Chapter 476

Gongsun Xun did not advance his troops to the very walls of Suanzao, but instead found a small hill about four or five li south of the city and encamped on the spot… Clearly, he had noticed that Tian Yu and the others had already sortied with their entire force, and understood that the front-line battlefield needed no extra assistance; of course, there was also the concern that Cao Mengde might truly, on a moment’s impulse, spur his horse across the river to come and fight him.

On that summer morning, the sun gradually began to show its power, though fortunately the wind that day was rather boisterous. Gongsun Xun sat beneath the White Horse Banner; he had a canopy for shade, yet as the wind swept up the green slope, he actually felt somewhat drowsy… And at some point, this Duke of Yan, heedless of the ten thousand charging steeds ahead and the possibility that the enemy’s main force might strike from behind at any moment, simply began to doze off on his little camp stool beneath the canopy.

This drew sidelong glances from the surrounding officers, advisors, and sworn retinue.

However, with battle imminent, they could not truly let him sleep. In fact, Gongsun Xun had only closed his eyes for a little over a quarter of an hour when Pang De carefully roused him, and someone promptly delivered a piece of news that was hard to say was good or bad.

“Junyi has taken Yan County?” Gongsun Xun opened his eyes on the camp stool, looking slightly surprised, and even raised his head to glance at the sun. “So quickly? If you have already ridden here to report, then when exactly did he take the city?”

“In reply to Your Highness, Commandant Zhang launched a sudden raid just before dawn and took it in one swift assault.” The feathered-armor rider delivering the message hurriedly cupped his hands and explained before the hill. “After arriving beneath the walls yesterday, Commandant Zhang placed the scaling ladders and other equipment transported from the main camp in a conspicuous position before the city. Then at night he led his armored troops around to the side of the city wall to lie in ambush. Just as day was about to break, he personally led the armored soldiers up by dangling ropes… During the melee atop the wall, he took an arrow to the knee, yet imitated Your Highness’s act that day at Mount Danhan, pulling the arrow out before everyone, and leaning against the battlements continued to urge the assault. At this, the whole army’s morale soared, and they took the city in one charge! The defender of Yan County, Gao Rou, has also surrendered!”

Gongsun Xun was stunned for a long while before he finally spoke: “Is his knee all right?”

“No major harm,” the feathered-armor rider bowed again in reply. “Commandant Zhang wore double armor and had greaves bound with armored plates; it is only a flesh wound.”

“Let us hope so.” Gongsun Xun sighed. “That day at Mount Danhan, mine was also only a flesh wound, yet on the road I developed a fever and nearly died. Arrow wounds are not to be taken lightly; even if it is just the knee, one must be careful… Relay my order: Zhang Junyi, for his accumulated merits in attacking Baima Ford, Baima City, and Yan City, is promoted to Infantry Captain, with independent command of five thousand foot soldiers as a division. Also, have him rest and recover well in Yan County, and hand military duties to his deputy. In short, he must take care of himself. I do not wish for him to be forced back to Yecheng to serve as a peace officer for life because of a stray arrow! And this Gao Rou… Gao Rou is of the Gao clan of Chenliu? What is his relation to the Second Yuan’s nephew Gao Gan?”

“He is precisely Gao Gan’s cousin, the grandnephew of the former Grand Administrator of Shu Commandery, Gao Gong, and the legitimate son of the Commandant of Shu Commandery, Gao Jing.” The one who answered was not the feathered-armor messenger, but an accompanying staff officer, the Right Vice Minister of Rites, Yang Jun. He was a student of Bian Rang and had lived many years in Chenliu; Gongsun Xun had brought him on campaign precisely because of his exceptional familiarity with the local customs and conditions of the Chenliu region.

However, his words this time went beyond mere introduction. Just as Gongsun Xun was nodding slightly, Yang Jun could not help but add a few more words: “This man Gao Rou is not comparable to Gao Gan; he has no direct kinship ties to the Yuan clan…”

Gongsun Xun turned his head and glanced back at Yang Jun, but said nothing.

On the other side, seeing that Gongsun Xun did not intend to cut him off, Yang Jun hurriedly continued: “Moreover, Gao Rou is a man of considerable wisdom, talent, and reputation, and is also filial and righteous. Back when Your Highness was at war with Yuan Shao and Chenliu belonged to Yuan Shao, Gao Gan, in the name of Yuan Shao’s nephew, took command of military affairs in western Yanzhou. The Gao clan, one might say, soared to prominence. Yet at that time, Gao Rou’s father died in Shu Commandery. Though he had not yet come of age, he actually left Chenliu and, heedless of the thousands of li, entered Shu to bury his father…”

“The state has its own institutions.” Gongsun Xun’s expression remained as usual as he answered offhandedly. “Since this man held a military post, we must wait until after the war, when the unified decimation by lot is carried out and he survives, before discussing anything else. As for what kind of man he is or what talents he possesses, there is no need to discuss that now.”

Yet upon hearing this, Yang Jun not only did not hold his tongue, but instead hurriedly stepped out of the ranks and came before his sovereign, bowing alongside the feathered-armor rider: “Your Highness, the matter lies precisely here. You must understand that times have changed. Back when Yuan Shao was alive, it was not only a struggle between two heroes, but also the time when the order of the realm was most chaotic and the warlords’ separatism was at its peak. To suppress the chaos of the realm with harsh laws and severe punishments was naturally in accord with reason then. But now, although regional warlords still hold separate domains, the realm has in truth already been carved up completely. For common brigands to try to rise again would be laughable. Your Highness has moreover established a state and founded a dynasty, holding alone two-tenths of all under Heaven, with the momentum to swallow the entire realm. Since this is so, why not change course, do the opposite, and respond with benevolence and forbearance?”

Gongsun Xun’s expression remained as calm as ever, showing neither pleasure nor anger, and he merely nodded slightly: “What Jicai says has some merit, but to change course in the midst of battle would instead easily breed chaos… I have noted this matter; we shall discuss it after the war!”

Yang Jun seemed about to speak further, but could only bow in assent and withdraw back into the ranks.

At this moment, Yang Jun’s closest friend, the Director of the Yellow Pavilion Temple, Wang Xiang, took the opportunity to step forward and present the military order slip bearing Zhang He’s appointment, along with Gongsun Xun’s instructions for him to relinquish command and rest and recover in peace.

Gongsun Xun glanced at it, and after confirming there were no errors, nodded. Then Meng Jian, an officer of the sworn retinue behind Pang De, stepped forward, took out the Duke of Yan’s traveling seal that he carried with him, and stamped it on the back of a warhorse. It was then sealed and handed to the feathered-armor rider.

“I must trouble you to make another trip.”

As the feathered-armor rider and his accompanying soldiers rode off together, silence once more descended upon the hill beneath the White Horse Banner… It turned out that after thanking the feathered-armor rider for his trouble, Gongsun Xun had closed his eyes and begun dozing again.

The Duke of Yan’s bizarre state made his long-serving retinue and staff officers secretly tense, for Gongsun Xun had always been a man of abundant energy. Even if he had been exhausted from the previous day’s ride, there was no reason for him to adopt such a posture on the verge of battle… unless something was weighing heavily on his mind.

Of course, considering that the battle situation was boring to this degree, and moreover that the two usually amiable military advisors, Jia Xu and Xun You, were present, everyone, though tense, was not to the point of panic.

Yet the absurdity of the battlefield is always hard to fathom. Eighty thousand men fighting ten or twenty thousand, forty or fifty thousand men encircling and hunting five or six thousand — and still, problems could arise. Barely a quarter of an hour later, another feathered-armor rider, after his identity was verified, came before Gongsun Xun and brought an unbelievable piece of news from the “hunting grounds” to the north.

“What do you mean, Xiahou Yuan has lost all trace?” Gongsun Xun’s expression remained as usual; he did not even seem angry.

“It is not that he has lost all trace…” Compared to the earlier rider from Zhang He’s division, this feathered-armor rider from Cheng Lian’s division could not help but feel awkward — such was the plight of a messenger officer. Though essentially it had nothing to do with them, everyone was willing to deliver good news, but bad news had to be delivered all the same. “The several generals estimate that he must have slipped into Suanzao City.”

“How did he slip in?” Gongsun Xun still showed no sign of anger. “With so many cavalry and so many veteran generals, was everyone so busy scrambling for Xiahou Yuan’s head that they forgot to blockade the city?”

“That is not the meaning,” the feathered-armor rider broke out in cold sweat and could only bow in reply. “Yet there is some suspicion of that, which is why the several generals, after a brief discussion, immediately dispatched this subordinate to come and beg forgiveness on their behalf. The several generals will also come in person to beg forgiveness as soon as Suanzao is taken…”

“What exactly happened?” Gongsun Xun still did not grow angry.

“It was at Suanzao…” The feathered-armor rider finally explained the reason.

It turned out that after Tian Yu, Tian Chou, Yang Kai, Cheng Lian, and the other generals crossed the Yin’gou Ditch and saw that Xiahou Yuan had abandoned Yan Ford and was out in the open field, they were naturally overjoyed and all gathered their troops to encircle and hunt him. Thus they could not help but overlook Suanzao City, the only place where Cao troops were still garrisoned… As the messenger feathered-armor rider said, though these men were not so foolish as to forget to blockade Suanzao City with cavalry, with Xiahou Yuan as the prize before them, they could not help but lose some composure. Consequently, the force blockading Suanzao City was unavoidably somewhat weak — specifically, it was nothing more than the Xiongnu Liu clan, that is, the three thousand Xiongnu cavalry of Yufuluo’s division… In any case, this Xiongnu Chanyu’s own status was awkward, and the Yan state’s titles might not hold that much value to him; at least, that was how the other several generals all saw it.

And so, Yufuluo could only see it that way too.

However, just as Xiahou Yuan fled in disarray to outside Suanzao City’s east gate, suddenly the east gate of Suanzao swung wide open, and from the city surged hundreds of cattle, sheep, and livestock. Moreover, tied to these animals were large quantities of cloth, copper coins, meat, and other valuables. It was clearly the greatest effort the defender of Suanzao could make to rescue Xiahou Yuan.

On the other side, the Xiongnu cavalry tasked with blockading Suanzao City were in essence auxiliary troops. They were already frustrated enough at being unable to fight and seize spoils of war; now, seeing so many livestock and valuables, how could they restrain themselves? They all scrambled to seize them. Yufuluo beheaded seven or eight men in succession but still could not stop them! In the end, chaos reigned in the direction of Suanzao’s east gate. Not only did the Xiongnu soldiers lose control, but even the troops pursuing Xiahou Yuan likewise lost all order. Amid the chaos, they naturally lost track of Xiahou Yuan for a time.

“By the time the enemy general Xiahou Yuan fled to Suanzao’s east gate, the troops around him had been cut away layer by layer, leaving only a few dozen riders. He himself had also taken at least three arrows… and then this happened!” The feathered-armor rider grew more and more embarrassed as he spoke. “Seeing this situation, the several generals knew full well that he had most likely taken advantage of the chaos to slip into the city, and they acknowledged their guilt, so…”

“Scrambling for merit,” Gongsun Xun still looked utterly indifferent. “Which army under Heaven can avoid it? Nor was there any oversight in the disposition… I do not blame them. In the end, it comes down to the defender of Suanzao, Ding Fei, being a man of some caliber. This fellow was once guilty of corruption under Cao Cao and was even demoted for a time. I originally thought he was only stationed at a strategic point like Suanzao because he hailed from the Ding clan of Qiao County in Pei, but I never expected him to have such courage and resourcefulness. But in my view, they have underestimated Xiahou Yuan… Xibo.”

“Your servant is here!” Wang Xiang, upon hearing this, hurriedly responded and stepped out from beside Yang Jun, whose expression was somewhat troubled.

“Immediately write a military order to the vanguard Zhang Liao. Tell him that Xiahou Miaocai most likely did not enter Suanzao, but is heading this way instead… Order him to strike north at once, search meticulously, and capture him directly!” Gongsun Xun’s words were concise, yet startling.

Everyone, even including Jia Xu and Xun You, was momentarily stunned. Only Wang Xiang, who never paid any mind to such matters, directly wielded his brush like flying and wrote out the military order. It was then stamped with the traveling seal before Gongsun Xun’s eyes and personally dispatched by the White Horse Retainers.

Zhang Liao had naturally learned from his own division’s outriders what had happened at Suanzao City ahead and was gloating over their misfortune. When he suddenly received the military order from behind, he was also taken aback for a moment, but then was overjoyed. He hastily mustered several thousand cavalry from his own division and advanced to search.

And sure enough, just as Gongsun Xun had predicted with almost supernatural accuracy, they had marched no more than two li and encountered only three small skirmishing battlefields when Zhang Wenyuan suddenly received word. He spurred his horse forward and saw a general approaching from the opposite direction, without a single soldier left beside him — clearly a lone rider.

As he drew closer, Zhang Liao could see clearly: this man’s armor was finely crafted, his warhorse mighty and imposing — he must be a major general of the Cao camp. Yet an arrow was deeply embedded in his back, another in his shoulder, and his face was as pale as paper; he could barely stay upright, clearly having lost too much blood… No wonder that by the time the feathered-armor rider had reached Gongsun Xun to beg forgiveness, this man had only just arrived here.

Zhang Liao, thrilled beyond endurance, led his personal guards in a direct charge forward, yet could hardly believe his own luck. He suddenly reined in his horse a few dozen paces before the man and called out loudly: “Ahead — is that the Right Commander of the Cao army, Xiahou Miaocai?”

Xiahou Yuan had lost so much blood he could barely stay mounted, but upon hearing this he raised his head and replied with effort: “It is indeed Xiahou Yuan of Pei. Your banner bears the character Zhang — are you Zhang Wenyuan of Yanmen?”

Hearing these words, Zhang Liao felt even more thrilled, yet at the same time admired the other’s bearing. Uncharacteristically courteous, he cupped his hands from horseback: “It is indeed Zhang. Just now, my Duke of Yan sent word that you, sir, would certainly not enter Suanzao but would come this way instead. I did not believe it… How did you, sir, come to this?”

“Gongsun Wenqi knows me after all… As a general, I have been incompetent, and matters have come to this. How could I further drag down my comrades and brothers?” Xiahou Yuan raised his spear with difficulty in reply. “It is only a pity… Let me witness the might of a Tiger General of Bingzhou.”

With these words, he actually spurred his horse forward with all his strength, and with his gravely wounded body, charged alone against Zhang Liao’s great cavalry formation.

Seeing that the other man could not even build up his horse’s speed, yet still possessed such courage, Zhang Liao felt even greater respect in his heart. He waved away the guards at his side, and likewise rode out alone, spear leveled, to meet him. A parry and a flip — in barely a single exchange, he easily unhorsed his opponent, who had long since exhausted his strength. He then dismounted, drew his hand-axe, and struck off the head of this Right Commander of the Cao army.

Pitiable Xiahou Miaocai — Cao Cao’s brother-in-law, always renowned for his ferocity and swift raids, the second greatest general of the clan after Xiahou Dun. Yet he neither enjoyed the name of a pillar of the Cao army as he might have in another time and space, nor did he achieve any great deeds in this one. He met his end hastily, his head severed from his body, at the age of thirty-nine. Truly lamentable.

With Xiahou Yuan dead, to say nothing of Zhang Liao gaining a prize for nothing and being utterly elated, or of the generals on the western front, who had labored in the main assault, still anxiously preparing to besiege Suanzao — back at Gongsun Xun’s main army, which had shifted behind Zhang Liao… On the little hill, beneath the White Horse Banner, amid the warm summer breeze, Gongsun Xun, who had once more fallen into a doze, finally received another piece of important military intelligence.

This time, however, though important, it was no longer any surprise — Cao Mengde had personally led no fewer than fifty thousand troops to the south bank of the Pu River, and then, just as Jia Xu had predicted, did not dare to cross at all, instead halting on the south bank of the Pu.

“Matters have reached this point; there is no need to dwell on trivial details any longer. Pass the word.” Suddenly, Gongsun Xun, in a complete reversal of his entire day’s demeanor, rose directly to his feet, strode to his horse, and mounted with his hand on his sword. “The entire army is to move south and keep watch on Cao Cao across the Pu River! If Zhang Liao has slain Xiahou Yuan, have him bring the corpse and follow. If the other generals have taken Suanzao, have them also hasten to me at once!”

No one in the central army dared delay. From Jia Xu and Xun You on down, everyone silently followed.

Thus, the great army of tens of thousands, dense with every kind of banner, clustered around Gongsun Xun’s White Horse Banner and galloped toward the Pu River. By the afternoon, the two armies were already facing each other across the river. However, Gongsun Xun did not get to see Cao Cao face to face, for when his White Horse Banner appeared on the north bank of the Pu, the Cao army on the south bank immediately pulled back, clearing a battlefield space for a mid-crossing strike, and at the same time began selecting high ground south of the river to erect stockades and fortifications.

Correspondingly, after confirming there was little chance of forcing a river crossing to give battle, Gongsun Xun also chose a site north of the river to erect his stockade.

By dusk, as word came from the rear that Suanzao, with only two thousand defenders, had fallen under the four-sided siege, and that its defender Ding Fei had immolated himself within the government offices, Gongsun Xun simply gave the order for Yang Jun to serve as an envoy, to return Xiahou Yuan’s corpse and inform them of Ding Fei’s death.

“What does Wenhe think Cao Mengde will do?” Watching from afar as Xiahou Yuan’s corpse was placed on a boat and Yang Jun carried it toward the opposite bank, Gongsun Xun, reining in his horse by the river, once more turned to Jia Xu at his side.

The latter was silent on horseback for a moment, then replied with an expressionless face: “In your servant’s view, Cao Cao will probably issue a military order throughout his camp, saying at length that this man Xiahou Yuan was brave but lacked strategy, did not know how to employ scouts, and so on, which is why he was encircled and hunted by our army, and will have the entire army take this as a warning… as if Xiahou Yuan were not worth mentioning, and as if Xiahou Yuan’s defeat were entirely of his own making.”

“I thought the same,” Gongsun Xun said, his expression equally unchanged. “But it goes beyond that. Regarding the standoff of the past several dozen days, I only had a sudden realization today…”

“Your servant is ashamed.” Jia Xu rarely bowed his head.

"You need not feel ashamed. Did you and Gongda not warn me several times?" Gongsun Xun gazed at the river and sighed.

Jia Xu and Xun You both started to speak, then stopped.

"It is lamentable that I only understand today — since Cao Mengde did not fall for my baiting tactic, he must have long anticipated that a large army would emerge from Sizhou..." Gongsun Xun shook his head. "Perhaps at the very start, Xiahou Yuan truly did halt at Yanjin by chance; perhaps at the very start, Cao Mengde truly did not expect me to have hidden so many troops in the old lands of Luoyang, which is why he kept Xiahou Yuan stationed there. But as the standoff dragged on to this extent and he still did not move, it can only mean he had long been prepared! Xiahou Yuan and his five thousand cavalry were the bait meant to pin me down while he calmly arranged his defenses. When you and Gongda urged me not to wait any longer, you must have already guessed this. I can only hate my own dull wits for failing to see it."

"I deserve death ten thousand times. This is not a matter of my lord's strategic acumen, but of my lord's very nature..." Unexpectedly, Jia Xu dismounted, came before Gongsun Xun, and spoke with solemn gravity, forcing the silent Xun You to dismount and follow suit. "There is no such thing as a foolproof stratagem under heaven. True strategy lies in tailoring the plan to the man, and Cao Cao's scheme succeeded precisely because it was calibrated to my lord's character."

"And what is my character?" Gongsun Xun did not look at Jia Xu, but continued gazing at the Pu River before him, brow furrowed.

"My lord's character has many traits known to all the world, but I believe Cao Mengde's scheme seized upon two critical points to succeed." Jia Xu's expression did not change as he spoke in a grave tone. "One is that my lord has always favored grand battles and decisive engagements, always hoping to settle everything in a single campaign. The other is that my lord has never, in all his life, been willing to betray others!"

Gongsun Xun sat motionless on his horse. The surrounding retainers, staff officers, and generals like Zhang Liao who had long since arrived were all stunned. Even Xun You could not help glancing at Jia Xu, though the latter showed no sign of their usual tacit understanding.

"Is a lifelong refusal to betray others also a weakness?" After a pause, Gongsun Xun lowered his head to look at the man before him and asked in earnest.

"Not a weakness, but a tremendous strength!" Jia Xu continued, raising his voice before the horse — a rare display of fervor from him. "The world has many opinions on how my lord achieved his present stature. Some say it is because my lord is peerless in battle, comparable to the Hegemon-King of Western Chu of old, with an unmatched blade. Some say it is because my lord's family wealth is abundant and he hails from the border commanderies, so from the moment he raised troops he had famous border cavalry at his side and no worries about military supplies, allowing him to take the lead. Others say it is because my lord values both civil and martial affairs, possessing both wisdom and valor — able to govern civil administration despite a frontier background, able to reform and renew governance despite rising through military affairs — a true all-round talent. There are even those who say my lord is a reincarnated immortal of antiquity, destined by Heaven to settle the world's affairs... But I believe the single most important reason my lord has reached this point is that all his life, he has done his utmost never to betray others. That, and that alone!"

As he spoke, the small boat carrying Xiahou Yuan's corpse and Yang Jun reached the middle of the river, rippling through a river full of sunset glow. Gongsun Xun, who happened to look up again, was momentarily dazed, yet Jia Xu's words continued.

"In the past, when my lord first served as a general, to not betray over a thousand abandoned soldiers, he did not hesitate to charge headlong against Mount Tanhan. When he first governed a county, to not betray the people of that one county, he took on the burdens of the entire realm with only a county's authority. And when he came to govern a commandery and saw the Yellow Turbans suddenly rise, he was already resolved not to betray the whole world..." Jia Wenhe spoke eloquently and with conviction. In the eyes of those around him, this military advisor whom Gongsun Xun relied on so heavily seemed to have spoken more today than he had in all the preceding months within the army tent combined.

"And for nearly twenty years, what has my lord devoted all his strength to, if not doing his utmost never to betray others, never to betray himself, never to betray the world?"

"Never betraying himself — thus he has upheld himself to this day!"

"Never betraying others — thus heroes from half the realm have followed my lord to this day!"

"Never betraying the world — thus he led tens of thousands of troops through Bingzhou, struck at the Three Adjuncts, and executed Dong Zhuo; thus he led a hundred thousand troops to fight at Liangqi, cross the Jie Bridge, and hound Yuan Shao to his death; thus he now leads hundreds of thousands of troops out from Yexia, down to Baima, and to the banks of the Pu River!" At this point, Jia Xu bowed his head, and his tone finally softened. "And yet this is precisely the root of why my lord fell for this stratagem... It is precisely because my lord has spent his life doing his utmost never to betray others that, from the bottom of his heart, he could not believe that Xiahou Yuan was an abandoned piece! A bait deliberately left by Cao Cao at Yanjin to pin my lord down! However, I wish to remind my lord of one thing... My lord has journeyed twenty years to reach this point. How many brave men have fallen on the battlefield before him? How many souls have returned to the Western Paradise? And now, behind him, how many soldiers and commoners of Hebei, how many heroes and warriors marching with him — can he bear to betray them? From this day forward, I beg my lord to cast aside all superfluous thoughts and fight Cao Cao with all his might. Only thus can he continue never to betray the world!"

"Well said!" Gongsun Xun finally grew resolute. "I have always said the army suffers from an excess of arrogance and complacency, yet I never realized that the truly arrogant and complacent one is myself. Those above set the example, and those below follow — that is how it came to this... Had Wenhe not roused me with his rebuke, I might have nearly ruined everything!"

"I am ashamed!" Jia Xu's expression had long since returned to normal. "In such matters, unless my lord awakens on his own, how could any reminder from me have any effect? Moreover, my lord fell for Cao Cao's stratagem precisely because he would not betray others. As your subject, even in my worry, how could I not feel some comfort? Had my lord not been unwilling to betray even a frontier outcast from Xiliang like myself back then, fulfilling my lifelong wish and allowing me to follow you with a light heart — then given my nature, how could I possibly speak so directly before everyone today?"

"In any case, these days have been hard on Wenhe, and on Gongda as well." Gongsun Xun nodded slowly, then dismounted and grasped Jia Xu's hand in gratitude, only to shake his head again. "But in my view, even with Wenhe's wisdom, he has still omitted one matter concerning the human heart..."

Jia Xu raised his head, unconcerned: "The matters of the human heart are ever-changing — how can one truly fathom them completely? As for Cao Mengde himself, I have never truly met him, so I dare not presume to comment. I imagine my lord understands such men better."

"True." Gongsun Xun, still holding Jia Xu's hand, replied slowly. "It is precisely Cao Mengde... In truth, how could Cao Mengde be willing to betray figures as dear as his own flesh and blood, like Xiahou Yuan and Ding Fei? But just as I, having come this far, cannot betray the countless masses of Hebei and the countless dead, so too, having come this far, how could he betray the hundreds of thousands of troops behind him, and the countless corpses and dead he has passed along his path? The situation today is simply that I hold the initiative and can afford some composure, while he is trapped in dire straits and can only sacrifice his own flesh and blood to avoid betraying the greater cause!"

At this, Gongsun Xun glanced at Yang Jun, who had already come ashore, and at Cao Ren, who was clearly wailing over Xiahou Yuan's corpse, and could not help but sigh:

"In truth, what of Xiahou Yuan and Ding Fei in today's battle? I have long known the character of Xiahou Miaocai. Back when the Central Plains fell into chaos, during the famine years, he took in his orphaned niece. To not betray his deceased brother's dying wish, he let his own son starve to death. How did that man's actions then differ from Cao Mengde's today? Did they not both feel they could not betray others, and so had to sacrifice those closest to them? That is why I guessed during the day that he would certainly not enter Suanzao City — because he had to push south with all his might, ideally drawing our troops with him to the banks of the Pu River, lest Cao Mengde's army lose heart because he did not come to his rescue..."

Zhang Liao, who had been staring blankly, gave a slight start.

"And Ding Fei — a man greedy for wealth... Since ancient times, greed for wealth means clinging to life, and clinging to life means fearing death. Yet when such a man was trapped, he chose to burn himself to death rather than surrender. Was that not to avoid betraying Xiahou Yuan's goodwill in not entering the city?" Gongsun Xun continued to sigh. "Of course, both Xiahou Yuan and Cao Cao married women of the Ding clan. To Ding Fei, these two must have been like his own flesh and blood as well. The affections and trust between these men — I dare not presume to judge."

At that moment, Xun You suddenly interjected: "My lord's words and conduct today can truly be called benevolent and righteous!"

Gongsun Xun glanced at Xun You and shook his head slightly: "What talk of benevolence and righteousness? Today's words, like Wenhe's, were merely meant to remind this self-righteous Duke of Yan... The enemy is united in sincere solidarity. In this battle, we must muster every ounce of our spirit and fight with all our strength, and precisely not fall into conventional sentimentality! Only thus can we avoid betraying those before us and behind us!"

With that, he finally released Jia Xu's hand. Without remounting, he clasped his hands behind his back and returned to camp. The others dared not speak further and turned to follow him. On the opposite bank, Yang Jun took Xiahou Yuan's corpse and followed Cao Ren into the camp.

For a time, only the setting sun filled the river, and then the starry sky filled the river.

————I am the strategically deceived dividing line————

"At the end of Han, Cao Cao held off the Grand Ancestor at the Pu River. In the first battle, he lost Xiahou Yuan. The Grand Ancestor, for old times' sake, returned Yuan's head. Cao received it, thanked the northern envoy in person, and then sent an envoy back across the river to thank the Grand Ancestor face to face, his expression never once changing. After the envoy departed, he issued a written order to be proclaimed to the three armies, from the Eastern Sea in the east to Nanyang in the west, stating in full that Yuan knew nothing of cavalry warfare and was poor at scouting, fundamentally incapable of commanding troops — a so-called 'Bare Ground General'! Yet, after the order was issued, some say that Cao wept where he sat, and continued through the night until dawn." — A New Account of the Tales of the World, Chapter on Mourning the Departed

PS: 7.5k, barely a two-in-one...

One more thing — borrowing this space to apologize to everyone. Yesterday my condition was terribly off. I wrote Xiahou Yuan as Xiahou Dun multiple times, wrote the north bank as the south bank multiple times, didn't know how to develop the plot, couldn't think of a classical anecdote, ended up using the original history book but got the details wrong, and worst of all, when it came time to upload, I remembered to change Xiahou Dun to Xiahou Yuan but forgot to review the north/south references (I knew I must have gotten some wrong and meant to check, but forgot)... At the time I thought I was sick. Only when I woke up today did I suddenly realize I must have forgotten to drink coffee... I've now reached the point where I can't even code normally without bitter coffee. I am already completely ruined by writing books.

(End of Chapter)