Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1028: The Army Conquers Xudu and It’s Difficult to Recover

Xun You, standing nearby, looked puzzled and said, "That's not right. When we set out for Dongjun, our lord invited Wenhou Lü Bu to come and support us. While Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were brave, Lü Bu's bravery was more than matched. How could he have been defeated so quickly? So, was Xudu captured by Liu Bei?"

Cao Ren sighed deeply, his face filled with resignation as he said, "We've been holding out in Yingchuan, hoping for reinforcements day and night, but there's been no sign of Lü Bu. Even when we were completely exhausted, no reinforcements arrived."

When Cao Cao heard this, his expression became more solemn, and a hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

Cao Ren continued, "Without any other choice, we retreated, intending to return to Xudu. However, as we neared Xudu, we were ambushed. Unexpectedly, Lü Bu took advantage of the chaos and seized Xudu. We were caught completely off guard, and immediately suffered heavy losses."

When Guo Jia heard this, a look of understanding appeared on his face, as if he had already made up his mind.

Cao Cao gnashed his teeth in anger and shouted, "Lü Bu, you traitor, joined me in honoring the emperor and ascending the throne in Xudu, yet you never thought you would behave like a traitor!"

Guo Jia hurriedly said, "My lord, when our army first attacked Xuzhou, Lü Bu was already disgruntled. Now we are surrounded on three sides. I believe Lü Bu has been persuaded by the enemy to stab us in the back. This is a deadly move."

Cao Cao felt a sudden headache. He endured the pain and muttered to himself, "This is a deadly situation. Fighting on three sides, and someone is attacking from behind..."

Everyone in the tent was silent, the atmosphere extremely oppressive. Cao Cao was now facing an unprecedented predicament. With the loss of Xudu, the depletion of his forces, and the siege from all sides, the situation was precarious.

Everyone in the tent was silent for a long time, the atmosphere so oppressive that it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it. Cao Cao slowly raised his head, looked at Yu Jin, and asked, "Wen Ze, what's the situation over there?"

Yu Jin clasped his fists in salute and said solemnly, "I was engaged in a battle with Yuan Yao, with both sides winning and losing. It wasn't until the arrival of reinforcements from the eldest son and Miss Lu that our morale was boosted, and we defeated Yuan Yao in Qiao County. Yuan Yao was defeated and retreated back to Shouchun. I wanted to pursue him, but my heart was on the battle here, so I didn't dare to fight any longer and hurried back to provide assistance. Unfortunately, I was still a step too late. On the way, I happened to run into Generals Cao Ren and Cao Hong. They told me that Xudu had been captured by Lü Bu, and that the families of my lord and the rest of us had fallen into enemy hands."

Cao Cao frowned slightly, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes, but when he heard that Cao Ang came to support and achieved results, he couldn't help but reveal a trace of relief.

Yu Jin continued, "When the eldest son learned of this, he made a decisive decision and decided to join us in a surprise attack on Xia Pi."

A flicker of satisfaction flashed in Cao Cao's eyes. In such a critical situation, Cao Ang hadn't impulsively challenged Lü Bu head-on, but had calmly chosen to launch a surprise attack on Xia Pi. This clearly demonstrated that Cao Ang possessed the composure expected of a commander. Cao Cao nodded and said, "Zixiu, this is a very good move. But why did you launch a surprise attack on Xia Pi?"

Yu Jin continued, "My lord, Xudu has been occupied by Lü Bu. The city is heavily fortified, and it will likely be difficult to capture in the short term. Your family and the families of your generals are in enemy hands, and the situation is dire. The eldest son launched a surprise attack on Xiapi in order to exchange Lü Bu's family for yours, thus alleviating the immediate crisis."

Cao Cao nodded in praise. "Yes, Zixiu, this is indeed a very thoughtful move. So, what is the situation now?"

Yu Jin said, "After we successfully captured Xia Pi, the eldest son personally escorted Lü Bu's family to Xudu to exchange hostages with Lü Bu. It seems to have gone smoothly. He then sent a message, telling us to meet up with the lord in Dongjun. He will be there shortly."

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao felt a sense of relief. Cao Ang's performance gave him hope for the future. However, he also knew that the situation remained dire. Even if the hostages could be successfully exchanged, Xudu had not yet been recaptured, and with powerful enemies surrounding them, the situation remained fraught with danger. However, Cao Ang's actions at this moment undoubtedly gave them a shot of confidence in this difficult situation.

Guo Jia nodded slightly and said, "Young Master, this move is brilliant. It not only saved our family from danger, but also bought us time and space for follow-up actions. Our most urgent task now is to wait for the Young Master to arrive and learn more about the situation in Xudu. Then we can discuss how to retake Xudu and deal with the various forces."

Xun You also echoed, "Feng Xiao is absolutely right. At the same time, we must also strengthen our vigilance to prevent other forces from launching a surprise attack while we are waiting."

Cao Cao listened to their suggestions and said with a firm gaze, "Alright, I'll do as you two say. Pass the order down, and have the entire army be on high alert. Once Zixiu arrives, we'll make a long-term plan. We must recapture Xudu and restore our army's prestige!"

The army had been stationed there for only half a day when a message came from outside the tent: "The eldest son has arrived!" Everyone's eyes flickered to the tent door, where Cao Ang, clad in battle armor, entered with a dashing demeanor. His steps were steady, his eyes resolute. Upon seeing Cao Cao, he immediately knelt on one knee and said, "Father, I'm sorry you were worried by my late arrival."

Cao Cao hurried forward and personally helped Cao Ang to his feet, his eyes filled with satisfaction and encouragement. He said, "Zixiu, you did a great job this time. Faced with such a difficult situation, you remained calm, launched a surprise attack on Xia Pi, and exchanged Lü Bu's family for ours, resolving our urgent need. You have demonstrated extraordinary courage and strategy, truly worthy of being my son, Cao Cao. I hope you will continue to maintain this and make more contributions to the great cause of our Cao family."

Cao Ang said respectfully, "Thank you for your praise, father. I will definitely live up to your expectations."

At this time, a soldier came to report: "My lord, Madam Ding and the other ladies and their families have been settled in and are waiting outside the tent." Cao Cao was moved when he heard this and said, "Please invite them in quickly."

Soon, Madam Ding walked in front, slowly entering the tent with her family. Seeing Cao Cao, Madam Ding's eyes flashed with surprise and worry. She quickly walked up to Cao Cao and said, "Meng De, are you all right? This unexpected turn of events is truly terrifying."

Cao Cao held Madam Ding's hand and whispered, "Madam, don't worry, I'm fine. Thanks to Zixiu, you're all safe. I'm sorry you were frightened by the fall of Xudu." Madam Ding looked at Cao Ang, her eyes filled with pride and gratitude, and said, "Zixiu has really grown up, thanks to him."

Other family members also came forward to express their concern to Cao Cao. Cao Cao comforted them one by one, and looking at the crowd before him, his heart filled with emotion. At this moment, the safe reunion of his family brought him a sense of warmth and comfort in this difficult situation. However, he knew that the road ahead was still full of challenges. Retaking Xudu and restoring his hegemony was the goal that he must devote all his energy to.

The atmosphere in the tent relaxed slightly. Cao Cao looked at everyone and said, "We are safe for now, but the situation remains dire. As long as Xudu is not recaptured, we cannot relax. Next, let's discuss how to break this impasse."

Cao Ang said to his father Cao Cao with a serious expression, "Father, I'm afraid we won't be able to recapture Xudu for a while." Cao Cao was stunned when he heard this and quickly said, "Zixiu, tell me about your experiences along the way and why you say that."

Cao Ang took a deep breath and spoke slowly, "I was escorting Lü Bu's family to exchange hostages. Lü Bu pretended to exchange hostages with us, but afterward, he secretly sent people to pursue us. After I arranged for my family to be properly settled, Yun Lu came to meet me, but unexpectedly, we encountered Liu Bei and his army outside Xudu."

Cao Cao's expression instantly grew tense, and the generals' hearts clenched in their chests. How had Cao Ang escaped such a dangerous situation, attacked from both sides? Everyone's face was filled with worry. But Cao Cao's heart was soon relieved a little. After all, Cao Ang was standing here safely, and his family had been brought back safely. Cao Cao said, "Zixiu, how did you handle it?"

Cao Ang recounted his story methodically, "The situation was critical. I saw Liu Bei and Lü Bu forming a pincer attack on me. After careful consideration, I decided to use the name of the King of Liang. Coincidentally, Yun Lu's soldiers were dressed in Western Liang clothing, so I had them pretend to be reinforcements sent by the King of Liang, creating a large-scale attack. Liu Bei mistakenly believed the King of Liang was meddling in the matter and, fearful, stopped in his tracks. Lü Bu, pursuing us from behind, spotted Liu Bei's army from afar and mistook them for my reinforcements. He was afraid to move forward, too cautious. Thanks to this subtle connection, I was able to escape."

After Cao Ang finished speaking, a momentary silence fell in the tent, everyone absorbed in his thrilling experience. A moment later, Guo Jia spoke first, praising him, "Young Master, this is truly a testament to your calm composure and exceptional shrewdness. In such a desperate situation, you were able to devise such a brilliant plan to avert danger. It's truly admirable."

Xun You also nodded in agreement, "Indeed, the eldest young master was resourceful in a moment of urgency, capitalizing on the suspicions and misjudgments of both sides to successfully escape this predicament. Such wisdom and adaptability will surely lead to great things in the future."

Yu Jin clasped his fists and said, "Young Master is brave and courageous, and can calmly deal with crises. He is truly a blessing to our army and to Lord Cao."

Cao Hong laughed heartily and said, "My dear nephew Zixiu, you are truly remarkable! As worthy of being Cao Gong's eldest son, you are both brave and resourceful. You will surely lead us to great achievements in the future."

Cao Cao listened to the praises of Cao Ang, feeling gratified and proud. He looked at Cao Ang with hope in his eyes and said, "Zixiu, your performance today has made me very proud. But the situation remains dire. Xudu has fallen into the hands of Lü Bu, and forces like Liu Bei and Liu Biao are eyeing us covetously. We must take a long-term approach and find a way out."

Guo Jia spoke slowly, his expression grave. "My lord, it seems that Xudu will be difficult to recapture in the short term. If Lü Bu takes Xudu, Liu Bei will certainly not sit idly by. Both sides will undoubtedly engage in a major battle for Xudu. Given our army's current strength, forcing Xudu back would be like hitting a rock with an egg, and the gains would likely outweigh the losses. Therefore, this matter requires further consideration."

Guo Jia's words struck everyone like a hammer. The atmosphere, which had just relaxed slightly, instantly became tense again. The generals looked at each other, their eyes revealing worry and helplessness.