Cao's army traveled at night and stayed in the morning. He secretly traveled across the southern end of Tongbai Mountain, bypassed Liu Bei's sentry camp, and rushed for 300 miles. Cao cāo personally led 20,000 infantry to raid Pinglin and opened the passage to Xiangyang...23zw.

The news of Pinglin's loss reached Wan County, and Ye County and Luyang were captured by Ji Ling and Xiahou brothers at the same time. Cao's army suddenly exerted its efforts, like a flood that had flowed through the embankment, surging towards Jingzhou, as if they wanted to swallow Jingzhou in one fell swoop.

When Pinglin succeeded, Cao cāo's follow-up troops rushed along the mountain road. Zhang Fei, who was stationed in Xiangyang and Guan Yu, who was in Wan County, first reaction was to counterattack, but Zhuge Jin did not think so.

It is too unusual for Cao cāo to take the initiative to provoke a war with Liu Bei when he was besieged by Yuan Shao and Fang Zhiwen. Although Liu Bei is now trapped in Yizhou and cannot escape, and the focus of Liu Bei's army is also facing west, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are stationed in Wan County and Xiangyang respectively. Cao cāo still dares to take the initiative. Obviously, it is not a small fight. It is impossible to say that Cao cāo is going to fight to the death! You must not be careless.

Taking the initiative may also lead to failure and the loss of mobile power. If the Cao army continues to invade a large scale, the military focus will be completely tilted to Jingzhou. Jingzhou, which loses its mobile combat power, will be very dangerous.

Zhuge Jin's idea was to rely on Wanxian and Xiangyang to stand firm. After understanding Cao's purpose, he decided to fight back and repel Cao, or continue to stick to consume Cao, or form an alliance with Yuan Shao and Fang Zhiwen.

However, Zhuge Jin's opinion was not accepted by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. The order that Guan Yu and Zhang Fei accepted when Liu Bei left Jingzhou was to protect Jingzhou. Now that Cao's army invaded, not only did not go to fight, but instead wanted to retreat to defend. This suggestion was not only unacceptable to Guan Yu, who was arrogant and arrogant, but also unwilling to Zhang Fei, who was more convinced by Zhuge Jin.

"Military advisor, I don't like to hear what you said. I understand your worries. Isn't it just that my second brother and I are defeated by Cao's army, and then the entire Jingzhou will be put into danger? But have you ever thought that if we defeat Cao cāo? Then Cao cāo will face a situation of rapid collapse. We may take the opportunity to take Runan or Yingchuan. The war will be both victorious and defeated! You can't just think about failure. If that happens, we don't have to fight and just run away with our tails in our arms!"

Zhuge Jinnai shook his head and wiped the sweat stains on his forehead. This ghost weather is like a hot city before summer is coming. Is there a severe drought this summer?

"Three Generals, I know that there will be a victory or defeat in the war, but I can't just think about victory. I don't believe in the combat power of the Third General and the Second General. However, if something happens, the entire Jingzhou will fall into the hands of Cao cāo because of the two of them. Then the two generals will have no way to give the lord?"

Zhang Fei hesitated a little, his round eyes rolled around, thinking about the gains and losses of this matter.

"Military advisor, Pinglin is a small city. It is impossible for Cao Cāo's troops to sneak across Tongbai Mountain to cover the number of Tongbai Mountain. The follow-up troops will not be able to reach the 300-mile mountain road support in a short time. As long as we act quickly, it is possible to wipe out the Cao army in Pinglin City, and then wait for work and move into defense. Even rush to ambush the Cao army's follow-up troops in a dangerous place. In fact, the risk is not great at all, right?"

"What if the second general fails to successfully annihilate the Cao army that occupied Pinglin? When the reinforcements of Cao's army arrive, will the second general advance or retreat? If Cao cāo tightly holds the second general and the second general retreats, should I reinforce or ignore it? What if the reinforcements are ambushed? If the second general thinks about these things, then I can say something."

Zhang Fei blinked his eyes and opened his mouth, unable to answer Zhuge Jin's questions. In fact, he really didn't think so much. Now that Zhuge Jin said this, Zhang Fei also felt that he was thinking too simple. Cao cāo was not a fool. He actually led 20,000 infantry soldiers to attack Pinglin City. Although it seemed like an opportunity to annihilate the isolated Cao cāo in one fell swoop, but... if he couldn't defeat Cao cāo smoothly in Pinglin City, the one who stood out alone would become his own. Maybe this Cao cāo meant this!

This thought came out, and Zhang Fei felt that this was the case as he thought about it. When he thought of his recklessness, he couldn't help but feel a little scared. If he was stuck in Pinglin and had a special status, Zhuge Jin dared not not to save him. So, Cao cāo could ambush Zhuge Jin's troops halfway and then go straight to Xiangyang...

"Military advisor, do you mean that Cao cāo's surprise attack on Pinglin was in Xiangyang. If we lure our troops out of Xiangyang, he would be able to easily take Xiangyang?"

"Yes, I think that Cao cāo's plan is like this. Otherwise, he would not have to lead his army to raid Pinglin himself. Although the raid was quite difficult, Cao cāo would use lurking and hidden skills to hide the generals and counselors. Cao cāo's purpose was to lure us out and then use his specialties to delay us in Pinglin for one to two days. At that time, Cao's reinforcements will be great. Even if I allow the three generals to be surrounded and not rescued, and if the three generals are lacking in guarding, Xiangyang will still be in danger. If our main force is surrounded and annihilated around Xiangyang, the central part of Jingzhou will be completely empty. Cao's army occupy Xiangyang and cut off the north and south of Jingzhou. If the westward advance to Shangyong, it can block the lord's way back to aid. Jingzhou will be in danger at that time!"

Zhang Fei scratched his head awkwardly and smiled, "Haha, I was reckless just now. It seems that the military advisor is right. As long as we firmly defend Xiangyang, Cao cāo will not be allowed to advance westward."

"That's right, if Cao cāo cannot succeed, he must attack Xiangyang. If Xiangyang cannot go down, Cao's army will not advance in an inch. Or if Yuan Shao and Fang Zhiwen take advantage of the situation to attack fiercely, Cao cāo may be squeezed between Runan and Xiangyang and finally annihilated!"

"But, I still don't understand why Cao cāo suddenly started a conflict with us at this time? Isn't this finding an enemy for myself?"

"No, he is expanding his living space and retreat for himself. Once the war in the Central Plains is not going well... no, it will be difficult for him to win in the Central Plains. Fang Zhiwen and Yuan Shao joined forces. Now this Han man is comparable, and Cao cāo is not good either. Therefore, he must first find a way out for himself. This way out is Jingzhou!"

"Thief! It's good to get it, but unfortunately, I won't let this guy succeed!"

Zhuge Jin explained to Zhang Fei, and at the same time opened up his mind. If Cao cāo came to find a way out, would another situation occur? It was driven into Jingzhou. In that case, the Cao army would not be aggressive, but hard work!!

"Not good!... Cao cāo is here to fight desperately. The three generals immediately ordered Jingzhou to enter an emergency mobilization state, and all cities recruited troops to the maximum extent, recruited militias and alien troops, and actively prepared for a full-scale war!"

"This...as for? If this happens, it will affect farming, if the farmland loses management and..."

"When I'm patronizing the farmland, these farmlands will become Cao's farmland. Are the three generals guarding the fields for Cao's?"

"What?! Military advisor, what do you mean!" Zhang Fei couldn't help but be kicked by Zhuge Jin's serious expression. Is the situation so serious?

Zhuge Jin smiled bitterly, looked at the edge of the map, and pointed to the Central Plains.

"Three Generals, what would Cao cāo fail in the Central Plains?"

"Failed in the Central Plains!" Zhang Fei turned his eyes and said, "What else can you do? If you lose your troops and die, your people will die!"

"What before that? What if he still has a glimmer of hope?"

"Catch it to the death...wait, the military advisor said that Jingzhou is his glimmer of hope? But...wait, let me think about it, even if Cao cāo runs to Jingzhou, will Yuan Shao and Fang Zhiwen not chase him? Is it safe to arrive in Jingzhou?"

"Yes, the key to the matter is here, why didn't I see it early! Damn it!"

"It's really safe to arrive in Jingzhou! Why!?"

"Because Fang Zhiwen, Yuan Shao must have wanted to completely kill Cao cāo, but Fang Zhiwen never thought so. He only needed to be evenly matched in the Central Plains. Therefore, when Cao cāo arrived in Jingzhou, Fang Zhiwen would definitely not fight again. Maybe he would secretly help Cao cāo. Cao cāo is in Jingzhou, and his army can be restrained in the west, he can harass Yuan Shao in the east, and Sima Fang in the north. The Central Plains seems to be unified, but Yuan Shao is just empty-handed. As a result, the Central Plains has a round of chaos and the benefits are taken away by Fang Zhiwen. This is Fang Zhiwen's final thought!"

"So, Cao cāo is he coming to Jingzhou to fight desperately?!"

"Absolutely, I must tell the second general this idea, be cautious and cautious. The army behind Cao's army will arrive continuously, and we must mobilize and prepare immediately from now on!"

"Uh...Military advisor..." Zhang Fei's face became a little weird. Seeing his eagerness to speak but stopping, Zhuge Jin also felt strange when Zhang Fei would have such an expression!

"Three Generals, what do you want to say!? Time is urgent, just say it bluntly."

"Military advisor, my second brother... I'm afraid, I'm afraid he's already attacking first!"

"What!? This...How could this happen? Isn't Gongyou still there...The Third General, how did you know?"

"Yes, it was my second brother who wrote to me that he agreed that we would attack together and give Cao cāo a headache!"

"Why don't you tell me this? Why don't Sun Gongyou tell me?"

"Military advisor, the second brother is not our command and dispatch, and Lord Sun is not your subordinate. Even if you want to report, you will report to the elder brother. However, it is too late to say this now."

Zhuge Jin looked at the map in a daze. If Guan Yu was defeated, Wan County would be in danger. If Wan County was lost, the gates to the north of Jingzhou would be opened, and Xiangyang would be surrounded by Cao's army at that time!

"This, this..."

"Military advisor...what should be done now?"
Chapter completed!