Chapter 23: Genius of the Devil

  The two days passed very quickly, and can even be described as flying fast.

  During this period, the city of Xu had organized countless troops to try and break through again, but unfortunately, none were successful. Zhang Jie and Gao Lan led their troops like a pair of ruthless pincers, tightly strangling the throat of Xu's city, no matter how hard those inside tried to struggle, their goal remained unwavering, unshakeable as thunder.

  Kill anyone who tries to break through the siege!

  Let's put aside Xudou's situation for now and talk about Cao Cao's reaction after receiving Xun Yu's letter in the main tent of Guandu.

  The Battle of Guandu had been going on for years, with frequent drills, killings, plots and dangers that had become a part of Cao Cao's life. But at this moment, all the previous crises seemed like a distant memory, while the current matter was a heavy blow to Cao Cao's heartstrings.

  Inside the tent, although there was no sound, it seemed as if swords were clashing and war horses were neighing loudly, a solemn and heavy atmosphere.

  On top of the main seat, Cao Cao's ordinary yet profound and introverted old face looked a bit unsightly at this moment, with some sweat beads slightly emerging on his forehead. Looking at the letter sent by Xun Yu in front of him, Cao Cao couldn't help but feel a chill run down his limbs.

  "Your Excellency... what does the letter from Lord Xun mean, after all?" After a long time, only one voice with a questioning tone slowly came out, and it was Yu Jin.

  Cao Cao's eyelids slightly raised, then he looked around at the officials and ministers on both sides, weighing his words for a long time before finally taking a deep breath and speaking: "Everyone... today in this commander's tent are all trusted advisors, there is no outsider, so I will speak openly... Xun Zheng has sent an urgent letter, saying that Xu Du was attacked by Yuan's army and is in a precarious situation with many soldiers, asking me to quickly dispatch troops to rescue them!"

  As soon as Cao Cao said this, it was like a stone that triggered a thousand waves, and suddenly the entire Cao camp boiled over. The generals looked at each other in shock, with surprise flashing in every eye.

  Zhang Liao pondered for a moment before speaking out: "My lord, the mountain paths from Guandu to Xuchang are numerous, but none of them are not narrow and treacherous. How can we possibly get our large army through? Moreover, if there were to be a large force making a detour to launch a surprise attack, wouldn't it necessarily be discovered by our scouts... What about this letter?"

  "This is Wenruo's note, absolutely no mistake!" Cao Cao cut off Zhang Liao's guess and said: "Besides, there is still the seal of the Shangshu commander on it, it can't be fake."

  As soon as this sentence was spoken, it immediately shut everyone's mouth and confirmed that Xu had indeed been attacked.

  After a long time, someone finally said: "Master... what do you plan to do?"

  Cao Cao let out a long sigh, slowly raised his head to gaze at the canopy above, and spoke in a slow and measured tone: "Xuchang is my foundation, not to mention that the Emperor still resides within its walls. I will not permit any mishaps... Now that Yuan Shao's army has retreated, I intend to quickly mobilize our troops to return to Xuchang, reinforce Wen Ruo, and stabilize our rear..."

  Cao Cao seemed to hesitate again and looked down at the crowd, saying: "What does everyone think?"

  Almost without any disagreement, a group of generals hurriedly bowed their heads: "We wish to hear your orders, sir."

  Cao Cao stroked his beard and nodded, just as he was about to arrange the withdrawal of troops. Suddenly, a lazy voice came from outside the tent: "If you do so, sir, haha, then you will have fallen into Yuan's trap."

  The sound was neither high nor low, but it entered each person's ear at an uneven and unsteady pace.

  Accompanying the sound, a man in white clothes, elegant and refined like a young master of a noble family, entered the account. He was probably around thirty years old, with a clean-shaven chin, a pair of bright eyes shining like stars in the night sky, making people linger. His mouth slightly curved upwards, with a kind smile that carried a hint of elegance, transparency, and enlightenment, and a subtle hint of recklessness.

  He was like a sheet of white snow, but what made him imperfect was that on his face, which should have been rosy and clean, there was a hint of a sickly yellowish-green complexion, like a willow in the wind, swaying precariously.

  However, on that sickly face, there seems to be a layer of arrogance wrapped around it, like a fierce tiger lurking and waiting to pounce, ready to burst out at any moment, with great vigor.

  He slowly scanned the people around him, and the newcomer revealed a profound smile: "There is another hidden reason for this matter, you must not fall into Yuan Jun's plan."

  As they spoke, their tone was calm and serene, with a clear expression, wearing white clothes that fluttered in the wind, as if they were a celestial being descending to the mortal world, involuntarily inspiring a sense of reverence and trust from the bottom of one's heart.

  When he saw this man, Cao Cao's face sank involuntarily.

  "Rascal! The grand military council is delayed by nearly half an hour again! Repeatedly taught, repeatedly offended, repeatedly offended, repeatedly taught! I'm afraid I really can't bear not to beat you! Come, take him away and give him a few lashes! Let him remember the lesson!"

  That walked into the account, with a majestic demeanor, as if like an immortal, the white-clad young master heard this and suddenly changed his expression, crying and rushing towards Cao Cao to bow: "Your Excellency, please forgive me, Guo is innocent! I didn't intentionally come late, but my body had some private matters that couldn't be helped. Your Excellency... don't waste the whip!"

  Cao Cao slapped the letter in Xun Yu's hand, angrily saying: "Ordinarily you don't have a decent behavior, so I won't say anything about you. Don't you see what time it is now? Speak! What are you doing here?"

  The man in white attire wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled, saying: "Guo's body has some private matters, so he was delayed. You understand, sir."

  "I don't understand a thing! And you still have some private matters? You're a woman, can't you come to Tiankui every month?"

  Everyone present couldn't help but burst out laughing at once.

  Cao Cao himself was stunned for a moment, and then he couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. No matter what the situation was, every time he saw this person, he became completely different from his usual self, almost to the point of being infuriated to death, it can be said that he lost his composure entirely.

  The man in white attire wiped the sweat and smiled: "Sir, you're joking. I'm a thirty-year-old bachelor, where's the heavenly flower... Today I have diarrhea..."

  "Enough! Hold your tongue!" Cao Cao swung his large sleeve and cut off the speaker.

  Xu Huan, who was standing aside, suppressed his smile and bowed to the scholar in white, curiously asking: "Just now, when Mr. Xiang came to pay his respects, he said that we had fallen into Yuan's trap, what did he mean?"

  The man in white, with a serious expression, smiled and rushed to Cao Cao, bowing his hands: "Sir, I'd like to ask you one thing, how many of Xun's urgent letters have been received?"

  Cao Cao heard this and was taken aback for a moment, furrowing his brow as he said: "About... ten letters or so?"

  "Is it really that much?" The white-robed scholar raised an eyebrow: "But is the content the same?"

  "Not bad, same content!"

  The man in white robes smiled with a hint of profundity and said: "Sir, think carefully, what do so many urgent letters represent?"

  Cao Cao heard this and seemed to be thinking, but then he saw Xu Chu standing behind him and said: "Is it because the situation in Xuchang is too urgent, so Xun Yu sent several urgent letters?"

  "No!" The white-robed scholar shook his head and smiled, "What kind of person is Wen Ruo? Would he make such a rash move? As Guo guessed, it must be that Wen Ruo feared Yuan's army would intercept him, so he sent out many letters, hoping to preserve one in the chaos, and have it delivered into the hands of his lord!"

  "Is there one left?" Xu Chu heard this and was startled: "Obviously more than ten are left..."

  "Not bad, that is to say, Yuan's army did not send troops to block us, they hoped our army would return to Xu Du to ensure the safe withdrawal of Yuan Shao's main force."

  Cao Cao's eyes lit up at the words, and he nodded: "That's right. The troops of Yuan's army that are secretly attacking Xuchang must not be many, otherwise, if they were to secretly attack Xuchang from Puyuan Crossing, our scouts would not have been able to detect anything."

  "Sir, you are wise." The white-robed scholar nodded slightly and continued: "So this time if we withdraw our entire army, it would be exactly what Yuan's army is counting on. Your Excellency need not worry about anything else, just lead the main force to pursue and attack Yuan Shao, and as for the matter of Xu Du, just dispatch another general, no need to go personally."

  "This is a good idea!" Cao Cao, under the advice of the white-robed scholar, finally came to his senses, stroking his beard and laughing: "Such an obvious truth, I regret that I didn't notice it earlier, almost fell into their trap... Good! I will immediately order Xiahou Yuan to lead the army to rush to the rescue of Xu Du, defeat the sneak attack troops of Yuan's army. I myself will lead the main force northward, pursuing and attacking Yuan Shao's great army."

  "Ah, wise decision!" The scholar in white robes slightly clenched his fist and smiled again: "Moreover, the enemy army that launched a surprise attack on Xudu may not be numerous, but it must be led by a cunning and treacherous person. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to deceive Wen Ruo. Since this person is cunning and treacherous, he will definitely not return to Hebei via the original route!"

  Cao Cao nodded and said with a deep tone: "This makes sense. Where do you think he will go?"

  "Returning from the Central Plains to Hebei, apart from the Yellow River ferry crossings, there are two routes: one via Guanzhong and the other via Xuzhou! The terrain of Guanzhong is quite treacherous, with many mountain passes and forests, making it difficult to traverse. I reckon that this branch of Yuan's army... must be heading for Xuzhou!"