Xun Yu recommended a talent for Cao Cao to serve as the prefect of Hedong. This person was kind and responsible in the position of prefect of Hedong. He was successful in doing a prosperous job. He was praised as the world's first political achievements in later generations. This

Xun Yu recommended a talent for Cao Cao to serve as the prefect of Hedong. This person is a benevolent and responsible person in the position of Hedong prefect, and has been prosperous. He was praised as the world's first political achievements in later generations. This person is no one else, but Du Ji . Naturally, Cao Cao was very satisfied with Du Ji, and Cao Cao was also sincerely grateful to Du Ji's recommender Xun Yu. In Cao Cao's mind, Xun Yu was not only capable, but also recommended talents. It would be a blessing for him to have such a capable person to assist him.

Therefore, Cao Cao was even more reluctant to praise Xun Yu. In March of the 12th year of Jian'an (207), Cao Cao added Xun Yu's fief, with a total of up to 2,000 households.

Not only that, Cao Cao felt that this was not enough to commend Xun Yu's long-term contribution and contribution, so Cao Cao wrote another memorial to elect Xun Yu as the three dukes (at that time, Taiwei, Situ, and Sikong as the three dukes), and Cao Cao was one of the three dukes Sikong (equivalent to the prime minister), which means that Cao Cao felt that Xun Yu was already on par with him. However, this memorial was detained by Xun Yu again.

Moreover, this time, Xun Yu was not waiting for Cao Cao to discover it, but took the initiative to tell Cao Cao through Xun You, saying: I have deducted your memorial again. The reason is still my contribution, or my achievements, which is not enough to be competent for the position of the Three Dukes. You are over-reputable. Xun Yu naturally understands your feelings, but I can't bear it.

This time, Cao Cao's twisting force also came up, and he refused to give up like this. In Cao Cao's mind, Xun Yu was too modest. With his merits and abilities, he was competent. Moreover, not giving you Xun Yu the Three Duke is not enough to reflect my Cao Cao's trust and recognition of you Xun Yu. In this way, the military advisor Xun You became a microphone between the two of them. Xun Yu refused back and forth more than a dozen times, which made Xun You laugh and cry.

Finally, Xun You said to Cao Cao: "Ming Gong, I believe you already know enough about my uncle's character, personality and temper. Look, he refused so resolutely, so you should stop persevering. What do you think?" When Cao Cao heard Xun You's words, he was displeased at first, but as he stared at Xun You with a burning gaze, he suddenly burst into laughter. Because Cao Cao also felt that this smart and wise military advisor Xun You was indeed powerless in this matter. It's really funny to be so embarrassed by his stubborn uncle.

In this way, Cao Cao could not resist Xun Yu in the end, so he had to give up.

In the winter of the same year, news came that Sun Quan attacked Jiangxia in the south. Although Sun Quan failed to capture Jiangxia County Government, he plundered many local people and returned to Jiangdong. Cao Cao was sensitively aware that Sun Quan of Jiangdong had taken over the Jiangdong Group completely and completely from his brother Sun Ce, began to expand his territory, and regarded Jingzhou as his primary strategic goal. With the ability and military strength of Jingzhou Mu Liu Biao , it is not enough to compete with him. In other words, Sun Quan is going to take action to seize the territory of Jingzhou with himself!

So, Cao Cao found Xun Yu again and said, "You can't wait any longer. You must start the southern expedition to Jingzhou immediately. If you are late, Jingzhou will probably be snatched away by that boy Sun Quan. So for the strategy of expedition to Jingzhou in the south, . If , do you have any good strategies?"

Xun Yu answered confidently. He said: "Now the north and the Central Plains have been pacified. We are already sufficient to demonstrate our strength in terms of territorial and military aspects. When the various princes in the south see us, they naturally feel a sense of crisis and know that it is already very difficult to confront us. We can send troops to Wancheng and Yecheng with great fanfare, secretly let the troops travel lightly and simply, and launch a surprise attack by surprise." Cao Cao agreed with this strategic plan very much and began to prepare for his journey south to Jingzhou.

Turning over the Chinese New Year, in the second year, in the 13th year of Jian'an (207), Sun Quan once again launched a large-scale expedition to the west. This time, Sun Quan's army advanced from Lu Meng and Lingtong to land and water, and directly attacked Xiakou City, and finally conquered the city. Before breaking the city, Huang Zu saw that the situation was going to go, so he hurriedly abandoned the city and fled. In a hurry, he was chased and killed by a cavalry named Feng Ze of Sun Quan. In this way, Sun Quan led a large army to occupy part of the area of ​​ Jiangxia County. Liu Biao also sent his eldest son, Liu Qi, to Jiangxia to replace the dead Huang Zu as the prefect of Jiangxia.

After Cao Cao heard about it, he felt that the matter of going south to Jingzhou could no longer be delayed. Therefore, Cao Cao took the lead in Jingzhou with Zhang Liao as the pioneer and stationed in Changshe. Liu Biao, the governor of Jingzhou, fell ill after hearing the news and died of illness in August. Cao Cao followed the situation and led his army to take the area of ​​Wancheng and Yecheng as planned by Xun Yu. However, before I could do the next step: launching a raid with lightweight and simple shipping, I received a surrender letter from Liu Biao's successor, Liu Biao's second son, , Liu Cong . In this surrender letter, Liu Cong expressed his willingness to promote the entire Jingzhou area and lead a group of civil and military officials to surrender to Cao Cao. In this way, Cao Cao easily took the entire Jingzhou without any bloodshed.

took Jingzhou so easily. At this time, Cao Cao was really satisfied and proud. Because in Cao Cao's opinion, there were no princes in the world who had enough strength to compete with him at that time. Sun Quan of Jiangdong, you captured and killed Huang Zu, your father’s revenge has been avenged, and Jingzhou is already my Cao Cao’s. You guy, can you dare to provoke me? Xiliang Han Sui and Ma Teng . Although the combat power of the soldiers and horses is strong, they are actually just a group of mobs. There is also Yizhou Liu Zhang , who is even a coward with no ambitions. As for the indescribable Liu Bei , it is just a vassal of Liu Biao. Now that Liu Biao has died, the whole of Jingzhou is mine. Where will you attach if you don’t have any hair? Let’s see where you, Liu Bei, can go next?

Thinking of this, Cao Cao felt quite unfulfilled. In his opinion, the next step is to take down Sun Quan of Jiangdong and conquer Xiliang and Yizhou, which is effortless. The day to unify the country is just around the corner. So, Cao Cao, who was quite arrogant in his heart, wrote a letter to Sun Quan, inviting Sun Quan to "hun Wu". That means to force Sun Quan to fight or surrender. You should hurry up and make an idea and give me some words to say. It is best to surrender. If you want to fight, I, Cao Cao, can crush you?

However, the development of things later completely beyond Cao Cao's expectations. Sun Quan first formed an alliance with Liu Bei and united to fight him. Then he actually fought in Chibi, attacking with fire, completing the feat of defeating the more with few and weak. Just like in Guandu , Cao Cao defeated the powerful Yuan Shao .

After Cao Cao was defeated, he left behind Cao Ren in charge of staying in Jiangling City in Nanjun to resist the Sun and Liu coalition led by Zhou Yu , and he hurriedly fled back to Xudu .

Cao Cao originally thought that the alliance between Sun Quan and Liu Bei was just to fight against his temporary existence of going south. However, Cao Cao later received a report that Liu Bei took advantage of Zhou Yu and Cao Ren's chance to compete for Nanjun and successfully captured the four counties in Jingnan under the banner of Liu Biao's eldest son Liu Qi. Therefore, Sun Quan did not dare to underestimate Liu Bei anymore. Under the persuasion of Lusu , he promised to lend the Nanjun of Jingzhou to Liu Bei to consolidate Sun Liu Alliance . When Cao Cao heard this news, he was like a bolt from the blue. The pen he held in his hand fell to the ground without realizing it.

Why did this incident cause such a big blow and shock to Cao Cao? Because in Cao Cao's view, this shows that Liu Bei not only had a place to stand, but also truly grew up and developed, and actually had the strength to cooperate equally with Sun Quan. If it were the Battle of Red Cliffs , the Sun-Liu alliance, it was just to survive, and the two families were temporarily and temporarily united together in a hurry. Now, if you look back again, this union will probably be persistent. In that case, in the short term, it will be difficult for me to go south to break the enemy, and the hope of unifying the world will become extremely slim.

For a moment, Cao Cao felt a strong sense of loss and crisis. He felt that his ambition to unify the world was probably difficult to achieve.

So Cao Cao had no choice but to turn his strategic goals to Guanzhong and Xiliang areas. In the 16th year of Jian'an (211), he began to use troops to Guanzhong. After half a year, Cao Cao finally conquered the Xiliang coalition forces led by Han Sui and Ma Chao, pacified the Guanzhong area, and marched into Anding City in Xiliang in October of that year, and successfully conquered. Afterwards, Cao Cao led his army back to the capital, leaving behind Xiahou Yuan as the commander-in-chief of the Western Route Army, responsible for the commander-in-chief of the war in the Xiliang area. Xiahou Yuan lived up to expectations. He defeated Ma Chao, defeated Han Sui, destroyed Song Jian 2, swept across the Qiang and Di, and stepped on the right side of the Huzhu. The Liangzhou area was basically pacified.

Therefore, in the 17th year of Jian'an (212), Emperor Xian of Han allowed Cao Cao to "consider the nameless and go to the hall", just like the Han Prime Minister Xiao He .

won such an honor, Cao Cao once again examined the changes in the situation in the south. During his western expedition to Liangzhou, Guanzhong, the alliance between Sun Quan and Liu Bei did not break down. On the contrary, Liu Bei began to bravely attack Yizhou and expand his territory. Such developments mean that hopes of going south to break through has become even more slim. Cao Cao realized that he was afraid that he would have to spend time with Sun Quan and Liu Bei in the second half of his life, and the situation might be difficult to break and make progress.

Thinking of this, Cao Cao couldn't help but sigh, and then he had no choice but to make a major strategic decision. This decision can be said to have directly affected the future of the entire Cao Cao camp in . , especially for Xun Yu, is really a huge upside down!