Chapter 86: Cao Cao Moves the Capital, Liu and Gu Share the Empire (Requesting Monthly Votes)

——The Great Change in Jingzhou!

These people were never a match for Liu Bei, let alone now that their morale had completely collapsed.

Liu Bei's offensive grew even more ferocious.

Under these circumstances, Zhou Yu also began his own plan.

Facing the sudden emergence of a third path.

The reactions of the Jingzhou aristocratic clans were equally contradictory.

To them, no one wished to abandon the homeland they had painstakingly built.

But under the current circumstances, they were forced to make a choice.

Either they could gamble that Cao Cao would defeat Gu Chen and then march straight to Jingzhou to help them eliminate Liu Bei;

or they must choose between Liu Bei and Sun Ce.

Naturally, some would follow Zhou Yu.

Yet, driven by a gambler's psychology, others would choose to remain in Jingzhou, betting that Liu Bei would not target these aristocratic clans.

For these clans, this choice was bound to be excruciatingly difficult.

But no matter what choice they made, under these conditions, the already chaotic morale of Jingzhou shattered completely.

——The seventh year of Jian'an, fifth month;

Liu Bei breached Jiangling.

He then seized Nanjun.

His troops advanced straight toward Jiangxia Commandery.

The entire situation in Jingzhou had become utterly irreversible.

The morale of Jingzhou had completely collapsed.

The current situation was forcing them to make an immediate choice.

Many sent envoys to seek an audience with Liu Bei, probing his intentions.

But without exception—

Liu Bei refused to see any of them.

Had Liu Bei been replaced by Cao Cao, even if he had already resolved to execute these traitors, he would still have met these envoys.

He would have settled accounts only after fully securing Jingzhou.

But Liu Bei was still Liu Bei.

His attitude undoubtedly plunged the Jingzhou aristocratic clans deeper into despair.

Liu Bei had indeed changed.

"Benevolence and righteousness" remained his guiding principle.

Yet compared to the benevolence and righteousness of his original history, Liu Bei now possessed the ruthless decisiveness of a man seeking great power.

Keeping these clans might strengthen his power.

But if these clans could betray the Han, betray Liu Biao, how could they not betray him someday?

More and more clans chose to follow Sun Ce.

Most took their younger generations and the bulk of their family resources with them, while the elder generation chose to die in their homeland.

This may be something long ingrained in the bones of the Huaxia people since ancient times.

Even if these people were not loyal ministers.

They still held to their own convictions.

——The seventh year of Jian'an, eighth month;

Liu Bei captured Jiangxia, Jingzhou's key commandery, firmly securing the entire northern region of Jingzhou.

His prestige surged!

He then directly split Guan, Zhang, and Zhao's forces.

They marched straight toward Lingling, Changsha, and Wuling Commanderies!

This was not arrogance on Liu Bei's part.

The current situation in Jingzhou had become utterly incapable of blocking Liu Bei's path.

Meanwhile, the war in Yingchuan continued unabated.

Cao Cao must drive Gu Chen back.

Xu Chang was his Ducheng.

How could Cao Cao allow Xu Chang to remain under Liu Bei's threat?

During this time, he had tried every possible method.

Dividing his forces, sowing discord, even sending Lu Bu, who guarded Wei Jun, to attack Bingzhou—he had exhausted every idea he could conceive.

But as expected—

Though some strategies yielded minor effects, they could not alter his current predicament.

Cao Cao had certainly considered concentrating all his strength for a direct assault on Gu Chen.

But the outcome remained unchanged.

Gu Chen functioned like a numb machine, arranging everything with flawless precision.

He repelled every one of Cao Cao's offensives.

Though he had not advanced further during this period, the impact he had on the morale of the four regions was unimaginable.

And with the conclusion of the Jingzhou campaign,

Cao Cao, however unwilling, could no longer avoid entertaining other thoughts.

——Move the capital!

"Tonight's password is chicken ribs."

Within Cao's camp.

The messenger was delivering the password set by Cao Cao to each camp's Captain.

Listening to these repeated calls.

Standing outside the camp, the Chief Clerk Yang Xiu's eyes subtly shifted, then he turned to the adjutant beside him: "Pack your gear. Prepare to retreat."

"Retreat?"

The adjutant instantly panicked: "But the Grand Tutor never mentioned retreating!"

"Chicken ribs are something that tastes bland but is too precious to discard."

"The Grand Tutor has set tonight's password as chicken ribs."

"Clearly, the Grand Tutor has already decided to move the capital."

Yang Xiu said with full confidence.

Though the adjutant still found it hard to believe, seeing Yang Xiu's certainty, he finally gave a slight nod.

At this moment, inside the main tent.

Cao Cao lay reclined on his couch, veins bulging on his face, expression pained, yet his eyes filled with profound resignation and complexity.

His head ailment had never healed.

Had the current situation not been so critical, he would have collapsed long ago.

Inside the tent, Cao Cao's trusted aides were all gathered here.

Their expressions were equally complex—concerned for Cao Cao's health, yet equally anxious about the current situation.

All remained silent; the atmosphere inside the tent was utterly serious.

Only after a long while did...

Cao Cao's weary voice slowly rise.

"With Gu Ziyan alive, I shall never again hope to sweep clean the world in my lifetime."

Hearing this, all lowered their heads in silence.

Even if they resented it deeply, what more could they say now, under such circumstances?

Yingchuan has already been half-occupied by Gu Chen; the war in Jingzhou cannot be halted.

The original objective of this campaign has utterly failed.

Even worse than imagined.

What could they possibly say?

"Father, I beg to lead troops to storm Gu Chen's camp and bring back his head!"

But Cao Ang still could not bear it.

As Cao Cao's eldest son, seeing his once proud and vigorous father reduced to this state, his heart burned with fury.

Cao Cao merely looked at him calmly, then waved his hand: "Enough, enough."

Then he turned to Guo Jia: "Feng Xiao, return immediately to Xu Chang."

"Move the Son of Heaven to Peng Cheng."

"Zixiao, immediately lead men to fortify defenses along the Xu Chang region."

"Prepare for the army's retreat."

Cao Cao's tone was utterly calm, yet the more he spoke, the more resignation filled his eyes.

Even his physical pain could not suppress the sorrow in his heart.

How could he not understand—once he retreats now, he may never again aspire to dominate the world!

Nearly twenty years of warfare...

He had risen from an obscure nobody to one of the most powerful warlords in the land.

He had believed he could cleanse the realm and rebuild the world.

Yet the end would come with regret.

Hearing this, the atmosphere inside the tent grew even more serious.

Guo Jia and Cao Ren both accepted their orders, yet still hesitated to leave.

All remained utterly silent.

Cao Cao clearly sensed their mood—he suddenly pushed himself upright beside the couch, his gaze sweeping over them, then a defiant smile spread across his face as he declared loudly:

"Gentlemen, why so despondent?"

His smile was carefree, his expression calm, untouched by his head pain: "Today, our army retreats—but only because the situation forces us."

"Rebellions flare everywhere; Xu Chang itself is threatened. This place is no place to remain."

"That Gu Chen hopes to wear us down with such tactics—do you think we'll fall into his trap, clinging uselessly to Yingchuan and fighting him to a stalemate?"

Here, Cao Cao paused slightly, then rose to his full height and strode decisively toward the tent's exit.

All hurried to follow him.

Cao Cao lifted his gaze toward the bright moon and the star-strewn sky, his expression growing complex yet firm: "Even if we never conquer the world in our lifetimes, what of it?"

"By now, the world already remembers our names; future generations will remember Cao Mengde—and all of you, gentlemen."

"Besides, we all have descendants."

"Will the Gu family's prestige last forever?"

"When that time comes, even if we cannot live to see it, our descendants will fulfill our grand aspirations!"

Cao Cao spun sharply, his gaze blazing as he looked back at those behind him, and shouted: "Gentlemen, why grieve over this?"

His tone was extremely calm.

But the expressions of those who watched him were still deeply complex, and some even shed tears.

Cao Cao paid no mind; he laughed twice, then waved his hand directly: "Gentlemen, rest well—we shall break camp and march again in a few days."

After a moment's hesitation, they gradually departed.

Cao Cao kept Cao Ang behind.

He took his hand again and returned to the command tent, making Cao Ang sit beside him.

"Father."

Cao Ang's eyes were red, filled with both reluctance and anger.

"Zixiu," Cao Cao looked at him calmly and said seriously: "You are my eldest son—what are your plans?"

Cao Ang had never expected Cao Cao to say such a thing.

He froze suddenly.

The next moment, he leapt to his feet and knelt before Cao Cao: "Father… I…"

But before he could finish, Cao Cao cut him off sharply: "Speak!"

Cao Ang froze again. Seeing Cao Cao's serious gaze, he hesitated, then bowed deeply before him, and finally spoke solemnly: "Father, rest assured—I shall inherit your ambition."

"Let Heaven's Mandate descend upon our Cao clan!"

His tone was resounding and firm.

Hearing this, Cao Cao's gaze softened slightly, but his voice remained stern: "Remember what I have told you today."

"As long as the Guanglu Gu clan's prestige remains unshaken and Gu Ziyan still lives…"

"The Cao clan must never proclaim itself king or overlord."

In an instant, Cao Ang's body trembled involuntarily—he could hardly believe Cao Cao had said such a thing.

How deeply did his father care for Gu Chen?

Even when facing Yuan Shao, whose strength far surpassed his own in years past, Cao Cao had never acted this way!

He fell silent for a moment, then gave a slight nod.

If Cao Cao knew what Cao Ang was thinking, he would have sneered at it.

How could Yuan Shao compare to Gu Chen?

Cao Cao had known Gu clan youths since childhood.

He knew full well how Gu Chen had behaved as a child and youth.

To have achieved such rapid advancement in so short a time.

Even he felt Gu Chen was flawless.

Such a person was destined to be no ordinary man.

Cao Cao had long since classified Gu Chen as one favored by Heaven's Mandate—like Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu of old.

Such a person must never be confronted directly.

Otherwise, he would meet a grim end.

Only Heaven itself could claim such a man!

No one had anticipated Cao Cao would make such a choice.

When the news of Cao Cao's relocation of the capital gradually spread, even though his army had suffered little loss in this battle…

The title of the realm's strongest warlord still passed to Gu Chen from that day forward.

In an instant, Gu Chen's fame spread across the land!

It even evoked the same aura as Gu Xi of old.

Gu Chen would not let Cao Cao depart so easily—he pursued with his army, slaying thousands of enemies.

Though he did not achieve great tactical gains…

It was more than enough for Gu Chen.

The Yingchuan region lay open—his balance of power with Cao Cao had been utterly reversed.

——The roles of attacker and defender had switched!

Yet Gu Chen did not rush to attack Xu Chang.

How could an army not be rested?

Most crucially, Gu Chen wanted to see what Liu Bei would do next.

His attitude toward the aristocratic clans was a standard Gu Chen cared deeply about.

Liu Bei's prestige was now resounding across the land.

The Jingzhou campaign had ended completely.

First, Zhao Yun had broken Lingling and slain its top general, Xing Daorong.

Then, Zhang Fei had led two thousand troops to crush Wudu Commandery.

Guan Yu had also seized Changsha.

After the Jingzhou aristocrats had completely abandoned resistance, their advance proved far smoother than expected, and within a short time they had fully taken Jingzhou.

And most crucially—

Liu Bei's reputation for benevolence was an absolute weapon against the Jingzhou populace.

The people felt no great panic.

Under these circumstances, the entire Jingzhou situation stabilized swiftly.

Afterwards, Liu Bei turned his gaze toward the Jingzhou aristocratic clans.

He seemed to have already made his decision.

He didn't even consult Zhuge Liang or Xu Shu before making the decision himself.

—That was to emulate Gu Chen's methods in Bing Province.

The strongest Jingzhou noble clans, such as the Cai clan, would absolutely not be spared and must be executed.

As for the other powerful but slightly weaker noble clans, they would be sentenced according to their crimes.

Those whose crimes were grave would also be put to death;

Those whose crimes were light would be fined their land.

All the walled strongholds of the noble clans would be burned, and their private weapons and soldiers confiscated.

These lands would be used to settle the common folk and displaced refugees, and those weapons would continue to arm and strengthen his own forces.

Gu Chen's methods were absolutely the system most suited to the current chaotic age.

Regarding Liu Bei's arrangement.

Zhuge Liang, Xu Shu, and the others had no objections whatsoever.

Although some among them also came from noble clans.

But there were differences even among noble clans.

Not everyone was thinking about the noble clans arming themselves independently.

Gu Chen's system did not, after all, exclude every noble clan in the realm.

Although for them.

This system would affect the clan's strength, but as long as the clan's status was elevated, that would be enough!

Especially now that Gu Chen and Liu Bei still held the advantage, no one would oppose it.

The world bustles, all for profit.

Judging from the current situation.

The alliance between Liu Bei and Gu Chen had given everyone a faint glimpse of a future where the realm would be unified..

Time hurried past.

Regarding Liu Bei's arrangements in Jingzhou, although he didn't know whether Liu Bei had done this deliberately, Gu Chen was still very satisfied.

Although Gu Chen had never said so.

Gu Yi could still feel it clearly.

For Gu Chen, sweeping the realm clean was only the first step of his ambition.

He meant to thoroughly complete the great undertaking that Gu Xi had left unfinished in those years.

What shocked Gu Yi was.

It seemed that every member of the Gu clan had taken this matter to heart.

—Gu Ze had actually put to use in Julu the "block printing technique" he had left behind in those years, and had already begun attempting to print "Gu Xue" and "The Five Classics."

Although it had only just begun, this was absolutely a leap-of-an-era advancement.

It seemed every member of the Gu clan was striving according to their own understanding of Gu Xi's great undertaking.

Gu Yi did not know what this meant for the development of all later generations.

But clearly.

Once such behavior appeared ahead of its time, it was destined to affect the development of all later generations.

And for Gu Yi, the good news was not limited to these things alone.

—The seventh generation of Gu clan heirs had been born one after another.

Whether Gu Ze, or Gu Wei, or the other Gu clan members, they had all successively had children.

Perhaps it was truly because the Gu clan had gone too long without producing naturally gifted talent.

This seventh generation of heirs faintly gave off a sense of bottoming out and rebounding.

Every one of them had decent attributes.

Even the heir with the lowest attributes was close to seventy points.

The best was approaching ninety.

If the realm could truly be pacified within Gu Chen's generation, the seventh generation of Gu clan heirs would absolutely bring the Gu clan to an entirely new peak.

The only pity was that Gu Chen still had no heirs.

He had long since taken a wife.

Although Gu Chen himself had no such thoughts, the eldest brother was like a father—Gu Wei would not allow Gu Chen to keep fighting without an heir.

Actually, Gu Yi was truly very curious.

With Gu Chen's current attributes, how much could his heirs inherit?

But the pity was that Gu Chen's wife still showed no signs of anything.

This might be related to Gu Chen not paying attention to the matter.

But who could force Gu Chen on such a thing?

He only wanted to sweep the realm clean now.

Just after Liu Bei had completely pacified all of Jingzhou, he once again came to see Gu Chen.

Still bringing few men, only his trusted followers.

But the meaning before and after was fundamentally different.

This time, Gu Chen took the initiative to propose holding a sacrificial rite and proclaiming the matter of allied armies to the realm.

He wanted to take advantage of the current momentum at its peak.

To keep building momentum and cause Cao Cao trouble.

Liu Bei naturally would not refuse.

Compared to the previous sacrifice, this one was far more formal and grand.

This time Liu Bei even offered sacrifices to the successive late Emperors of the Great Han.

From Gao Zu Liu Bang to Emperor Shun, Liu Bao.

Nearly all the Great Han Emperors were included, with the sole exceptions of "Emperor Jingping" and "the two Emperors Huan and Ling."

This political signal was simply too obvious.

After all, these three Emperors all shared one common trait.

—They had distanced themselves from the Gu clan.

Liu Bei now seemed to have become an entirely different person.

He knew very clearly what he wanted to do, and how to do it.

Even on the day of the sacrifice, he said a single line before countless people.

"If I can restore the Han once more—"

"So long as the Gu clan does not betray the Great Han, unless the Dahe runs dry and Mount Taishan collapses—the Liu shall never betray the Gu. The Liu and the Gu shall share the realm!"

Those words exploded in everyone's ears like a thunderclap.

The Liu shall never betray the Gu;

The Liu and the Gu shall share the realm!

The impact those two lines could bring was simply too immense.

If Liu Bei truly could restore the Great Han as Emperor Guangwu once did, then these words of his would become the ancestral injunction of the Great Han!

The Great Han ruled the realm through filial piety.

With these words laid out here, which future Emperor, not wishing to bear the curse of being unfilial, would dare to violate the ancestral injunction?

And the most crucial point was—

These words were not empty promises spoken in private.

They were spoken before the ministers of both sides, before countless common folk of the capital region!

Words like these were destined to spread far and wide.

If Liu Bei did not honor them, it would inevitably deal a tremendous blow to his reputation!

Shouts rose up in an instant.

For the common folk, they would not think so deeply about it.

The Liu clan heavily employed the Gu clan.

In their eyes, that meant good days ahead!

The expressions of everyone present changed.

Gu Wei, Xun Yu, Jia Xu, and the others all revealed looks of astonishment.

By contrast, Guan, Zhang, Zhao, Zhuge Liang, and the rest seemed to have already known of this matter, showing no particular expression.

Gu Chen was also stunned.

He had never expected Liu Bei to actually utter such words.

Meeting the gentle breeze.

He could not help but look at Liu Bei once more, and for the first time a strange feeling appeared in his eyes.

Gu Xiao and Emperor Guangwu;

Gu Kang, Gu Sheng, and Emperor Ming;

Gu Xi and Emperor He;

The stories of these generations of wise rulers and worthy ministers were no secret in the realm, and within the Gu clan itself there were detailed records of them.

The scions of the Gu clan, such as Gu Chen, had read them countless times.

It was a pity that their own generation had truly never experienced what a true wise ruler and worthy minister felt like.

But at this very moment, Gu Chen seemed to understand a little.

What is a wise ruler and worthy minister?

It is simply a sovereign who grants a minister absolute trust.

He was silent for a long while, then for the first time cupped his hands and bowed to Liu Bei.

Gu Wei, Xun Yu, and the others all witnessed this scene.

The hearts they had kept suspended were finally eased somewhat.

The lack of a suitable sovereign was the greatest problem they now faced.

This was a crisis sufficient to be fatal.

Their own generation might still manage, but if things continued this way, one day immense internal conflicts and rifts would inevitably appear.

The news spread continuously.

When Cao Cao heard of this matter, his entire expression grew ever more complex.

He searched his heart and asked himself—

Could he do as Liu Bei had done?

Speaking such words in private might still be possible, but before so many ministers and so many common folk, he absolutely could not bring himself to say such things.

It was very difficult for him to fully trust a person of another surname.

This was perhaps the greatest difference between Cao Cao and Liu Bei.

But for him, what was the use of thinking further about this now?

He had to face the great battle that was coming.

Gu Chen's move had dealt him a fatal blow.

The hearts of the people, already shaken, would only grow more precarious under such circumstances.

Moreover, he had to guard against attacks by Gu Chen and Liu Bei on Yanzhou and Yuyang.

Would Liu Bei and Gu Chen stand down?

Obviously not.

This battle was destined to come.

Cao Cao swiftly summoned his ministers to discuss matters of stabilizing the people's hearts and the defenses of each province.

——————

"In the sixth month of summer of the ninth year of Jian'an, the Emperor pacified Jingzhou and met again with Chen at Luoyang.

The Emperor first established the Grand Sacrifice. From Gao Zu, who slew the serpent and rose at Pei, to Emperor Guangwu, who restored the dynasty at Kunyang, to the reigns of Emperor Xianzong and Emperor Zhang, and on to Emperors Xiao'an and Xiaoshun — all had their spirit tablets set up and were sacrificed to.

Only Emperor Lingdi and Emperors Huan and Ling were excluded. He said to those beside him: 'These three favored slanderers and flattered them, while keeping the worthy at a distance — how could they be worthy of sharing the sacrifice in the High Temple?'

The aides heard this and were awed.

On the first day of the seventh month of autumn, the alliance met on the sunny side of the Luo River. A altar three zhang high was raised, and black-yellow banners were planted.

When the people of Luoyang heard the royal army had arrived, those who came carrying their plows and hoes to watch numbered in the tens of thousands; old men and children filled the roads, and not a single soul was left in the countryside.

The Emperor ascended the altar, jade tablet in hand, his voice like a great bell: 'The day Han rises again, we shall wipe the dust from the Grand Temple with red kerchiefs, and cleanse the filth of the palace with black armor!'

He split a tally and swore: 'If the Gu clan keeps the Han crown, even if Dahe runs dry and Mount Tai collapses, their descendants shall not betray the Gu clan.

From this day forth, the tripod of the Liu shall bear the inscription of the Gu.'

The three armies all shouted "Ten thousand years," their voices shaking Yi Que.

That day, wind and clouds met, a white rainbow pierced the altar, and the elders wept, saying: 'The tales of Emperor Guangwu are seen again!'

— *Book of Yan Han, Basic Annals of Emperor Zhaowu*

(End of this chapter)