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

Could it be... that I'm mistaken?

Guo Fengxiao wasn't harboring any improper thoughts about his younger brother. His overly attentive and caring manner seemed more like...raising a son?

The moment the thought crossed Xun Yu's mind, he was startled. Looking at Guo Jia again, the resemblance grew stronger. His eyes, his tone—they were exactly like those of a proud, elderly father.

Xun Yu's feelings suddenly became very complicated.

When Xun Hao woke up, it was already broad daylight.

He had a rare good night's sleep, without nightmares or chaotic thoughts. The familiar warmth filled his body, as if it had fully recharged the "energy" he had overdrawn in the past few days.

He even felt that he could run two laps around Dongjun City now.

Of course, he was just thinking about it.

The room was quiet; Guo Jia was no longer there. The distinctive scent of that person in the air proved that everything that happened last night was not a dream.

Xun Hao sat up, stretched, and felt completely refreshed. In a good mood, even the withered branches outside the window seemed more pleasing to the eye.

He was about to get up and wash when a suppressed argument came from outside the courtyard. Although he couldn't hear it clearly, he was sure he recognized his brother and Guo Jia's voices. Why were they at Xi Zhicai's place so early in the morning?

As he was lost in thought, Cao Cao's personal guards rushed over.

"Mr. Xun, our lord requests that you and the other gentlemen proceed to discuss matters immediately."

"After being frightened away by General Xiahou Yuan, Yu Du's army dared not invade Dongjun again. Instead, they turned west and plunged into the territory of Liu Dai, the governor of Yanzhou. Liu Dai was furious and, ignoring his subordinates' advice, personally led his army out of the city to meet the enemy."

Xun Hao listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously drawing circles on the table.

"What was the result?"

"Liu Dai... suffered a crushing defeat." Xun Yu sighed. "Although Yu Du's troops were a rabble, Liu Dai underestimated them and advanced recklessly, resulting in their defeat in a single battle. Now, Yu Du's army has besieged Liu Dai in Dongping, and the people in Dongping are in a state of panic. I'm afraid they won't last more than a few days."

Cao Cao led his troops to set off immediately. Outside Chaoge City, on Luchang Mountain, the terrain was steep, with only one winding path leading to the mountaintop gate.

This is a top-secret place where Yu Du settled his family and stored grain and fodder. Normally, even if a bird flies by, it will have three feathers shot off.

At this moment, banners were waving at the foot of the mountain, with large "Cao" banners fluttering in the wind.

Cao Cao besieged the area but did not attack, and even deliberately let several Black Mountain Army scouts escape.

Inside Dongping City, Yu Du's victory celebration had lasted for three days and three nights. The governor's mansion's treasury had been emptied, and the fine wine and women had made these desperate men forget all about home.

Until the messenger, covered in blood, stumbled and crawled into the hall.

"General! Disaster! Disaster!" The messenger knelt on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. "Cao Cao... Cao Cao sent troops to raid our stronghold! Chaoge Mountain is besieged! Our water supply has been cut off, and Cao's army said... said they'd set the mountain on fire in two days, and kill... kill my sister-in-law and nephews..."

With a crash, the golden cup in Yu Du's hand shattered into pieces.

The hall, which had been filled with revelry, fell into a deathly silence.

All the leaders stopped what they were doing, their drunkenness instantly replaced by terror. Money could be stolen again, territory could be taken back, but what was the point of fighting to the death if their children were gone?

"Cao Cao! You despicable villain!" Yu Du kicked over the table in front of him, his eyes bloodshot. "Issue my order! Assemble the entire army! Return to Chaoge immediately! I will tear Cao Ren to pieces!"

"General, what about the valuables in Dongping City..." A lieutenant was still thinking about the gold and silver that hadn't been moved yet.

"We're about to be childless, what do we care about worthless possessions!" Yu Du slapped him across the face. "Take all your valuables, throw away all that bulky stuff! Full speed ahead! Anyone who falls behind will be killed without mercy!"

The retreat of the Black Mountain Army was even more chaotic than their arrival.

They abandoned the prize they had just acquired and rushed north along the official road.

The 20,000-strong army, in their haste to save time, scattered their formations, becoming a long, chaotic fleeing column.

On the only road leading to Chaoge, in a narrow valley, Cao Ren had already set up a banquet, just waiting for his guests to fall into his trap.

The night was as dark as ink, and the mountain wind howled.

When the long torchbearer procession of the Black Mountain Army, exhausted, had completely entered the valley, Cao Ren, who was lying in the grass, spat out the grass roots in his mouth, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

He suddenly stood up and resolutely waved the command flag in his hand.

"Release the arrows!"

In an instant, a volley of arrows was unleashed, like locusts swarming across the land.

On both sides of the valley, Cao Cao's soldiers, who had been lying in ambush, descended like tigers, their battle cries shaking the heavens and the earth. Exhausted, hungry, and terrified, the Black Mountain Army collapsed instantly under this sudden attack.

The battle turned into a one-sided massacre from the very beginning.

"Don't panic! Don't panic! Form a battle formation!" Yu Du brandished his spear, trying to stabilize the situation.

But he overestimated the discipline of these bandits. When Cao Cao's army charged, their camp immediately broke into chaos, with people trampling each other, wishing they had two more legs.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Yu Du gritted his teeth, led several hundred personal guards, turned his horse around, and attempted to break through to the north. As long as people were alive, money could be stolen again, women could be found again, and children could be born again.

He had just rushed out of the valley when he ran into a strange group of people.

Those are not Cao's troops.

All the horses were white, and the knights were dressed in light armor, carrying longbows and lances.

The leading young general, dressed in white robes and silver armor, carried a gleaming silver spear. He had a handsome face and bright, star-like eyes.

Yu Du was stunned for a moment. What was he doing here?

"Kill!" Yu Du roared, spurring his horse and brandishing his spear, charging straight at the young general in white robes.

The young general remained expressionless, and didn't even slow down his horse.

Just as the two horses were about to collide, the young general's silver spear moved.

fast.

As Yu Du approached, he only saw a flash of silver lightning before his eyes.

"puff!"

That was the sound of a sharp blade piercing a throat.

The white horse riders behind him didn't even cheer; they simply drew their longbows in unison, the bowstrings snapped, and arrows rained down, accurately reaping the lives of the remaining Black Mountain guards.

When Cao Ren and his men caught up, this was the scene they saw.

He reined in his warhorse, and it was unclear which general's elite troops it belonged to.

Half an hour later, the battlefield was cleaned up.

Cao Cao's banner slowly approached. He looked at the corpses of the Black Mountain Army scattered on the ground, then at the mountain of supplies, and finally his gaze settled on the group of white-horse riders.

Zhao Yun dismounted, handed his spear to his personal guard, strode to Cao Cao's horse, and clasped his hands in salute.

"Zhao Yun, a subordinate commander under Prefect Gongsun, greets General Cao." Cao Cao hurriedly dismounted, stepped forward, and took Zhao Yun's arm with a sincere expression.

"What skill you have, brave warrior! If you hadn't intercepted and killed the bandit leader, this battle wouldn't have ended so easily." Cao Cao looked Zhao Yun up and down, becoming more and more pleased with him. How could such a fine general not be his own?

Zhao Yun replied neither servilely nor arrogantly: "I was ordered by Prefect Gongsun to pursue the Black Mountain bandits to this place. Because I was unfamiliar with the route, I mistakenly entered the territory of Yanzhou and stole General Cao's credit. I hope you will forgive me."