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

Although the Battle of Red Cliffs was over, Sun Quan's side dared not let their guard down. The troops that had been gathered together were still on high alert at Red Cliffs, guarding against Cao Cao.

After all, Sun Quan was the defeated party, and he had to be extra careful, as Cao Cao might suddenly attack at any time.

Even Sun Quan himself stayed at Chibi for the time being. Liu Xie returned to Xuchang, and not long after, Sun Quan received the news. Sun Quan also had his own intelligence system.

He hurriedly gathered everyone together, and Zhou Tai, who was seriously injured, also arrived. When Sun Quan saw Zhou Tai, he excitedly got up from his seat and rushed over to him.

"Zhou Tai, you're so badly injured. Didn't we tell you to rest and recover? Why did you come here too?"

Sun Quan glared reproachfully at Pan Zhang, who had come with Zhou Tai. Pan Zhang grinned aggrievedly, "My lord, it's not my fault. He insisted on coming."

Zhou Tai said with a heavy heart, "My lord, it was my insistence that I come. We suffered a defeat at Chibi, and I have been worried about it ever since. How can I be in the mood to rest in bed?"

Sun Quan nodded approvingly at him, then said, "Zhou Tai, almost all the civil and military generals of Jiangdong are here today. Take off your outer garment and let everyone see your injuries."

Zhou Tai had no choice but to take off his outer garment, which inevitably aggravated his wounds. However, Zhou Tai appeared quite calm. When his outer garment was removed, many people were immediately surprised and stared wide-eyed.

Zhou Tai's strong and burly body was covered with all sorts of knife and arrow wounds. There were several strips of cloth wrapped around his wounds, and there were so many smaller wounds that it was impossible to count them all. Some of them were still bleeding.

The civil officials, in particular, were terrified after just a few glances; their faces turned pale.

Zhou Tai's body was covered in blood and flesh, it was terrifying. It was hard to find a decent spot on his body, as it was covered in wounds of varying sizes and depths, a horrifying sight that left everyone speechless.

Sun Quan looked around at everyone and said, "You all saw it, didn't you? Zhou Tai fought bravely in this battle, and he has dozens of wounds on his body. I feel sorry for him, but I am also happy that Jiangdong has such a tiger general. If all the men of Jiangdong could be like Zhou Tai, then Cao Cao would have nothing to fear."

Afterwards, Sun Quan personally draped a coat over Zhou Tai, and he firmly grasped Zhou Tai's hand, his eyes full of admiration.

Sun Quan did this, of course, to show others.

Liu Bei and his two companions were also invited to attend the meeting. Liu Bei remained calm and sat quietly, with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei standing on his left and right respectively.

After a while, Sun Quan announced to the public: "We now have confirmed news that the Emperor has left Jingzhou, and he did not even attend Cao Cao's victory celebration banquet."

Upon hearing this news, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Lu Su said, "My lord, this is excellent. The Emperor's withdrawal actually shows his attitude: he is very dissatisfied with Cao Cao. For the time being, the Emperor will no longer interfere in the affairs of Jingzhou."

Sun Quan nodded. "That's right, I think so too. Don't be fooled by Cao Cao's victories; his situation may not be any better than ours."

Zhou Yu said, "What you say is absolutely right, my lord. Next, our only opponent is Cao Cao. The troops he commands are both his own protection against the emperor and his death warrant, which is to threaten the emperor with his great achievements."

Zhou Yu believed that Cao Cao would keep his troops firmly in his grasp and would not launch a large-scale invasion of Jiangdong for the time being.

Lu Su also agreed, saying, "Cao Cao defeated us at the Battle of Red Cliffs. Logically, we should have pressed our advantage and launched another attack. However, the emperor returned to Xuchang, and Cao Cao returned to Xiangyang. All signs indicate that Jiangdong will be safe for a long time to come."

Nevertheless, Sun Quan still reminded everyone, "No matter what, we cannot let our guard down. We must send people to patrol along the river and strengthen our defenses."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Although Sun Quan could not charge into battle and mingle with his soldiers like Sun Ce, he was broad-minded, calm in the face of adversity, and extremely approachable. He could still win the support of the people with his unique charm.

As the meeting was about to end, Liu Bei stood up, and everyone looked at him. In the past few days, the soldiers of Jiangdong had hardly given Liu Bei a friendly look.

Facing the strange looks from the crowd, Liu Bei remained calm and said, "Lord Wu, I think there is something you must prepare for as soon as possible."

Sun Quan was slightly taken aback. "Xuande, what are you referring to?"

"The Emperor and Cao Cao are outwardly on good terms but inwardly at odds. Now that the Emperor has left with his men, it seems that he does not want to interfere in Jingzhou for the time being. I'm afraid that Gan Ning will be transferred away soon as well. Jingnan and Nanjun are separated by the river. If Lord Wu does not make his move soon, this precious land may fall into Cao Cao's hands."

Sun Quan's eyes lit up immediately. "Xuande, that reminds me. Where is Ding Feng?"

Ding Feng hurriedly stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute, and asked, "My lord, what are your orders?"

"You must immediately take your men to Jingnan and keep a close watch on Gan Ning's movements. Once Gan Ning leaves, report to me immediately!"

Zhou Yu and Lu Su also agreed. Since the emperor no longer wanted to intervene in Jingzhou, it was clear that Gan Ning had no reason to stay.

Liu Bei had already received the news in advance, which is why he stepped forward today to remind Sun Quan.

Sun Quan had few troops and had just suffered a defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, so Liu Xie gave him a little reward, allowing him to seize the initiative in Jingnan.

If Cao Cao had received the news beforehand, Sun Quan would have had no chance at all, given that Cao Cao had over 100,000 troops at his disposal.

Sure enough, Gan Ning soon left with his men. The court symbolically sent someone to hand over the goods, and Ding Feng immediately relayed the news to Sun Quan.

Just as Sun Quan was about to send troops, Zhou Yu stopped him, saying, "My lord, I think we should entrust this matter to Liu Bei."

"Gongjin, should we hand over Jingnan to Liu Bei?"

Zhou Yu shook his head. "No, it's just that we're letting Liu Bei lead the charge. If Liu Bei can successfully take over Jingnan, then it won't be too late for us to send someone to take over."

"Does Gongjin not trust Liu Bei?" Sun Quan asked.

Zhou Yu chuckled lightly, “Liu Bei only came to serve our lord out of necessity. I have observed him for a long time. Although he is based in Jiangdong, he will not be willing to obey our lord. Therefore, we should make the most of him. Besides, I still have doubts about his identity. Our lord should not trust Liu Bei too easily.”

Considering Liu Bei's status as an imperial uncle and the fact that he emerged almost unscathed from the Battle of Red Cliffs, Sun Quan nodded, "Alright, let's do as you say."

Zhou Yu wanted Sun Quan to treat Liu Bei as a henchman of Jiangdong, as a powerful sword to kill the enemy.

Liu Bei readily agreed to the order, but Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were very dissatisfied with Sun Quan.

…………

Cao Cao returned to Xiangyang unharmed, and he had his troops firmly under his control. Even the civil and military officials he had summoned earlier had not yet been sent back to their posts.

Cao Ren was the Prefect of Nanyang, Xiahou Dun was the Governor of Yanzhou, and Xu Yi, Mao Jie, and Dong Zhao were all powerful regional officials.

Cao Cao felt conflicted about this matter. One day, while sitting in his study, he discussed it with Guo Jia.

"Fengxiao, I will be staying in Jingzhou for a long time to come. What do you think should be done with Dong Zhao and Mao Jie? Should we send them back to their posts?"

Guo Jia remained silent for a long time. He frowned before saying, "My lord, I have no good solution to this matter. No matter what we do, it will be the worst possible solution."

“How come you see?”

"Your Majesty, under the pretext of dealing with Sun Quan, has sent you away from the Central Plains. In the short term, there is no doubt about the loyalty of Mao Jie, Xu Yi, and others to you. However, if this continues for too long, even if they are willing to stay in Jingzhou, the court cannot allow vacancies to arise in various places. Mao Jie is the Prefect of Hanoi, Xu Yi is the Assistant Prefect of Yanzhou, Dong Zhao is the Prefect of Wei Commandery, and Sima Lang is the Governor of Henan... If they stay in Jingzhou for a long time, Your Majesty will definitely send someone to replace them."

"If Mao Jie and the others are allowed to return to their posts, given His Majesty's abilities and methods, I'm afraid they will all be won over and brought into his service. No matter how loyal and wise they are, if His Majesty orders them around, who could refuse?"

Cao Cao sighed; he thought of Xue Ti!
When the emperor assigns you a task, he has plenty of ways to deal with you. Xue Ti was so loyal to Cao Cao, but in the end, he had to obediently do as he was told. Liu Xie sent him on a long journey through wind and snow to fight the Wuhuan, and he eventually fell ill and died.

Guo Jia said helplessly, "My lord, in the end, it is up to you to make the decision on this matter."

Cao Cao laughed self-deprecatingly, "Everyone knows that I defeated Sun Quan, but who knew that I was so passive? I'm afraid that there is little hope of turning the tide in my struggle with Your Majesty."

The eldest son, Cao Ang, had become a staunch supporter of the emperor. Many of his civil and military officials had died, and many others had been won over by the emperor, such as Xun Yu, Zhang Liao, and Xun You.

If Cao Cao allowed Mao Jie, Dong Zhao, and others to return to their posts, it would be tantamount to handing them over to Liu Xie.

If he didn't let them go back, Cao Cao would be tormented by self-blame and inner conflict every day.

This decision would be difficult for Cao Cao no matter which way he chose.

But Cao Cao could not escape; he had to respond.

That night, Cao Cao hosted a banquet at his residence and invited Mao Jie and others. The banquet was lavish, and Cao Cao, in a hearty and cheerful manner, greeted everyone warmly.

"Gentlemen, you have all followed me for many years. This great victory over Sun Quan is also thanks to your strong support. Come, let's drink until we drop today. You must all enjoy yourselves to the fullest."

Mao Jie, Dong Zhao, and Xu Yi were all exceptionally intelligent individuals. They exchanged glances, each more or less guessing that this was definitely not just a simple banquet.

Everyone went along with it and reluctantly drank a few glasses of wine.

After a while, Cao Cao spoke up: "His Majesty has returned to Xuchang. Sun Quan is also severely weakened. I am very grateful to all of you for bringing troops from all over the country to support us. Consider this banquet my farewell feast for you."

"Prime Minister, Sun Quan still has troops stationed at Chibi, so the threat has not been completely eliminated?" Dong Zhao stood up and said with a worried expression.

Cao Cao shook his head dismissively and said confidently, "Gongren, don't forget, I just defeated Sun Quan. If I can defeat him once, I can defeat him two or three times. Is Sun Quan, a mere brat, still a match for me?"

“You all have official duties to attend to, and you all hold important positions now. You should go back as soon as possible,” Cao Cao said, raising his wine cup again. “After you return, do not have any worries. You should do your best to govern your local areas and serve the court with peace of mind.”

"Prime Minister, could it be that you..."

Dong Zhao opened his mouth, as if to say, "Has the Prime Minister admitted defeat? Has he given up?"

Cao Cao laughed loudly, "Gongren, I am just like you, working for the court, aren't I?"

“Go back and do your jobs well, take good care of yourselves. Only when you are safe and sound will I feel at ease. Don’t be like Xue Ti, who followed me for so many years, never enjoyed a day of peace, and died for the country.”

Cao Cao deliberately mentioned Xue Ti; he was reminding these people of something.

Cao Cao stopped there, because he knew that many things were no longer under his control. He wasn't sure if these people would remain loyal to him after they returned to their posts, and his word no longer mattered.

"I originally intended to leave you in Jingzhou and let you return after Jiangdong is pacified, but that would make me seem too heartless. You all have families and futures to look forward to, and I cannot delay your plans."

Everyone was deeply moved. Mao Jie was the first to stand up, raise a glass of wine, and say, "Prime Minister, I'd like to offer you a toast."

Xu Yi and Dong Zhao also stood up!

"Come on, drink! Let's drink until we're drunk!" Cao Cao laughed loudly and immediately downed his drink.

The atmosphere that followed was very lively, and Cao Cao seemed very happy, laughing continuously.

The next day, Cao Cao personally saw these people off. After they had all left, Cao Cao stood outside the city, gazing at the northern sky, lost in thought. He was reluctant to return to the city for a long time, as if his heart had been emptied out and he had lost many beloved treasures.

Guo Jia, Cao Ren, and Xiahou Dun were all by his side, and everyone was quiet, not saying a word.

Cao Pi, Xiahou Shang, Cao Zhen, Cao Zhang, and other young men remained motionless, silently keeping him company.

Cao Anmin's mind was elsewhere. He kept looking around, wondering where he could have some fun later. He heard that several women with good figures had arrived at Mingyue Tower. Should he go and have a look at them?

After a long while, Cao Cao turned around, looked behind him, and waved to everyone, "Alright, you can all go back now. It's just a farewell, what's the big deal?"

Cao Ren had no choice but to leave with the others, while Guo Jia remained silently by Cao Cao's side.

Just outside the North Gate flows the vast and surging Han River. Cao Cao sighed and suddenly said, "Fengxiao, Your Majesty's current situation is like this river, flowing forward relentlessly and unstoppable!"

Guo Jia nodded. "Before, he was merely an emperor in name only, and the ministers were still afraid of him. Now, he reigns supreme and has become the true emperor. Even you, my lord, sometimes feel powerless in the face of such power." (End of Chapter)