The Three Kingdoms: Home Travel

The various lords also arrived one after another at Sishui Pass, setting up camps and encampments, stretching for over two hundred li. Cao Cao then slaughtered cattle and horses, held a grand assembly of the lords, and discussed strategies for advancing the army.

That night, Cao Cao was discussing matters with his generals when he suddenly heard that an old friend had come to offer his assistance. Cao Cao was taken aback for a moment, then ordered him to be brought in.

A man strode in, cupped his hands in greeting to Cao Cao, and said, "Commander Cao, how are you? Do you still remember me?" It was indeed Fang Yue.

Cao Cao's face lit up with joy, and he hurriedly asked, "Could it be that Shouyi has come to help me? Where...where is he?"

"Well..." Fang Yue hesitated for a moment, then said, "Sir, you were injured a few days ago and are still recuperating in Luoyang. Upon learning that you, Commandant Cao, have raised an army to fight the rebels, I have come to offer my assistance!"

"Oh..." Cao Cao was slightly disappointed. He glanced behind Fang Yue, a strange expression on his face. "You... came alone?"

"Haha!" A general in the tent laughed loudly. Everyone looked at him and saw that he was Xiahou Dun, a brother of Cao Cao.

Xiahou Dun slammed his fist on the table with a laugh, "Dong Zhuo has two hundred thousand men, and we are still no match for him. Your master is quite amusing! He actually sent you alone to help! It's even laughable!"

"Yuan Rang!" Cao Cao frowned.

"Hmph!" Fang Yue glared coldly at Xiahou Dun and said, "The future will tell!"

Cao Cao quickly invited Fang Yue to take a seat, secretly marveling at Fang Yue's words.

The next day, all the warlords unanimously elected Yuan Shao as their leader, and Cao Cao was no exception!

Yuan Shao, feeling smug, glanced at Cao Cao and addressed the others, saying, "Although I am not talented, since you have all elected me as the leader of the alliance, merits will be rewarded and crimes will be punished. The state has its fixed laws, and the army has its discipline. Everyone should abide by them and not violate them."

Subsequently, he ordered his younger brother Yuan Shu to oversee the grain supplies and appointed Sun Jian as the vanguard, sending them directly to Sishui Pass to challenge the enemy.

That night, Cao Cao told his generals about the matter, and Fang Yue murmured in surprise, "Just as you predicted, sir..."

The tent fell silent. Cao Cao gave Fang Yue a strange look and asked, "What... what makes you say that?"

"Don't speak carelessly!" Xiahou Dun said coldly.

Ignoring Xiahou Dun's provocation, Fang Yue took out several brocade pouches, examined them carefully, and then handed one of them to Cao Cao.

Cao Cao took the document with a puzzled look, opened it, and immediately his expression changed. He exclaimed, "Brilliant! Quickly dispatch two thousand troops to assist Sun Wentai!"

"Yes!" Xiahou Yuan glanced at Fang Yue with suspicion, then got up and hurried out.

"Mengde? What is it?" Xiahou Dun asked in surprise.

"Let's decide the outcome another day!" Cao Cao frowned as he carefully examined the handwritten note in the brocade pouch.

Several days later, the various warlords heard that Sun Wentai had been defeated and hurriedly discussed the future in their camps.

At noon, a blood-stained general burst in, drew his sword, and pointed it at Yuan Shu, saying, "Dong Zhuo and I have no enmity. I have risked my life, braving arrows and stones, to fight to the death, both for the sake of the country and for the sake of your family, General. Yet you have listened to slander and withheld supplies, leading to our defeat. How can you be at peace with yourself, General?"

Despite everyone's earnest pleas, Yuan Shu, his face ashen, hastily said, "This is slander from a villain! I will kill him immediately!"

Yuan Shao frowned and glanced at Yuan Shu, then advised, "Wentai, please calm down. This was my mistake, and I apologize!"

Sun Jian glanced at Yuan Shao, then gave up, walked to Cao Cao's side, clasped his hands in thanks, and said, "Many thanks for your help, Mengde! Without you, I would not have been able to return!"

Under Yuan Shao's suspicious and surprised gaze, Cao Cao smiled bitterly to himself, cupped his hands, and said, "It's all for the sake of the country! Wentai, you flatter me..."

Sun Jian nodded to Cao Cao, then glared angrily at Yuan Shu for a while, and sneered, "If everyone in the world were like Mengde (Cao Cao), how could such a great calamity have occurred!" He then stormed out.

Immediately, the lords in the tent looked at each other. Yuan Shao deeply resented Yuan Shu for disgracing the Yuan family, and seeing Cao Cao gaining power, he was also unhappy.

"Shouyi is indeed a genius..." Cao Cao exclaimed as he summoned his generals.

Xiahou Dun was inwardly astonished, but said aloud, "It's just a coincidence. Who in this world can predict what's happening a hundred miles away?"

Cao Cao knew that his elder brother from the same clan was dissatisfied, and smiled inwardly. He then said to Fang Yue, "Shouyi gave you several brocade bags. Would you mind handing them over to me?"

"This..." Fang Yue said, cupping her hands in greeting, "The master said that the brocade pouch should only be handed over to Commandant Cao when the time is right."

"I understand!" Xiahou Dun said with a smile, "Your master is afraid of saying something wrong and embarrassing himself!"

Fang Yue smiled and said calmly, "That's exactly what you said, sir!"

"Huh?" Xiahou Dun was speechless.

A few days later, the warlords launched a fierce attack on Sishui Pass for several days. Suddenly, a soldier reported that Hua Xiong, a general of Dong Zhuo's army, was challenging them to battle in front of Sishui Pass.

The various warlords were immediately disgraced and all declared that they would kill Hua Xiong.

At that moment, Fang Yue secretly handed Cao Cao a brocade pouch from behind. Cao Cao looked at it and immediately had a strange expression on his face. When he looked up, he saw three men with extraordinary appearances standing prominently behind Gongsun Zan.

"Shouyi actually possesses such talent?" Cao Cao thought to himself with a sense of dread.

At that time, Yu She, a general under Yuan Shu, and Pan Feng, a general under Han Fu, went to fight Hua Xiong. They were killed by Hua Xiong in a short while, and the faces of the various warlords were filled with fear.

Cao Cao inwardly admired Jiang Zhe's talent, then rose and walked to Gongsun Zan, smiling slightly. "I have long observed the men behind you, brother; they are indeed very valiant. Would you be so kind as to introduce them to us?"

Gongsun Zan paused for a moment, then called out Liu Bei and the other two, saying, "This is my childhood friend and nephew, Liu Bei, the magistrate of Pingyuan. These two are his sworn brothers, all of whom are highly skilled in martial arts!"

"Oh?" Cao Cao looked at Guan Yu and said with a smile, "Is that really so? How does he compare to Hua Xiong?"

Guan Yu squinted and remained silent, while Zhang Fei sneered, "Such a man can be dealt with with a single sword or spear!"

Upon hearing this, the lords in the tent all frowned.

Cao Cao smiled slightly and then asked Guan Yu, "Really?"

Guan Yu slightly opened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "If you gentlemen don't mind my crudeness, I will immediately take that scoundrel Hua Xiong's head!"

Yuan Shu, having lost a major general, was filled with resentment and asked, "What is your current position?"

Guan Yu's expression froze for a moment, and Liu Bei hurriedly said, "My second brother is skilled in martial arts, but he was implicated by me and is now serving as a mounted archer."

Yuan Shu, standing in the tent, roared, "Do you think we lords have no great generals? How dare a mere archer speak such nonsense! Throw him out!" Cao Cao laughed and said, "This man has an impressive appearance; how could Hua Xiong know he's just an archer?"

Guan Yu glanced gratefully at Cao Cao and said in a deep voice, "If I am defeated, please cut off my head."

Cao Cao pondered inwardly, "Shouyi has never met this man before, so how does he know about his martial arts skills? This man is truly unfathomable!"

He then ordered a cup of hot wine to be poured for Guan Yu, and after drinking it, Guan Yu mounted his horse.

Guan Yu's demeanor changed, and he said, "Pour the wine, I'll be right back." He left the tent, drew his sword, and leaped onto his horse.

The assembled lords were startled by the loud drumbeats and shouts from beyond the pass. Just as they were about to investigate, the sound of bells jingled, and a horse arrived at the central camp. Guan Yu, carrying Hua Xiong's head, threw it to the ground. The wine was still warm.

Cao Cao's expression suddenly changed. He gripped the brocade pouch Jiang Zhe had given him tightly, muttering, "Shouyi's judgment is so clear-headed? His foresight is unparalleled in the world!"

When Dong Zhuo learned that his general Hua Xiong had been killed, he was greatly alarmed. He hurriedly gathered an army of 200,000 and headed to Hulao Pass. He deeply hated Yuan Shao and had Grand Tutor Yuan Wei executed. He also exterminated all of Yuan Wei's family members, regardless of age.

Seeing that he had indeed found a good opportunity, Wang Yun summoned the wise and virtuous officials in the court and plotted against Dong Zhuo.

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