Chapter Seven Joy and Worry

  Ten days later, Xuchang City.

  Cao Cao returned to the provincial city in a state of exhaustion, having just inspected the military defenses everywhere. He was clearly extremely fatigued, so as soon as he entered the grand hall for discussion, he hastily collapsed into the main seat, looking relaxed and content.

  "Wenruo, what happened during these ten or so days when I was not around?" Cao Cao asked his strategist who had been waiting beside him, while rubbing his eyes.

  "Returning to your lordship, many things have happened in these days."

  "Oh?" Cao Cao suddenly sat up straight, his expression changed as if he were a different person. He forced himself to be calm and asked: "Wen Ruo, speak quickly, what is it?"

  He respectfully made a bow, and the strategist who was directly called Wen Ruo by Cao Cao's eyes lit up, and he suddenly admired his lord in front of him. However, he turned to say in a low voice: "Ren Cheng Cao Mou has rebelled."

  "What! Is this true?" Cao Cao was suddenly shocked and asked repeatedly.

  The middle-aged scholar said calmly, "Yes, my lord. According to the scout who just came back to report, Cao Mao led his troops of 3,000 soldiers to occupy Rencheng, Xuchang and Shouyang last night."

  "Bang-" With a sound, Cao Cao heard this and his face suddenly turned gloomy. The hand that had slapped the table suddenly clenched into a fist, as if suppressing his emotions. He said coldly: "Then... isn't Ren City being guarded by Cao Ang? Where is Cao Ang now?"

  The middle-aged scholar said: "The eldest young master knows that his crime is serious and is now kneeling outside the city gate, waiting for your punishment."

  Cao Cao's heart relaxed upon hearing this, and his expression turned calm as he said: "The crime of rebellion is not on my son, Ren Cheng. Although we lost the city, a mere 3,000 troops are nothing to be concerned about." With that, he waved his hand and continued:

  "Summon all civil and military officials to come in and discuss countermeasures together."

  "Okay." The middle-aged scholar responded with a single word, intending to leave, but then walked halfway and seemed to have suddenly thought of something. He turned around as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

  Seeing the other's behavior was somewhat strange, Cao Cao asked: "Wen Ruo, is there anything else?"

  "My lord, I forgot to report that Old Lady has been gone for ten days now. It was on the third day after you left for Dingtao."

  "Oh, haha, I already knew about this when I was in Dingtao. I've ordered someone to send a message by flying pigeon, telling the governor of Huaxian, Ying Shao, to get everything ready. By now, my father should be arriving at Xuzhou soon, and as soon as he leaves Xuzhou, Ying Shao will escort him all the way home."

  "It's not about you, sir, but rather about Xiang Gongzi, Cao Xin."

  Upon hearing Cao Xin's name, Cao Cao was taken aback once again and said with a displeased tone: "What's wrong with Xin now? Can't he even avoid causing more trouble?"

  The middle-aged scholar immediately said with a bitter tone: "It's not that, it's just that for the past ten days, Cao Xin has come here every day to see the master, but the master is outside, and Cao Xin looks quite anxious..."

  "Alright, alright... I know." With a wave of his hand, Cao Cao signaled for the other person to leave, but his face still showed an inexplicable irritation.

  After all, Cao Xin was Cao Cao's nephew, and Cao Cao originally had a very good impression of Cao Anmin. Without a doubt, since Cao Cao was young and childless for many years, although he later gave birth to Cao Ang, but afterwards there were no more children for 8 years, so at that time the two people whom Cao Cao loved the most were Cao Ang and Cao Anmin.

  However, now, since Cao Anmin said those words at the last banquet, it instantly chilled Cao Cao's heart for a long time. It wasn't dislike, but a sense of loss no less than that of his own father. In his heart, he never thought Cao Anmin would become what he is today.

  After a while, many civil and military officials in the conference hall paid homage to Cao Cao one after another, and then sat down. However, there were two young men kneeling on the ground in the middle.

  These two people, similar in age, were both between 17 and 18 years old. One was a young military general with a shameful expression, while the other was somewhat pale and dressed as a scholar. However, strangely, this young scholar seemed to be even more robust than the general, although not comparable to Zhou Bo, but compared to ordinary people of the same age, it could be seen at a glance.

  The two men were Cao Ang, a military general, and Cao Xing, also known as Cao Anmin.

  "Speak up..." Suddenly, a sentence came from the main seat, and it was Cao Cao's gloomy face at this moment. A majestic aura that was not angry but powerful spread out instantly, causing all the civil and military officials on both sides to tremble with fear.

  Cao Ang and Cao Anmin, who were kneeling on the ground, looked at each other in dismay, but neither of them knew who Cao Cao was asking. They were both at a loss for what to do.

  However, Cao Anmin still bowed his hands and said: "Your Excellency..."

  Due to his father's repeated reprimands, Cao Anmin still had to change the two characters "shu fu" (uncle) to "zhu gong" (master), after all, in the Cao army, there were many Cao family children, so Cao Decai forced Cao Anmin to change his address.

  But as soon as Cao Anmin uttered the two words "Master", a voice with cold and stern authority suddenly came.

  "Today, we discuss the matter. It is said that Ren Cheng Cao Mao has openly led 3,000 people to rebel. I propose... " Seemingly ignoring Cao Anmin's presence, Cao Cao sat in the main seat with a cold expression and said: "I propose to lead the army to punish them, who is willing to go?"

  As soon as this statement came out, all the literary officials in the hall were shocked and exclaimed, while on the side of the military generals, they were all spirited and eager to try, rubbing their fists and palms.

  Among them, a tall and sturdy general suddenly emerged from the front line of the martial arts team, shouting loudly: "I am Xiahou Dun, General of the Wei State!"

  Cao Anmin was shocked, but it turned out that Xiahou Dun had been ambushed by the enemy and his army was in disarray. The enemy's arrows were like a swarm of locusts, and their swords and spears were as numerous as the hairs on an ox. The sound of drums and horns shook the earth, and the cries of the soldiers filled the air. Cao Anmin knew that he had to act quickly to turn the tide of battle. He ordered his troops to form a tight formation and prepare for a fierce counterattack.

  Satisfied, he nodded his head. Cao Cao was about to speak when suddenly several men rushed forward from among the military officers, all asking for orders.

  "To kill a chicken, why use an ox knife?! I, Ma Chao, am willing to lead 2,000 men and horses, and capture Rencheng within half a month!"

  "We will advance immediately, with just a thousand men and horses, and can capture Rencheng within ten days."

  "I would like to go and surrender..."

  "Finally..."

  "In the end, Cao Xin led only 800 cavalrymen and could capture Rencheng within half a day..."

  Suddenly a calm and peaceful voice, however, was particularly striking amidst the loud shouts of many generals, yet seeing the person who spoke, it again brought about a stir in the crowd, with everyone looking towards Cao Anmin, only to see that although his face was wan and sallow, his eyes were firm and resolute, and he didn't seem to be joking.

  However, when Cao Anmin said this, even Cao Ang, who was kneeling on the ground beside him, couldn't help but look up at his brother. Although Cao Ang hadn't seen Cao Anmin in a long time, he had heard about everything that had happened to him in Xuchang while they were in Rencheng. So although Cao Ang had always been close to Cao Anmin since childhood, he never could have imagined that the grown-up Cao Anmin would be so bold. Perhaps...in Cao Ang's heart, it was more accurate to say that he was overestimating himself.

  Just as Cao Ang thought in his heart, so did everyone else, and Cao Cao was no exception.

  Looking at Cao Anmin kneeling on the ground and staring straight at him, Cao Cao said coldly: "Xin nephew, you are not a military general, nor do you have any position, how can you make reckless remarks in the great hall? Don't you know that military and national affairs are not child's play?"

  He couldn't help but sigh, Cao Anmin had been anxious for the past few days, and it was only when he heard that they were going to fight that he realized this was the only way to rush to Xuzhou immediately. So Cao Anmin also had no choice but to say:

  "My lord, if you trust me, Cao Xing, I will lead eight hundred men and horses to pursue and stop the old man from going to Xuzhou. If you agree, I guarantee that within half a day, Cao Meng's head will fall to the ground..."

  "What nonsense!" Just as Cao Anmin was about to finish speaking, Cao Cao suddenly stood up from his seat and sternly shouted: "You still think that the old man would meet with disaster in Xuzhou?! Ah, nephew! Do you know that if this remark were made elsewhere, it would be considered unfilial and punishable by being torn apart by carts?!"

  "My lord..."

  "Enough!" Cao Cao snorted, waving his black sleeve as he turned his back on Cao Ang and Cao Anmin. "My mind is made up! Order Cao Ang to lead 5,000 troops to quell the rebellion in Ren City, led by Cao Miao. We must capture Ren City within a month. Cao Anmin, you will serve as Cao Ang's personal guard... Cao Ang, make sure to keep your brother Cao Xin in line and teach him what it means to be involved in great military affairs!"

  When the last cold hum came, Cao Anmin's heart was already as cold as the bottom of a valley, but it was too late to regret.

  Cao Ang, who was originally going to apologize to Cao Cao for losing the city, did not expect his father Cao Cao to give him 5,000 troops to attack Cao Miao, which made him overjoyed.

  "Hello!"

  "Promise..."

  At that moment when both of them said "yes" at the same time, their hearts were like ice and fire, two extremes, one joyful and one worried.

  PS: In the next chapter, Cao Xin presents a plan to capture Rencheng.

  Scan the QR code at the starting point of WeChat, everyone rushes to answer cold knowledge, gets a medal, and wins a big prize! Click on the + sign in the upper right corner of WeChat, select "Add Friends", search for the public account "qdread" to participate! Various big prizes, easy to get!