Seeing Zhang He's puzzled expression, Qiao Rui explained, "Cao Xiong must have used some kind of Taoist spell to escape from the battlefield."
This was the best explanation Qiao Rui could come up with. Zhang He had seen the Taoist spells of the Yellow Turban Army, so he could still accept it. It was not beyond his knowledge.
Richard's escape meant that the awakened ones of the Divine Court would lose their time in the Three Kingdoms.
Zhang He said, "Cao Xiong has escaped. Should we split up and search? If we let him go so easily, the lord will blame us. "
Qiao Rui said, "The lord's intention is to eliminate Cao Xiong's soldiers in Weixian. Cao Xiong's life is not important. Next, we need to combine our forces and cross the Yellow River to help the lord pursue Cao Cao. Once Cao Cao is dead, Henan will be pacified. "
Qiao Rui had Bai Xiaowen's Commander's Seal. Zhang He, Tian Yu, Murong Ping, and the other generals would listen to him.
The army moved south.
Qiao Rui, Han Xu, and Li Shuyi rode side by side on their horses. They chatted happily in the team channel.
"Cao Cao's plan of killing two birds with one stone was destroyed by Xiaowen in the end. It was done beautifully! Now that Cao Cao has been defeated, the awakened ones of the Divine Court have all left. We have a great advantage. "Li Shuyi was very excited.
Qiao Rui said, "We still can't let our guard down. After all, Cao Cao hasn't been killed yet. In addition, the Three Kingdoms are divided, and the other factions won't be easy to deal with … That's right, the person who called himself Alberta Gladley sent me a trade request before he left, and gave me an item. "
"A time bomb?" Li Shuyi joked.
Qiao Rui also laughed. Then, he showed the item to Li Shuyi and Han Xu in the team channel.
[Raven Messenger Scroll: Special Item. After using it, you can summon a magic raven and designate an ally (Awakened) to deliver information. The Magic Raven has 50 HP, but its Armor and Magic Resistance are set to zero by default. Its flight speed is fixed at 300 km/h and its flight range is 1000 km (687.4 km remaining). It can be summoned multiple times and can be charged with Mana Points. Remaining validity of the scroll: 82 days, 11 hours, 52 minutes, 07 seconds.]
"Is this … a free gift?" Li Shuyi blinked her eyes. "So generous? We should be standing on the opposite side of them. "
Qiao Rui shook his head and said, "I think that Alberta is willing to give us this Raven Messenger for free because they can tell that we aren't from the Starlink. After all, Shuyi was recognized by Ghost Ripper … From Alberta's perspective, it's very likely that we'll be able to unify the Three Kingdoms and enter the Interstellar Alliance as a new force. So it's not strange that he would do me a favor. After all, this raven messenger is useless to him. "
Li Shuyi was quite impressed. "This person is quite generous. If it were me, I wouldn't necessarily be willing to do such a favor."
Qiao Rui also nodded. The three of them had a good impression of Alberta Gladley.
Li Shuyi said with a smile, "I just fought with Ghost Ripper. My Omniscient Slash actually advanced."
Qiao Rui and Han Xu were pleasantly surprised. Li Shuyi then shared the effects of the advanced Omniscient Slash.
First of all, the casting speed was faster and the burden on the body was reduced. This wasn't a literal effect, but Li Shuyi's own feeling. Now, the interval between two Omniscient Slashes should be reduced to less than 20 seconds.
Then there was the literal description of the special effect. It added a "Shadow Shift" effect. The moment the Omniscient Slash was cast, two phantoms would appear at the same time to besiege the target. The phantoms wouldn't cause damage and could only exist for 0.5 seconds. Li Shuyi could switch places between the phantoms and herself.
"Didn't you draw the advanced special effect yourself?" Qiao Rui asked.
Li Shuyi said, "I think it's more like a kind of 'comprehension'. I only received the advanced Omniscient Slash after I comprehended the Shadow Shift. Unfortunately, although the special effect looks cool, it's actually useless. "
Qiao Rui said thoughtfully, "It seems like this is the special part of the awakening skill. It's a good thing that Shuyi advanced the Omniscient Slash. Even if there's no additional special effect, just the casting speed is faster and the burden on the body is reduced. It's already worth it. As long as you can master it, you'll be able to free up a skill slot and learn new skills. "
…
After Bai Xiaowen killed Xu Chu, he quickly passed through Baimajin and caught up with Cecilia. He bit the tail of Cao Cao's remaining troops and chased them relentlessly.
Cao Cao's defeated troops fled all the way to Yanzhou and came to Changyuan.
Cao Cao had no more strength to escape and could only enter Changyuan City to catch his breath. To be honest, this was not a good idea. Although Changyuan City was not a small city, it was not a strategic location and did not have enough food and soldiers.
However, Cao Cao had no other choice. After entering Changyuan City, he could only try to send more messengers to the various cities and prefectures to ask for more city guards to come and protect him.
Compared to Bai Xiaowen's thirty thousand elite soldiers, the defending troops of the various cities were nothing more than food.
Cao Cao knew this but he had no other choice. He could only hope that Xun You and the other strategists in Xudu could receive the urgent letter and send reinforcements from the other prefectures.
However, these messengers were all killed by Bai Xiaowen's winged cavalry.
Bai Xiaowen's 30 thousand troops surrounded Changyuan City.
This time, Cao Cao was really at his wit's end.
The city breaking battle was actually not that difficult.
The 30 thousand troops split into groups and attacked day and night.
Using his charisma, Cao Cao mobilized all the commoners and soldiers in the city to tear down houses and defend the city bitterly. Cao Cao himself even took the risk to climb up the city wall and lead the few Stalwart Tiger Guards to repel wave after wave of attacks.
However, Bai Xiaowen had too many troops.
Attacking in turns, the Cao army did not have any time to rest and was on the verge of breaking down.
Bai Xiaowen took the chance to use the Heart Confusion Talisman to control a Tiger Guard to open the city gates at night.
The 30 thousand troops surged into the city and shouted to capture Cao Cao alive.
Bai Xiaowen led the way to the County Magistrate's Manor north of Changyuan City and finally saw Cao Cao.
Cao Cao sat upright on a wooden platform that had been set up temporarily. His face was covered in soot, and he held the sheathed Heavenly Sword. The armor on his body was in tatters.
To be safe, Bai Xiaowen used Insight to confirm that this was the real Cao Cao and not a substitute. Only then did he relax.
The surrounding Yuan Army soldiers all moved out and surrounded the platform that Cao Cao was on.
Some people tried to climb up the platform to capture Cao Cao alive.
Cao Cao looked at Bai Xiaowen and laughed, "You and I are both heroes of the world. Now that the heroes have come to an end, victory is already in your grasp. Are you in such a rush? "
Bai Xiaowen waved his hand to stop the soldiers and said, "Zhuhu, we have to be in a rush."
Cao Cao laughed.
After laughing for a while, Cao Cao took out a wine pot and patted the wooden platform, "Can you drink with me?"
Gao Lan, Han Meng, and the other generals all stopped him, "Lord, Cao Cao is at his wit's end. Who knows what tricks he has up his sleeves. Please don't take the risk."
Bai Xiaowen got up and smiled, "I have heard that Cao Mende once discussed heroes with wine. It is my honor to be invited to drink with you."
He then ordered the surrounding soldiers, "Back off fifty steps."
Although Gao Lan and the others were a little worried, they still believed in Bai Xiaowen's ability and judgment.
Bai Xiaowen slowly walked up the platform, tidied his clothes, and knelt down opposite Cao Cao.
Cao Cao took out two bronze wine cups and filled them up. He looked at the slightly murky wine and said, "The person who killed Yuan Shao is my fourth son, Cao Xiong. This person is suspected to be an outsider and cannot be considered my son. "
Bai Xiaowen squinted his eyes. Did Cao Cao not see through his identity as an outsider? Or did he see through it but did not expose it?
Cao Cao continued, "Your father Yuan Benchu and I were originally best friends. In the end, we ended up meeting on the battlefield. What a pity."
Bai Xiaowen said, "The world changes. When a man loses his deer, heroes chase after it. There is no right or wrong."
Cao Cao clapped his hands and smiled, "Well said. Great minds think alike. Let's drink!" He raised the wine cup and drank it.
Bai Xiaowen also drank without hesitation.
Cao Cao personally held the pot and filled the wine cups, "Look at the platform and see the world. What do you see? "
Bai Xiaowen said, "Broken and desolate. There are starving people on the road."
This was not Bai Xiaowen guessing Cao Cao's thoughts. It was his true feelings. The turmoil at the end of the Han Dynasty caused the population to plummet. Not to mention less than one in ten, it would be good if one or two out of a hundred people survived.
One must know that when the Han Dynasty was prosperous, there were fifty to sixty million people in the country. However, when the three kingdoms returned to the Jin Dynasty, the total was only a few million.
When the three kingdoms were established, the population actually increased. After all, wars were not as frequent as when the three kingdoms were divided. Moreover, the three kingdoms were good at governance.
When the heroes were divided, it was the worst time.
Cao Cao sighed. "The heroes can only see the beautiful land. The people of the future will only see heroes rising to power. Only the righteous and kind will be able to see the tragic sight of rivers and mountains bleeding and the deaths of tens of thousands of people. The benevolence of the ruler deserves a drink. "
After that, Cao Cao raised the wine cup again to greet Bai Xiaowen.
Bai Xiaowen also raised the cup and the two drank again.
Cao Cao filled the cup for the third time and said, "Today, there are Ma Teng, Han Sui, Zhang Lu, Liu Zhang of Yizhou, Liu Biao of Jingzhou, Sun Ce of Jiangdong, and others who call themselves heroes. How do you pacify the world? "
Bai Xiaowen said, "First set the north and then the south."
Cao Cao nodded, "I have nothing else to say. This is the last cup to send me off. "
Bai Xiaowen got up and bowed. He raised the cup and drank it all.
Cao Cao also drank the third cup. He then passed a yellow cloth bag to Bai Xiaowen, "Thank you for sending me off. This is a small gift, please accept it. "
Bai Xiaowen did not understand, but he still took the yellow cloth bag.
Seeing that Cao Cao wanted to send him off, Bai Xiaowen did not stay. He held the yellow cloth bag and slowly walked down the platform.
Behind him, Cao Cao's voice sounded.
"There are righteous people in the Guan Dong who sent troops to fight evil.
In the beginning, they formed an alliance because their hearts were in Xianyang.
The army's strength was not united, and they hesitated.
Snobbery made people fight, and even killed each other.
The title of Huainan brother was carved in the north.
Armor grew lice, and ten thousand people died.
White bones were exposed in the wilderness, and there were no chickens for a thousand miles.
Out of a hundred people, one thought broke the intestines …
"Out of a hundred people, one thought broke the intestines! Out of a hundred people, one thought broke the intestines! "
Cao Cao repeated the last sentence three times. He then suddenly got up and unsheathed the Yitian Sword.
Bai Xiaowen suddenly turned his head.
Cao Cao pointed at Bai Xiaowen and said sternly, "You must unify the world and end the war!"
Bai Xiaowen nodded.
Cao Cao held his sword and slit his neck.
A hero of a generation, his soul returned to hell!
Bai Xiaowen had already guessed that Cao Cao would kill himself. The last two words of sending him off were already confirmed.
Even if Bai Xiaowen personally killed Cao Cao, he would not be able to get any valuable treasure chests. Why not just let him die? He could also gain some image points.
A Great Unified Battle Team did not really care about a golden treasure chest. For example, Bai Xiaowen cared more about the "influence" of the Great Unified Battle Team in the Three Kingdoms.
Bai Xiaowen opened the yellow cloth bag that Cao Cao gave him before he died.
Inside, there was a jade seal and a written letter. On the cover, it said, "My last words, to my sons Pi, Zhi, Zhang, and Chong. Everyone in the world can read it. "
This letter was not sealed with wax. It was obvious that Cao Cao was really magnanimous. Not sealing it meant that he allowed others to read it.
Since it was written that everyone in the world could read it, Bai Xiaowen naturally wanted to read it first. He took out the letter and read it once. He could not help but sigh.
Cao Cao left this letter to his sons to surrender. The wording was really strict. Whoever did not listen was not his son.
Such a letter still carried a lot of weight at the end of the Han Dynasty.
Bai Xiaowen sighed. Cao Cao used his life to prove that he was a hero who could let go of things.
It was not weird for him to leave such a letter.
Cao Cao did not have many civil servants and generals left. With Cao Cao's ability, he led many civil servants and generals and sent out an army but still could not beat Bai Xiaowen. The sons he left behind were even worse.
Relying on the city to defend, they could only delay for a while. In the end, the city would be destroyed and the people would die.
Letting his sons surrender would allow him to gain the forgiveness of Bai Xiaowen, or Yuan Xi. At the very least, it would not be a problem for them to become rich. If they were lucky, they might even be rewarded. More importantly, it would preserve the strength of the central plains in the north.
Maybe some people felt that Cao Cao's stubborn resistance to the end contradicted this letter. If he knew this would happen, he would have just surrendered.
Actually, this was not contradictory. This was Cao Cao.
Cao Cao was smart. He knew that Bai Xiaowen would not let him live. Hence, from start to finish, he did not even say a single word of surrender. He was also really rational. He knew that his death would allow his four sons to live.
Cao Cao was really selfish. He persisted until the last moment, using all the people to help him defend the city. He only gave up when there was no hope left.
Cao Cao was really magnanimous. He could afford to lose. Hence, he left this letter to Bai Xiaowen to unify the world.
Selfishness and magnanimity were not contradictory. This was where Cao Cao was really complicated.
"Cao Cao, Cao Cao, you have a good heart. If your four sons surrender, I will not harm their lives. However, will your sons be willing to obey his will and choose to surrender? "
Bai Xiaowen kept the yellow cloth bag and shook his head. If his four sons wanted to resist, they could say that this letter was fake.
Hence, Bai Xiaowen still needed to gather an army to enter Henan to give Cao Pi and the others enough pressure.
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