Chapter 298: 289. Cao Cao Attack Hongnong, Zhao Yun's Arrival at Xiapi
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Xun You on the side also told Lie Fan that he and Chen Gong had come up with some offensive strategies that would combine both the navy and army firepower, but they needed Jiang Qin to come before they could be sure that the strategies were perfect, Lie Fan hearing this nod his head and told them to keep him up to date. While Lie Fan and his mind advisors were preparing for the advancement of their plan, on Xuchang something was also brewing in there.
Cao Cao had a meeting alongside his advisors Xun Yu, Cheng Yu, Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, and Jia Kui to discuss the next possible move to take, and Guo Jia pointed out to Cao Cao that they should attack Hongnong.
Guo Jia said to Cao Cao that they should take it under their control and at the same time also take care of Yang Feng's Army that was stationed at Hangu gate along the way, hitting two birds with one stone.
Xi Zhicai and Jia Kui supported Guo Jia's suggestion because the only possible way to expand Cao Cao's power in preparation for facing off against Yuan Shao, was to go to the West as the only way as their north was Yuan Shao, while their East and South was Lie Fan's domain.
Xun Yu and Cheng Yu on the other hand were against Guo Jia's suggestion, because in their eyes Cao Cao's domestic interior especially their supply line wasn't in good condition, especially with Liu Bei leaving a disgruntled Qing Province for them to take care off.
They suggested halting the attack on Hongnong for at least a year, to strengthen their domestic interior, especially their supply line, to ensure their battle against Zhang Ji and then Yuan Shao.
Guo Jia countered Xun Yu and Cheng Yu's argument by saying that if they didn't attack now, they lose the opportunity that was present currently because at this time Yuan Shao was still processing the land he had just conquered, and Lie Fan also put their focus on other front and not on Cao Cao.
If they waited for around a year which was a long time and anything could happen at that time, they would lose the element of surprise and also by chance lose Hongnong to either Li Jue or Ma Teng and Han Sui who defeat Li Jue then take over Hongnong from Zhang Ji.
Cao Cao was silent thinking about the two options presented before him while Guo Jia, Xun Yu, and Cheng Yu debated about what decision Cao Cao should take, in Cao Cao's mind he was a risk taker, and taking over Hongnong had many risks in its factor, but in return, the reward is also massive.
Recuperating their domestic internal was also an important point, especially since Liu Bei left him a heap of chaos in Qing Province, but the risk was smaller, and the chance of an uprising never happened.
So when Guo Jia, Xun Yu, and Cheng Yu's debate was ongoing, Cao Cao raised his hand and told everyone to be quiet and when the attention was on him, Cao Cao declared that he would do as Guo Jia suggested and ordered the preparation of his army and it's needed supply.
Xun Yu hearing that wanted to object but Cao Cao cut him off before he could utter a word by saying that Xun Yu would handle the domestic matters of the domain, and Chen Yu would be sent to Qing Province to have the matter personally, to regain control and squash any resistance or problem to control Qing Province.
Since Cao Cao had decided, Xun Yu and Cheng Yu could only cup their hand and receive Cao Cao's order, on the other hand, Cao Cao told Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, and Jia Kui to prepare the army and the needed supplies for them to head toward Hongnong.
He also ordered Xi Zhicai to send a letter to Yang Feng and told him to prepare his army and march alongside them to head toward Hongnong, he then hinted to Guo Jia that he should come up with a plan where they could assimilate Yang Feng's army into his own.
All the people in the room were smart and keen, they understood the meaning behind Cao Cao's subtle words toward Guo Jia but they all just stayed silent showing their agreement with Cao Cao's method.
With Cao Cao's decision made, the gears of war in Cao Cao's army soon started, Cao Cao raised around 200,000 of his men and appointed Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren as its Main Generals with Xi Zhicai and Jia Kui as its advisors, while Cao Cao will follow to oversee the battle.
100,000 men were left behind to guard his domain, Guo Jia and Xun Yuweres were appointed by Cao Cao to lead the defense of his domain while he was out to war, having Xiahou Yuan and Yu Jin leading the army.
Soon the whole land heard about Cao Cao with his 200,000 men heading west, Zhang Ji who was enjoying his reign over Hongnong heard the news and was scared to death when he heard the number of Cao Cao's men.
He only had 100,000 men and half of that was from his previous application with Li Jue and Guo Si, while the rest was people he recruited, bandits and thugs that joined, alongside vagabonds and rangers around Hongnong.
Having no choice, Zhang Ji raised his army in preparation for battle against Cao Cao, while also sending a letter to Zhang Yang to his north, where the two have been in contact for a while and managed to raise a goodwill between the two of them.
While Zhang Ji was in preparation, Cao Cao alongside his army marched toward Hongnong passing through Hulao Pass and Luoyang to stop at Hangu Pass where Yang Feng and his 80,000 men were waiting for him.
Cao Cao seeing these 80,000 men alongside Xu Huang wanted to have it as his own, but knowing that Yang Feng loathed him and would never serve him, Guo Jia prepared a plan for him so that he could start to take care of Yang Feng.
The joining of the two armies bloated the number to 280,000 men which was more than enough to take down Hongnong in Xi Zhicai and Jia Kui's minds, they also started the plan that Cao Cao had given to them that was made by Guo Jia to usurp Yang Feng's army.
After everything was ready, Cao Cao's 200,000 men and Yang Feng's 80,000 men began to head toward Hongnong where Zhang Ji was already waiting for him there alongside his army.
When Cao Cao arrived, he was surprised by the sight of another army flag being raised in the gates of Hongnong beside Zhang Ji's banner, Yang Feng realized whose army it was and told Cao Cap that it was Zhang Yang's banner.
Xi Zhicai and Jia Kui began to make some changes to their offensive strategy after knowing that Zhang Ji had received reinforcement from Zhang Yang, while the army under Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren's leadership erected the army camp and created a perimeter around the area.
Cao Cao soon held a war meeting to take down Hongnong, where all of the high ranking generals and advisors joined in the meeting, including Xu Huang who became Yang Feng's right hand man.
Xu Huang's presence at the meeting was the perfect chance for Cao Cao to scout his talent and also had Xiahou Dun and Xu Chu test Xu Huang's martial presence through the aura he have.
Cao Cao's attack on Hongnong began with a conspiracy hidden between Cao Cao's army against Yang Feng and a slight problem with Zhang Ji's reinforcement under the form of Zhang Yang's army.
While in Hongnong it will become a powder keg that will explode at any time, in Xiapi something unexpected happened that caught Lie Fan by surprise which was the arrival of Zhao Yun and the 5,000 White Horse Cavalry that he led.
When Lie Fan was informed of this news, he was inspecting the Tian Mao Battalion and a new infantry battalion that he called the Tian Zhidun Battalion, the former to inspect its combat power and the latter 2as to introduce Mi Fang to this new unit that he will lead for a while before Lie Fan found a replacement for him, and have him become the vice general.
Lie Fan when he heard that a man named Zhao Yun was looking for him outside Xiapi with 5,000 cavalry, immediately left the training area of the army, and alongside his bodyguards and Jia Xu who joined him along the way, he headed toward Xiapi's northern gate.
Arriving there, he saw a young man wearing white armor with a white colored feather above his cement holding a spear standing beside his steed, and behind him 5,000 cavalry with white colored horses.
Lie Fan: "Are you General Zhao Yun? I'm Lie Fan Governor of Xu Province and Marquis of Xu, I heard that you wanted to meet me, and since your men weren't allowed to enter, you opted to stay outside and wait for me here."
Zhao Yun: "Yes Governor Lie Fan, I'm Zhao Yun Zhao Zilong from Changshan, General of the White Horse Cavalry under Lord Gongsun Zan! I came here because in the last My Lord told me that Governor Lie Fan was reached by my master Tong Yuan so I wanted to meet you personally."
Lie Fan: "Ah I see, yes it is right that Master Tong teaches me but it can be said that I'm just a half disciple unlike General Zhao Yun and General Zhang Ren, Master Tong only imparted some insight he have in the mastery of the spear to help me in the skills of my Halberd."
Zhao Yun: "Thank You for your honesty Governor Lie Fan, but since you were reached by my Master after teaching me his third disciple that means you were my Junior Brother even though Governor Lie Fan was older than me by a year, I was happy to meet a fellow disciple after so long since I always wanted to meet my senior brother before me."
Lie Fan: "Ahaha age is nothing in apprenticeship, I have heard of General Zhao Yun's talent from Master Tong and I admired your mastery over spears after hearing it, and I'm sorry for your loss Brother Gongsun Zan was one of Han Dynasty true heroes, why don't General Zhao Yun and your men stay here in Xiapi for some time, while the two of us can reminisce about Brother Gongsun Zan?"
Zhao Yun: "Thank You, Governor Lie Fan for your care for my wellbeing and the gracious offer you offered, I gladly accept it since my men need some rest after our long arduous journey, and reminiscing about Lord Gkngsun Zan with Governor Lie Fan is a great way to past time while my men recuperate."
Lie Fan was ecstatic that Zhao Yun accepted his offer because he would never let this rare general enter the service of another Lord, Lie Fan, and Zhao Yun then rode their horses side by side talking about Zhao Yun's experience heading to Xiapi, whole Jia Xu was surprised after hearing the story and knew no why the Orilole doesn't report to him about Zhao Yun's location because Zhao Yun and his men only stop to rest for an hour in the wilderness before continuing their march.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Three Heroes Who Defeat Lu Bu
Age: 28 (195 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 2,462,000
Renown: 725
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,071,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 936 (+20)
VIT: 598 (+20)
AGI: 583 (+10)
INT: 587
CHR: 93
WIS: 509
WILL: 397
ATR Points: 0
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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