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

Chapter 184, Liu Xie's Rescue Has a Profound Meaning

Ordinary soldiers would only receive personal treatment from Liu Xie if their injuries were so severe that others were helpless.

Many of the lower-ranking officers in Cao Cao's camp had been treated by Liu Xie. In addition, Liu Xie was approachable and had no airs when interacting with his soldiers. Chen Gong watched Liu Xie busy with his work with satisfaction, feeling that Liu Xie had already begun to make plans.

Chen Gong believed that Liu Xie's actions from the very beginning were not simply about saving people.

Given Liu Xie's status, as long as he is approachable, he will inevitably win the approval of many people over time.

However, Liu Xie was clearly not satisfied with just that. It wasn't enough for people to just acknowledge him. He subtly influenced many people, making them respect him more, be willing to get close to him, and even follow him.

The emperor's act of saving them was of extraordinary value; many people were even willing to risk their lives for him.

Of course, Liu Xie is not asking them for anything in return, but the seeds of gratitude have already been sown and are taking root and sprouting.

Chen Gong asked Zhao Yun curiously, "Zilong, when did His Majesty begin to personally treat wounded soldiers?"

"When?" Zhao Yun thought for a moment and replied, "It was several years ago. It was in the spring of the second year of Jian'an, during the first campaign against Zhang Xiu. At that time, Dian Wei was injured, and his injuries were particularly severe. His Majesty personally saved him. Since then, His Majesty has formed a medical team and personally helps treat people on every expedition."

Chen Gong nodded, his smile widening.

He even wondered if Liu Xie's approach to Hua Tuo to learn medicine was a pre-planned scheme.

Because of Cao Cao's restrictions, it was actually very difficult for Liu Xie to show favor to others.

No matter who Liu Xie approached alone, he was easily monitored and blacklisted by Cao Cao.

Meeting alone is nothing more than saying some intimate words and making some promises or rewards. These are common ways for someone to turn the tide and win people's hearts, and even the emperor is no exception.

However, it would be very difficult for Liu Xie to do these things. Perhaps it wouldn't matter once or twice, but doing it frequently would inevitably arouse Cao Cao's dissatisfaction and vigilance.

Therefore, Liu Xie took a different approach and chose a method that Cao Cao didn't pay much attention to: learning medicine and helping people heal.

Who would have thought that the emperor had ulterior motives for studying medicine? Perhaps Cao Cao was initially pleased, thinking that Liu Xie's actions would pose even less of a threat to him.

But over the years, the number of people who have been personally treated by Liu Xie is countless.

Even if he didn't personally save the person, it was thanks to the rescue team he established. Therefore, Chen Gong was sincerely convinced, and unknowingly, Liu Xie had already influenced many people.

Even if Cao Cao realized it now, it was too late!
The seeds have been sown, and so many people have been saved. Even if Cao Cao tries to stop Liu Xie from saving more people in the future, the medical team will still exist. Everyone knows that the medical team was established by Liu Xie himself.

Of course, Chen Gong also believed that Liu Xie was genuinely trying to save people. He was meticulous in his work, unafraid of getting dirty or tired, and treated every soldier with respect.

But it's clear that he didn't do all this for free, just to be a good Samaritan or to give charity for free!
Even those who weren't personally treated by Liu Xie were extremely excited to see him appear in the wounded soldiers' camp. Some were overjoyed, even more so than if they were holding a beautiful young woman in their arms, just to be able to say a single word to the emperor.

After treating Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao's injuries, Liu Xie went on to treat the other officers one by one. After finishing his rounds, he returned to Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao and asked them about their past experiences. Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao naturally did not hide anything from him.

Zhu Ling said, “Your Majesty, we were both originally Yuan Shao’s subordinates. As you probably know, when Cao Cao sent troops to attack Tao Qian, Yuan Shao also sent troops to help Cao Cao. We were sent by Yuan Shao at that time.”

Previously, Cao Cao was Yuan Shao's subordinate.

The novel overly glorifies Cao Cao. If you only read the novel, many people can't even see the slightest trace of Cao Cao being Yuan Shao's subordinate.

In the novel, you'll find that Cao Cao shines brightly and often outshines Yuan Shao.

In reality, for a long period of time, Cao Cao followed Yuan Shao's lead without question.

Initially, he was Yuan Shao's subordinate, and later he became Yuan Shao's ally. Before the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao always treated Yuan Shao with great respect.

Cao Cao's attitude towards Yuan Shao was initially to listen to Yuan Shao, but later he yielded to Yuan Shao, coaxed Yuan Shao, and never dared to offend Yuan Shao.

It wasn't until the Battle of Guandu that the two completely broke ties! Cao Cao was finally no longer the subordinate, but the elder brother.

Zhu Ling sighed heavily, "After defeating Tao Qian, I voluntarily stayed by Cao Cao's side, as did Lu Zhao; I persuaded him to stay."

Lu Zhao said, “Your Majesty, we stay by Cao Cao’s side because Yuan Shao is not a wise ruler. Yuan Shao doesn’t value people like us at all. We are at his beck and call, just like pawns. Yuan Shao only respects those who are famous and talented.”

After a while, Lu Zhao continued, "There's another matter. Yuan Shao's subordinate, Ji Yong, betrayed Yuan Shao and secretly surrendered to Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan sent troops to Yu City to help Ji Yong defend it. Yuan Shao ordered Zhu Ling to attack, but Zhu Ling's family was all in the city. Gongsun Zan then tied Zhu Ling's mother and younger brother to the city walls to try and induce Zhu Ling to surrender. Zhu Ling did not bow his head and attacked the city with tears in his eyes. Although he captured the city and took Ji Yong prisoner, Zhu Ling's entire family was also killed. He had done so much for Yuan Shao, and his whole family had sacrificed themselves, yet Yuan Shao still did not treat Zhu Ling well. Yuan Shao's actions chilled the hearts of many soldiers."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xie remained silent for a long time.

Some have even said that Gongsun Zan was a national hero because he fought against foreign tribes and showed great courage. In reality, however, Gongsun Zan was extremely cruel.

Even though Gongsun Zan was moved by Liu Xie before his death and was willing to give his life, Liu Xie still did not glorify him.

Many of the things Gongsun Zan did perfectly demonstrate his cruel and ruthless side.

After a while, Liu Xie let out a cold laugh. Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao were both stunned and looked at Liu Xie with curiosity.

Liu Xie said coldly, "Yuan Shao seems to treat people kindly and politely, but it's all just for show. I'll tell you one thing and you'll understand. Back when the warlords were fighting against Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao became the leader of the alliance. In a fit of anger, Dong Zhuo slaughtered all three hundred members of the Yuan family in Luoyang, leaving no one alive. These were all Yuan Shao's family members! And what was the result?"

"I heard that at first, Yuan Shao was so angry that he vomited blood and vowed to fight Dong Zhuo to the death. But in the end, he only cared about his own interests and enjoyed the throne of the leader who commanded the world. He dragged his feet and hesitated to advance, and finally watched Dong Zhuo escape. Yuan Shao did not pursue him with a single soldier when he had such a good opportunity. He did not care about the blood feud of three hundred people. How could he care about you?"

Zhu Ling and the other man were so angry they gritted their teeth. Chen Gong also agreed, thinking that Yuan Shao was indeed a heartless and ruthless person.

"Alright, you all should take good care of your injuries." After staying for a while, Liu Xie was too tired, so he waved his hand and left under everyone's reluctant gaze.

Cao Cao waited until the end of the banquet but Liu Xie never arrived. Gradually, Cao Cao also began to find the food and wine tasteless.

Liu Xie returned to his tent and dined with Prince Chen and the others. Each person had a stool, and they sat together, chatting and laughing. Everyone was very happy.

Cao Ang heard people laughing and talking, creating a lively atmosphere, and curiously entered the tent.

Upon seeing Cao Ang, Liu Xie hurriedly smiled and beckoned, "Zixiu, come, sit beside me." After Cao Ang sat down, Liu Xie smiled and said, "Isn't the Mid-Autumn Festival just around the corner?"

Chen Gong nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"We've been away from home for over a month now. During holidays, we miss our families even more. Everyone, you must be homesick too, right?"

Chen Gong, however, pondered the line "On every festive occasion, one misses one's loved ones even more," and couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Gan Ning snorted, "Your Majesty, a man should fight on the battlefield and die on the battlefield. How can he be burdened by matters of the heart? I don't miss home."

"Haha, Xingba, you really don't miss home?"

Gan Ning nodded vigorously and replied firmly, "I don't want to!"

Liu Xie then looked at Lü Bu, "Fengxian, you must be homesick?"

Lu Bu wanted to be tough like Gan Ning, but his mind involuntarily drifted to the beautiful and charming woman, the alluring Diao Chan, his wife Yan Shi, and of course, his daughter.

Lu Bu was a very family-oriented person, a rare warm-hearted man in the Three Kingdoms period.

Seeing Lü Bu deep in thought, Liu Xie couldn't help but smile. "Missing loved ones is human nature, and even the sages of old were no exception."

Liu Xie was trying to ease Lü Bu's embarrassment. He then said, "I often think of the Empress and the others, and miss my family. There's nothing shameful about that. As for Xingba saying he doesn't miss his family, that's somewhat against his conscience."

Everyone laughed, and Gan Ning laughed too.

Cao Ang fell into deep thought. After a while, he said, "But my father taught me that a man should make achievements and prioritize national affairs. If he keeps too much personal feelings in his heart, it will restrict his actions and make him anxious and hesitant. The more he worries, the more timid and hesitant he will become."

Liu Xie shook his head. "Zixiu, everyone has a different perspective on things. I can understand Cao Cao's view, but I do not agree with it."

Pointing at Wang Tong, Liu Xie asked, "Are you married? Who's in your family?"

Wang Tong replied, "Your Majesty, I am already married. There are three people in my family: my mother, my wife, and a five-year-old daughter."

Liu Xie nodded. "So you joined the army to fight, surely so that your family could have enough to eat and life could be a little better, right?"

Wang Tongdao: "When I joined the army, I received a sum of money. Although it wasn't much, it was enough for my family to make ends meet. If I could earn a merit, that would be even better, and my family's life would be much easier."

Liu Xie looked at Cao Ang and said, "Zixiu, did you hear that? I believe that most of the soldiers in the army, like Wang Tong, joined the army to fight so that their families could have a better life. So I ask you, do these people care about their families?"

Cao Ang was stumped by the question and awkwardly opened his mouth.

Liu Xie continued, "Of course, sometimes, having too many concerns can indeed tie one's hands and feet. But in this life, if you don't even care about your family and become heartless and ruthless, what's the point of achieving great things? Humans aren't plants or trees; how can they be without feelings? How many people in this world can completely abandon their families? Sometimes, caring about your family can make you stronger. For example, if you want them to have a better life, or if you want to genuinely protect them from enemies who want to harm them."

Liu Xie thought of the soldiers who defended their country in later generations; they were the most respectable and lovable.

To defend their homeland and protect their country, they resolutely took up arms and rushed to the front lines.

Cao Cao had high expectations for Cao Ang and always groomed him as his successor. Naturally, he hoped that Cao Ang could become a hero worthy of respect, just like himself.

“Zixiu, what kind of person you become in the future is inseparable from your personality and qualities. For example, you are kind-hearted, know how to consider the big picture, and are willing to be close to soldiers and civilians. These are your strengths. With such a personality, you are destined not to become a ruthless and cold-hearted person.”

"Then what kind of person does Your Majesty think my father is?" Cao Ang asked curiously.

Cao Ang's problem drew the attention of Lü Bu and others to Liu Xie.

Chen Gong shook his head at Liu Xie, reminding him with his eyes that this question should be avoided in front of Cao Ang.

Because once it's revealed, Cao Cao will find out very quickly.

Liu Xie, however, did not pay any attention and said with a smile, "Xu Shao, didn't he comment on Cao Cao back then? I think his evaluation was very fair and apt. Cao Cao was a hero in troubled times and a capable minister in peaceful times!"

"So, my father was a ruthless and powerful figure!"

Liu Xie nodded. "The world is in turmoil today, with warlords vying for power and heroes fighting for supremacy. It is indeed a chaotic world, and only someone like your father can achieve great things."

"So, which is better, a tyrant or a hero?"

"A ruthless hero is also a hero, but unlike ordinary heroes, a ruthless hero is more ambitious and more decisive in his actions. Compared to others, the concepts of loyalty and righteousness are not as important."

Lu Bu snorted and couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty means that heroes are even more ruthless and heartless, and sometimes they will stop at nothing to achieve their goals."

Lü Bu lacked political awareness and was always reckless in his actions, but that doesn't mean he was stupid; he was quite intelligent.

Imagine if he had no talent or ability, why would Ding Yuan have made Lü Bu his chief clerk?

Let's take a look at who served as chief clerks during the Three Kingdoms period:

Yuan Shao's chief clerk was Chen Lin; Cao Cao's chief clerk was Yang Xiu; Dong Zhuo's chief clerk was Tian Jing; Liu Biao's chief clerk was Yang Yi; Yuan Shu's chief clerk was Yan Xiang; and Liu Zhang's chief clerk was Huang Quan.

The chief clerk was usually a scholar, and a very capable one at that.

Lü Bu lacked talent and was not qualified to be a chief clerk.

Liu Xie forced a smile. While Lü Bu could say that Cao Cao was ruthless and heartless, Liu Xie, in his position, could not make such a judgment.

The two had just fought side by side, and Liu Xie had always advocated harmony between the ruler and his subjects.

If Liu Xie said that Cao Cao was heartless and ruthless, wouldn't that be tantamount to undermining himself?

(End of this chapter)