With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 130, Yuan Shao was terrified.
Yuan Shao smiled, displaying great magnanimity, "Chief Clerk Guan, come closer. Since you have sincerely submitted and even personally killed Gongsun Zan, you are naturally one of our own."

Guan Jing was so thin that no one would doubt him.

But ironically, he came here to assassinate someone!
Guo Tu had been imprisoned, but Gongsun Zan did not kill him. After being successfully rescued, Guo Tu breathed a sigh of relief and secretly rejoiced.

As he inquired about Yuan Shao's whereabouts, he walked towards this direction, pondering what to say to Yuan Shao when he met him.

He said that after he was arrested, he was fearless and did not yield no matter how Gongsun Zan beat or tortured him.

The idea only flashed through his mind briefly; even if Guo Tu had the thickest skin, he couldn't beautify himself like that.

Or they could say that despite Gongsun Zan's repeated threats and inducements, he did not yield and even went on a hunger strike in protest.

No, no, no, it still won't work.

Guo Tu's mind raced, and before he knew it, he had arrived here.

From a great distance, they saw someone carrying a human head, intending to present it to Yuan Shao.

Guo Tu was startled and quickly took a few steps forward, asking the soldiers around him, "What are you doing? Whose head is that?"

A soldier hurriedly told him what had happened.

"What? That's Gongsun Zan's head?"

Guo Tu had just sensed something was wrong; wasn't this the idea he had given to Gongsun Zan?

Just as he was about to loudly remind Yuan Shao, Guo Tu instinctively covered his mouth again.

If Yuan Shao finds out that this idea was his, wouldn't he be courting death?

Guo Tu shrank back in fright, not daring to utter a sound, his eyes fixed on Guan Jing in terror.

Guo Tu was also afraid of being recognized by Guan Jing. If Guan Jing insisted in front of Yuan Shao that the plan was Guo Tu's, then he would be doomed.

Guo Tu couldn't believe it in his wildest dreams that Gongsun Zan would actually dare to use such a vicious scheme; what a tragic and heroic determination that was!

Guan Jing drew closer and closer to Yuan Shao, who finally saw him clearly. He gritted his teeth and said, "It really is Gongsun Zan! Good riddance, good kill! I'll use his head to pay tribute to my son!"

Yuan Shao reached out to take Gongsun Zan's head, and just as the head landed in his hand, a sudden change occurred!
Suddenly, a cold light flashed from Guan Jing's long sleeves, revealing a dagger. Guan Jing gritted his teeth and fiercely stabbed Yuan Shao without any mercy.

Yuan Shao, holding Gongsun Zan's head in his hands, was completely unprepared. When he realized something was wrong, he instinctively flinched, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow.

puff!
Guan Jing's dagger pierced Yuan Shao's chest. Yuan Shao cried out in pain. With no weapon in his hand, he could only smash his head against Guan Jing.

Guan Jing stumbled and was knocked to the ground.

Yuan Shao, still in shock, clutched his chest and retreated while shouting, "Capture the assassin! Take him down!"

Zhang He hurriedly led his men over. Tian Feng and the others were stunned and completely shocked by this sudden scene.

Before Guan Jing could stand up, he gritted his teeth and lunged at Yuan Shao, stabbing him with his dagger once more. Yuan Shao couldn't dodge in time and was knocked to the ground by Guan Jing.

Zhang He rushed forward, and Guan Jing had already raised his dagger for the third time. Zhang He swiftly grabbed Guan Jing's wrist, stopping him in time.

Even so, Guan Jing still didn't forget to take a good bite out of Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao screamed in agony, disregarding his image. Zhang He finally managed to pull Guan Jing away. Guan Jing spat out a mouthful of blood and flesh and shouted, "Damn it! I failed to kill you. I have failed my lord's trust."

Yuan Shao stood up in terror, drew his sword, and plunged it into Guan Jing's heart.

Anger and intense pain contorted Yuan Shao's face. He glared at Guan Jing and roared almost furiously, "Damn it! I trusted you so much, and you actually tried to assassinate me!"

Of all the people present, Guo Tu was the most surprised.

He never expected that the frail Guan Jing would be so crazy, stabbing Yuan Shao twice and almost killing him.

He was also completely terrified by Yuan Shao's frenzied and furious appearance.

Guo Tu was determined that he would never admit to giving Gongsun Zan advice, not even if it meant his death, and he would never tell anyone else.

Despite being stabbed in the chest, Guan Jing remained fearless. He gritted his teeth and struggled, like a mad beast, still trying to pounce on Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao stabbed Guan Jing again, and Guan Jing's struggles finally weakened. Yuan Shao still dared not get too close, fearing that Guan Jing was not quite dead.

After a long time, until Guan Jing was completely still, Yuan Shao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Using Gongsun Zan's head to assassinate Yuan Shao, Tian Feng and Ju Shou were unable to calm down for a long time.

This kind of determination, this kind of vicious scheme, is truly terrifying.

…………

It was late at night, and Liu Xie took advantage of the darkness to meet Jia Xu. Since the secret passage had been dug, it had become much easier for them to meet.

Jia Xu was still awake and reading when he saw Liu Xie, so he wasn't surprised.

“Your Majesty, I went in to check out the secret passage yesterday, and it’s not bad. But from now on, you must be careful to keep it a secret. Don’t tell anyone except the people who dug the passage.”

Although Jia Xu knew that many people had pledged their loyalty to Liu Xie, he was still not entirely at ease.

Liu Xie nodded. “Starting tomorrow, I will have people guarding the entrances and exits of each secret passage. No one shall enter the secret passage without permission. Anyone who does enter is a suspicious person and must be eliminated decisively.”

"This is best."

"Your Majesty, I anticipate that Cao Cao will soon find an opportunity to demonstrate his strength and prestige to you."

Liu Xie glanced at Jia Xu, "Why is that? Didn't I already back down?"

Jia Xu pointed to the chessboard on the table, "Just like playing chess, there is always a retreat and an advance. Even if Lü Bu and Liu Bei stay at home all day and are busy growing vegetables, Cao Cao still knows that they are close to His Majesty. Even if His Majesty does not provoke Cao Cao, the potential power around His Majesty is too strong."

"With Prince Chen outside Xuchang and Lü Bu and Liu Bei inside Xuchang, Your Majesty, do you think Cao Cao can rest easy?"

"That's true."

"But Your Majesty need not worry too much. Cao Cao knows that Your Majesty is a smart man who knows how to assess the situation. He only wants to intimidate you and let Your Majesty know that as long as Your Majesty is content with the status quo, Cao Cao will not take any extreme actions."

"In fact, it's good for everyone that Your Majesty holds some power. Cao Cao doesn't dare to underestimate Your Majesty. He will actively strengthen his own power and think about pacifying the surrounding warlords as soon as possible. He is currently very dependent on Your Majesty's name." "Your Majesty wants to break free from Cao Cao's control, and Cao Cao also wants to break free from Your Majesty's control."

Liu Xie wholeheartedly agreed, "That's right. If he becomes powerful enough, I will be dispensable to him, and he can kick me aside at any time."

Jia Xu suddenly laughed, “Thinking about it, it’s quite interesting. Right now, Your Majesty and Cao Cao are interdependent, sharing both loss and glory. Your Majesty needs to rely on Cao Cao to preserve the hope of the Han Dynasty, while Cao Cao needs to use Your Majesty’s name to command the world.”

Liu Xie nodded. It's just like a young couple living together; everyone is working hard and wants to make their lives better.

However, conflicts arose constantly during the process, as everyone wanted to have the final say.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that you and Guo Jia are quite close and get along very well."

The topic shifted to Guo Jia, and Jia Xu's expression suddenly became much more serious.

Liu Xie recalled for a moment and nodded, "Guo Jia is a man of strong emotions. He is quite capable, talented, and resourceful. He acts freely and unrestrainedly. If you don't consider his position, he is a wonderful person."

Jia Xu advised, “Your Majesty, do not forget that this man is highly valued by Cao Cao. He is an unrestrained and unconventional person, yet he has been able to offer Cao Cao advice and his strategies have been adopted many times. This is enough to show that he is very capable and loyal to Cao Cao. Your Majesty has been with Guo Jia for so long. I ask Your Majesty, can this man be used by Your Majesty?”

Liu Xie sighed, "To be honest, it's absolutely impossible."

"Then I advise Your Majesty that if there is an opportunity in the future, this person must be eliminated."

"I was originally planning to arrange a marriage for him, but now that you've said that, it seems that the marriage proposal will have to be put on hold."

Jia Xu nodded. This was also what he admired about Liu Xie; he could make wise choices without needing to say much!

Liu Xie continued, "Wenhe, actually, my approach to Guo Jia is only to maintain a superficially harmonious relationship with Cao Cao. If I were to truly favor one over the other and deliberately distance myself from those around Cao Cao, it would only strain our relationship."

Jia Xu understood that Liu Xie was polite to everyone on the surface, even when meeting people like Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan, and that Liu Xie did a good job of demonstrating his skills.

Before leaving, Liu Xie said to Jia Xu, "Your family is all well. If you miss them, you can write to them."

Jia Xu nodded, "I believe Your Majesty will not mistreat them."

…………

Before the New Year, a distinguished guest arrived in Chen State.

Early in the morning, the people heard the clear and melodious sound of copper bells, and they rushed to the streets. A group of burly men came from afar.

These men were strong and powerful, and they all exuded the air of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and outlaws).

The leader was dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, with a resolute face, tall and imposing, with piercing eyes and a mustache that made him look even more majestic.

He exuded an inexplicable aura that made people hesitant to approach him. A string of copper bells hung from his waist, and he swaggered down the road carrying a large sword, looking both imposing and heroic.

These people walked straight toward the residence where Prince Chen was, and more and more people gathered to watch.

Everyone was speculating about this person's background and why he acted so ostentatiously.

He is Gan Ning, also known as Gan Xingba, from Jinfan!
At first, Gan Ning didn't pay much attention to the invitation from Prince Chen, but after receiving a letter from Liu Xie, he was somewhat tempted by the emperor's offer to recruit him.

Since he wasn't valued by Liu Biao anyway, he decided to come to Chen to take a look and test the magnanimity of the King of Chen.

Gan Ning deliberately made a big show of himself all the way, but when he met King Chen, King Chen personally came out to greet him.

Prince Chen walked up to Gan Ning, took his hand, and laughed, "Just as His Majesty said, General Gan is so unrestrained and wild wherever he goes."

King Chen was a military man himself and loved to associate with military generals. On weekdays, he would entrust the handling of state affairs to his prime minister, Luo Jun.

He would either train his troops or drink, and from time to time he would spar with his soldiers. Prince Chen was extremely generous and forthright.

Gan Ning was taken aback, not expecting Prince Chen to be so hospitable. After entering the mansion, Prince Chen waved his hand and ordered people to prepare wine and a banquet to welcome Gan Ning and wash away the dust of his journey.

Prince Chen treated all the Jin Fan brothers who came with Gan Ning with the same respect.

Soon, the courtyard was filled with tables, each laden with a sumptuous feast of food and drink, including everything that flies in the sky, runs on the ground, and swims in the water—a complete array of land and sea delicacies.

It turned out that Liu Xie had given instructions beforehand about Gan Ning's personality, and Chen Wang and Luo Jun were already mentally prepared, so they treated him very warmly.

Good wine and food, plenty of meat and alcohol, even the usually frugal Luo Jun dared not complain in the slightest.

Gan Ning welcomed all who came, and after they had eaten and drunk their fill, he said to the King of Chen, "King of Chen, I originally came to Chen because of His Majesty's sake, but I didn't expect you to treat me so kindly. You are much more generous than Liu Jing. For this reason alone, I will stay in Chen."

Prince Chen nodded. "His Majesty has instructed that after General Gan arrives, all my troops will be under your command."

"This?" This immediately stunned Gan Ning.

"King Chen, did I hear you correctly? Say it again."

"You heard me right. His Majesty gave prior instructions. He said that Liu Jingsheng is unable to recognize or use people. General Gan is a tiger general. Even if you were given more troops, General Gan would be more than capable!"

"His Majesty was in Xuchang and had never met me before. How could he know me so well?" Gan Ning was very excited, but he couldn't help but feel a little doubtful.

Prince Chen smiled and said, "Your Majesty must have already heard of General Gan's reputation. Besides, Your Majesty is unfathomable and proficient in divination. We only need to follow orders and there is no need to delve too deeply into the matter."

Chen Wang also mentioned that Liu Xie had sent someone to protect him and kill Zhang Kai, as well as Liu Xie's prediction that Yuan Shu would become emperor.

Upon hearing this, Gan Ning nodded repeatedly and exclaimed, "Your Majesty is truly a divine being! I long to meet Your Majesty soon."

So Gan Ning stayed in the State of Chen. The King of Chen told him that this army was to guard Xudu and protect the emperor's safety. Gan Ning felt a great sense of responsibility and began to train his troops diligently.

Although he acted flamboyantly, he was a free spirit who shared weal and woe with his soldiers. Coupled with his outstanding skills, he quickly won the support of his soldiers.

Cao Cao never let his guard down around the King of Chen. Even if the King of Chen had no ambition to contend for hegemony, the key point was that the State of Chen was too close to Xuchang, which was only a stone's throw away.

News came from spies that King Chen frequently trained his troops and had entrusted Gan Ning with important responsibilities, which made Cao Cao quite uneasy.

Last time, when Chen Wang attacked Woniu Mountain, Zhou Cang was easily subdued.

Guo Jia offered another suggestion, "My lord, there are only a few hundred bandits on Woniu Mountain. They are weak and outnumbered. It is nothing for Prince Chen to wipe them out. We can send him to fight the Black Mountain bandits, Sui Gu."

Cao Cao nodded, "Sui Gu is quite well-known, so let him test Gan Ning's strength."

(End of this chapter)