Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 163 Three Thousand Guests on the Golden Platform

Shortly after, a messenger arrived with news!
"Le Jin surrendered to Yuan Shu and became one of the three thousand guests on the Golden Terrace. Yuan Shu praised him as having the talent of Yue Yi and recommended him to be the General Who Pacifies the East!"
Xiahou Ba was persuaded by Xiahou Dun to surrender and join the enemy. He became Yuan Gonglu's fourth adopted son and was highly trusted by him!
After the defeat at Yingchuan, Dian Wei suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Yuan Shu's second adopted son, Chen Dao, and his third adopted son, Xu Sheng.

Xiahou Dun was stationed in Yuan Shu's northern border and won a great victory at Yingchuan. Yuan Shu recommended him as General Who Conquers the North and requested that he be granted the title of Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness.

Xiahou Dun has won battle after battle; Yuan's army is formidable and cannot be defeated by force!

Upon hearing this news, Cao Cao felt a splitting headache and repeatedly clutched his forehead, gritting his teeth in anger.

"Xiahou Dun, you have gone too far in bullying me! I swear to kill you!"

He didn't understand what was going on.
Le Jin led an army of 30,000 to attack Yingchuan. Yingchuan did not have Yuan Shu's main force; it was just that the 30,000 troops were guarded by Xiahou Dun.

Cao Cao knew Xiahou Dun's military prowess all too well.

Even if Xiahou Yuanrang could hold out, it would be impossible for him to suffer a crushing defeat, or even for Le Jin himself to surrender.

How exactly was this battle fought, and how did it come to this?
He can't just deliberately hide his abilities when Xiahou Dun is around, only to become invincible when he goes to Yuan Shu, can he? He can't let his childhood friend down like that!

And after Xiahou Dun surrendered, Xiahou Ba also surrendered? Who is Xiahou Ba? He is the second son of Xiahou Yuan and a rare young talent among the younger generation of the Cao and Xiahou families.

Even he betrayed his allegiance and surrendered to Yuan, what does that signify?
Am I, Cao Mengde, really so disliked by you all that you're all planning to diversify your investments?

Because Yuan Gonglu changed his ways and won several battles in the south, even the Xiahou family, who are as close as family to him, are now having second thoughts, let alone other people in the court.

And Le Wenqian too!
I trusted you so much that I entrusted you with the entire Yingchuan campaign, but how have you repaid me?
Are the distinguished guests seated on the golden platform?
Good, good, good! Everyone knows what Yuan Gonglu is thinking!

It's only been a short time, and you're all already scheming to follow him and claim credit for founding the nation, right?
Does our great Han Dynasty not have any men of integrity and righteousness who would rather die than surrender?

Usurper!
I will absolutely not tolerate your defiance of the might of the Great Han Dynasty!
Seeing Cao Cao clutching his forehead, his face contorted with rage and his expression shifting between light and dark, Xun Yu knew something was wrong and quickly tried to persuade him.

"My lord, please do not be anxious. There may be something fishy about this matter. We should not just listen to the military report."

Now that General Dian has returned, why not summon him for a meeting, inquire about the details, and then make a decision?

Cao Cao remained silent, his face dark, clutching his throbbing forehead. It could be said that Dian Wei's decision not to surrender to Yuan Shao somewhat eased his mind.

If those sent to fight Yuan Shu were to surrender one after another, not only would others doubt the truth of the saying that "the Imperial Seal of the State is chosen by Heaven to rule."

Seeing that he had given his consent, Xun Yu hurriedly ordered someone to summon Dian Wei to report the important matter.

When Dian Wei entered, he was found to be shirtless, carrying a bundle of thorns on his back, and with his head bowed deeply.

"A defeated general has come to apologize."

Cao Cao endured his headache, leaned back in his recliner, and forced himself to look up at him.

"Stop this act. What's going on? Has Yue Wenqian really sided with Yuan? Tell me the details quickly."

"General Yue, he..."

Dian Wei hesitated, seemingly unsure how to phrase his words, before finally speaking after a long pause.

"He looks like he's surrendering."

Cao Cao/Xun Yu: "."

Both were speechless. Xun Yu was both annoyed and amused, and rebuked them.

"A reduction is a reduction! No reduction is no reduction!"

What does it mean to say that it seems to have decreased?
"Whether Yue Jin has surrendered or not, tell the truth to our lord. Don't try to hide anything or be ambiguous." Dian Wei, carrying a bundle of thorns on his back, knelt on the ground, looking up with an innocent expression.

“Strategist, I am just a rough man, how would I know anything about ambiguity?”
That's the truth! General Yue may appear to have surrendered, but I'm not sure if he actually did.

That very night, Dian was desperately leading his troops to the rescue when Xiahou Ba, a junior general under General Yue, emerged from Yuan's army and shouted that General Yue had surrendered!

I didn't believe it, but who would have thought that he would summon General Yue to speak? I observed that those attending General Yue were all soldiers who were originally under General Yue's command.

They repeated General Yue's words, shouting words of surrender, which shattered the morale of our army, forcing Dian to retreat.

Xun Yu's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "So, the words of persuasion to surrender were all shouted by those soldiers. You didn't personally hear General Yue shouting those words?"

"At that time, there was chaos among the troops, and the distance was far. How could they have heard about it?"
That's why I said, "General Yue looks like he's surrendered."

Xun Yu nodded slightly and analyzed for Cao Cao:

"It seems that it is still uncertain whether Yue Jin will surrender!"

According to Yu, Xiahou Ba was probably at his wit's end when he was persuaded by Xiahou Dun to surrender with the soldiers under Yue Jin's command.

They then dragged Yue Jin into it, and together they shouted words of persuasion to surrender. Yue Jin's voice alone could not match the shouts of the crowd.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao merely frowned and rubbed his aching forehead, remaining noncommittal about Yue Jin's matter.

First Xiahou Dun, then Mao Jie, Xiahou Ba, and even Yue Jin. At this moment, he only felt a throbbing pain between his brows and had no heart to distinguish who had truly surrendered and who had feigned surrender. He could only try his best to comfort Dian Wei.

"You managed to remove the brambles, and with Le Jin's army defeated and falling into enemy hands, and the morale of his troops collapsing, you were still able to bring your soldiers back. That is already a great achievement."

The defeat in this battle is the fault of Yue Jin. As the commander-in-chief, he betrayed my trust. You were constantly controlled by him; what crime have you committed?"

How could Dian Wei remain unmoved upon hearing these words?

"My lord! I am guilty and feel ashamed to face you."

Seeing this, Xun Yu sighed inwardly, knowing that his lord was going to abandon Yue Jin in order to protect Dian Wei and win his heart.

Although Xun Yu also knew that the best decision at this moment was that Yue Jin, who had fallen into Yuan Shu's hands, was far less valuable than Dian Wei, who was right in front of him, regardless of whether his surrender was genuine or not.

But when he thought of Yue Jin, who might rather die than submit, whose body was in Yuan's camp but whose heart was in Cao's, and who still wanted to restore order, he couldn't help but sigh softly in his heart.

After a few more brief words of discussion, Cao Cao felt his headache getting worse and he hurriedly ordered someone to summon the imperial physician.

The imperial physician Ji Ping had no effective treatment for him, only prescribing some painkillers and telling him: "Think less, rest quietly, and do not get angry."

Cao Cao smiled bitterly at this. In this chaotic world, in his position, the tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease. The seemingly simple seven words, "Think less, rest quietly, and do not get angry," were a luxury he could never achieve.

Sure enough, on that day, Cao Cao was taking medicine at home when Dong Zhao came to deliver an imperial edict, saying that the emperor was holding a court assembly and summoning Prime Minister Cao.

Since Dong Zhao was one of his own, Cao Cao put down his medicine bowl and got straight to the point.

"The Emperor has summoned me; what is the purpose of this audience?"

Seeing that no one was around, Dong Zhao remained tight-lipped.

"Xu Huang has returned defeated. The emperor is biased and I'm afraid he will hold the prime minister accountable for the crime."

Cao Cao: "."

(End of this chapter)