I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 418 Farewell

"No."

Upon hearing Cao Cao's reply, Liu Miao's previously smiling face darkened.

"It's true, no. Do you really think Yuan Shao would let me listen in when he discusses such matters?"

Liu Miao finally frowned: "Not even a little bit?"

"It's pretty much what you know. Except that you know Yuan Tan isn't in Guanzhong."

Cao Cao pressed his palms against his knees and shook the heavy golden armor he was wearing.

"However, one thing is certain: Yuan Shao is truly using Yuan Tan as a backup plan this time."

Cao Cao briefly recounted the story of his daughter's marriage to Yuan Tan to Liu Miao, who listened with disbelief: "You, Cao Mengde, would actually send your daughter away?"

"Liu Zhongshan! Can't you listen to what I'm saying?!"

Cao Cao, whose wounds had been reopened, was immediately enraged.

"The key point is! Yuan Tan didn't even show up for his marriage! And Yuan Shao wouldn't reveal Yuan Tan's whereabouts at all!"

"Yuan Shao has made extensive preparations for this battle! More than anyone could have imagined!"

Cao Cao reminded Liu Miao: "At least, it's much more prepared than you have been!"

Liu Miao thought of Zhang Liao, the curved sword, the high-bridged saddle, the saddle, the heavy arrows, and also Liu Bei and Zhou Yu. He couldn't help but defend himself, saying, "That's not necessarily true."

"At least he put in far more effort than you!"

Cao Cao pondered for a moment: "Furthermore, I heard that Yuan Shao has transferred the troops from Youzhou who were attacking Xuande. Among them, there are quite a few Wuhuan cavalry. So you will have to face more cavalry than you imagined!"

"I do know that."

This point had already been verified by the intelligence sent by Zhuge Liang, and Zhou Yu had also taken these people into consideration in his strategic planning long ago.

"Gongjin judged that Yuan Shao would most likely march south from Dongjun, cross the Ji River, occupy Dingtao and Xiaopei, and then fight a decisive battle near Pengcheng."

"The plains there are ideal for large-scale cavalry charges. At the same time, the marshes and mountains near Pengcheng, while convenient for our army to defend, also provide Yuan Shao with a convenient opportunity, making it impossible for our army to even escape."

"only……"

Liu Miao still had one question he couldn't understand.

Where did Yuan Tan go?

"According to Gongjin's original guess, Yuan Shao should be exerting his strength from both Hebei and Guanzhong."

"But Yuan Tan is not in Guanzhong now, which is really strange!"

A few sparks from the campfire were blown onto Cao Cao's face by a gentle breeze. Cao Cao casually swatted them out: "Is it wrong not to send troops from Guanzhong?"

"Although Guanzhong is nominally under Yuan Tan's control, the Western Liang warlords occupy the area west of Huaili. As long as Yuan Tan leaves Guanzhong, Ma Teng and Han Sui's troops can reach Chang'an within a day. At that time, Yuan Tan will be fighting on the front lines, but his rear will be cut off. Wouldn't he be doomed to die without a burial place?"

Liu Miao was taken aback: "Don't Zhong Yao and Xiahou Dun still have troops in Guanzhong?"

Do you think Yuan Shao would believe them?

Liu Miao stroked his chin again: "If what you say is true, then Yuan Tan and Yuan Shao probably never intended to send troops from Guanzhong in the first place."

Cao Cao thought so too: "Yuan Tan suddenly closed the pass and took the initiative to frankly tell Yuan Shao about the smuggling trade."

"Is this happening?"

"What Wenruo told me should be true."

Although Xun Yu, the Grand Secretary of the Han Dynasty, did not have access to the core intelligence of the Northern Zhao, he was always adept at maneuvering and his intelligence was unlikely to be false.

"So that's how it is, no wonder..."

In an instant, the previously clear and unambiguous war situation became shrouded in mystery.

"What? You think you can't figure it out?"

"Who could have predicted such a battle?"

Soldiers who, deception also.

It's nothing more than me lying to you, you lying to me, and then seeing who can see through the scam first.

Now that Liu Miao has arrived in Guanzhong, he has already revealed the truth that Yuan Tan is not in Guanzhong. The next step is to guess where Yuan Tan is leading the elite troops of Guanzhong.

"Mengde, you're saying Yuan Tan didn't even return to Ye City for his wedding?"

"Exactly."

"Then it's unlikely that he would join forces with Yuan Shao."

Cao Cao brought very little intelligence, but this one key point was enough.

"It seems highly likely that Yuan Tan and Yuan Shao parted ways."

"Yuan Tan's troops are mostly infantry, so they will either cross the river at Baima or Yanjin to attack Guandu... which is the same route Yuan Shao used to attack you last time."

Liu Miao, in a very inhumane manner, continued to put pressure on Cao Cao, reminding him of his previous defeat to Yuan Shao in order to provoke his emotions.

"As for the other one..."

If we don't go through Guandu, then we can only go through Qingzhou.

Yuan Tan was formerly the governor of Qingzhou. He once personally defeated Kong Rong, the chancellor of Beihai, and conquered the entire Qingzhou. The terrain and roads of Qingzhou should be so familiar to him that he should know how to navigate them with his eyes closed. However, this made it easy for Yuan Tan to confront Lü Bu.

The Lü Bu of today is no longer the Marquis of Wen who had no foundation and hastily fled from Guanzhong to Guandong.

Today, Lü Bu not only controls the Qing and Xu regions, possessing land almost equivalent to the former state of Qi, but also enjoys the support of the entire Han Dynasty. Furthermore, he has been appointed as the Grand General of Han.

What merit or ability did Yuan Tan possess to challenge Lü Bu in Qingzhou?

But after much thought, Yuan Tan's attack direction can only be one of these two!
"Yuan Tan is most likely in Pingyuan, preparing to attack Qingzhou."

Cao Cao then added.

"On my way from Yecheng to Guanzhong, I traveled through Mengjin."

"If Yuan Tan's army were hiding in Henei or Hedong, there should be a large number of cargo ships transporting grain and supplies at the ferry crossings. However, along the way, we found that most of the roads were sparsely populated. Therefore, Yuan Tan could not be in western Ji Province."

Liu Miao's eyes lit up immediately!
This information is absolutely crucial!
For Liu Miao to obtain this intelligence alone, the trip was absolutely worthwhile!

"Mengde, you seem to know everything, so why are you saying you don't? Haha!"

Liu Miao took the wine pot that had been warmed beforehand, took a sip, and then tossed it to Cao Cao. Cao Cao didn't mind, crossed his arms, and gulped down a large mouthful!

"Cough cough! What is this thing? Why is it so spicy?"

"How was that? Pretty awesome, huh!"

Cao Cao's face was flushed as he looked at the wine pot in his hand with a frustrated expression: "Can't you focus your mind on important matters?"

"Wine and women are the most important things in life!"

Faced with Liu Miao's sophistry, Cao Cao was speechless for a moment.

"I've told you everything I needed to tell you. If there's nothing else, I'll head back to the camp."

"What's the rush?" Liu Miao pressed Cao Cao down.

"How long has it been since Mengde has felt this relaxed? Why is he in such a hurry to go back?"

Cao Cao was slightly taken aback, but he also looked in front of him as if by some strange impulse.

The night was deep, but the bright moonlight spread across the river and the land, as if covered with a thin layer of fine sand.

The Wei River at night resembles a ribbon of ink adorned with stars, shimmering with a deep, dim light. The river reflects the hazy silhouettes of willows on both banks, their branches like the flowing silk of ladies brushing the water's surface, creating ripples. In the distance, the reeds rustle softly in the evening breeze, and occasional drops of dew clinging to their tips fall onto the water, shattering a pool of floating jade-like fragments—a shimmering, dancing reflection of the stars, moon, and the lights of this place.

"It's been a long time since I've felt this relaxed."

When Cao Cao was in Xuchang, he was busy with government affairs all year round; when he arrived in Yecheng, he lived with his head hanging by a thread. How could he be as leisurely as he is now?

Cao Cao braced himself with his arms behind his back, facing the sky, his eyes fixed on the bright moon.

"Zhongshan, was it you who created that 'Hun Tian' theory from the Taoist sect?"

"It has nothing to do with me; strictly speaking, it was Zhang Heng who did it."

Do you really believe the earth is round?

"At least that's what the stars have been observed over the years have to say."

Liu Miao also leisurely gazed at the sky.

Cao Cao glanced sideways at Liu Miao's sharply defined profile: "You are, after all, the Son of Heaven. Don't you feel any unease about slandering Heaven like this?"

"cut!"

"Since Mengde has asked, then I will tell you the truth."

"When I ascended the throne, I didn't see what the heavens actually looked like at all!"

"So what did you see?"

"The people! The people, densely packed together!"

Cao Cao was visibly taken aback when he heard this answer.

"You are probably the first emperor to describe what he saw and heard upon ascending the throne."

"I'm a very honest person! I'll say what I see!"

Liu Miao stretched out his palm, his thumb and forefinger gradually approaching each other, gesturing to indicate the size of the moon in the sky.

"But Mengde's performance this time has surprised me somewhat."

"What's the surprise?"

"You've actually stopped referring to yourselves as 'I am the only one's lord' and 'I am the only

Cao Cao was speechless.

"Me, acting like a lonely king before Yuan Shao? Do you want me to die even sooner?"

"Too!"

"..."

"However, I still think that since you no longer call yourself 'I'm alone and lonely,' you must have found some like-minded people, right?"

"Being all alone is not a pleasant experience."

Silence.

Cao Cao neither agreed nor disagreed.

"It's getting late, we should go back."

"Alright! I won't see you off!"

Just then, Liu Miao suddenly remembered something: "Oh right! While we're at it, let's take Lady Yuan Tan back with us!"

"Why take her back? Don't you know she's already been divorced?"

"But I can't keep her, can I? If I do, what will happen to my reputation?"

Cao Cao glared at Liu Miao with disdain, while Liu Miao seemed to have found a scapegoat: "Why don't you take her away, Mengde?"

What would I do with him?

"Take her as a concubine!"

"You mean, I'll marry my daughter to Yuan Tan, and then I'll marry Yuan Tan's first wife?"

"Is it not allowed? Don't you prefer married women?"

"Liu Miao, you may be shameless, but I still have a sense of shame!"

"cut!"

Liu Miao also sighed.

It seems that his reputation can never be cleared!

"Oh, right! And that garrison commander of Chang'an, Guo Huai, he's no good! We should have killed him years ago!"

"Ah."

Cao Cao, however, saw through Liu Miao's trick at a glance.

"Your failure to capture Chang'an this time must be because of this person, right?"

"You want to use me to kill someone? Dream on!"

"cut!"

Seeing that he had failed to fool Cao Cao, Liu Miao let out another regretful sound.

As the horses' hooves faded into the distance, Cao Cao returned to his camp.

Zhou Tai, standing to the side, complained, "What kind of person is he! He didn't even say goodbye before leaving!"

"Ha~~"

Liu Miao poured the remaining wine into the campfire, and the flames, which should have gone out, burst forth with their last glimmer of light.

"It was the right thing to not say goodbye."

"Because the next time we meet, either I will have been killed by Yuan Shao and my body will be gone, or I will have killed Yuan Shao and become his enemy."

Liu Miao knew very well what Cao Cao was doing back in Guanzhong, so naturally he had no expectations for their next meeting.

"Let's go! We're out of Guanzhong!"

Liu Miao stepped forward and extinguished the crackling embers in the campfire, while instructing Zhou Tai to demolish the makeshift thatched hut.

"Return to the Central Plains! Get some rest!"

"Then... we'll have a decisive battle with that old bastard Yuan Shao!"

(End of this chapter)