Recently, although Cao Rui has been on the move for these days, he hasn't missed any information and intelligence.
Cao Hong and Xu Chu led 5,000 men at a pace of 80 li per day. The intelligence from Luoyang, Xiangyang, Shouchun was received several times a day.
Long before Cao Rui had reached Chenliu, Cao Xiu had informed the emperor of Jia Kui's transfer.
Whether stationed at Wan City or 'opening' the road, it seems a bit of small use for Jia Kui, the Governor of Yuzhou. But Cao Rui did not stop Cao Xiu's arrangement of work for Jia Kui.
Cao Xiu was both the military supervisor of Yangzhou and the Grand Marshal, the head of all military officials in the empire. It was understandable that when Jia Kui was still in Yuzhou and had not yet arrived at the assembly point in Shouchun, Yangzhou, they would exchange letters lodging complaints against each other.
Once Jia Kui arrived at Shouchun, he had to follow Cao Xiu's orders. Whether he was stationed in Wan City or 'opening' the road, Jia Kui had to obey in both matters of heart and reason. With tens of thousands of soldiers gathered around Shouchun, others were idle while only Jia Kui had the opportunity to work, perhaps even envied by others.
From another point of view, Cao Rui had already ordered Cao Xiu to arrange people to 'clear the way'. But this 'clearing the way' was different from ordinary scouting tasks. It was just the right thing for Jia Kui, a man of both literary and martial talents, with great courage and foresight.
Wan City is not an unfamiliar place to the many generals of the Wei kingdom.
The reason why the confrontation between Cao Wei and Eastern Wu was divided into Yangzhou and Jingzhou was precisely due to the existence of the Dabie Mountains, which separated the northern bank of the river into two parts: East and West.
Wan City is located in Lüjiang Commandery, north of the Dabie Mountains, and along the Wan River to the south, it can reach the Yangtze River. It is quite a distance from Huaihe in the northeast and Jiangxia to the west.
Wan City is a place where there is no strategic value. The local people have fled from the strategic retreat more than ten years ago, and in fact, have formed a desolate area like the Huainan Guangling region.
In the early period of Jian'an, Zhang Liao had already occupied this place in his military campaign. In the following twenty years, Cao Wei and Eastern Wu continuously contested this region.
It is precisely because the generals of the Wei state were all quite familiar with this place that Cao Xiu, in history, would have been overconfident and made a bold advance, only to be forced into battle with the Eastern Wu's ninety-thousand strong army near Wan City.
The road from Shouchun to Hefei and then to Wan City is relatively easy to travel, but it is narrow and very unusual. For the army starting from Shouchun, it needs to pass through Zaobei before reaching Hefei, and then pass through a hilly area with many lakes and marshes before reaching Wan City.
The strategically important locations along the road are Wuqiangkou, Jiaoshi, and Guache.
Since Wan City is to be designated as a pre-set battle location, constructing supply lines and fortifying the passes along the route is of paramount importance. Having Jia Kui handle this matter, Cao Rui actually felt at ease in his heart.
As Cao Rui, Xu Chu, and Cao Hong were patrolling the border camp in Qiao Commandery, the Wu forces on the south side were also quite lively.
Unlike Zhu Yun, who spent several days hesitating before finally marching east along the Yangtze River after preparing five thousand troops, Zhu Han, a General of Daring Battle and stationed in Ruoxu and Wufu areas, received an imperial edict from King Sun Quan of Wu.
The content of the edict was simple; there was no need to mobilize troops; Zhu Han was merely instructed to come to Wuhan himself.
Upon receiving the edict, Zhu Han did not give it much thought. Instead, he set off from the evening of the same day, using three days to reach Wuhan.
When Zhu Han and his son Zhu Yi arrived at Wuhan, it was already midnight. It was too late to enter the city, so Zhu Han and Zhu Yi had to stay in an inn outside the city.
After disembarking, Zhu Han's party borrowed two horses from the officer at the dock. Zhu Han, Zhu Yi, and nine bodyguards walked in the direction of the inn.
The winter night was very cold, and the flag outside the inn fluttered in the wind.
"Bang, bang, bang." The bodyguards knocked on the door of the inn without any ceremony.
Moments later, the door of the inn was opened from the inside. The guard who saw Zhu Han, with his high official status and armor, accompanied by several bodyguards, was very surprised.
The officer greeted and said: "Greeting the General. Would the General like to stay at this inn?"
At this moment, the bodyguards had stood outside. As Zhu Han's son, Zhu Yi stepped forward, bowing and said, "My father is General of Daring Battle, sent by edict to Wuhan. Now that it's midnight and he cannot enter the city, he needs to stay for the night. Please arrange a room for my father. For the remaining ten of us, any ordinary rooms would be fine."
The guard looked slightly hesitant at this moment.
"I greet the General, it's not that I refuse to arrange for you, but the best rooms in the inn have already been occupied by others. I apologize for this."
After several days of continuous travel, the winter cold on the river was quite biting, and Zhu Han had been drinking quite a bit along the way. Upon hearing the officer's words that there were no rooms left, he became increasingly impatient.
The military officers of Eastern Wu were quite different from those of Shu Han and Cao Wei. Military achievements were everything, and King Sun Quan tolerated all kinds of things like corruption, lechery, and drunkenness.
If even the private troops could be tolerated, what's there to count as the bad habits and arrogance of the commanders?
Zhu Han, with a trace of alcohol in his voice, cursed: "Blindness! I am Zhu Han, the General of Daring Battle. Who can possibly live better than me?"
The officer knew that this General Zhu Han was not to be provoked, so he bent over even deeper and said: "I report to the General that the room requested is now occupied by another general. I really have no power to help."
Who is Zhu Han? He once defeated Cao Ren, the Grand Marshal of Cao Wei, at Ru Xu, and he has always been proud of his military achievements.
Even if it were a civilian, it would be acceptable. But for a general to stay here? Who has my greater achievements?
Even if Zhu Yun were here, Zhu Han would not be afraid of him!
Zhu Han looked down coldly at the officer: "Who is inside? Tell him to come out and make way for me."
The noisy commotion outside had already woken up the people sleeping inside the inn. However, upon hearing the name Zhu Han, no one dared to come out to talk or disturb this unlucky situation.
Just as Zhu Han was about to draw his sword and rage, a person walked slowly down the stairs from above, wearing a robe and disheveled hair, clearly woken up by the commotion.
The person who came down was Quan Zong, the Governor of Jiujiang Commandery, the General of South Pacification, and the Marquis of Qiantang.
Quan Zong bowed and said, "Xiongming brother, I did not expect to find you here. I heard the commotion from the room above because someone had taken it. Was it you who had taken it?"
Zhu Han looked up at Quan Zong who had descended the stairs, his alcohol-induced state not yet fully recovered, coupled with Zhu Han's usual attitude of not yielding to anyone, and considering that he believed Quan Zong's achievements were far less than his own, his anger had not subsided.
Zhu Han said, "Quan Zihuang, Quan Zihuang, is it you who took my room?"
Quan Zong was also a high-ranking military commander who was not much older than Zhu Han. As for Zhu Han's past victory over Cao Ren, Quan Zong had once believed that since Cao Ren was on the verge of death, it would have been no different if Quan Zong were to fight him.
Quan Zong had intended to greet Zhu Han warmly and renew their old acquaintanceship, as they hadn't seen each other in about four or five years. However, he had no idea that Zhu Han was as fierce as a dog, attacking without warning?
Quan Zong stood on the steps and did not descend further, looking down at Zhu Han: "General Zhu, the inn is a public place; one must follow the principle of 'first come, first served'."
"I have been sent by the King of Wu to come to Wuhan, and it is no big deal if I take a room in the inn. Why should you take it away from me?"
Zhu Han was now angry: "Are you here on the King of Wu's edict, but am I not here on the King of Wu's edict?"
Today's content is one thousand characters short, and two thousand characters will be added tomorrow.
(Chapter complete)
