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

Chapter 215

Upon meeting, Lu Xun dropped a bombshell, telling Xiahou Dun that the Sikong Mansion had sent people to protect him.

Lu Xun believed that Xiahou Dun was not a fool.

Sure enough, after hearing these words, Xiahou Dun understood everything.

It wasn't Man Chong who rebelled, but the emperor!

But when the emperor rebels, that's not called a rebellion! It's called seizing power, taking back the rights that rightfully belong to him!

Lu Xun sent men to protect the Sikong Mansion, which Xiahou Dun interpreted as a blatant threat.

It was as if they were reminding him that the lives of the Cao family were in their hands, and that he should not act rashly, or the consequences would be severe.

But could Xiahou Dun remain unmoved?

He was utterly loyal to Cao Cao.

Xiahou Dun roared angrily, his face full of murderous intent, "Lu Xun, how dare you send men to surround the Sikong Mansion?"

Lu Xun shook his head and corrected him, "General Xiahou, you can't speak carelessly. His Majesty and Lord Cao are on good terms, like family. How could I possibly harm the Cao family?"

Xiahou Dun refused to listen to his explanation and angrily led his men down from the city wall.

And that's exactly what Lu Xun wanted.

Xiahou Dun was on the city tower, looking down from above, and surrounded by many archers. Lu Xun felt that he was in a difficult position, so he forced him down from the top.

Xiahou Dun arrived below, spear in hand, and led his men straight toward Lu Xun, urgently asking, "What have you done to Cao Cao's family?"

Xiahou Dun was very worried; the Cao family was even more important to him than Xu Du.

Lu Xun curled the corners of his lips into a mysterious smile, "If General Xiahou is worried about them, why don't you go and take a look yourself?"

Seeing Lu Xun's inscrutable smile, Xiahou Dun became even more worried. He didn't know the specifics, but considering that the emperor had been suppressed by Cao Cao for so many years, he was bound to take drastic measures.

The more he thought about it, the more worried he became about the safety of the Cao family.

The veins on Xiahou Dun's forehead bulged, and he almost lost his mind.

He was eager to go and see, but would Lu Xun allow him to go? Lu Xun also had a general named Taishi Ci by his side, a general whom even Xiahou Dun feared.

Just as Xiahou Dun was about to make a move, Taishi Ci was faster, rushing out first, pointing his spear at Xiahou Dun and saying, "We couldn't determine who was better outside the city just now, so now it's a good time to have another match."

Xiahou Dun flew into a rage and asked in confusion, "Weren't you just outside the city? How did you end up in the city?"

Taishi Ci sneered, "You don't need to know that, just take this!"

Before he finished speaking, Taishi Ci, spear in hand, thrust it straight at Xiahou Dun's chest, creating a whistling gust of wind.

The two had already fought several times outside the city, so Taishi Ci stopped testing the waters and went all out from the start.

Neither of them rode horses; they immediately engaged in combat, their spears clashing and their weapons violently collided.

Since neither of them was riding a horse, their bodies and movements were completely unrestricted, allowing them to fight freely, and the two fought fiercely.

Taishi Ci's spear flew up and down, each move sharp and aimed straight for Xiahou Dun's vital points.

Xiahou Dun was not to be outdone and fought back with all his might. His two spears were like two nimble snakes, sometimes separating and sometimes intertwining.

Each collision was awe-inspiring, even causing the air to ripple and whistling as it broke through the air.

After they clashed, Lu Xun decisively ordered, "Block the road! No one is allowed to pass!"

"Here!"

The soldiers responded in unison, gripping their swords and spears tightly, while the archers and crossbowmen prepared to aim at the Cao soldiers behind Xiahou Dun.

Xiahou Lan followed him down the city wall. He noticed that Lu Xun was watching him intently, his eyes filled with a smile, a smile that also contained a hint of expectation.

Zhao Yun had mentioned Lu Xun to Xiahou Lan on several occasions, and Xiahou Lan knew that the emperor had been wholeheartedly cultivating Lu Xun.

Lu Xun's presence here tonight, his capture of Man Chong, and his current tense standoff with Xiahou Dun are all remarkable.

Xiahou Lan was neither stupid nor foolish; he understood that all of this was the emperor's scheme, and that the emperor was directing things from behind the scenes.

Otherwise, even if Lu Xun had the greatest courage, would he dare to openly oppose Xiahou Dun?
Only the emperor could give Lu Xun such confidence.

Let alone Xiahou Dun, even if he were facing Cao Cao himself, Lu Xun would not be polite as long as the emperor gave the order.

Taishi Ci was very clever. After fighting for a few rounds, he deliberately retreated to the side, trying to lure Xiahou Dun away.

Xiahou Dun was not fooled. He shouted, "All soldiers, follow me and charge!"

The Cao family was surrounded. Xiahou Dun had no time to think about anything else; he just wanted to fight his way through and get to the Sikong Mansion as soon as possible.

Xiahou Lan hesitated for a moment, but the other two captains led their men and rushed forward first.

However, before they could even get close, Lu Xun gave a gesture, and the archers he brought began to fire without mercy.

Puff puff!
Hundreds of archers fired at once; at such a short distance, they barely needed to aim. The Cao soldiers charging at the front fell to the ground one after another, letting out a series of shrill screams.

Even Xiahou Dun was taken aback and quickly glanced in this direction.

These people actually have such powerful crossbows.

These crossbowmen were well-trained, decisive and calm in their actions. They loaded and fired rapidly, wave after wave, in a dense and orderly fashion.

The swordsmen and spearmen blocked Cao Cao's troops' charge, while the archers and crossbowmen continued to fire rapidly, their coordination was excellent.

"This is not the time to be distracted." Behind Xiahou Dun, Taishi Ci sneered, his spear like a dragon, piercing straight for Xiahou Dun's back.

Xiahou Dun was startled and quickly turned around, but Taishi Ci still managed to swiftly slash a wound across his waist, and blood immediately flowed out.

Taishi Ci shouted, "If you get distracted again, I won't hold back!"

Taishi Ci was fierce in his attacks, and his spear technique was sharp and domineering. Back then, he fought Sun Ce, the Little Conqueror, for three hundred rounds, and in the end, they only managed to draw.

No matter how valiant Xiahou Dun was, he couldn't compare to the young and valiant Sun Ce, not to mention that he had lost an eye.

Taishi Ci went all out, his two spears entangled, their speed increasing rapidly, creating gusts of sharp wind. Taishi Ci was filled with passion and showed no mercy.

However, Xiahou Dun could not give it his all. All the soldiers around him were blocked by Lu Xun's men, and people were constantly being hit by arrows and falling to the ground. The screams in his ears never stopped, making it difficult for Xiahou Dun not to be distracted.

Xiahou Lan was caught in a painful dilemma. Looking at the calm and composed Lu Xun opposite him, and the Cao soldiers falling one after another, he knew that at this moment, he had to calmly and decisively choose which side to take.

Should they steadfastly obey Xiahou Dun's orders, or should they side with Lu Xun?

Xiahou Dun had Cao Cao behind him, while Lu Xun had the emperor behind him.

Zhao Yun's words echoed in his ears again: "When the time comes, don't kill the wrong person."

Zhao Yun is Xiahou Lan's good friend, and Zhao Yun is clearly the emperor's man. So what about himself? What should he do?

When gods fight, mortals suffer. The struggle between Cao Cao and the emperor also affected Xiahou Lan, an ordinary captain.

Just then, shouts of battle suddenly rang out from outside the city, and another group of people appeared.

Lu Xun shouted loudly to Xiahou Lan, "The people outside the city are our own. You are surrounded. If you don't want to be enemies with His Majesty, open the city gates immediately."

Lu Xun believed that Xiahou Lan would not disappoint Zhao Yun and the emperor.

Because of the secret underground passages, it was very convenient for Lu Xun and his men to leave and enter the city.

Otherwise, Taishi Ci wouldn't have suddenly appeared in the city.

Whether out of emotion or reason, Xiahou Lan was more inclined to side with the emperor, and he quickly made up his mind.

Xiahou Lan was surrounded by many of his own subordinates. He hurriedly turned around and shouted, "Open the city gates immediately!"

Before Xiahou Dun could stop her, Xiahou Lan led her men to open the city gate.

The people outside the city rushed in like a tidal wave.

As a result, Xiahou Dun's troops were immediately surrounded from both the front and the rear.

Xiahou Lan also decisively joined Lu Xun's team and charged forward.

"By imperial decree, I will kill the traitors; those who obstruct me shall die!" Lu Xun raised his sword and shouted.

Others also shouted, "We are ordered to kill the traitors; those who obstruct us will be executed!"

Xiahou Dun's soldiers had never seen anything like this before; the other side was the emperor's men.

Many people had met the emperor in their daily lives and had a good impression of him. Some had even spoken with him and received medical treatment when they were injured.

Most people wouldn't dare to oppose the emperor, especially since they were already surrounded from both sides, and the enemy's forces far outnumbered theirs.

How can we fight this war?

As a result, many of Cao Cao's soldiers dropped their weapons, and some even turned against him, following Xiahou Lan as they charged forward.

In this situation, how could Xiahou Dun not be distracted? He had just glanced back when Taishi Ci stabbed him in the right leg with his spear, causing Xiahou Dun to stagger.

Taishi Ci approached again with his spear, the spear flashing like lightning. Xiahou Dun became increasingly disheveled, blood streaming from his legs, and his movements slowed down. After a few more rounds of fighting, Xiahou Dun finally couldn't hold on any longer.

Taishi Ci seized the opportunity, flicked the spear aside, and before Xiahou Dun could react, a cold wind blew against his neck.

In an instant, Taishi Ci's spearhead was pressed against his throat.

Xiahou Dun looked dejected. He straightened his chest and said loudly, "Kill me if you want, no need for words."

Taishi Ci waved his hand and ordered, "Tie him up and take him away."

The battle at the South Gate quickly came to an end. Xiahou Dun was captured, two captains were killed, and Xiahou Lan joined Lu Xun's side.

Lu Xun instructed Xiahou Lan: "You will continue to guard the South Gate. The rest of you, come with me to the other city gates."

"Let me defend the city?"

Xiahou Lan thought she had misheard and looked at Lu Xun in disbelief.

Lu Xun smiled at him and said, "This is His Majesty's order. His Majesty said that if you can submit, you are worthy of being entrusted with important responsibilities."

"His Majesty has been so kind to me."

Xiahou Lan clenched her fists excitedly, and her eyes welled up with tears.

Next, Cao's troops at the North Gate, West Gate, and East Gate were quickly quelled by Lu Xun, and everything went very smoothly.

Xiahou Dun was captured and struggled wildly like a wild beast, but Man Chong, who had been captured earlier, was much more docile, his face ashen, as if he had lost a loved one.

He had initially held onto a sliver of hope, but now that even Xiahou Dun was under control, what was there left to hope for?
Whether it was Cao Cao or Guo Jia, they were too far away to help Xuchang.

Man Chong hung his head, as if all his energy had been drained away, and he was completely listless.

Taishi Ci reminded him, "Boyan, just in case, we must keep all the city gates firmly under the control of our own people."

Lu Xun nodded. "Ziyi's words make sense."

Lu Xun immediately made arrangements to take full control of Xudu's city defenses.

The sporadic fighting in the city didn't last long afterward. Dong Cheng and his men were all incredibly energetic and excited, as if they'd been injected with adrenaline.

Afterwards, Lu Xun gathered them together, cupped his hands in greeting, and praised them, saying, "You have all made great contributions to the country tonight. His Majesty has ordered that the tasks of firefighting and settling the people after the battle be entrusted to you."

Taishi Ci almost couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't that he deliberately looked down on these people. They were good at setting fires and making noise, but they couldn't be relied on for anything else. However, Lu Xun didn't hold back his words and praised them highly.

Dong Cheng and the others all stood tall and proud, quite pleased with Lu Xun's praise.

Dong Cheng stroked his beard and laughed loudly, "Don't worry, since it is His Majesty's order, we will obey it without any delay."

Wu Shuo, Wang Zifu, Zhong Ji, and others also expressed their opinions.

Lu Xun cupped his hands in greeting and said very politely, "Then I'll have to trouble you all."

Dong Cheng and the others remained in high spirits tonight, eager to make a name for themselves and wanting to take on all the responsibilities, while Lu Xun remained calm.

Taishi Ci was still somewhat indignant, but Lu Xun smiled and said, "His Majesty had anticipated all of this. They have status and prestige, so it is most appropriate for them to appease the people."

Neither Lu Xun nor Taishi Ci were renowned, and Jia Xu's status was also unsuitable.

Dong Cheng was the emperor's brother-in-law and also a general of chariots and cavalry. Wu Shuo, Wang Zifu, Kong Rong, and others were also very famous people.

Taishi Ci smiled helplessly, "So what do we do next?"

Lu Xun thought for a moment and replied, "I need to consult Mr. Jia Xu first."

After Lu Xun met Jia Xu, he explained the situation to him. Jia Xu nodded with satisfaction, "Very good. The defense of the city must not be taken lightly. Putting out the fire and calming people's hearts will be left to Dong Cheng and the others. You did a good job, but you forgot one thing."

"Please enlighten me, sir," Lu Xun humbly asked for guidance.

"To appease the people, we must not only appease the people in the city, but also those who support Cao Cao."

Lu Xun was startled. "Thank you for the reminder, sir. However, it might not be appropriate for us to handle these people."

Jia Xu nodded. “It is indeed not appropriate. They have been betting on Cao Cao all these years. Now that the emperor is going to rule in his own right, many people will naturally be unwilling. Therefore, I plan to ask Xun Yu to step forward and appease them. You should immediately send someone to Guandu to quickly welcome His Majesty back to Xuchang.”

"Yes!"

Xu Du wants complete stability, and he absolutely cannot do without the emperor.

Only the emperor is the most important pillar of stability.

(End of this chapter)