Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 444 Debunking the Inner Demon
Cao Cao's headache flared up again.

This was his first bout of headache, and it came on extremely violently.

"Zixiu, take His Majesty to Chang'an, via Fenglingdu in Hedong... Please ask Minister Yang for assistance."

Cao Cao, enduring the pain, ordered: "Miaocai, order all troops to cross the river south from Yanjin and obstruct Liu Bei's advance on Chang'an..."

The command remained organized, but the light in Cao Cao's eyes grew increasingly cold.

"Why doesn't Mengde take Qingzhou directly and cut off Liu Bei's supplies?"

Sima Fang asked.

Xun Yu shook his head: "Under what pretext can we take Qingzhou? Liu Bei is no longer in Qingzhou, nor is he the governor of Qingzhou. Even if we are punishing a disloyal person, we can't punish the people of Qingzhou."

Sima Fang looked doubtful: "In His Majesty's name, where can't we take? Hebei is short of grain, and it's harvest season now. If we can take the grain from Qingzhou, Hebei can be pacified... Even if we can't take it, destroying the autumn harvest in Qingzhou and cutting off Liu Bei's supplies will still give us a chance to win..."

"Sima Jian Gong, the million men of Qingzhou are of one mind, which is quite different from other places."

Xun Yu frowned: "If we force a conquest, I'm afraid we'll be overwhelmed by a million people as soon as we enter Qingzhou. We can borrow grain from Henan and Bingzhou to take Hebei, but Qingzhou... you can go if you want, we're not going."

Xun Yu could tell that Cao Cao was unwilling to use underhanded tactics to compete with Liu Bei.

Xun Yu himself was unwilling.

Although Cao Cao and Liu Bei have already broken off relations, at least they are still abiding by the rules. They are fighting amongst themselves, but neither has gone too far.

Liu Bei did not disrupt the autumn harvest in Yan and Yu provinces, nor did he target the relatives and friends of the various families in Yingchuan.

Although they are enemies, they are political enemies, not ethnic enemies.

Cao Cao, his head throbbing, waved his hand with his eyes closed: "Qingzhou cannot be taken... Have you not heard of the Military Academy and the Jishan Martyrs' Shrine? As long as the Martyrs' Shrine stands, Qingzhou cannot be conquered..."

Upon hearing Cao Cao mention the Shrine of Heroes, Sima Fang fell silent.

Although he has his own stance, he still has a sense of morality and at least has some sense of shame.

"Report! Governor Liu has sent a military doctor across the river, saying he is here to treat the lord's illness..."

Han Hao, the military commander, came to report.

Cao Cao's army did not recognize Liu Bei's status as prime minister, and Liu Bei had already resigned from his position as general of the guards in Youzhou, so Han Hao still addressed him as prime minister—Liu Bei's position as governor of Qingzhou was appointed by the late emperor Liu Hong, which had to be acknowledged.

"Cure?"

Cao Cao opened his eyes: "Quickly, invite the physician in... Is this Mr. Hua?"

He knew that Hua Tuo was an official at Liu Bei's medical school.

"No... it's Li Zheng."

Han Hao opened the camp gate and let the young man behind him in.

That was Li Qian's son, Li Zheng.

Li Zheng had previously escorted Cao Song to Linzi, and subsequently joined Qian Zhao's troops as a member of the Imperial Guard.

After Cao Song's death, Liu Bei sent Cao Ang back, and Qian Zhao went to Youzhou, but Li Zheng remained in Qingzhou. He first entered the medical academy and then the military academy, and is currently indeed a military doctor in Liu Bei's army.

"Junior Li Zheng pays his respects to Lord Cao."

Li Zheng said he was paying his respects, but he only nodded and cupped his hands, his body straight, showing no intention of bending over.

"Liu Bei actually refused to offer his nephew as a hostage?"

Cao Cao was quite surprised to see Li Zheng. He had thought that Liu Bei would use Li Zheng to control Li Qian, since Li Qian's troops were the main force in Cao Cao's army.

"The Prime Minister never uses hostages; Prince Ang should know that."

Li Zheng shook his head and said, "My father sent a letter asking about my recent situation, saying that Lord Cao was unwell, so I asked to come and treat him. The Prime Minister also knew that I was coming, but he did not stop me. Instead, he gave me a good prescription to relieve Lord Cao's pain."

"...What kind of remedy is it?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's headache worsened.

Liu Bei indeed doesn't use hostages; he sent Cao Ang back before, and now he's sending Li Zheng back as well.

But Cao Cao took Liu Xie hostage... This is tantamount to calling Cao Cao shameless, but Cao Cao still has to say thank you.

"The Prime Minister says that Lord Cao's illness stems from inner demons, which cannot be controlled by external forces or cured by medicine. The only cure is to eliminate these inner demons." Li Zheng took out a yellow turban from his robes and stepped forward: "Lord Cao, are you willing to eliminate your inner demons?"

Cao Cao vaguely sensed something, reached out his hand, but didn't dare to take the yellow turban: "...How to extinguish the inner demon?"

"Inner demons arise from a lack of unity of mind. When the spirit is divided in many places, the mind is confused and unable to make a decision, resulting in a restless heart, this is the nature of inner demons."

What Li Zheng was talking about wasn't some kind of charlatan's trick; it truly fell under the category of psychological medicine: "To sever thoughts and bury ambitions, making the heart singular, one can eliminate them. However, Cao Cao had many ambitions in his heart... I wonder which thought Cao Cao wanted to sever and which ambition he wanted to bury?"

"Behead your thoughts, bury your will..."

Cao Cao muttered to himself, as if he had realized something.

"Spreading rumors and misleading the public! Seize him!"

Sima Fang looked uneasy and tried to get Han Hao to arrest Li Zheng.

Han Hao didn't move.

This is Li Qian's son, not an enemy, nor some nobody...

"What exactly does Lord Cao want?"

Li Zheng looked at Cao Cao: "Is it peace and prosperity? Power and wealth? Or is it like the Marquis of Champion, conquering barbarians and expelling the nomads, sealing the wolf's lair?"

Cao Cao remained silent, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Honestly, he didn't know.

As people reach middle age, they often lose sight of what their true aspirations are...

"Lord Cao has always harbored ambitions for the world, and naturally, he seeks to bring peace and stability to the realm! Li Zheng, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Seeing that Cao Cao seemed to be wavering, Xun Yu quickly spoke up.

"If the world were at peace... like Qingzhou, where everyone is of one mind, the people are well-fed and clothed, officials are honest and orderly, and the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard everywhere, and the fields stretch as far as the eye can see... could that be considered peaceful?"

Li Zheng then asked, "How does Yingchuan compare to present-day Jinan? And how does Hanoi compare to present-day Qi Commandery?"

Xun Yu remained silent. He had witnessed the state of Qingzhou, and he could not go against his conscience and say that Qingzhou was unstable.

"do not talk……"

Cao Cao felt like his head was about to split open.

"If the Prime Minister governs Qingzhou in this way, he can govern the whole country in the same way. Lord Cao knows this..."

Li Zheng didn't shut up: "But why did Cao Cao want to be enemies with the Prime Minister? Was it really for the sake of stabilizing the world? Using the pretext of stabilizing the world to bring chaos to the world, this is Cao Cao's inner demon..."

"Lord Cao, you are young and ignorant, a shallow person, but even I can see this ailment. Can't the wise men of the world see it?"

Cao Cao broke out in a sweat, his face turned blue, then red, and gradually turned purplish.

"The wise men of the world will help the Prime Minister, while the ignorant or those with ulterior motives will help Cao Cao... Cao Cao is a hero of his time, a wise ruler whom my father admired throughout his life, yet he ranks himself alongside snakes, rats, insects, and ants. Anyone would be corrupted by such a demon in his heart..."

Li Zheng cupped his hands and stared at Cao Cao: "I have finished my treatment. I also came to tell you, Lord Cao, that I am also ambitious and wish to protect the peace and prosperity of the Han Dynasty and expand its territory... I want to follow you, Prime Minister. I wonder if you will make things difficult for my father because of this?"

"...Haha...Hahahaha..."

Cao Cao covered his head, wiped away the sweat, and suddenly chuckled softly: "It really is a good remedy, the pain is gone... My headache is cured..."

“Nephew, though I am not talented, I am not a villain… If you have ambition, then go and pursue the ambition in your heart.”

Cao Cao stood up and took the yellow turban from Li Zheng: "Both Xuande and I are working to pacify the world. We just have different ideas, not enemies."

"Please tell Lord Xuande that his path is different from mine, and we can only compete, but neither of us will harm the other with our own knowledge."

"Whether it's guarding the east or conquering the west... whether it's the General of the Guards or the Chancellor... they are all Han officials!"

"Lord Xuande nurtures the people and promotes education; I too will love the people like my own children. Lord Xuande expands the borders and spreads the might of the Han Dynasty; I, Cao Cao, will also be able to subdue the barbarians and restore the glory of the Han Dynasty..."

"Since Lord Xuande has made a pact with me with King Huai, then let it be as King Huai has made it: whoever enters Guanzhong first shall rule the world!"

As he spoke, Cao Cao unfolded the yellow turban.

The yellow turban has a hidden pattern of the Way of Peace, and the words "Peace" are embroidered on it.

(End of this chapter)