Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3833 Meteor
Xiahou Wei, despite having "Wei" in his name, is not imposing at all.

When Xiahou Wei and his troops, having lost their armor and weapons, fled in a disheveled and exhausted state back to Cao Cao's army camp in the Heluo region, they realized that they had actually "left," or rather, "deployed" ahead of Xun Yu...

This made Xiahou Wei somewhat embarrassed.

They only withdrew after Xun Yu withdrew?
But Xun Yu hadn't returned yet; they arrived first...

If they were to leave first, they would feel embarrassed.

Even the thick-skinned Xiahou Wei could sense that the military officers in Cao Cao's camp were looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

These gazes, like a beard, pierced Xiahou Wei's face, penetrating his thick skin, making him both ashamed and angry.

He knew he looked utterly pathetic, and that he had barely escaped with all his supplies and a significant portion of his soldiers. But he could never admit that his defeat was due to his fear and disarray.

He needs a reason, a reason that allows him to justify himself or even shift the blame.

After catching his breath, Xiahou Wei immediately went to the central command tent to see Cao Cao.

Upon entering the main tent, he collapsed to the ground and, in a tone of grief and indignation, like a child complaining to their parent, began his performance…

"My lord! This humble general...this humble general is incompetent, I lost Tongguan Pass! But...but this is not a fault of our own!"

Xiahou Wei kowtowed, his head clattering against the wooden planks of the central command tent. "This humble general...this humble general held Tongguan Pass to the death, fighting the enemy countless times, suffering countless casualties, even Du, the Attendant, died for his country...but this humble general never imagined that Shanjin would fall...With Shanjin lost, my flank is exposed! I was prepared to fight to the death with the General of Chariots and Cavalry at Tongguan Pass, vowing to live and die with the position! But...but the flank is lost, and Tongguan Pass is now isolated! If we do not retreat, our entire army will be wiped out, and...I will have failed my lord's trust!"

Xiahou Wei was in tears, and although he didn't mention Xun Yu's name in a single sentence, he couldn't help but mention Shanjin.

He described how he fought a bloody battle on the front lines of Tongguan, how he foresaw the danger on his flanks in advance, and how he had no choice but to retreat with resentment in order to preserve his troops.

Of course, he never mentioned how he collapsed upon hearing the news, how he abandoned his supplies, or how he disregarded his soldiers and rushed to escape.

The military academy students who had escaped with Xiahou Wei also knelt down behind him, silently bowing their heads and saying nothing.

They are Xiahou Wei's "silent witnesses".

They knew the truth perfectly well, and they knew that Xiahou Wei's hasty escape was the main reason for the defeat.

But what can they say?

Should someone step forward and testify against the commander?
That would be tantamount to courting death.

Although Shandong Zhongyuan has repeatedly emphasized the need for "sincerity," "integrity," and "diligence," and for being worthy of the Han emperor, the nation, and the people, let's think about it from another perspective...

If all the officials in Shandong and the Central Plains of the Han Dynasty were honest and upright...

So, is it necessary to promote it every day and emphasize it every year?
So, should one choose to be an "honest" subordinate or a sensible subordinate who can maintain the "big picture"?

There was almost no need for hesitation.

So they chose to remain silent...

Cao Cao said nothing, but simply told Xiahou Wei and the others to leave first.

Xun Yu arrived at Cao Cao's army camp in Heluo at dusk on the second day.

Xun Yu's face was haggard, and his armor was still covered in dust and bloodstains, but he still maintained his usual composure.

When Xun Yu arrived, Cao Cao was just holding a meeting with his generals.

As Xun Yu stepped in, he overheard Xiahou Wei repeating the reasons for his retreat...

"Greetings, my lord!"

Xun Yu ignored Xiahou Wei and stepped forward to pay his respects to Cao Cao.

All eyes in the tent immediately turned to Xun Yu.

"Wenruo, you've worked hard..."

Cao Cao sat high above, his face expressionless and calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Facing the gazes of his generals and the resentful look from Xiahou Wei, Xun Yu pulled a commendation document from his sleeve. "This is a record of my battle at Shanjin. Please review it, my lord."

Cao Cao's guards took away the memorial.

Xun Yu stood there quietly, neither immediately offering a defense nor revealing any anger or resentment. He merely lowered his eyelids slightly, as if examining the dusty tips of his boots, or perhaps gathering something within himself.

Xun Yu remained silent.

Xun Yu's silence contained too much helplessness, weariness, and perhaps even a trace of the desolation of seeing through the ways of the world.

Did he not know the truth about Xiahou Wei's defeat?
Couldn't he have said that his retreat was out of necessity and that he had done his best to maintain order and lay an ambush behind the enemy lines?

He certainly knew he could say that.

But he knew even better that at this moment, in front of Cao Cao, engaging in a pointless debate with Xiahou Wei, a general and member of the Cao clan, would be futile and could even trigger greater internal strife, which would be detrimental to the overall situation.

When Cao Cao sent him to Shanjin, he didn't provide him with enough troops. This undoubtedly had the implication of testing him and making him face pressure independently, and perhaps even...

This may imply a desire for him to establish some kind of "connection" with Xun Chen of Hedong.

Although Cao Cao did not say this explicitly, how could Xun Yu, with his wisdom, not have noticed it?

Now that the war is going badly, he has failed to achieve his expected goal of holding Shaanxi and Tianjin, and whatever the reason, he bears responsibility.

Explaining one's actions might temporarily clear one's name, but it could escalate the conflict and put Cao Cao in a difficult position.

If he does not defend himself, he will have to bear the guilt that is not his and endure injustice.

In that instant, Xun Yu made his choice. For the sake of the so-called "greater good," he chose to bear the consequences.

He remained silent, as if tacitly accepting all of Xiahou Wei's accusations.

Cao Cao took all of this into account.

Cao Cao did not believe Xiahou Wei's explanation.

The fall of Shanjin may have been due to problems with Xun Yu's military tactics, but the main reasons were the disparity in strength between the two sides and the overall passive nature of the strategy.

Xiahou Wei's defeat was purely due to the incompetence and cowardice of his commander.

Xiahou Wei's explanation was full of loopholes and could not stand up to scrutiny.

Cao Cao sent men to question them carefully, and they learned the truth...

However, now is not the time to delve into the matter, nor is it the best time to punish Xiahou Wei.

The Cao and Xiahou clans have suffered heavy losses of generals. No matter how incompetent Xiahou Wei is, he is still one of our own and an important link in maintaining the core strength of the army.

And Xun Yu...

His loyalty, his value, and his subtle relationship with Xun Chen of Hebei all require further observation and...

Utilization.

Cao Cao then put down the memorial in his hand, slammed his hand on the table, and, his face contorted with rage, pointed at Xiahou Wei, shouting sternly: "Xiahou Wei! How dare you accuse others here? Wenruo (Xiahou Wei's courtesy name) has his own considerations regarding the Shanjin incident! But you, at Tongguan Pass, abandoned your post hastily without receiving orders, abandoning supplies and causing countless losses of weapons and provisions, the rout of soldiers, damaging our military prestige, and disrupting our morale! This is a grave crime! Guards! Take Xiahou Wei out, remove him from his post, and behead him at the gate! To uphold military law!"

This reprimand seemed incredibly severe, almost like a death sentence...

But in reality, if they really wanted to cut off Xiahou Wei's head, why would they need to say so much?

With a wave of his hand and a few words, Cao Cao could decide Xiahou Wei's life or death. Xiahou Wei was initially startled, but then understood Cao Cao's intention. He immediately feigned fear, prostrating himself and pleading guilty, "This humble general knows his crime! This humble general knows his crime! This humble general is willing to atone for his crime through meritorious service! This humble general is willing to atone for his crime through meritorious service!"

Just as the guards in front of the tent made a move to drag Xiahou Wei, they were suddenly unable to move him!
Xun Yu, who had been silent all along, suddenly moved.

Xun Yu stepped forward, bowed deeply to Cao Cao, and said in a calm but weary voice, "My lord, please calm your anger. General Xiahou acted under duress to preserve our forces, and was forced to do so. Now, with a major battle imminent and manpower in high demand, how can we severely punish a general for a momentary lapse? I beg you, my lord, to consider General Xiahou's past merits and hardships and spare him this time, allowing him to atone for his mistake through meritorious service."

Xun Yu's plea was within Cao Cao's expectations.

Of course, if Xun Yu didn't plead for him, Cao Cao had backup options...

Cao Cao's expression softened slightly. Taking advantage of the situation, he snorted coldly and, facing Xiahou Wei's angry pointing and cursing, said, "Hmph! You scoundrel! If it weren't for Wenruo pleading for you, I wouldn't have let you off so easily today! You're spared death, but you won't escape punishment! Remove yourself from your generalship! Twenty strokes of the cane!"

Cao Cao's sharp gaze fixed on Xiahou Wei. "Hurry up and thank Wenruo!"

Xiahou Wei was secretly delighted and quickly turned to Xun Yu, cupping his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you for your intercession, Your Excellency! I...I spoke rashly in a moment of panic, and I hope Your Excellency will forgive any offense I may have caused!"

Cao Cao waved his hand, and immediately guards stepped forward and took Xiahou Wei away.

The tent flap was lifted again, and the cold wind seized the opportunity to rush into the tent, blowing the torches and braziers into a cloud of ashes.

The chill of late autumn and early winter seems to have arrived earlier and is more biting than in previous years.

Cao Cao asked Xun Yu to sit down and then explained the situation of the Battle of Shanjin to his generals in detail.

Xun Yu took off his cloak, which was stained with dust and a few dark brown bloodstains, revealing a slightly wrinkled dark-colored casual outfit.

Xun Yu bowed to Cao Cao and said, "My lord, I... have failed in my duty. Shanjin... has been lost."

Xun Yu did not offer much explanation, but simply stated the result.

As for the chaos during the defense, the outbreak of riots, the forced abandonment of the camp, and the final confirmation that the Hedong Cavalry did not pursue with all their might but instead chose to build a pontoon bridge, all of these were recorded in the memorial. He also knew that Cao Cao did not want to hear about these things...

"There's no need to discuss that," Cao Cao said in a deep voice. "Wenruo, you've worked hard. I am fully aware of the situation at Shanjin. It wasn't a failure in battle, but rather a matter of circumstance."

Cao Cao paused for a moment, then said, "Let me tell you...something important..."

Xun Yu understood and recounted how he had discovered that the northeast bank of the river was filled with newly recruited soldiers. He then added, "When I withdrew my troops, I laid a feint, but the troops from the east bank... did not pursue... Instead, they proceeded cautiously, building pontoon bridges. Perhaps the troops from the east bank sought stability, or perhaps these troops from the east bank... were not elite."

Cao Cao nodded, then glanced around at the generals and officers in the tent. "Although we have lost the Bandao and Shanjin passes, the troops in Guanzhong and Hedong are no threat! They are merely newly recruited artisans and farmers! If our forces retreat, the enemy will not dare to pursue, which will give us some insight! You should all explain this clearly to the soldiers in the camp! And do not allow rumors to spread and disrupt morale!"

All the military academies agreed.

Cao Cao leaned forward slightly. "Wenruo, what is the intention of the main force of the Flying Cavalry?"

Xun Yu took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Mengjin, Xiaopingjin!"

The tent fell silent for a moment, with only the crackling of the charcoal fire.

Cao Cao turned his head to look at the hanging map, his face expressionless. "Mengjin, Xiaopingjin… military reports for days have all stated that everything is calm, and there are no unusual signals from the beacon towers on Beiman Mountain. Why does Wenruo believe there might be danger at these two places?"

"Precisely because it's too calm!" Xun Yu said with certainty, "The General of the Cavalry always uses a combination of deception and real action. Their large-scale operation at Shanjin is meant to attract our attention. If their main force truly intended to move south, or return to the Heluo region, Mengjin and Xiaopingjin would be the best crossing points. How could they be completely silent? This must be a deliberate illusion created by the General of the Cavalry! I suspect that their scouts on the opposite bank may have already managed to control some of the outposts in Beiman Mountain, or perhaps… their main force is moving stealthily, avoiding our daily patrol routes!"

Xun Yu raised his head, his gaze earnest. "My lord! We must immediately dispatch more capable and trusted scouts... Ordinary scouts are probably insufficient... We need a competent general to personally lead teams to thoroughly investigate Mengjin, Xiaopingjin, and the depths of Beiman Mountain! In particular, we must check whether the beacon towers are functioning properly and whether the garrison is negligent! This matter concerns the safety of Luoyang and cannot be overlooked!"

Cao Cao frowned, stood up, and stood before the map with his hands behind his back. His eyes flickered, as if weighing the weight and possibility of Xun Yu's words. After a long while, Cao Cao slowly nodded: "Wenruo's concerns are not without merit."

Cao Cao turned around and called out loudly, "Cao Zijian!"

Cao Shuo, standing proudly to one side of the main tent, stepped forward in response.

At this moment, only Cao Cao could truly trust and feel at ease with the descendants of the Cao family.

"Personally select three hundred elite troops, divide them into three teams. One team will head to Mengjin, one to Xiaopingjin, and the other will go straight to Beiman Mountain to patrol all the major beacon towers and sentry posts!" Cao Cao commanded, his tone stern. "Inspect carefully, and report back immediately if anything is amiss! Go and return swiftly!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Cao Shuo clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around and strode out without the slightest hesitation, his armor plates clanging.

After arranging this matter, the atmosphere inside the tent seemed to ease a little, but the invisible, heavy pressure that enveloped Heluo did not dissipate.

Cao Cao then assigned tasks to the other military officers and generals. After they had all left, Cao Cao waved for his attendants to bring Xun Yu a bowl of hot soup. Watching him slowly drink it, he casually brought up another topic...

"Wenruo, I recently happened to be flipping through historical records and revisited the Battle of Kunyang during the reign of Emperor Guangwu of Han... I have some questions in my mind and would like to hear your thoughts."

Xun Yu put down his soup bowl, slightly surprised, wondering why Cao Cao had suddenly brought up events from nearly two hundred years ago, but he still respectfully replied, "Please speak, my lord."

Cao Cao gazed into the void, as if recalling the words recorded in historical books...

"I once saw a record of the Battle of Kunyang in the Eastern Pavilion... It said that a meteor fell into the camp that night, and during the day, a cloud like a collapsing mountain fell upon the camp, dispersing before reaching the ground, causing the officers and soldiers to be terrified and subdued... Wenruo, you are well-versed in classics and history, what do you think of this account? Was it truly a meteor falling from the sky to help Emperor Guangwu defeat Wang Mang's 400,000-strong army?"

What does Cao Cao mean by this?
Do you want another meteor to break through the Flying Cavalry?
Xun Yu, exhausted from days of travel, didn't immediately grasp Cao Cao's meaning. He cautiously replied, "Historical writing may be exaggerated. However, I believe the key to the Battle of Kunyang wasn't the unusual celestial phenomena, but rather the strategic maneuvering. Emperor Guangwu's victory against overwhelming odds was due to seizing opportunities and employing surprise tactics. Furthermore, the arrogance and underestimation of the enemy by Wang Yi and Wang Xun, the commanders of Wang Mang's army, led to chaotic command and ultimately a crushing defeat. The accounts of meteors falling into the camp and clouds forming mountains are perhaps simply rare celestial phenomena recorded by historians and interpreted as a sign of victory..."

"Oh? Is it just speculation?" Cao Cao frowned slightly and said slowly, "I think there might be another reason... I previously thought it might be a strong wind, a thick fog, or something else... However, ever since I learned that the General of the Cavalry had made this 'gunpowder'... I've had some ideas..."

Xun Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he vaguely sensed something: 'The Prime Minister's intention is...'

Cao Cao did not answer directly, but continued: "I once had someone conduct an experiment... If a large amount of gunpowder is detonated... the sound is like thunder, shaking the heavens and the earth... the night is as bright as day, and the clouds are layered... this is secondary... the strangest thing is that even those not directly hit by the explosives often suffer from bleeding from their ears and noses, their bodies undamaged but dying instantly, their deaths... quite similar to the historical records that 'officials and soldiers all trembled in fear.'"

The air inside the tent seemed to freeze instantly.

Xun Yu's pupils contracted slightly, and many thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning.

"My lord means... the source of this enemy's gunpowder..." Xun Yu's voice trembled slightly, "It didn't come from elixirs... but rather... from the secret teachings of Emperor Guangwu of the past... This... this, this..."

Cao Cao stroked his beard. "I've heard that... when Fei Ziyuan arrived in Jingzhou some years ago, he carried with him... secret scrolls from Hu Feizi... I've also heard that during the reign of Emperor Guangwu, many people fled or died in hiding... among them were followers of Mozi and wandering knights..."

"This, this...this..." Xun Yu didn't know what to say.

Regardless of the truth or falsehood of the story of Fei Qian, the fact that Emperor Guangwu was not a meteor but gunpowder is a huge challenge to the theory of the interaction between heaven and man!

It was supposed to be destiny, but it turns out it's man-made!

Of course, everyone knows it's "man-made," but as long as the truth isn't revealed, everyone assumes that this "clothing" is still intact.

If the foundation of "Mandate of Heaven" no longer exists, then what about "loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness," and "the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues"?

Xun Yu had some sweat on his forehead.

Cao Cao looked at Xun Yu with a deep gaze, "Wenruo, do you think this is absurd?"

Xun Yu remained silent for a long time, his mind racing.

Gunpowder is indeed incredibly powerful...

Xun Yu had also witnessed it many times.

The sound was like thunder, the light shone brightly across the fields, and smoke and clouds billowed up. Compared to the so-called "meteor falling to earth"...

seem……

Not entirely impossible!
The thought sent a shiver down his spine, as if he had touched upon some astonishing secret buried by the dust of history.

"If...if that's truly the case," Xun Yu's voice was hoarse, "then the historical records need to be re-examined...Emperor Guangwu..."

Xun Yu paused mid-sentence, his gaze sharpening as he realized something. "My lord, you brought this up today not merely to discuss this ancient historical mystery with me, are you?"

Cao Cao laughed heartily, "The one who truly understands me... is Wenruo!"

Cao Cao laughed, laughed, then gradually his smile faded, and he said seriously, "Emperor Guangwu... was ordained by Heaven... so now we too should bring this shooting star here and re-establish the Mandate of Heaven... what do you think?!"