I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 232 - 20: Gu Chen Defeats Cao, Liu Bei Gains Jing Province

Chapter 232: Chapter 20: Gu Chen Defeats Cao, Liu Bei Gains Jing Province

Henei.

.....

Gu Chen, adhering to the excellent traditions of the Gu Clan, continually scouts the main camp of Cao’s army before the battle.

He seeks weaknesses within the enemy’s arrangements.

This has been a tradition of the Gu Clan since the time of Gu Xiao.

But this time is different from before.

Even when Gu Chen went personally to survey, he found no flaws in Cao’s main camp.

Cao Cao is unlike any opponent the Gu Clan has encountered before.

This is a true hero qualified to plot against the world!

Cao Cao cares deeply about this battle.

To him, if victorious, this battle would be comparable to Emperor Guangwu rebuilding the Great Han.

As long as he can eliminate Gu Chen.

Who among the remaining lords of the lands could stand against him?

He holds not an ounce of contempt for Gu Chen, striving to make everything perfect.

Gu Chen is probing him.

Is he not also probing Gu Chen?

Both sides engage in continuous probing around Henei, Yingchuan.

Scouts investigate, and minor skirmishes persist.

No one is willing to advance easily into Nanyang, lest they expose a flaw for the enemy to exploit.

In such a situation,

both sides fall into a strange standoff.

But unlike the standoff between Gu and Cao, the battles in Jingzhou are indeed intense.

Liu Bei’s strength now is far greater than in original history.

Even though Sun Ce has already led his army to attack, he ultimately cannot completely stop Liu Bei’s forces.

Compared to Liu Bei’s seasoned army.

The soldiers of Jingzhou are indeed much lesser.

No matter how brave Sun Ce and his soldiers are, it’s impossible to fully bridge this gap.

The most crucial point is—

Liu Bei’s fierce generals are no weaker than Sun Ce’s.

Only after a brief standoff, the battlefield in Jingzhou underwent a drastic change.

Sixth year of Jian’an, March;

——Liu Bei followed the strategy of Zhuge Liang.

Exploited Sun Ce’s eagerness for war and revenge for his father by feigning defeat and yielding the city.

Lured Sun Ce deep into Nanyang.

Finally, at Wan County, Sun Ce was decisively defeated, completely reversing the situation.

After confirming with Gu Chen that he could withstand Cao Cao’s advance into Nanyang,

he began his campaign in Jingzhou anew.

April;

Liu Bei personally led a grand army to Nan County, continually battling the Jiangdong army led by Sun Ce and the Jingzhou army led by Cai Mao.

At the same time, he also employed Zhuge Liang’s strategy.

Continually contacted the affluent families and common people of Jingzhou, as well as those dissatisfied with Sun Ce in Jiangdong.

Liu Bei’s reputation for "benevolence and virtue" became useful at such times.

Sun Ce conquered all of Jiangdong only a few years ago; how could the foundation be truly stable?

Zhuge Liang aims to capitalize on this opportunity.

If chaos ensues in Jiangdong, Sun Ce would have to retreat.

By then, Jingzhou’s battlefield strength would quickly unbalance; once Jingzhou stabilizes, it could define the entire war situation.

This is pure Yang Mou.

But what Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang didn’t foresee was, at such a time, Sun Ce’s younger brother, Sun Quan, stood out.

Although young, he already displayed extraordinary qualities.

Following Zhou Yu’s strategy in Jiangdong, he deployed troops to suppress several rebellions, stabilizing the people of Jiangdong.

Eliminating Sun Ce’s worries.

The outcome of this battle was once again drawn to the battlefield.

June;

Sun Ce and Liu Bei clashed at Xiangyang.

As a pivotal town in Jingzhou, both Jingzhou’s aristocratic families and Sun Ce would not allow Liu Bei to take Xiangyang.

Both sides showcased their strategies around Xiangyang and its surrounding lands.

Liu Bei first dispatched Zhang Fei to attack Caiyang, Zhao Yun to attack Xuan City, while he commanded the central army himself.

Attempting to surround Xiangyang from three sides completely.

Sun Ce and Cai Mao dispatched their generals to counter.

Yet Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun succeeded in cutting down the enemy and seizing the city, surrounding Xiangyang with Liu Bei.

——The Jingzhou situation changes drastically!

Even though Xiangyang won’t be easily captured.

The strategies of Zhuge Liang and Xu Shu never aimed to seize Xiangyang directly.

But to use this encirclement tactic.

To continually influence the hearts of the people in Jingzhou.

Morale is something that gradually declines with the passage of time in situations.

The current situation in Jingzhou is like a wall ready to collapse at any moment.

If they grasp this opportunity,

they can quickly take command of the entire Jingzhou, even absorbing the Jingzhou army for their own!

...

News spread rapidly.

Cao Cao was quick to deduce Zhuge Liang’s intentions.

This is entirely Yang Mou.

Aiming to exploit the current chaos, pressing the people’s hearts through the battles.

——With no choice, Cao Cao had to act!

Even if he couldn’t directly lead his grand army into Nanyang, he had to send troops to Jingzhou.

Cao Cao had long seen through the nature of aristocratic families.

If the situation continues like this,

should Jingzhou’s families change their allegiance, Jingzhou would fall into Liu Bei’s hands in an instant.

With Liu Bei’s capabilities... would he sit idly as Liu Biao once did, overlooking the world’s changes?

By then, Yangyu would be at risk.

And Gu Chen could directly threaten Yan and Ji Prefectures.

This is his most crucial stronghold!

In any event, he absolutely cannot allow Liu Bei to seize Jingzhou.

Faced with these two opponents,

Cao Cao cannot afford to give them any opportunities.

Immediately, Cao Cao dispatched Xiahou Dun with twenty thousand troops, intending to march from Runan to Nanyang.

But how could Gu Chen give him such a chance?

Although it seems that the two of them have not clashed in a grand battle, the secret maneuvers between them are no less frequent.