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

Chapter 152, Cao Cao's evaluation of Liu Xie

"I once had someone like that by my side."

As Kong Rong watched Gan Ning's strong figure disappear into the distance, a person flashed through his mind.

"What does Gan Ning mean by this?" Cao Ren snorted with some dissatisfaction.

Xiahou Dun adjusted the black eye patch on his face, his expression turning somewhat gloomy. "It's obvious he's doing this for Cao Cao's benefit, deliberately provoking him, humph!"

On Liu Xie's wedding day, a joyous occasion, he insisted on bringing so many soldiers, bringing out half of Chen's military strength. Such a grand display was clearly intentional.

They came both to offer their congratulations and to bolster Liu Xie's prestige.

It's like saying: Your Majesty, don't be afraid, Cao Cao has men, and so do we! Don't be afraid, let's fight if you're not convinced!

…………

"Mr. Jia, His Majesty's wedding must be a grand affair; it must be very lively up there."

As usual, Liu Biao checked the secret passage again before returning to Jia Xu's side, carrying a food box in his hand.

"This was specially instructed by His Majesty. I just got it from Hongyun Restaurant. On His Majesty's joyous occasion, although you cannot attend in person, you must still be included in the food and drinks."

Liu Biao didn't really respect Jia Xu; he was just fulfilling his duties. That's why he always addressed Jia Xu as "you" instead of "you (formal)."

Don't forget, because of Jia Xu, Liu Biao also lost two brothers, Wang Wu and Li Zhong!

Jia Xu accepted the food box, thanked him, and then said, "I dislike crowds more than anything, because the more crowded a place is, the more likely trouble is to arise!"

The food box contained six exquisite side dishes, all of which Liu Xie had specially instructed Wang Cai to prepare for Jia Xu. Jia Xu sniffed them, and the aroma was so enticing that he couldn't help but feel somewhat intoxicated.

Jia Xu opened the wine pot and poured a cup for Liu Biao. Liu Biao didn't stand on ceremony, picked it up, and drank it all in one gulp.

Jia Xu then poured himself a cup. The aroma was wonderful, and the wine was pure. Jia Xu praised it, saying, "It should be Dukang wine that has been stored for more than thirty years. What a fine wine! His Majesty has treated me well."

Liu Biao nodded. "In these chaotic times, it's extremely difficult to preserve wine. Let alone thirty years, even good wine that's over ten years old is rare."

Liu Biao glanced at Jia Xu and teased, "His Majesty really values ​​you. He treats you to good food and drink and provides excellent hospitality. If I were to change my old temper, I might have already prayed for your soul after the deaths of Wang Wu and Li Zhong."

Jia Xu wasn't angry. He shook his head and sighed, "Times have changed. People's positions are different, so their choices will be different. Before, we were enemies, but now, or rather in the future, aren't we all His Majesty's people? By the way, I'm curious, how did you come to know His Majesty?"

Liu Biao glanced at him, lost in his memories, his voice low and powerful, "At first, I was just a wanted criminal on the run. I killed two local bullies in my hometown and fled all the way to Xuchang. Hongyun Restaurant was offering free meals to loyal and righteous people. When I heard that, I was both happy and curious. After eating there a few times for free, I couldn't be happy anymore."

“We have hands and feet, and we love to stand up for the weak. How could we do something like this, taking advantage of others and eating for free? So, I thought I would repay the shopkeeper. Later, the shopkeeper asked me to deliver a letter, and that's how I got to know General Zhao Yun. Through these interactions, I gradually got to know His Majesty.”

There was nothing particularly dramatic about it. Jia Xu then asked, "After you met His Majesty, did you start working for him?"

Liu Biao shook his head. "If that were the case, that would be good. Let me put it this way, Mr. Jia, getting to know His Majesty isn't difficult at all. If you don't believe me, just go down the streets of Xuchang and ask a few people. You're sure to find someone who knows His Majesty, or even has spoken to him. But if they want to follow His Majesty and work for him..."

At this point, Liu Biao shook his head and sighed, "That would be too difficult!"

"What test has His Majesty given you?" Jia Xu astutely grasped the crux of the question.

Liu Biao pointed to the secret chamber above, "His Majesty has ordered me to assassinate Cao Cao."

"You should know that Cao Cao has a very good reputation, and the people praise him, but that's what His Majesty said."

"You really went to assassinate him?"

Liu Biao nodded. "I only want to serve His Majesty. Whoever His Majesty orders me to kill, I will kill. I don't care if it's Cao Cao or not, I'll kill him without hesitation!"

Jia Xu continued, "Without such courage, His Majesty wouldn't have kept you by his side. Now, you should have a general understanding of the situation in Xuchang and know that Cao Cao is difficult to deal with. Have you thought about what would happen if His Majesty were to fail one day?"

Liu Biao snorted, "This is what I despise about you scholars. You're always looking ahead and behind, scheming about a whole bunch of things. Before anything even happens, you're already thinking about what will happen if you fail."

Liu Biao was a little angry. He glared at Jia Xu and said irritably, "So what if I lose? At worst I'll die. Twenty years from now, I'll still be a hero."

Liu Biao took another sip of wine. "I have no ulterior motives. Perhaps you are more useful to His Majesty than I am, more capable than I am, but since I have chosen His Majesty, I will follow him to the end, even at the cost of my life. In terms of determination, you may not be able to match me!"

After Liu Biao finished speaking, he walked outside, but stopped at the door. "Mr. Jia," he said, "in this life, you have to do something that you won't regret. What do you think?"

After Liu Biao finished speaking, he didn't look at Jia Xu again and left directly.

Jia Xu fell silent.

He devised a plan to counterattack Chang'an, devised a scheme to deal with Cao Cao, then surrendered Nanyang, and now he is working for Liu Xie. All of this is the choice that Jia Xu made for himself in the best interest of the situation.

Compared to him, Liu Biao was naive and didn't know how to weigh the pros and cons. He only wanted to do one thing, something spectacular and something he could be proud of, even if it cost him his life.

Isn't life just about coming into this world for a short time?

Liu Biao's thinking was very simple: "If I want to do it, I'll just do it. Why think so much?"
…………

At the wedding banquet, Cao Ang was the one with the simplest mind and the fewest selfish thoughts. He would drink with the soldiers of the Cao family for a while, and then come to Dong Cheng and others with a smile.

When Liu Xie came over, Cao Ang even drank a cup with him. As his older brother, he was genuinely happy that his sister was able to marry Liu Xie.

Putting himself in Cao Ang's shoes, Liu Xie was also very sincere towards him.

Seeing Zhang Xiu sitting forlornly in the corner, Liu Xie smiled and walked over.

"General Zhang, you and Zilong are from the same school, you should get closer in the future. Come, let me toast you."

The emperor personally winning over others was incredibly effective!
Zhang Xiu, who had been neglected for many days, stood up excitedly and took the wine cup from Liu Xie with trembling hands, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Liu Xie looked at him and smiled, "The people I admire most in my life are those who are generous and forthright. General Zhang, please drink this cup to the brim."

Cao Cao sat at a distance, watching Liu Xie chatting intimately with Zhang Xiu, and felt a pang of resentment.

"My lord, what are you thinking about?" Guo Jia poured Cao Cao a cup of wine and asked with a smile. Cao Cao glanced at Guo Jia and sighed, "I was thinking that even if I were ten years younger, let alone twenty years younger, I would still be willing to serve His Majesty if he treated me this way."

Cao Cao could only speak these innermost thoughts to Guo Jia without any reservations; he would never have said them to anyone else.

After downing a cup of wine, Cao Cao felt a bitter taste despite it being a celebratory drink. "I really regret it now. If it weren't for the hunting trip at Xutian, things wouldn't have turned out this way."

Watching Liu Xie steadily win over the hearts of the people, Cao Cao had to admit that he had made another wrong move.

Now that the relationship was clear, Liu Xie was unrestrained and chatted and laughed with Guan Yu, Zhang Xiu, and Prince Chen in front of Cao Cao.

Even though he was far away and didn't know exactly what they were talking about, Cao Cao could sense that these people were gathered together and were clearly targeting him. They wanted to support the emperor, and their only opponent was him!
Guo Jia advised, "My lord, things are ever-changing. Nothing in this world is immutable. You hold military power and the power to make decisions in the court. In chaotic times, strength is paramount. As long as you defeat Yuan Shao and unify the north, your contest with His Majesty will come to an end."

Guo Jia was confident, as if he had everything under control regarding the future situation.

However, he overlooked a crucial factor: Liu Xie was constantly getting stronger, and at an astonishing speed!
Since he had decided to use Yuan Shao to deal with Liu Xie, Cao Cao could only endure it for the time being and let Liu Xie do whatever he wanted.

Liu Xie did not disappoint him; Liu Ye and Zhang Xiu were easily won over by him.

Liu Ye was a member of the Han imperial family, and he simply couldn't refuse Liu Xie's attempts to get close to him. For Liu Ye, his status as a member of the imperial family became an inescapable constraint.

Zhang Xiu has been neglected for so long. Cao Cao doesn't care, but Liu Xie does. So, Zhang Xiu's choice becomes very simple.

Nobody wants to be ignored or constantly offered a warm welcome only to be met with indifference.

Then there's Chen Gong. After he became a minister, Cao Cao didn't dare to use him, so naturally, he also became one of Liu Xie's people.

Liu Xie made his way around, offering toasts to those who were to be toasted, and finally sat down next to Chen Gong.

"Gongtai, I would like to hear your opinion."

Chen Gong glanced at Cao Cao and whispered, "Your Majesty, aren't you afraid at all?"

"By showing goodwill to these people in front of so many people, you are like adding fuel to the fire, which will anger Cao Cao."

Liu Xie looked at him with a smile and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Gongtai, I want to ask you, is being afraid useful?"

Chen Gong was taken aback and stumped by the question.

"Since fear is useless, then I will seize every opportunity to constantly make myself stronger. By doing this, Cao Cao will eventually understand my good intentions. I am doing this for the sake of the world, and also for his sake."

"Does Your Majesty still intend to consider Cao Cao's interests?"

Liu Xie nodded and said with emotion, "I owe my current position to Cao Cao, and I will never forget him. Therefore, I hope he can be a loyal and upright minister. This idea will never change! This is my greatest reward to Cao Cao!"

"Your Majesty's magnanimity and breadth of mind have truly impressed me."

Chen Gong thought of Lü Boshe's family, but Cao Cao showed no mercy and killed them all.

When attacking Tao Qian, Cao Cao slaughtered people and massacred the city without mercy, to the point that the Si River was filled with corpses.

During the hunting trip to Xutian, Cao Cao's disloyal intentions were already beginning to emerge.

This suggests that Cao Cao will only become more arrogant and domineering in the future, and will even take advantage of any opportunity to force Cao Cao to abdicate.

But now, Liu Xie tells Chen Gong that he wants Cao Cao to continue to be a loyal subject of the Han Dynasty.

Chen Gong took a sip of wine and gave a wry smile. "Your Majesty, it's difficult. Although you mean well, I'm afraid Cao Cao won't appreciate it."

Liu Xie clinked glasses with him, drank it all in one gulp, looked at Cao Cao, and gave him a very friendly smile. Cao Cao returned a very forced smile.

Liu Xie felt that sometimes, acting like this every day was quite interesting.

Liu Xie wanted to get rid of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao also wanted to get rid of Liu Xie. On the surface, they were extremely close, and before they knew it, they had become in-laws.

"Gongtai, I believe that one day Cao Cao will finally let go of his obsession and willingly assist me."

Chen Gong smiled, "Then I will wait and see. Your Majesty always brings surprises. Your Majesty is proficient in divination. Since you are so sure, I will stay by Your Majesty's side and witness it properly."

Liu Xie then went to Cao Cao's side and exchanged pleasantries with Xiahou Dun and the others. Seeing Liu Xie handle the situation with ease, moving among the crowd and smiling warmly at everyone, Cao Cao nodded in approval.

“Fengxiao, I truly admire His Majesty’s actions. He reminds me of Liu Bei.”

Guo Jia quickly shook his head, "Your Majesty is completely different from Liu Bei, utterly different."

Cao Cao said, “Yes, Your Majesty is simply the other extreme of Liu Bei. Liu Bei is low-key and patient, wishing that everyone would ignore his existence. He stayed in Xuchang for half a year, and apart from the vegetable garden, he didn’t want to go anywhere else. But look at Your Majesty, he is everywhere and can get along with anyone. However, he hides his sharpness and shows no hostility to anyone. This is the most brilliant method.”

Just as Jia Xu had predicted, the more lively the wedding banquet was, the more likely it was to cause trouble. The two sides were clearly divided, and the atmosphere was obviously tense.

Only Liu Xie was able to move back and forth between the two sides with ease, unaffected.

Although Liu Xie and Cao Cao appeared to be on good terms, both sides revealed their true intentions, and those close to Liu Xie gradually came to light.

Cao Cao kept a close eye on Dong Cheng, Wu Shuo, Wang Zifu, and others, remembering their every move at the banquet.

Even though his hand was out in the open, Liu Xie still had his trump cards up his sleeve: Jia Xu, Tian Yu, and the secret passage.

Since Tian Yu arrived in Xudu, Liu Xie has not outwardly assigned him any tasks, but in reality, Tian Yu has already begun secretly training the assassins recruited by Ma Kui.

Whether they are suicide squad members or wandering knights, they may be very strong in individual combat, but without professional training, they will naturally lose to regular troops, because regular troops emphasize discipline, coordination, efficiency, and decisiveness.

Tian Yu appears on the streets of Xudu as usual during the day, but at night he enters a secret room to train assassins.

After nearly two years of excavation, the secret chamber has expanded several times in size. No one would have guessed that the secret chamber was located beneath the imperial city.

(End of this chapter)