Chapter 493: A Cold Blast Carries the Sound of the Night Watch Through the Night

The moment he saw Cao Cao appear in his field of vision dressed in women’s clothing, all of Gongsun Xun’s doubts, tension, and indecision from the entire night vanished like smoke.

In the end, his earlier loss of composure was not because he was at a disadvantage — quite the opposite: it was precisely because he held an overwhelming advantage and complete victory was in sight that he had grown suspicious and paranoid... And last night, Jia Xu and Xun You, rather than analyzing the situation for their lord, had been more or less comforting him.

But now, after his old friend appeared before his eyes, Gongsun Xun suddenly understood — the other man was the one suffering more, the one driven into a corner.

He had been overthinking it.

And once his mind cleared, unexpectedly, Gongsun Xun, who had clearly been sleepless all night, became completely relaxed, his thoughts even growing sharp and lucid. Almost in an instant, last night’s analysis of Cao Cao’s movements, Cao Cao’s massive sortie before his eyes, and that one extremely peculiar military disposition on the map all linked together, allowing Gongsun Xun to form a complete conjecture in his mind.

Returning to the scene at hand, the battle was intensely fierce. Cao’s army had sortied with practically its entire force and was brimming with fighting spirit, which inevitably made things difficult for Cheng Pu, whose troops were at a numerical disadvantage and who was still on the attacking side.

Across the field, Cao Mengde was directing the battle in women’s clothing, and Cao’s army fought desperately forward, suppressing their own side for a time. On the earthen hill, everyone naturally turned their gaze toward Lord Yan.

Who would have thought that Gongsun Xun, having regained his composure, would instead laugh: “Mengde is like a donkey facing a tiger — his tricks end here... Sound the gongs and withdraw the troops! Call back Zhang Liao and Cheng Lian as well... Just defend the main camp properly!”

Having said this, he paid no further attention to the battle before him and turned to leave on his own.

The gongs signaling retreat rang out in succession from behind the entire battle line. Cheng Demou, who had suffered a bitter setback, was still seething with resentment, but he could not defy Gongsun Xun’s military orders... He could only retreat, swallowing his hatred.

The Hebei army surged out of the camp like a tide and withdrew again like a tide, leaving behind only several hundred corpses... For a time, Cao’s army roared like mountains and seas, as if they had won a great victory! Some soldiers, carried away by the heat of battle, even chased out of the camp, attempting a counterattack, only to be singled out by the archers and crossbowmen on the high ground of the Yan army’s main camp. This in turn drew suppressive fire from the catapults in Cao’s camp, and in the end, it predictably devolved into the daily spectacle of the two sides’ catapults bombarding each other.

After the battle ended hastily, not to mention how Gongsun Xun went to soothe Cheng Demou’s clearly somewhat fragile self-esteem — on the other side, Cao Mengde had already lost all self-esteem... Returning to his camp, he first stripped off that loathsome set of women’s clothing, yet he still seethed with indignation, and it was a long while before his breathing steadied.

After all, the victory in a defensive battle could not truly offset the humiliation of wearing women’s clothing, or rather, the feeling of having to don women’s clothing to boost morale just for a local victory was simply too awful! And after this, the situation had already become so critically dire that Cao Mengde, having received Zhu Shuo’s report, knew perfectly well that even worse things were bound to follow one after another...

Speaking of this, we must mention Zhu Shuo.

Just before the battle, Zhu Shuo’s sudden return was not merely a matter of reporting information; it also unequivocally informed Cao Cao that Gongsun Xun already knew of the upheaval in Xuzhou and would not let such a good opportunity slip by. Even more critically, the timing of Gongsun Xun’s release of this man was too clever — right before battle, with all the army’s generals assembled, in the rush, Cao Cao had no time to cover things up. Zhu Shuo had already laid everything out, spreading the news of Xuzhou throughout the entire camp... It was precisely to prevent the army’s morale from wavering that Cao Cao had been forced to wear women’s clothing to boost morale and divert attention.

However, it is worth noting that at the time, just before battle, things had happened so hastily that Gongsun Xun himself had hesitated for a moment when choosing between Zhu Shuo and Wu Zhi as the messengers... The latter certainly seemed eloquent, and if Zhu Shuo had been detained in camp, Wu Zhi would not have dared to refuse the task. But facts proved that Xun You’s suggestion had been correct: Zhu Shuo had the status of a fellow townsman of Cao Cao and a fierce temperament. When the words came from his mouth, everyone immediately believed them, and even Cao Cao could not cover it up!

“Father.”

The day passed without words. By evening, as Cao Cao sat alone in the central tent, brooding in deep thought, Cao Ang, who had been left to guard the main camp, suddenly came in from outside. Approaching cautiously, he reported another matter. “General Huang Gongfu has arrived. He requests a private meeting.”

“Tell Huang Gongfu to come find me in the rear tent!” Cao Mengde, after a slight flicker of surprise, immediately nodded and then smoothly moved into the rear tent.

“General Huang, please sit.”

A moment later, Cao Mengde had already regained his composure. Wearing an outer robe, he sat waiting on the couch in the rear tent. After Cao Ang led Huang Gai into the tent, Cao Cao looked at this extremely steady general under Sun Ce, a man he greatly admired, and could not help but relax slightly.

No matter what, it was true that the Central Plains coalition was rich in talent, and as the saying goes, all things are founded on people. The gathering of so many heroes under his command to follow his orders was the true foundation of Cao Cao’s courage to contend with Gongsun Xun.

In fact, even regarding Zhou Yu, who had died on the field ridges, Cao Mengde bore no blame toward him, because in his view, Zhou Gongjin had indeed fulfilled the duties of a sector commander. And considering his age, one could even say his performance had been astonishing... It was just that the opponent was far too strong, and Zhou Gongjin himself had too few cards to play.

“Lord Cao!” Seeing Cao Ang personally stand guard at the tent entrance with his hand on his sword, Huang Gai, in full armor, finally bowed his head in a solemn salute and then sat on the chair before the couch. For a moment, the dried bloodstains on his armor were clearly visible under the candlelight, but by now, no one cared about such details. “Your subordinate has a matter to report privately to Lord Cao...”

“Speak.”

“During the daytime battle, when the northern army retreated, one officer deliberately stayed behind in front of the position your subordinate commands and voluntarily requested to surrender...”

“At this time, a Yan army officer is surrendering to us?” Cao Cao found it utterly inconceivable.

“This man was not a Yan army officer before.” Huang Gai hurriedly explained in earnest. “His surname is Deng, given name Dang, a man from Jiangzuo. He has always served as a Major of a Separate Division under Lord Zhu Junli, Governor Zhu. That day of bitter fighting, he was ordered to go and feign surrender to Hebei, plotting to assassinate Lord Yan. In the end, he never even saw Lord Yan’s face before being bound and confined. Now, by a twist of fate, he has been retained and employed as a model surrendered officer.”

Hearing this, Cao Cao had already caught on: “Has this matter been inquired about with the men in the camp that day?”

“It has!” Huang Gai quickly continued. “Otherwise, your subordinate would have killed him with a single stroke long ago — why would I come to disturb Lord Cao? Governor Zhu is gravely wounded and has been recuperating in Yangzhai. His old troops are all in my camp; everyone, high and low, recognizes this man, and quite a few know about the false surrender and assassination plot... Moreover, his family, clan, and friends are all in the south without question.”

“If it were merely an old officer fleeing back, General Huang would certainly not have come to find me.” Cao Cao inquired earnestly. “Has he brought some secret intelligence?”

“Indeed!” Huang Gai answered seriously. “According to him, before he saw Lord Yan and was put to use, he had been doing menial labor among the White Horse Volunteers, moving about near the central command tent of the Yan army, and he indeed heard and saw much confidential military intelligence... And some of these matters coincide remarkably with what I already know.”

“How so?”

“For example, he once burned quite a few letters of surrender from traitors on our side, and he reported several names and dates that match perfectly with those several plots and disturbances behind us.”

Cao Mengde slowly nodded: “So it seems this man is somewhat reliable? And General Huang has therefore been moved to consider something?”

Huang Gai slowly nodded, then took the opportunity to explain in detail.

It turned out, just as Cao Cao had thought, Deng Dang, returning to Cao’s main camp after several months, had indeed provided much military intelligence, but what was truly useful was not necessarily much... Discard what was outdated; discard what was no longer valid (such as the Xuzhou military situation); discard what could not be acted upon (such as the many people under Liu Biao and Lu Bu who corresponded with Gongsun Xun); discard what was of little use (the daily logistics and military dispatches within the main camp, and Hebei’s internal affairs); and discard some matters that, though very important, anyone could have guessed (such as yesterday, when Gongsun Xun first heard the news of Xuzhou, he immediately issued urgent orders for Cheng Yu in Yingzhou and Taishi Ci, who was returning from conscripting troops in Liaodong, to speed to Xuzhou’s aid)... What remained, the few things that could truly have an effect, were only a handful.

For instance, Gongsun Xun had just issued orders this morning for Xu Rong to lead ten thousand Guanxi infantry and cavalry to set out swiftly from Hongnong and rush to Luoyang’s Huanyuan Pass, seemingly preparing to attack Sun Ce.

Another example: the day before yesterday, Gongsun Xun had issued a military order to dispatch a batch of logistical supplies from Baima — grain alone amounting to tens of thousands of dan, totaling several thousand cartloads — to be sent to Guandu!

“Does General Huang intend... to set an ambush at Yangzhai? Or to raid the grain supplies at Wuchao?” Cao Cao asked, momentarily curious after hearing this.

“That is for Lord Cao to decide.”

Cao Cao started to speak, then hesitated, but finally answered earnestly: “I believe both are feasible. Our army truly needs a victory to boost morale... That being the case, why not set an ambush at Yangzhai in Yingchuan? After all, raiding the grain at Wuchao is far too risky. Our army has no formed cavalry units, while Hebei’s cavalry can arrive in a flash. If our army cannot achieve a quick victory and a swift retreat, we would be completely annihilated there. Besides, even if we succeeded, a mere few tens of thousands of dan of grain might not truly play a decisive role... What does General Huang think?”

“In that case, tonight your subordinate will send Deng Dang back to pass a message to Lord Yan, saying that I have persuaded Lord Cao to concentrate forces and set an ambush at Yangzhai in Yingchuan. When the time comes, your subordinate will naturally request to be the vanguard and then lead his own troops to defect at the critical moment, thereby achieving a great victory!” Huang Gai immediately responded with earnest seriousness, as if stating something perfectly logical.

Cao Cao was momentarily stunned, then his expression turned solemn. Even Cao Ang, standing guard at the tent entrance, turned back in astonishment.

But Huang Gai continued asking on his own: “What does Lord Cao think?”

“Is Deng Dang not trustworthy?” Cao Cao asked in return only after a long pause.

“Perhaps he is trustworthy; after all, his close relatives, old friends, and wife are all in the south.” Huang Gai sighed. “But then again, perhaps he is not. Because at this moment, a single victory or defeat could overturn heaven and earth. If Lord Yan truly wins, and we have nothing left by then, would we still be in a position to take revenge on his family? But the problem is not whether Deng Dang is trustworthy — the problem is that the situation has reached the point where Lord Cao must seek a decisive battle, and if there is a stratagem, it must be launched swiftly... And although your subordinate is untalented, I am willing to feign surrender to the north, to buy Lord Cao some time and divert his attention, so as to facilitate Lord Cao’s actions.”

“And what if I have no stratagem?” Cao Mengde fixed his gaze on the brave and stalwart general before him, momentarily lost in thought.

“Then let my feigned surrender serve as the trigger for battle, and fight to the death!” Huang Gai remained as composed as ever.

Cao Cao started to speak, then stopped.

“Your subordinate is crude and unlettered, and originally would not dare to speak at length on grand strategy.”

At that moment, Huang Gai abruptly rose to his feet, knelt on one knee before the couch, and cupped his hands, addressing Cao Mengde with composure: “But now that Xuzhou has fallen, matters have reached a point of absolute necessity. If we do not produce an unorthodox stratagem or seek a decisive battle, then our entire army is in danger of total collapse.”

Behind him, Cao Ang clearly wanted to interject, but was stopped by Cao Cao. And Huang Gai had already continued speaking on his own:

“Lord Cao, your subordinate knows that as an outside general, I am not enough to earn Lord Cao’s trust, nor do I intend to pour out my heart and blood for Lord Cao... I am but a man of the wilds from Lingling, drifting through half my life in a daze. It was only around the age of thirty that I first beheld the heroic bearing of the late General Sun. From then on, I have carried my sword and followed, serving two generations of the Sun family — by my count, it has been a full ten years! Therefore, the man to whom I have entrusted my life in this world is naturally the two General Sun Polus, first and last, and can only be the two General Suns... And as for this current General Sun in Yangzhai, what kind of man he is — does Lord Cao not know? Though he holds only two commanderies and twenty thousand troops, he has never had a heart willing to submit to others. To make him surrender to Hebei, he would likely rather die than comply. And as for your subordinate, though I am indifferent to the strife between north and south, or the distinction between Han and Yan, I am wholeheartedly willing to go through fire and water for the Sun family’s foundation! In that battle months ago, I should have died then — would I care about this life today? It is only that a man born into this world may die heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a goose feather... If I am to wait for death in camp, swallowed up by the general tide, I, Huang Gai, will never be reconciled to it! All these words are merely to ask Lord Cao to trust me this once, so as to accomplish what I seek!”

Cao Cao gazed at the man before him for a long time, as if seeing him anew, but finally let out a sigh, helped him up before him, and then spoke with sincerity: “Just as General Huang says, the situation is already extremely perilous. And I have indeed had a plan for a very long time, one I originally intended to carry out myself. But with Gongsun Wenqi across the field, watching me closely, I instead dared not move lightly. After pondering all day, I was just now preparing to have Bofu do it. Now...”

“Lord Cao need not tell me the details.” Huang Gai suddenly raised his voice, cutting him off. “Since your subordinate has already decided to feign surrender and serve as bait to hook Lord Yan, I am a discarded piece and cannot participate in such a momentous affair. And for such an affair, the fewer who know, the greater the chance of success... I only need one word from Lord Cao — whether you permit me to serve as bait, and whether it is to be at Yangzhai or at Guandu. That is all. As for my feigned surrender, I ask Lord Cao not to speak of it further; there is no need to even mention it to General Sun, lest it distract him.”

Cao Cao understood clearly that the other man had resolved to die, that he intended to be a suicide soldier. His heart grew somber for a moment, but he could only steel himself and say: “I truly did not expect General Huang to possess such heroic fervor... I ask the General to feign surrender to Gongsun Wenqi regarding the Yangzhai matter, and I also ask you to be sure to preserve your useful life.”

Huang Gai said nothing more. He bowed once again and then withdrew hastily.

Cao Mengde tilted his head back in the tent and let out a long sigh, and in the end, there was nothing more to say.

Cao Ang, standing at the tent entrance, came back to his senses, and for a moment did not know what to say either. But Cao Cao, seeing his own son’s demeanor, forced himself to adjust his mood and suddenly laughed: “Zixiu, come with me on an inspection tour.”

Cao Ang naturally dared not be negligent.

Thus, father and son walked side by side under the moonlight, patrolling through the encampment. This was the central army headquarters, far from the front lines, so naturally there was no danger of combat, yet one could not say the atmosphere of war was absent.

To the left and right of the central army headquarters were newly built so-called transit camps. One was a wounded camp, where soldiers who could not recover quickly from their injuries were gathered and then transported by civilian laborers to the rear area around Chenliu. The other was naturally the civilian labor camp; after delivering provisions and fodder, the laborers had to report here for roll call, rest one night, and then hurriedly turn back. When battle tensions caused a shortage of manpower, the stronger among them would be directly selected into the auxiliary troops... Ren Jun, who had drawn Gongsun Xun's surprise during the daytime, was the officer in charge of this camp.

Cao Cao walked for a long time under the moon. The tense atmosphere throughout the central army weighed on his spirits, so he prepared to step out of the central army's main camp. He did not dare go to the wounded camp on the left, but instead strolled with Cao Ang toward the civilian labor camp on the right.

However, as late autumn arrived, the cold wind blew bleakly and the weather turned chill. As Cao Mengde walked along, he saw that the civilian laborers in the camp were all utterly exhausted, sitting in silence with lifeless expressions, devoid of any vitality. Some, afflicted by both cold and fatigue, were shivering uncontrollably.

That was one thing, but as Cao Cao, leading Cao Ang and several guards, was about to pass a campfire, he suddenly halted and stood within the shadows.

It turned out that beside the campfire, an elderly laborer with graying hair was holding a wooden splinter, using it to lance the blisters on the feet of a person beside him who was clearly still a youth. The youth's feet rested in the old man's lap, the soles facing the firelight. Everyone could see clearly that almost the entire soles of his feet were a bloody, dripping mess, utterly ruined, yet he was sleeping so soundly that he was completely unaware of so many blisters being lanced on his feet.

Cao Mengde was a man of deep emotion, a living person in whom personal ambition and the desire to save the age and bring peace to the people coexisted. He had always been moved by what he saw... And seeing such a scene today, he felt that all the Han dynastic legitimacy and personal heroic ambition he had used in his heart to convince himself were utterly worthless.

In that instant, having experienced the deaths of Xiahou Yuan, Cao Chun, Cao Xiu, Xu Chu, Wang Bi, and even the recent selfless sacrifice of Huang Gai, he nearly burst into a rain of tears.

But, precisely because he thought of these people who had died one after another, and those who had resolved to die for the so-called greater cause, he could not cry, and even felt somewhat at a loss... Because those very people were urging and spurring him on, compelling him to fight to the bitter end to achieve great things.

He stood withered in the shadows beneath the moon, the experiences of his life spinning past like a revolving lantern.

The sharp spirit of his time as Commandant of the Northern District of Luoyang, the soaring ambition when he was Prefect of Dunqiu, the dejection when he was implicated and dismissed from office, the heroic vigor when he quelled the Yellow Turbans, his lament for the people's livelihood after taking office in Jinan, his disappointment with the court situation, then his rising up during Dong Zhuo's rebellion, his ambition as he maneuvered across the Central Plains, the excitement of gaining the support of Liu Bei and Liu Biao... All these complex thoughts churned and mixed within the same man's heart, but in the end, none could withstand the sight of Cao Chun's severed head with its angry, wide-open eyes, or the pair of bloody, dripping feet before him.

Yet the two were utterly contradictory!

One urged him to exhaust all his strength and push forward; the other reminded him that for the sake of the realm and the people's livelihood, it would be better to give up!

Just as his thoughts were wandering wildly, the gray-haired old man finished lancing the blisters of the youth—who might have been his grandson or some other relation—tossed aside the wooden splinter, and forced himself to stand, apparently intending to fetch some water from the well. But unexpectedly, upon turning around, he saw this scene and was immediately badly startled.

"Old sir!" Cao Mengde, with nowhere to hide, stepped forward in shame, and disregarding the filth on the other's body, directly grasped his hands. "Please grant me one more month. Whether I succeed or fail, I, Cao Mengde, will absolutely not let you toil like this again!"

As if exhausting all the strength in his body, Cao Cao earnestly finished these words. Without caring whether the other understood, he abruptly let go, then strode quickly back toward his central army tent.

Cao Ang immediately led the guards to follow. The old man was left bewildered and uncomprehending, only his white hair trembling for a moment in the autumn wind... He did not even know who this Cao Mengde was.

"Father!" Reaching the firebreak sand pile in the gap between the two camps, Cao Ang finally caught up and voiced the doubt in his heart. "What did Father's words just now mean? And what Huang Gongfu requested earlier... Although Xuzhou is lost, has the overall situation truly reached such a point? Do we not still have so many troops?"

"It has precisely reached such a point." Cao Cao turned around atop the sand pile, looking down from his elevated position, and sighed. "Zixiu, you must understand... troops and horses require things to sustain them. And when two rivals contend, it is never decided by a single city or a single piece of land!"

"Please, Father, instruct me." Cao Ang grew increasingly anxious. Since that battle, he had been one of the most prominent hardliners in the army, and he instinctively resisted such talk of the situation collapsing.

"It is the hearts of men." Cao Cao held nothing back when speaking to his own son. "Gongsun Wenqi already had the advantage. One victory, two victories, three victories in a row, while we have suffered defeat after defeat. When no hope of victory can be seen, the hearts of men in our Central Plains alliance will scatter. Xuzhou is finished. Do you think, with Bofu absent, the hearts of men in Wu Commandery, which borders Guangling, will not waver? Liu Biao was always half-hearted and short-sighted. Do you think, seeing the situation turn unfavorable, he will not suddenly withdraw his troops to seek peace with Gongsun Xun? With the Central Plains besieged on two sides, do you think the various cities and lands will still deliver the autumn grain on time? Believe me, if we cannot achieve a major victory within another month, rebellions will spring up everywhere across the Central Plains, and officials will switch banners by entire counties and commanderies. Zixiu, Gongsun Xun may need to deal with the situation city by city and land by land, digesting territory, but we, as the losing side, may find that a single moment of weakness shatters the entire board!"

Cao Ang was momentarily dejected, but did not refute him... for such reasoning was understood the moment it was pointed out.

"You also heard what happened in the rear tent earlier. Come back with me. I will write a letter, and you will set out tonight to deliver it personally to Bofu. I intend to use his ability and willingness to fight, along with Huang Gongfu's feigned surrender to buy time, to truly gamble on one decisive throw!" Cao Cao stepped forward and patted his own son's shoulder, his entire demeanor relaxed, as if instructing some ordinary matter.

Cao Zixiu looked up at his father's composed gaze and the strand of white hair at his temple. Before his eyes suddenly flashed the graying hair of that old man just now, and the look in his uncle Cao Chun's severed head. Then, in a daze, he nodded heavily.

However, just as father and son descended the sand dune and entered the central army camp, armored soldiers hurriedly approached and prostrated themselves to report news that caught both of them off guard:

"Reporting to my lord, Adjutant Zhu has just committed suicide in the camp! He left a final message, saying that only now did he awaken to the fact that he had been made a blade for the Yan bandit. Overcome with remorse, he could only atone for his crime with death, so as not to betray Cao Zidan's daring sacrifice!"

Cao Cao was silent for a long time, then merely nodded slowly in response: "Understood."

With that, he led Cao Ang into the camp to write the letter.

The weather holds unforeseen storms, and coincidences also occur. At almost the same moment, north of Cao Cao's main camp, Gongsun Xun, who was inspecting the wounded camp, also received sudden news.

"Your Highness..." Wang Ling, an officer of the Volunteer Corps who had sought him out from the central army headquarters, was drenched in sweat and so tense he could barely control himself, yet he had no choice but to cup his hands and report truthfully. "Just now, while checking the casualty roster from today's battle, it has been repeatedly verified and confirmed: Lu Fu, Army Commander of the artillery company in the forward camp, was struck and killed by a stone projectile from the enemy camp at the very start of the engagement!"

Gongsun Xun, who had just been instructing the military physicians and wounded soldiers before him, fell silent for a moment. Only after a long while did he slowly nod: "Understood."

Everyone around was utterly silent; not a single person dared to breathe heavily.

Gongsun Xun gripped the broken blade at his waist tightly, then suddenly turned back, faced the wounded soldiers filling the camp with earnest solemnity, looked around, and spoke: "Gentlemen, I make a vow with you today: within one month, I, Gongsun, will certainly decide the outcome and will absolutely not let you suffer like this any longer! Moreover, in this battle, our army will be victorious!"

—————I am the dividing line of understanding—————

"By mid-September, the fighting grew ever more intense. Lu Fu, eldest son of Prime Minister Lu Fan, died in battle. The Grand Ancestor heard of it and said nothing. The next day, Emperor Ren, not yet capped, labored at Baima alongside the various close attendants, and for a time all were thrown into Guandu. All around were shaken with fear." — Old Book of Yan, Volume 2, Annals of the Grand Ancestor, the Martial Emperor

PS: How does that saying go? A new month, starting today, be a good person!

(End of chapter)