Chapter 422: A Fish Trapped Sees the Water for Itself

On the day Gongsun Xun and Yuan Shao made direct military contact outside Liangqi City, Cao Cao was actually not far from there. Specifically, he was at that moment by the Yellow River, together with Zhang Yang of Henei, encircling and suppressing the roving Heishan Bandit Yu Du.

The two coordinated superbly. Seizing the moment when Yu Du’s army was halfway across the river, they suddenly struck together, successfully splitting Yu Du’s forces between the north and south banks of the great river. The bulk of Yu Du’s subordinates remained on the north bank, where, led by the one called White Rabbit, Mu Gu, they were pressed by Zhang Yang into surrender. Yu Du himself and his elite core troops, after fighting to the death, fled in panic into Zuocheng, from which the Yellow River could be seen in the distance, and were then tightly surrounded by the troops of Zhang and Cao, who personally led their forces in pursuit.

By this point, Yu Du had been struck mid-crossing; his baggage train was entirely lost, he lacked clothing and provisions, and while the majority had surrendered, his core force had suffered heavy casualties. Although Zuocheng was sturdy, it was merely a small strategic town with no stores of its own and could not hold out for long… It could be said that the outcome of this battle was already settled.

But just then, a rider came from the north, bringing intelligence that the Gongsun and Yuan forces, two hundred thousand strong, had clashed beneath Liangqi City, that Gongsun Xun had shattered Yuan Shao in a single battle, and that chaos had subsequently erupted in Yecheng.

Neither Cao Cao nor Zhang Yang were men with a solid backing to rely on. Quite the contrary — their very survival was intimately tied to the balance of the wider situation. Otherwise, they would not have chosen to accept Yuan Shao’s invitation to help him clear his rear. Thus, upon suddenly hearing of Yuan Shao’s great defeat and Gongsun Xun’s swift victory, although they had long considered this outcome, they still tossed and turned, finding no peace for the moment.

The next day, Zhang Zhishu was the first to lose patience. He took his leave directly and led his entire army back north across the river. Subsequently, after his attempt to induce Yu Du’s surrender failed, Cao Mengde could no longer afford to care too much. He simply abandoned the man and headed south on his own to Chen State… or rather, since it now had neither a Prince nor a Chancellor, and had been passed on to Cao Cao by Sun Wentai, it was not inaccurate to call it his home base of Chen Commandery.

Through this turn of events, Yu Du escaped from the jaws of death and decided to lead his remnant troops toward Mount Tai, where he had once spent a long time, to seek a way out — but that is a tale for another time. Meanwhile, Cao Mengde led his army south, yet along the way his thoughts remained unsettled. He constantly felt that the path ahead was shrouded in fog, and he could not find peace.

It was not until he reached Chen County in Chen Commandery, and saw his eldest son Cao Ang, hair bound up, coming out to greet him, along with the civil and military officers left in charge, that he finally put away that lost expression and recovered his usual cheerful look of having everything well in hand. And upon learning that his sworn brother Sun Jian had sent an envoy, saying that the front lines had already breached Wancheng and that he was therefore preparing to take his family — who had been settled here for over half a year — to Nanyang for resettlement, Cao Cao once again threw open the banquet halls and feasted his guests grandly… first, to welcome the envoy; second, to bid farewell; third, to celebrate the victory; fourth, to comfort the troops; and fifth, to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

In short, given Cao Cao’s temperament, if he wanted to drink, he could always find eight or ten distinct reasons without repeating himself. All the more so since he had just returned from a campaign and had not touched wine for many days. Thus, no one found it strange.

And so, the banquet commenced in full swing. Although there was plenty of wine, the dishes were sparse — merely the hot-pot broth gifted earlier by Gongsun Xun, into which they added noodles and meat, eating as much as they put in… This, in fact, rather suited Cao Cao’s character: fond of lively bustle yet personally frugal.

However, amidst the banquet and the cheerful laughter, a written report suddenly arrived in plain text from Yue Jin, his trusted general stationed in Peixian. It stated that unrest had broken out in Yuan Shao’s military farming colonies in the Mount Tai region, with Huang Jin bandits who had surrendered now rebelling again. He had therefore specifically sent a letter asking Cao Cao whether to suspend the winter training at the Feng-Pei farming colonies as a precaution.

“Wenqian is far too timid,” Cao Cao, already five parts drunk, said upon hearing this. He first handed the letter to Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, and others around him to pass around and read, then, disregarding the guests present, raised his wine cup and laughed. “There are reasons why the colonists under Yuan Shao’s command are rebelling repeatedly. First, his colonists were mostly surrendered Huang Jin bandits to begin with, and they maintain their own internal connections. Second, when he swallowed the three provinces, he advanced too quickly; the men he appointed are a mix of good and bad, and many of those managing the colonists are corrupt scoundrels. And last, he has just suffered a great defeat that has shaken all of Huaxia. Even those surrendered Huang Jin folk know he is on a downward slope, and the fear they once held has inevitably faded. With these three factors, how could chaos not erupt?”

The civil and military officers to his left and right, along with guests such as Sun Jing, all nodded in agreement.

“But what do we have to fear?” Cao Cao drained his cup in one gulp, then clapped his hands and continued. “Our colonists are all common folk displaced during the campaign against Dong Zhuo. Xiahou Miaocai, who oversees this matter in Peibei, is an exceedingly austere and steady man. More importantly, we have not suffered any defeat. On the contrary, Brother Wentai, in less than a year, has completely taken Runan and then seized Wancheng — his momentum is like a fierce tiger. With the situation thus, how can we speak of unease? What unease could there possibly be?”

Having said this, he paid no further heed to the letter, but instead raised his cup to drink again. The various generals at the feast all broke into laughter and followed suit in hearty drinking.

However, after three cups in succession, Cao Mengde craned his neck and looked around. Seeing that all his subordinates at the feast were chatting and laughing merrily, with not a single one showing a worried expression, he suddenly felt a gloom in his heart. He promptly turned hostile, feigned drunken words, and brought the banquet to a halt.

Cao Cao’s sudden joy and sudden anger left everyone completely baffled, and they could only disperse one after another.

“If the General is worried about the situation, he should sincerely consult those around him. How can he first deceive them with empty words, and then suddenly lose his composure?” Just as Cao Mengde, feeling dejected, had dismissed everyone and was preparing to drink alone, a voice suddenly spoke up beside him, coldly questioning him and hitting the mark of his concerns in a single sentence. He hurriedly raised his head.

It turned out that while the guests and subordinates had all taken their leave, in the corner of the banquet hall, besides his trusted clan brothers like Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and Cao Hong, there still remained a young scholar wearing a black silk sash and a bronze seal. The man had a commanding presence, his bearing refined yet not lacking in martial vigor. It was he who had just spoken.

Cao Mengde was startled for a moment, then laughed and replied: “You misunderstand, sir. It was merely that while drinking just now, I suddenly recalled my old friend Qiao Gong, and my heart grew gloomy, thus spoiling everyone’s mood. What talk is there of worrying about the situation?… But who might you be, sir? When did you come under my command? I do not recall seeing you before.”

The man below did not take offense. He, too, gave a slight salute with clasped hands, then, while fishing noodles from the pot, answered calmly: “The General is mistaken. I am not a subordinate of the General. I am the County Magistrate of Xu County in Yingchuan, surname Du, given name Xi, courtesy name Zixu. I am here because escorting the family of General Polu (Sun Jian) required extra hands, and my jurisdiction lies right at the border of Yingchuan and Chen Commandery. Thus, I accompanied Colonel Sun Youtai here. I did not expect to witness the General’s hesitation over the situation…”

Only then did Cao Cao realize that the man had been seated on the western side of the hall, right behind Sun Jing. He could not help but shake his head and laugh: “Regardless, why does Master Du insist that I am worried about the situation? Well then… is Master Du a native of Yingchuan?”

“Indeed.”

“Might I ask what relation you bear to Du Bojian (Du Gen) of Dingling in Yingchuan?” Cao Cao blurted out, seemingly casually.

Upon hearing this, Du Xi’s expression turned solemn. He let out a sigh and set down the steaming bowl of hot-pot noodles in his hands: “My grandfather’s talent and virtue — I, Xi, have not attained one ten-thousandth of them. Therefore, I dare not make even the slightest proclamation, lest I sully the family name… For the General to hit the mark in a single phrase rather fills me with shame.”

Cao Cao burst into hearty laughter. He set down his wine cup, put on his wooden clogs, and walked directly up to the man to bow, addressing him as “sir” and repeatedly apologizing: “Cao was ignorant. I had not wished to reveal my shallowness, yet I never expected to make a fool of myself before Zixu!”

Du Xi had already felt that among the central plains warlords, Cao Cao was the most promising. Now, seeing this demeanor face to face, his goodwill grew even stronger. He hurriedly rose to evade the grand gesture, then stepped forward to support Cao Cao from the side and bowed in return.

And since Cao Cao had admitted his worry over the situation, he no longer put on a pretense. He simply took the man by the hand and led him back to the mat, and regardless of status or age, personally poured wine for him… Xiahou Dun and the others nearby saw this, and far from being displeased, they each returned to their places, assumed solemn expressions, and adopted a hopeful posture of listening attentively.

Sure enough, after Cao Mengde had personally served three cups of wine, his etiquette having been thorough, he finally steered the conversation back to the earlier topic: “Zixu hit the mark of my innermost thoughts with a single phrase just now. Might I ask if you have anything to teach me?”

Du Xi gave a light laugh at these words: “The General reads too much into it. I am young, and seeing your unpredictable moods, I merely offered a mild remonstrance. As for the grand situation, I dare not casually opine.”

Cao Cao, still carrying the air of wine, laughed heartily again. When his laughter subsided, he placed a hand on the other’s shoulder and spoke earnestly: “Why must Zixu be like this? I truly mean to seek your guidance… Just now, everyone in the hall believed that my governance, Cao Cao’s, is thriving day by day, and with my sworn brother and ally winning victory after victory, all was jubilation. Only you, Zixu, saw at a glance that I am worried about the situation. Such insight stands independent above the three commanderies — how could you be unqualified to resolve my doubts? Could it be that because you serve my sworn brother, you are unwilling to open your heart to me? If so, I shall send a letter to Nanyang and do my utmost to have you transferred here. When the time comes, although my three commanderies of Liang, Chen, and Pei are small, I can still manage to pay Zixu an annual salary of two thousand dan.”

“The General misunderstands,” Du Xi replied unhurriedly, continuing to smile. “I am neither putting on airs nor seeking wealth and office… In truth, with the General showing such an attitude, it can already be called treating the worthy with the utmost courtesy. And having received your bow just now, if I truly had a good strategy to assist the General, how could I possibly decline? It is simply that while I understand somewhat where the General’s worries lie, I also have no solution for where the General’s path forward lies.”

“Zixu also overestimates me,” Cao Cao said with a bitter smile. “To be honest with Zixu, although I am worried about the situation, I myself do not even know exactly where the situation is going wrong… I must ask you to help me sort out my thoughts.”

“Now the General is being disingenuous,” Du Xi said, lowering his head and holding his cup, then suddenly spoke. “Are not your two greatest worries precisely Hebei and Nanyang? Given the General’s relationships with General Gongsun and Sun Polu, such matters are not easy to speak of openly in public, but in private, what is there to hide?”

As he finished, Du Zixu unhurriedly glanced sidelong at his own shoulder — it turned out that the moment the words “Hebei” and “Nanyang” left his mouth, that spot had been seized by Cao Cao in a lapse of composure.

Seeing this, Cao Cao was embarrassed. He released his grip while apologizing once more.

“Since the General is so exceedingly courteous, I can hardly keep my thoughts to myself. I might as well speak plainly of the things the General is unwilling to say or even think in his heart…” Du Xi, observing this, was even more moved. “To put it bluntly, ‘Hebei’ means that the General of the Guard swiftly defeated the General of Chariots and Cavalry in Hebei. And once the General of Chariots and Cavalry was defeated, his decline became fully apparent. The various warlords’ original hope that the struggle between the two great powers of Huabei would drag on for some time has thus fallen through, and they cannot help but feel as if a great mountain is pressing down upon them. And under this same crushing pressure, unlike those warlords who live from hand to mouth or merely seek to defend their own doorways, a man of great ambition like the General is especially lost, uncertain whether persisting in his great ambition still holds any meaning!”

Cao Cao sighed: “Wenqi was truly too fast. It is not that what Wenqi or Benchu did was without principle, but rather…”

“But rather, what they do is ultimately not what you yourself do. Even in peaceful times, men must contend for the position of the one in charge. In chaotic times, hearts are even more scattered, the ways of the world even more complex. Even Tao Qian, growing old and feeble, and Liu Biao, a mere watchdog guarding his home, still possess a will of their own. How much more so for a man in his prime with ambition like the General? If one were to surrender at the mere sight of strength, then you and I should still be back in the Xia Dynasty, singing praises to the sun!” Du Xi hastened to console him. “So the General need not mind… After Dong Zhuo rose to power, there has been no more authority in this realm. What of the General of the Guard’s military might, or the General of Chariots and Cavalry’s prestigious clan? Can they compare to the four-hundred-year resplendent strength of the House of Han?”

Cao Cao slowly nodded.

“As for Nanyang…” Du Xi continued, but then gave a bitter smile. “I draw a salary from Sun Polu, so I should not speak too much. Yet there are some things that, even if I do not say them, everyone knows in their heart. And speaking of them may not necessarily be to Sun Polu’s detriment…”

Cao Cao also smiled, but filled the other’s cup with wine once more.

“In truth, it was precisely by relying on the oath of brotherhood at Goushi and the alliance at Suishui that the two Generals, along with Liu Yuzhou, managed to gain a firm foothold in these chaotic times.” Du Xi raised his wine cup and spoke with emotion. “But circumstances have shifted, and now things are entirely different… General Sun, I know not whether he truly does not see or merely pretends not to see — in less than a year, he completely took Runan after spring, and after autumn, he seized more than half of Nanyang. Are the wealth and population of these two commanderies a joke? Yet you, General Cao, are trapped among three powerful neighbors, guarding Chen Commandery, Liang State, and the half-commandery of North Pei, with your hands and feet bound. Even Liu Yuzhou, though publicly acknowledged as the master of Yuzhou, can only use Huainan as his foundation, sitting idle with a few counties in South Pei… Matters of alliance must consider the long term. And the General’s second worry is precisely that, though the hour is already late, you are bound by the alliance and cannot stretch out at all!”

“This is exactly the crux of the dilemma,” Cao Cao said, waiting until the other had drained his cup in one gulp before pressing further. “Zixu sees things so clearly — have you truly no words to instruct me?”

“I am indeed powerless,” Du Xi glanced at him and replied calmly. “I am merely a young and impetuous man with a smattering of half-knowledge. Seeing the General’s predicament, I could not resist showing off a little, but in truth, I have no method to break the impasse!”

Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and Cao Hong, seated upright on either side, could not help but look at one another. Cao Hong even laughed out loud.

“To see the situation clearly is already quite good,” Cao Cao said, scrutinizing the man for a long while. He could only say this, yet still poured wine repeatedly to express his thanks.

And Du Xi accepted it as sweetly as syrup, ignoring the gradually changing expressions of Cao Hong and the others, receiving it all with perfect composure.

Nothing more was said that day. The next day, Cao Mengde, having returned to his usual self, personally brought his wife Lady Ding and his eldest son Cao Ang to see off Sun Jing, Lady Wu, along with Sun Jian’s concubine Lady Ding, and Sun Jian’s five sons and three daughters. They escorted them more than ten li beyond the western gate to a post station, where he then apologized for his discourtesy at the previous day’s banquet… Of course, both Sun Jing and Lady Wu were somewhat familiar with Cao Cao’s temperament, and as Sun Jian’s family, they had witnessed far more discourteous behavior, so they did not take it to heart.

Not only that, but upon reaching this place, Lady Wu personally descended from her carriage and led Sun Ce, whose hair was now bound up, along with the other children, to bow and express thanks to Cao Cao. Even the infant daughter Sun Ren, still in swaddling clothes, was carried out by the wet nurse to perform the salute on her behalf.

It must be said that over the past half-year, Cao Cao had treated these children of the Sun family as his own. Whenever he instructed Cao Ang, whether in scholarly or martial pursuits, he would summon these several children as well, treating them all equally… For this reason, Sun Ce, Sun Quan, Sun Yi, Sun Kuang, and the others all called Cao Cao their “Second Father.” Seeing this scene now, Cao Cao felt a momentary pang of sorrow. He personally stepped forward to support his tall “nephew,” who was already taller than himself, and earnestly exhorted him to take good care of his mother and younger siblings along the journey.

After these brief instructions, Lady Ding then came forward to chat and bid farewell to Lady Wu. Cao Ang also clasped hands with Sun Ce in parting, and they exchanged gifts of horses, swords, and blades, making promises to meet again in the future.

At this moment, Cao Cao looked around and spotted Du Xi, who had retreated to a corner. Despite having gained nothing from their conversation the day before, he personally approached with a smile, addressing him as “sir,” and praised him profusely in front of Sun Jing. Half in jest and half in earnest, he remarked that Sun Wentai was neglecting talent, and suggested that it would be better to transfer Du Xi over to him.

At this, Sun Jing was thoroughly embarrassed — genuinely embarrassed — because Sun Youtai knew very well in his heart that although his elder brother was the most militarily powerful of the central plains warlords, he was also the one who least won the hearts of the scholar-gentry. After the grain-burning incident in Chen State, although Sun Jian had changed his appearance and demeanor, showing an intention to pay attention to civil affairs, how could such a thing be easily reversed?

That a young scholar like Du Xi was willing to serve at all was already somewhat due to the intimidating effect of Sun Jian’s military power.

Fortunately, however, Du Xi merely gave a slight salute with clasped hands and said nothing more, which somewhat saved face for Sun Jing. And Cao Cao, as ever, did not mind.

As they spoke, the women on the other side finished their conversation. Lady Wu, with tears in her eyes, bade farewell to Lady Ding, then boarded the carriage with her younger children. Sun Ce also mounted his horse and set off with Sun Jing, heading toward Wancheng in Nanyang… However, after they had traveled a full half-li, Du Xi, who had mounted his horse to accompany them, suddenly turned back. Right under Sun Jing’s astonished gaze, he spurred his horse eastward and galloped back to where Cao Cao still stood, not yet having departed.

Cao Cao was equally astonished, but he quickly strode forward. While still more than ten paces away, he asked earnestly: “Has Zixu decided to stay here? If so, I will send a letter to Wancheng at once.”

“That is not my meaning,” Du Xi replied with a bitter smile from atop his horse. “My clan is all in Dingling. Even if I had the intention, I must first consider the safety of my kinsmen. It is simply that the General has repeatedly treated me with the utmost courtesy and shown me exceeding tolerance — I, Xi, cannot but repay this. I have a modest strategy for coping with the situation. Would the General be willing to hear it?”

Cao Cao was overjoyed, but merely clasped his hands and waited.

"This matter is easily resolved!" Du Xi did not even dismount, speaking directly. "The Guard General's momentum is about to solidify; this truly is not the time to contend against him. Why not deepen the covenant of the three Central Plains lords and merge into one body? To resist the pressure from the north, and await future changes under Heaven?"

Cao Cao could not help but smile bitterly at these words: "Zixu's argument is actually much the same as what I have been pondering these days... There is no other way; to withstand the pressure from the north, it must be so. But how exactly should it be done?"

Du Xi finally dismounted at these words, stepped forward to Cao Cao's side, and spoke bluntly: "General Cao, I have four strategies that can help you escape this predicament..."

"Wait a moment!" Cao Mengde first retreated several steps, bowed deeply to Du Xi with full ceremony, then stepped forward again and grasped the other's hands. "Please speak in confidence!"

At the same time, Cao Hong, who had accompanied them, rode forward directly to block Sun Jing, who was preparing to turn back and look. Xiahou Dun asked Lady Ding and the others to withdraw slightly... For a moment, no one else was within earshot of Cao Cao and Du Xi.

"First... arrange a marriage alliance." Du Xi lowered his voice. "The General has both sons and daughters, and so does Sun Polu. That being the case, why not arrange a mutual marriage? Let the Young Master Cao designate a Lady Sun, and let the Young Master Sun designate a Lady Cao?"

Cao Cao thought of Sun Ce and his brothers and slowly nodded.

"Second... request that the General go in person to Chang'an immediately to pay homage to the Son of Heaven." Du Xi's next words made Cao Mengde jolt violently. "General Cao, the Guard General's momentum is about to solidify; he cannot be directly opposed... And if you truly wish to oppose him, whether in confrontation on the battlefield or in debate at court, without the Son of Heaven, nothing can be done! Only the Son of Heaven can pose a slight threat to the Guard General after he has destroyed the Yuan clan. This time, sending General Cao to see the Son of Heaven is to take advantage of the moment when the Guard General is in Hebei and cannot extricate himself for a time. On behalf of Sun Polu, Liu Yuzhou, Tao Xuzhou, and the other lords, you will clarify the stance of Han dynasty subjects, leaving the Guard General with no pretext to further intervene in the Central Plains. It will also give you, General, the capital to further unite the Central Plains lords... The realm is in turmoil, every lord holds de facto separatist power, and the Han court's decrees can hardly leave Weiyang Palace. Yet the more it is so, if the General can enter Chang'an alone, and considering that you previously bore no disloyalty to the Han during the campaign against Dong Zhuo, then the name of Pillar of the Han Dynasty—who else could it be but you? Even the Guard General could not move against you at such a time. He..."

"A brilliant strategy!" Before the other could finish, Cao Cao was already suddenly enlightened. "At this moment, Wenqi absolutely dares not harm me. Going to Chang'an, though seemingly perilous, is in fact extremely secure... And as Zixu said, to withstand the Guard General, the prestige of the Han dynasty is the only option! This trip must be made, and once made, even if it does not succeed outright, it cannot fail! And the third?"

"Third..." Du Xi continued to lower his voice. "After going to Chang'an, return swiftly. For one, great changes may occur here with Sun Polu. Yuan Shu's defeat is imminent, and Liu Biao may well turn around and aid Yuan Shu against Sun Polu. This is the easiest moment to bring Sun Polu, the strongest in martial force, into this alliance. More importantly, the Guard General's rise to power is extremely rapid. It may well be that in one winter and one spring, Yuan Shao will die and his power will dissolve. At that time, Hebei cannot be contested, and Qingzhou east of Mount Tai cannot be spoken of, but would Yanzhou not be as good as handed over for free? The General must sharpen his weapons and feed his horses, rest his spear on his pillow and await the moment!"

Cao Cao was dumbfounded. Only after a long while did he open his mouth to ask: "I can understand Liu Biao turning to aid Yuan Shu, and the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. But Yuan Benchu holds three provinces and nineteen commanderies. Even if defeated in battle, how could he die in just one winter and one spring? Please instruct me, Zixu."

"I do not know either." Du Xi finally smiled and spoke the truth. "Because all these things, I am merely repeating them—they are stolen stratagems..."

Cao Cao was once again stunned on the spot.

"This is the fourth." Du Xi glanced back at the Sun clan convoy behind him and the blocked Sun Jing, then spoke urgently on his own. "General Cao, you treat others with sincerity, honor the worthy and humble yourself before scholars, are accomplished in both civil and military affairs, and in these chaotic times balance leniency with severity, advancing both military and civil administration in tandem. I already held you in extra esteem by three parts, and having received your repeated courtesies this time, I cannot but repay you... I am merely a county-level appointment, truly without talent. But there is one man, comparable to Xiao He and Zhang Liang. If you obtain him, you will surely achieve great enterprise. These stratagems were merely his casual remarks during idle conversation with me, and all were made before the events!"

Cao Cao's heart stirred. Just as he was about to ask, the other had already revealed everything on his own.

"This man's surname is Xun, given name Yu, courtesy name Wenruo. He is of the Xun clan of Yingchuan, hailed in his youth as possessing the talent of a king's counselor. Has the General heard of him? He is currently living in retirement in Yingyin." Du Xi finally stopped lowering his voice, mounted his horse, and spoke aloud from horseback. "Please, General, do not ask about the extent of his talent... For a person of my limited insight to speak of his ability is like using a dipper to measure the waters of the sea, or a ruler to gauge the height of the mountains! If the General truly has even one ten-thousandth of a desire to restore this world, he must not let this man go! For timber in the wasteland cannot form a forest, and a lord without scholars cannot accomplish anything! As for whether the Guard General can destroy Yuan Shao in one winter and one spring, or whether it will drag on for a long time, he also had an explanation... If after a great victory, the Guard General does not attend to too many military affairs, then he can swiftly destroy Yuan Shao. But if he takes advantage of this great victory to continuously attack cities and seize territory, then it will instead drag on for a long time. General, why not prepare the marriage alliance on one hand, and send someone to investigate on the other!"

Having spoken to this point, Du Zixu, without waiting for Cao Cao to react, rode off on his own to catch up with the Sun clan convoy.

In the winter season, Cao Cao watched the other journey west, and it was as if clouds had parted to reveal the sun, hope gradually rising in his heart.

Turning to the city of Handan in Hebei, Gongsun Xun did not know what had transpired in Henan, nor did he know about Chang'an... In fact, many days had passed since the great victory at Liangqi, yet he merely held military markets outside Handan, organized cuju matches, and even entered the city to give several lectures at the public academy, as if he had even forgotten about Wei Commandery right before his eyes!

—————I am the dividing line that forgot everything—————

"Yu returned from Hebei to Yingchuan, often tilling the fields himself, and was fond of chanting the Liangfu Yin to cultivate a heart of detachment. Those he associated with were only Du Xi of Dingling, Zhao Yan of Yangdi, Fan Qin, and a few others. In the winter of the first year of Jian'an, Xi was sent by Sun Polu to Chen State to meet General Cao Cao of Fenwu. Cao treated him with full ceremony, and Xi, moved by his virtue, was about to depart when he turned his horse back and recommended Yu to Cao. Cao then entered Chang'an in the west to pay homage to the Son of Heaven, passed by and met him, but his invitation was not accepted. In the spring of the second year, Cao returned from Chang'an and invited him again; Yu declined on account of the spring plowing. By summer, after three visits in total, Yu was moved by his virtue and finally came forth. At that time, the Grand Ancestor was campaigning against Yuan in Hebei. Hearing of this, he was so startled that he dropped his brush to the ground, and turned to his attendants, saying: 'Mengde obtaining Wenruo is like a fish gaining water, like a bird gaining the wind! After Yuan Shao, the one to stand in my way will indeed be Mengde!'" — Dianlüe. Yan. Annotated by Pei Songzhi

PS: Sorry, I really wasn't playing games. The night before last, I slept past three and woke at seven choking on stomach acid... I posted a thought at the time, feeling this weekend was going to be rough. Later, I took medicine and slept at twelve, woke at eight in the evening... Groggy all night, only managed to write one chapter.

(End of Chapter)