Cao Rui calmly looked at Dong Zhao: "Since Marquis Dong asked me, I assume Marquis Dong already has the answer in his heart."
"But it's no problem to say."
Dong Zhao stood up and stated, "Emperor Xuan refused to reappoint Wu Zhi as the Commander-in-Chief of Hebei Province last year, which was due to the fact that there were fewer military events in Hebei and the state and districts were stable."
Cao Rui nodded.
When Cao Rui summoned Wu Zhi back to Luoyang that year, he had thought the same thing.
Dong Zhao continued, "The General of the Great Army commands the west, this is because Qi State and Han Middle are remote, the central army in Luoyang cannot rescue in time, so it selects one of the generals in Chenping to see opportunities to act."
Acting according to circumstances, that is the essence of decision-making authority.
If there are any emergencies in the borderlands, orders will always come from Luoyang. After several days of delay, the situation there will inevitably deteriorate.
Cao Zhen was responsible for the defense of the west, an area of vast geography, in which the command of a heavy national general was needed to direct and coordinate troops and lead them in battle. This is the fundamental meaning behind establishing a General Command.
Dong Zhao continued, "Zhao Yan supervises the military affairs of Jingzhou, which means he is a court official stationed in Xiangyang to coordinate Xiahou Yu and Wen Yin in defending a region, but he does not have the position of leading an army in offensive operations."
Cao Rui listened to Dong Zhao's words and nodded thoughtfully.
Zhao Yan had only defensive duties in Jingzhou. Xiangyang and Jiangxia two districts supported each other, so changing his position to 'Supervisor of Military Affairs of Jingzhou' was also acceptable.
After Dong Zhao mentioned the two places of Guanxi and Jingzhou, he said, "Whether or not to establish a supervisor in Yangzhou depends on what Your Majesty wants Yangzhou to do."
Cao Rui counter-questioned, "If Yangzhou only defends and does not attack, then do we really need a supervisor?"
Dong Zhao replied calmly, "I still can't give a definite answer."
"The key to whether Yangzhou should have a supervisor lies in the speed at which the troops in Yangzhou receive coordination from the central government."
"If it is far from the court, a supervisor is naturally needed."
"If it is close to the court, a supervisor may not be necessary."
At this moment, Sima Yi, who was listening to Dong Zhao speak, also felt a ripple of turbulence in his heart.
Dong Zhao meant that if Yangzhou is close to the court, it may not be necessary for a supervisor. Does he mean that the court should go to Huainan?
How can his brain be so constructed? Can he come up with such an idea?
Cao Rui also thought along the same lines as Sima Yi.
Huainan is right there, Shouchun City is by the river, and Hefei City is on the east side of Chaochun Lake. No matter what, they cannot be moved.
Then does that mean it's up to me to move?
Cao Rui sighed deeply, "Marquis Dong, where does Marquis Dong want me to go?"
Dong Zhao bowed and saluted, "Now that the Grand Marshal is seriously ill and the situation is not clear, for temporary purposes, it can be sent to Shouchun City for the important officials of the court to handle affairs."
"If a supervisor cannot be selected for a long time, for the security of the southeast, I think it would be best if the emperor temporarily resides in Xuchang."
Man Chong also rose from his seat and stared at Dong Zhao in astonishment: "For the sake of a position of supervisor, Marquis Dong would have the emperor temporarily reside in Xuchang?"
"How long is the temporary residence? Is this not similar to relocating the capital?"
Dong Zhao replied calmly: "How can we relocate the capital, Xuchang was originally one of the five capitals of Wei, a legitimate city."
At this moment, the expressions and attitudes of the other people in the study room were various.
Wei Zhen remained silent and had no expression on his face.
Wang Chang lowered his head and looked at the tiles on the floor. He knew that as a mere right monitor of the Security Council, he couldn't insert himself into such matters.
Sima Yi narrowed his eyes, but the look in his gaze at Dong Zhao was sharp and piercing.
He just couldn't figure out what sort of understanding there was between Dong Zhao and the emperor? Why did the emperor not at all blame him after saying something like that?
They are not on the same frequency.
Since the first meeting with Emperor Cao Rui at the imperial armory in Luoyang, where Dong Zhao proposed the concept of "name and reality" division, he has gradually unraveled Emperor Cao Rui's thoughts.
In the past, Chen Qun served as the supervisor of Jingzhou, and it was as if he was being exiled.
Making Zhang He the supervisor of Yong and Ning, this is both trust and a helpless measure.
Only Cao Zhen commanding the west and Cao Xu commanding the Yangzhou, these two powerful relatives of the Cao family can truly make the emperor at ease.
At present, if Cao Xu is not available, where can we find another general from the families of Cao or Xiahou to entrust with such important responsibilities?
At present, the Yangzhou troops are the strongest in all states of Wei. Grand Marshal Cao Xu commanding an external army of 58,000 troops, nearly 20,000 state and district troops, as well as former captured 50,000 young and healthy Wu troops and now used as farmland plow soldiers.
With such a large force, which already exceeds a quarter of the total military strength of Wei, how can the emperor be reassured to entrust it to a general of a different surname?
Descendants of the Cao family, how can they not be suspicious?
This is Dong Zhao's gamble, wanting the emperor to move to Xuchang.
Cao Rui turned to look at Sima Yi, "I remember that during the years of Huangchu, the Minister of Works often went to Xuchang as the General Commander of Military Affairs, right?"
"How long did the late Emperor stay in Xuchang?"
Sima Yi sighed slightly in his heart, it seems that the emperor is moved by the words of Dong Zhao.
The late Emperor stayed in Xuchang for how long, can't the emperor be unaware of that? And to ask me about it?
However, it cannot not be answered.
Sima Yi bowed and replied, "Reporting to the emperor, during his seven years in power, the late emperor visited Xuchang eight times."
"In the third year of the Huangchu era, the late Emperor resided in Xuchang for eight months."
"From September to March of the fourth year to the third year of the fifth month, the late Emperor resided in Xuchang for six months."
"From October to March of the fifth year to the third month of the sixth year, the late Emperor resided in Xuchang for five months."
Sima Yi summarized, "The late Emperor often went to Xuchang and often stayed for a long time."
Cao Rui looked at Dong Zhao and said, "Marquis Dong, did you base your argument on this? If I go to Xuchang, how can I possibly take care of matters in Huainan?"
Dong Zhao replied, "If we talk about the war with the Eastern Wu, Xuchang is definitely much better than Luoyang."
"Before the late Emperor embarked on the campaign against the Eastern Wu, he often resided in Xuchang, assembled the troops there, and then proceeded to Huainan."
"The first is that Xuchang is closer to the Eastern Wu, and the water resources are better."
"The Luoyang is a land surrounded by mountains and rivers. If troops are to be dispatched from Luoyang, they would have to travel along the Yellow River, enter the Beiwang Canal at Yanyang Water Gate, follow the Beiwang Canal downriver into the Yellow River, then follow the Yellow River downstream into the Huai River, and finally float down the Huai River to Shouchun."
"And Xuchang has more convenient water transport. It is situated northeast of the Wei River and southwest of the Rui River, allowing it to directly enter the Ying River and then flow downstream to the Huai River."
"The second is that Xuchang is a better logistics hub than Qiao County."
"Since the establishment of the Xuchang military farms in Jian'an, year one, grain has been accumulated in Xuchang to control the four directions, this is a national custom."
"Moreover, there is also a military arsenal in Xuchang, which corresponds with the military arsenal in Luoyang and is known as the Separate Arsenal."
As he spoke, Dong Zhao pointed to Sima Yi and said, "During the time when the late Emperor defeated the Wu, he often assigned the Minister of Works to reside in Xuchang and manage the rear affairs."
Cao Rui nodded and whispered softly, "When I go east, the General Commander of Military Affairs should oversee the western affairs; when I go west, he should oversee the eastern affairs."
Sima Yi nodded in acknowledgment, but his heart was still puzzled. This was a decree from the late Emperor that he had given to himself. How long has the emperor been on the throne? How could he still remember it so clearly?
Dong Zhao continued, "The third is that last year, when Your Majesty conquered Sichuan and returned, having the military supervisor of the west led by the Great General was completely worry-free!"
"Do not necessarily need the middle army to go to Sichuan, so that all can be used against Wu! The middle army is based in Xuchang, which can control the two states of Jing and Yang!"
Of course, Emperor Cao Rui understood the meaning of Dong Zhao's words.
Not establishing a new supervisor is in line with his own wishes, and he can also agree to relocating to Xuchang.
It's reasonable from a geographical, logistics, and military strategy perspective.
But the most crucial question is, what kind of reason should be used to persuade the ministers?
Just to not establish a supervisor?
Luoyang is far away, and Xuchang is not much closer either!
The distance from Luoyang to Xuchang is three hundred li, and from Xuchang to Shouchun it is nine hundred li. Saving a quarter of the journey does not have enough persuasiveness.
At this moment, two Imperial officials, Xu Zhu and Pi Qian, have arrived. While Huaxin and Chen Qun are still on their way.
Cao Rui saw a look of confusion in the eyes of his ministers.
Grand Marshal Cao Xu is seriously ill, and a successor should be chosen. How is it that when the two of you are talking about it, it turns into relocating to Xuchang? And there's an air of permanent residence in Xuchang?
To clarify matters for the confused ministers, Cao Rui asked Dong Zhao, "Marquis Dong, I have a question. Although Xuchang is not much closer than Luoyang, it is still not close."
"If I go to Xuchang, won't I still have to choose someone to defend Yuyang? Whether the supervisor or not, what's the difference?"
Dong Zhao solemnly said, "Of course there is a difference!"
"Since Your Majesty does not want to attack and only wants to defend in Yuyang, which of the two places, Hefei and Wan Kou, is Wu short-term that can be attacked?"
"It's enough to each guard their own! Living in Xuchang, sending a grand minister to handle affairs there is sufficient to deal with the Eastern Wu. After the battle last year, the Eastern Wu lost troops and officers; they don't have any more strength to invade."
"And besides, the emperor is not intending to punish the Eastern Wu?"
"In my opinion, Your Majesty can go to Xuchang to prepare for half a year or a year, and then attack Ruyu and conquer the area north of the Yangtze River!"
Cao Rui sighed and said with emotion, "I have the help of Dong Zhao, how fortunate I am?"
Just as the two were chatting, Huaxin and Chen Qun arrived at the study as well. As the least respected among the three princes, Sima Yi whispered to them.
Cao Rui looked at the shocked expressions of Huaxin and Chen Qun and said, "Just now, I discussed many things with all of you. The Grand Marshal is seriously ill, and I will send an envoy to pay him a visit immediately."
"Lu Zhongshu." Cao Rui looked at Lu Yu, who was quietly seated: "Lu Zhongshu will serve as my envoy, bringing two imperial doctors and immediately following Cao Qiqi to return to Shouchun at high speed to convey the emperor's concerns for the Grand Marshal's illness."
"I will also send someone to perform a sacrifice and pray to the gods in Luoyang for the Grand Marshal."
Lu Yu stood up and answered, "I will carry out Your Majesty's orders."
Even though everyone present knew that Cao Xu's time was limited, and by this point he might already have passed away.
But after all, what Cao Qi brought was news of illness, not of death. The court could only send an envoy to pay respects, rather than to mourn a funeral.
Lu Yu is a man of sound reason and understanding of the world. If there are any changes, Cao Rui believes he will handle things perfectly.
Cao Rui rose from the table and looked around the hall at all the ministers, "Just now, what I discussed with Marquis Dong was also heard by all of you."
"The Grand Marshal is seriously ill, and there is no one to command the troops in Yuyang. I intend to select a senior minister to hold the decree and temporarily oversee the military affairs of Yuyang, to ensure that Yuyang is held for me."
"Holding down" Yuyang, Cao Rui's words are not entirely incorrect.
Although Cao Rui believes that Sun Quan will not be able to make a large-scale advance for at least two or three years, Yuyang is still near the enemy, and who can say for certain?
Even though he himself is going to Xuchang and intends to punish Sun Quan, at this moment, he still needs to send people from the court to Shouchun.
Otherwise, it will not be enough to show the control of the court over the troops in Yuyang.
Upon hearing the emperor's words, everyone in the hall, except for the four Imperial Officials who could not obtain this position and the right supervisor Wang Chang, was somewhat nervous.
General Man Chong, sitting in his chair, moved his buttocks slightly forward. Man Chong thought to himself, who else is more familiar with the military affairs of Huaiyang than myself?
Including the more than a year he served in the Western Pavilion, the emperor naturally trusts him incredibly.
Cao Rui, bypassing the table, did not look at Man Chong at all. In front of the ministers' gazes, he straightened towards Chen Qun, the Prime Minister.
"The late Emperor appointed Marquis Chen as my advisor, and then he served as the Governor of Jingzhou for two years before coming to the court as the Prime Minister for a year. He is truly one of my closest advisors and confidants."
"Marquis Chen, would you be willing to lend me your arm again? To help me oversee the troops in Shouchun on my behalf? For no more than a year, I will personally lead a large army to Shouchun!"(The chapter is over)
