My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Chapter 209 Don't let the world betray me! Xiao He: Han ministers should not die, the most meritorious minister in Cao's camp can be used by Lao Liu!
Cao Cao's body was startled, the smile on his face suddenly disappeared, he stopped three steps away, and looked at Xun Yu in surprise.

Wang Mang!

Xun Yu actually compared him to the second Wang Mang!

Who is Wang Mang?

He is a traitor who usurped the Han Dynasty!

At that time, Wang Mang was in charge of the government as a relative of the emperor. Once he was in power, he ordered his followers to build up momentum and wrote a letter to force Emperor Ping of Han to force him to confer the title of Duke of Anhan on him, thus setting a precedent for conferring the title of Duke on anyone other than the Liu family.

A few years later, Wang Mang abolished the Han Dynasty and established the Xin Dynasty.

Now Cao Cao also has great power in the court. Dong Zhao, Wang Lang and other followers have been building up momentum and submitting memorials to praise his merits and force the emperor to issue an edict to confer him the title of Duke.

If this isn’t the second Wang Mang, what is?
Aren't you, Cao Cao, clearly telling the world that you are planning to usurp the Han Dynasty and establish yourself as the emperor?
The most crucial step for Wang Mang to abolish the Han Dynasty was to be promoted to Duke of Anhan while being a person without the same surname!

It was because he saw Cao Cao following Wang Mang's example and taking this most crucial step that Xun Yu could no longer tolerate it and came here today to question Cao Cao in person.

After Cao Cao was surprised, his face gradually became gloomy.

Xun Yu brought out openly something that everyone knew, and it seemed like he was going to fall out with him!
After a moment of silence, Cao Cao suppressed his dissatisfaction and said with a wry smile:
"Wen Ruo, your words are quite hurtful. I am a Han official, and Wang Mang is a traitor who usurped the Han Dynasty. How can you compare me with him?"

Xun Yu took a half step forward, his face filled with disappointment, and asked in a sad voice:

"Back then, the Prime Minister started a rebellion, welcomed the Emperor, and fought against the rebels. Yu and the Prime Minister swore together to be eternal subjects of the Han Dynasty!"

"But Prime Minister today, are you really still willing to be a Han official?"

The bitter smile on Cao Cao's lips gradually disappeared, and his eyes suddenly became dazed.

He seemed to recall the scene when Xun Yu abandoned Yuan Shao and came to him, and the first time they met that night.

At that time, they talked by candlelight at night, discussing the grand plan of supporting the Han Dynasty and fighting against the rebels and bandits. They were so high-spirited and passionate.

At that time, one could clearly see the word "hope" in Xun Yu's eyes.

He believed from the bottom of his heart that he had found the loyal and righteous leader who truly wanted to support the Han Dynasty.

At this moment, there was only endless disappointment in Xun Yu's eyes.

"Wen Ruo, I..."

Cao Cao wanted to answer him, but didn't know how to start.

The disappointment in Xun Yu's eyes turned into anger, and he said sternly:
"The Prime Minister keeps saying he has no desire for power, but only wants to save the country from collapse and support the Han Dynasty!"

"But what did the Prime Minister do?"

"Sikong is not enough, Prime Minister is not enough, and I want to be a Duke!"

"Prime Minister, tell me, what exactly do you want?"

Having asked this question, Xun Yu was just one step away from breaking through that thin layer of window paper and pushing their relationship to a cliff of no return.

At the last moment, Xun Yu still didn't say that word.

He slowed down his tone slightly, and asked again in a hoarse voice:

"It's only one step away! If the Prime Minister is promoted to Duke, he will be just one step away from that position!"

"Prime Minister, is that really what you want?"

"Have you truly forgotten your original intention in starting the rebellion?"

As he spoke, Xun Yu was already standing in front of Cao Cao, with an almost pleading look in his eyes, as if he was imagining and longing for Cao Cao to give him a negative answer.

What responded to him was Cao Cao's long silence.

Cao Cao stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes closed, and fell into a long silence, as if questioning his own heart.

Cao Pi and Cao Chong, who were standing not far away, were both sweating in their palms, as if they were afraid that their father would be persuaded by Xun Yu and waver in his determination to promote his father to a public position.

After an unknown amount of time, Cao Cao let out a long breath and opened his eyes.

He looked directly at Xun Yu and asked slowly:

"Wen Ruo, if it is really as you said, and we are only one step away, you and I have walked side by side for nearly twenty years. Wen Ruo, are you still willing to continue walking with me?"

Cao Cao's voice was also slightly choked, and there was also a pleading look in his eyes as he looked at Xun Yu.

Xun Yu's body trembled, the last glimmer of hope was shattered, and the pleading in his eyes turned into extreme disappointment.

After taking a deep breath, Xun Yu bowed to Cao Cao and said sadly:
"To support the Han Dynasty and to suppress the rebellion and eliminate the thieves, I will follow the Prime Minister through thick and thin!"

"I have been conferred the title of Duke upon you, and you, please forgive me. I cannot walk with the Prime Minister any longer!"

After saying this, Xun Yu took three steps back, turned around and left sadly.

"arts…"

Cao Cao wanted to reach out and keep him, but the words could not come out.

He knew it was useless to say anything now.

Today, I have decided to part ways with this comrade of twenty years.

Looking at Xun Yu's receding back and recalling the hardships they had shared over the past twenty years, Cao Cao's eyes gradually became moist.

"Ugh--"

After a long sigh, Cao Cao wiped away the tears from his eyes, turned around and faced his two sons, but forced a smile and said:

"Zihuan, Cangshu, go get some wine, and have a few drinks with me."

Cao Pi and Cao Chong breathed a sigh of relief, and they hurriedly made arrangements.

After a while, the father and his two sons were drinking from their glasses.

"Thinking back to the time when my father attacked Xuzhou for the second time, Chen Gong and Zhang Miao colluded with Lu Bu to rebel and attacked Yanzhou. My father was almost homeless, but fortunately, Xun Wenruo..."

While drinking, Cao Cao recalled the good and bad times and the difficulties he faced when he and Xun Yu started their business.

The brothers Cao Pi and Cao Chong didn't know what Cao Cao was thinking, so they naturally didn't dare to express their opinions on their own.

Finally, after mumbling about the good and bad times, Cao Cao's face darkened.

"Xun Yu, since you don't want to go with me, then you can't blame me for not remembering our friendship..."

Cao Cao slammed his wine glass down on the table, a murderous look in his eyes.

Cao Pi's eyes turned and he immediately figured out that Cao Cao was determined to kill Xun Yu.

"Father, Xun Wenruo holds a high position of power and influence, and is renowned throughout the world. He also has the support of the Xun family, and even the Yingchuan scholar family. His influence is insignificant."

"If he were ignorant of the current situation and openly opposed his father's advancement..."

Cao Pi stopped there, implying that if Cao Cao wanted to be successfully granted the title of Duke, he had to first eliminate the stumbling block of Xun Yu.

Cao Cao glanced at his two sons and asked:

"Then according to your two opinions, how should I deal with Xun Wenruo?"

Cao Pi rolled his eyes, clasped his hands, and said solemnly:

"Father, I think it would be better to instruct Dong Zhao and others to expose Xun Yu's secret communication with Liu Bei. Then we can arrest him and issue an edict in the name of the emperor, sentencing him to death for treason!"

Cao Pi figured out that Cao Cao intended to kill Xun Yu, so he decisively offered a plan.

Originally, in the battle to recapture Guanzhong, Cao Pi proposed a strategy of sowing discord to help him defeat the Ma-Han coalition forces, which made him slightly change his opinion of this "stupid son".

But when Cao Cao heard Cao Pi's plan to kill Xun Yu, a hint of disappointment flashed across his eyes.

"If we use this plan, second brother, we can get rid of Xun Yu by using the hand of the emperor, but anyone with a discerning eye can see that it is father who is using the hand of the emperor to kill Xun Yu."

"After all, Xun Yu has made great contributions to our Cao family. If father does this, I am afraid it will chill people's hearts and cause dissatisfaction among the Xun family and even the Yingchuan gentry." "Father, I think your plan is not appropriate."

Cao Chong hit the nail on the head and pointed out the flaw in Cao Pi's plan.

The disappointment on Cao Cao's face turned into appreciation. It was obvious that Cao Chong's analysis was exactly what he had in mind.

"Cang Shu is absolutely right."

Cao Cao nodded slightly and asked:

"Then in your opinion, what should I do to achieve the best of both worlds?"

After a moment's hesitation, Cao Chong said calmly:

"I think that most of the Xun family and the Yingchuan nobles may not agree with Xun Yu's political views."

"Father, while abandoning Xun Yu, you can promote his nephew Xun You to appease the Xun family. At the same time, you can promise that after the founding of the country and the conferment of the title of Duke, you will continue to rely on the scholars of Yingchuan."

"If this is the case, the Xun family and the Yingchuan gentry will not be influenced by Xun Yu and will continue to support my father."

"As for how to get rid of Xun Yu..."

Cao Chong changed the subject and said in a low voice:
"Given Xun Yu's status and achievements, if my father kills him by any means, it will be criticized."

"I think the best strategy is to let Xun Yu commit suicide!"

"This way, father will not only avoid the stigma of killing a meritorious official, but will also be able to give a respectful explanation to the Xun family and the Yingchuan nobles."

Cao Cao showed a delighted look on his face and asked anxiously:
"Cang Shu, do you have any plan to make Xun Yu end his own life?"

"Father, you can use the emperor's name to order Xun Yu to represent the court and go to the Runan army to comfort the soldiers and keep them away from the capital. Then, father can send someone to escort..."

Cao Chong spoke his plan slowly and leisurely.

Cao Cao was in a trance, nodded repeatedly, and said approvingly:
"Cang Shu, you are so young, yet you have the ability to see through people's hearts and understand Xun Yu's character like a mirror."

"Okay, okay, very good, I'll follow your plan!"

Cao Pi, who was standing by, saw that his child prodigy brother was in the spotlight again and was overshadowing him, so he couldn't help but clench his fists.

Cao Cao immediately issued an edict in the name of the emperor, ordering Xun Yu to go to the Runan front line with a special authority to comfort Cao Ren's troops.

As for Xu Du, they continued to acquiesce in the petition submitted by Dong Zhao and others, in order to build momentum for their establishment of a country and their ennoblement.

Huainan area.

After confirming that Cao Cao had no intention of going south to retake Huainan, Liu Bei transferred Huo Jun to be the prefect of Jiujiang to guard Shouchun, and ordered Zhang Fei to be the commander-in-chief of the Huainan army and to command the troops in Hefei.

Liu Bei personally led the main force and returned south to Yingtian.

A few days later, Sun Qian returned south to Yingtian with the families of Zhang Liao and Zhang Yan.

As Xiao He expected, Zhang Liao and Zhang Yan were no longer bound by ties, so they went with the flow and chose to surrender to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei naturally kept his promise and released Cao Zhi, Yang Xiu, and other Cao generals captured in the Shouchun battle, including Li Dian, back to the north unharmed.

Xiao He also kept his promise to Bu Lianshi. Shortly after returning to Yingtian, he welcomed her home with great fanfare.

Originally, Bu Lianshi was a concubine, not a principal wife like Guan Yinping, so there was no need for a grand wedding.

However, Bu Zhi was an old minister of the Sun family and a native of Huainan, representing two forces behind him. Naturally, the marriage between Xiao and He involved political elements and could not be hastily arranged.

So, at Liu Bei's reminder, Xiao He held a grand wedding and gave Bu Zhi enough face to show Liu Bei's attention to Sun's old subordinates and the people of Huainan.

On the day of the wedding banquet, the Xiao Mansion was naturally bustling with people and guests.

The civil and military officials, famous scholars and wealthy families in Yingtian came to congratulate with generous gifts.

In order to show his favor to Xiao He, the great general Liu Bei personally went to Xiao's mansion to congratulate him.

When the lights were on high, the house was already filled with the aroma of wine, and the atmosphere was bustling with people drinking and chatting.

As the groom, Xiao He naturally had to toast the guests in turn.

"Bowen, today is your big day. I shouldn't be discussing business with you."

"However, news has arrived from Huaibei that Cao Cao has suddenly sent Xun Yu to visit Cao Ren's army in Xiangcheng under the pretext of rewarding the troops."

"Xun Yu is Cao Cao's chief strategist, known for his resourcefulness. His presence in Cao Ren's army makes me worried that Cao Cao might be planning to take advantage of our army's retreat to attack Shouchun."

After the wedding wine, Liu Bei took the opportunity to ask Xiao He for his opinion.

Xiao He's thoughts turned, the corners of his mouth raised, and he sneered:

"General, Cao Cao sent Xun Yu south, not to attack Shouchun, but to get rid of Xun Yu and kill him!"

Liu Bei's expression suddenly changed.

"Recently, intelligence has been arriving from the north, stating that court officials such as Dong Zhao and Wang Lang, as well as provincial governors, have submitted petitions to the false emperor of Xudu, requesting that he confer the title of Duke upon Cao Cao."

"These were naturally instigated by Cao Cao to build momentum for his founding of a kingdom and the conferring of titles upon him."

"Back then, Wang Mang, despite being a non-Chinese, was granted the title of Duke of Anhan. Now, Cao Cao, despite being a non-Chinese, wants to be granted the title of Duke. This clearly shows the world that he intends to usurp the Han Dynasty and establish himself as the emperor."

"Although Xun Yu is an enemy of the general, they share the same stance on supporting the Han Dynasty."

"Given Xun Yu's status and prestige, if Cao Cao didn't get rid of him, how could he have successfully established his own kingdom and conferred him the title of Duke?"

"Guhe speculated that Cao Cao transferred Xun Yu from Xuchang just to get rid of him as soon as possible!"

Xiao He slowly deduced and exposed Cao Cao's intention.

Liu Bei suddenly realized, but still couldn't believe it:
"Even if Xun Yu blocked Cao Cao's path to usurpation, he was still Cao Cao's advisor. If it weren't for Xun Yu, he would have lost Yanzhou long ago."

"Could Cao Cao really have the heart to murder a meritorious official like Xun Yu?"

Liu Bei couldn't understand Cao Cao's train of thought.

After all, with his broad mind and magnanimity, the number of ministers he killed in his lifetime might not even be a fraction of that of Cao Cao.

And he never killed any of those meritorious officials.

He really couldn't understand how cold-blooded and ruthless Cao Cao was to kill a great contributor like Xun Yu who had shared hardships with him.

Even if this person opposes you to usurp the Han Dynasty, the worst that can happen is that you will demote him and discard him.

Xiao He did not find it strange, but only sighed:

"So, the general is the general, and Cao Cao is Cao Cao."

"What kind of person is Cao Cao? He would rather let me betray the world than let the world betray me."

Liu Bei was shocked, as if he understood something.

After a moment of silence, he said with regret:

"Xun Wenruo is a man who can assist the king, possessing both talent and virtue. He is also a rare supporter of the Han Dynasty in Cao's camp. It would be a pity if he were to be killed by the thief Cao."

Xiao He saw that Liu Bei admired Xun Yu and wanted to use him for his own purposes.

It is hard to say whether Xun Yu can be used by Liu Bei, but based on his pro-Han stance and his background as a member of the Xun family and the Yingchuan gentry, if he could survive, it would always be more beneficial than harmful to Liu Bei.

Who knows, it might come in handy when Old Liu leads his northern expedition to the Central Plains in the future.

After weighing the pros and cons for a moment, Xiao He raised the corner of his mouth slightly and said with a smile:

"General, your words make sense. It would be a pity if Xun Yu were killed by Cao Cao."

"He does have a plan that might save his life."

(End of this chapter)