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

Chapter 369, Cao Cao Angers Kong Rong to Death

Kong Rong, who was seriously ill, had chapped lips with layers of peeling skin, but he had no strength to lick them.

His voice also became hoarse and weak. Whenever he wanted to express his pain and indignation, he could only utter broken and indistinct words.

Cold sweat poured from his forehead, soaking his pillow and bedding. His body alternated between burning hot as if in a furnace and freezing cold as if in an ice cellar, tormenting him in unbearable pain.

Kong Rong's mind also fell into extreme confusion and despair. Sometimes he would mutter to himself, recalling the past moments with his relatives; other times he would suddenly fall silent, his eyes filled with endless fear and helplessness.

However, no matter how carefully those around him cared for him or how much they comforted and advised him, they could not stop his condition from worsening.

He was like a lone boat that had lost its direction and power in a storm, gradually being swallowed up by the giant waves of illness and sinking into the abyss of darkness.

Kong Rong, the once-renowned scholar, is now seriously ill, lying on his bed, barely breathing.

Cao Cao, dressed in magnificent attire, strode confidently toward Kong Rong.

The room was filled with a strong smell of medicine. Kong Rong was pale and haggard, but his eyes revealed an indomitable anger.

When he saw Cao Cao's figure, his anger burned even more fiercely.

Cao Cao, however, pretended to be nonchalant. In front of his ministers, he smiled broadly and said in a feignedly enthusiastic manner, "Lord Kong, I was very worried when I heard that you were seriously ill, so I came to visit you." As he spoke, he reached out and grasped Kong Rong's hand.

Kong Rong abruptly pulled his hand back, and with all his might, roared, "Cao Cao, you traitor, stop pretending!"

His voice trembled with anger, and his body shook violently.

When Kong Rong, who had been barely breathing, saw Cao Cao, he seemed to have a sudden burst of energy, his eyes wide with anger and hostility.

Cao Cao smiled, not angry at all, and said to the assembled officials, "Master Kong is seriously ill, and it is inevitable that he is a little emotional. Please do not take offense." The officials nodded and dared not say anything more.

Cao Cao continued, "Master Kong, you must take good care of your health. The world still needs talented people like you."

Kong Rong sneered: "Talented man? I, Kong Rong, have fallen to this state today, isn't it all thanks to you!"

Cao Cao frowned slightly and said, "Prefect Kong, you are mistaken. I have always respected you greatly, how could I possibly harm you?"

Kong Rong glared angrily: "You villain! My clansmen were killed, wasn't it you who secretly ordered it?"

A sly glint flashed in Cao Cao's eyes, but his expression remained unchanged: "There must be some misunderstanding here. I am the current Prime Minister, highly valued by His Majesty. How could I do such an unjust thing?"

Kong Rong was so angry that he could hardly breathe and started coughing loudly.

No one had any evidence, and Xun Yu and the others looked at each other, at a loss for what to do with Cao Cao.

Taking advantage of everyone's distraction, Cao Cao leaned close to Kong Rong's ear and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "That's right, it was I who sent people to do it. What can you do about it?"

This short sentence was like a thunderclap, exploding in Kong Rong's ears.

Kong Rong's eyes widened immediately, filled with despair and anger.

His lips trembled, as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a single word; it was as if something was blocking his throat.

His chest heaved violently, as if it were about to explode at any moment.

He struggled to sit up, pointed at Cao Cao, and seemed about to say something.

"puff!"

Suddenly, a mouthful of blood spurted from Kong Rong's mouth, staining his clothes red. His body fell backward, becoming even weaker, gasping for breath, his life force rapidly draining away.

Everyone was terrified, and a chorus of exclamations erupted: "Young Master Kong, how are you?"

Kong Rong's body convulsed wildly like a banana leaf in the wind for a while, then quickly stopped convulsing. His eyes remained fixed on Cao Cao until his death.

Cao Cao straightened up, a barely perceptible sneer appearing on his face. He addressed his ministers, saying, "Prefect Kong, his illness was too severe, and he has passed away. It is unbelievable that such a pillar of the state has departed this world."

The ministers exchanged bewildered glances. Some of the more astute ones naturally understood the hidden meaning behind the scenes. Xun Yu, Zhong Yao, Xun You, Dong Zhao, and others all kept glancing at Cao Cao.

But Cao Cao remained unmoved. His original purpose in returning to Luoyang was to give these people a warning.

Kong Rong, this once literary giant, died with resentment in his heart. His death was nothing more than a casualty of the power struggle between Emperor Xie and the aristocratic families.

With the emperor not in Luoyang, the officials dared not speak out in anger. Cao Cao visited these people one after another, ostensibly to reminisce and have heart-to-heart talks, but in reality, he was warning them.

The people of Luoyang were in turmoil, and the officials were filled with fear and unease, but the slaughter of powerful families in various regions did not stop.

Every so often, a powerful clan would experience upheaval, and those who caused trouble were not necessarily disguised as Yellow Turban rebels.

For example, in Yuyang, the leader was a group of tenant farmers.

Their reason for the unrest was the prolonged drought, which resulted in poor harvests. Instead of reducing or waiving their taxes, the local powerful families forcibly collected them, even forcing some families to sell their children.

Soon, the group received strong reinforcements: a band of wandering knights arrived and helped them conquer the manor of the powerful clan that had been oppressing them.

The enraged crowd stormed into the manor, their blood boiling, committing murder and looting, creating a huge commotion.

Afterwards, those who participated in the good deed left quietly without leaving their names.

These people were naturally authorized by Liu Xie; they were the Dragon Guards.

Now that it has begun, Liu Xie will not let it be all bark and no bite.

On the one hand, we must severely rectify the officialdom; on the other hand, we must also vigorously rectify the phenomenon of land grabbing and take the opportunity to reclaim the land from the imperial court.

Cao Cao visited everyone before finally meeting Xun Yu, who was also present.

As Cao Cao stepped into the mansion, Xun Yu and his nephew Xun You were already waiting in the main hall.

Cao Cao, all smiles, cupped his hands and said, "Wenruo, Gongda, how have you been?" Xun Yu and Xun You quickly rose to return the greeting, "It is an honor to have the Prime Minister grace us with his presence." Cao Cao, dressed casually, laughed heartily upon seeing Xun Yu and his nephew, "I always feel most at ease here with you. You are like family to me."

The guests and hosts took their seats, and servants served fragrant tea. Cao Cao took a sip of tea and said with emotion, "Back then, I fought alongside you two on the battlefield. Those past experiences are truly unforgettable."

Xun Yu nodded slightly and said, "What the Prime Minister says is absolutely right. I often think about the past as well."

Cao Cao nodded, "Haha, the older people get, the more they tend to reminisce about the past, it's absolutely true!"

After exchanging a few casual words, Cao Cao changed the subject, his tone becoming serious: "You are not outsiders either. I have come here today to discuss important matters with you both. As you are probably aware, the powerful clans are now deeply entrenched and wield considerable influence over the court's policies. I intend to rectify these clans to uphold justice and restore order to the realm."

Xun Yu and Xun You exchanged a glance, their hearts skipping a beat. They hadn't expected Cao Cao to be so open about it.

Xun Yu carefully considered his words and said, "Prime Minister, powerful clans have a long history and deep influence. This matter may require careful consideration."

Cao Cao's gaze was firm: "Wenruo, I know this matter is not easy, but in the current situation, if we do not rectify it, how can the court be stable? How can the world be at peace?"

Xun You said, "We understand the Prime Minister's intention. However, this move may cause a lot of turmoil."

Xun Yu suddenly asked, "Prime Minister, recently there have been riots and disturbances in various places, and many powerful families have suffered terrible fates. What is your opinion on this?"

Cao Cao sneered, “The rebels are certainly despicable and should be severely punished, but every cause has its effect. If those powerful families had behaved properly and strictly disciplined their members, and had not oppressed the good or seized their land and houses, they probably wouldn’t have brought this trouble upon themselves.”

"Is the Prime Minister's vigorous reforms perhaps authorized by His Majesty?" Xun You finally couldn't help but ask.

Cao Cao shook his head. “Gongda, I am the current prime minister. His Majesty is working hard to govern the country and is busy conquering all directions. I have the right to rectify the officialdom and stabilize the country. I do this without any selfish motives! There are many powerful families who seize land, oppress the people, and abuse their power. They must be severely punished. Even if His Majesty returns, he will understand my good intentions.”

Xun Yu looked calmly at Cao Cao. He had long guessed that there must be an imperial order behind this, but Cao Cao did not admit it and took all the blame upon himself.

"Wenruo, Gongda, things have been quite unstable in many places lately. I plan to send some people to Yingchuan. Don't worry, the Xun family of Yingchuan will be fine. If anyone dares to make a move against you, I will never allow it!"

The two men knew that Cao Cao was acting, but they couldn't expose him directly, so they had to bow and thank him.

Xun Yu said, "The Prime Minister is very thoughtful."

Cao Cao waved his hand, "You and I have been friends for decades, so there's no need to be so polite with me. I can't protect all the powerful families, but I guarantee that no one will dare to touch your families!"

"By the way, have you heard about what happened in Yuyang? It's not just the Yellow Turban rebels causing trouble, the tenant farmers are causing trouble too. It's really not peaceful. Even though the warlords who carved out their own territories have been pacified one after another, there are still many troubles. Wenruo, Gongda, don't you think it's good that the country is at peace and the family is stable? But there are so many families that don't know how to restrain themselves, occupying so much land and houses, and letting their family members flaunt themselves outside all day long. There's nothing to sympathize with about such people."

"Alright, I should go now. So many troubles have arisen at once, I can't stay in Luoyang any longer, lest His Majesty say I haven't done my best."

After saying this, Cao Cao stood up, glanced at the two men with a smile, and then left.

Xun Yu saw Cao Cao off at the gate of the mansion. After returning, he frowned and said to Xun You, "Cao Cao's visit to see us is a reminder that we can now be certain that he must have received His Majesty's authorization!"

Xun You asked, "Could it be that His Majesty instructed him to carry out such a heinous act against the aristocratic families?"

Xun Yu glanced at him and slowly said, "It's obvious. However, Cao Cao is taking all the blame upon himself. He's showing his loyalty to His Majesty. No matter how much trouble arises in the future, no one can be blamed on His Majesty."

"Then what should we do? Isn't Your Majesty afraid of incurring the wrath of the powerful families?"

Xun Yu snorted lightly, "His Majesty is not here now. Even if he returns, he can pretend to know nothing at all. Even if the ministers oppose him now, so what? Will Cao Cao care? He has always acted decisively, and no one can stop him."

"Cao Cao is really too ruthless. If all of this was ordered by His Majesty, then what exactly does His Majesty want to do that he would actually target the powerful families?"

The more Xun You thought about it, the more incomprehensible it became.

Xun Yu sighed again, “Who would have thought that Cao Cao, who used to bully the emperor and always opposed His Majesty, would now be willing to do something as pointless as dealing with powerful families? I have to admire His Majesty’s methods.”

Xun You said, "At least half of Cao Cao's previous hegemony was due to the contributions of the aristocratic families, but now he has declared war on them. This shows that he has abandoned us and decisively stood on His Majesty's side!"

The emperor's methods and Cao Cao's boldness amazed Xun Yu and Xun You.

After a while, Xun Yu sighed helplessly, "At this critical juncture, we absolutely cannot step forward again, otherwise we will offend both Cao Cao and His Majesty. Even a descendant of a sage like Kong Rong had his clan wiped out so easily, what is the Xun family compared to that?"

One must be pragmatic; the power of a family is insignificant compared to that of a nation.

Cao Cao only stayed in Luoyang for a few days, not giving his ministers a chance to denounce him, and soon he left.

This time, his trip to Yuzhou is destined to stir up another great storm.

…………

The emperor had actually managed to hide, which no one would believe, but Liu Xie was seriously thinking of a solution whenever he had a spare moment.

What Cao Cao did, like Shang Yang's reforms, was beneficial to the emperor and the people, but it threatened the interests of powerful families.

The power of aristocratic families should not be underestimated.

If powerful families could bring down Shang Yang back then, they could certainly bring down Cao Cao now.

Jia Xu once said that as long as the emperor returned to Luoyang, the court officials would definitely denounce Cao Cao, and there was no doubt about that.

Cao Cao rectified the officialdom by confiscating land and houses, taking away too many benefits that originally belonged to the aristocratic families. When the emperor was not in Luoyang, the aristocratic families could not do anything to Cao Cao. As soon as the emperor returned, the aristocratic families would rush to file complaints against him.

Under the warm sunshine of early spring, Emperor Liu Xie led a group of trusted ministers and guards to a hunting ground outside Chengdu for a grand hunting event.

The sound of galloping hooves and fluttering banners shattered the usual tranquility of the hunting grounds.

After a fierce chase and hunt, Liu Xie, having reaped a bountiful harvest, decided to rest in a nearby cave and enjoy the rare delicacy with everyone.

Inside the cave, a campfire roared, its flickering flames illuminating everyone's faces. Liu Xie, his face beaming with excitement, sat in a circle with everyone, the atmosphere relaxed and harmonious.

The aroma of roasting meat filled the entire cave, making mouths water. Dianman and several guards skillfully cut and skewered the prey, then roasted it over the fire. Oil dripped, sparks flew, and it sizzled.

(End of this chapter)