The Three Kingdoms: The entire Cao Cao camp thought I was weak and frail.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door, and a guard announced, "Mr. Guo, Young Master Xun, General Huangfu requests your presence."

Guo Jia's brows furrowed immediately: "Didn't you see that my Xiao Haozi just woke up? He's so sick, why would he want to see anyone! Just tell him he's not feeling well and can't come."

"Brother Fengxiao," Xun Hao grabbed his sleeve and shook his head, "The general summoned me; I cannot refuse. Help me up; I can still walk."

"Where are you going? I'll carry you!" Guo Jia was furious and made a move to pull off the blanket.

Xun Hao was both amused and exasperated, and quickly pressed his hand down: "Stop fooling around. I'll change my clothes, I can walk by myself. If you're really worried, just stand by and support me."

Guo Jia stared at him for a long time, and seeing his insistent expression, he finally gave in. He took a thick mink coat and wrapped it around Xun Hao without saying a word, covering him up completely, leaving only his small face exposed.

"Let's go, my little darling." Guo Jia half-supported and half-embraced Xun Hao, complaining but his movements were extremely gentle.

When the two arrived at the front hall, Huangfu Song was discussing matters with several generals, while a row of Yellow Turban army leaders, bound hand and foot, knelt on the floor. The atmosphere in the hall was somber, a stark contrast to the joyous celebration banquet that night.

Upon seeing them, Huangfu Song waved for the two to approach, pointed to the prisoners on the ground, and said in a voice devoid of any warmth: "These people are the chieftains and leaders under Bo Cai. I intend to publicly behead them outside the city gate at noon tomorrow as a warning to others. As for the remaining surrendered soldiers, numbering in the tens of thousands, I intend to bury them all alive to prevent future troubles."

Upon hearing this, Xun Hao's heart skipped a beat.

Massacre of tens of thousands of surrendered soldiers?

Most of the generals present showed no unusual expression. For these soldiers who had tasted blood, killing prisoners was a common occurrence, especially since the prisoners were the Yellow Turban rebels who were threatening the foundation of the country.

Only Xun Hao felt a chill run from his feet to the top of his head at that moment. He was not a person of this era; his soul was not marked by the idea that "human life is as worthless as grass."

Tens of thousands of lives, even if they were once enemies, were nothing more than unarmed prisoners the moment they laid down their weapons.

More importantly, he understood better than anyone the root cause of the Yellow Turban Rebellion: hunger and despair. How many of these people were truly vicious thugs, and how many were farmers forced to take up arms simply to survive? Killing them would not "eliminate future troubles," but would instead incite even greater hatred and resistance, causing this already ravaged land to bleed even more.

No, we absolutely cannot let him do that.

The thought raced wildly through Xun Hao's mind, almost bursting out. But reason held him back. Who was he? A mere twelve-year-old boy, without any official position, and even seen by others as a frail, sickly child.

What right does he have to question the decision of a general who commands a large army and has just won a great victory?

He felt a wave of weakness, his body trembling slightly from the intense emotional turmoil. Guo Jia noticed his unusual state and subtly increased the pressure on his arm, a steady strength flowing through him, calming his chaotic thoughts somewhat.

Guo Jia turned his head and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Don't be impulsive."

Xun Hao looked up at Guo Jia, his usually playful peach blossom eyes now clear and bright. Guo Jia understood the pleading and struggle in his eyes.

"Fengxiao, what do you think?" Huangfu Song turned his gaze to Guo Jia. He admired this young man and wanted to hear his opinion.

Guo Jia stepped forward, cupped his hands, and smiled, saying, "General, your divine might has brought peace to Yingchuan in a single battle; this is an unparalleled achievement. As for the fate of these mere surrendered soldiers, it is entirely up to you to decide. I am but a commoner and dare not presume to discuss matters of state."

Huangfu Song nodded in satisfaction, and was about to say something more when he heard a clear but weak voice.

"General."

All eyes were on Xun Hao.

The young man stepped out from behind Guo Jia. Although he was pale and thin, his back was ramrod straight. He gave Huangfu Song a proper salute.

"What advice does Young Master Xun Hao have for me?" Huangfu Song's tone was still relatively gentle, but there was already a hint of disdain in his eyes. What could a child possibly know about matters of state?

"I dare not presume to offer my guidance," Xun Hao said calmly. "There is simply one thing I am unsure about and would like to ask the general for his advice."

"Oh? You go ahead."

"May I ask, General, is this campaign to quell the Yellow Turban Rebellion for the sake of the court or for the sake of the people?"

This question was rather pointed. Huangfu Song frowned and said in a deep voice, "Naturally, it is to share the burdens of the court above and to rid the people of harm below."

"General, you are right," Xun Hao continued, neither humble nor arrogant. "Since it is to rid the people of a scourge, were these tens of thousands of surrendered soldiers bandits or civilians before they took up arms?"

Huangfu Song was speechless. He knew, of course, that most of these people were displaced people who had been coerced into joining the movement.

Xun Hao didn't wait for his reply and continued, "Most of them, once they put down their hoes, were commoners; once they picked them up, they were thieves. They became thieves not because they harbored rebellious intentions, but because they had no food. Now that you have won a great victory, the thieves are imprisoned. If you were to bury them all alive, how would the people of the world view you, General Huangfu? They would say that General Huangfu was brave, but his methods were cruel and indiscriminate, and that killing surrendered people was an omen of misfortune. And what would the remaining Yellow Turban remnants think? They would think that surrendering was also a dead end, and only by fighting to the death could they possibly find a glimmer of hope."

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, his logic meticulous, and each point logically connected, making the entire front hall so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"In this way, the general may have relieved his anger for a while, but he has sown the seeds of endless troubles for the court in quelling the rebellion. This is not eliminating the harm, but rather putting out a fire by adding more fuel to the fire. The fire will not be extinguished until the fuel is used up."

"Insolence!" a general finally couldn't hold back any longer and shouted sternly, "You mere brat, how dare you spread rumors and undermine morale! General, I request permission to drag this child out!"

Huangfu Song raised his hand to stop his subordinate. His expression was uncertain, and his gaze towards Xun Hao had changed from initial disdain to scrutiny and astonishment. He hadn't expected this sickly young man to possess such insight and courage.

Xun Hao met his gaze without flinching: "This junior is of humble status and my words may carry little weight, and I may make mistakes. But I believe that killing is a means of war, not a good strategy for pacifying the country. Now that Yingchuan is pacified, we should pursue appeasement. We should organize the able-bodied men of these surrendered soldiers into a military garrison, ordering them to cultivate wasteland so that they can be self-sufficient and produce grain for the court. The old and weak should be sent back to their hometowns so that they can settle down in peace. In this way, General, you will not only avoid the infamy of killing surrendered soldiers, but will also be praised for saving tens of thousands of lives. When your reputation for benevolence and righteousness spreads throughout the land, rebels will tremble in fear, and the people will welcome the royal army with food and drink. Which is better, General, please make your own judgment."