Chapter 45: Cao Cao said, "Ten parts murky, one part clear."

  North of Guandu, on the banks of the Yellow River, Cao's army had a large camp.

  The Yellow River's waters are like a lion with its back arched and head raised, ready to leap, rushing eastward in a torrent.

  As the poem says, the Yellow River winds its way for nine curves and a thousand miles of sandy beach, with waves washing against the shore from the ends of the earth.

  The yellow waves are rolling, and countless white foams are rising. The Yellow River is flowing eastward, seemingly extending infinitely to the end of the sky and merging with the orange-yellow sunset scenery.

  At a glance, the water and sky are in one line, where can you distinguish what is water and what is sky?

  Just like the man standing on the high rock by the riverbank at this moment, his mood is majestic and poetic.

  The whistling cold wind mixed with the freshness of the river water and dust, pushed wave after wave, hitting the water stones in the river, splashing water flowers on the shore man's body, it was slightly cool.

  Xu Chu strode forward and draped a cloak over Cao Cao's shoulders to ward off the chill of the water.

  "Zhang Kang, how is the pursuit of Yuan's army at Baima Ford?" Cao Cao adjusted his cloak and asked with a seemingly careless but actually deeply concerned tone.

  Xu Chu heard this and burst out laughing, saying: "Our army has divided into eight routes, each of you generals leading a crowd to attack Yuan's army separately. Yuan Shao's command cannot resist the enemy, and he has already retreated north in disarray! My lord, this battle can be called a great victory for our army!"

  Cao Cao nodded slightly, his face showing no joy whatsoever. Suddenly, he spoke again: "A great victory? Ha! Yuan Shao has been defeated and our army has won, but this is not what I wanted."

  Xu Chu was shocked upon hearing this and hastily asked: "My lord, what are you...?"

  Cao Cao picked up a stone by his foot and threw it heavily into the river, with an expression of regret: "Although Yuan's army retreated hastily to the north, their vitality was not greatly injured... In this battle, my plan was to defeat the main force of Hebei in one go, making Yuan Shao unable to recover..."

  Xu Zhu heard this and blinked, saying: "My lord, at the Battle of Ukou, we thought that all the grain and fodder of Yuan's army had been burned, but unexpectedly, Yuan's army still had some reserves. Although their morale was lost, they did not run out of food and grass, so it is possible to defeat them greatly, but to completely rout their army, it is too difficult... My lord, the various generals have also done their best."

  Cao Cao shook his head and said, "Forget it, this matter has nothing to do with all of you generals, it's my own fault. In any case, even if we didn't completely annihilate Yuan's army in this battle, after all, Yuan will still have suffered a great deal. Within three to five years, I'm afraid he won't dare to make light advances again."

  At this point, Cao Cao suddenly thought of something and smiled: "Zhong Kang, do you still remember the Battle of Wuchao, that white-armored young general who used tactics to delay my army on the mountain?"

  Xu Zhu's face changed color, he subconsciously covered his occipital bone with his hand, his face turned red and white alternately, looking extremely ugly, as if thinking of something.

  Cao Cao raised an eyebrow and said strangely: "Zhong Kang, what's wrong with you?"

  Xu Zhu's face turned slightly red, and he hesitated for a while before opening his mouth in a depressed tone: "My butt hurts..."

  Cao Cao: "A hero dies by his sword, while a coward's death is but a footnote in history."

  After a long time, Cao Cao let out a long sigh and continued the previous topic: "This time, Yuan Shao was not defeated by me in one fell swoop, the reason is still that night at the Battle of White Wolf Slope, that young general in white armor designed to save him a part of grain and fodder. I calculated everything, but ultimately overlooked such a small trick. Haha, on that day, I still underestimated that little friend, it's really hateful."

  Xu Chu heard this and let out a deep hum, but didn't respond.

  Cao Cao didn't think much of it and continued, "The other day, Xun Yu sent a letter saying that the commander who led the surprise attack on Xu Du had already reported his name. Not only did he pretend to besiege Xu Chang, but also tampered with the boundary stone monument north of Xu Du, using strange and ingenious tactics, which is quite consistent with that white-armored young general. As I expected, it must be the same person. Zhong Kang, can you guess who that person is?"

  Xu Chu shook his head and said: "I'm too stupid to think of it, and I don't want to know who he is."

  Cao Cao shook his head and muttered to himself, "Hmph, speaking of which, even I don't believe it. The young general in white armor who reported his own name was actually Yuan Benchu's third son, Yuan Shang. Zhong Kang, isn't that strange?"

  "Yuan Shao's son?!" Xu Chu was shocked, his buttocks even more painfully burning several times, and he exclaimed: "The Yuan family is a famous family, with four generations of three dukes, Yuan Shao himself is very concerned about face, how could he have given birth to such a treacherous and shameless little beast?!"

  Cao Cao smiled and said, "I also couldn't figure it out. This morning, I just received a letter from Xiahou Yuan, who didn't listen to me and led his troops to chase east into the territory of Xuzhou, but ended up losing that little brat."

  Xu Zhu's face turned somewhat pale as he said: "Didn't the general order him not to pursue? Why did General Miao disobey orders?"

  "Yes." Cao Cao's face turned cold, and he said: "It was precisely because of his rash advance that the young master of the Yuan family changed his route and did not go to Xuzhou, rendering the heavy troops I had deployed in Xuzhou useless! It is truly infuriating. I have already written a letter, severely reprimanding Xiahou Yuan and ordering him to lead his troops back to their territory in Yingchuan and Yangzhai, forming a pincer movement with Cao Ren to search for the trail of the young master of the Yuan family."

  "My lord, you punished General Xiahou for disobeying military orders. Why do you want him to return to his hometown in Yingchuan to defend it?"

  At that time, Xiahou Yuan was serving as the Governor of Yingchuan, and his administrative office was located in Yangzhai.

  Cao Cao said, "Let him go back. Firstly, it's a slight warning and punishment. Secondly, I'm afraid that the young master of the Yuan family will go to Yuzhou, and if he joins forces with Liu Bei, I fear that Cao Ren alone may not be able to withstand them."

  Xu Zhu heard this and thought for a long time, then said angrily: "My lord, I think that although General Miao has disobeyed military orders, his feelings are understandable. After all, that little beast was too hateful. In the past at Wu Zhang Plains, he set up an ambush to attack me without warning, and even shot...shot...shot my butt! A general like me who has fought in many battles for years, how could I have suffered such humiliation? It's better to just kill me with one sword stroke. Now every time I think about this matter, it...it...pains me to death."

  Cao Cao sighed and said, "I have known Yuan Shu since childhood, and in my honest opinion, he is inferior to me in both civil and military affairs, as well as in the art of war. I never expected that this time, he would have a good son to inherit his legacy, which is one thing he has done better than me."

  Xu Chu snorted in laughter and said discontentedly, "What are you saying, sir? That little beast may be cunning and treacherous, but everything he does is despicable! Moreover, he's not even the eldest son. I, Xu Chu, am dull-witted, yet I can see that clearly. How can such a person become the master of Hebei?"

  Cao Cao heard this and remained silent for a long time, then said: "You mean to say that the young man does not seem like a ruler... is that right?"

  Xu Zhu heard this and hastily nodded his head, saying: "That's right, that's right! Master, you've said it better than I... looks like he's not a human lord... exactly, that's what I meant!"

  Cao Cao stroked his chin whiskers and shook his head, saying: "People all over the world, I'm afraid more than half of them would think so when they see that young master Yuan..."

  Xu Zhu said: "With an unstable temperament, being deceitful and cunning, young and impolite, people would naturally think this way!"

  Cao Cao shook his head and continued, "Unfortunately, all these are just superficial. Whoever takes them as true will likely suffer greatly."

  Xu Chu heard this and was taken aback, saying: "Surely our lord doesn't think so?"

  Cao Cao nodded and said, "From meeting him once and also from the content of Xun Yu's letter, I can see that the young master of the Yuan family is indeed cunning and deceitful, with a bad temper, likes to make trouble, and has no dignity in his actions, losing the demeanor of a heroic lord, but..."

  As he spoke, Cao Cao turned his head to look at Xu Chu and said in a serious tone: "However, if things are really as you say, why would even men of discerning taste like Zhang Liao and Xu Huang be willing to follow him on his wild adventures in the heart of China?"

  Xu Chu blinked his eyes and said vaguely: "It's all because of Yuan Shao's order..."

  Cao Cao shook his head and said, "No, although I've only seen this child once, but I can tell that despite having many shortcomings, strangely enough, these shortcomings won't make people dislike him. On the contrary, they will make people very interested in him! This is what's called 'ten turbidities and one clarity', a physiognomy of great nobility!"

  Xu Chu heard this and involuntarily muttered: "Ten turbid and one clear? A noble appearance?"

  Cao Cao nodded and said, "That's right, this child does things quite like a certain person in the past. That person also didn't follow etiquette or rules, was unscrupulous and difficult to deal with, but ultimately achieved great success!"

  "Who is this?" Xu Chu was puzzled in his heart, are there still people like this under the sky?

  Cao Cao smiled coldly and said lightly: "Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang."

  Xu Chu was taken aback by his words.

  He slowly turned his head to the south, Cao Cao seemed to be saying to Xu Chu, and also seemed to be muttering to himself: "Zhong Kang, when we meet again in the future, you must not underestimate him. If someone underestimates him because of that child's unkingly behavior..."

  "What's going on?"

  "There will be a great disaster!"

  "Ah-choo!" Liu Bei let out a loud sneeze and then looked around in confusion.

  Isn't it still hot outside? Why did you suddenly sneeze so loudly?

  Is someone cursing me, saying I have a disaster?

  Just as he was thinking, Sun Qian walked into the hall and bowed to Liu Bei, saying: "I report to my lord, the banquet has been arranged properly."

  Liu Bei's spirit was lifted, and he said: "Good! Very good, Gong Yu, I'll trouble you to personally go on an errand, hurry to the government hostel and invite Young Master Yuan to come to the governor's mansion for a banquet."

  Sun Qian smiled and said: "Alright!"