Dark clouds blotted out the sun over the battlefield of Guandu. Streams murmured through the mountains as torrential rain poured down from the heavens, as though tens of thousands were weeping in unison.
Yuan Shao's Army retreated in defeat.
For some soldiers who had not managed to retreat in time, rain struck their iron armour with a clinking, clanging sound. Chilled through, they hurriedly stripped it off, their hearts growing heavier still.
Taking advantage of the heavy rain and the absence of pursuers, Yuan Shao led Zhao State's ministers across the Yellow River at considerable risk, then made camp.
Once the tents were up, they hurriedly changed out of the clothes clinging to their bodies.
Yuan Shao waited and waited, but Yan Liang and Wen Chou still did not return.
He looked at Zhao State's ministers. Ju Shou, Tian Feng, Zhang He, Qu Yi, and the other civil and military officials looked back at him.
Xu You suddenly stepped forward and knelt. "Your Majesty, I am willing to go to Cao's Camp and persuade Cao Cao to delay his attack.
"Cao Cao is a treacherous hero of these troubled times!
"He is certainly no loyal servant of the Han Dynasty. Though he now borrows its authority, in his heart he longs to destroy it.
"Now Cao Cao is about to become the foremost feudal lord in All Under Heaven.
"The desires in his heart must already be growing impossible to suppress.
"The longer our Zhao State exists, the greater the damage to the Han Dynasty's prestige. Cao Cao cannot fail to understand this.
"Something went wrong with the earlier letters. If I now feign surrender and offer Cao Cao a strategy, I will surely succeed.
"I am willing to offer myself to prolong our Zhao State's fortunes!"
Xu You?
That