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

Cao Cao spoke these words with righteous indignation and his face was full of sincere loyalty to the emperor and patriotism.

Chen Gong, of course, knew the procedure of three refusals and three concessions, and continued, "Lord Mengde, you are mistaken! If Yanzhou falls, the Yellow Turban Rebellion will surely sweep across the Central Plains, and at that time, the very foundation of the nation will be shaken! For your own fame, you are plunging the people into misery; is this the behavior of a benevolent and righteous person?"

"This..." Cao Cao looked conflicted, as if he were torn between his own conscience and his own will.

Just then, Xun Yu stepped forward.

He bowed deeply to Cao Cao, his voice earnest: "My lord! What Master Gongtai said is absolutely right! The great principles of the Spring and Autumn Annals and the way of expediency lie precisely in this! Now, Yanzhou is in turmoil, and it needs a pillar of strength like you, my lord! If you are bound by trivial matters and disregard the people of Yanzhou, how will you face the Han emperor in the future?"

"Please, my lord, consider the well-being of the people and accept this important task!" Xun You echoed.

"Our lord!" Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and the other generals all knelt down in unison. "We are willing to follow our lord to quell the Yellow Turban Rebellion and restore peace and order to Yan Province!"

Many hands make light work; this earnest persuasion was performed with genuine emotion and was deeply moving.

Cao Cao looked at this and then at that, and finally sighed deeply, as if he had made an extremely difficult decision.

He walked up to Chen Gong, personally helped him up, and then helped Bao Xin up as well. His voice was hoarse, tinged with a sense of sorrow: "Gentlemen... I understand your sentiments. Very well! Since Yanzhou cannot be without a ruler for a single day, and the people cannot be without peace for a single day, I... I will temporarily assume this post!"

He paused, then added, "Once the Yellow Turban Rebellion is quelled, Cao Cao will surely submit a memorial to the court, requesting the Emperor to select another capable official!"

Nobody would believe that.

Guo Jia stood next to Xun Hao and nudged him with his elbow. Xun Hao kept his eyes down, seemingly lost in thought, but the faint smile on his lips betrayed his true feelings.

When Chen Gong and Bao Xin saw that Cao Cao had finally "reluctantly" agreed, they were overjoyed and felt a great weight lifted off their shoulders.

Cao Cao accepted the heavy seal, his heart filled with boundless pride. From Prefect of Dongjun to Governor of a province, he finally possessed the true capital to compete with the heroes of the land.

The process of taking control of Yanzhou went far more smoothly than expected. With the support of local powerful figures like Chen Gong and Bao Xin, coupled with Cao Cao's previously accumulated prestige, various counties sent envoys to express their allegiance.

Cao Cao built a high platform outside Puyang City, and formally ascended the platform to be appointed general and accept the position of Governor of Yan Province.

After the ceremony, Cao Cao prepared to consolidate his troops and reclaim lost territory. Zhao Yun came to bid farewell to Cao Cao.

"Lord Mengde," Zhao Yun said, clasping his hands in greeting, "Now that Yanzhou is safe, I have been away on your orders for a long time and it is only right that I return. I am deeply grateful for the trouble you have caused me these past few days."

Cao Cao was extremely reluctant to part with Zhao Yun, but he knew that forcing him to stay would be futile. He personally escorted Zhao Yun to the pavilion ten miles outside the city and held a farewell banquet for him.

"Zilong, I don't know when we will meet again." Cao Cao held Zhao Yun's hand, his eyes full of sincere regret. "I will always keep a seat for you here, General."

Zhao Yun was also moved. In these past few days, he had personally witnessed how Cao Cao governed the army and managed the government, how he loved the people like his own children, and he had also seen extraordinary talents like Xun Yu and Guo Jia. To be honest, compared to being ostracized at every turn under Gongsun Zan, the atmosphere in Cao Cao's camp made him feel much more comfortable.

But he was a man of his word, and he could not change allegiance until he had settled his relationship with Gongsun Zan.

"I will always remember Lord Mengde's kindness."

When it was time to part, Xun Hao also came to see him off. He held a small bundle and handed it to Zhao Yun.

"General Zhao, these are some wound medicines prepared by the divine physician Hua Tuo. They are very effective for external injuries. I hope you will not find them unpalatable."

Zhao Yun took the bundle, opened it, and found several small porcelain bottles inside, emitting a refreshing medicinal fragrance.

"Mr. Xun..." Zhao Yun was somewhat moved. This was the second time Xun Hao had given him medicine. The medicine last time was indeed effective, but he was too embarrassed to ask Xun Hao for more. He did not expect that the meticulous Xun Hao had already noticed it and even gave him medicine made by the divine physician Hua Tuo.

"General Gongsun is brave, but he is not a ruler who can tolerate the world." Xun Hao looked at him and said meaningfully, "If you are not happy in the north, the gates of Yanzhou are always open to you."

Zhao Yun solemnly packed the bundle, bowed deeply to Xun Hao, and said, "I will remember this."

Without saying anything more, he mounted his horse, clasped his hands in a fist salute to the crowd, and spurred his horse northward. His silver-white figure quickly disappeared at the end of the official road.

Cao Cao's expression of appreciation for talent had not yet completely faded, but a new flame had already ignited in his eyes. "Now that Yanzhou has been pacified, the former troops of Prefect Liu are in a state of panic and scattered in various places. I intend to send Zilian and Miaocai to accompany Gongtai and Mr. Yuncheng on a trip to various counties to gather troops and pacify the local areas."

This is only natural. If Cao Cao wants to secure his position as Governor of Yan Province, he must quickly bring the military power of Yan Province under his control.

Chen Gong and Bao Xin naturally had no objections; that was precisely why they had come.

Xun Yu suggested, "Liu Dai has just passed away, and his troops are leaderless. What they fear most is being punished later. My lord, you can issue a decree from the governor of the province, that all former subordinates of Liu Dai, regardless of their rank, shall retain their original positions and be forgiven for their past misdeeds. The families of the fallen soldiers should be given generous compensation, and the necessary funds and provisions shall be drawn from the provincial treasury."

"Secondly, in your capacity as Governor of Yan Province, you may formally petition the court to grant Liu Dai a posthumous title and to hold a grand funeral for him. At the same time, you may posthumously confer the title of General Bao Tao, who died in battle alongside you, to commend his loyalty and bravery."

"Finally, and most importantly, the lord must personally write several letters and entrust them to Chen Gong and Mr. Bao Xin to be delivered to the powerful clans in various counties. In these letters, do not discuss military power, but only the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and ask them to prioritize the overall situation and work together to overcome the difficulties."

Domestic affairs were always Xun Yu's forte, and his three strategies were intricately linked. They not only won over the hearts of the people and gained him a good reputation, but also appeased local forces, taking into account almost every possible problem.

With Liu Dai dead, the lucrative territory of Yan Province has attracted considerable attention. Yuan Shao of Ji Province, Yuan Shu of Nanyang, and even Tao Qian of Xu Province—who wouldn't want a piece of the pie? Cao Cao now needs to unite the entire Yan Province as quickly as possible. Any internal turmoil could invite the attention of external enemies.

Chen Gong looked at Xun Yu with admiration in his eyes. He had long heard of Xun Yu's reputation as a capable advisor to a king, and seeing him today, he could confirm that the reputation was well-deserved.

Cao Cao clapped his hands and laughed, "Good! As Wenruo says! Gongtai, Yuncheng, you two go and make preparations immediately. Tomorrow morning, you will set off with Zilian and Miaocai!"

"Here you go!"

The next day, Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan, along with Chen Gong and Bao Xin, led a troop of elite soldiers to various counties and prefectures.

Cao Cao, meanwhile, was stationed in Puyang, dealing with the mountain of state and county affairs while reorganizing his troops in preparation for a general offensive against the Yellow Turban army entrenched in the heart of Yanzhou.