Mythical Version of Three Kingdom

The near thousand support troops that Cao Hong had arranged not far from the front were scattered by Hua Xiong’s single strike. No one was foolish enough to stay and fight against such an unbeatable force; they all ran faster than rabbits, knowing it was wiser to flee than to stand their ground.

Although Hua Xiong’s march was swift, moving several thousand people together couldn’t compare to the speed of a few riders delivering a message.

When Hua Xiong and his troops reached Dongping, Cao Cao, stationed in Shanyang, had already received the latest intelligence.

”Ah, how many talented ministers and fierce generals does Liu Xuande have! I didn’t expect that even for such a significant task as delivering tribute, he would send Hua Xiong, using this opportunity to clear Hua Xiong’s name by meeting with the Emperor. I thought it would just be a ceremonial official handling this. It seems this man has his eyes set on the world,” Cao Cao sighed deeply after reading the report.

Since Chen Xi’s great victory over the Yellow Turbans and his subsequent consolidation of their forces, Cao Mengde had been staying in Shanyang, trying to understand Liu Xuande better. According to him, the situation in Taishan shouldn’t be any better than in Chenliu. Liu Xuande had the support of Tao Qian, just as he had Zhang Miao providing grain. Yet, the more he studied, the more significant the disparity seemed.

Thus, Cao Mengde put aside his plans to attack Taishan and began a detailed study. The more he delved into it, the more he found Chen Xi’s methods promising. However, those methods seemed only suited to Taishan because it lacked powerful clans...

Standing like a wall beside him, Dian Wei hummed and hawed, indicating his dissatisfaction.

”What’s on your mind, Evil Lai?” Cao Cao asked, smiling at Dian Wei’s grumbling.

”I don’t believe I’m weaker than Hua Xiong. Please, my lord, give me a chance to fight him!” Dian Wei said, his voice resonating like a drum, his muscular frame straining his armor.

”Hahaha!” Cao Mengde laughed heartily. ”Liu Xuande has his Guan and Zhang, and I have fierce generals like you. Let’s go and intercept Hua Xiong; I also want to see this formation that Zilian described!”Just as Cao Cao was preparing to take his guard, Dian Wei, to intercept Hua Xiong, Xun Yu appeared. ”My lord, Zhong Yao from Yongzhou reports that Li Jue and Guo Si have defeated Lu Bu with an army of three hundred thousand, and Wang Yun was killed outside Chang’an.”

Xun Yu handed the dispatch to Cao Cao, who read it with a deepening frown. ”How dare those traitors!”

He rose in anger and slammed the letter onto the table.

”My lord, please calm your anger. Fortunately, the Emperor is unharmed. We still have time to gather our strength and rescue him,” Xun Yu said calmly, though the Emperor’s plight was unacceptable to him.

Cao Cao sighed, abandoning his plans to intercept Hua Xiong. ”Wen Ruo, do we have enough grain?”

”We have enough for only a month. The Yellow Turban rebellion has ruined most of the fields we cultivated last year. We lack seeds and farming tools for the summer planting. Even if we plant on time, it will be four months until the harvest. Moreover, we have over half a million refugees,” Xun Yu said, his tone full of helplessness.

Cao Cao barely heard Xun Yu’s words, having asked only to keep Xun Yu from noticing his mood. His mind was still on the previous report—Minister Wang Yun had jumped from the walls of Chang’an, and Liu Xie, under the threat of Li Jue and Guo Si, had not uttered a single word in Wang Yun’s defense, just bowing his head as Wang Yun, despondent, leaped to his death. Liu Xie then issued an edict to execute Wang Yun’s family and abandon their bodies in the wild.

Cao Cao didn’t know how to feel—disappointed or disheartened.

If Liu Xie had said even one word in defense, Wang Yun probably wouldn’t have regretted his decision. Even if he jumped from the walls, he would have cursed Li Jue and Guo Si as traitors. Afterward, countless righteous men would have rallied to defend the nation. But Liu Xie had yielded, saying nothing in his defense out of fear.

[If the sovereign treats his ministers like dirt, they will treat him as a bandit.] This thought emerged in Cao Mengde’s mind, suddenly liberating him, his aura becoming majestic.

[If the sovereign treats his ministers like dirt...] Cao Mengde sighed, a seed of rebellion taking root in his heart.

”My lord!” Xun Yu said, frowning slightly.

”Haha, Wen Ruo, don’t mind me. I was just moved by the report. Let’s get back to business. How large is our grain shortfall?” Cao Cao apologized to Xun Yu, smiling without a trace of his previous demeanor.

”The shortfall is significant. Even with assistance from the local families, it’s not enough. We lack both funds and grain in the treasury. Ordinary means won’t cover the deficit; we’ll have to find another way,” Xun Yu said, a hint of gratitude in his eyes, which then calmed. Sometimes, maintaining composure was essential for planning.

”What do you propose?” Cao Cao asked excitedly. Grain had always been a major worry for him. If Xun Yu had a solution, it would be a relief.

”If we lack grain in Yanzhou, we should take it from our enemies. While we don’t have enough, Taishan, Xuzhou, and Yuzhou do,” Xun Yu said, his eyes gleaming coldly.

”After the coalition against Dong Zhuo, the forces in the land divided into Dong Zhuo’s in the west and the eastern coalition. However, the eastern coalition split further into two factions centered around Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu. The rise of the White Horse General further complicated matters. This is why Chen Zichuan could pressure Yuan Shao despite being at a disadvantage. By aligning himself with Yuan Shu’s faction, he secured substantial support and time to recuperate,” Xun Yu explained.

”And now we must also choose a faction. Although we’ve been aligned with Yuan Shao, we haven’t formed an official alliance. It’s time to strengthen our ties with Yuan Shao. We’re not the only ones who can receive support; others want to support us too,” Xun Yu’s face softened into a gentle smile.

Seeing Xun Yu’s smile, Cao Cao was reassured. Whenever Xun Yu smiled, it meant the situation was under control. If Xun Yu said so, it couldn’t be a joke.