I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 234 - 20: Gu Chen Defeats Cao, Liu Bei Gains Jing Province

Chapter 234: Chapter 20: Gu Chen Defeats Cao, Liu Bei Gains Jing Province

Then he made a more detailed plan.

He ordered Cao Chun to attack the supply routes to Luoyang.

And sent men to throw bodies into the upper reaches of the Yishui River, intending to force Gu Chen to break camp and turn around the entire situation.

Furthermore, he had someone forge Gu Chen’s handwriting to be sent to Kunyang.

He wanted to influence Ma Chao’s judgment.

In any case, regaining Kunyang and Fu City was of the utmost importance now.

His forces indeed still held the advantage.

But looking at the current situation, he was already at a disadvantage.

If he could not eliminate the threat of Kunyang and Fu City, his army would be unable to switch from defense to offense.

If he risked attacking Si Li.

Should Xiahou Dun indeed encounter any problems, even Xuchang would be affected, something Cao Cao absolutely could not permit!....

...

Cao Cao was indeed a rare and formidable hero not seen in a century.

Though he was suspicious by nature,

once he decided on something, he would no longer hesitate.

Throwing corpses into the river....

This kind of tactic was certainly no less brutal than a massacre.

If it truly caused an epidemic, the ensuing casualties would be unimaginable.

But to Cao Cao, he did not care.

"I’d rather wrong the world than let the world wrong me."

— this was Cao Cao’s principle.

To ensure everything was foolproof, he even let the news of his recurring headache spread.

This move was destined to be very risky.

For a commander like Cao Cao to fall ill on the battlefield, the impact on the troops’ morale was unimaginable.

However, there are gains to be had from losses.

This move did indeed deceive Gu Chen.

He also did not expect Cao Cao to be so desperate.

Late October, the sixth year of Jian’an.

Cao Chun first cut off Gu Chen’s supply routes, then burned Gu Chen’s granary.

Fortunately, Gu Chen did not store all the grain in one place, so the impact was not too severe.

But Cao Cao’s corpse-throwing strategy also took effect.

A sudden epidemic surged towards Si Li.

Again, thanks to the experience left by Gu Xi in the past, Gu Chen immediately implemented quarantine for the infected and strictly forbade the people from drawing water from the Yishui River.

This alleviated the progression of the epidemic.

However, he had no choice but to break camp in New City and set up a new camp on the Mount Song path.

Luckily, Gu Chen had long anticipated that Cao Cao would exploit Ma Chao’s personality, so he had once again advised him to prioritize defending the city before Ma Chao mobilized his troops.

It was this that prevented Cao Cao’s strategy against Kunyang from succeeding.

Of course, Gu Chen would naturally choose to counterattack.

Cao Cao’s tactic of setting fire to the forests did impose certain limitations on Gu Chen.

But how could his tactics be limited to just these?

That very month.

Gu Chen issued a proclamation to the entire world, announcing he had received Liu Xie’s blood letter, accusing Cao Cao of being a traitor to the Han.

He performed a sacrificial ceremony once more.

Reporting to the heavens that Cao Cao caused an epidemic with his corpse strategy, surely deserving of divine punishment.

To disturb the hearts of the realm.

The rituals of the Gu Clan held different significance in this era.

If Gu Chen were to be more ruthless.

At this time, by throwing bodies into the upper reaches of the Ru River and Ying River to create a large-scale epidemic, it would surely have had a deadly impact on Cao Cao.

Even if Cao Cao could suppress Gu Chen’s tactic and directly control the epidemic from the beginning.

But under the circumstances of "Gu’s divine punishment."

His control over the four provinces would also be fatally impacted.

Not to mention the common people, even the aristocratic families would develop rebellious sentiments against Cao Cao.

But regrettably, Gu Chen ultimately remained a disciple of the Gu Clan.

He could be ruthless to enemies, to foes,

but to the common people, he ultimately could not bring himself to act.

If Gu Chen did this, even if he could one day unify the world, the reputation accumulated by the Gu Clan over generations among the populace would be completely obliterated.

The Gu Clan’s influence could indeed bring Gu Chen much assistance, but it could also become an intangible shackle.

However, for Gu Chen, there was no need for such actions now.

Why create an epidemic?

This was actually a typical "psychological suggestion," when people across the world learned of this matter, any misfortune would be attributed to the so-called "divine punishment."

This, is human nature.

This move brought a significant impact on Cao Cao.

Rebellions appeared one after another in various provinces.

Although these rebellions were not numerous, they were deadly to his rule.

All sorts of chaos were destined to accumulate slowly over time.

If this state continued, it would only grow bigger and more out of control.

Cao Cao had to resolve this matter.

—In desperation, Cao Cao could only order the Chief Historian to use astronomical phenomena to counterattack, trying to stabilize the situation.

But Gu Chen would not let such an opportunity go to waste.

He personally led the army into Yingchuan.

Stabilize the situation?

What he wanted was even more chaos in Cao Cao’s ranks!

....

The world’s situation was in constant turmoil.

Although compared to the widespread chaos that once engulfed Kyushu, the current battles were concentrated within Yingchuan and Jingzhou State, their intensity far exceeded before.

It can be said.....

Whoever wins this battle would be just one step away from ruling the world.

How could they not fight with all their might?

Jingzhou State.

After several months of siege.

—In February, the seventh year of Jian’an;

Liu Bei finally breached Xiangyang City, beheading more than ten generals under Cai Mao, killing nearly ten thousand enemies.

Nearly thirty thousand surrendered.

The siege strategy set by Zhuge Liang and Xu Shu for Liu Bei finally proved effective at this time.

Cai Mao and Sun Ce had to retreat to Jiangling.

Intending to pin Liu Bei in Jingzhou State.

In March;

Ma Chao once again repelled Xiahou Dun’s offensive.

Then actively pursued, shooting an arrow into Xiahou Dun’s left eye, decisively defeating Xiahou Dun at Kunyang.

The news spread, causing a huge shock in Yingchuan!

Cao Cao’s army’s morale finally became increasingly turbulent.

Gu Chen seized the opportunity, no longer engaging in small-scale skirmishes with Cao Cao, defeating Zhang He’s army on the Mount Song path, and headed straight for Yang City.