Chapter 377: Secret Death, Three Families Compete On August 12, the seventh year of Jian'an, the treacherous hero Cao Cao died of illness in Chang'an City at the age of 47. However, the news of Cao Cao's death did not spread outside the Sikong Mansion. After discussing with Cao Cao's wife, Ding, Guo Jia suggested keeping the death a secret. This rumor, which originally circulated in Chang'an City, has now become a naked reality. The reason for this was that Guo Jia was ordered by Cao Cao to deal with matters after his death. After Cao Cao's death, the biggest threat became Ma Chao who remained in Chang'an City, or the Xiliang Legion behind him. Although Ma Chao was brave, he was just one person. There were still 20,000 troops in the city, so there was no need to be afraid of Ma Chao at all. But behind Ma Chao, Ma Teng and Han Sui had very high prestige in Xiliang, and they could gather more than a dozen warlords from Xiliang and march south at any time. Killing Ma Chao first would mean alerting the enemy. Once the news gets out, Ma Teng and Han Sui's troops will come. Such a large number of troops is beyond the ability of Chang'an's 20,000 troops with low morale to deal with.

The only way was to quietly transfer Xiahou Dun's troops to the south, as his headquarters still had 40,000 troops. Together with the 20,000 people in Chang'an, it was enough to fight against Ma Teng and others until Liu Bei's troops entered Guanzhong. Someone may ask here, why didn't Guo Jia directly contact Liu Bei's troops to go north to accept the surrender? After all, Cao Cao's last words before his death were for them to surrender to Liu Bei. If they surrender to Liu Bei now, they can directly intimidate Ma Chao and others. There is absolutely no need for Guo Jia to act as he is now, relying on Xiahou Dun who is thousands of miles away to suppress the rebellion. But this method has a huge problem, that is, Cao Cao's last words were in oral form. No one knew about it except Guo Jia, and Guo Jia was just a military advisor with low power and position, unable to mobilize troops. If it is announced without authorization, it is likely to be regarded as a forgery by Cao Hong and others, and the authenticity of Cao Cao's real suicide note will also be doubted. Therefore, Guo Jia's only solution was to wait until Xiahou Dun arrived and let Xiahou Dun read the suicide note before making a decision. This is also the reason why Cao Cao left a special suicide note to Xiahou Dun. Apart from Xiahou Dun, no one could intimidate his civil and military officials, not even his disciples. Cao Hong and others would certainly be unwilling to surrender to their long-time enemy Liu Bei, and only Xiahou Dun could carry it out. The original intention was appropriate, but in reality it caused some trouble for Guo Jia in dealing with his funeral affairs. It was the middle of summer and the body would rot if not buried within a few days, so special measures had to be taken, such as burning incense every day and using ice to calm the body. It is worth mentioning that the technology of storing ice was already very mature in the Han Dynasty, and ice was still used even in the hottest days of summer. As a result, Cao Cao's inner room was filled with fragrance every day, and maids came and went to change the water every day. Upon seeing this, the servants in his mansion knew something was wrong and they discussed for days whether Cao Cao was really dead. The discussion in the mansion died down only after Cao Pi came forward and beat to death several servants who were delivering the message, but the rumor had already spread into the city. The news spread more and more intensely, and the whole city was in an uproar. A large number of ministers requested to meet with Cao Cao, but were all rejected. From false news to true news, Cao Cao's death seemed to have become a fact that could not be covered up. After learning the letter, Ma Chao was overjoyed and urged his father to join forces with Han Sui to rush to the capital to accomplish the great cause.

On the other hand, let’s talk about Ma Teng. Although he came from a prominent family, his family was poor when he was young. After he became an adult, he joined the army and was promoted because of his accumulated military merits. In the fourth year of Zhongping, he, together with Han Sui and Wang Guo, rebelled against the Han Dynasty. After Wang Guo's defeat, he and Han Sui separated themselves from the Han Dynasty and established their own regime in Liang Province. After the two men jointly attacked Li Jue and were defeated, they became allies and brothers of the opposite sex, agreeing to support each other. The two were friendly at first, but later they became enemies because of their subordinates. Ma Teng first attacked Han Sui, and Han Sui then attacked Ma Teng, killing his wife and children, and the battle continued. It was not until Cao Cao pacified Xiliang that the two families reached a superficial peace, but they continued to intrigue against each other in secret. Originally, Ma Teng was over fifty years old. He knew that he was too old and did not want to fight anymore. However, he unexpectedly received a letter from Chang'an, asking him to lead his troops to Beijing to defend the king. After seeing the letter, Ma Teng became hesitant, because Cao Cao's power was still there, and he did not dare to oppose Cao Cao openly. So after careful consideration, he decided to sit back and wait until the situation became clear before taking action. But unexpectedly, half a month later, his son Ma Chao sent news, saying that he was ready to cooperate with internal and external forces to help him capture Chang'an. This news made Ma Teng unable to remain silent any longer, so he called everyone to discuss, and then his subordinate Pang De suggested: "Now all three of the prince's sons are in Chang'an. Since the eldest prince has received this letter, he knows that there must be changes in Chang'an. Now that the situation is so serious, if we do not advance, it will surely harm the prince." "If we can enter the capital, with the help of the young master, we can accomplish our mission, and the lord can also achieve this unprecedented feat, so we should promote him." Pang De was Ma Teng's confidant. He had followed him in battles since he was a child and was deeply trusted by him. Upon hearing his words, Ma Teng decided to advance. At this time, there were more than ten princes in Xiliang, among whom Ma Teng and Han Sui were the most powerful. As soon as Ma Teng raised his army, he summoned everyone to discuss the matter. When he arrived at Jincheng where Han Sui was, he found that Han Sui was also preparing to mobilize troops. Upon hearing this, Ma Teng became angry and hurriedly sent an envoy to ask the reason. Only then did he know that not only his family was invited, but Han Sui was also invited. When Ma Teng heard this, he became even more angry and sent an envoy to inquire about it. Han Sui was actually more polite than Ma Teng. When he saw Ma Teng sending an envoy to question him, he replied: "In the past, my brothers attacked each other because of our subordinates. I knew I had made a big mistake and it was hard for you to forgive me." "But now this is a matter of state, and the overall situation should be given priority. How can you delay progress because of personal grudges?" "If you are unwilling, I am willing to send troops to help you, and I will stay in Jincheng. I wonder if I can fulfill your wish?" Naturally, he didn't want to be enemies with Ma Teng, but Ma Teng didn't want him to send troops, but he also didn't want him not to send troops. Because Han Sui was a weakling, if he sent troops, he would be under siege from behind, and if he did not send troops, his Wuwei might be attacked by surprise. So after careful consideration, Ma Teng wanted to unite other princes to deal with Han Sui first. However, after hearing this, Pang De hurriedly persuaded them, "Now the public affairs are the most important. If the lord seeks revenge, they will not be willing to follow!" "Not only will it be difficult to carry out the task, but the reputation of the lord will be damaged and the great cause will not be accomplished. It is better to advance in unison first." "Once we have entered Chang'an and taken control of the situation, we will ask the emperor to punish him. Then we can fight again and decide the outcome in one battle!" After hearing this, Ma Teng gave up the idea of ​​attacking and pretended to agree to Han Sui's proposal to join forces. Therefore, on August 27, the seventh year of Jian'an, less than half a month after Cao Cao's death, Ma Teng and Han Sui gathered more than ten troops with a total of 45,000 cavalry, claiming to be an army of 100,000 and marched south. At the same time, Xiahou Dun also received the news of Cao Cao's death. After crying bitterly, he led his troops to withdraw from Huguan. As soon as he withdrew his troops, Yuan Shao naturally received the news. It is said that in March, Yuan Shao listened to Ju Su's advice and marched into Shangdang and Henei.

After receiving the news, Xiahou Dun asked Yu Jin to resist Yuan Shang in Hanoi, while he personally resisted Yuan Shao in Shangdang. At this time, Yuan Shao's health was deteriorating, but compared to the original plan of vomiting blood and dying, it was still much better. Under his leadership, the soldiers under his command fought hard, advanced continuously, and encroached on Cao Cao's territory. In May, news suddenly came from the south that Qin Zhen had conquered Nanyang and won. After hearing this news, Yuan Shao immediately realized that Tian Feng's view was correct, and the entire Battle of Hanzhong was just a bait for Qin Zhen! They sent troops to help Liu Bei tie down Cao Cao's troops on the northern front, allowing Qin Zhen to raid Cao Cao's heartland. So after hearing the advice and seeing that Xiahou Dun was holding his ground, Yuan Shao prepared to withdraw his troops directly to prevent Qin Zhen from succeeding. But at this point, Tian Feng changed his attitude and persuaded Yuan Shao not to retreat and continue the attack. When Yuan Shao heard what Tian Feng said, he was puzzled. He thought that when he sent troops before, Ju Su and others all advised him to do so, but Tian Feng and others refused. Now that Tian Feng's prediction was correct, this guy urged him to continue the march. Isn't this contradictory? So he asked: "Before our army started the war, Yuan Hao advised us that this was Liu Bei's plan and that our army should not advance to help Liu Bei." "Now the situation is just as Yuan Hao said. Qin Zhen has sent troops to Nanyang to attack Cao's army. Our army is blocked here." "Now that we are unable to advance, why don't we retreat? Isn't this to help Liu Bei and destroy Cao Mengde?" But after he asked the question, Tian Feng said bluntly this time: "My lord, this is reasonable, and this is exactly why our army is advancing!" "Before, I advised my lord not to advance because our army's movement could tie down Cao Cao's forces, giving Liu Bei an opportunity to take advantage of the situation." "This is a strategy to make the two families fight each other so that our army can benefit from it. Therefore, my lord, you must not send troops first at that time." "But the current situation is different, because our army has sent out troops, Cao Cao's troops have been scattered, Qin Zhen has already captured Nanyang, and Guan Yu's troops will also take action." "If we retreat now, we will suffer heavy casualties and all the benefits will go to Liu Bei, so I advise you not to retreat!" "In my opinion, Cao Cao's troops are scattered everywhere, and the Central Plains is difficult to defend. Cao Cao's power will not last long and will definitely decline." "Although Liu Bei conquered the Central Plains, he had a great battle with Cao Cao, and his troops, money and food were lost. After conquering the Central Plains, it would be difficult for him to advance further." "This is a chance that Heaven has given our army to destroy Cao. We should seize the Guanzhong area while Cao Cao is in decline. This will ensure the benefits for our army." "Otherwise, if we withdraw now, Liu Bei will surely advance again after the autumn harvest. Isn't this handing over Guanzhong to us?" It has to be said that although Tian Feng was a righteous man, he had a first-rate strategic vision and basically anticipated how subsequent events would develop. After listening to his advice, Yuan Shao gave up the idea of ​​advancing. Seeing that Xiahou Dun avoided fighting, he simply adopted a strategy of steady progress. In this way, he and Xiahou Dun fought a stalemate from March to July, until news came from the south that Guan Yu had captured Chenliu and Yingchuan and Cao Cao had been defeated in Hanzhong. Upon hearing the news, Yuan Shao was shocked at first, somewhat surprised that Cao Cao would be defeated on two fronts, but then he was overjoyed, because all this was not much different from Tian Feng's prediction. Liu Bei had lost many soldiers and generals and was unable to advance further, and Cao Cao was in decline. It was a good time for them to advance. Therefore, after hearing the news, Yuan Shao happily summoned everyone to prepare for the march. As soon as he proposed it, Tian Feng dissuaded him: "Now that Cao Cao has lost Hanzhong and Luoyang has fallen, he is no longer able to hold on to Hebei and must withdraw his troops."

"If our army advances now, the enemy will surely resist. It is better to hold back and wait for them to retreat on their own initiative before advancing." "In this way, not only can our army take over Shangdang and Hedong counties, but we can also preserve our strength in preparation for taking over Guanzhong in the future." When Yuan Shao heard this, he was naturally reluctant to wait, but when he thought of Tian Feng's accurate judgment in the previous Battle of Guandu, he finally calmed down his beating heart and continued to keep his troops in place. In this way, time came to August, Xiahou Dun received the news to withdraw his troops, and Yuan Shao found Tian Feng and said: "When Yuanhao advised me in the past, he often spoke disrespectfully. I thought that Yuanhao was disrespecting me and was very unhappy. But now I know that Yuanhao is actually my Zifang." "I have received Yuan Hao's good advice. If I can enter Chang'an and welcome back the emperor in the future, I will definitely reward Yuan Hao with the position of prime minister!" Having said this, he could no longer suppress the idea of ​​sending troops, and immediately ordered his troops to advance with all their might to Shangdang and other counties. Therefore, in August of the seventh year of Jian'an, under Cao Cao's will, Xiahou Dun, Yu Jin and other troops successively withdrew from Henei, Shangdang, Hedong and other places. Yuan Shao conquered the three counties with minimal losses, and brought his troops directly to Hedong, preparing to march into Chang'an. However, just as Yuan Shao was advancing, Liu Bei had received a letter from a spy saying that Cao Cao might have died of illness. After hearing the news, Liu Bei sighed deeply, and thinking of Cao Cao's kindness in the past, he personally dressed in mourning and set up an altar to offer sacrifices. As for the meeting of all his ministers the next day, after the discussion, Pang Tong, Liu Ye and others unanimously concluded that once Cao Cao died, Chang'an would be in chaos, and Ma Teng and Yuan Shao would most likely take this opportunity to march into Chang'an. And since Ma Teng and Han Sui were not rivals to Yuan Shao, if they did not move, Guanzhong and Xiliang might be directly occupied by Yuan Shao. In this way, although they had the advantage in the early stage, most of their results in this battle would be stolen by Yuan Shao. Therefore, they could not sit still and had to march into Guanzhong to seize Chang'an and tens of thousands of troops left by Cao Cao from Yuan Shao. Faced with the conclusions reached by everyone, Liu Bei naturally realized the seriousness of the matter. Although his troops had not yet been fully trained, he still decided to send troops. He then ordered Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong as vanguards to lead the troops out of the diagonal road first, and then let Zhang Fei guard Hanzhong and lead his troops northward. At the same time, Qin Zhen, who was far away in Nanyang, heard the news of Cao Cao's death. He fasted for several days and asked Guan Yu to go to Luoyang and lead his troops towards Wugu Pass. Just like that, in the autumn of the seventh year of Jian'an, with the death of the hero Cao Cao, the princes of the world seemed to have seen the fat piece of meat in Guanzhong and marched towards Chang'an. For a time, the Guanzhong area was fought over by three forces: the Xiliang Army, Yuan Shao Army, and Liu Bei Army, making the situation in Guanzhong increasingly chaotic. (End of this chapter)