"Damn it!" As soon as Yuan Xi returned to the meeting hall, he threw his helmet to the ground and calculated the total number of casualties.
Xu You's vanguard army, Cao Cao's vanguard army had thirty thousand soldiers and horses. The Yuan army had left fifteen thousand soldiers and several thousand captives. This could be considered as a great victory. But if Yuan Shang, Yuan Xi's third brother had listened to Yuan Xi, then it would've been a great victory. Unfortunately, Yuan Shang was blinded by his victory. He didn't withdraw his troops when he should've. On the contrary, he was attacked by Great Halberd Warriors and Xu Huang's troops. Immediately, he lost his advantage.
Cao Cao's army was destroyed by 20,000 soldiers and his Yuan family's army was also destroyed by 10,000 soldiers. Among them, there were 1,000 new heavy armored soldiers. Cao Cao's army was 300,000 soldiers while his Yuan family's army was only 100,000. With such losses, before Cao Cao's army was destroyed, he would be finished first.
"Haha!" Yuan Shang didn't say anything. There was an awkward expression on his face. If he had listened to his second brother, he wouldn't have ended up like this. Now, his victory had been reduced.
"Ai, I say, third brother. Since second brother is the commander of the army, then you should support second brother's words! You are talking about the current situation! " Ai, ai! Yuan Tan was rejoicing in other people's misfortune. In any case, it was not his troops that were lost.
Yuan Xi's army was the weakest, while Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan were equally matched. Naturally, the two of them did not want the other to be the commander. If one of them had a bad idea and allowed his army to be exhausted by the other's army, wouldn't that be a loss?! Therefore, both of them compromised and let the weakest Yuan Xi be the commander.
If Yuan Xi had said a few words to Yuan Shang, Yuan Shang might not have been angry, because it was indeed Yuan Shang's fault. Moreover, Yuan Xi had done it for his own good, making him lose less troops. However, Yuan Tan was mocking and ridiculing him. It must be known that they were enemies half a month ago, killing each other. Being mocked by Yuan Tan, Yuan Shang immediately jumped up.
"Yuan Tan, I admit that I was wrong, but the ones who lost were my men. What are you yelling for?" Yuan Shang didn't give Yuan Tan any face and directly called him by his name.
"I'm reminding you to look at the bigger picture. If you continue like this, there's no point in fighting this battle. You'll lose all our armors and swords. You'll be the commander! Yuan Tan also spoke directly to Yuan Shang.
"I'll make up for the lost troops. It's just some armor and swords. If I run out, I'll just buy more! Yuan Shang said to Yuan Tan unhappily.
"Buy? Do you have money? "Yuan Tan asked.
"Who says I don't have money? Isn't it just over a thousand sets of armor and weapons? I still have some. " Yuan Shang waved his hand, and immediately, someone brought over hundreds of battle blades. Yuan Shang had an expression as if he didn't lack money.
"Sure! Yuan Shang, you actually went behind my and Second Brother's back to buy weapons and armor. What are you trying to do? "Yuan Tan accused Yuan Shang.
"I bought weapons and armor without permission? Then my dear Big Brother, I want to ask you, where did those weapons and armor in your camp come from? Did that Liaodong Gongsun Du get kicked in the head by a donkey and give them to you for free? " Yuan Shang didn't back down at all. He, Yuan Shang, had secretly bought weapons and armor. Didn't Yuan Tan buy them too? Since they had already shed all pretense of cordiality, he might as well say it out loud.
"Alright, enough!" Yuan Xi suddenly shouted. He pulled out the long sword in his hand and chopped the table in half with a single slash. Yuan Xi's eyes were full of anger. "Do you still have me in your eyes?" At this time, these two people were still fighting with each other. Yuan Xi's heart was really sad. Father, father, this is one of your sons, and the other is your most beloved son. You're both like a rat, and you're the tyrant in your nest.
"Big Brother, I don't care if you and Third Brother bought weapons and armor without permission! If you have the money, then go buy them. Third Brother, it was your fault this time, so you have to make up for the lost armor and weapons. Also, I want to tell you that this time is an exception. There will be no next time. If there is a second violation of military orders, then whoever wants to be the Commander-in-Chief can be the Commander-in-Chief. Yuan Xi was really angry. These two brothers didn't put him in their eyes at all. They were already doing things their own way. Cao Cao was eyeing them covetously from the outside, and they were also hostile to each other. There was no need to fight, just their own people were enough to kill each other.
"Second Brother, don't worry. As the commander, I have always listened to your words. If you tell me to go east, I will definitely not go west. It's just that some people may not listen to you!" Yuan Tan said as he looked at Yuan Shang and laughed mockingly.
"Humph, whether they listen or not, you don't have to worry about it. Second Brother, don't worry, there won't be a next time!" Yuan Shang also said a few words to Yuan Xi and was ready to leave. He really didn't want to stay here.
Yuan Tan looked at Yuan Shang's unhappy face and naturally felt comfortable in his heart. He also said goodbye to Yuan Xi and left.
"Ah!" Yuan Xi looked at his big brother and third brother and didn't know what to say. He just wanted to hold on for as long as he could.
…
In the camp of Cao Cao's army in Ji Province.
Cao Cao picked up a blood-stained sword in his hand and looked at the cold light on it. He couldn't help but murmur to himself, "Are these the new swords used by the Yuan family?"
"Yes, Milord! These are the swords used by the children of the Yuan family. They were the ones who defeated your vanguard. " Xu You finally became a lot more honest. In the past, he was arrogant because he had meritorious service. He could look down on anyone under Cao Cao and not give face to Cao Cao. But now, he couldn't. He had lost the battle, so he felt guilty. He no longer called him Ah Man but Milord.
Hearing Xu You's way of addressing him, Cao Cao couldn't help but sneer. He felt very comfortable in his heart. Xu You, aren't you arrogant? Cao Cao really didn't like this kind of arrogant person. In the past, Cao Cao had already dealt with one person. That person was Mi Heng, who dared to curse Cao Cao on the street. Cao Cao couldn't bear it. He couldn't kill him directly, so he sent him to Jingzhou. As expected, Huang Zu of Jingzhou killed Mi Heng, so Cao Cao's ears were no longer annoyed. Now that Xu You came again, Cao Cao couldn't kill him. He also couldn't send Cao Cao away like Mi Heng. After all, Xu You had contributed a lot to Cao Cao. Cao Cao wouldn't have been able to defeat Yuan Shao so quickly if it wasn't for Xu You. It could even be said that Cao Cao would have been defeated.
Cao Cao couldn't kill him directly because it would make people bitterly disappointed. Therefore, he couldn't kill him or send him away. He could only endure. Several times, Cao Cao couldn't help but want to chop Xu You up. Xu You gave Wu Chao advice. Xu You persuaded Ye City to surrender. Xu You appeased the nobles of Hebei. These contributions made Xu You more and more arrogant. Now that Xu You was defeated, he naturally became terrified. Cao Cao was also happy.
Cao Cao was very comfortable in his heart, but he was very calm. "Is that so?" The calmer Cao Cao was, the more frightened Xu You was.
"Men, bring the saber!" Cao Cao and the Yuan family brothers evaluated the saber. Sure enough, the result of the evaluation made Cao Cao's subordinates turn pale with fright. After the saber appeared, the weapons in Cao Jun's hands were like fire sticks. They were no match for this saber. Only Cao Cao's Cyan Rainbow Sword and Heavenly Sword could break it.
Cao Cao's army didn't have so many divine weapons like the Cyan Rainbow Sword and Heavenly Sword.
"How can we fight this war?" This was the thought in the hearts of the generals.
"Milord, there is no need to worry!" Guo Jia came forward. He had to speak because if he didn't, it would have a great impact on the morale of the army.
"Milord, although Mr. Xu You was defeated by the Yuan family brothers, at least General Xu Rong and General Zhang He won one battle and killed more than a thousand enemies." Guo Jia said to the generals. "This shows that the enemy is not invincible."
After hearing Guo Jia's words, Cao Cao's generals immediately felt more comfortable. Yes, although Xu You was defeated, Xu Rong and Zhang He won one battle. There was nothing to worry about. The reason why Xu You lost so miserably was because he was swallowed by the enemy. He wanted to wreak havoc in the stomach of the enemy, but he didn't expect that he would be almost melted by the stomach acid of the enemy.
"Milord, did you notice that these people who are holding the new sabers and armor are only a minority? There are probably only a few thousand of them! The Yuan family brothers haven't equipped the entire army. " Guo Jia said to everyone. When Xu You was surrounded, Guo Jia discovered that the unluckiest one was Xu You. He was cut like a vegetable by the enemy. As soon as he came in contact with the enemy, he was beaten silly. But whether it was Zhang He's great halberd warriors, Ferocious Cavalry, or even Xu Rong's troops, they didn't encounter the enemy who was holding the new type of saber. This showed that the enemy hadn't been able to equip the new type of saber to the whole army.
If the new sabers were equipped to the entire army, then Cao Cao's army wouldn't be able to fight. They had already tested it and found that three times the number of troops were needed to suppress the enemy. If the number was less than three times, then they would only be slaughtered.
"But even if the new sabers aren't equipped to the entire army now, then they will slowly equip the entire army!" A general stood up and said to Guo Jia.
Everyone nodded. These new weapons were probably just developed or equipped. If they were delayed, then sooner or later, they would be equipped to the entire army. At that time, how would they fight?
"No!" Guo Jia shook his head. "If these new weapons were made by the Yuan family brothers, then I'm afraid that they would have already taken them out to fight against us. Moreover, if these weapons were made by the Yuan family brothers, then do you think that with the relationship between Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan, they would share them?" Guo Jia asked. These new sabers must have been made using a new forging method. Guo Jia didn't know what this forging method was, but there was one thing that Guo Jia knew. Whether it was Yuan Tan or Yuan Shang, they didn't fully trust each other. They might even be thinking about how to kill each other if they could defeat Cao Cao.
And this forging method, if one side knew about it, then naturally, they wouldn't reveal it even if they died. Telling the enemy was just asking for trouble.
If this method wasn't thought of by the Yuan family brothers, then there was only one possibility. These new weapons were bought by the Yuan family brothers.
Who could be so generous to be able to sell such a divine weapon? Moreover, they sold thousands of them.
"Bought them?" Cao Cao's eyes also lit up. If they were bought, then it meant that he, Cao Cao, could also buy them?
"Milord, give up. I'm afraid that the person who bought these weapons could sell them to anyone, but the person who is least likely to sell them is you." Guo Jia poured a bucket of cold water on Cao Cao's head.
"Why is that? Why wouldn't he want to earn money? " Cao Cao was now rich and overbearing. He had Ji Province, Bing Province, Qing Province, Yan Province, and Zhili Province in his hands. It could be said that his wealth was comparable to that of a country. Businessmen conspired for profit, why wouldn't they want to earn money?
"Milord, although businessmen are treacherous, you have to know that the benefits you give are simply not enough!" Guo Jia shook his head. The Yuan family brothers were now blocked in Youzhou, and their connection with the Central Plains had been cut off. It was impossible for them to buy weapons from Cao Cao's territory. If these weapons were sold in Cao Cao's territory, then Cao Cao would have already equipped himself with these new weapons and armor. Similarly, Cao Cao wouldn't let these weapons and armor slip out.
The North? Which foreign tribes were in the North? How could barbarians like Wuwan and Xianbei make such weapons? Their weapons were sold to them by the Central Plains.
Then there was only one place left, that was Liaodong's Gongsun Du. Did Gongsun Du make these new weapons himself? Guo Jia also didn't believe it. This Liaodong King's ambition was not small at all. If he had such technology, perhaps he would have already expanded his territory instead of hiding in Liaodong.
Then there was only one person left.
"Yangzhou's King Of Shu, Liu Mang?" Cao Cao and Guo Jia glanced at each other and said this name with a wry smile.
Cao Cao and Guo Jia had already known that the sea route to Liaodong had been opened. This was also why Cao Cao changed his relationship with Gongsun Du from the Marquis and Wuwei General to Liaodong King. He wanted Liaodong King to give up the benefits of Yangzhou's King Of Shu, Liu Mang.
Now, Liu Mang, the King Of Shu, had transported weapons and grains to Liaodong by sea. Yuan family brothers were buying weapons, armor and grains from Liaodong. Frankly speaking, Liaodong Gongsun Du was a middleman. As long as the Yuan family had money, they could naturally buy weapons from Gongsun Du.
"What should we do now?" Cao Cao frowned. If the Yuan family brothers bought new weapons and armor from Liaodong step by step, it would be very difficult for Cao Cao to defeat the Yuan family brothers.
"Don't worry, my lord!" Guo Jia said to Cao Cao. "Although we can't buy those weapons from King Of Shu, Liu Mang, at least the Yuan family brothers wouldn't have too many of them. Such weapons wouldn't be cheap." Guo Jia explained to Cao Cao.
If these new weapons were cheap, with the Yuan brothers' current state, they would definitely be rich enough to equip their entire army with them. Although the Yuan family brothers had lost Bing Province, Qing Province, and Ji Province, they had brought all the wealth they plundered from these three places to Youzhou Province. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the two brothers were nouveau riche.
Such nouveau riche would naturally buy as many good things as they could find. However, such nouveau riche could only equip an army of a few thousand people. This showed that the value of those weapons and armor wasn't low.
After hearing Guo Jia's words, Cao Cao felt a little better. If the 100,000 Yuan family brothers were all equipped with such weapons and armor, Cao Cao would cry. Cao Cao's generals also breathed a sigh of relief. They just hoped that their troops wouldn't encounter the elite Yuan family soldiers.
"Alright!" Guo Jia said to the crowd. "Mr. Xu You, this time, we were able to find out about the new weapons of the enemy because of Mr. Xu You's contribution. My lord, you should be rewarded." Guo Jia looked at Cao Cao and Xu You.
"I don't dare, I don't dare!" Xu You lowered his head. However, he still felt very comfortable. Xu You naturally knew that by bringing back these new weapons, he would be able to make up for the mistakes of the vanguard army. However, he didn't expect that Guo Jia would ask Cao Cao to reward him. This was a benefit that exceeded Xu You's expectations. However, who wouldn't want benefits? Although Xu You lowered his head in humility, he still had an arrogant look on his face.
Looking at Xu You's arrogant look, Cao Cao subconsciously frowned. A look of disgust appeared on his face. He looked at Guo Jia in puzzlement. If it wasn't for Guo Jia, Cao Cao wouldn't have sent reinforcements to save Xu You. Now, Xu You would most likely have died in the hands of the Yuan family brothers. How could he still be standing in front of Cao Cao?
Cao Cao didn't use the Yuan family brothers to kill Xu You because he was afraid that the death of the vanguard army would have a huge impact on the morale of the army. However, this didn't mean that Cao Cao would reward Xu You. Xu You was already very arrogant. If he were to be rewarded, he would become even more arrogant.
Cao Cao saw that Guo Jia was winking at him. Thinking that Guo Jia wouldn't harm him, he nodded. "Yes, Ziyuan, this time you brought back the new weapons of the Yuan family's son. It helped us understand them and we won't be at a disadvantage in the following battles. This is a meritorious service. Come, reward Ziyuan with a hundred pieces of gold, a hundred pieces of silk and satin, and a pair of Eastern pearls!" Cao Cao wouldn't reward Xu You with an official position. Xu You already had the position of Governor of Ji Province. If Cao Cao promoted Xu You to an official position, it would only be Third Minister. If Xu You was promoted to that position, he would become even more arrogant.
"Thank you, Milord, for your reward!" Xu You beamed with joy. Not only did he lose the 30,000 troops, but he also received a reward. Who among you could be more appreciated by Cao Cao than I, Xu You? Ah Man, you are indeed my childhood friend. Xu You looked at the generals and officers of Cao Cao's army proudly. Can you compare with my relationship with Milord? We're childhood friends. We grew up together. I was even Cao Cao's second brother. Back then, Cao Cao used to follow me around. Xu You was proud.
On the other side, Guo Jia looked at Xu You and couldn't help but smile.
"Milord, since ancient times, those who have achieved great things have been clear about rewards and punishments. Milord, you are a wise Lord! Naturally, you will reward and punish more. "Guo Jia said to the crowd. Xu You added, "Mengde is indeed a wise Lord."
After being rewarded by Cao Cao, Xu You immediately changed the way he addressed Cao Cao and became proud again. From Milord to Mengde. Although it was said that ancient people called each other names to show a kind of intimacy, you should know where this place was. This was the camp of the Central Army. Cao Cao was the Lord and they were his subjects. Even if Guo Jia and Cao Cao had a close relationship, they still called Cao Cao "Milord" in this place because they were giving face to Cao Cao. However, Xu You was different.
Cao Cao's eyes flashed fiercely and Guo Jia on the side also showed a murderous look.
Xu You humiliated Guo Jia, but Guo Jia didn't care at all. He was a prodigal and was used to playing around. Anyway, he would just treat it as a dog barking. However, Xu You's attitude towards Cao Cao made the Guo family angry. Guo Jia didn't care about himself, but he couldn't ignore Cao Cao. Cao Cao was his best friend and he wholeheartedly wanted to help Cao Cao achieve great things. All those who stood in the way of Cao Cao's great things were his death ground.
But now Xu You didn't give Cao Cao any face and directly called him "Milord". Wasn't this shameful for Cao Cao? What about Cao Cao's dignity?
"Milord, since this reward has been given, then it should be a punishment!" Guo Jia changed the topic and immediately showed a murderous look. Xu You was shocked and subconsciously knew that something bad was going to happen. However, he was still calm in his heart. After all, Xu You was also a first-class counselor. If he didn't have the ability, he wouldn't have been chosen by Yuan Shao. However, Yuan Shao didn't expect that the one who betrayed him in the end was his most trusted aide.
"Punished? What kind of punishment? "Cao Cao and Guo Jia were singing a double act.
"Guards, take Xu You down!" Guo Jia suddenly changed his face and shouted to his subordinates.
"Yes!" Guo Jia and Cao Cao were close friends, so Cao Cao's personal guards also listened to Guo Jia.
"Let's see who dares?" Xu You finally knew where the uneasiness in his heart came from. It turned out that Guo Jia, Guo Fengxiao, wanted to kill him. After Xu You's shout, Cao Cao's personal guards really didn't dare to do anything to Xu You.
Because Xu You was also Cao Cao's close friend, his status was not low. If they could really kill him, it would be fine. If they couldn't, Guo Jia wouldn't have much to do with it. However, these personal guards would be unlucky.
"Guo Jia, Guo Jia, what do you want?" Xu You said to Guo Jia sternly.
"Nothing! Mr. Xu You, as you said, our master is a wise man. Therefore, as a wise man, he should be fair in his rewards and punishments. You will be rewarded for your merits and punished for your mistakes! "Guo Jia said to Xu You with a smile.
"Punishment? Humph! Guo Jia, Guo Fengxiao, although I have made mistakes, my merits and demerits offset. My Vanguard Battalion was defeated because I underestimated the enemy, but I also brought the new weapons and armor of the Yuan family's son! "Xu You defended himself.
"Yes, merits and demerits can offset!" On the other side, Cao Cao also spoke. He was not speaking to Xu You, but to Guo Jia. On the surface, he was defending Xu You, but in fact, he was asking Guo Jia if he had the confidence to kill Xu You.
"My lord, merits and demerits can be offset, but there is something strange that can't be offset." Guo Jia winked at Cao Cao. Cao Cao immediately understood what Guo Jia meant. Guo Jia was full of confidence.
"What is it?" Cao Cao pretended to be puzzled and asked.
"Men, bring that thing here!" Guo Jia shouted to his men.
"Yes!"
As soon as he heard Guo Jia's words, Xu You suddenly understood what Guo Jia was talking about. He opened his eyes wide. Sure enough, what Guo Jia asked his men to bring was what Xu You was most worried about. "A military pledge!"
"No!" Xu You roared in his heart.
"Mr. Ziyuan! A military pledge is important in putting pressure on oneself and leaving no room for retreat. People with a little common sense know that there is a great risk in making a military pledge, because there is no joking in the army. Once a military pledge is made in black and white, it must be honored. If you break your promise, it will not be good! " Guo Jia looked at Xu You with a smile, but in front of Xu You, he was like a demon.
"Guo Jia, you set me up!" Xu You pointed at Guo Jia and shouted.
"Mr. Ziyuan, how can you say that?" Guo Jia felt wronged. "Mr. Ziyuan wanted to fight the first battle of the army. Did Guo Jia stop you?" Not only did Guo Jia not stop Xu You, but the other generals also wanted to fight the first battle and did not hesitate to write a military pledge.
"Even Guo Jia recommended Mr. Ziyuan to the Lord! How can this be Mr. Ziyuan's? " Guo Jia asked innocently. "Mr. Ziyuan, you just failed the Lord, Guo Jia and the other generals." Guo Jia said expressionlessly.
"Guo Jia!" Xu You finally realized that Guo Jia must be looking for an opportunity to kill him. If Xu You won, then it didn't matter, but if he lost, then he was finished. "I know, I know, you are jealous of my talent and my friendship with Meng De!"
Xu You's words made several generals at the side want to laugh. Indeed, Xu You and Cao Cao were childhood friends. But you must know that Cao Cao and Cao Aman at that time were nothing more than a scapegoat. They didn't have any fun with him and he was the scapegoat. He was called the scapegoat.
Yuan Shao and others peeked at the widow taking a bath, Xu You kept a lookout, Yuan Shao peeked, and our Cao Cao was a half-kneeling Yuan Shao's chair.
Yuan Shao and others stole the bride, Yuan Shao flirted with the bride, and Xu You may also benefit, but Cao Cao was the one who was chased by others, because he was fat and couldn't run fast.
You said that all the benefits were yours, but Cao Cao was a scapegoat. How could he have a good relationship with Xu You in such a childhood? Obviously, it was impossible. But Xu You and Guo Jia were different. Cao Cao's current achievements were attributed to two counselors. One was Xi Zhicai, a great talent. Cao Cao was able to pacify Yanzhou and recruit soldiers. It was a pity that Xi Zhicai died young, otherwise, Cao Cao's power would be greater.
The second one was Guo Jia. Before Xi Zhicai died, he recommended Guo Jia to Cao Cao. Guo Jia helped Cao Cao take Xuzhou, defeat Yuan Shu, take Zhili, and get the Han Emperor. Even the general situation of Hebei now had Guo Jia's shadow. How could the relationship between Cao Cao and Guo Jia not be good?
The two were almost inseparable. Cao Cao would take Guo Jia to eat and sleep. To put it bluntly, Guo Jia accompanied him all the time.
Looking at Xu You's hysterical appearance, Cao Cao couldn't bear it. After all, Xu You used to be his childhood friend. Guo Jia also saw Cao Cao's unbearable face and wanted to remind Cao Cao that a man who wanted to achieve great things couldn't be merciful. He must be very serious.
But it was obvious that Guo Jia's actions were in vain. Guo Jia didn't even need to remind Cao Cao.
Xu You directly killed himself. "Ah Man, Ah Man, save me, save me. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. Ah Man, I helped you win Guandu, I helped you persuade Ye City to surrender, and I helped you take Jizhou. Ah Man, save me. I can also help you take down the two children of the Yuan family. Without me, you can't do it, Ah Man!" Xu You shouted loudly, hoping that Cao Cao couldn't bear to let him live.
"Haha!" Guo Jia laughed. Xu You really killed himself.
Humans are strange creatures. There's a saying that goes, 'Bestow kindness and hate hatred'. It means that if you treat a person too well, the friendship will slowly turn into hatred.
This was not a joke. It was just like owing a debt. If a person kept lending you money, and the more he lent you, the more you couldn't afford to pay him back. What would you do? If you wanted to live, then there was only one way, and that was to kill the person who lent you money. Only when he was dead could you be free of debt. Only when he was dead could you live. If you didn't kill him, then you had to prepare to repay the debt for the rest of your life.
And now, Xu You's contributions to Cao Cao made Cao Cao have an impulse to repay the debt. In the battle of Wuchao, without Xu You, Yuan Shao might have gone to Yanzhou and Xudu. Cao Cao could only burn himself. This was a great contribution.
When he knew that Xu You came from Yuan Shao, Cao Cao welcomed him barefoot. This showed how urgent it was at that time.
Later, in the battle of Ye City, although Yuan Shao lost at Guandu, the foundation of Jizhou was still there. If Yuan Shao calmed down a little and reorganized his army, he could have defeated Cao Cao's army head-on and even wiped out Cao Cao.
Unfortunately, Yuan Shao fainted. Even so, the defense of Ye City was not something Cao Cao could break. At that time, Cao Cao's own Yanzhou Army only had less than 20,000 soldiers. The other 70,000 to 80,000 soldiers were all surrendered soldiers. If someone instigated them, it would be a mutiny. Therefore, Ye City had to end the battle quickly. Once the stalemate continued, Cao Cao would still be dead. It was impossible for this group of newly recruited soldiers to be loyal to Cao Cao. Once they saw that it was impossible to take down Ye City and defeat their old lord, Yuan Shao, they might be afraid that Yuan Shao would wake up and seek revenge. It was very likely that they would rebel before the battle.
It was Xu You who personally went to Ye City and persuaded the general of Ye City to surrender. He made the general of Ye City give up resistance and let Cao Cao's army enter the city. Yuan Shao's army was caught off guard and did not have any time to rest.
After that, Ye City was taken down. Cao Cao's original plan was to rely on Ye City to delay Yuan Shao's army. Even if Ye City was destroyed, it would still be Yuan Shao's territory. At least his Zhili Xuzhou and Yanzhou would be safe. Cao Cao wanted to do his best to govern his old territory.
However, he did not expect Xu You to be so powerful again. He went to lobby again. This time, he did not lobby other people, but the most powerful group of people in Jizhou. He persuaded these nobles to rely on Cao Cao and at least not help the Yuan family. These nobles originally planned to join Cao Cao's army and help Cao Cao take back Jizhou because they did not know how Cao Cao would deal with the local nobles in Jizhou. It was just like how Jiangdong's Little Conqueror surrendered to Yangzhou's King Of Shu, Liu Mang. These nobles immediately panicked. They were afraid that the King Of Shu, Liu Mang, would deal with them. It should be known that they used to support Jiangdong's Sun Ce to fight against the King Of Shu, Liu Mang.
These nobles also had the same idea. They were also afraid that Cao Cao would deal with them. Instead of being frightened, it was better to join forces with Yuan Shang and kill Cao Cao first.
At this time, Xu You took action. As the head of the Xu family in Jizhou, he went to visit dozens of nobles, big and small. He almost described Cao Cao as a good person and persuaded those nobles not to be stubborn. Even Yuan Shao was not Cao Cao's opponent. How could Yuan Shang, the youngest son, win against Cao Cao?
Some of these nobles agreed, but most of them no longer supported Yuan Shang. They just watched the battle and waited to see who would win between Cao Cao and Yuan Shang. When the time came, they would wait for the best price.
It was because of the lack of support from the local nobles in Jizhou that Yuan Shang became more and more entangled. In the end, he was driven out of Jizhou by Cao Cao and lost Bingzhou.
Therefore, for Cao Cao to pacify Hebei, Xu You was a man who would do his best until his death.
How could Cao Cao reward him? Now, Xu You already had the position of Governor of Jizhou. If he rewarded him again, he would become one of the Three Dukes. Cao Cao was just the Minister of Public Works. How could he let Xu You be on the same level as him?
Since he could not afford it, he might as well not pay it back. Once the creditor died, he would not owe anything, right?
Originally, Cao Cao had some sympathy for Xu You, but it suddenly turned into a killing intent. This creditor must be killed. What's more, this creditor acted like a Huang Shiren, saying that if you owe me money, you are a grandson. This made Cao Cao want to kill Xu You again.
Originally, Cao Cao had some scruples because if he killed such a meritorious person, it might cause an uproar in the world. What would others think of him? But now, it was different. Cao Cao had an excuse. That was the military order. It was written in black and white. Xu You could not deny it. If he killed Xu You, no one could say anything.
Cao Cao's face already had a ferocious look, but it disappeared in a flash. Then, Cao Cao began to cry.
Yes, he cried! Everyone who was able to sit on the throne of a Marquis was not a good-for-nothing. Apart from those who inherited their father's family business, which one of them didn't crawl out from a sea of people? Therefore, each and every one of them was a cunning old fox. Tears would flow out at a moment's notice.
"Ziyuan! You are my best friend. You are the closest person to me. F * ck you, f * ck you, f * ck you, f * ck you, f * ck you, f * ck you, f * ck you, f * ck you, f * ck you! "
On the surface, it was a brotherly love. Cao Cao had deep feelings for Xu You, but Xu You's heart was completely cold. In the past, Cao Cao also cried for his father Cao Song like this. What was the final result? Cao Cao died, and Cao Cao got Xu Province.
"A Man! Mengde, you can't! "Xu You opened his eyes wide and begged Cao Cao.
Cao Cao approached Xu You and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Ziyuan, you know what? The name A Man is too annoying. I swore that I would kill whoever called me that name again. "
Cao Cao's nickname was A Man. Why was he called that? It was said that in the area of Haozhou, there was a strange custom since ancient times, that is, people with noble names were cheap. Many children were not named until they were twelve years old. They were afraid that the King of Hell would see the child's name in the Book of Life and Death and take the child to another world. Some people gave their child a cheap name, so as not to attract the King of Hell's attention. Therefore, some children were named A Gou, and some were named A Mao, in the hope that the child could grow up safely. Cao Cao's father Cao Song was originally a member of the Xiahou family. Because the Cao family had no offspring and the Xiahou family had a good relationship with the Cao family, the Xiahou family gave their youngest son to the Cao family, who was the future Cao Cao. Cao Song later grew up and gave birth to Cao Cao. The Cao family was really ecstatic and treated Cao Cao as a treasure. Similarly, because they were afraid that the King of Hell would take away Cao Cao, the Cao family never gave him a name. Unfortunately, this time, it was the Xiahou family's turn to be unable to give birth to a son. The Cao family was very worried that the Xiahou family would take Cao Cao back. Therefore, they hid Cao Cao. But no matter how much they hide and deceive, they should still give Cao Cao a name! Even the Huang family's bitch next door gave birth to a puppy with the name 'Xiao Hei'. Don't tell me I have to call Cao Cao 'Xiao Bai'? But as long as Cao Cao was mentioned, the Cao family always hid and vaguely said that, after a long time, they simply called Cao Cao "A Man". This is the origin of Cao Cao's nickname "A Man"!
Xu You called his boss Cao Cao dog, so if Cao Cao didn't kill him, who would he kill?
"No, no, you can't, Cao Cao, you can't!" Xu You still wanted to struggle. "Cao Cao, if you kill me, I will tell you everything." Cao Cao did too many ridiculous things when he was a child. If Xu You publicized it, it would naturally damage Cao Cao's reputation, just like how Cao Cao treated Chen Gong.
Cao Cao wanted to get Chen Gong, so he appreciated Chen Gong very much. Even if Chen Gong scolded Cao Cao, Cao Cao could tolerate it. But if Chen Gong publicized Lv Boshe to others, then Cao Cao would not let Chen Gong go.
"Ziyuan, if you die today, then you will still be my loyal subject. Your Xu family and our Cao family will still be family friends. However, if you resist, then the Xu family will be annihilated by the bandits or the rebel army!" Cao Cao softly said to Xu You.
"Haha, haha!" Xu You's face had completely lost the desire to survive. He knew that he was going to die today. "A Man, this is the last time I'm calling you. I used to think that Benchu was a wise leader, a scheming person, and our leader, but I found that I was wrong. You're our leader! You're the one who's scheming! " Before Xu You died, he suddenly figured out a lot of things. For example, when he and Yuan Shao went to peek at the widow taking a bath, Cao Cao used to be the chair and looked at the widow taking a bath with Yuan Shao on his back while Xu You was the lookout.
What was the reason for their escape? It was because Cao Cao fell down, and Yuan Shao also fell down. Finally, they were found by the widow and were chased and beaten. Yuan Shao didn't say it at that time, but now Xu You knew. Yuan Shao must not have seen the widow taking a bath that day, and he was very unlucky. Yuan Shao fell down from above, so it was naturally more painful. Cao Cao only fell down in a half-squatting position, and in the end, he was just a little dirty.
Cao Cao, if he couldn't get Cao Cao, no one else could. Yuan Shao was the one who took the blame for peeping at the widow taking a bath. Because Yuan Shao was the leader of the group of playboys, people only talked about the playboy Yuan Benchu, but they didn't think of the little black fatty Cao Cao behind Yuan Benchu.
Cao Cao benefited from snatching the bride. Yuan Shao and Xu You ran ahead. Cao Cao was too fat to run, but Cao Cao did it on purpose. With Yuan Shao, Xu You, and Cao Cao's family affairs, which family dared to kill Cao Cao? Dared to send them to the government? They were all the children of officials. Which government wouldn't give them face?
The bride's family could only grit their teeth and swallow their grievances. Since the bride was taken away, the husband's family would abandon her, and their reputation would be ruined. Over there, Yuan Shao and Xu You had run away, leaving only this dark-skinned fat man.
Naturally, they could only let the black fatty take her home as a concubine. So in the end, Cao Cao was the one who was proud.
"Ah Man, do you still remember that time, you, me, and Benchu? I want to go back to that time. You and I were best friends, and we didn't have to plot against each other! "Xu You said kindly when he was about to die.
But that was a time that Cao Cao didn't want to recall. "If you miss Benchu, go down and find him!" Cao Cao stood up, wiped away the tears on his face and cupped his fists towards Xu You. "Ziyuan, Cao Cao is incompetent and cannot save you. Military law is merciless. Cao Cao can only reluctantly part with what he loves. But Ziyuan, rest assured. Your family is Cao Cao's family and your children are Cao Cao's children. Cao Cao will be filial to your parents. Men, drag Xu You and Xu Ziyuan down and behead them according to military law! "
"Yes!"
"Haha, haha!" Xu You's laughter came from afar and suddenly stopped.
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