“My lord, you are a fierce tiger!” Said Chen Gong as if sighing. “Cao Mende had already suffered the deficit in not having a rear to provide provisions for his troops! He would not allow for a second time!”
The first time that Chen Gong speak of was Old Cao’s first expedition against Xu Province. At that time, the Xu Province was still under Tao Qian’s rule. Old Cao had past one obstacle over another and almost reached and killed Tao Qian. It was Lu Bu. Lu Bu had entered via Puyang and attacked Old Cao’s Yan Province and conquered more than ten cities and almost causing Cao Cao to be finished.
As they say, once bitten, twice shy. One would not allow another to sleep soundly in one’s own bed. This Xu Province was the gate of the Yan Province. If there were to be a battle in Guandu and Lu Bu were to attack Yan Province again, then Old Cao would really be finished.
If he were to be attacked on both sides, he would be unable to resist. Thus, using the opportunity given by Yuan Shao pacifying Hebei, Cao Cao decided to pacify Lu Bu at the same time. Only through killing this fierce tiger could Cao Cao’s mind be set to rest in the major battle against Yuan Shao in Guandu.
“Regarded as an obstacle!” Liu Mang finally understood. It was not the prosperity of the Xu Province that attracted Old Cao. It was the Boss Lu of Xu Province that attracted Old Cao.
Old Cao’s original idea was to subdue Boss Lu and then battle it out with Yuan Shao with Boss Lu in his camp. Alas, an arrow from Old Man Chen Gong almost shot him in the dick causing him to be furious and began attacking Boss Lu. This was how this they ended up in this tragic situation.
“Gongtai, you meant?!” Lu Bu seemed to have understood something.
“This Runan was the second Xu Province. Cao Mende would not allow anyone to threaten his rear before a decisive battle. Thus, he would certainly gather up his troops to cleanse the rear first!” Immediately, Chen Gong pointed out why trying to conquer Runan was a bad idea.
Hearing Chen Gong’s speech, Lu Bu was also surprised into a cold sweat. Should he really conquer Runan only to have Cao Cao besiege the city again, Lu Bu does not believe he could have the luck to escape a third time.
Chen Deng also turned pale with fright. He was muddled by hatred, he had only thought of the current situation and not what would happen in the future.
“Then where shall we go now?!” Asked Lu Bu. They were already enroute to Shouchun. The route toward the north was already blocked. All they could do now was to go toward the south.
“Toward Jiangxia to Xinye!” Chen Gong pointed to the map.