Qin Tian Deploys Troops, Old Cao Weeps Bitterly

Faced with Old Cao's question, Cao Anmin could only answer honestly:

"Sir and the strategist have yet to return. The enemy is strong now; my lord, please cross the river with us at once and set up camp!"

Hearing this, sorrow welled up in Cao Cao's heart, and he sighed mournfully:

"Zixuan resents me and surely will not return. Now that I have lost such a fine adviser, what am I to do?"

Seeing that Cao Cao was three parts drunk and three parts sober, Cao Anmin knew he was in no state to take charge. He simply led the troops to escort Cao Cao northward.

In the original course of events, once Zhang Xiu rebelled, he swiftly captured the Cao Army camp and sent pursuers in every direction to hunt down Cao Cao.

To protect Cao Cao, Cao Anmin led troops to hold off the enemy, only to be hacked directly into a bloody pulp.

But now, because of Qin Tian's arrangements, Zhang Xiu was locked in a fierce battle with the Cao Army, and not a single force came after them.

The group fled north all the way to the Qingshui River, where they made camp along the riverbank and finally stabilized the situation.

Elsewhere, after bidding farewell to Qin Tian, Xun Yu spurred his horse onward at full speed.

It was not until nightfall that he reached the Yu River camp.

Yet the moment he arrived, he saw chaos erupting everywhere. Though a scholar, he knew a little of archery and horsemanship as well. Drawing his sword, he charged into the camp and shouted:

"Where is my lord? Where is my lord?"

But with war and chaos everywhere, how could Cao Cao possibly be found?

After much difficulty, he stopped a soldier, only to hear the man cry:

"Zhang Xiu has rebelled and attacked my lord's central army! We could not hold them off. General Dian Wei has already been slain by a barrage of enemy arrows. My lord is likely in grave danger!"

The moment Xun Yu heard that Dian Wei had died in battle, his heart jolted.

Dian Wei was Cao Cao's personal guard commander. If Dian Wei was dead, then Cao Cao was truly in danger.

Yet the camp was in chaos. Even if something had truly happened to Cao Cao, he could not panic. He immediately told the soldier:

"Do not spout nonsense. My lord has many generals protecting him. How could he fall into enemy hands?"

"Whose troops are you from? Where is your commanding general?"

After Xun Yu's sharp rebuke, the soldier regained his composure and hurriedly said:

"This humble one serves under General Xiahou. The general is gathering troops to reinforce my lord's central army, but the enemy has blocked the camp gate. He ordered us to fetch tung oil and burn down the gate!"

Upon hearing that it was General Xiahou, Xun Yu was overjoyed.

"Do not fetch any more tung oil. Take me to see the general at once!"

The soldier obeyed and hastily led Xun Yu into the camp. As soon as they entered, they saw Xiahou Yuan leading his troops in a fierce assault on Zhang Xiu's camp gate.

But the gate was firmly blocked by enemy troops. Without siege equipment, they had no way to break in.

When Xiahou Yuan saw Xun Yu arrive, he quickly stepped forward and said:

"Sir, you have come at just the right time. Hurry and contact the other generals. Join me in breaking through the gate to reinforce my lord!"

Hearing this, Xun Yu hurriedly said in a grave voice:

"Zhang Xiu has moved his camp here, and there are fully thirty thousand troops within. General, you are at the front camp with only several thousand men. How can you break through the enemy camp?"

"General, withdraw at once and come with me to attack Wan City!"

"That city is Zhang Xiu's foundation. If our army attacks it, Zhang Xiu will surely fall into disarray, and my lord's siege will resolve itself!"

Xiahou Yuan found his words reasonable and nodded.

"Then we shall follow your plan, sir!"

He immediately withdrew from the camp with Xun Yu and charged straight toward Wan City.

At the same time, in Zhang Xiu's camp, Cao Cao's rear camp had already been breached.

Dian Wei stood at the camp gate like a war god. Long arrows pierced his body in dense clusters. He was dead beyond all doubt.

Looking at Dian Wei's wide, tiger-like eyes, Zhang Xiu said with lingering fear:

"This man was truly a ghost or god. He alone held this place, and our army could not advance!"

"If we had not shot him with a storm of arrows, we could never have killed him!"

Beside him, Jia Xu stroked his beard and sighed.

"This man was loyal and brave, giving his life for his lord. If our army wins, we should give him a proper burial."

"He should indeed be buried with honor!"

Zhang Xiu nodded and headed toward the rear camp, shouting:

"Have you found any trace of Cao Cao?"

The soldiers were searching everywhere. Upon hearing this, they all replied:

"We have not found him!"

"Damn it, Cao Cao must have escaped through the rear camp!"

Zhang Xiu immediately beat his chest and sighed, shouting:

"Pass down the order! Strike out in every direction! We must take Cao Cao's head here!"

But before his words had faded, Jia Xu stepped forward and stopped him.

"General, wait! We must not pursue!"

Zhang Xiu turned around in astonishment.

"What do you mean, sir? The enemy has already been defeated. Their camp is in chaos, and they cannot resist our army."

"This is the perfect time to pursue them. Why should we not?"

Jia Xu hurriedly shook his head.

"If the enemy had not seen through my plan, then we should naturally pursue our victory!"

"But since there is a Qin Tian among them who saw through this plan, we must not give chase, lest we fall into his schemes!"

Zhang Xiu frowned at once.

"Qin Tian has already left. How could he scheme against us?"

"You do not know, General!"

Jia Xu shook his head again and narrowed his eyes.

"Qin Tian holds immense prestige in the Cao Army and can command the various generals. Though he has left, he could have deployed troops and made arrangements in advance!"

"Though the Cao Army has been defeated, they are not in disarray. This shows that Qin Tian had prepared for it long ago!"

"This man never follows convention in warfare. Wan City is now the foundation of our forces, while our army is stationed at the central camp. If the enemy troops at the front camp march directly on Wan City, then even if we win here, we will have lost all the same!"

"Our priority now is to return to Wan City at once, hold the city, and wait for the Cao Army to withdraw on its own!"

Zhang Xiu had one virtue: he listened to advice. Having heard Jia Xu out, he immediately gave the order:

"The entire army will return with me! Back to the city to defend it!"

He led his troops out of the camp, routing the scattered Cao Army soldiers along the way. Yet just as they emerged from the fortifications, a soldier rushed forward, wailing:

"My lord, the enemy has already entered Wan City and seized control of all four gates! We cannot return!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiu was naturally shocked pale. He looked at Jia Xu, unable to find any words.

But Jia Xu merely sighed.

"Qin Zixuan deploys troops like a god. I am no match for him!"

Seeing Jia Xu sigh in dismay, Zhang Xiu quickly asked:

"In your view, sir, how should our army proceed?"

Jia Xu pondered for a moment before saying:

"Though Cao Cao has taken Wan City, he lacks the strength to advance further. We can send an envoy to Liu Biao and have him dispatch troops. Cao Cao will surely withdraw!"

Hearing this, Zhang Xiu knew there was no way to turn the situation around. He could only gather his remaining troops, bypass Wan City, and slowly retreat toward Rang City.

As Zhang Xiu withdrew from the battlefield, order gradually returned to the various Cao Army forces.

Cao Ang and Yu Jin also led their troops to the crude new camp Cao Cao had established.

By then, Cao Cao had sat in the wilderness for half the night. The cold wind had blown away all traces of drunkenness, leaving him completely sober.

As he watched the defeated troops gradually return to camp, the regret in his heart grew ever deeper.

He wanted nothing more than to beat his chest and weep bitterly.

But with the routed soldiers before him, he could not cry freely and damage the army's morale.

Thinking of how he had ruined such a winning hand, Old Cao felt as though he could barely breathe. He only wished time could turn back to yesterday morning.

He would never again indulge in women. Whatever Qin Tian told him to do, he would do.

But time would never turn back.

As he pondered this, Cao Anmin stepped forward, his expression somewhat strange.

"Uncle, Zixiu and the others have returned!"

Cao Cao did not notice Cao Anmin's odd behavior. Hearing that Cao Ang had returned, he said joyfully:

"Where is Zixiu?"

Before his words had finished, Cao Ang shouted:

"Father, your son is here!"

As he called out, he strode forward, dropped to his knees with a thud, and began to sob uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Cao Cao's nose stung as well. He forced out a smile.

"Silly child, what are you crying for? It is enough that you have returned safely!"

But as soon as he finished speaking, Cao Ang raised his head, his eyes bloodshot.

"Father, your son was useless. I failed to save General Dian Wei!"

Cao Cao's body trembled. His mouth hung open, but no words would come out.

Seeing this, Cao Ang knew something was wrong with Cao Cao and hurriedly called:

"Father? Father?"

Yu Jin thought Cao Cao was dissatisfied that Cao Ang had failed to save Dian Wei, so he quickly tried to explain:

"Lord Cao, it was not that we failed to do our utmost. By the time we reached him, the enemy had already unleashed a barrage of arrows. General Dian Wei had only mortal flesh and could not withstand them."

Before he could finish, Cao Cao rolled his eyes back, threw his head toward the sky, and cried out:

"General Dian! General Dian! This pain is killing me!"

After that cry, Cao Cao's body went limp. He collapsed onto the grass and burst into loud, bitter sobs.