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

Chapter 185, Old Friends Meet Again
But there's absolutely no problem with Lü Bu speaking to Cao Cao like that, because Lü Bu is simple-minded and harbors resentment towards Cao Cao.

Just like Dong Cheng, it's perfectly reasonable that he never gave Cao Cao a friendly look. If one day Dong Cheng and Lü Bu greeted Cao Cao with smiles, that would be abnormal.

Cao Ang was clearly displeased after hearing Lü Bu's words.

Chen Gong interjected, "Young Master, Fengxian is right. Cao Sikong knows his character and how to conduct himself best. You can go back and ask your father what he has to say."

Based solely on Cao Cao's ruthless killing of Lü Boshe's entire family and his shocking statement, "I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me," Chen Gong remained convinced that Cao Cao was a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

Fearing that Cao Ang might overthink things, Liu Xie said, "However, Lord Cao has always been very good to me. In recent years, I have lived a very comfortable life, and the world is gradually getting better. Without Lord Cao's efforts to turn the tide, the Han Dynasty would hardly have any hope."

Liu Xie let bygones be bygones on the unpleasant topic, then raised his wine cup, stood up with a smile, and said, "Come on, let's drink and celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in advance."

After Cao Ang returned home that night, before he could even see Cao Cao, Cao Cao took the initiative to send someone to summon him.

Cao Ang spent the night with Liu Xie and stayed there for a long time. Cao Cao became interested and wanted to hear what they had to say.

Before he knew it, Cao Ang had almost become Cao Cao's top-notch spy planted by Liu Xie's side.

Cao Ang recounted the whole story and finally asked, "Father, His Majesty said you are a hero of a chaotic era, while Lü Bu said you are heartless and ruthless... Father, what do you think?"

Cao Cao was not angry. Instead, he smiled and said, "Zixiu, His Majesty is right. This is a chaotic world. A chaotic world is a world that eats people. Some warlords are cruel and cunning wolves, while others are gentle sheep. Some are fierce tigers, while others are foolish pigs and dogs. If you want to compete with these people, you cannot be too merciful."

Cao Cao beckoned Cao Ang closer and patiently said, "Let me give you an example. Let's not talk about anything distant, but start with Kong Rong. What do you think of him, my son?"

After a moment's thought, Cao Ang replied with great respect, "Father, Prefect Kong is a man of great learning and high moral character. As a descendant of a sage, he is highly respected among scholars. I admire him very much."

To everyone's surprise, Cao Cao snorted with utter disdain, "He does have some talent, but he is a pedantic and stubborn fool. He sits in Beihai and knows nothing about military affairs. He couldn't even hold off the Yellow Turbans who invaded the border. If it weren't for my pity for him and my appreciation of his talent and reputation, how could such a person have survived to this day?"

Kong Rong did indeed have a very bad life, and he was not outstanding in battle at all.

Cao Ang wanted to defend him, "Father, the Yellow Turban Rebellion has ravaged the land and caused chaos. This is not the fault of any one person. Does being unable to lead troops or fight mean that one should be completely negated?"

Cao Cao said seriously, "As a regional warlord, even if you don't personally fight on the battlefield, you must know how to use people and how to deploy troops. If you are completely ignorant about military operations and are just an outsider, and you don't know how to use people, then you are only fit to obediently follow the orders of others."

"As for Yuan Shu, he seems ruthless and courageous, but he is all show and no substance. He comes from a family that has held high office for four generations, and he is the eldest son of the legitimate wife. His reputation and strength should have been enough to rival Yuan Shao, but he became complacent and indulged in pleasure. The more such a person possesses, the less he can hold onto it. Although Yuan Shu is quite bold, his strength is negligible. Therefore, his failure was destined from the beginning. Your Majesty said that I am a hero, but that is not because Lü Bu thought I was heartless and ruthless. To become a hero in a chaotic world, one must be decisive and ruthless. Once an opportunity arises, one must not hesitate or be soft-hearted."

Whenever he had time, Cao Cao was willing to have a heart-to-heart talk with Cao Ang about his insights on various matters.

In terms of courage, Cao Cao was no less than Yuan Shu, but Cao Cao always maintained restraint and a clear understanding.

He knew exactly when to do what.

Unlike Yuan Shu, who recklessly declared himself emperor despite his already tarnished reputation and lack of strength to contend for power in the chaotic world, he hastily became the enemy of everyone.

“Father, I think His Majesty is a really good person. He has never said a word of dissatisfaction to me.”

Lu Bu's words, "Heroes are all ruthless and unscrupulous," made Cao Ang feel uneasy. The previous hunting trip to Xutian had already left a shadow in Cao Ang's heart.

Cao Cao knew what his son wanted to say, and smiled, "Zixiu, you've seen it yourself. His Majesty and I fought side by side during the day. We get along very well. What are you worried about? Are you afraid I'll neglect His Majesty?"

Cao Ang breathed a sigh of relief and smiled from the bottom of his heart. "Then I can rest assured. It's getting late, and Father has drunk quite a bit of wine. You should get some rest. I'll take my leave now."

Cao Ang was always so considerate, never forgetting to care about Cao Cao. After Cao Ang left, Cao Cao sat there motionless for a long time, like a statue. Even after a long time, his eyes were still terrifyingly cold.

Cao Cao could deceive anyone in the world, but lying to his own son made him feel terrible.

Cao Cao told Cao Ang that he would treat the emperor well, but that was just talk!

Liu Xie's performance on this expedition was remarkable, and his intention to assume personal rule became increasingly clear, which Cao Cao saw very well.

At first glance, it seems that he and Liu Xie are united against Yuan Shao, but Cao Cao understands that the emperor is now challenging him.

Why was Liu Xie so proactive? He had only one purpose: to continuously enhance his prestige and win over the hearts of the people.

He wanted to be a true emperor!

Who was the emperor targeting by doing all this? The answer is obvious: he wanted to break free from Cao Cao's control!
Although Cao Cao saw everything, he could not stop it. Just as Guo Jia said, Yuan Shao was too strong. Even with the emperor and his ministers working together, Cao Cao still felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

Therefore, under these circumstances, Cao Cao must not turn against Liu Xie. Whatever Liu Xie does now, Cao Cao should not only not oppose him, but should even support him.

Nothing happened that night. The next morning, Yuan Shao had his soldiers eat breakfast early, and then the horn sounded in the camp, and tens of thousands of troops began to assemble.

Since the start of the battle, Yuan Shao has not yet had face-to-face contact with Cao Cao. Yuan Shao wants to set up his battle formation and show off his power in front of Cao Cao.

Just like a rich person who owns a big villa, they always have to find an opportunity to show it off to others, and they always have to put on a show and flaunt it.

Yuan Shao wanted to gather all his troops for a grand entrance, but Guo Tu shook his head and said helplessly, "My lord, Cao Cao has already chosen the battlefield. We are sandwiched between two large marshes. Because the battlefield is too small, the more than 200,000 Yuan troops cannot be fully deployed. We can only divide them into front and rear teams. We can select 50,000 elite troops to put in the front and the rest in the rear."

Yuan Shao was somewhat disappointed. He had wanted to show Cao Cao his mighty army, but he found that he could only field 50,000 troops at a time.

It's like only allowing people to see the villa gate; how can that be acceptable?
But there was nothing they could do; Cao Cao had already secured this second line of defense.

Yuan Shao finally waved his hand and said, "Tell Zhang He and Gao Lan to make sure they select the most elite soldiers to be placed at the front."

Guo Tu nodded and said with a fawning smile, "My lord, rest assured, our army is well-trained and our generals are brave. I will have Zhang He and Gao Lan personally select the troops so that Cao Cao can witness the elite forces of Hebei." Cao Cao waited for a long time before Yuan Shao finally led out his troops and set up his formation.

The 50,000 elite Yuan troops were indeed very fierce, all wearing the finest armor. The cavalry alone numbered 30,000, wearing the finest armor and wielding the sharpest weapons.

Swords and spears gleamed, armor shone!

At first glance, Yuan Jun's battle flags fluttered, and his military bearing was impeccable, giving people a sense of awe and majesty.

Cao's army barely had more than 40,000 troops left. Fortunately, the battlefield was not large enough to accommodate too many people at the same time, which avoided the oppressive feeling caused by Yuan's army being too large.

About half of Cao Cao's soldiers were armored, and his cavalry numbered only seven or eight thousand. Yuan Shao rode on his horse, chest puffed out, displaying an arrogant and confident demeanor.

Cao Cao's army was far inferior to Yuan Shao's in both troop strength and equipment. It seemed that Yuan Shao had already foreseen the outcome, and imagined Cao Cao's pathetic state after his defeat, crawling at his feet and begging for mercy.

However, Cao Cao remained very calm after setting up his troops, and did not feel ashamed because of his small number of soldiers and poor equipment.

Cao Cao quietly watched the Yuan army formation opposite him. The Yuan soldiers were clad in armor, holding long spears, and their steps were perfectly synchronized, like a steel torrent, poised to crush them at any moment.

Yuan Shao stood out among the crowd, like a star surrounded by the moon.

He was tall and imposing, with an imposing presence. His magnificent battle robe gleamed in the sunlight. A faint smugness graced his face, and confidence shone in his eyes, as if everything was under his control.

Above his head, a very luxurious red parasol was held high, shielding Yuan Shao from the scorching sun.

The red silk parasol was smooth and delicate, embroidered with exquisite patterns, highlighting Yuan Shao's noble status. The soldier holding the parasol was very careful, afraid that even the slightest breeze might disturb Yuan Shao.

Their eyes met, and Cao Cao laughed heartily, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture towards Yuan Shao from afar.

Yuan Shao, mounted on his horse, looked at Cao Cao with an arrogant expression, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips.

Cao Cao summoned Cao Ren and ordered him to set up a square table and a pot of fine wine between the two armies. He wanted to meet with Yuan Shao alone.

Cao Ren said worriedly, "My lord, is this really necessary? I'll just lead my men and charge straight over there and kill him to my heart's content. Don't be fooled by Yuan Shao's large army and armor; I, Cao Ren, don't even consider him a threat."

Cao Ren was also a rare and brave general. The more Yuan soldiers there were, the more his fighting spirit was aroused.

Cao Cao waved his hand and said, "It's been so many years, Zixiao. Just do as I say. It's only natural for me to catch up with my old friend Yuan Shao."

Cao Ren had no choice but to grunt and do as he was told.

The two armies were about 400 meters apart. About 200 meters in between, Cao Ren ordered a table to be set up. Yuan Shao looked on with great curiosity and surprise.

After a while, once everything was arranged, Cao Cao was still not satisfied. "Zixiao, there's one less red silk umbrella. How can someone of Yuan Shao's noble status be without it?"

Cao Ren sneered, "I've never seen His Majesty use this. Yuan Shao is just putting on airs and showing off."

Cao Cao smiled and said, "Since Yuan Shao likes to make a show of things, let's do as he wishes. Go and prepare quickly. Without the red parasol, Yuan Shao will definitely be unhappy."

Liu Xie happened to be walking this way. When he saw Cao Ren, he asked what was going on and then said, "When I traveled with the army, Cao Gong also prepared a red silk umbrella for me. Although I have never used it, that red silk umbrella is indeed very noble and grand. Let Yuan Shao use it."

Once everything was ready, Cao Cao rode his horse straight to the center. Dian Wei and Xu Chu wanted to follow, but Cao Cao stopped them, saying, "No one needs to come with me. This time, I want to meet with Yuan Shao alone."

"But my lord, are you safe?" Dian Wei asked with some concern.

Cao Cao waved his hand and said, "It's alright. Even if Yuan Shao and I were to fight, he would be no match for me. With you all with me, I'm afraid Yuan Shao wouldn't dare to come and meet me."

And so, Cao Cao rode alone, heading straight towards the center of the two armies.

Yuan Shao watched with curiosity, and Guo Tu reminded him, "My lord, I think Cao Cao's actions suggest that he wants to meet with you alone."

Sure enough, upon arriving at the center of the two armies, Cao Cao dismounted and then, smiling, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yuan Shao, saying loudly, "Benchu, we have known each other for many years. It is a rare occasion to meet again today. I have prepared a small feast for you, brother, and invite you to have a chat on the battlefield."

Cao Cao appeared extremely sincere, with a smile on his face, and he didn't bring a single soldier with him. Yuan Shao watched Cao Cao, somewhat hesitant.

Yuan Shao wanted to go, but he was also worried. Cao Cao was always cunning and scheming, and Yuan Shao had been tricked by Cao Cao many times when he was young.

I remember once, when a family was having a wedding, Cao Cao instigated Yuan Shao to peek at the bride. Cao Cao even had the idea of ​​kidnapping the bride. As a result, the two of them incurred the wrath of the family and were chased and beaten by the host.

Yuan Shao accidentally got stuck in a thicket of thorns, which terrified him. But at that moment, Cao Cao had a flash of inspiration and shouted, "The thief is right here!" This startled Yuan Shao, who jumped out of the thorns without hesitation.

Just as Yuan Shao hesitated, another sound of hooves rang out, and a magnificent white horse appeared in everyone's sight. Riding on the horse was a man of distinguished bearing, handsome and dashing. Yuan Shao felt that he looked somewhat familiar. Guo Tu and Chunyu Qiong, who were beside him, said almost in unison, "My lord, that is none other than the current emperor!"

Liu Xie rode straight to Cao Cao's side. Cao Cao was taken aback for a moment, then quickly advised, "Your Majesty, why have you come? It's dangerous here."

Liu Xie smiled and said, "If Cao Cao is not afraid, why should I be? Besides, would Yuan Shao dare to kill me?"

Cao Cao had to admit that the emperor had his own protective charm.

Liu Xie can kill others, and it doesn't matter how many people he kills. The fact that the two of them fought side by side yesterday is the best proof of this. Liu Xie killed so many people, but no matter which Yuan army soldier approached him, they dared not kill him.

With so many soldiers on both sides, if Yuan Shao dared to kill the emperor, he would be unable to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

(End of this chapter)