"Bang!"

The map scroll was thrown to the ground by Cao Cao. Facing Cao Cao's anger, everyone quietly lowered their heads. Cheng Yu looked at Cao Cao silently, moved his lips and finally didn't say anything. This was not a good time to persuade him.

"It's unreasonable! It's too much to deceive others! Who does Fang Zhiwen think he is? Do you want to take charge of the world? The prime minister is the prime minister. He is just a mere Youzhou governor, and it's unreasonable!"

"Lord, Fang Zhiwen is too bullying, so he should come to the court and severely denounce it!"

"Yes, this man's ambition is not only disrespectful to the emperor, but also acts in arbitrary war and slaughtering the people. He is actually a traitor..."

......

Cao Cao squinted his eyes and listened to the indignation of the ministers. He suddenly felt very bored. Looking at Xi Zhicai and Cheng Yu, they both kept their mouths silent. Is this silent attitude a dissatisfaction and disappointment with him? Cao Cao suddenly felt very irritable, and only felt a sense of depression blocking his chest, which made him feel so painful.

"Silent!" As soon as Cao Cao spoke, all kinds of sounds in the hall disappeared without a trace as if they had turned off the switch.

"Zhongde, what else did Fang Zhiwen say?"

Cheng Yu looked at Cao Cao, hesitated for a moment and said, "He said, 'I have to return it today if I don't accept it, I'll wait in Ruyang'."

"What!?" Cao Cao almost jumped up from the ground. He was not angry, but surprised: "He said so!"

"That's what it said!"

Cao Cao sat behind the desk like a deflated ball, his face turned gray. Fang Zhiwen understood the meaning very clearly, which means that he saw through Cao Cao's plan, but not only did not leave. Instead, he waited for Cao Cao to attack in Ruyang, telling Cao Cao with facts that even if Cao Cao tried his best, it would be a joke in front of him!

This is definitely contempt, the naked contempt! It is also a ridicule of Cao Cao's so-called strategy and a satirical irony of Cao Cao's overestimation.

Cao Cao looked at the unknown expression on the faces of the people in the hall, as well as the expressionless appearance of Cheng Yu and Xi Zhicai. Suddenly, he felt that everyone was actually pretending to be stupid. Everyone could see that he made a big joke. Fang Zhiwen beat the face so hard that he was laughed at by everyone in the world!

A violent anger rolled in his chest, and Cao Cao was worried that if he could not suppress it, he would attack on the spot.

"It's gone! Humph!"

Cao Cao stood up and walked out without saying a word. A waiter on the side was stunned for a moment. He couldn't avoid it and blocked Cao Cao's way. Cao Cao raised his foot and kicked him to the ground, and said in a muffled voice: "Pull it down and chop it!"

The ministers looked at each other and were silent. Until Cao Cao walked away, everyone was still at a loss, not knowing whether to disperse or do something.

"Everyone, let's go, let's go. Do whatever you should do, don't make any mistakes at this time!"

Cheng Yu was very serious and said to everyone calmly. Seeing Cheng Yu say this, everyone dispersed silently.

After a while, only Cheng Yu and Xi Zhicai were left in the hall. The quiet falling needles in the huge conference hall were heard, and the sunlight shot in from the pane like spots, crawling silently on the ground.

"Zhongde, why bother with this!"

"Ambition and talent, not being a respected person is a way to be a minister. Concealing facts will help the lord and his great cause? If so, I will naturally risk my life to conceal it."

"I don't mean that, Zhongde, don't you know these things? The lord is very wise, how can you not understand the truth? It's just that the lord is now pushing himself into a dead corner and there is no step to retreat. Could it be that you and I must force the lord to admit his original misjudgment, and the next series of measures are all to cover up their mistakes!?"

As Xi Zhicai said, his voice became a little loud. Obviously, these words were accumulated in Xi Zhicai's heart, and it was also very uncomfortable. This was the sorrow of a smart person. He watched Cao Cao's fast horse running towards the cliff, but he was powerless. This feeling, Xi Zhicai felt angry and helpless every time he thought of it, and was also full of frustration.

Today, he seized the opportunity and finally said it to Cheng Yu. As soon as he said it, Xi Zhicai felt a little regretful. This would probably reach Cao Cao's ears. He was causing trouble for himself! But at this point, Xi Zhicai was relieved. He had also died for a while. How could he not understand that Cao Cao was a person who did not want to achieve his goals? Even if he didn't like him in his heart, he was still useful before the great cause was achieved.

Cheng Yu looked at Xi Zhicai in surprise. Seeing Xi Zhicai's eyes flashing, then it was so clear that it could not help but admire her secretly. However, this would definitely reach Cao Cao's ears. Cheng Yu was sure of this, so he would take the initiative to pass on Xi Zhicai's words to Cao Cao, hoping to beautify Xi Zhicai's way.

"Zhicai, lord has no choice but to do so!"

"I know that the lord's authority is getting stronger and he cannot let his authority be damaged, otherwise he will be easily ignored. There are all kinds of voices in the court, and the one in the palace is not calm. However, the lord is really too risky. This is a single-plank bridge. If you accidentally fall into the abyss. If you lose the Central Plains, you can still lose it. If Liu Bei takes the opportunity to raise an army to retaliate, everything will be stopped in Jingzhou!"

Cheng Yu nodded: "Since that's the case, you and I still need to advise the lord. Even if this battle is no longer possible, it cannot be fought in that situation. Zhicai, if this battle is defeated, how can it not affect the situation in Jingzhou?"

"Before this, the increase in troops to Jingzhou, increase the speed of immigration, and make an stance to attack Jiangling south, and convey to Liu Bei that a lord wanted to use the Ruyang Battle to delay time and strive for more retreat space. In this way, Liu Bei might hesitate because of suspicion. When the Battle of Ruyang ends, if... if you win, you will not say anything. If you lose, our army will definitely turn westward. At that time, it will be too late for Liu Bei to move again!"

"Increase troops... Zhi means Chen Deng!"

"Yes, since Fang Zhiwen has said that he will wait in Ruyang, then Chen Deng's siege is meaningless."

"But, Chen Deng may become the force on the battlefield to decide the outcome!"

"Perhaps, or maybe not. It is not easy for infantry to surround cavalry, and Fang Zhiwen will not wait obediently in Ruyang, and will definitely fight against the lord in field."

"Zhicai, please come with me later!"

Xi Zhicai hesitated for a moment, shook his head and said, "Let's go separate. Let's go to the lord together and feel like we are forcing the palace!"

"Well, that's fine, then I'll go first, let's stay less!"

Cheng Yu asked to see Cao Cao, and Cao Cao quickly brought Cheng Yu in. The atmosphere in Cao Cao's mansion was not good. Cao Ang whispered to Cheng Yu: "Sir, my father is in a bad mood, be careful!"

"I know that state affairs are difficult, and the pressure on the lord is too heavy."

"yes."

As they said that, the two of them arrived outside Cao Cao's study room. The door of the study was closed and there was no waiter. As for the guards guarding around, the atmosphere was very depressing.

"Lord, Cheng Yu is looking for a meeting!"

"Come in!"

Cheng Yu entered the room and closed the door. When he turned around, Cao Cao was sitting in the dark room with a dark expression, and he stretched out his hand to stroke his head. It seemed that there were signs of a headache and attacking him again.

"Master!"

"Zhongde, are you here to persuade me to give up this battle?"

"No, my subordinates know that this battle must be fought. There is no room for retreat in this battle. It is a challenge Fang Zhiwen issued to his lord. The lord cannot retreat, he can only fight one time, even... even..."

"Even if you know you will lose!"

"Yes, even if you know you will lose, you will have to fight!"

Cao Cao smiled reluctantly and suddenly changed the topic: "What happened to the ministers after the original minister left just now?"

"The ministers were trembling and at a loss, as if they had lost their backbone!"

"What about Zhicai? What did you say?"

"Zhicai felt depressed in his heart, and he regretted his lord's repeated mistakes and regretted that he could not stop his lord in time!"

"Bang!" With a crisp sound, Cheng Yu's body trembled. Cao Cao slapped the long sword beside him on the desk table, exuding a murderous aura.

"Master!"

"In Zhongde's eyes, is this a foolish person?"

"Of course not. If this is the case, why should Zhongde come and join us for a thousand miles? How could Zhicai surrender to his lord as soon as he sees him?"

"I am old and confused!"

"The lord is upholding national affairs, and everything is complicated, and he has to worry about war. The so-called wise man will make mistakes. The lord thinks a lot every day, how can he be wrong? The saints dare not say that he will not make mistakes, let alone us ordinary people, why should the lord ask himself so much?"

"Well..."

"The so-called subordinates, those who take care of the lord, are just to assist the lord. If the lord has done everything, what will the subordinates do?"

"This... what Zhongde said is reasonable."

"Besides, the lord's original idea was not necessarily wrong, it was just a choice under the circumstances at that time. However, the situation changed afterwards. At this point, Fang Zhiwen forced the lord to a corner and had no choice but to retreat. He had to fight, so he would be ready. But before that, he must be fully prepared and defeated. What should he do? If he is unfortunately defeated, what should he do? All this must be fully considered, and this is also the responsibility of his subordinates."

Cao Cao looked at Cheng Yu and his heart gradually calmed down. Cheng Yu said it well. Everyone will make mistakes, and he will do it. This is the reason why many people need assistance. Cao Cao was a little ashamed. He was really confused during this period. He actually thought that he was omnipotent and his lofty status grew his pride and made him feel a little confused.

"Oh, since that's the case, then Zhongde said, what if he wins, what if he loses?"

"This... my subordinates did not have a complete consideration. I heard Zhicai say that Chen Deng's troops should be sent to Jingzhou first and accelerated immigration to Jingzhou, causing Liu Bei to misjudgment and prevent Liu Bei from entering the market at this time..."

"Since that's the case... I'll ask Zhicai to come and discuss the matter."

"No!" (To be continued...)
Chapter completed!