Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3788 One should press on with one effort, then weaken, and finally exhaust oneself.
Heluo.

Cao Cao's army camp stretched for miles, surrounding the dilapidated city of Luoyang like a black tide.

Inside the central command tent, the flickering candlelight illuminated Cao Cao's increasingly aged face.

Some say that power is a panacea that can make people young again. In some ways, there seems to be some truth to that. Most people in high positions of power, once they relinquish them or realize that their power is gone, will appear particularly old or decayed.

Cao Cao seems to be no exception.

Alone within the central command tent, he shed the imposing presence of the commander-in-chief of the daytime army, and at this moment, he was simply an old man etched with the marks of time.

Military newspapers lay open on the table, the ink still wet.

After Cao Cao's army entered the He-Luo region, Cao Cao felt a sense of dread with every step forward. It was true that after Cao Cao's army approached Luoyang, the generals of the Flying Cavalry under Zao Zhi, such as Huang Zhong and Du Ji, retreated back to Luoyang city, abandoning even the smaller towns surrounding Luoyang, rather than engaging Cao Cao's army in a war of attrition…

Cao Cao's plan seemed to have succeeded, but he preferred these people to fight him directly!

The tactics for large armies and small units are completely different.

After so many battles with the Flying Cavalry, Cao Cao had mastered many ways to deal with them. Whether it was like Yuan Shao's method of interspersing long halberds and crossbows in the infantry line, or using large shields and supply wagons to form a wagon formation, or using temporary tripwires and caltrops, as long as the speed of the Flying Cavalry could be slowed down, the main force would have the opportunity to surround and capture Zao Zhi's troops.

Cao Cao's only worry was the appearance of the main force of the Flying Cavalry...

Facing the map marking the terrain around Luoyang, Cao Cao stared at it for a long time until an attendant relit the candle, which brought him back to his senses.

"Step down."

Cao Cao dismissed the attendants in the tent and stood alone, lost in thought, staring at the flickering candlelight.

Outside the tent, the autumn wind was bleak, making the military flags flutter. Occasionally, a gust of wind would drift into the tent, causing the candlelight to flicker and also ruffling his somewhat graying beard and hair.

At some point, Cao Cao succumbed to sleep and finally fell into a deep slumber on his desk...

In the dream, Cao Cao was suddenly transported back to Luoyang City, many years ago.

In my dream, the Cao family mansion in Luoyang City swayed uncertainly in the light and shadow.

Cao Cao realized this was a dream, but when he saw the young Cao Cao kneeling before his father Cao Song, he was stunned...

He suddenly didn't want to wake up so soon.

He stood outside the door, looking at his younger self inside the hall, and at the figure of his father, Cao Song.

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows on his youthful face.

That was a time when the world was on the verge of chaos, but before it descended into complete disarray.

"Father," Cao Cao's young voice still carried a hint of immaturity, yet it contained an undisguised ambition, "I intend to go to Qiao County to recruit soldiers and horses to adapt to the changing situation."

Cao Song listened quietly as his son finished speaking, his eyes fixed on him for a long time before he slowly raised his head. It seemed he was asking not only the young man kneeling in the hall, but also the older son standing outside the door, "My son, what are your intentions? If things fail, where will you place the Cao family?"

Cao Cao's heart pounded as he stood outside the door!

Then, it sank.

In his youth, he believed he could accept any price, but in his later years, he knew that the heavy price had already bent him over...

The Cao family...

Xiahou clan...

Not only his father, his children, but also his brothers, his clansmen...

"..." Cao Cao remained silent. He only heard the young Cao Cao in the hall lower his head and answer in a reluctant voice, "I haven't decided yet. But this opportunity is too good to miss. If Father doesn't agree, then so be it."

He lied!

He knew that his younger self had lied!
It wasn't that he hadn't thought it through; rather, he felt he was willing to go all out!

Go all out!
But now, in his dream, Cao Cao clearly saw the complex emotions flashing in his father's eyes...

Now he can understand why his father had such a complicated expression back then.

Cao Song remained silent for a long time, seemingly looking at Cao Cao outside the hall, or perhaps seeing nothing at all, before finally speaking: "You may go now. Your father... gives his permission..."

"Yes!" The young Cao Cao kowtowed excitedly, his forehead striking the bluestone floor with a heavy thud. He rose and left, eager to realize his ambitions.

"Aman!" Cao Song suddenly called out to his son, who had already reached the door, "You...you'd better take care of yourself..."

The young Cao Cao responded and passed by the old Cao Cao without turning his head.

In his youth, he was blind to nothing but burning ambition.

In his dream, Cao Cao saw his father's figure gradually swallowed by the shadows of the room, as if being devoured by the darkness of fate. He took two hurried steps forward, wanting to enter the hall, but saw his father in the shadows, his entire body covered in blood, blood flowing from his seven orifices, staring intently at Cao Cao in his dream, his voice echoing like from the depths of hell, "If we fail, where will you place the Cao family?!"

"Father!"

Cao Cao suddenly woke up, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

The candlelight inside the tent was almost gone, flickering uncertainly in the pre-dawn darkness.

He was breathing heavily; the dream felt so real, as if it had just happened...

Outside the tent came the orderly footsteps of night patrol soldiers, and the occasional neighing of warhorses in the distance.

All of this reminded him that he was not in his old Cao family mansion, but on the battlefield where the army was approaching Luoyang.

He slowly sat up straight and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

His gray hair and beard looked particularly striking in the dim light.

So many years have passed, and only now does he truly understand the emotions contained in his father's last gaze that afternoon.

"Take care of yourself..."

Cao Cao muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the empty military tent.

These four words were Cao Song's last words of advice.

It seems that back then, Cao Song already realized what fate Cao Cao's departure would bring to the Cao family and to Cao Song himself...

Or it might just be a casual remark, like "Have a safe trip, don't drink and drive..."

Cao Cao got up, walked to the tent entrance, and lifted the curtain.

The east was already showing the first light of dawn, and the dilapidated outline of Luoyang City was faintly visible in the morning light.

The autumn wind swept in, carrying the bloody scent unique to the battlefield.

Regret?
Cao Cao asked himself this question.

If they had heeded their father's subtle advice and lived a quiet, wealthy life, perhaps the Cao family wouldn't have suffered so many calamities later on. Their father wouldn't have died tragically, their younger brother Cao De wouldn't have been murdered, their eldest son Cao Ang wouldn't have perished, and the brothers of the Cao and Xiahou clans wouldn't have met such a tragic end.
Cao Cao suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart.

The faces of these lost loved ones flashed before my eyes one by one.

But without the choices made back then, where would the Cao family's current empire come from? Where would they have their half of the country? Where would they have the power to "hold the emperor hostage and command the princes"?

"I...have no regrets."

Cao Cao spoke softly, as if trying to convince himself, but his words sounded so pale and powerless in the chilly morning breeze.

Is it that you truly have no regrets, or that you can no longer have regrets?
As the commander-in-chief of the three armies and the head of the Cao family, he no longer had the right to regret his actions. Just like when he left the Cao family mansion, having chosen this path, he could only continue walking it until the end of his life.

He recalled his father's final figure swallowed by shadows, and suddenly understood. Over the years, he had always dreamt of his father at the most crucial moments, not out of guilt, but out of fear…

He fears that he too will eventually be swallowed up by the shadow of the times and forgotten by future generations, just like his father.

The older you get, the stronger this fear becomes.

In my youth, I was fearless, believing that human will could conquer nature. Now, with my hair turning gray, I realize how insignificant an individual's power is in the face of the tides of history.

But what comes after fear and terror?

Cao Cao took a deep breath; the cold air made him much more awake.

He did not back down; instead, it made him even calmer.

Just like when he faced Yuan Shao's army, fear actually helped him see the situation more clearly.

Fei Qian's strength lies in its cavalry, its technology, and its new technologies in artillery and gunpowder. However, Fei Qian's weakness also lies in these areas.

Cavalry costs money, technology costs money, and gunpowder and artillery cost even more money!

The cannons roared, deafening the heavens and the earth, but could the gunpowder from the cannons keep roaring like that forever?

Once the supply lines are cut off, the Flying Cavalry will surely come to the aid of Heluo! And how long has Fei Qian been occupying this newly conquered territory?

If there is even a slight delay, the area will inevitably repeat itself!

Even if there was no "repetition," Cao Cao had ways to make it "repetition," and as for the process in which...

"The people are the foundation of the state..."

Cao Cao pondered these four words and revealed a bitter smile.

He was well aware of this principle, but in chaotic times, sometimes extraordinary measures were necessary. If he hadn't established his authority by massacring the city of Xuzhou back then, how could he have intimidated the surrounding areas? Killing was indeed a means, but when used too often, it became a habit, a system, and a reason and excuse to justify himself.

Different choices lead to different paths.

Cao Cao lacked Fei Qian's vision that transcended his time, and could only follow his own path.

As dawn broke, shouts and commands echoed through the military camp.

A new day has begun, and the day of the decisive battle is drawing near.

Cao Cao turned around and went back into his tent, where he began to put on his armor.

The cold iron armor pressed against his body, sending a chill down his spine.

As he fastened the last buckle, the hesitant, sentimental Cao Cao of the night had vanished, replaced by the composed and dignified Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty.

Yes, he will be afraid, he will regret, and he will dream of his deceased father.

But none of this will affect his judgment or shake his resolve.

Even ruthless heroes are human, but the difference between them and ordinary people is that they can bury their emotions deep in their hearts and continue to move forward.

"Pass down the order," Cao Cao said to his guards, "that Ji Quan must expedite the preparations and block the Tongguan Pass, preventing the Guanzhong cavalry reinforcements from entering the Heluo region!"

"only!"

The guard bowed and accepted the order, then hurried away.

Cao Cao stepped out of the tent, the morning sun shining on him.

He lowered his gaze slightly, looking at the long shadow cast beside him.

A sudden chill ran through him; he felt as if his father had been swallowed by the shadows years ago, and one day, he too might be swallowed by them…

But before that, he still had unfinished business to complete.

Not only must we capture Luoyang and ambush the cavalry reinforcements, but we must also continue to fight Fei Qian.

This was not only for power and the country, but also to prove that his choice back then was not wrong.

"Father, just you wait and see," Cao Cao murmured to himself. "I will prove that the decision I made back then was right."

Even he himself wasn't sure how much of that statement was sincere and how much was just self-comfort.

This is the loneliness of a powerful and ruthless leader.

……

……

Tongguan Ban Road.

The autumn colors in the Heluo region are growing stronger, and the desolate and bleak atmosphere is becoming increasingly intense.

Xiahou Wei personally led his troops to the designated location.

This place is not far from where Cao Cao's army camp at Tongguan was located, and traces of the battles of the past are still visible.

The terrain here is treacherous, with a high loess plateau on one side and a large river on the other, with a narrow, winding slope in the middle, making it an excellent place to set up an ambush.

He immediately ordered his soldiers to deploy defenses along the mountain slopes, setting up antler traps and pitfalls, and positioning archers at high points.

Just as Cao Cao had predicted, there were not many cavalry units left in the Heluo region. The few remaining soldiers and horses were holed up in the city. Was this because the cavalry was no longer able to resist, or was it a trap that had been dug?

Xiahou Wei was also unsure.

"General," Deputy General Zhang reported, "as you instructed, a team has been dispatched to excavate at the foot of Niushouyuan Mountain."

Xiahou Wei nodded, his gaze sweeping across the rolling mountain range. "Come with me to take a look."

The group rode their horses along the mountain path, and after about an hour, they arrived at the foot of Niushouyuan Mountain, at a gully on a loess plateau.

The area was overgrown with weeds and seemed desolate, but following the map provided by Cao Cao, Xiahou Wei quickly led his men to the burial site and ordered them to dig.

As the soil was shoveled away, a cave on the side of the loess plateau gradually came into view.

The soldiers filed in and soon brought out bundles of weapons and armor that were still in relatively good condition, wrapped up in packages.

The Loess Plateau is relatively dry, so the weapons did not have severe rust and could be used directly.

In particular, the arrows and crossbow bolts were still largely intact, replenishing the Cao army's urgent needs.

Xiahou Wei let out a breath. He had led his soldiers lightly armed, intending to block the Flying Cavalry coming out of Tongguan Pass; without these supplies, they really couldn't succeed!

The most eye-catching feature is the dozens of specially made centipede ladders.

This ladder was modeled after the tools used by the Flying Cavalry to climb the loess plateau. It was made of tough bamboo and wood, with densely packed steps like centipede legs. It could be folded flexibly, making it easy to carry and quickly assembled into a powerful tool for climbing steep slopes.

"The Prime Minister is truly a master strategist," said Deputy General Zhang, stroking the centipede ladder. "He actually prepared such a powerful weapon here in advance..."

Xiahou Wei didn't respond, but silently examined the instruments.

He hadn't participated in the Battle of Tongguan, but seeing these excellent weapons before him, a question couldn't help but arise in Xiahou Wei's mind...

"General..." a trusted guard couldn't help but ask, "I have a question... Since our army has gained the upper hand in the Heluo region, why not first attack those smaller counties within Hongnong Commandery? For example, Mianchi and Xin'an... These places are poorly defended and would be easy to take."

Xiahou Wei glanced at his trusted confidant. "How many men do we have? To attack these counties? Even if we take them, what's the use? The walls are low, the population sparse, and the granaries empty. Even if we capture them, can we hold them? How many troops will we need to garrison them?"

The guard hesitated, saying, "But...it would expand the area under our control..."

"Control my ass!" Xiahou Wei couldn't help but curse. "These counties were nothing more than transit points for the cavalry's supplies before, and now they don't even have a drop of supplies left! We can't defend them, and we gain nothing from attacking them; taking them would only make them a burden."

"Apart from places like Shanxian, Shanjin, and Xiaopingjin..." Xiahou Wei said, "but those are places where Military Advisor Xun went, they have nothing to do with us..."

Xiahou Wei said, "Our most crucial task now is... whether we can block the reinforcements from the Flying Cavalry! If the reinforcements from Guanzhong send troops eastward, these counties will merely be stepping stones on their path. Conversely, if I can stop the Flying Cavalry here, those counties will fall on their own without a fight, and we won't need to waste our troops and soldiers."

The trusted guard still had doubts: "But if we leave it unchecked, wouldn't that give the Flying Cavalry a supply depot?"

"What supplies? They're all gone!" Xiahou Wei exclaimed. "We burned the villages and drove those lowly people into the city... Now they have no food supplies outside the city, and they're starving inside! What supplies are they thinking about? Will they even eat rat meat?! If we disperse our forces to attack those insignificant county towns, it'll play right into their hands. They can use those lowly people to shield us from our attacks!"

The soldiers guarding the area understood what Xiahou Wei meant.

After all, Cao Cao's army also liked to motivate civilians to defend cities and fill in pits, etc...

"As long as we hold this position, the troops from Guanzhong will be unable to provide timely support to the Heluo battlefield," Xiahou Wei gestured. "This time, we'll use speed to overcome slowness! Our lord orders us to hold this position and wait..."

Just then, a scout rode up to report: "General, cavalry scouts have been spotted on the Tongguan Pass!"

"What?! So fast?!" Xiahou Wei's expression hardened, and he immediately ordered, "Go and spread the word! Archers and crossbowmen, advance up the mountain; infantry, ambush along the roadside! Do not let any of the cavalrymen escape into the Heluo region!"

"Hurry up! Get these things back quickly!" Xiahou Wei urged the soldiers who were digging, "Move faster!"

Xiahou Wei climbed to a high place and looked towards Tongguan. The sigh of relief he had just felt earlier was now lifted again.

"General," Zhang's deputy general asked in a low voice, "if the Flying Cavalry really launches a full-scale attack, our three thousand men might..."

"Don't worry!" Xiahou Wei waved his hand and said, "Our lord already anticipated this... We've set up an ambush in the open, while Du Zixu leads a surprise force to wait in the shadows... As long as the Flying Cavalry enters the ambush zone, they'll never return! And as long as we hold this place... and if we can repel the Flying Cavalry once, they'll surely be afraid, and then we'll be all set!"

Xiahou Wei glanced at his deputy general, who still seemed worried, and reassured him, "I told you not to worry! The Flying Cavalry in Guanzhong has no great generals left! Even in the Heluo region, they're just nameless nobodys! Only that old Huang from Luoyang City is somewhat capable; the rest are no real warriors! Let me repeat! The Flying Cavalry in Guanzhong has neither many troops nor any great generals! What are you afraid of?! We still have this Centipede Ladder. If the Flying Cavalry dares to launch a full-scale attack, we'll simply climb over the earthen plateau and attack Tongguan! Let's see if they're afraid then!"

Lieutenant Zhang nodded subconsciously, "That's good... if that's the case, that's good..."

"What do you mean 'good'? You damned bastard!" Xiahou Wei cursed, "Why aren't you setting up defenses yet!"

The lieutenant quickly responded and turned to leave.

As the sun sets, the Tongguan Pass is bathed in golden afterglow.

Xiahou Wei stood alone on the hilltop, gazing at the distant mountains and rivers.

Although his words and tone were quite forceful, what he truly felt...

Still no idea.