I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 223 - 16: Cao Cao Installs Liu Xie, Fails to Take Chang’an (3)
Whether it was dealing with the aristocratic families or providing provisions for Gu Chen, these tasks were easily handled by Gu Wei.
This is why Gu Chen had Gu Wei stationed at Jinyang.
Only with a stable rear could he proceed to expand his territory with peace of mind.
However, recently, the stability of Bingzhou State has gradually begun to show issues.
The Black Mountain Army has once again entered Bingzhou and has been plundering everywhere.
At first, Gu Wei did not take this matter seriously.
He merely sent a letter to Zhang Yan.
He believed that with the reputation of the Gu Clan, someone like Zhang Yan, a commoner of Jizhou State, would definitely give up plundering and come to surrender.
But the outcome was beyond Gu Wei’s expectations.
With no other choice.
He had to organize troops and send people to suppress the rebellion.
Gu Chen had left a considerable number of troops, including some of the deputy generals who had once followed Huangfu Song.
This force was definitely not weak.
But how could the Black Mountain Army be so easily subdued?
In the original history, the Black Mountain Army could withstand the attacks of Yuan Shao and Lu Bu.
Zhang Yan made perfect use of the terrain.
He drove back all of the soldiers Gu Wei had sent.
This incident caused unrest among the people of Bingzhou State, who had only recently stabilized.
Jinyang, inside the Governor’s Mansion.
"No!"
"Absolutely do not let Ziyan know of this matter, it will affect his offensive in Sii Province!"
"Ziyan entrusted the rear to us."
"If it were Cao Cao attacking, we could inform Ziyan; now it’s nothing more than mere bandits."
"If all matters depend on Ziyan, when will we be able to sweep clean the world?"
Gu Wei’s expression was extremely serious, directly suppressing everyone’s intent to inform Gu Chen.
He knew his own lack in military talent.
And precisely because of this, Gu Wei was willing to handle everything in the rear.
For a proud person like him.
If such a matter were to affect Gu Chen’s offensive in Sii Province, what face would he have to meet Gu Xi in the afterlife?
By now, how could Gu Wei not understand that the future of the Gu Clan rests solely on Gu Chen?
How could he accept that such a minor matter would affect Gu Chen?
Upon hearing these words, the generals fell into silence, and their eyes reignited with fighting spirit.
In truth, they also felt some disgrace.
After all, someone like Zhang Yan seemed nothing more than a bandit in their eyes.
For a moment, the sound of the generals requesting battle resounded instantly.
Gu Wei looked at everyone with great seriousness, paused in silence, and then singled out two people, entrusting them with the task of quelling the bandits.
He was somewhat skilled in recognizing talent.
These two were indeed among the top deputy generals under Huangfu Song’s command.
But how could Zhang Yan be so easily subdued?
He was someone who could leave a name in history.
This alone surpassed so many people.
And the key point was—the Black Mountain Army was far too familiar with warfare in the mountains and forests.
Zhang Yan very cleverly avoided the elite troops Gu Wei had sent out.
When they attacked, Zhang Yan hid deep in the mountains.
When they retreated, Zhang Yan would emerge to attack.
Even if the Bingzhou Army did not retreat,
They could still bypass the Bingzhou Army via mountain paths to continue plundering.
Thus continuously depleting the Bingzhou Army’s energy.
Under such circumstances, although the Bingzhou Army did not suffer a major defeat, the hearts of the Bingzhou aristocrats began to waver again.
And subsequently... Cao Cao, following Guo Jia’s suggestion, began secretly contacting the aristocrats of Bingzhou State.
His momentum was indeed remarkable at the time.
If Gu Chen were in Bingzhou, his maneuvers would be of no import.
Zhang Yan could absolutely not stand against Gu Chen.
But Cao Cao seized this opportunity.
Gu Chen, as long as the rear was not fully pacified, was destined not to go to war with Cao Cao!
At the same time, Cao Cao also completed the reorganization of his army in secret.
And sent people to incite the Qing Province aristocrats.
He ordered Cao Chun to lead the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to secretly cross the Qing River, preparing to directly annex Bingzhou and Qing Province.
——The storm was brewing in all directions.
In the second year of Jian’an, in March;
The allied forces of Liu Bei and Tao Qian defeated the Yuan Army at Yinling, their forces advancing straight towards Shouchun.
Cao Ren successively captured the Liang Kingdom and Chen Country.
The war became increasingly intense.
In May;
The great army of Liu Bei and Tao Qian defeated Julu in Huainan.
Cao Ren also reached Runan with his army.
The entire Yuyang region fell into chaos.
Yuan Shu’s popularity dissipated.
He was forced to flee to Lujiang Commandery.
At the same time, Gu Chen captured Left Fengyi, directing his forces straight to Chang’an.
Only one step remained to completely open up the entire western part of the Great Han.
In June;
When Yuan Shu attempted to flee to Shu County, he was denied and faced a situation where everyone pushed the falling wall.
Lu Bu abandoned Yuan Shu once more.
The summer heat was unbearable; Yuan Shu desired honey drink to quench his thirst but had no honey.
Ultimately, Yuan Shu could not endure the contrast from glory to downfall.
He vomited blood and died at Huoshan.
And as soon as this news spread, Cao Cao finally awaited the opportunity he had been waiting for, making a sudden move against Bingzhou and Qing Province!
The troops, long prepared and ready to act.
Immediately set off, attacking Bingzhou and Qing Province.
But what Cao Cao did not anticipate was—Gu Chen had long received word of the events in Bingzhou.
Even though Gu Chen was very reassured by Gu Wei.
The influence Zhang Yan had on the entire Bingzhou State was not something that could easily be suppressed?
Upon learning of this matter, Gu Chen instantly discerned Cao Cao’s intentions.
He had already sent Ma Chao to secretly return to support Bingzhou.
Leading precisely those elite forces that had accompanied him in the surprise attack on Longyou!
These people had long gained experience in ambushes on mountain paths.
He had remained inactive, just waiting for Cao Cao to make a move first!
——Gu Chen planned to use this opportunity to clean up the aristocrats in Bingzhou.
He could be said to have completely inherited all of Gu Xi’s methods, showing not a shred of sympathy towards the aristocratic families.
But in the current era.
Gu Chen was not in a position to strike directly.
If he acted against his subordinate aristocrats without reason, he would only invite universal hostility.
Reality is not a novel, after all.
Even if Gu Chen was gallant, he could not sweep away the world under such conditions.
But with an excuse, it was different!
The two sides engaged in a decisive battle on the Taihang Mountain Road.
Ma Chao, who had long been prepared, soundly defeated Injin, a top general under Cao Cao, slaying nearly five thousand enemies, thoroughly repelling the Cao army.
Afterward, Ma Chao returned directly to Bingzhou to confront Zhang Yan!
And he brought Gu Chen’s letter to Gu Wei.
——The order was to annihilate all the aristocrats who secretly defected to Cao Cao!
Cao Cao never expected Gu Chen had such a measure.
But for him, the matter was not entirely without gain.
Though he did not seize Bingzhou,
However, Cao Chun’s plan in Qing Province was indeed progressing smoothly.
He captured Qing Province!....
——————
"In the second year of Jian’an, Cao, who was then the Minister of Works, secretly sent Zhang Yan to Bingzhou, destabilizing the people’s hearts, and at the same time, attempted to ally with the Wang Clan of Bingzhou and the Cui Clan of Qing Province, promising them joint military command over the two provinces.
At that time, Gu Chen of Longxi was attacking Chang’an, and upon receiving reports from scouts of unusual movements in Ye, he laughed and threw his Commander’s Seal to the ground: "Does Mengde wish to emulate Han Xin’s secret crossing at Chencang?"
Then he dispatched elite cavalry entrusted to his brave general Ma Chao, instructing him to secretly rush to aid Taihang.
In June, upon hearing of Yuan Shu’s defeat and death, Cao sent Injin to lead eight thousand elite soldiers from Dan Yang across Foukouxing, their armor wrapped in hemp, hiding in the forests by day and scaling cliffs by night.
Just as the Forbidden Army reached Stone Valley, their horses’ bits remained silent, suddenly arrows of fire rained from both sides of the cliff tops, and rolling logs and thunderous stones blocked their path.
Ma Chao, brandishing the Tiger-Head Golden Spear, charged into the fray, trampling Cao’s troops, blood staining the rocks in the valley, with remnants of armor hanging from trees for thirty miles.
Injin fled on horseback alone, losing his seal in the Muddy Zhang River, with less than a third of his troops surviving."
——From "Records of Heroes at the End of the Han, Gu Chen Chapter"
