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

Chapter 202, Laughing Guo Tu to Death

Liu Xie looked at Lü Bu, who had a smile on his face, in the crowd, and smiled too.

Liu Xie said calmly, “Gongtai, everyone has a stage where they can best utilize their talents. Lü Bu is more suited to leading troops into battle. If he were simply to be a general charging into battle, he certainly wouldn’t disappoint. Before, he had to deal with everything. He had to gather supplies, manage relations with various warlords, stabilize the cities, and appease the people… He is actually a very simple person. Entrusting him with overly complicated matters would not only limit his talents but also disrupt his mind.”

Liu Xie was already very satisfied with Lü Bu's current performance.

He continued, "Simple people should do simple things. Let them do what they are good at. Isn't that good?"

He turned to Chen Gong and said, "For example, if I asked you to train soldiers and lead them into battle, could you handle it?"

Chen Gong hurriedly shook his head, "I'm good at giving advice, but training troops, fighting, and deploying troops are not my strengths."

"Yes, doing things you're not good at will not only make you unhappy, but also won't yield good results. I don't have any brilliant methods; I just put Lü Bu in the most suitable position for him, letting him do what he likes and what he's good at. That's all!"

Having specific people do specific tasks has always been the most effective approach throughout history.

Lu Bu is good at leading troops into battle, which is already quite an achievement. Why make him worry about politics and exhaust himself?
After dinner, Liu Xie took his usual walk around the camp. The grain and fodder at Wuchao had been almost completely burned. Although some haystacks were still smoking, the fire was difficult to extinguish.

Chen Gong suddenly remembered something and reminded him, "Your Majesty, Yuan Shao has now returned to Guandu. If he knows that Your Majesty is still in Wuchao, even if it's not for putting out the fire, he will still send a large force to deal with us. Your Majesty is far more important than the grain supplies in Wuchao."

Liu Xie calmly said, "If Yuan Shao continues to send troops to Wuchao, he will only lose faster and more miserably. The more troops he sends, the more vulnerable Guandu will become. Moreover, I believe that Yuan Shao will not live much longer. Once Yuan Shao dies, Cao Cao will definitely not let the opportunity pass."

Liu Xie's role in leaving Wuchao was twofold: firstly, to ensure that Yuan's army's supplies were completely burned; and secondly, to draw away as much of the enemy's forces as possible.

Yuan Shao's army appeared strong and well-equipped, but after he repeatedly divided his forces, it became less powerful.

Liu Bei has now taken 30,000 men with him.

Soon, some of Yuan's soldiers escaped from Wuchao back to Guandu. Yuan Shao was furious when he learned of Lü Xiang's death.

Yuan Shao originally wanted to send Zhang He to Wuchao again, but Guo Tu stood up to oppose it, saying, "My lord, Zhang He has suffered repeated defeats and performed poorly, which has caused our army's morale to plummet. I'm afraid he is not up to the task."

Guo Tu made sarcastic remarks in front of Zhang He, but Zhang He, always composed, was too lazy to engage in such scheming.

Yuan Shao hurriedly asked, "Gongze, in your opinion, who is capable of undertaking this important task?"

Guo Tu immediately volunteered, "I am willing to go to Wuchao and bring His Majesty back to present to our lord."

Guo Tu failed to stabilize the situation at Guandu. Cao Ren's 20,000 troops almost scared him so much that he wet his pants. Therefore, he was eager to make a name for himself and to gain merit.

Guo Tu felt confident that he could handle the task of dealing with the emperor at Wuchao, provided he brought a sufficient number of troops.

After all, Liu Xie did not have many soldiers by his side, only a few thousand.

Yuan Shao nodded and gave Guo Tu 40,000 troops.

Guo Tu knew that he was a scholar and not fit to charge into battle, so he selected several brave generals.

He took Qian Zhao, Su You, Ma Yan, and Sui Yuanjin with him, and the 40,000-strong army marched straight towards Wuchao.

Before leaving, Liu Bei reminded Guan Yu that, for the sake of safety, he should wait until Cao Cao's next attack before taking action.

Liu Bei thought that he could have Cao Cao's army help Guan Yu relieve some of the pressure, and then take advantage of the chaos to kill Yuan Shao.

However, Guan Yu was uneasy that Guo Tu had taken away 40,000 troops at once, and he wanted to make a move as soon as possible.

Once Yuan Shao is killed, Yuan's army at Guandu will inevitably fall into chaos, Cao Cao will take the opportunity to advance, and the pressure on the emperor at Wuchao will be greatly reduced.

If Guo Tu knew of Yuan Shao's death, would he still continue the attack on Wuchao?

Guan Yu meant well, but Liu Xie had his own ways of dealing with Guo Tu.

……

Crow's Nest!

"Your Majesty, Yuan's troops are here again!"

Guo Tu's army was still some distance from Wuchao when it was discovered by scouts.

Guo Tu was ignorant of military affairs, and he swaggered over with tens of thousands of troops, making him such an obvious target that it would be difficult for him not to be discovered.

Liu Xie asked, "How many people have come? Who is the commander?"

"Your Majesty, the banner bears the character 'Guo,' and the force numbers as many as thirty to forty thousand."

"Is the banner being used by Guo?"

Liu Xie glanced at Ju Shou and said, "As expected, it should be the strategist Guo Tu. There aren't many people with the surname Guo who are influential around Yuan Shao."

Liu Xie only knew Guo Tu and Guo Yuan, but Guo Yuan was far less famous than Guo Tu.

Ju Shou gave a wry smile. "His Majesty seems to know the people around Lord Yuan very well."

Liu Xie smiled mysteriously, offering no explanation.

Sometimes, there's no need to spell things out. Leaving a bit of mystery can actually make others think you're more enigmatic.

When Guo Tu arrived at Wuchao, Liu Xie had already lined up his troops.

Guo Tu, riding on his horse, was quite pleased with himself. His gaze fell on Liu Xie, and he gave a symbolic bow. "Your Majesty, Guo Tu greets you. The General has specially sent me to invite Your Majesty to Guandu to discuss the important matter of supporting the Han Dynasty."

Liu Xie sneered, looking at Guo Tu with pity in his eyes. "Guo Tu, I want to give you a piece of advice today: If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place. Some things, once done, are done. Do you really think no one will expose you?"

Guo Tu was taken aback. He didn't understand why Liu Xie would suddenly say something like that. "Your Majesty, I don't understand what you mean?"

If it were someone else, Liu Xie could only meet them head-on, engaging in a fierce battle.

But it was Guo Tu who arrived, and Liu Xie happened to have something on Guo Tu's hands.

Liu Xie squinted and smiled, which made Guo Tu even more uneasy.

Liu Xie waved behind him, and Tian Kai stepped over.

Liu Xie asked Guo Tu, "Do you recognize him?"

Guo Tu shook his head, and Liu Xie said, "Let me give you a heads-up, he is Gongsun Zan's subordinate, his name is Tian Kai."

Upon hearing Gongsun Zan's name, Guo Tu immediately felt a chill run down his spine; he vaguely guessed what Liu Xie was about to say.

The soldiers around Guo Tu all cast curious glances at him. Guo Tu was terrified that Liu Xie would expose the treacherous scheme he had once offered to Gongsun Zan, but what he feared most was exactly what happened.

How could Liu Xie possibly keep his secret? Liu Xie never showed any mercy to his enemies.

Liu Xie raised his voice so that everyone present could hear, "Guo Tu, it's no secret that you were unfortunately captured by Gongsun Zan during the Battle of Yijing. In order to save your life, you didn't hesitate to offer Gongsun Zan a poisonous plan, which led to the scene after Gongsun Zan's death where his chief clerk, Guan Jing, took his head and staged a dramatic assassination attempt on the King of Qin. It's just a pity that Yuan Shao was lucky enough to escape!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yun and the others looked at Guo Tu with anger and disdain, while the Yuan army soldiers were filled with doubt and resentment.

Qian Zhao glared angrily at Guo Tu and loudly questioned, "Is what Your Majesty said true? Did you devise a plan to murder Lord Yuan?"

Throughout history, those who are greedy for life and afraid of death, and who betray or even murder their masters in order to survive, are all extremely hateful.

More and more skeptical eyes turned to Guo Tu. Guo Tu naturally refused to admit it. He forced himself to remain calm, hurriedly shook his head, and said to Liu Xie, "Your Majesty, you are talking nonsense. This matter has nothing to do with me."

"Yes, I knew it. You wouldn't admit it. Bad people never willingly admit they've done bad things."

Tian Kai said angrily, "Guo Tu, I was right next to General Gongsun when you offered your plan. I heard it all clearly. General Gongsun originally wanted to kill you, but you begged and pleaded to save your life, even offering such a vicious plan. Otherwise, even Yuan Xi couldn't survive, so how could General Gongsun possibly let you go?"

"You're talking nonsense! I didn't do it! I've always been loyal to Lord Yuan!"

Guo Tu became increasingly agitated, his face turning red. He would never admit it in front of so many soldiers, even if he were beaten to death.

Tian Kai looked at him with disdain and continued, "Do you really think that going back to Yuan Shao's side means the past is over? I wasn't the only one there. If needed, I can find ten or a hundred people to identify you."

"Guo Tu, did you plot to murder our lord?" Qian Zhao questioned again.

Sui Yuanjin, Ma Yan, and the others also looked at him with unfriendly expressions.

Murdering his former master? No, Yuan Shao wasn't Guo Tu's former master at all. It was Guo Tu who murdered his master in order to save his own life.

Guo Tu raised his voice and shouted in a high-pitched voice, "Don't be fooled by them. This is their conspiracy. I have not done anything to betray Lord Yuan."

Liu Xie laughed and said, "Guo Tu, you have a really thick skin. Since you won't admit it, why don't you swear an oath to prove your innocence in front of tens of thousands of soldiers?"

In ancient times, people took oaths very seriously, and no one would make a vow or oath casually.

Once an oath is made, it is for a particularly important matter, such as when swearing an oath to become sworn brothers or forming an alliance.

In ancient times, people usually swore oaths to gods, heaven, and ancestors. In the minds of the ancients, gods, heaven, and ancestors were all capable of rewarding good and punishing evil.

The ancients held gods, heaven, and ancestors in great awe.

Therefore, they are extremely devout when taking the oath and attach great importance to it, never daring to break it easily, because they believe that the gods, heaven, and ancestors are watching them, and that breaking the oath will result in punishment.

Gan Ning immediately joined in the commotion, shouting, "That's right! If you haven't done it, why not swear a solemn oath in public to prove your innocence?"

Zhou Cang and the others chimed in, "Swear it! If you've got the guts, swear it!"

Qian Zhao and the others were also staring at Guo Tu, watching as his face changed drastically, turning green, white, and then bright red, with cold sweat pouring down his forehead and temples.

Guo Tu's heart was pounding; he was extremely nervous.

Liu Xie looked at him coldly, a disdainful smile on his lips. Even from a distance, Liu Xie exerted an irresistible pressure on Guo Tu. "What? Afraid to swear an oath? Scared?"

Guo Tu looked around and saw that everyone was looking at him. He felt his whole body trembling and he could barely sit still on the horse.

"Swear it! Swear it!" Gan Ning continued to lead the commotion, and everyone shouted in unison, their eyes all fixed on Guo Tu.

The soldiers on both sides were surprisingly in sync, focusing their attention on Guo Tu alone.

Guo Tu knew that everyone suspected him, and if he didn't swear an oath, he probably wouldn't get through this ordeal today.

Gritting his teeth and steeling his resolve, Guo Tu decided to go all out. "Fine, I'll swear then. I didn't do it, I just... I didn't do it."

Liu Xie looked at him coldly, and seeing that Guo Tu was so nervous that he was almost crying and could not speak properly, he could not help but laugh.

No matter what a person does, they must first pass the test of their own conscience. Especially if they have done something wrong, no matter how they try to pretend, their face will show some signs of panic and unease.

That's human nature; no matter how well you disguise yourself, you can't be completely flawless.

Moreover, with tens of thousands of people in front of him, Guo Tu became even more flustered.

But Guo Tu still raised his right hand high above his head, "I, Guo Yuantu, hereby swear that I have never plotted against Lord Yuan. Gongsun Zan captured me, and I... I said nothing. If I break this oath..."

Before Guo Tu could finish speaking, Liu Xie burst into laughter, and Gan Ning and the others joined in the laughter.

The laughter of thousands of soldiers surged over like a tidal wave, relentlessly striking Guo Tu's heart.

Liu Xie deliberately interrupted him, deliberately humiliated him, and deliberately attacked Guo Tu's already weak psychological defenses.

Liu Xie mastered the art of psychological warfare.

Overwhelmed by the loud mockery of so many people, Guo Tu could no longer bear it. His face changed drastically, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, falling off his horse.

"Haha, did you see that? He hasn't even finished making his vow, and he's already getting his comeuppance!" Liu Xie laughed again.

Gan Ning and the others burst into laughter. Guo Tu fell to the ground with a whoosh, and all the Yuan soldiers around him scattered far away, their eyes filled with disgust.

Ancient people were very superstitious. Many of Yuan's soldiers even believed Liu Xie's words, thinking that Guo Tu's vomiting of blood and falling from his horse was a punishment from heaven.

No one went to help him up; everyone avoided him like the plague, keeping their distance.

Guo Tu coughed up blood repeatedly, his face turned deathly pale, and his thin, withered body convulsed violently, but the mocking laughter did not stop.

Liu Xie still didn't let him off the hook, continuing to ridicule and mentally torture Guo Tu.

While you are sick, I will kill you!
Liu Xie led the way in wild laughter, and Gan Ning and the others naturally didn't stop either.

The sound waves rose higher and higher, like giant waves crashing against the shore, repeatedly striking Guo Tu's heart, like a barrage of arrows piercing his soul.

“To plot against one’s own lord is an unforgivable crime. Guo Tu, today is your death day.”

"Heaven and earth will not tolerate this! Heaven and earth will not tolerate this!" the crowd shouted as they continued to attack Guo Tu's fragile defenses.

Guo Tu vomited blood incessantly, let out a scream, his eyelids rolled back, and he died on the spot.

(End of this chapter)