The rebellion of the Shu Region's aristocratic clans came somewhat faster than Xiahou Dun had expected. Although he knew these clansmen couldn't be relied upon, he really hadn't expected them to be this unreliable. They hadn't even left him a moment to react before turning around and selling him out.
Sure enough, nothing good ever came from aristocratic clans... Well, aside from the Cao and Xiahou families, nothing good ever came from aristocratic clans!
Xiahou Dun slammed his hand down on the table. The entire table was shaken into a pile of dust. By now, the news had spread throughout the city and the fortresses outside it: Guan Yu had led "one hundred thousand" divine troops down upon Qu County and was currently slaughtering his way toward them, preparing to destroy them in a pincer attack from within and without.
The granaries of the entire Ba Commandery's aristocratic clans and government offices had also been burned completely empty by Gan Zhenhai. They were already on the verge of running out of food. The only reason they could still eat two meals a day without reducing their portions was that the higher-ups were concealing the news to prevent panic.
Among the Yizhou troops, an even more widespread rumor claimed that the Cao Army was planning to force them into a fight to the death with Wang Xuan's army, buying the Cao Army enough time to break out. As for provisions, the Cao Army supposedly planned to massacre villages and cities and rob the common people. This had thrown the Yizhou troops into a panic while immediately turning them against the Cao Army, leaving the mood within the army tense and ready to erupt.
The rumor spreading through the Cao Army was different. The Cao Army could no longer withdraw on a