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

Chapter 198, Cao Cao is having a really tough time.
This world belongs to Liu Xie. He must take back what is rightfully his. He cannot rely on others alone!

He wanted to be the most important participant and the most important commander!
Whoever's problem it is, that person must take it to heart; this is an eternal truth!

When Qin lost its throne, the whole world scrambled for it; now that Han has lost its throne, Liu Xie must take it back himself!

Cao Cao looked away after a long while and muttered, "It is too dangerous for Your Majesty to leave the army alone in Wuchao!"

Dian Wei scratched his head. "I also advised His Majesty in the same way, but His Majesty said that no matter how dangerous the task is, someone has to do it. We can't send more people from Guandu here, and there's not enough time. His Majesty also said that even if it's dangerous, it's not as dangerous as what Cao Cao encountered before."

When the dangers encountered at Wuchao were mentioned, Cao Cao's entire demeanor changed.

The air seemed to freeze; everyone held their breath and watched Cao Cao cautiously.

Cao Cao stared intently, pondering for a long time, carefully considering the entire matter from beginning to end.

"What exactly is going on? Could it really be Yuan Shao's scheme, deliberately sending Xu You to lure me?"

Could Yuan Shao possess such a brilliant strategy? Even if someone offered such a plan, Cao Cao did not believe Yuan Shao would adopt it.

Suddenly, Cao Cao seemed to grasp something, a flash of inspiration crossing his mind. He looked sharply at Dian Wei and asked urgently, "What happened to Yuan Shao in the end? Was he alive or dead?"

The battlefield was too chaotic at the time, and Cao Cao was not clear about what had happened. He held on until Zhang He and Gao Lan retreated before collapsing. Cao Cao was unaware of Yuan Shao's whereabouts.

Dian Wei hurriedly replied, "Yuan Shao has already escaped and was rescued by Liu Bei."

Cao Cao muttered repeatedly, "So he escaped."

If Yuan Shao had died at Wuchao, Cao Cao would have had even more reason to suspect that the incident was likely orchestrated by the emperor.

But now that Yuan Shao has left unharmed, Cao Cao is somewhat uncertain. If the emperor really planned everything, how could he have allowed Yuan Shao to leave alive?
Such a good opportunity should be seized without hesitation to kill Yuan Shao. Not only would it bring fame, but it would also cause Yuan's army to completely lose its backbone, leading to a complete collapse in morale.

Seeing that Cao Cao was lost in thought, Xu Huang looked around and reminded him, "My lord, let's continue on our way. It's not safe here."

Cao Cao nodded subconsciously, "Okay, I'll go back right away."

After walking a while longer, they encountered Cao Ang, who had come to meet them. Cao Ang protected Cao Cao and helped him safely return to the Guandu camp.

Meanwhile, at Guandu, Guo Jia received a reminder from Liu Xie, and seeing the towering fire at Wuchao, he decisively ordered Cao Ren to lead his army to attack.

The battle is still ongoing. Yuan's army is in great disarray under Guo Tu's command, and the outer camps have been breached by Cao's army.

Upon hearing that Cao Cao had returned, Guo Jia rushed over. Xu Huang and the others remained by Cao Cao's side and did not disperse.

Guo Jia jogged over here, but his pace suddenly slowed down. The scene before him surprised him even more. Only a small number of people had returned, and many familiar figures were missing.

Guo Jia's steps grew slower and heavier.

The closer he got to Cao Cao's side, the more his legs felt like lead, so heavy that he could hardly take a step.

Without asking, Guo Jia guessed that things were very bad.

Guo Jia initially thought that since the fire at Wuchao had been set off, things should be going very smoothly, perhaps because Cao Cao and Liu Xie had joined forces to take down Wuchao.

After all, the fire at Wuchao was a fact, and it was seen from Guandu, which was dozens of miles away.

However, Cao Cao sent 5,000 men, but very few returned. Guo Jia did not see Xiahou Yuan, Xu Chu, Cao Xiu, and others.

Wise people never waste words.

Something must have happened, and it must be something serious!
Guo Jia steadied himself and first inquired about Cao Cao's injuries. Cao Cao was barely able to lie down; he was indeed seriously injured this time. Dian Wei had been carrying him on his back or lifting him up the whole way, and Cao Cao was temporarily unable to walk on his own.

They need to rest for at least a while.

After a while, Cao Cao waved his hand at everyone, "You've all worked hard. Go back and get your wounds bandaged and rest. You can all leave now."

Guo Jia naturally wouldn't leave; he knew Cao Cao must have something to say to him.

Dian Wei was also injured, but he did not leave. Instead, he stood guard outside Cao Cao's tent like an iron tower, carrying his large iron halberd.

"Fengxiao, when did His Majesty leave Guandu?" After everyone left, Cao Cao looked directly at Guo Jia and asked the question that had been on his mind.

Despite his serious injuries, Cao Cao's mind was constantly racing on the way back. He kept thinking about it, not letting any detail slip by.

Cao Cao admitted that Liu Xie had helped and saved him, but the timing of Liu Xie's appearance was too coincidental.

Guo Jia replied, "My lord, I cannot confirm the exact time His Majesty left, but in any case, His Majesty left that night, just like you. I think it should have been no more than an hour apart."

"So, His Majesty has been following me all along, and he already knew what I was doing." Cao Cao frowned, his suspicion growing.

Guo Jia frowned. "My lord, are you doubting His Majesty? Do you believe that all of this was orchestrated by His Majesty?"

Cao Cao let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with resentment, and said, "Don't you find it suspicious? That night, Xu You came to see me, and then I left that very night. I didn't discuss it with His Majesty. His Majesty shouldn't know my whereabouts."

Guo Jia said, "What if things aren't like that? Perhaps His Majesty doesn't trust Xu You and is worried that you, Lord Ming, will fall into a trap, which is why he brought people along? Is that possible?"

Guo Jia never acted rashly when considering matters. After thinking for a while, he said, "My lord, you cannot assume that His Majesty did it on purpose just because there were heavy casualties around you when His Majesty appeared. To be honest, we have no evidence of this."

"Furthermore, if it really was His Majesty who did it, then why didn't he eliminate both Lord Ming and Yuan Shao? He could have easily done so. According to what Lord Ming said, it wouldn't be difficult for His Majesty to kill you all."

Cao Cao couldn't help but laugh, "Fengxiao, your idea is really bold. If I and His Majesty switched places and I were to plan it, this would be the result I wanted most!"

Guo Jia remained silent for a moment before reminding him, "We cannot rely solely on speculation in this matter. His Majesty saved you, saved so many soldiers, and burned the grain supplies at Wuchao, helping our army turn the tide. Now, everyone in the army is praising His Majesty's deeds. If we suspect His Majesty without evidence, it could put you in a very precarious situation."

Guo Jia was very worried that Liu Xie was performing so well, and that there was no basis to suspect him. He feared that many people, especially the soldiers, would not stand on Cao Cao's side.

"Fengxiao, I completely understand your concerns."

Cao Cao nodded, then said, "Without evidence, I will not deliberately target Your Majesty. However, if Your Majesty really orchestrated this, then it is utterly despicable."

Cao Cao gritted his teeth. This time, he was seriously injured. Cao Xiu and Xiahou Yuan were the mainstays of the Cao clan, and Xu Chu was also a loyal bodyguard. They all stood firmly on Cao Cao's side.

However, all three men died in the Battle of Wuchao.

Although he died at the hands of the enemy, if it truly was the emperor's scheme, Cao Cao's greatest hatred would undoubtedly lie with Liu Xie. Seeing Cao Cao's grim expression, Guo Jia was deeply worried. "Then what does My Lordship intend to do?"

Cao Cao suppressed his anger and said, "First, send someone to meet His Majesty. Since His Majesty has chosen to stay in Wuchao, we must bring him back and ensure his safety. We can talk about other things later."

Cao Cao still possessed the rationality one would expect. Whether he harbored suspicion or hatred, the bottom line was that Liu Xie absolutely could not be harmed.

"My lord, there is one more thing..."

Guo Jia hesitated for a moment, "General Cao Ren, he... he hit Prince Chen... Once His Majesty returns, we certainly can't pretend nothing happened, what do you think..."

"What? Zixiao... he actually hit the Prince of Chen!" Cao Cao was so surprised that his voice was loud, which aggravated his wound, causing the muscles on his face to contort in pain.

"This is ridiculous! Has Zixiao gone mad? This... can His Majesty let this opportunity pass?" Cao Cao was both angry and worried. He thought of Cao Chun.

Cao Cao is currently seriously injured, and his clan generals have suffered repeated blows. If Liu Xie seizes on this matter at this time, Cao Ren will be doomed.

Attacking Prince Chen is tantamount to attacking the emperor. The more Cao Cao thought about it, the angrier he became. "Where is Zixiao? Send him to see me immediately."

Guo Jia shook his head. "My lord, General Cao Ren is leading his troops to attack Yuan Shao's camp."

"Hmph!" Cao Cao was both angry and heartbroken.

I feel sorry for Cao Ren, but I also feel sorry for myself. There are fewer and fewer trustworthy members of the clan around me.

Guo Jia hesitated for a moment, then said, "My lord, there is something I am not sure if I should say."

Cao Cao gave him a reproachful look, "Fengxiao, what's wrong with you? You've become so hesitant in front of me. Speak your mind, and I won't blame you if you're wrong."

Guo Jia considered the matter carefully for a moment and said, "If you don't have any evidence regarding Wuchao, then don't bring it up again. You must not anger His Majesty any further, otherwise, if His Majesty really takes action against Cao Ren, no one can protect him."

The situation is quite different now than before.

Liu Xie not only quickly gained fame, but his strength also increased rapidly.

Lü Bu, Zhao Yun, Gan Ning, Guan Yu, Zhang Xiu, and Liu Bei—these were all Liu Xie's men.

If things really turned sour, Cao Cao might not be able to control Liu Xie!
Cao Cao understood Guo Jia's idea and glared angrily, "You mean I should beg him to let His Majesty be lenient and spare Zixiao?"

Guo Jia nodded. "After all, it was Prince Chen who was attacked. You should know very well how important Prince Chen is. The troops that His Majesty brought to Guandu were all Prince Chen's men."

It's no exaggeration to say that, despite the great abilities of Lu Bu and Zhao Yun, no one can compare to King Chen in terms of importance.

With the Prince of Chen in command, Liu Xie had troops at his disposal, which gave him the strength to contend with Cao Cao.

Of course, Liu Xie could not rely entirely on Prince Chen alone. Lu Xun also began to recruit soldiers and expand his strength in Mangdang Mountain, and intensified training.

Cao Cao gritted his teeth and stared at Guo Jia for a long time. "Fengxiao, I suffered heavy losses at Wuchao, almost my entire army was wiped out. This was very likely the work of His Majesty, yet you want me to beg him instead."

Cao Cao wished he could hang Liu Xie up and beat him right away to vent his anger.

Why beat him up and then make His Majesty confess?

Now, not only are they suffering losses and accepting their bad luck, but they also have to beg the emperor for help.

How could Cao Cao not be upset?
Having lost three key generals in succession, can they swallow this insult?

However, when it came to punishing others, Cao Cao didn't need evidence; he could fabricate a crime on someone else's behalf.

To deal with the emperor, you absolutely must have evidence!
This is an act of insubordination, and without evidence, it has no basis for argument. If handled poorly, it could backfire.

Besides, the emperor isn't dough that can be kneaded or shaped at will.

Guo Jia's brows furrowed with anxiety. "My lord, I urge you to consider the bigger picture. If you anger His Majesty, Cao Ren will surely die. Once you and His Majesty turn against each other, His Majesty can take over the reins of government at any time and control the entire situation."

"Has Your Excellency considered this? Most of the generals in the army are not from the same clan. As for the soldiers at the lower levels, there are quite a few who are willing to support His Majesty. If the emperor and his ministers were to turn against each other, I'm afraid many people would stand on His Majesty's side."

Cao Cao stared at Guo Jia for a long time, but Guo Jia did not back down; he was genuinely worried for Cao Cao.

In the end, Cao Cao lost his nerve and had no choice but to back down.

"Very well, for Cao Ren's sake, I am willing to bow my head and plead with His Majesty."

Cao Cao was filled with resentment! He was the one who suffered the loss, and now he had to kneel down and beg the emperor for mercy. This was too much for him!
…………

Zhao Yun brought a steaming bowl of soup to Liu Xie's side. "Your Majesty, the meal is ready. You can eat now."

Chunyu Qiong's camp has now been occupied by Liu Xie.

There was plenty of wine and meat in the camp, so there was no worry about not having enough to eat.

Liu Xie smiled and handed the food to Ju Shou, who was standing to the side, saying, "I'm using your camp's food to entertain you, my esteemed guest."

Ju Shou remained expressionless and showed no reaction whatsoever.

Liu Xie smiled and placed the food directly in front of Ju Shou.

Gan Ning glanced at Ju Shou with disdain and sneered inwardly, "What's with the airs? His Majesty shouldn't be so polite to him."

Liu Xie didn't think that Ju Shou was deliberately giving him a cold shoulder; he could completely understand that Ju Shou couldn't accept this sudden change.

Originally, Ju Shou was used to assisting Yuan Shao, and he was quite at ease with whatever Yuan Shao said or did.

But suddenly, overnight, everything changed, and it was hard to adapt to this sudden change.

Liu Xie said to Zhao Yun, "Isn't there wine in the camp? Give some to the soldiers."

Zhao Yun hurriedly advised, "Your Majesty, we are behind enemy lines, and Yuan's troops could arrive at Wuchao at any time. This is not the time to drink and celebrate."

Zhao Yun was straightforward by nature and always dared to speak frankly and offer advice.

(End of this chapter)