Tiger Guards

Chapter 614 Clearing the Name of the Wrongfully Accused
The tomb of Cao Cao is located in the western suburbs of Ye City.

As a close friend of Cao Cao, Yuan Shao also sought to win over Cao Cao's clan and former subordinates to his side. Therefore, Cao Cao's tomb was built according to the rites for feudal lords.

The towering tomb is surrounded by transplanted pine and cypress trees; near the entrance is a newly built mulberry garden.

The Cao brothers, who were observing mourning for their parents, all lived in huts built between the tombs and mulberry groves when they were seven years old.

The area around here consists mainly of large family estates and their pastures; there are no markets where one can buy or sell goods.

Too many people are watching this place, trying to question and attack the character and morality of the Cao brothers from the perspective of observing mourning, and thus undermine the careers of the remnants of Cao Cao's clan.

As the eldest son, Cao Ang set an example by his own actions. Food was hard to come by, and in order to make sure Cao Zhi and Cao Zhang ate more, Cao Ang was now so thin and emaciated that his eyes were unusually large and bright.

Even the second son, Cao Pi, who was originally quite obese, had his facial features become more defined due to insufficient food and Cao Ang's strict control.

Cao Zhi and Cao Zhang, on the other hand, did not lack food and maintained normal growth.

It's not that they'd starve to death.

Some members of the clan followed them in observing the mourning period, and these people were able to obtain external material support.

Cao Xiu, Xiahou Shang, Cao Zhen, and others would not stand idly by and watch Cao Ang and his brothers starve to death. The more miserable they were, the more it would demonstrate the Cao family's tradition of filial piety and serve as a powerful rebuttal to Zhao Ji's slander against Cao Cao.

Whether others believe it or not, it's enough that those who have met the Cao brothers are willing to believe it.

Whether they believed it or not was not important; what mattered was the pitiful state of Cao Ang and his brothers during their mourning period.

With the external situation changing rapidly, Cao Ang, who was observing mourning for his parents, also paid close attention.

The autumn sun was pale and harsh. Cao Ang, dressed in a worn-out, brownish-white coarse cloth robe, was squatting at the door, pounding millet in a stone mortar with a stone pestle.

Suddenly hearing a loud, powerful hoofbeat, Cao Ang's anticipation grew even stronger, but he remained unchanged, continuing to pound the stone pestle again and again.

When the knight arrived at the gate of the thatched hut, Cao Ang turned his head to look and saw Cao Xiu wearing a light, sleeveless two-piece armor, with a heavy robe underneath and a gray-black scarf wrapped around his neck.

Cao Xiu was no longer the noble young master he once was; his face had become rougher, and the wind and sun on the battlefield of Youzhou had made him appear even more rugged.

He nimbly leaped off his horse, quickly stepped over the fence, and bowed, saying, "Zixiu."

"Wenlie".

Cao Ang first patted the grain chaff off his sleeves before solemnly bowing to Cao Xiu: "Wenlie, what brings you here so suddenly?"

Cao Xiu did not speak directly, but turned to look at the four thatched huts in the fenced courtyard. Cao Ang then said, "There is no one else here. Bo Ren, Zi Dan, and Zi Huan have all gone to cut grass. Wen Lie, just speak frankly."

"it is good."

Cao Xiu glanced again at the reins tied to the fence, then turned to look at the few white clouds in the distance: "Yuan Shao has already submitted a memorial to the Emperor in Xuchang. According to Xu You, the Emperor will announce to the world that he has cleared my uncle's name. The imperial envoy will also soon travel to Yecheng to issue an edict, appointing Zixiu as the successor to the title of Marquis of Feiting. The day Zixiu takes office will be the day he avenges his uncle."

As he spoke, Cao Xiu looked at Cao Ang and said, "This concerns the survival of our clan. Zixiu, you must make a careful decision."

Cao Ang understood that he was to arrange for one of his younger brothers to relocate elsewhere, live in seclusion, and study while waiting for the situation to stabilize before making a decision, all in order to preserve a legacy for the family.

He nodded in agreement, but the hardships of mourning during this period not only injured Cao Ang's body, but also made his mind more resolute, but also somewhat numb.

He no longer cared so much about the past; he wanted more of his relatives and friends to survive.

After all, Zhao Ji's tactics and achievements in sweeping away the various Hu tribes could also be applied to Ji Province.

This year's bumper harvest in Ji Province will not only benefit Yuan Shao's military campaigns, but also allow Zhao Ji to sustain his war effort through warfare.

While the Hu tribes were fierce and powerful, they were also extremely impoverished. Zhao Ji could extract resources from them to sustain his war effort, let alone the relatively prosperous Ji Province. After calming himself down, Cao Ang asked, "Wenlie, have you made any arrangements?"

"The imperial envoy will also recommend me for a high rank... I should be appointed as an attendant, and will travel between Xuchang and Yecheng as a messenger."

Cao Xiu calmly replied that his future was no longer connected with Cao Cao's lineage, and that it depended on the development and achievements of his uncle Cao Hong.

If Cao Hong were to die or be wounded in battle, only his nephew Cao Xiu would be able to quickly take over Cao Hong's troops.

Even Cao Hong, during such a great battle, dared not harbor any illusions about passing on his troops to his young son.

The armed forces of the detachments only have meaning when they are deployed in war.

Even if a region can be self-sufficient and pay taxes if there is no war, Yuan Shao or the powerful families of Hebei will not tolerate it.

Hebei doesn't lack taxes and grain this year, and if the harvest is stable in the future, it won't lack them either. What it lacks are the veteran soldiers under Cao Hong's command.

After Cao Cao's death, the Cao clan was destined to split into three major groups. Adding in the groups of former generals and Xiahou Yuan, it was practically shattered into pieces. This was not something Cao Ang could easily integrate.

Unless Cao Ang can make a name for himself and demonstrate military talent comparable to Sun Ce's.

After conveying the message, Cao Xiu refused Cao Ang's offer to stay and immediately rode away, joining up with several guards waiting outside, and headed towards Ye City.

When the imperial envoy arrives, they will all have new identities.

With a combination of noble reasons, such as avenging his father and serving the court, Cao Ang was able to legitimately end his mourning period early and join the war.

In order to boost the fighting spirit of Cao Cao's remaining forces, Yuan Shao or the imperial court would also hand over those stubborn remnants of Cao Cao's forces to Cao Ang, such as Yue Jin, Yu Jin, and Han Hao. These men had more than a thousand followers, but their development under Yuan Shao's rule was not satisfactory.

Handing them over to Cao Ang and integrating them slightly will at least strengthen the flanks and serve as a reserve force, even if it doesn't lead to a direct confrontation.

In Ye City, Yuan Shao listened to Guo Tu's secret report, holding a bowl of tea in both hands without reacting for a long time.

He knew the character of the court officials very well, but he never expected them to be so eager to try to win over Cao Cao's old subordinates.

It was Yuan Shao who repeatedly petitioned the court to plead Cao Cao's case. As a result, the court agreed and quickly drafted official positions, attempting to exonerate Cao Cao while also trying to recruit Cao Cao's former subordinates.

This left Yuan Shao speechless and frustrated, not because of the court's moral character, but because he was associated with the court officials. This frustration stemmed from his pessimism about the final victory.

After recounting the various changes in the court, Guo Tu added, "Now Liu Bei is leading his troops out of Xuchang and is besieging Zhang Yang in Chenliu. It is said that Liu Bei has already sent an envoy to Youzhou, and the imperial envoy will also send a group to Ji County to personally explain the great principles of the world to Gongsun Zan."

"The greater good of the world?"

Yuan Shao chuckled, then took a sip of tea and gestured for Guo Tu to drink as well: "Where are Xun Wenruo and Guo Fengxiao now?"

Upon hearing this, Guo Tu reached for his teacup and replied, "Your Excellency, Fengxiao went to Liu Bei's territory under an assumed name and then left, sending a message to me. I have not heard from Fengxiao since. Xun Wenruo faked his death. If Cao Cao's injustice is redressed, Xun Wenruo will likely reappear."

"So, Gongze also doesn't know where these two are currently?"

Yuan Shao was somewhat displeased and scrutinized Guo Tu: "Does Gongze think Xun Wenruo will serve under Sun Ce?"

He directly ruled out Liu Biao, Liu Bei, and the Xu Du court. Guo Tu pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, Xun Gongda is the Grand Minister of Agriculture in the court. In my opinion, Xun Wenruo will enter the court soon. Given his character, he intends to assist the court and will not ally with Sun Bofu."

"Yes, investigate Guo Fengxiao carefully. I don't want him to cause trouble while I'm locked in a stalemate with the Zhao family."

"Here."

(End of this chapter)