Go After Him! Bring My Strategist Back!

When Old Cao cried, he truly wept as though heaven and earth had gone dark.

The soldiers around him all wept at the sight, and the entire Cao army camp was filled with heavy sobs.

Cao Ang and the others watched, their hearts aching as they sighed mournfully.

Amid the weeping, another general arrived with his troops. It was the young commander Li Dian.

As soon as Li Dian reached Cao Cao, he smiled and said:

"Lord Cao, do not weep. Our army has not lost. We have already turned the tide and inflicted a crushing defeat upon Zhang Xiu!"

"My brother is leading the troops in pursuit of Zhang Xiu's forces!"

Hearing this, Cao Cao's crying gradually stopped. Yu Jin, meanwhile, whispered to Li Dian:

"General, do not speak like that. My lord is not weeping because of defeat, but for General Dian!"

"General Dian Wei covered my lord's retreat and died in the camp."

"My lord cannot bear the grief, which is why he is like this!"

The moment Li Dian heard this, he knew he had said the wrong thing. He hurriedly dropped to his knees and clasped his hands.

"This subordinate did not know. Please forgive me, my lord!"

"What offense have you committed?"

Cao Cao shook his head and sighed.

"Dian Wei's death was all my fault. It has nothing to do with you!"

"What did you just say? Our army won?"

In the end, he suppressed the grief in his heart and turned his attention to the matter at hand.

Cao Ang and the others were equally astonished, all looking toward Li Dian.

They had clearly been driven out of the camp. How could that count as a victory?

Under everyone's gaze, Li Dian finally turned from sorrow to joy and said:

"My lord, you do not know. During the chaos just now, Mister Xun Yu returned to the camp. At the forward camp, he mobilized General Xiahou's troops and had them turn to attack Wan City."

"Wan City was undefended, and our army retook it!"

"When Zhang Xiu heard the news, he halted his troops and prepared to withdraw. But my brother Li Zheng intercepted him. After a fierce battle, Zhang Xiu was defeated and fled!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's gaze froze. Cao Ang, however, immediately understood and stepped forward in delight.

"Father, Mister must have returned. If not for him, who else could have devised a way to break this deadlock?"

The moment the word "Mister" was spoken, a sharp gleam flashed in Cao Cao's eyes.

That was right. Other than Qin Tian, who else could have broken the situation so swiftly?

Qin Tian had surely returned!

The news of Qin Tian's return instantly diluted the grief of Dian Wei's death. Cao Cao recovered his bearing as a warlord, turning sorrow into joy.

"Since the enemy has been defeated, why are we not pursuing them at once?"

"Sending men to report instead of chasing them—would that not delay a precious opportunity?"

As he spoke, he rose to his feet, gripped the longsword at his waist, and shouted aloud:

"All troops, heed my command! Follow me back into battle! We must crush that brat Zhang Xiu's forces!"

Sometimes, army morale was just like that. A small piece of good news could turn it all around.

With Cao Cao acting thus, all the generals were invigorated. They raised their swords and shouted, following Cao Cao across the river to charge westward.

Along the way, Old Cao gathered up the scattered soldiers from the defeated units. Within less than an hour, he had reorganized his forces and pressed westward in pursuit.

About half an hour later, they encountered the troops under Li Zheng and Yue Jin.

Old Cao combined the armies and hurried after Zhang Xiu's forces.

Seeing Old Cao restore his army's momentum, Zhang Xiu did not dare face him and ordered his entire army to hasten its retreat.

One side chased while the other fled, continuing for more than a hundred li.

Zhang Xiu was beaten until he cast aside armor and helmets, retreating with his remnants to Zhucheng west of Nanyang.

Cao Cao had brought no supplies and knew he could not continue the pursuit, so he had no choice but to lead his army back.

When Old Cao returned to Wan City once more, it was already the following night. The moment he entered the city, Xun Yu, Xiahou Yuan, and the others came forward to receive him.

Seeing Xun Yu, Cao Cao hurriedly dismounted.

"Wenruo, you are truly my Zhang Liang. Had Wenruo not returned, our army would surely have suffered terrible casualties this time!"

Xun Yu looked at Cao Cao, whose face was covered in blood and dust, and said ashamedly:

"Lord Cao, do not praise me. This was not my plan!"

"Our victory in this battle was entirely due to Zixuan!"

At those words, Cao Cao immediately bared his teeth in a smile.

"I knew it had to be Qin Zixuan's scheme!"

"When he devises a plan, it has always been like this. Without Zixuan, this battle could not have been won!"

As he spoke, his eyes swept eagerly around the area, and he hurriedly asked Xun Yu:

"Wenruo, where is Zixuan now?"

"Could it be that because of Cao's mistake, he is unwilling to see me?"

"Quickly take me to him. I already know I was wrong. I will never act like that again!"

Cao Ang also stepped forward with a smile.

"That's right. Where is Mister? Father already knows his mistake. We can go pay him a visit together."

Watching the delighted father and son, Xun Yu's nose stung with emotion.

"My lord, I am incapable. I failed to persuade Zixuan to return!"

Cao Ang froze where he stood.

Cao Cao's face turned pale. Forcing out a smile, he said hoarsely:

"Wenruo, do not toy with me!"

"You just said it was Zixuan's plan. If he is not here, how could he have devised it?"

As he spoke, he grabbed Xun Yu's hand.

"I know Zixuan must be in the city. Wenruo, quickly take me to see him!"

Held tightly by Cao Cao, Xun Yu seemed able to feel the man's whole body trembling.

Of course, he wished he could take Cao Cao to see Qin Tian right then.

But reality was so bleak and powerless. He could only grit his teeth, endure it, and force himself to say:

"Lord Cao, Zixuan has truly already left!"

"He told me of this plan before he departed!"

"After telling me the plan, he rode away with Xu Yuanzhi!"

"By now, they have likely already traveled one or two hundred li!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Cao Cao's face shifted from white to red, then from red to green. He suddenly threw back his head and let out a long cry.

"Why did Zixuan leave me?!"

After saying that, he fell stiffly backward.

"My lord! My lord!"

The generals rushed forward at once and caught Cao Cao.

But once caught, Cao Cao's eyes were bloodshot as he roared:

"Why are you all still standing there?!"

"Go after him!!!"

"Go bring my strategist back!"

Upon hearing this, none of the generals moved.

Qin Tian had ridden a fast horse and already been gone for two days. Even if they set out now, they could not catch him.

But though they knew it, none dared say so.

Seeing no one move, Cao Cao forcibly gathered his strength and stood up.

"If you will not go, I will go myself!"

As he spoke, he turned to mount his horse.

Seeing this, Xun Yu finally could not restrain himself. He stepped forward and said tearfully:

"My lord, please wait. The strategist has been gone for more than a day. Even if you pursue him now, it will be difficult to catch him!"

But Cao Cao was already overwhelmed with emotion. He turned back and shouted furiously:

"If I do not pursue him, then what should I do? I have already lost a great general. Must I lose a great talent as well?"

Xun Yu knew that Dian Wei's death had left Cao Cao agitated, so he hurriedly said:

"My lord, please calm yourself. Though the strategist has left, his family remains. We may be unable to catch the strategist, but we can stop his family!"

"We can send an urgent order back to Xudu. If the strategist's family is still there, have Cheng Zhongde find a way to keep them."

"If the strategist's family has already left the city, they can be stopped!"

"The strategist alone may travel swiftly, but with his family, he cannot move quickly."

"If we can catch up with the strategist's family, perhaps we can persuade the strategist to return!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Cai Zhaoji is still in Xuchang. What do I have to fear?"

Cao Cao came to his senses and said to Cao Ang:

"Zixiu, quickly send an urgent courier. Tell Cheng Zhongde to use every possible means to keep the strategist!"

After saying this, he turned to the generals and shouted:

"All troops, heed my command! Rest and reorganize where you are. Tomorrow, we depart and return to Xuchang!"

"We must bring Zixuan back, or Cao will never know peace in sleep or food again!"