Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3820 The End of Ye
Flames soared, black smoke billowed, creating a hellish scene.

This seemed to be the end for the Cao family, and many people had a premonition about it long ago.

After all, in Shandong and the Central Plains, on the surface, the aristocratic families and powerful clans all raised the banner of the Han emperor and shouted about benevolence and morality. However, they preferred to use goods from Guanzhong and even secretly converted their family assets into cash for the generals and stored it in the silver shops in Guanzhong.

Many people knew this day would come, but no one expected it to come so quickly, or to collapse so violently…

The chaos and destruction within the Prime Minister's residence continued, the fire raging even more fiercely with the help of the night wind, and the advance of the cavalry was like a noose tightening ever more, gripping the core of the Cao family's Prime Minister's residence.

In the chaotic inner hall, Cao Pi, like a cornered, wounded but still baring his teeth beast, futilely tried to maintain the last shred of dignity, constantly issuing somewhat chaotic and even contradictory orders to have the remaining Cao army guards organize a defense.

Just then, a eunuch tumbled through the dust and collapsed at Cao Pi's feet, his voice trembling with sobs. His arm shook as he pointed towards the official residence, "Your Highness... Your Highness! Lord Chen... Lord Chen, he... he... he... he... he... he... he... he... he... he committed suicide in the official residence! He even left behind... a final letter..."

This news was like the last straw, breaking down Cao Pi's already fragile mental defenses.

Cao Pi was taken aback at first, seemingly unable to immediately grasp the meaning of the news.

Immediately, an indescribable surge of complex emotions welled up, including the anger of being abandoned, the frustration of the plan's complete failure, and the fear of life and death, all of which erupted in an instant!
"Chen Qun—! You scoundrel!!! You've ruined me!!!"

Cao Pi let out a roar that sounded inhuman, his face contorted into a grimace. He kicked over the table beside him, scattering various objects on the floor, with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones rolling everywhere.

Cao Pi's face twitched, his nostrils flared, as if he were possessed by a madman. "Incompetent fool! A mediocre minister who has ruined the country! I should have seen long ago that you, a scholar from Yingchuan, were all talk and no action, cowardly and incompetent in reality! It was you! It was all you! What kind of treacherous scheme did you offer?! What kind of fortified city did you build?! What kind of defense did you offer for Yedu?! Now you've exhausted your plans and died, all done for! Leaving this mess, this eternal infamy, all for me to bear! You coward! You piece of trash! I wish I could tear you to pieces!!"

He acted like a madman, rushing back and forth in the inner hall, gesturing wildly and pointing at the void as if Chen Qun were standing there.

He poured out all the blame for his failures, all the pent-up fear and resentment, like a filthy flood…

"And those generals defending the city! They're all useless cowards! They enjoy high positions and generous salaries in peacetime, but in battle they're as cowardly as tigers!"

"Those gentry of Ji Province are two-faced and harbor malicious intentions! If it weren't for them, Ye City wouldn't be in this state!"

"And those lowly people! Ungrateful, forgetting past favors, they all flock to the enemy! They are all ungrateful scoundrels!!"

"Disloyal, unfilial, unkind, and unjust!"

"Damn it! They all deserve to die!!!"

He cursed everyone he could, from the dead Chen Qun to the living generals, from the disloyal gentry to the treacherous soldiers and civilians, his words vicious and his emotions out of control.

However, amidst all the accusations and shirking of responsibility, he made no mention of himself whatsoever.

He makes no mention of his initial appreciation and reliance on Chen Qun's strategies, nor of his stubbornness and distrust of the Hebei gentry that led to internal discord, and he completely avoids mentioning...

What ultimately ignited this self-immolation was the torch that he personally ordered to be thrown down!

He went to nightclubs...

Ahem, wrong, he did that... but he's still a good kid.

After a burst of near-mad cursing, Cao Pi felt as if all his strength was being drained away, and he collapsed into a daze. His chest heaved violently, and the previous madness and anger gradually faded. Reality, like a cold tide, crashed against his face again and again, filling his heart.

Cao Pi gave a dejected, bitter smile.

Yes, how much self-justification and whitewashing was mixed into those choices that he regarded as sacrifices?

Isn't this the case for all those who have sat in this position throughout history?
Which one didn't come from this path?
He thought of the Han Dynasty before Wang Mang, which had also collapsed in the same way.

The system was rotten to the core, corruption was rampant in officialdom, and eight out of ten of the nation's wealth and resources ended up in the hands of the powerful and wealthy, with less than twenty percent falling into their hands. The poor had nowhere to stand, while the rich owned vast tracts of land. The economy was in ruins, and public resentment was like a pile of kindling. When natural disasters struck, relief efforts were utterly inadequate. Even more reprehensible was that the life-saving funds and grain, passing through layers of officials, were embezzled and divided up under various pretexts…

But what in the end?

Did the problems that existed during Wang Mang's time change after Emperor Guangwu's reign?
Whether it's the emperor high above or the high-ranking officials in the imperial court, who isn't completely innocent and detached from the matter?
They are always unclear about it, always kept in the dark.

All the blame should naturally fall on those mediocre and incompetent ministers, generals with ulterior motives, and petty officials who lack a sense of the bigger picture.

Now, it's his turn to take responsibility...

But what is he?
Subject?

general?

still is……

A minor official?

Thinking of this, Cao Pi suddenly felt utterly exhausted, like a burning fire that had been extinguished, leaving only cold ashes.

The surrounding flames and black smoke, along with the increasingly close and clear shouts of battle and the clash of weapons, were like a cold reality, pulling him back into this desperate situation.

Cao Pi, panting heavily, looked around and saw only a few close attendants who were filled with anxiety, and the raging black smoke outside the window that was devouring everything.

it's over...

It's really over.

He staggered back to the pillar of the hall, then slowly slid down to sit on the ground, utterly dejected.

After a long silence, Cao Pi seemed to have made up his mind.

He spoke to his attendant in the calmest possible tone, "Go, go... fetch that, that short blade..."

"A short, short blade?" The attendant's eyes widened. "Your Highness, no, this is impossible..."

"I told you to go and fetch it!" Cao Pi suddenly became agitated and howled.

The attendant trembled, not daring to ask any more questions. He scrambled to the inner courtyard, shakily retrieved the ornately decorated, gleaming short blade, and presented it to Cao Pi.

Cao Pi accepted the jewel-encrusted dagger...

The jewels on the scabbard were particularly dazzling at that moment.

"warehouse……"

The cold touch on his hand made Cao Pi shiver slightly.

Cao Pi stared at the sharp blade, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

He took a deep breath, as if drawing courage from the void, and then suddenly pressed the dagger against his neck.

The cold blade pressed against my skin, sending a chill down my spine.

He closed his eyes, his arm muscles tensed, trying to exert force—

However, just as the blade was about to pierce his skin, a strong fear of death and excruciating pain, stemming from biological instinct, instantly spread throughout Cao Pi's body like an electric current!

His hand trembled violently uncontrollably, and the sharp blade cut his skin, causing a trickle of bright red blood to seep out from the cut, bringing a burning, sharp pain.

Ugh!

Cao Pi cried out in pain, as if he had been burned, and abruptly removed the dagger from his neck, throwing it to the ground with a crisp clang.

He clutched the tiny yet burning wound on his neck, gasping for breath, his face drained of color.

Talking about life and death is easy, whether you're standing or with your hands on your hips.

But now I really have to do it myself...

In Cao Pi's eyes, there was only fear and embarrassment, as if he had survived a catastrophe.

Once, twice... He picked up the dagger again and again, repeating the same action, each time being defeated by the extreme fear of pain and death at the last moment.

He was ultimately not the kind of resolute person who could bravely face death.

He clung to life and feared death; his so-called dignity and integrity were utterly vulnerable in the face of excruciating pain and eternal darkness.

"Here you go! Take it!" After this was repeated several times, Cao Pi suddenly shouted, pointing to the short blade and ordering his attendants, "Take this short blade! Kill me!"

The attendant knelt down and kowtowed, "Your Highness, Your Highness... I... I dare not..."

"I told you to take it!" Cao Pi shouted.

The attendant glanced sideways at Cao Pi, then at the dagger, froze for a moment, and then slowly reached out towards the dagger...

Cao Pi suddenly flew into a rage again, kicking over a close attendant. "Damn it! Damn it! I knew it! I knew you all wanted me dead! You all wanted me dead!"

Just as Cao Pi was sinking into the abyss of self-loathing and despair, not knowing what to do, the curtain of the inner hall was gently lifted.

Madam Bian, supported by a close old maid, slowly walked out.

Her clothes were still neat and her hair was styled in an orderly fashion, but deep in her eyes was an undisguised weariness and deep worry.

She looked at Cao Pi, and at her son, who was in such a sorry state, struggling on the brink of life and death.

A bloodstained dagger on the ground, a glaring bloodstain on Cao Pi's neck...

And the undisguised will to survive that Cao Pi could reveal in his eyes...

Everything is clear.

Madam Bian sighed softly, a sigh that contained much helplessness, and perhaps also a hint of relief that she had long anticipated.

"Zihuan..." Lady Bian's voice broke the deathly silence in the hall, "Since you have no intention of emulating the ancient heroes, why force yourself to suffer this physical pain?"

Lady Bian walked to Cao Pi's side, not to help him up, but simply to look at him quietly, her gaze seemingly able to pierce through all his pretenses. "A sword to the neck is no child's play. Since you fear death and yearn for life, that is only human nature. Even ants cling to life, how much more so should humans? Since you are unwilling to die for your principles, you should carefully consider your next steps..."

These words were like sweet rain, instantly extinguishing the last lingering doubts Cao Pi had about dying for his principles, and also giving him a way out.

Cao Pi suddenly raised his head, looked at his mother, and his eyes flashed with intense light!
They've found a new excuse, a new reason!

"Mother...Mother is absolutely right!" Cao Pi cried out as if grasping at a straw, his voice trembling with emotion. He struggled to his feet, his face regaining an almost morbid sense of duty. "I...I am not afraid of death! Just now...just now I was only thinking, if I were to sacrifice myself now, who would inherit Father's legacy? My younger siblings are still so young, how would they survive in this chaotic world? How would the Cao family bloodline continue?!"

Cao Pi spoke more and more fluently, and the more he spoke, the more "great" he felt, as if he himself hadn't been the one who had just thrown down the dagger out of fear of pain...

"I bear the heavy responsibility of preserving the ancestral temple and protecting my clan! How can I, for a moment of impulsiveness, disregard the entire Cao family?! Yes! I cannot die! I must live! Not for myself, but for the bloodline left by my father! For the safety of my younger siblings! I must endure humiliation and await the opportune moment!"

When there is enjoyment, status, and power, one should not shirk responsibility.

When it comes to giving, sacrificing, or giving up, I politely decline.

I am the weaker party, and everyone should give way to me, but I hate it when people call me weak. This is similar to how someone who cuts in line expresses their most disliked behavior as cutting in line.

If one's stance is flexible and adaptable, there will naturally be no sense of guilt.

"Guards!" Cao Pi straightened his back, as if he had regained his backbone, and his voice regained some of its former authority, though it still trembled slightly. "Prepare white banners! Inform the cavalry outside the city... I, Cao Pi, to protect the people and soldiers of Ye City, and to safeguard the Cao family, am willing... willing to surrender! I humbly beg the General of the Cavalry, in consideration of Heaven's benevolence, to accept him!"

The white banners finally rose above the Bronze Sparrow Terrace of the Prime Minister's residence, illuminated by the thick smoke and firelight.

As the white banners were raised, the remaining Cao army soldiers and officers on the high platform of the Prime Minister's residence also lost their will to fight...

Some people cried and shouted, and then committed suicide.

Others sat slumped on the ground, looking utterly lost, as if they had lost their souls.

Some people looked at each other, breathing heavily...

Thus, the Cao Wei regime poured enormous national resources into Ye City, the core city in the north, which was meticulously constructed by Cao Cao's capable ministers and generals and on which he placed high hopes. After the southern and northern parts of the city changed hands at an astonishing speed, this largest fortress in Hebei, after experiencing farce and tragedy, finally announced its complete fall with a white banner.

In just over a month, this once impregnable city crumbled under external pressure and internal decay.

Cao Pi, the successor to the Cao dynasty, behaved much like other feudal dynasties in history. No matter how brilliant and capable the founder was, if the successor was incompetent, cowardly, and prone to self-deception, then even the strongest foundation would eventually be unable to avoid the fate of decline and destruction.

Inside the west side gate of the Prime Minister's residence, a flurry of activity unfolded.

The chaos was like that of someone who had lost their parents.

White banners symbolizing surrender have been raised on the corner tower. The remaining Cao family guards, their faces ashen, have discarded their weapons and stood with their heads bowed on either side, clearing a path to the outside of the mansion.

The air was thick with lingering smoke and the smell of burning, and in the distance, sporadic shouts of battle and the crackling of burning buildings could still be heard, which only added to the oppressive atmosphere of the place.

Cao Pi had changed into a relatively plain deep robe and tried his best to straighten his spine, attempting to maintain a semblance of dignity in the final moments. However, his slightly trembling fingertips and flickering eyes betrayed his inner panic and unease.

Beside him stood Cao Chong, who was still young, with delicate features but a calm demeanor beyond his years.

Cao Zhi was unwilling to come out, and only the young Cao Chong followed Cao Pi, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Cao Chong looked up, his clear eyes reflecting the still-burning firelight in the distance. He gently tugged at Cao Pi's sleeve, his voice childish yet clear, filled with undisguised confusion, "Brother, now you've raised a white banner and opened the side gate—are you trying to subdue the General of the Cavalry? When Father was alive, he once said, 'If the city survives, I survive; if the city falls, I fall.' Why is it different now?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Pi stiffened slightly. He looked down at his younger brother's innocent face, his heart filled with mixed emotions, but mostly with a restlessness at having his sore spot touched, and an urgent need to defend himself. He took a deep breath, deliberately making his voice sound somber, as if he were bearing a heavy responsibility, as if stating a reluctant, even noble, decision: "My brother is young and unaware of the hardships of the world. A collapsing building cannot be supported by a single beam; a raging torrent cannot be stopped by a single hand. Now that Ye City has fallen, the Three Platforms are as precarious as eggs; to force them to hold on would only increase the bloodshed. My actions, brother, are not to save my own life in this chaotic world..."

For some reason, Cao Pi paused here, then emphasized his words, his gaze sweeping over the grieving relatives, servants, and guards around him. "It is truly to preserve the bloodline of the Cao family, to protect you young and vulnerable! If we perish together, our ancestral temples will be destroyed, and where will our family rely? My elder brother endures this humiliation and hardship precisely for this reason!"

Cao Chong listened quietly, his overly bright eyes blinking slightly, unmoved by Cao Pi's high-sounding words. He tilted his head, his voice more direct and sharper than ever, and pressed on: "Brother, I am deeply grateful for your wish to preserve our family. However…"

Cao Chong pointed with his small hand to the ashen-faced soldiers of the Cao clan outside the door, "These soldiers also have parents, wives, and children. Don't they want their families to survive? Brother, since you pity the weak and vulnerable of our Cao clan, why do you not care for their loneliness?"

Cao Pi's expression instantly turned somewhat unnatural; he hadn't expected his younger brother to press him like this. He frowned, replying somewhat impatiently, "These people are different! They eat the emperor's food, bear weapons and halberds, and are destined to die for him! From the day they receive their pay, they know there's a risk of dying on the battlefield! This is their duty, nothing to boast about!"

In Cao Pi's view, what he said was not wrong.

For the Shandong gentry, the lives of soldiers and the survival of their families were two completely different concepts.

The sacrifice of soldiers was a "natural" price, while the survival of these nobles was related to the "ancestral temple" and "bloodline".

Upon hearing this answer, Cao Chong's small brows furrowed even more. He looked up at Cao Pi and said, "They are paid for their service and die for it; that is their duty. But what salary do we, brother, receive? What provisions do we get? Why should they die, while we alone live? I am foolish and dull; I beg you, brother, to enlighten me."

"You...this..."

Cao Pi suddenly regretted it; he shouldn't have brought this "ten thousand whys" along.

Faced with Cao Chong's question, Cao Pi was speechless. He opened his mouth, but found that he could not answer this simplest yet most fatal question.

They, the sons of the Cao family, were born into wealth and enjoyed all the glory and honor. They never risked their lives for military pay like ordinary soldiers.

They possess far more power and wealth than any military pay, and should therefore bear a greater responsibility.

However, when faced with life and death, he used the protection of his family as a fig leaf to cover his cowardly desire for survival, while regarding the fate of the soldiers who were truly serving and dying for their country, and their families, as worthless.

Cao Chong's pure yet bewildered gaze was like a mirror, reflecting the hypocrisy and logical absurdity of all of Cao Pi's words.

Cao Pi tried to find an explanation, but found that any explanation seemed pale and powerless under his younger brother's direct and incisive questioning.

Finally, Cao Pi avoided Cao Chong's clear gaze and gave a muffled hum, "This matter is complicated... You'll understand when you grow up..."

Cao Chong pursed his lips and didn't ask any further questions.

For Cao Chong, life and death were not a strong concern. In his clear eyes, the flames and black smoke of Ye City were reflected, as was his brother's retreating figure, and the slowly approaching tricolor banner…