"A good-for-nothing."
"Oh, you good-for-nothing!"
As Xu You was dragged away by the戟士 (Jishi), struck heavily by military cudgels, disappointment filled his eyes. "Such a heaven-sent opportunity, and the Lord cannot see it, but only my Xu family's corruption. Good-for-nothing... good-for-nothing!"
"If we don't attack Xudu now, then... then these hundreds of thousands of troops will surely be buried at Guandu, and the four northern prefectures will fall into the hands of that Cao Mengde!"
These "curses" penetrated the main tent, reaching Yuan Shao's ears!
"Scoundrel!"
Yuan Shao bared his teeth, "Loose-lipped, disturbing the army's morale. Add another twenty strokes!"
With the Thunderbolt chariots and the disheartening retreat before battle, the army's morale was already low. For Xu You to speak thus was clearly undermining the army's spirit!
With a cold snort, Yuan Shao's expression hardened.
In his view, Fang'er's deployment was foolproof, almost an open book. Unless... unless Cao's army could sneak into Wuchao under his very nose, but... with so many watchtowers, how was that possible?
"My Lord..."
Ju Shou pleaded for Xu You, "Zi Yuan, though he has his flaws and is insatiably greedy, yet... his suggestion of a surprise attack on Xudu... is not without merit. My Lord, please reconsider..."
"Hmph..."
With a cold snort, before Ju Shou could finish, Yuan Shao gave him a chilling glance, his tone filled with disdain, "Who was it that told me, 'From slow to urgent, proceed gradually; matters require slow planning, haste makes waste'? Today, I follow the plan and engage in a war of attrition with that Cao villain, yet you now speak of a surprise attack on Xudu? Have you forgotten your own words, 'He who is swayed by small gains will fail in great endeavors'!"
— Haste makes waste; swayed by small gains, great endeavors are not achieved!
These words came from *The Analects*... the words of the sage Confucius.
Yuan Shao used this to refute Ju Shou, feeling quite pleased with himself...
But...
In Ju Shou's eyes, Yuan Shao was utterly childish!
The art of war has no constant form, water has no constant shape. How could the deployment of several months ago be the same as the deployment now?
"My Lord..."
Ju Shou still wanted to speak!
"You may withdraw!" Yuan Shao flicked his long sleeves, his face instantly turning cold. Xu You had just been stripped of his military command, and Ju Shou had long been dismissed. In Yuan Shao's eyes, what right did he have to second Xu You's motion? To plead?
"Yes..."
Ju Shou sighed helplessly, shaking his head as he retreated from the main tent.
And at this moment... outside the tent door, Xu You's cries grew increasingly heart-wrenching.
— "Good-for-nothing..."
— "This is the good-for-nothing!"
Xu You's eyes were filled with a sense of profound loss.
In the past, when Yuan Shao entered Bohai, he was among the first to follow and assist.
At that time, besides the reputation of Yuan's family as holding four generations of esteemed official positions, what Xu You valued most was his childhood friendship with Yuan Shao, growing up together in the Imperial Academy. He had thought he could help him achieve great things, but alas... alas, things did not go as planned, and success was snatched away at the last moment!
*Crack... crack...*
The continuous sound of military cudgels echoed...
Two soldiers wielded cudgels to administer punishment.
Fifty strokes, even for a warrior, would be difficult to endure, let alone for Xu You.
And this scene caused everyone to panic.
Even Xu You, Xu Zi Yuan, who was once held in high regard by Yuan Shao as his foremost strategist, met such a fate for his counsel. Then... who else would dare to offer advice in the future?
Even more so, they thought, if their own families made mistakes, would they also face such cudgelings? Would it be confiscation of property and annihilation of their kin?
"Alas..."
Many sighed, especially those from the Ru Ying gentry families who had followed Yuan Shao from the beginning. At this moment, a tremor ran through every heart.
Hoo...
Ju Shou, however, let out a sigh of relief.
"The opportunity for battle flashes and vanishes, a pity, a pity..."
"Heh, a war of attrition. Who says that my Lord's favored war of attrition will necessarily lead to great victory? The tide of battle changes in an instant, let alone... let alone that 'Hidden Dragon' on the other side, what a fearsome opponent he is?"
Ju Shou's eyes were filled with bitterness and bewilderment.
After the cudgeling.
Xu You, carrying his wounded body, limped back to his own tent.
On this day, the Yuan army soldiers chattered incessantly; on this day, the Yuan army camp was filled with unease.
And in the tent, Xu You gritted his teeth, seemingly having made a decision!
— "Hmph..."
— "Loyal advice is unpleasant to the ear; a good-for-nothing lord is not worth plotting with. If this continues, I will surely follow the same path as Tian Feng!"
Thinking thus, Xu You tried to lift his leg to get out of bed, but... his current injuries did not allow him to move.
Hoo...
He gasped for breath, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.
"Endure, endure for a few more days!"
"When... when I can get out of bed and walk, I will certainly... certainly make Yuan Benchu regret it deeply!"
Saying this, Xu You strained his head to look out the door.
He wanted to see the sky, to see the Yuan army encampment under the dark firmament...
What a strong outside, weak inside; gilded on the outside, rotten on the inside, this Yuan army encampment!
...
...
From early July to the end of August.
Cao and Yuan continued to face each other at Guandu.
The stalemate had lasted for a full six months. Cao's army dared not move rashly, nor did Yuan's army dare to move rashly!
On this particular day.
In the central army tent, Cao Cao was discussing military matters with Xun You and Xi Zhicai...
A Tiger Guard suddenly burst in.
— "Report... My Lord, the supply route has been intercepted... over a hundred thousand shi of grain and fodder, along with over five hundred wooden oxes and flowing horses have all been plundered by Yuan's army..."
Upon hearing this...
"What!"
Cao Cao's eyes widened. Over a hundred thousand shi of grain and fodder? This was going to be his undoing!
After all...
According to historical records, the period of stalemate between Cao and Yuan at Guandu was divided into three stages.
The first stage was the battle of high technology, with Yuan Shao's high towers and tunnel warfare, and Cao Cao's Thunderbolt chariots belonging to this category!
The second stage was mutual interception of supplies.
Cao Cao dispatched Xu Huang, while Yuan Shao dispatched Han Meng. The two sides were locked in a fierce struggle!
As for the third stage, it evolved into mutual surprise attacks. Cao Cao targeted the land of Henei... attempting to bypass Yuan's main forces and launch a surprise attack on Ye City.
Yuan Shao, on the other hand, targeted the prefecture of Mount Tai in Yan Province, aiming to cross Mount Tai and cut off the roots, delivering a fatal blow to Cao Cao.
It could be said...
This interception of Cao's supplies marked the arrival of the second stage of the Guandu campaign's stalemate.
But precisely...
History had already undergone some changes. Cao's army was not the original seventy thousand, but two hundred thousand!
The rate of grain and fodder consumption during this period was terrifying!
Perhaps...
Historically, the mutual interception of supplies did not have a fatal impact on Cao Cao's side, but now... the interception of over a hundred thousand shi of military grain, this was for twenty thousand mouths... thus, Cao Cao felt hesitant and despair for the first time!
"How much grain and fodder does our army have left?"
Cao Cao asked Xi Zhicai...
Xi Zhicai's eyes darted, and he replied, "At Guandu, if we eat sparingly, we can last for ten days."
Ten days?
Cao Cao's brow furrowed even tighter. Yu'er had always mentioned that there would be a turning point in the Guandu campaign, but the turning point had not yet appeared, and the grain was running out...
In this manner.
Let alone lasting until the end of the year according to the original plan, even lasting through September was a huge challenge.
Hoo...
Cao Cao let out a long sigh. He closed his eyes, lost in thought!
After a moment, he added, "Didn't Situ Lu mention that a distinguished guest would visit? But a month has passed, and the 'distinguished guest' still hasn't appeared."
This...
Xi Zhicai and Xun You exchanged glances. The distinguished guest mentioned by Lu Yu was quite mysterious; neither of them knew who it was!
But... with such an antecedent...
According to Lu Yu's usual style, this distinguished guest would surely be a key figure, even someone who could turn the tide of the battle. But where was he?
A month had passed? Still no sign of the person!
Of course, while Xi Zhicai and Xun You were puzzled, Cao Cao was even more so.
However... how could they know that Xu You wanted to come, but he couldn't get out of bed!
Fifty strokes of the cudgel were no joke. If struck properly, it would take a hundred days for bones to heal. Even as of today, he could only just get out of bed.
"Alas..."
Cao Cao shook his head, falling into thought once more.
Yu'er's so-called distinguished guest was temporarily out of the question, but... the issue of grain had to be resolved!
"Immediately send a letter to Commander Xun, ordering him to raise another two hundred thousand shi of grain and fodder and send it quickly!"
Cao Cao immediately ordered.
Xun You's expression tightened. "Commander Cao, Commander Xun's letter clearly stated that this over a hundred thousand shi of grain and fodder was the last inventory in Xudu. Even if we start raising it now... it's likely too late."
Recruitment, transportation, and even... rebuilding the supply routes, all of this requires time.
The grain and fodder at Guandu only had ten-odd days left. They wouldn't last until the new supplies arrived.
"Do we have to retreat?"
Cao Cao's eyes narrowed.
The mention of retreat...
Was based on Cao Cao's overall considerations.
With only ten-odd days of grain left, if they reached the point of complete exhaustion and no reinforcements, then... let alone retreating, the soldiers, starving, would likely mutiny.
"Retreat, retreat?" As the words left Cao Cao's mouth...
Xun You fell silent. In his heart, he knew clearly that a war of attrition was inherently disadvantageous to Cao's army!
It was no exaggeration to say that if Yuan Shao was determined to fight a war of attrition, Cao Cao would have no chance!
But... if they retreated?
Where could they retreat to?
Just as his uncle Xun Yu had mentioned before, Yuan Shao's southward advance was to contend for the world with Cao Cao. If Cao Cao retreated, Yuan Shao would surely pursue... pursuing to Yan Province, to Sili, to Xudu City, and wouldn't that still mean no grain?
"Commander Cao..."
Xun You opened his mouth, but didn't know how to persuade him.
Unexpectedly, Xi Zhicai's eyes narrowed, his expression stern.
He immediately retorted to Cao Cao, "Commander Cao, do you know why, after months of stalemate, the army's morale has never weakened, and their fighting spirit has never been high? Why, facing an enemy several times our number, the hearts of the people in the prefectures of Si, Xu, Yan, and Yu remain stable, firm as a rock, and steady as Mount Tai?"
Mm...
Cao Cao was slightly taken aback. He raised his eyes.
"Why?"
Then, Xi Zhicai took out a piece of paper from his怀中 (huai zhong - bosom/pocket)...
That's right, it was a piece of paper—a newspaper!
Xi Zhicai quickly handed the newspaper to Cao Cao, who quickly unfolded it. He was busy with military affairs... and had not really paid attention to these strange contraptions.
His eyes narrowed as he looked closely.
And as he looked, Cao Cao's eyes suddenly widened.
Because this small "newspaper" contained a large amount of content.
The title of the first article was two characters that were incredibly eye-catching—Persistence!
"Shao has gathered his forces at Guandu, intending to decide the victor with you. You, facing extreme weakness against extreme strength, if you cannot control it, you will surely be taken advantage of. This is the great opportunity of the world. Moreover, Shao is merely a hero of common stock, capable of gathering people but not using them. With your divine might and wisdom, aided by great fortune, how can you not succeed! You are now holding the ground and defending, gripping its throat and preventing it from advancing. Its situation is exposed and its strength exhausted, and there will surely be a change. This is the time to use stratagem, and it must not be lost. May the enlightened Lord deliberate and judge."
This was written by Xun Yu himself on paper, printed using the movable type printing technology of the Imperial Academy, printing tens of thousands of copies.
Rather than saying it was an article written by Xun Yu, it was more like a letter to Cao Cao.
Hoo...
Cao Cao picked up the newspaper and read the article once. As if still wanting more, he picked it up again and reread it.
Passionate, every word hitting its mark...
Cao Cao's eyes gradually narrowed, and he couldn't help but sigh.
"Commander Xun's writing strikes directly at the heart!"
Xi Zhicai quickly added, "Yes, Commander Xun's article points out that this is a critical moment when Commander Cao and Yuan Shao are deciding the fate of the world, and we must not speak of giving up lightly!"
"Moreover, Yuan Shao is at most a bit stronger than an ordinary citizen. He relies on the prestige of his ancestors to unite many talents around him, but he has no ability to use them. My Lord is wise, sagacious, and insightful, surpassing him in all aspects. Why should you fear him? Since you don't need to fear him, why retreat?"
Speaking of which...
Xun You added, "My uncle's article is truly insightful. He mentioned that during the Chu-Han contention, they faced each other at Xingyang and Chengfu for so long, yet neither Gaozu nor Xiang Yu thought of retreating first!"
"Because whoever retreats first will inevitably lose the advantage. Currently, your army is less than thirty percent of Yuan Shao's, yet you have achieved consecutive great victories, firmly blocking Yuan Shao's advance and leaving him immobile. After half a year of stalemate, we are now at the final moment. At such times, the situation often undergoes major changes... rather than retreating, it is better to seek opportunities in change and strike a decisive blow!"
Persistence...
The entire article echoed its title—Persistence!
And this newspaper also greatly boosted Cao Cao's spirits. While not immediately like being injected with chicken blood, at least the thought of retreating was significantly curbed.
And as he continued to read...
The newspaper bore the title *Yuan Shao's Ten Crimes Memorial*—With extraordinary men, extraordinary deeds arise; with extraordinary deeds, extraordinary merits are established!
Still the familiar opening of Chen Lin's *Proclamation Against the Rebels*, still one thousand four hundred and fifty-three characters, not one more, not one less than the *Proclamation Against the Rebels*!
Equally eloquent and graceful...
But the protagonist this time had changed from Yuan Shao to Cao Cao...
The crimes attributed to Yuan Shao were a mixture of truth and falsehood, falsehood within truth, and truth within falsehood, making it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake!
Cao Cao read with immense satisfaction, crying out in relief.
And who else could have written this *Yuan Shao's Ten Crimes Memorial* besides Cai Yan, Cai Zhaoji?
A thorough scolding...
This *Yuan Shao's Ten Crimes Memorial* was simply brilliant, completely reviling Yuan Shao to the heavens!
If Xun Yu's article and Cai Zhaoji's proclamation had already reignited Cao Cao's fighting spirit and stirred the hope of persistence in his chest,
Then... the later part...
— "The defeat of Liu and Xiang, you know well. Emperor Gao of Han relied on wisdom alone; Xiang Yu, though strong, was eventually captured..."
A *Ten Victories and Ten Defeats Theory* signed by Guo Fengxiao, a lecturer at the Imperial Academy, made Cao Cao's entire being ignite.
Victory of the Way, Victory of Righteousness, Victory of Governance, Victory of Planning, Victory of Strategy, Victory of Virtue, Victory of Benevolence, Victory of Clarity, Victory of Culture, Victory of Military Might!
Especially the last sentence—"Commander Cao possesses these ten victories, and defeating the rebel Yuan Shao will be as easy as turning over one's hand!"
Hoo!
Cao Cao let out a long breath. He silently noted down the name "Guo Fengxiao." The article was brilliantly written, and the name was also brilliantly chosen!
It truly was... talent emerging from the Imperial Academy!
And it wasn't over yet!
After Guo Fengxiao's *Ten Victories and Ten Defeats Theory*, there was Jia Xu's *Four Victories Theory*...
This article, adhering to Jia Xu's consistent personality, was reserved and subtle...
It modestly proposed four points—
— "Commander Cao's wisdom surpasses Yuan Shao, his bravery surpasses Yuan Shao, his use of people surpasses Yuan Shao, and his decisiveness also surpasses Yuan Shao."
This was the beginning...
Thereafter, the entire article, through specific examples, Jia Xu fully elucidated these four points, making it enjoyable to read and convincing to hear...
The last paragraph, the last sentence, was the finishing touch.
— "Commander Cao may find it difficult, but the enemy will find it even more difficult. At this stage, it is a competition of persistence!"
Ho!
He was fired up. Cao Cao felt that his entire being was burning.
It was because of these articles in the newspaper that he was so invigorated.
Xi Zhicai added at the opportune moment, "This newspaper has been sent from Xudu to Si, Xu, Yan, and Yu... the soldiers have seen it and know the value of 'persistence,' they know that the bright lord will surely persist. Now, grain and fodder have merely been intercepted; it is far from the final moment! How can we speak of giving up so easily? Moreover... Situ Lu's plans are flawless. He mentioned that there would be a turning point, and he mentioned that a 'distinguished guest' would visit, so... so..."
Before Xi Zhicai could finish speaking...
Cao Cao suddenly rose.
At this moment, there was no longer any doubt in his eyes; his entire demeanor became exceptionally resolute and decisive! Bafeng Novel
He felt as if he had drunk a bowl of chicken soup. Was it poisonous? He didn't know if it was poisonous chicken soup, but... the retreating thoughts that had quietly risen in his heart instantly vanished!
Especially... especially the last sentence supplemented by Xi Zhicai.
Yu'er's plans were flawless. When had he ever not emerged from a desperate situation? Since he mentioned a turning point and a distinguished guest, then... the turning point and the distinguished guest would definitely appear.
At this moment, as a father, Cao Cao chose to believe his son unconditionally!
If we win, my son and I will celebrate together; if we lose, let Dad bear the burden!
Thinking this...
Cao Cao's eyes opened wide, becoming incredibly resolute. He immediately ordered, "Issue an order, telling the three armies that I, Cao Cao, know everyone has worked hard, but please rest assured, only half a month, just half a month, and I will surely defeat Yuan Shao! At that time, everyone can go home and rest well!"
Quenching Thirst by Imagining Plums...
Cao Cao's words were clearly a 2.0 upgraded version of "quenching thirst by imagining plums."
What would be the effect? Cao Cao didn't know!
But he knew that persistence... persistence was necessary!
If they retreated, it would certainly lead to a complete rout, but if they could hold on here, even for one more day, it would mean one more shred of belief, and perhaps... a miracle would appear!
So... the question arises!
Will a miracle appear? Does belief have a color?
Don't know...
— But, if miracles and belief had names, then... his name would definitely be...
...
...
Under the bright moon and sparse stars, at the gate of the Yuan army's camp...
A scholar stumbled out of the camp gate. He paused, cast one last look at the familiar Yuan camp gate, shook his head, then turned away... continuing forward.
At this moment...
Perhaps, he did not know!
His actions, the cries from the depths of his soul, were about to change the course of the next five hundred years of this world!
...
...