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After Guan Yu had Cao Cao’s corpse properly arranged in a coffin, he ordered Zheng Jun and Guan Ping to lead five thousand troops to garrison Pengcheng, while he personally escorted Cao Cao’s body to report back.
On the other side, Taishi Ci helplessly watched the direction Xiahou Yuan and Xiahou Dun had left in. Neither of them was his match, but in his urgency to capture them, it was not easy, especially since Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan had joined forces. Taishi Ci could only watch as they got away.
When Taishi Ci and Gan Ning regrouped and saw that Taishi Ci came back empty-handed, Gan Ning sighed and said, "I knew it, you couldn’t handle it either."
"It’s mainly because you let Xiahou Dun go; he came to me. Otherwise, if we fought for a few more hours, I would surely have captured Xiahou Yuan," said Taishi Ci, who was familiar enough with Gan Ning to know he wasn’t one for formalities, so he responded with annoyance.
"Stop joking, to take down someone at the Inner Qi Manifestation Rank, you’d need to have the strength of Lyu Bu, and even the horse under you would need to be of Red Hare quality, otherwise, if you can’t beat them, nobody can stop them from fleeing," Gan Ning said helplessly.
"So you didn’t try your hardest when you were chasing Xiahou Dun?" Taishi Ci asked, speechless.
"I did my best, but I couldn’t catch up; his horse was better than mine," Gan Ning sighed and said, "Luckily, I ran into someone called Cao Chun."
"Horses really are trouble," Taishi Ci said, looking at his own great yellow steed beneath him, which was also no slouch, but still fell short when compared to those top-quality horses, not to mention ones like Red Hare or the Night Illuminating Jade Lion.
"Can’t encounter a good horse. I too want a fine steed, to sail on great ships, ride the best horses, slay valiant generals, and seize money and grain. Life would be boundlessly joyous!" Gan Ning once again revealed his rogue aspirations.
"Alas, such things are rare in themselves, to come across them is uncertain," Taishi Ci sighed and said, "Did General Guan capture Cao Cao?"
"He’s dead," Gan Ning indicated with a gesture.
"Looks like the matter of Xuzhou is settled," Taishi Ci heaved a sigh upon hearing this and commented with some dejection.
Gan Ning shook his head slightly. Although he seemed foolish, he was from an aristocratic clan of the Shu region and had his own understanding of the strife among noble families and feudal lords. It was this understanding that he used this facade to protect himself. To Taishi Ci, what seemed settled was far from it in Gan Ning’s view. At least until Xuzhou was redistributed among the powers, the issue was not truly resolved.
However, Gan Ning would definitely not voice this opinion; he would maintain his feigned foolishness. This was also why Gan Ning greatly admired Chen Xi—because Chen Xi completely overlooked his act, aware of his true capabilities.
After all, Gan Ning didn’t know the historical state of Wu; if he had, he would understand why Chen Xi held him in high regard.
The region of Eastern Wu had been an odd place; Sun Ce along with the Four Heroic Generals of Eastern Wu plus Taishi Ci, six of the most powerful military and civil officials, had all died in somewhat mysterious circumstances. And as a top general, Gan Ning somehow hadn’t met a bizarre death, which couldn’t help but make one suspect that his foolish demeanor was merely a cover.
Liu Bei, looking at the corpse of Cao Cao within the coffin, sighed silently. Once, beneath Hulao Pass, they had boldly and brightly supported each other, believing they would become comrades with aligned aspirations. Yet before the chaos of the world could be swept away, the friend he’d regarded as a confidant had fallen at his feet.
"Ah, Cao Mengde, you went too far," Liu Bei said, leaning on the coffin and scolding with an angry face. After a long wait, he spoke again, "Brother Cao, go in peace. I will take care of your family and wife, and I’ll help fulfill the ideals you left uncompleted."
After finishing, Liu Bei sighed and silently walked out of the tent where Cao Cao’s coffin lay. When a person dies, they are like a lamp extinguished; Liu Bei was not a tyrant who would bring disaster to the deceased’s family, nor did he wish to hold Cao Cao accountable for his past mistakes.
"Order the body to be sent to Chenliu in Yanzhou," Liu Bei said with a sigh after exiting the military tent.
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"Report, the strategist has sent an urgent message." A messenger rode up swiftly.
"Read it," Liu Bei calmly said.
"If Lord Xuande has defeated Cao Mengde, dispatch someone to Pengcheng north promptly to confirm if an epidemic has broken out. In East Sea Commandery, the plague is already rampant. Although Physician Hua has prescribed a remedy sufficient to treat the epidemic, the herbs are hard to procure. I am very concerned about the Cao Army’s handling of corpses, and I fear that an epidemic may have already occurred in the north of Pengcheng," the messenger recited, his hands and feet icy cold, his face stricken with panic.
"This matter must not be spread!" Liu Bei glanced at the messenger.
"As you command!" The messenger bowed even lower.
Little did they know, Chen Xi too felt a chill at the thought of the potential situation to the north of Pengcheng. Historically, the plague in Xuzhou swept through the four prefectures of Qingzhou, Yanzhou, Xuzhou, and Yuzhou. These four regions of the Central Plains, with a population exceeding ten million, lost half their people to a plague that had been divided into two waves by a freezing disaster.
To be honest, Cao Cao’s massacre resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands at most, but the subsequent plague caused by improper handling of the dead bodies was the larger problem. This was why Chen Xi had a nagging feeling of forgetting something when he went to dispatch troops.
The historical outbreak of the plague in Xuzhou severely weakened its vital energy, diminishing its status as the breadbasket of the Central Plains. The three affected states also drastically declined as a result.
"Order Zilong to lead the White Horse Righteous Followers to Pengcheng north immediately to conduct a reconnaissance. Command Gan Xingba and Taishi Ziyi to seal off the Two Rivers. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, block off Pengcheng’s borders. The rest will stay with me to defend Pengcheng," Liu Bei commanded his part-time secretary, Li Youu.
Li Youu, frowning, quickly noted down Liu Bei’s words. "My Lord, it might also be wise to send another letter to Tao Gongzu regarding the situation in Pengcheng. He is sure to agree," he suggested.
Liu Bei looked at Li Youu and said nothing. He was already starting to sense the thoughts of those around him, but there was no harm in it. As Li Youu said, just clearly explaining the situation at Pengcheng to Tao Gongzu would suffice, and he would surely agree.
"Let’s go, it’s time to celebrate the generals’ victory," Liu Bei said with a laugh, dispelling the shadows between his brows.
Meanwhile, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan were escorting Xun Youi and a few others westward towards Yuzhou. What was once a grand army of tens of thousands was now down to just over a hundred, and only a handful of civil officials and military generals remained.
"Zhongde, you really didn’t need to knock me out," Cao Cao said to Cheng Yu after regaining consciousness.
"My Lord..." Cheng Yu lowered his head and said no more.
"Zihe, Boran, Bojian, Gong Liu, Yuansi..." Cao Cao glanced at his generals. "And Wen Lie..."
They all bowed their heads.
"Zhicai and Wen Ruo are still in Yanzhou. What do I have to fear? Liu Xuande, today I have lost to you, but I will surely determine the winner with you yet!" Cao Cao said, taking a deep breath and standing up with a determined look on his face.
"My Lord, we should hurry from Yuzhou to meet with Wen Ruo in Yanzhou. Otherwise, if we get no news of you after a while, I’m worried that there will be chaos," Cheng Yu said to Cao Cao.
"Send the order for Wen Qian to abandon Faan County and retreat swiftly to Yanzhou," Cao Cao sighed and said, and the faces around him exchanged glances. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome you to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
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