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

Chapter 230, I Apologize to You
In fact, Liu Xie could understand what Xu Huang was saying, but Liu Xie's situation was much better than before, so there was no need for Xu Huang to be an "undercover agent".

"Gongming, there is something I need to apologize to you about."

Liu Xie did not hide anything and mentioned the incident at Wuchao. "That day at Wuchao, you stayed by Cao Cao's side the whole time. I waited until your army was about to be wiped out before I appeared. I did this intentionally."

Just as Zhao Yun was about to stop him, Liu Xie had already admitted it.

Xu Huang was stunned. Although he had had his doubts, he never dreamed that the emperor would admit it to his face.

"Gongming, you are the first person I personally recruited. I failed in this matter, and I cannot hide it from you. I apologize to you!"

As Liu Xie spoke, he stood up, bowed deeply to Xu Huang.

Xu Huang immediately panicked, "Your Majesty, you mustn't do this, please don't make me suffer."

"Gongming, have you ever had any doubts, thinking that I should have arrived at Wuchao long ago?"

Faced with Liu Xie's question, Xu Huang remained silent for a while before replying, "After the battle, Cao Cao gathered me and Yue Jin together and discussed this matter. Cao Cao did indeed become suspicious of Your Majesty. Influenced by him, many high-ranking generals in the army also had doubts about Your Majesty, and I was no exception. However, I did not think Your Majesty had done anything wrong. If Your Majesty wants to control Cao Cao, you must weaken the forces around Cao Cao as much as possible. Wuchao is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Xu Huang stood up, looked at Liu Xie, and said excitedly, "I am a military general. It is my duty to fight on the battlefield and die on the battlefield. Your Majesty does not need to apologize to me. Even if I die in battle, I will die a worthy death, because I died fighting the enemy."

Xu Huang was very magnanimous; he did not complain about the emperor.

"Besides, given the circumstances at the time, even if His Majesty wanted to protect me, he was powerless to do so. We can't let this opportunity slip away just because of me."

Liu Xie was deeply moved and exclaimed, "Gongming, your loyalty and righteousness are unparalleled, and you put the overall situation first. I was right about you. You and Zilong are far more important to me than anyone else. Even if I were to be ruthless, I would never want anything to happen to you."

Given the circumstances, Liu Xie had no choice; he couldn't let the opportunity slip away just because of Xu Huang.

After a while, Liu Xie advised again, "Gongming, although my relationship with Cao Cao has improved again, Cao Cao is already very dissatisfied with me. I am really worried about you staying by his side."

Zhao Yun also advised, "Yes, the relationship between the ruler and his ministers may seem harmonious, but in reality, tensions are already high, because Cao Cao is not willing to obey Your Majesty."

Xu Huang had his own thoughts. With so many heroes and generals around the emperor, such as Lü Bu, Zhao Yun, Guan Yu, and Taishi Ci, and so many people protecting the emperor and fighting on the battlefield, Xu Huang was genuinely happy.

He knew that his abilities were inferior to those of these people, and even if he came to the emperor's side, he wouldn't be of much help.

He felt that having him one more wouldn't make a difference, and not having him one less wouldn't make a difference either.

By staying by Cao Cao's side, Xu Huang could play a greater role.

Liu Xie's sincere apology to him today has further solidified Xu Huang's resolve.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to remain by Cao Cao's side."

Liu Xie and Zhao Yun tried to persuade him several times, but to no avail. Seeing that Xu Huang had made up his mind, Liu Xie grabbed his hand and nodded vigorously. "Gongming, I understand your intention. Remember, you must be more careful in the future. You don't need to report everything Cao Cao does to me. Your primary concern is to ensure your own safety."

Zhao Yun nodded in agreement, which was precisely what made the emperor so admirable.

Liu Xie never forces anyone. For example, Ju Shou and Yan Rou are still unsettled because Liu Xie doesn't want to take any risks.

If Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang, in a fit of anger, harm their families, then things will be very bad.

Xu Huang had been by Cao Cao's side for several years, but Liu Xie had never given him a specific task.

Seeing wine on the table, Liu Xie proposed, "Gongming, I want to drink with you today. The happiest thing for me today is not seeing Cao Cao, but seeing you, Gongming."

Xu Huang was extremely grateful and hurriedly opened the wine jar, intending to pour some wine, but then awkwardly said, "Your Majesty, my humble abode is simple, with coarse tea and light wine. I also do not have any fine wine vessels here, so I'm afraid I will have to trouble Your Majesty."

Zhao Yun shook his head. "Gongming, you're being too polite. What His Majesty cares about is the person who drinks with him, not the type of wine or the utensils. Even if it's the finest liquor and the most exquisite cups, His Majesty might not enjoy it if someone else is with him."

The three of them immediately gathered together, toasting each other over the simple dishes and chatting freely.

The rain outside continued to pour, the raindrops relentlessly pounding against the windows and the ground, but the three of them paid no heed, and bursts of hearty laughter occasionally echoed from inside.

On Cao Cao's side, after returning home, his entire family gathered around, chattering incessantly. It took Cao Cao a long time to finally calm them all down.

There was no way around it; Cao Cao had taken in far too many women over the years, and with so many women came so many children. Every time he returned home, it took him quite a while just to meet everyone.

As darkness fell, Cao Cao didn't even have time to be intimate with the woman.

With so many women in his household, many of whom were young women in their twenties or thirties, Cao Cao could clearly sense the resentment and longing of those who were alone in their empty rooms from their eyes.

But Cao Cao was neither willing nor able to do anything about it; Man Chong's affair was waiting for him.

He had to get this matter settled as soon as possible. In the afternoon, Guo Jia sent news that Gan Ning had been appointed as the governor of Xiangyang, which made Cao Cao feel even more urgency.

Despite the rain, Cao Cao still rushed to the North Temple prison overnight.

Man Chong and Xiahou Dun were imprisoned together, and neither of them suffered any injustice.

There was no torture, no shackles, and meals were served by special people.

When the two men saw Cao Cao, their faces lit up with joy, and their eyes immediately brightened.

"Mengde".

Xiahou Dun also began to address Cao Cao by his courtesy name.

Cao Cao hurriedly ordered the prison door to be opened. After entering, he merely nodded slightly to Xiahou Dun, showing no particular affection. Then, he turned around and grabbed Man Chong.

Even the jailers dared not approach, so Cao Cao didn't need to hold back when he spoke.

"Boning, I'm sorry you've suffered. It's all my fault. I was negligent. I never expected that His Majesty's conspiracy would succeed and reverse the situation."

Cao Cao was filled with remorse and became increasingly agitated as he spoke, "Boning, I'm so sorry to have wronged you. Ever since I learned of the incident in Xuchang, my heart has been torn apart. These past few days, I haven't been able to eat or sleep properly, and I've been constantly trying to find a solution..."

Cao Cao gripped Man Chong's hands tightly. "You have followed me for many years and have been loyal to me. I cannot do without you. I absolutely do not want anything to happen to you, but... this matter is really difficult to handle."

As he spoke, Cao Cao almost bit his lip until it bled, feeling extremely guilty.

Man Chong was also somewhat moved. "My lord, since His Majesty has determined that I am the one who caused the rebellion, I will hardly live. However, causing a rebellion is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. My lord, my family members are all innocent. If you can save their lives, I am willing to die for your cause."

Man Chong was a very capable strategist. He knew that nothing he said would help; Cao Cao couldn't save him, and he was doomed.

However, he still harbored a sliver of hope, because if he were convicted of treason, not only his family but also his clan would be hard-pressed to escape punishment. Given Cao Cao's power and status, Man Chong developed a glimmer of hope.

He only wanted his family to survive; he didn't even care about the lives of his clansmen.

Cao Cao nodded vigorously. "I came to see you tonight precisely for this matter. You probably don't know, but His Majesty has already appointed me as Prime Minister. Before coming here, I had already pleaded with His Majesty on your behalf, and His Majesty said..."

Man Chong's eyes lit up immediately, and he asked eagerly, "What did His Majesty say?"

Cao Cao patted his knees, as if they were covered in dust from kneeling for a long time. Then he said, "I risked my life and knelt before His Majesty for a long time, which finally moved His Majesty to change his mind and agree to grant him leniency. As long as your family never sets foot in Xuchang again, they will be spared."

The implication of "never set foot in Xuchang again" is that Man Chong's descendants should never again be involved in officialdom.

This punishment is actually quite severe; it essentially means they've all become ordinary people again.

Man Chong paced back and forth in the cell a few times, then smiled sadly, "This is for the best. They won't have to be officials or enter the officialdom. It's good to let them live as ordinary people without worrying about being killed."

However, Man Chong's words displeased Cao Cao, who was always suspicious by nature.

Does Man Chong regret following me? Does he regret serving me?

He served Cao Cao merely to earn a living and to gain promotion and fame, but for no reason, he ruined his entire clan.

But Man Chong had no regrets; he only hoped that Cao Cao could protect his family.

Seeing Man Chong looking at him expectantly, Cao Cao made a promise again, "Bo Ning, I always keep my word. Don't worry about your wife and children! I will take care of them!"

Man Chong nodded vigorously, "With your words, sir, I can go with peace of mind."

Cao Cao hurriedly ordered someone to bring over wine and dishes, saying, "Bo Ning, I instructed the chef to prepare all of this for you. Tonight, let's drink to our hearts' content and get thoroughly drunk."

Cao Cao and Man Chong chatted on and on, one sentence after another, which made Xiahou Dun somewhat unhappy.

Does this mean they're treating themselves like they don't exist?
Despite his dissatisfaction, Xiahou Dun didn't throw a childish tantrum. He knew that Cao Cao had come to see Man Chong off.

If you have to be so petty about something like this, then you're really lacking in magnanimity.

That night, Cao Cao, Man Chong, and Xiahou Dun drank heartily, while on the other side of Xuchang, Liu Xie, Xu Huang, and Zhao Yun enjoyed wine and conversation.

There were three people in each group, and they were all drinking, but the experiences were quite different.

…………

Jingzhou, Xiangyang!
Outside, wind and rain raged. A gaunt body pressed down on another snow-white body, almost stuck together, and even the air was filled with a strange smell.

The person was moving, and the bed was shaking, but the pleasant time didn't last long. Soon, it was interrupted by a long sigh.

"Ugh……"

Liu Biao sighed and stopped moving. At the same time, he saw resentment and dissatisfaction in the eyes of the woman beneath him.

As Liu Biao grew older, he felt increasingly powerless.

Lady Cai was at the age of graceful beauty, but to Liu Biao, such a woman was like a man-eating tigress, making him both love and fear her!
Not only was she afraid in bed, but Madam Cai's behavior in daily life was no less than that of a man.

His domineering attitude in every way made Liu Biao very afraid.

Bang bang bang!
Suddenly, there was a rapid knocking on the door.

Liu Biao hurriedly put on his clothes, gave Lady Cai an apologetic look, and got up to leave.

Lady Cai hurriedly grabbed her magnificent robe and draped it over herself, not even glancing at Liu Biao's departing figure.

At just over ten years old, she became a victim of her family, marrying Liu Biao and becoming his concubine.

The couple, an older man and a younger woman, had little affection for each other. Although Liu Biao was very accommodating to her and indulged her in many things, for Lady Cai, being together was merely a transaction.

Since there was no affection involved, she would try her best to gain benefits for herself and her family, as compensation for giving her body away cheaply to the old man.

"What did you say?" Liu Biao's eyes widened, thinking he had misheard.

The person who knocked on the door late at night was his brother-in-law, Cai Mao, the naval commander of Jingzhou.

Cai Mao nodded and repeated, "It's absolutely true. Gan Ning is already heading towards Xiangyang. He's making a big fuss with gongs and drums all the way. Everyone along the road knows about it. It's no secret anymore."

Having just had a less than satisfying time with Lady Cai, Liu Biao was already quite displeased. Now, upon learning that Gan Ning was to become the governor of Xiangyang, Liu Biao felt a chill run through his entire body, inside and out.

"My lord, should I send men to stop them, or perhaps we could simply kill them on the way..."

Cai Mao's eyes flashed with ruthlessness as he made a murderous gesture.

Liu Biao was startled. "Absolutely not! His Majesty appointed him personally. How can we just kill him like that? This matter needs careful consideration. We must not act rashly."

Liu Biao stroked his beard, his face full of worry, and he was instantly wide awake.

After a while, Liu Biao sighed, "His Majesty once wrote me a letter asking me to send 10,000 troops. I'm afraid it was because of this that His Majesty was displeased and appointed Gan Ning as the governor of Xiangyang."

Cai Mao gritted his teeth in anger and said, "No matter what, we must not let an outsider interfere in the affairs of Jingzhou. Gan Ning is just a river pirate. I never thought that he would be so highly regarded by the emperor."

Cai Mao was very dissatisfied and gritted his teeth in anger.

He couldn't swallow the insult that someone he looked down on was going to become the governor of Xiangyang.

Cai Mao disliked Gan Ning from the start and had repeatedly advised Liu Biao against giving Gan Ning an important position.

Liu Biao and Cai Mao both stayed up all night. The next morning, Liu Biao hurriedly summoned his civil and military officials to discuss countermeasures.

Gan Ning was extremely flamboyant throughout his journey, as if he wanted the whole world to know that he was going to be the governor of Xiangyang.

Even Chen Gong felt that Gan Ning had gone a bit too far.

(End of this chapter)