With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 161, Fu Shou is Pregnant
Fu Shou quickly smiled and said, "My sister has arrived, no need for formalities."

Before long, Cao Ying and Consort Dong also arrived.

Everyone was a little puzzled, wondering why Liu Xie had gathered them together.

"Alright, everyone's here, and you all know that I'm setting off on a campaign tomorrow."

The lively and chattering atmosphere just moments before abruptly ceased, and the four women fell silent, their gazes towards Liu Xie filled with deep reluctance and tender affection.

"Why are you all making those faces?" Liu Xie chuckled.

"I summoned you here to remind you that after I leave, you must be of one mind as sisters and look after each other."

Fu Shou understood his intentions and nodded, "Your Majesty's orders will be obeyed."

Lu Lingqi nodded with a smile, "I've remembered it too. Your Majesty, rest assured, I will not be polite to anyone who dares to bully my sisters."

Liu Xie pointed to the room and said, “The people in this room are my family. I hope you all understand what it means to be family: to have no grudges against each other, to be of one mind and one heart, and to live in harmony. After I leave, I don’t want the palace to become deserted, nor do I want you to be unhappy.”

Liu Xie walked to Fu Shou's side, leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Cao Ying is Cao Cao's daughter, but she is innocent. You and Consort Dong must not neglect her."

In front of everyone, Liu Xie pressed his body almost against Fu Shou's. Fu Shou immediately felt shy and weak all over, and quickly agreed.

Liu Xie tugged at her hand, then went to Consort Dong's side and gave her a few words of advice.

Consort Dong was more outspoken and generous than Empress Fu Shou. After Liu Xie finished speaking, she deliberately gave Cao Ying a coquettish look with a hint of resentment. Liu Xie immediately pinched her buttocks hard through her clothes as punishment.

Liu Xie said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "If you dare to give her a hard time, I will not visit your palace for a month after I return."

Even the best relationships between men and women require nurturing.

Liu Xie treated people differently, and he inevitably used some harmless methods on Fu Shou and the others.

Consort Dong was lively and cheerful, and it didn't matter if you joked with her or even touched her inappropriately.

Consort Dong was both ashamed and angry after her buttocks were twisted. She glanced at Liu Xie with a gloomy expression and had no choice but to nod in submission.

As for Lü Lingqi, she has a completely tomboyish personality and dislikes being restrained.

Liu Xie came to her side and put his arm around her shoulder. The two whispered to each other in public, making Fu Shou and the others feel both shy and envious.

"Your Majesty, what did you say to them?" Cao Ying finally couldn't help but ask.

Liu Xie smiled and said, "It's nothing. I just told them a joke."

"What joke is it, Your Majesty? I want to hear it too," Cao Ying pleaded hastily.

Liu Xie thought for a moment and then made up a story on the spot: "Once upon a time, there was a mountain, and at the foot of the mountain lived a family. The father and son had some money, but they were extremely stingy. They were always careful with their money and penny-pinching. Whenever money was needed, they would always haggle with people and not want to spend a penny more than necessary."

"One day, the father and son went out. When they were crossing the river, the father accidentally fell in. The son was extremely anxious, but he could not swim. Just then, someone passed by who could swim. He asked the son for ten coins before he would help rescue the man. The son, however, was only willing to give five coins. The two argued endlessly on the bank and could not reach an agreement."

"His father was about to drown, but like his son, he was incredibly stingy. Struggling in the water, the father shouted to his son, 'Give me five coins at most, not a penny more!'"

"What?! They're so stingy with this life-saving money? Do they even have any humanity left?" Lady Dong exclaimed in disbelief.

Liu Xie smiled and said, "Although it's just a joke to amuse people, stories come from life. The world is vast and full of wonders, and no one can deny that they don't exist."

The group gathered together, chatting and laughing, creating a cheerful atmosphere. Dong Guiren and Lü Lingqi even helped pack their luggage.

After a while, Consort Dong suddenly cried out, "Sister, what's wrong?"

Fu Shou's face turned pale, and he suddenly felt weak and gagged.

"Call the doctor quickly."

No sooner had Consort Dong finished speaking than Lü Lingqi pointed at Liu Xie and said, "There's no need to find an imperial physician; isn't there one right here?"

Liu Xie strode over, helped Fu Shou sit down gently, and took her pulse. Everyone watched anxiously.

"How is she, Your Majesty? What's wrong with my sister, the Empress? Is she ill?" Lü Lingqi asked anxiously.

Liu Xie smiled and gently shook his head. "She's not sick. The Empress is pregnant."

After Liu Xie finished speaking, he himself was stunned for quite a while.

For any time traveler, the most exciting thing is probably not how much money they make, how many women they marry, or how big a business they build, but rather that their woman is pregnant and they are about to become a father.

Having offspring is the only way to truly integrate into this world!
Without children, no matter how great your achievements, you will feel lonely, as if you have not been fully accepted by the world.

Everyone was very happy and offered their congratulations to Fu Shou. While some were envious, others couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

With Fu Shou pregnant, the others naturally hoped that their own bellies would also show some movement.

Liu Xie held Fu Shou's hand tightly and comforted her softly, "Don't worry, you are in good health, and our child will definitely be healthy too. I have made meritorious contributions on the front lines, and you have also made meritorious contributions for me in the harem."

Turning to the others, Liu Xie instructed, "After I leave, you must take good care of her."

"Yes!" the girls quickly agreed.

This night was destined to be an unforgettable one.

…………

Cao Cao was also very busy, with his army going on campaigns and fighting battles. The defense of Xuchang was of paramount importance, and Xiahou Dun was left behind by Cao Cao to guard it.

Guo Jia also gave Man Chong a detailed explanation.

Man Chong couldn't help but ask, "Fengxiao, you should be on a campaign with His Majesty, so there shouldn't be any trouble in Xuchang. Is it necessary to continue to keep a close watch on them?" Guo Jia sat there, motionless, his slender fingers gracefully tapping on the table, one tap at a time, neither too fast nor too slow, with a very rhythmic sound.

He was always so quiet and composed; Man Chong had never seen Guo Jia lose his composure.

"My biggest impression of His Majesty is..."

Guo Jia pointed to the teacup on the table, "Just like the water in it, it seems gentle and mild, without any danger, but that's only the surface. Water is actually the most dangerous thing, because it can penetrate and contain everything. What we see on a daily basis is not all of His Majesty's actions. As for what His Majesty has done in secret, we can't see it, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened."

"Therefore, even when troops are deployed abroad, we cannot let our guard down, especially in Xuchang. We must never neglect it!"

“Fengxiao, forgive my bluntness, but perhaps Cao Cao should have listened to Zhongde back then, because now I have to admit that His Majesty’s abilities far exceed our imagination.”

Guo Jia shook his head, his gaze resolute. "Zhongde is indeed prescient, but you must remember that Cao Cao's foundation for his career lies in the Emperor. Even if His Majesty is weak-willed and easily controlled, Cao Cao will still incur infamy. Moreover, His Majesty is outwardly gentle but inwardly strong and difficult to subdue. If forcibly controlled, no one can predict what extreme actions His Majesty might take. Don't forget, he is the Emperor. You can't hit him, you can't kill him, but if pushed too far, His Majesty can do anything without restraint!"

Guo Jia stood up and sighed, “Zhongde’s actions are somewhat extreme. He is trying to persuade Cao Cao to forcibly control His Majesty. I have never agreed with that from the beginning.”

Man Chong said with concern, "But it is precisely because His Majesty's freedom was not restricted that we have watched helplessly as His Majesty's power has grown and gradually become a force to be reckoned with."

Guo Jia countered, "Bo Ning, His Majesty has never provoked Cao Cao, which is quite remarkable. Every time he makes a move, it's a reactive counterattack. As His Majesty grows stronger, hasn't Cao Cao also benefited? In pacifying Nanyang, conquering Xuzhou, and including the upcoming war in Hebei, hasn't His Majesty been helping Cao Cao all along?"

Man Chong had no way to refute it and nodded, "Fengxiao is right, that's true."

"Therefore, His Majesty is using an open strategy, and we must also use an open strategy to deal with him. Harmony between the ruler and his ministers is beneficial to both sides. This has always been my attitude. Before Cao Cao defeats Yuan Shao, we must not engage in internal strife with His Majesty. As for the hunting trip at Xutian, it is my fault for not stopping it in time. Cao Cao was ultimately a bit too impatient."

Man Chong sighed, "I'm afraid anyone else would have done the same. Two tigers cannot share one mountain; that's an age-old truth!"

Guo Jia said, "Water has no constant shape, and military tactics have no constant form. The game between Cao Cao and His Majesty is actually the same as the game of war. The situation is constantly changing. His Majesty's greatest advantage is that he is the emperor and always occupies the moral high ground. This kind of shackle between the emperor and his subject means that no matter what Cao Cao does, he will be at a disadvantage. But this is not immutable."

Guo Jia stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze deep and serene, making it impossible to see what he was thinking. His eyes were always so bright, full of wise and captivating light.

"what do you mean?"

Guo Jia's voice grew stronger, "Achievements! What Cao Cao should do most is to continuously accumulate fame and establish merits! Fame is only an aid; achievements are the most important."

Guo Jia picked up his feather fan and waved it casually, his movements free and natural, and asked, "In times of chaos, what do people yearn for most?"

Without a second thought, Man Chong blurted out, "Of course, I hope the world can be at peace as soon as possible."

Guo Jia nodded vigorously and said, "Yes, that's it! As long as Lord Cao continues to make achievements and improve his strength, nothing else matters. This battle with Yuan Shao is of paramount importance to Lord Cao. If he wins, Lord Cao will become the overlord of the north, and then he can move from north to south and unify China!"

"After defeating Yuan Shao, Cao Cao will become a hegemon that the world will revere. Even if his reputation is tarnished, it will become insignificant."

"In chaotic times of vying for supremacy, the strong are respected. When Cao Cao became powerful enough, the righteousness of the Han dynasty and the legitimacy of his status became less important. Throughout history, this has been proven countless times: strength is the most important thing."

"Reputation is like the swords in the hands of soldiers; it is useful when needed, and useless when not needed!"

Guo Jia only cares about strength and results; he dislikes scheming and underhanded tactics.

As long as we defeat Yuan Shao, everything else is insignificant!
Nothing happened that night. The next day, the soldiers had already assembled. Cao Ren, Xiahou Yuan, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, and others, each on a tall horse, surrounded Cao Cao.

Liu Xie was naturally surrounded by many talented people, including Lü Bu, Gao Shun, Zhao Yun, Guan Yu, Wu Anguo, Tian Kai, Mi Zhu, Chen Dao, and others, who all accompanied the army on the expedition.

Except for Tian Yu himself, all of Gongsun Zan's former troops who were brought by Tian Yu went with the army.

Liu Xie also took many of Liu Bei's old troops who remained in Xuchang with him.

Cao Cao glanced at Liu Xie's group, his gaze sweeping over each person. He nodded secretly, a hint of envy creeping into his eyes.

With Gongsun Zan's former subordinates and Liu Bei's former subordinates now all willingly obeying Liu Xie, Cao Cao was somewhat envious.

Xun Yu personally led a group to see him off. Liu Xie talked with him for a long time. Xun Yu said, "Your Majesty made a kite that my son really likes. He even played with it for an hour yesterday."

Liu Xie smiled and said, "If he likes it, that's good. I'll make another one for him when I return in triumph."

Xun Yu glanced at Cao Cao from afar, hesitated, and remained silent for a moment before finally reminding him, "Military campaigns are fraught with danger. Although Your Majesty is blessed with good fortune, you still need to be cautious and take good care of yourself."

Liu Xie nodded, "Don't worry, I am responsible for the safety of the nation. The world is not yet at peace, so I will definitely take good care of myself."

After the procession left, the ministers dispersed one after another. Xun Yu continued to gaze into the distance for a long time until he could see nothing at all, and then he let out a long sigh.

On the way, they encountered Prince Chen, who had come to join them, and Gan Ning also came along.

Prince Chen brought 5,000 men with him, including 2,000 cavalry and 3,000 infantry, among whom were 1,500 well-trained crossbowmen.

King Chen grinned broadly and laughed heartily, “Your Majesty, these men are all elite troops personally selected by Gan Ning. No matter how many troops Yuan Shao has, they will not be afraid in the slightest.”

Liu Xie nodded repeatedly in affirmation, "Since Prince Chen has said so, what doubts do I have left?"

Cao Cao led his troops toward the Yellow River, with scouts constantly coming and going, bringing back the latest news.

In fact, the initial battlefield where Cao Cao confronted Yuan Shao was the Yellow River, specifically the banks of the Yellow River around Baima and Yanjin.

When the army arrived at Guandu, no preparations had been made yet, because Cao Cao's forces were not large and were mainly concentrated on the south bank of the Yellow River.

Initially, Cao Cao set up two lines of defense. First, he crossed the Yellow River, occupied Liyang, and resisted Yuan Shao's army.

The first line of defense served only as a warning and to slow down Yuan Shao's advance; it was not very effective and was quickly captured by Yan Liang.

The second line of defense was to deploy troops on the south bank of the Yellow River, in the Baima-Yanjin area, to resist Yuan's army.

Liu Yan was stationed at Baima, and Yu Jin was stationed at Yanjin!
After the army arrived at Guandu, Cao Cao was about to continue marching when Liu Xie stopped.

(End of this chapter)