The Battle of Red Cliff can be seen as a battle for the legacy of the three families of Cao, Liu and Sun to divide Jingzhou.

The situation before the war was that Liu Biao basically occupied Jingzhou; Liu Bei squatted in Xinye and occupied the northern gate of Jingzhou. At the end of the 12th year of Jian'an, Zhuge Liang was recruited and began to covet Liu Biao's territory.

Cao Cao pacified the north, returned to the army to rest, and prepared for the southern expedition. Sun Quan went back to the river and attacked Huang Zu for many years. At the beginning of the 13th year of Jian'an, he finally killed Huang Zu and knocked on the east gate of Jingzhou.

All three parties were obsessed with Liu Biao's territory. Liu Biao, the governor of Jingzhou, was old and seriously ill, and no longer had the style of riding alone to take office. In addition, the descendants were divided, Liu Cong was elected as the heir of Jingzhou, and Liu Qi was asked to leave Zhenjiangxia. In this case, Jingzhou could not be preserved.

In July of the 13th year of Jian'an, Cao Cao led troops to fight south. Liu Biao died of illness. Liu Cong intended to surrender to Cao Cao, but Liu Bei, who was stationed in Fancheng, was unaware of the situation.

After Cao Cao's army passed Wancheng, Liu Bei immediately fled after receiving the news. At the same time, Guan Yu led the navy along the Han River to Jiangling. Cao Cao successfully marched into Xiangyang and accepted Liu Cong's surrender, and then pursued Liu Bei.

Liu Bei accepted some of Liu Cong's original clan, tribe, servants and others along the way. The refugee group quickly rolled to more than 100,000, and walked very slowly, and could only walk ten miles a day.

Cao Cao knew that Jiangling had a large amount of supplies, and was afraid that these supplies would be occupied by Liu Bei first, so he left behind the army's baggage and led 5,000 elite cavalry to pursue more than 300 miles a day and night. He chased Liu Bei's troops in Changban, Dangyang, and captured soldiers and refugees.

In the Romance of the Romance, the battle in Changbanpo was very colorful and exaggerated. There were Zhang Fei's three roars, which scared away hundreds of thousands of Cao's army; there were Zhao Yun who rode alone and broke into Cao's camp, seven in and seven out.

In this battle, Zhang Fei was "super god" and Zhao Yun was "devoted to the god".

In real history, there are naturally no exaggerated plots. At that time, those who pursued Liu Bei were only five thousand elite Cao's cavalry.

Zhao Yun in history cannot be called the God of War, but rather is more like a senior bodyguard.

At the end of the Battle of Changbanpo, Liu Bei brought dozens of people to the Hanshui Ferry. He happened to meet Guan Yu's navy. He didn't bother to occupy Jiangling's supplies and went directly to Jiangxia to meet Liu Qi.

Cao Cao chased Liu Bei all the way and successfully occupied Jiangling.

The biggest turning point of the war occurred in Jiangling. Cao Cao followed the advice of his adviser Jia Xu and stationed in Jiangling, and began to appease the hearts of the people of Jingzhou and stabilize the rule of Jingzhou.

This stop lasted for two months.

It was in these two short months that Liu Bei successfully formed a coalition with Sun Quan to fight against Cao together. This completely changed the pattern of the late Eastern Han Dynasty, with the subsequent Battle of Red Cliffs and even the Three Kingdoms.

If Cao Cao had chosen to continue pursuing at that time, there would be basically no three kingdoms to establish a battle in the future. Even if Liu Bei escaped by chance, he would have no place to stand.

Similarly, if Cao Cao was not so anxious and was a little later, after winter, Cao's army would be more prepared and avoid the epidemic and the east wind, and there would be no defeat in the Red Cliff.

Therefore, Pei Songzhi sighed in "The Three Kingdoms·Wu Zhi·Biography of Zhou Yu": In the Battle of Red Cliff, Cao's army was defeated, but it was actually due to destiny and could not be reversed by manpower.

In October of the 13th year of Jian'an, the Sun and Liu coalition forces went up the river from Jiangxia and prepared to fight Cao Cao's army. The two sides encountered each other near the Red Cliff and started a water battle on the Yangtze River.

During the first battle, Cao's army was defeated.

First, there was an epidemic disease in the Cao army camp at this time, and the combat effectiveness of the soldiers was greatly reduced. Second, the Cao army was dominated by soldiers from the north and was not good at water battles.

Three, the Yangtze River has limited territory, which is not conducive to the development of the army. Cao's army has only a large army, but cannot be deployed, and eventually it is defeated in the water battle.

After the defeat, Cao's army simply stationed on the north bank, namely Wulin. At the same time, Zhou Yu's army stationed in Chibi on the south bank, and the two sides confronted each other across the river.

Therefore, the real fire in Red Cliff should have occurred in Wulin, not Red Cliff.

It is only because Chibi is so famous that he keeps calling him this.

Next is the most exciting part of the Battle of Red Cliff - Burning Red Cliff.

The Cao army's warships were connected at the head and tail, and once they caught fire, it was difficult to evacuate. Next, Zhou Yu organized a counterattack, and Huang Gai led the fleet to surrender and approached Cao Cao's military camp, and then took advantage of the wind to set fire.

Taking advantage of the east wind that should not have appeared in winter, a fire burned Cao Cao's ambition to unify the world. After the battle, Cao Cao knew that he was unable to occupy the waters of the Yangtze River, so he simply burned down the remaining warships to prevent the enemy from investing in.

After this battle, some of the main troops brought to Jiangling and the recruited Liu Biao Shui Army were basically finished. In addition to the casualties caused by the epidemic, they were also injured, but they were not yet at the level of injury.

After the war, Cao Cao fled from land, returned to Jiangling and left Cao Ren to guard, and retreated to the north by himself.

After Zhou Yu fought with Cao Ren for a year, he defeated Cao Ren and occupied Nanjun, which also meant that Cao Cao's power lost this section of the Yangtze River waterway.

Afterwards, Cao Cao's power's border was stabilized in Fancheng, Xiangyang, and controlled this section of Han River. Although he failed a battle and lost the occupied Jingnan and part of the Jianghan Plain, he still saved Northern Jingzhou.

During this period, Guan Yu's army cooperated with Zhou Yu's army to harass Cao Cao's rescue army, making it difficult for Cao Cao's army to contact Cao Ren. Because the counties in Jingnan were isolated from Cao Cao's army, Liu Bei took the opportunity to occupy it.

At this point, Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Quan's division of Liu Biao's inheritance came to an end. As for the subsequent conflict between Liu Bei and Sun Quan, it was a later story. Anyway, all the gains from all sides, and the most unlucky one was Liu Biao.

In this way, from July of the 13th year of Jian'an to the 14th year of Jian'an, a series of wars triggered by Cao's army's southward journey together formed the Battle of Red Cliff in history.

Burning Red Cliffs can be called the turning point of the entire battle. With this as a node, the entire Red Cliff battle can be divided into early, mid and late stages.

Now no one knows where Gaia deduces this battle. No matter what, no matter which camp the lord player chooses, it will be a even-match battle.

This is Gaia's highest rule.

***************

The system announcement is over, and the territory qualified to participate in the war will immediately begin pre-war preparations.

Some of them have been looking forward to this battle for a long time. For example, Di Chen, Chunshenjun and others have long wanted to be promoted to first-class marquis in one fell swoop with this battle, and then to promote their territory to a third-level county town.

In addition, the Battle of the Three Kingdoms has a different meaning to some lords. Influenced by "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", the generals and strategists in it really have many fans.

For example, Zhao Yun, Zhuge Liang, Guo Jia and others are all super popular "players".

Although Ouyang Shuo was not influenced by the Romance of the Romance, he also had his favorite strategists and generals who wanted to join his command. It can be foreseeable that the battle of Chibi in the next battle on the front battlefield was only one aspect; in the competition for historical talents, the lords may also use all their strengths to achieve the best.

The first choice before the lord is to choose the camp, whether it is Cao Cao's camp or Sun Liu's camp.

Ouyang Shuo directly chose Cao Cao's camp without hesitation.

In other words, Xiahou Ying, the Director of the General Administration of Military Affairs, is the ancestor of Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan in Cao Cao's camp. Strictly speaking, it is even Cao Cao's ancestor.

What is the solution?

The Cao family and the Xiahou family are both large clans in Qiao County, Pei State. Since Cao Teng, the family has flourished and has mostly served as high-ranking officials in the court and counties.

Historically, Cao Cao should have the surname Xiahou, but his father became Cao Teng's adopted son, so he followed his surname Cao.

Although the Xiahou family has a great family and a great career, no one from his ancestors has ever been an official, so he is only considered an indigenous landlord. He is not listed as an official, and is incomparable to the power of the Cao family in the court and the country.

In order to achieve the development of power, the Xiahou family gradually moved closer to the Cao family. Although the Cao family relied on Cao Teng to become a eunuch, they had a good reputation among the scholars and officials and were not arrogant in their hometown.

Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan, two brothers of the same clan, both took a fancy to Cao Cao, who was quite famous among the literati. At that time, Cao Cao resigned at home, and Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan met Cao Cao.

Cao Cao had violated the law, and Xiahou Yuan was imprisoned instead of Cao Cao. Cao Cao actively rescued and rescued Xiahou Yuan. From then on, the relationship between the two families became more and more close. Xiahou Yuan also married Cao Cao's sister-in-law as his wife, and the two formed a brother-in-law.

Therefore, when Cao Cao raised an army in Chenliu, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan took the lead in surrendering.

The two brothers were able to achieve a high position in Cao Cao's camp because of not only their blood relationship with Cao Cao, but also their talents were amazing.

Although Xiahou Dun was not good at fighting, he had outstanding political talents. He guarded the rear for Cao Cao many times, led the soldiers and civilians to block the Taishou River, built ponds and irrigate the farmland, benefiting the people, and made outstanding contributions. Moreover, Xiahou Dun was frugal and gave all the rewards to the soldiers. He did not invest in his own property in his life, and he would have no money left to his family until he died.

It is no exaggeration to say that Xiahou Dun was the first person under Cao Cao's corps. He was highly valued and trusted by Cao Cao throughout his life, and no one could match him at that time.

Compared with his clan brother Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan was a very outstanding military general. Cao Cao once praised him as a "magic talent" and was good at fighting sports warfare.

Xiahou Yuan participated in previous battles commanded by Cao Cao and was often appointed to various places to quell the rebellion.

The most outstanding battle was the Battle of Xinggu that attacked Han Sui. Most of Han Sui's subordinates were Di and Qiang, and they were very elite. Xiahou Yuan ran a long distance and attacked Han Sui's rear. Han Sui came to rescue him. Xiahou Yuan made a quick decision and defeated Han Sui with an army that was tired and not possessing quality and quantity advantageous.

Han Sui was defeated from then on and waited for the barbarians to be destroyed.

In addition, compared with Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan was more violent and had a city massacre.

The two brothers can be regarded as the mainstay of Cao Cao's camp and their status is much higher than that of the five good generals. I think it is true that Ouyang Shuo will have the right to speak in front of Cao Cao.

The second reason why Ouyang Shuo chose Cao Cao's camp was that the navy of Cao Cao's camp was weak. The navy of Shanhaicheng would be almost invincible if it were placed in the Three Kingdoms period.
Chapter completed!