Xu Zhou, Pengcheng.
Cao Cao's army had completely surrounded Pengcheng, yet the city was not in the least bit panicked. Instead, it stood even more impregnable!
The sturdy city walls and ample provisions were Pengcheng's advantages and the very things that made Cao Cao furrow his brows the most.
As if summoned, Cao's army and the Danyang soldiers found themselves in a stalemate at Pengcheng.
"Big Brother, why don't we try another assault? Attack all four gates simultaneously; I refuse to believe we won't breach it!" Xiahou Yuan suggested. Impatient by nature, he detested prolonged warfare.
Cao Ren pointed towards the towering city walls… "Miao Cai, are our scaling ladders even that high? How easy do you think a direct assault would be? Alas…"
A sigh escaped him as he gazed at the city, filled with admiration and resignation.
Cao Cao looked up again, his gaze fixed on Pengcheng…
Who would have thought that a mere prefecture city could halt the advance of his Cao army!
And yet, Tao Qian's turtle-like defensive strategy gave Cao Cao not the slightest opportunity.
Just then.
The sound of galloping horses, "da da da," was heard.
A swift horse from Yan Province arrived like a whirlwind, its hooves churning through countless mud puddles on the official road…
The general on the warhorse was broad-shouldered and stout, but the relentless journey made him appear exceptionally weary.
Especially facing the cold gleam of the night, the knife-like chill wind whipped across his cheeks, leaving his complexion pale as paper.
As if spotting Cao Cao and Cao Ren, the general on the horse mustered all his energy and shouted loudly, "Urgent dispatch from Yan Province, urgent dispatch from Yan Province…"
Upon hearing this… Cao Cao's heart trembled, and he muttered to himself, fearing that something had truly happened in Yan Province.
But then, he reconsidered. If Yan Province were in trouble, the cry would have been "Yan Province urgent documents" or "seven hundred li express." But "urgent dispatch"? The wording seemed… unusual.
As the messenger drew closer, both Cao Cao and Cao Ren clearly saw that the approaching figure was Niu Jin, a subordinate of Cao Ren.
Cao Cao knew that Cao Ren had specifically dispatched him to escort "Zhuge Liang" to the residence of Lu Yu in Yan Province.
Wait, a dispatch? An urgent dispatch? Could it be that Lu Yu had a letter entrusted to Niu Jin to bring back?
With this thought, Cao Cao quickly went to meet him…
After all, whenever they encountered difficulties before, it was often "Yu'er" who provided the breakthrough. Perhaps this time, it would be the same…
Instantly, Cao Cao's spirits lifted. As he pondered, Niu Jin dismounted and cupped his hands in a salute towards Cao Cao. "Your subordinate pays respects to Duke Cao!"
Cao Ren anxiously asked, "Has something happened in Yan Province? Has… has someone like Yuan Shu or Liu Biao launched a surprise attack on Yan Province?"
"Neither. Yan Province is safe!" Niu Jin replied, then produced a silk pouch from his bosom and handed it to Cao Cao. "It is a letter personally written by young master Lu, which he asked this subordinate to deliver to Duke Cao!"
…Indeed!
Cao Cao accepted the silk pouch and slowly unfolded it. Inside was a thin piece of silk, covered with dense, small characters.
It was indeed written by "Yu'er." "Yu'er's" small seal-script characters were easily recognizable, possessing the flair of his former mentor Cai Yong's "flying white" calligraphy…
As for the content of the letter.
Sentence by sentence, it swiftly entered Cao Cao's gaze. Cao Cao immediately fell into deep thought.
This greatly distressed Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ren, who were standing by…
What exactly was written? They also wanted to see!
But Cao Cao showed no inclination to pass the letter to them. His eyes remained fixed on the words, lost in thought, immersed in profound contemplation!
One breath, two breaths…
Ten breaths, twenty breaths… a full thirty breaths passed. Cao Cao's eyes suddenly snapped open, followed by "Hahaha… Hahahahaha…" he burst into hearty laughter.
This made Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan even more curious. What could make their elder brother, whose mood had been clouded, become instantly bright and cheerful? What was hidden within that letter?
"Excellent…" Cao Cao clenched his fists, his eyes filled with spirit. His laughter was so uninhibited that faint blue veins began to bulge on his forehead.
After a long while, he announced loudly, "Lu Yu, haha… this boy is as adept at striking at the heart as ever! The solution to our predicament in Pengcheng, which has left us at a loss, is contained within the small space of this letter!"
Ah… ah…
Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan were both stunned.
They had already sensed Lu Yu's skill in attacking the enemy's morale and spirit.
One could glimpse a hint of it from his use of guerrilla warfare to break the Yellow Turban Rebellion…
But… now? Tao Qian of Xu Province, or rather the Danyang soldiers, seemed more difficult to deal with than the Yellow Turbans…
How to strike at their morale to deal with them?
As they pondered, Cao Cao had already unfolded Lu Yu's letter, allowing Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan to see it clearly.
The letter contained a total of four lines. The first three lines presented three strategies—
First, kill only Tao Qian, and pay no heed to his remaining followers;
Second, treat the citizens of already captured cities with kindness.
Third, attacking the enemy is inferior; attacking the heart is superior!
Hiss… this…
Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan could not immediately comprehend the meaning, as these three strategies, on the surface, seemed to have little to do with the Pengcheng campaign.
But Cao Cao was exceptionally intelligent. With just these three sentences and after deep reflection, he had grasped the profound connection.
"Kill only Tao Qian, and pay no heed to his remaining followers" was meant to publicly assure the clans of Yan Province that they would be safe, to put their minds at ease, to allow them to re-evaluate the situation, to give them a choice of allegiance, and to alienate Tao Qian from his supporters.
"Treat the citizens of already captured cities with kindness" was meant to win the hearts of the people of Xu Province, to let them know that while Cao Cao sought revenge, he would not harm the common folk, thus… encouraging the citizens of Pengcheng and Xiapi to side more with Cao Cao. Even mere neutrality would be of great benefit to Cao's army!
As for "attacking the enemy is inferior; attacking the heart is superior," this was the general approach.
Lu Yu's guidance was perfectly timed in Cao Cao's view and completely broadened his perspective.
It is said that the best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans, and to act only after careful consideration. This time, his campaign in Xu Province had indeed been too eager for quick success. The initial grand strategy was to swiftly defeat the enemy through overwhelming military might and strategic superiority.
But in reality, this was not advisable.
Because… Tao Qian himself was not terrifying. In fact, Tao Qian was the weakest among all the feudal lords.
What was truly terrifying, or rather, what could bring Cao Cao significant trouble, were the people around Tao Qian, the citizens of Xu Province, the support of the clans, and the hearts of the people!
If the clans and the people were alienated from him, let alone Pengcheng, the entire Xu Province would be as easy as picking something from one's pocket!
"Haha…"
"Hahahaha…"
Cao Cao let out a hearty laugh, his laughter exceptionally clear and bright.
Indeed, having interacted with Yu'er for a long time, with Cao Cao's wisdom, he could sense that Yu'er was not exceptionally outstanding in strategy. In fact, any random strategist was far superior to Yu'er.
But Yu'er's greatest strength lay in his insight into the current situation and his ability to understand human hearts. This… was even more precious within Cao's camp.
What shocked Cao Cao even more was that Lu Yu, who proposed such a strategy to break the deadlock, was himself a thousand miles away in Yan Province.
Being a thousand miles away, yet able to discern the situation in Xu Province, Yu'er was no ordinary person.
Of course, apart from being extraordinary, Cao Cao also perceived a slight hint of cunning and slyness, which perfectly fit Yu'er's usual style. Joking aside, Cao Cao's eldest son was full of "bad water"!
With this in mind, Cao Cao immediately issued an order: "Miao Cai, Zi Xiao, you must immediately summon Gong Da and Zhi Cai… I need to re-deploy our forces for the Pengcheng campaign."
"Yes…" Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan agreed and hurried to carry out the order.
Meanwhile, Cao Cao's gaze moved down the letter. With his sharp perception, he noticed the four characters on the fourth line, which were also the most crucial four characters—Establish a standing tree as a sign of trust!
"Haha…" Cao Cao chuckled softly. He tilted his head towards the void and mused, "In the pre-Qin period, there was the story of 'a single word worth a thousand pieces of gold' and 'buying a horse's bones for a thousand pieces of gold.' More recently, there was Yu'er exchanging ten thousand shi of grain for Dian Wei. And now, it is my turn, Cao Cao, to establish a standing tree as a sign of trust in Xu Province? Haha… hahaha!"
His demonic laughter echoed again.
After being shrouded in gloom for some time, Cao Cao's mood today was the brightest.
…
The central army tent.
After discussing some details with Xi Zhicai and Xun You, Cao Cao immediately issued an order.
"Post notices throughout Xu Province. This campaign, I, Cao Cao, am seeking revenge for my father. I shall only kill the culprit, Tao Qian, and none other shall be held accountable! For those who support Cao Cao's army, I express my utmost gratitude, and rewards will be granted upon the fall of Xu Province. Even if you do not support me, it matters not. I, Cao Cao, swear to the heavens that this campaign will only target the perpetrator and will not implicate anyone else!"
"Furthermore, for all cities and prefectures that our Cao army has captured, land taxes will be halved for three years. Unclaimed lands will be distributed, and granaries will be opened to provide relief to the poor. All citizens and soldiers who do not obstruct our army's advance will not only be unharmed but will also receive generous rewards. If any civilian property is damaged due to the conflict, our army will compensate double the amount!"
"As for rewards and compensation, they will be disbursed throughout Xu Province starting today."
At this point, Cao Cao paused for a moment, his final words becoming considerably colder. "Add to the notice that whoever kills Tao Qian and presents his head will be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold and ten thousand households!"
After saying this, Xi Zhicai's eyes darted, and he opportunely added, "In addition to posting announcements in already captured cities and prefectures, these notices should also be shot into Pengcheng and Xiapi cities with headless arrows to avoid harming the civilians, and to let the people and clans realize that our Cao army is an army of righteousness!"
Hiss…
As Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai finished speaking, the entire central army tent of Cao's camp erupted.
At this moment, Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan finally understood the profound intentions hidden within the words of Lu Yu's letter…
Brilliant, truly brilliant!
This was aimed at pushing Tao Qian into a corner, alienating him from the very people who supported him.
Such a strategy of division, alienation, and winning over clans and public opinion was incredibly ingenious!
A gleam flashed in the eyes of Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan. Lu Yu's move… was impeccable! Haha, that boy Lu Yu is truly wicked!
…
…
On this side, Cao Cao began to meticulously implement his strategy of attacking the heart.
Conversely, on the other side, beneath the calm surface of Yan Province, a surging tide was about to descend.
A quarter past midnight, all was silent…
Chenliu Commandery, South Gate.
Approximately a thousand meters from the city gate, a legion of seven to eight thousand soldiers approached quietly. Most of them were cavalry, but the hooves of each horse were wrapped in coarse cloth, and their mouths were muzzled. All of this was to minimize the sound as much as possible.
Within the legion, a refined scholar was particularly conspicuous.
"Feng Xian, the South Gate of Chenliu Commandery is ahead. I have already arranged with Meng Zhuo; upon the signal of three fires, he will open the South Gate to welcome our army into the city!"
"This morning, he also sent a letter stating that he has successfully persuaded all the major clans of Chenliu Commandery. As for the prefects and magistrates of the surrounding prefectures and counties, I have contacted them all. Once Chenliu Commandery falls, they will respond in unison to Feng Xian. Now that Cao Cao is deserted by his followers, this battle can secure Yan Province!"
The speaker was Chen Gong. Since joining Lu Bu, he had never disappointed Lu Bu.
Successfully persuading Zhang Miao was the key that opened the door for Lu Bu to take charge of Yan Province!
"Thank you, Mister. The rest is up to me, Lu Bu!"
As he lifted his Fangtian Huaji, Lu Bu's eyes gradually narrowed. Finally… finally, would he have a city of his own?
Having lived under the patronage of others for years, being ostracized and looked down upon everywhere, would the life of a stray dog finally end?
In Lu Bu's eyes, Chen Gong's arrival was like a brilliant lamp in the darkness, bringing the dawn's first light to Lu Bu and his brothers, the Bing Province soldiers. And tonight… this flame was about to blossom, about to ignite into a raging inferno!
"Feng Xian, do not be careless!" Chen Gong gave a final admonishment. "I hear that Cao Cao has a young man named 'Lu Yu,' who is fifteen or sixteen years old. This child has made considerable contributions to Cao Cao. Meng Zhuo also said that this child should not be underestimated. Feng Xian, if you enter the city, your first priority is to control him. You must absolutely not let him escape!"
As he spoke, a chilling glint flashed in Chen Gong's eyes. "Cao Cao highly values this child. Therefore, this child is an important bargaining chip for us. A great battle with Cao Cao is inevitable, and the more bargaining chips we accumulate, the greater our chances of victory!"
"Mister, rest assured, Bu knows what to do."
Lu Bu waved his Fangtian Huaji forward, "Brothers, let's begin."
Da da da…
Although the horse hooves were wrapped in cloth, the movement of thousands of warhorses still produced a resounding rumble. And now… there was no need to be so concerned? Even if… someone noticed something amiss, it would be too late!
Lu Bu's eyes were sharp. With every step taken by Red Hare, his excitement grew by a fraction.
It was over. The days of homelessness and wandering were about to end!
…
"Who goes there below the city?"
"By order of Governor Zhang, I am here to replace the Chenliu garrison!" Lu Bu shouted…
"What is the password?" a voice called from the battlements again.
Lu Bu waved his hand, and the armored soldiers of the three armies immediately raised their torches, then lowered them, then raised them again, then lowered them again, performing the action three times…
This was—the signal of three fires!
Lu Bu's lips curled into a smile, his eyes showing a hint of greed, bloodlust, hunger, and desire. He shouted, "Why are you not quickly opening the city gates? If you delay the change of guard, can you bear the blame?"
As the words fell.
Just as planned, with a "bang," the gate swung open.
"Hahahaha…" Lu Bu's arrogant laughter echoed through the area… "Charge!"
His Fangtian Huaji was lifted high again. Under the moonlight, the edge of the battle-ax drew a beautiful arc. Lu Bu led the Bing Province Wolf Cavalry into the city.
"Chenliu Commandery, Yan Province, I, Lu Bu, have arrived!"
A wild roar… the dark night could not conceal the greed and sharpness in his eyes.
But at this moment.
"Swish swish swish swish…"
The sound of tearing air suddenly erupted. Arrows loosed from the bowstrings, carrying a force like a roaring tide, flew like a swarm of locusts, densely whistling towards them…
"Ah ah ah ah…"
In an instant, a large number of the Bing Province Wolf Cavalry fell. These severely wounded Bing Province cavalry… were screaming and wailing.
Simultaneously.
"Hualalala!"
"Kill! Capture Lu Bu the brat alive, kill!"
The South Gate burst into flames, and the sound of killing shook the heavens. Countless Cao soldiers emerged from all sides, their arrows raining down on Lu Bu's army without a blind spot.
This…
Lu Bu's face instantly turned as white as paper. He looked around wildly and shouted to the sky, "Where is Meng Zhuo? Where is Meng Zhuo?"
"Hahaha…"
At this moment, a voice came from the battlements. "That scoundrel Zhang Miao is waiting for you, Lu Bu the brat, on the road to the Yellow Springs!"
The speaker was Cao Chun, the current pillar of Chenliu Commandery…
"Lu Bu the brat, can't even a three-year-old child see through your 'collusion from within and without' scheme to seize Chenliu? And you dare to show off in front of young master Lu? Truly laughable! Today, I will let you taste the flavor of a turtle caught in a jar!"
As he finished speaking…
Troops hidden in the surroundings charged towards the Bing Province army with a whistling sound…
Among them… a particularly loud roar.
"Waiya ya ya ya…" A burly man holding twin halberds rushed straight towards Lu Bu. "I heard you're quite a fighter, boy. Come have a spar with me, Dian Wei!"
…
…