ten years of preparation for this battle, both officials and supplies were sufficient. Otherwise, with just this hand, the Central Plains would have been starved to death.

"It's really not a worry!" It was already a month after Lu Bu learned about this incident in Quanzhou. Although he had already deduced that this situation might happen, when it actually happened, Lu Bu was still a little uncomfortable. Cao Cao was the one he valued more. The princes, who were not from a very good background, were willing to accept poor families.

But from the massacre of the city in Xuzhou to today's actions of trading the lives of the people in the Central Plains for time, Lu Bu finally determined that Cao Cao was a hero, but he was not the same as him.

Since you have to fight to the end, let him help you.

"Cao Cao wants to exchange Yuzhou and Yanzhou for an extension of our army's supply. If he wants to quickly attack the Central Plains, it will be a little difficult." Guo Jia groped his chin and said.

When the Guanzhong Army entered Jizhou and captured it so quickly, one of the biggest reasons was that Yuan Shao dared to fight them. The main force was almost wiped out by the Guanzhong Army, and the remaining territory was empty for defense, so it was naturally easy to fight.

Cao Cao obviously learned the lesson from the Battle of Jizhou. After realizing that the main force could not defeat Lu Bu, he immediately changed his strategy, lengthened the front line, and mainly harassed the grain roads in the rear.

This strategy is indeed good, but it is based on Lu Bu's eagerness to obtain the Central Plains, or to win.

"First settle the places you get, and then fight again." Lu Bu said casually, most of Yanzhou and Yuzhou have fallen into his hands, and Jizhou has not yet been completely annexed, so it will take time to digest it. In addition, the Jizhou army is still in What happened in Qingzhou also sounded the alarm to Lu Bu.

Don't be too hasty, just take your time.

really.

Hearing this, Guo Jia nodded and said with a smile: "It's exactly what my lord said."

The war in the Central Plains gradually stopped following Lu Bu's orders. In the direction of Chang'an, Lu Yong has begun to move the capital. Six ministries have entered the government office in Luoyang. A large number of scholars are waiting to take office. Now it has slowed down. The first thing It is to improve the official system of various counties and counties. The emperor is still in Chang'an, but the six ministries have begun to operate efficiently.

Cao Cao was busy shrinking the front line, but when he learned of Lu Bu's actions, he fell silent.

Since you can't catch up, let's stop chasing. First stabilize the rear, and then continue to fight. This move completely ruined Cao Cao's plan, especially since Gao Shun and Xu Rong had already begun to set up defenses along Cao Cao's sphere of influence. Cao Cao felt uncomfortable. When did Lu Bu's character become so stable?

It seems that if we take one step further, the world will be settled. Is it still so stable at this time?

"Lord, Yuan Tan has been in emergency several times. We can't wait any longer." Cheng Yu hurried in and looked at Cao Cao.

"Tell Yuan Tan that I will leave Langya to him for the time being and rely on Mount Tai to garrison it." Cao Cao sighed. How could he be in the mood to take care of Yuan Tan now? He wanted to give up a large area of ​​​​the territory to severely damage Lu Bu. Who knew that Lu Bu would be so easily satisfied and let a large area of ​​​​his territory go to waste.

Now Xuzhou has a large population. When Cao Cao massacred Xuzhou and massacred on both sides of the Huai River, there were more than ten empty cities. Now it has brought a large number of people, which not only replenished the population of Xuzhou, but also left many people with nowhere to go. You can move to Guangling. Guangling is a vast and sparsely populated place. As long as you are willing to open up wasteland, it can accommodate a large number of people.

In addition, some people began to flee to Jiangdong. There was no other way. With the current situation in the Central Plains, it was not easy to stop the Guanzhong Army. Many people actually had little confidence in Cao Cao and were unwilling to join Lu Bu, so they had no choice but to flee to Jiangdong. .

In addition, some people gave up resisting Lu Bu and chose to stay in the Central Plains. As long as they were willing to hand over their land, there would usually be no further suppression. Although it was not as good as before, it was still better than running around here and there. Now Xuzhou is The border is obviously not divided enough. Even if it can be defended in the future, there are not enough nobles to divide the territory.

What's more, most of the farming and lucrative businesses in Xuzhou are controlled by the Xuzhou gentry headed by the Chen family. Now that the enemy is approaching and everyone is united, this matter will eventually pass. Even if they win in the end, only Xuzhou will be left. There is no room for so many wealthy families.

Unless the Chen family is willing to share, disputes are inevitable.

What Cao Cao can do now is to try his best to shift the conflict to Lu Bu. Since Lu Bu is ready to stop and digest the gains from this battle, Cao Cao cannot fulfill Lu Bu's wish and can only send troops.

We have to fight even if we cannot defeat them, so that Xuzhou will not be in chaos.

Cheng Yu smiled bitterly and nodded, but with Yuan Tan's current situation, even if he was willing to evacuate to Langya, it would not be an easy task!

Naturally, Cao Cao couldn't control this, so he ordered people to recruit Yu Jin, and planned to take advantage of this period to step up training of a group of elite men to carry out raids.

In addition, he also wanted to see if he could imitate Vulcan cannons and other things.

The Guanzhong Army relied on these terrifying weapons to defeat them on the battlefield. If they could imitate a batch, it would not be impossible to counterattack.

After Cheng Yu left, Cao Cao came to the workshop. They fought with Xu Rong and finally captured two Vulcan cannons. He wanted to see if the Vulcan cannons could be made.

In fact, before this, Cao Cao had people steal the design drawings of the Tai Chi chariot, but no one could understand it. The internal structure alone was confusing to craftsmen who wanted to imitate it. Part of the complex internal structure could be seen to be tenons. Mao structure, but more of it seems to be growing up, internal. How is it done?

As for the principle of the Tai Chi furnace, no one can understand it.

Since the Tai Chi furnace cannot be used, let's see if the Vulcan cannon can be imitated. Cao Cao still has great expectations for this, but the craftsman in charge of this matter gave Cao Cao a blow in the head.

"It can't be made!?" Cao Cao could hardly believe his ears. He looked at the craftsmen with a cannibalistic feeling. Do you know how much they spent on these two Vulcan cannons?

Now you tell me I can’t make it! ?

"Lord, please calm down. It's not that I can't make it, but I don't know how to use it even after I made it!" the leader of the craftsmen frowned.

Nowadays, with the great prosperity of Guanzhong due to craftsmen, the princes have also begun to attach importance to the status of craftsmen on bamboo slips. This is why Lian Nu was cracked.

But the Vulcan cannon in front of them obviously stumped everyone.

"What's the explanation?" Cao Cao looked at the other party in confusion.

"Lord, let's see." The craftsman led Cao Cao to a cannon barrel and pointed at the cannon pipe: "Regardless of the internal partitions and the amount of iron used, it is difficult for us to reach the level of cast iron in Guanzhong, and it is difficult for this tube to be as good as Guanzhong. Generally, they fit together perfectly. We made this barrel into two pieces and then fastened them together with mortise and tenon joints. The internal structure is basically the same.”

"If that's the case, why can't it be used?" Cao Cao asked puzzled.

"I don't know." The craftsman frowned and said: "According to the internal structure, a force like a bowstring is needed to push out the stone bullet. However, there is no bowstring inside. As far as I know, the Guanzhong Army should have started the fire from here. I tried it, and the built-in tung oil ignited it, but it failed to push out the stone bullets like the Vulcan cannon in Guanzhong. We even used the Vulcan cannon in Guanzhong and couldn't do it. I guess there may be another link in this, which can Push out the stone bullet, without this link, this Vulcan cannon is just a big iron ingot!"

Cao Cao frowned when he heard this. What kind of magic method had Lu Bu been studying in Guanzhong all these years? He actually made something that even the craftsmen couldn't understand after taking it apart!

My head starts to hurt again!

"That's all, let's continue to explore the mystery!" Cao Cao sighed, covered his head and returned to the room, asking Xu Chu to call Hua Tuo to treat his headache.

In the afternoon, Cao Cao also summoned Chen Deng and Chen Qun to discuss matters. The three Chens who used to be under Liu Bei's command have now become people who love Cao Cao. Unfortunately, Chen Gong has been imprisoned in the prison of the Ministry of Justice. If nothing else happens, isn't it? Possibly loyal to no one anymore.

Together with Xun Yu and Cheng Yu, Cao Cao had many more counselors.

Coupled with the help of a large number of aristocratic families, Cao Cao is now many times stronger in terms of manpower and material resources than in the past. If this kind of thing had happened before Lu Bu attacked Jizhou, Cao Cao would have laughed in his dreams. But now, Cao Cao I'm not happy at all.

If anyone could tell him the secrets of the Vulcan Cannon and Thunder Thunder, then Cao Cao might be happy, but now...

Cao Cao pointed to the drawings on the table and told everyone: "This is the drawing of the Tai Chi furnace. It was accidentally obtained by our army in Guanzhong. It has been a year. However, even with the utmost imagination, it is difficult to figure out why the Tai Chi furnace can be automatic. You are all wise men in this world, I wonder if you can clear up the confusion?"

Cao Cao felt that the Vulcan Cannon might have something to do with the Tai Chi Furnace. The two appeared almost at the same time. Cao Cao didn't believe it, but he couldn't figure out what the relationship was, so he wanted to let these wise men of the world take a closer look. Fan.

When Chen Deng and Chen Qun heard this, they looked at the drawings, their brows furrowed slightly, and they were a little confused.

What's this?

Chen Qun looked at it for a long time, but couldn't see anything. He shook his head and said: "Tai Chi... Tai Chi, the mystery of Yin and Yang, can transform all things. Is this furnace not made by human power but taught by immortals?"

Cao Cao shook his head and returned the teachings from the immortals. If this was really the case, why didn't the immortals just help Lu Bu dominate the world? Is it interesting to give him such an inexplicable thing?

A group of the world's top wise men thought about the drawings for a day without any clue. In the end, Cao Cao had no choice but to give up the plan of making a Tai Chi furnace. Next, he had to go to Jiangdong to discuss it. The navy of Jiangdong was comparable between the two Huaihe rivers. Infantry works!