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

Chapter 236 Will I, Cao Cao, become a laughingstock for all eternity? Holding the rightful emperor in hand and possessing the Imperial Seal, who can stop Liu Bei?
The Imperial Seal of the State?

Cao Zhi's eyes lit up.

After Yuan Shu was defeated, the Imperial Seal of the State fell into the hands of Cao Cao.

Originally, this Imperial Seal was kept in the Xu Du Imperial Palace.

Although the imperial seal was nominally owned by Liu Xie, it was actually kept by a confidant of the Cao family. When Liu Xie fled, he was unable to take the imperial seal with him.

After Liu Xie was assassinated, Cao Cao installed a new emperor, established the state, and bestowed upon him the title of Duke. Fearing that Liu Xie might escape again, Cao Cao secretly took the Imperial Seal of the State back to Ye City and kept it in the Duke of Wei's mansion.

Lady Bian intended to take the Imperial Seal of the State with her when she fled, as a gift to Liu Bei when she joined him.

By the mandate of Heaven, may your life be long and prosperous…

That imperial seal, carved by the First Emperor from the He Shi Bi jade, lasted for nearly four hundred years through the Qin and Han dynasties.

Whoever obtains this seal signifies that they are ordained by Heaven and thus the rightful ruler.

Although in this world today, becoming a king or emperor depends on fists and strength, who owns the Imperial Seal is merely icing on the cake.

Even so, which emperor wouldn't want this imperial seal, wouldn't want to have the halo of divine right of kings above his head?

"Mother, if we take this Imperial Seal with us, Father will be furious and will chase us to the ends of the earth. He will never let us go."

"Mother, do we really have to do this?"

Cao Zhi naturally understood the importance of the Imperial Seal in Cao Cao's heart, and couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive.

Madam Bian glanced at her foolish son and snorted coldly:

"Given your father's ruthlessness, do you think you can spare our lives if you don't steal his Imperial Seal?"

Cao Zhi was speechless.

After a moment of silence, Cao Zhi sighed bitterly:
“Mother is right. We have committed such a heinous crime. No matter what, Father will not let us go. He will definitely kill us…”

Bian's gaze was indifferent; she simply said coldly:
"Since that's the case, why are you still so hesitant and indecisive? Why don't you do it quickly?"

Cao Zhi took a deep breath, his hesitation vanished, and his gaze finally hardened like iron.

So Lady Bian and her son, carrying the Imperial Seal of the State, and escorted by Ding Yi and a group of trusted confidants, fled Ye City under the cover of night with several thousand men, traveling eastward day and night.

...

Three days later, Cao Cao led tens of thousands of troops and finally arrived late from Liyang, returning to Ye City.

At nightfall.

Cao Cao, clad in armor and wielding a sword, his face ashen, stepped into the mansion of the Duke of Wei.

What one sees before them is a scene of utter devastation, a testament to the panic and disarray with which Bian Shi, Cao Zhi, and his entourage fled.

"Reporting to Lord Wei, the Lady and the Fourth Prince fled Ye City three days ago with their trusted traitors, and their whereabouts are unknown."

"We, following the orders of Duke Wei, have arrested and imprisoned all his associates and family members who remained in Ye City."

"Please, Mr. Wei, inform us how these people should be dealt with."

Cao Chun entered the hall to report.

Cao Cao did not hesitate for a moment, and coldly waved his hand:

"All the men shall be executed, and all the women shall be punished as government slaves, to be distributed as rewards to the generals at the front!"

Cao Cao was also adept at using both kindness and severity.

When Bian and Cao Zhi usurped the throne, they failed to eliminate all their followers to serve as a warning to others.

The women were spared and instead given to the generals at the front as a reward for their loyalty.

Cao Chun accepted the order.

Cao Cao turned and sat down, then asked where Bian Shi and Cao Zhi had fled to.

Cao Chun replied that Lady Bian and her son had left the city through the east gate, and that they would have to wait for the scouts to report back on their exact destination.

"Father!"

Cao Chong hurriedly entered the hall, his face grave:
"When I searched the Duke's mansion just now, I found that the Imperial Seal of the State was missing. I questioned several palace servants and learned that it was my fourth brother who took the seal and probably took it out of the city with him."

"what?"

Cao Cao was taken aback and jumped up abruptly.

That's the Imperial Seal of the State, a sacred object symbolizing legitimacy.

He forcibly brought it back to Ye City from the Han Palace in Xudu because he was afraid that it might be lost again in an accident. He kept it to prove that he was destined to be a leader in the future!

Such a priceless treasure, and it was taken away by his wife and son?
"That vile woman and her unfilial son dared to steal the Imperial Seal of the State! How hateful!"

"Immediately dispatch light cavalry to search in all directions and bring back the mother and son and the Imperial Seal of the State!"

"The Imperial Seal must be brought back to me intact. That vile woman and rebellious son need not be captured alive; they can be killed on the spot!"

Cao Cao was furious and issued a kill order.

Cao Chong then ordered the map to be brought out, spread it out in front of Cao Cao, and pointed to it:
"The reason why Fourth Brother and the others fled must be because they knew they were doomed and therefore did not want to sit and wait for their deaths."

"If they wanted to survive, they could either head north beyond the Great Wall to escape to the Xianbei, or flee to Liaodong, or head south to join Liu Bei."

“Going north would require traversing the entire Youzhou region and crossing the Yanshan Mountains. The journey is long and the borderlands are a harsh and cold place. I believe they will not flee north.”

"Then the only option left is to head south and seek refuge with the big-eared bandit."

Cao Chong moved his hand south of Ye City:
"Father led a large army to block the way south of Ye City, making it impossible for them to go directly south. I believe they can only head east to Qingzhou first, and then go south from Qingzhou to Xuzhou, thus indirectly joining the puppet state of Chu."

"The reason they stole the Imperial Seal was that they knew Liu Bei had ambitions to usurp the throne and wanted to use the Imperial Seal as a gift of allegiance in exchange for wealth and glory!"

Cao Cao suddenly realized what was happening, his eyes widened, his face turned purple with rage, and he looked like he was about to explode.

It's one thing for you and your son to plot rebellion and usurp the throne.

I'll just leave my Imperial Seal with me if I feel like it.

You actually want to join Liu Bei and even give him the Imperial Seal, a divinely ordained symbol of imperial power.

You are my wife and children!
That big-eared scoundrel Liu Bei is my mortal enemy!
What about my reputation as Cao Cao?
Are you two, mother and son, trying to nail me, Cao Cao, to the pillar of historical shame and make me a laughingstock for ten thousand years?

"You shameless woman and unfilial son, I will not be able to quell my hatred without tearing you to pieces!"

Cao Cao drew his sword, roared and cursed, and slashed wildly at the map and the table in front of him.

Cao Chong and the others were so frightened that they all retreated, fearing that they would be accidentally injured by Cao Cao in his anger.

"By my order, assemble the troops immediately. I will personally pursue that wretched woman and her rebellious son and reclaim the Imperial Seal!"

After venting his anger, Cao Cao shouted loudly.

Cao Chong was taken aback and quickly advised:
"Father, please calm down. We must pursue those two, and the Imperial Seal of the State must be retrieved as well."

"But Pengcheng is still under siege. Father promised Li Mancheng and the others that he would return within twenty days to quell the internal strife and return to Pengcheng to relieve the siege."

"If Father goes to pursue them personally, wouldn't that delay our return to Pengcheng? If Li Mancheng and his men can't withstand the Chu army's siege and lose Pengcheng, wouldn't that be a case of losing more than we gain?"

Cao Cao, who had already descended the steps, suddenly stopped.

Cao Chong's reminder calmed him down a bit.

The Imperial Seal of the State was certainly important, but for him, it was ultimately just an added bonus.

Pengcheng, and even the entire Xuzhou region, are the places where the benefits are tangible and visible.

Losing Pengcheng in pursuit of the Imperial Seal of the State is indeed a case of penny-wise and pound-foolish.

Cao Cao hesitated for a moment.

"Deng deng deng-"

Footsteps sounded, and Lü Qian rushed in with a look of panic.

"Reporting to Lord Wei, an urgent report has just arrived from Xuzhou."

"Liu Bei captured Pengcheng three days ago. Li Dian and Xun You were both killed in battle, and my 20,000 defending troops were completely wiped out."

"Xuzhou now belongs entirely to Liu Bei!"

Like a bolt from the blue, it resounded in the hall. Cao Chong, Xu Chu, Yue Jin, and even Jia Xu all changed their expressions drastically.

Cao Cao was so startled that he staggered back half a step, his heel hitting the step, and he fell down on his backside.

The moment the wound on his buttocks touched the ground, excruciating pain immediately swept through his entire body.

Cao Cao instantly bared his teeth, let out a painful "Ouch!", and leaped up again.

"Father!"

Cao Chong, disregarding his shock, hurriedly stepped forward to help Cao Cao up.

Cao Cao shoved him aside, ignoring the pain in his buttocks, and bared his teeth as he excitedly shouted:

"What did you say? Say it again?"

Lü Qian's voice choked with emotion, and he could only repeat:

"Lord Wei, Pengcheng has fallen to the Chu army. Li Mancheng, Xun Lingjun, and their 20,000 soldiers have all been wiped out!"

Cao Cao's mind went blank, and he swayed unsteadily, almost losing his balance.

This time, Cao Chong was quick to catch him.

Cao Cao felt dizzy and his mind went blank for a moment. He was so stunned that his eyes were glazed over.

Pengcheng, a vital hub connecting north and south by land and water, and a key town that determined the balance of power between Wei and Chu, was gone just like that.
Li Dian, a veteran general, died in battle just like that?
Xun You, a wise and resourceful strategist who had followed him for many years, had actually perished.
Twenty thousand elite Wei troops were also wiped out.

All of this happened just ten days after he left Pengcheng!

Cao Cao was stunned and could not accept this unbelievable bad news.

Cao Chong, supporting Cao Cao, asked incredulously:
"Li Mancheng is a veteran general of our Great Wei, and with Xun Gongda providing strategic advice, and commanding 20,000 elite troops, even if they couldn't hold Pengcheng, how could it have fallen so quickly?"

Lü Qian hurriedly took out the silk scroll and presented it, saying:
"The urgent report stated that there was an unusual phenomenon in the sky at the time: a sudden earthquake struck Pengcheng, causing a gap of several feet in the north city wall."

"The Chu army took advantage of the opportunity to launch a major attack, broke through the breach, and Pengcheng fell."

A strange phenomenon from the sky?

earthquake?

The moment those two shocking words were uttered, everyone present was stunned and bewildered.

Cao Cao snapped out of his daze, snatched the silk scroll presented by Lü Qian, and hurriedly unfolded it to examine it closely.

Every word and sentence was written clearly.

"Strange celestial phenomenon, an earthquake?"

“There has never been a record of an earthquake in Pengcheng since ancient times, so why would an earthquake occur just when Liu Bei was besieging the city?”

"And this earthquake just so happened to collapse the walls of Pengcheng, allowing Liu Bei to take the opportunity to storm Pengcheng?"

"Isn't this just like the Battle of Kunyang back then...?"

Cao Chong, standing to the side, was filled with horror and muttered to himself.

When the Battle of Kunyang was mentioned, the father and son shuddered and stared at each other.

During the Battle of Kunyang, a meteor fell from the sky, aiding Emperor Guangwu in his great victory over Wang Mang…

This familiar history flashed through the minds of both him and his son.

"Hiss~~"

The father and son gasped in shock.

When the Han Dynasty was on the verge of collapse, a celestial phenomenon appeared, which helped Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu to establish his imperial career and revive the Han Dynasty.

Now, as the Han Dynasty is on the verge of collapse, Heaven has once again sent down extraordinary phenomena, helping Liu Bei. Isn't that...?

The father and son shuddered, their hair standing on end.

The Wei officials below were all shocked and horrified, and discussions arose one after another.

Cao Cao, holding the silk scroll, stumbled back to his seat, slowly sat down, and stared blankly at the motionless figure.

Cao Chong's heart skipped a beat.

He saw fear in Cao Cao's eyes.

His father probably thought that Liu Bei was the reincarnation of Emperor Guangwu and had the help of Heaven, and that his own struggle with Liu Bei for the world was going against the will of Heaven.

At this moment, Cao Cao's conviction wavered.

"Father, I believe this urgent report must contain exaggerations."

"Your subject absolutely does not believe that such a coincidence could exist in this world, and please, Father, do not believe it either!"

Cao Chong stepped forward and said sternly:
"My father single-handedly wiped out the bandits and unified the north. This was the will of Heaven and the will of the people!"

"Our Great Wei possesses nine provinces. Although Pengcheng has been lost, we have only lost a mere Xuzhou."

"The foundation of our Great Wei remains solid, and our national strength and military power are still superior to those of the pseudo-Chu!"

"Your subject firmly believes that Father is the only emperor in history who can unify the world and bring peace to the land!"

At the crucial moment, Cao Chong stepped forward and praised Cao Cao to boost his morale.

Cao Cao's body trembled slightly, and the slight wavering in his heart seemed to be dispelled by his son's encouragement.

Looking at the bewildered officials before him, Cao Cao suddenly realized that he had to do something to stabilize their morale.

Sudden.

Cao Cao tore the silk scroll in his hand to shreds and burst into laughter.

The ministers stopped their discussion, all raising their heads to look at Cao Cao in astonishment.

Your wife and children have run away, the Imperial Seal of the State has been stolen, and Xuzhou has been lost. How can you still laugh?

The laughter stopped abruptly, and Cao Cao's lips curled into a proud smile.

“Cang Shu is right. I control nine provinces. Losing only Xu Province will not cause the sky to fall.”

"Between me and that big-eared thief, the advantage still lies with me!"

After the verbal sparring was over, Cao Cao immediately issued several orders.

He ordered Xu Huang and Cao Pi's troops in Nanyang to immediately abandon any advance or retreat, shrink back to the area around Kunyang and Ye County, and switch from offense to defense.

Xiahou Dun's troops in Runan also immediately withdrew north to defend the Pingyu line.

Han Hao and Zhao Yan were ordered to lead 20,000 troops from Runan to garrison the Liang Kingdom. Yue Jin was ordered to lead 20,000 troops south to garrison Xiaopei. These two armies were to guard against Liu Bei taking advantage of the situation to advance north from Pengcheng and seize Yan and Yu.

At the same time, troops were drawn from Guanzhong, Bingzhou, and Youzhou to make up for the troop losses in the Battle of Xuzhou.

At the same time, Cao Zhen's troops in Qingzhou were ordered to immediately retreat to the Dongwu line and switch from defense to offense.

Thus, along the thousand-mile front stretching from Qingzhou in the east to Yanzhou in the middle and Yuzhou in the west, the Wei army shifted from defense to offense.

Finally, there's the question of how to pursue Lady Bian and Cao Zhi.

Thinking of the mother and son, Cao Cao's face was filled with renewed rage, and he gritted his teeth in hatred.

If it weren't for the mother and son's plot to usurp the throne, he wouldn't have led his main force away from Pengcheng and returned north to Yecheng to quell the rebellion.

Otherwise, Pengcheng would not have fallen, and Xuzhou would not have been entirely acquired by Liu Bei.

His massive southern campaign would not end in a disastrous defeat with heavy losses of troops and territory.

The culprits were that mother and son.

Cao Cao's anger had to be extinguished with the blood of that mother and son!
then.

Cao Cao took a deep breath, his face filled with murderous intent, and said in a stern voice:
"Pengcheng has fallen, and it is pointless for me to personally lead a large army to relieve the siege."

"I had no idea that the pseudo-Chu army had been fighting for several months and was exhausted in both strength and morale. The big-eared traitor had just acquired Xuzhou and would not advance north into the Central Plains before the people's hearts were at peace."

"I must seize this opportunity to personally lead the army to retrieve the Imperial Seal!"

"I will personally kill that vile woman and her unfilial son to vent my hatred!"

(End of this chapter)