My Three Kingdoms is not right

Cao Cao smiled wryly and shook his head: "Thank you for your kindness, Fengxiao. However, I'm afraid not many people in the world would think that way."

"In terms of territory, Yuan Shao is about to occupy all four provinces, while I only have Yan and Yu; in terms of military strength, she has hundreds of thousands of elite troops, while I only have tens of thousands; in terms of family background, the Yuan family has held high office for four generations, and its disciples and former officials are all over the country; in terms of talent, Hebei has a multitude of famous generals and strategists."

"That's because people only see the surface." Guo Jia put down his wine cup, his expression unusually serious.

"When Jia was in Yuan's camp, he secretly observed him; now that he is under your command, lord, he compares you every day. I have something to say, lord, please listen carefully."

Cao Cao leaned forward slightly: "I would like to hear the details."

Guo Jia raised a finger: "Yuan Shao is overly formal and ceremonious, while my lord prefers a more natural approach; this is the superior way."

The second finger reads: "Yuan Shao rebelled, but our lord obeyed; this is a righteous victory."

The third point: "Since the reigns of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling, the government has been too lenient. Yuan Shao used leniency to perpetuate leniency, thus failing to intimidate his subjects. Your Majesty, however, has corrected this with severity, and both superiors and inferiors have learned to maintain order. This is the key to your successful governance."

Fourth: "Yuan Shao appears lenient on the outside but is suspicious on the inside. He employs people but distrusts them, appointing only his relatives. Our lord, on the other hand, appears easygoing but is shrewd on the inside. He employs people without doubt, based solely on their talents, regardless of their distance from home. This is the superior measure of him."

Fifth: "Yuan Shao is cunning but indecisive, and his mistakes are often due to poor execution. Our lord, on the other hand, acts decisively with every plan he devises, and his adaptability is boundless. This is the reason for our superior strategy."

Sixth: "Yuan Shao focused solely on gaining fame, attracting many scholars who were fond of empty rhetoric and embellishment. Our lord, however, treated people with sincerity, not seeking empty praise. Those scholars who were loyal, upright, farsighted, and capable were all willing to serve him. This is the superiority of virtue."

Seventh: "Yuan Shao, upon seeing people suffering from hunger and cold, showed his concern on his face. Even those he could not see, he might not have considered. Our lord, though sometimes neglecting small matters at hand, when it comes to important matters, connecting with the whole world, the favors he bestows always exceed expectations. Even those unseen, his considerations are thorough. This is the superiority of his benevolence."

Eighth: "Yuan Shao's ministers vied for power, and slanderous words caused chaos. Your lord governed with integrity, and the pervasive influence did not prevail. This is a clear victory."

Ninth: "Yuan Shao's right and wrong are unknowable. My lord, please present what is right with courtesy and correct what is wrong with the law. This is the essence of Wen Sheng's strategy."

Tenth: "Yuan Shao is fond of feigning strength and does not understand the essentials of military strategy. My lord, you have defeated many with few troops and your military tactics are divine. The soldiers rely on you and the enemy fears you. This is the result of your military prowess."

With each point Guo Jia made, Cao Cao's eyes lit up a little more.

With all ten fingers raised, Guo Jia declared decisively, "You possess these ten victories, while Yuan Shao has these ten defeats. What is there to hesitate about!"

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Cao Cao sat up straight, and the familiar, domineering light in his eyes rekindled.

"Great!" she clapped her hands and laughed. "What a perfect ten wins and ten losses!"

"Then let's prepare—first eliminate Lü Bu, then conquer Hebei!"

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.

……

After the meeting concluded, the advisors filed out.

Xun You and Xun Yu walked out of the Sikong Mansion side by side. Dusk had fallen, and there were few pedestrians on the streets.

"Uncle," Xun You suddenly spoke in a low voice, "there is one thing I don't understand about today's discussion."

"you say."

"When our lord asked whether we should march north to assist Gongsun Zan, his words showed no intention of surrendering or compromising with Yuan Shao. Why then did Fengxiao specifically mention those 'ten advantages and ten disadvantages'?"

Xun Yu stopped and glanced back at the brightly lit gate of the Sikong Mansion, then smiled slightly.

"Because Fengxiao saw through the true reason for the lord's hesitation."

"Oh?"

"The reason why our lord is considering a surprise attack on Hebei is not because she is unaware of the risks, but because..." Xun Yu paused, "deep down, she lacks the confidence to confront Yuan Shao head-on."

"So she subconsciously wanted to take a shortcut, to win by surprise attack, in order to avoid a direct confrontation with Yuan Shao."

"Fengxiao saw this, which is why he used the 'Ten Victories and Ten Defeats' to rebuild her confidence. He was telling his lord that there was no need to resort to tricks; by confronting Yuan Shao head-on, victory was assured."

Xun You suddenly realized: "So that's why our lord later became determined to eliminate Lü Bu first?"

"Exactly." Xun Yu sighed softly. "I only realized this after seeing the lord's reaction."

"In terms of understanding people's hearts and seeing through the subtle and hidden things, Fengxiao is indeed better than me."

-----------------

Three days later, the imperial court issued an edict reprimanding Lü Bu, criticizing her for sending troops without authorization to attack Liu Bei, the governor of Yu Province, and ordering her to withdraw from Xiaopei.

Lü Bu, of course, ignored it.

I earned this territory through my own abilities. You think you can just walk away like that? Who do you think you are?

The imperial court? The emperor?

Even the Heavenly King and his mother wouldn't do it!

So at the end of the month, Cao Cao personally led an army of 30,000, claiming to be 60,000, to attack Lü Bu by imperial decree.

Xuzhou, ravaged by war, once again became a battlefield.

When the news reached Xiapi, Chen Gong hurriedly went to discuss it with Lü Bu, but was stopped by his servants in front of Lü Bu's inner courtyard.

"The general is busy with official duties and cannot receive guests at the moment. Please ask Chen to come later."

Chen Gong was already annoyed and didn't want to waste words with her. He pushed her aside and stepped into the courtyard, calling out, "General Lü! General Lü!"

Knowing her master's temperament, he at least gave her face, only calling out from outside the room and not directly pushing open the door.

A moment later, the door opened, and two disheveled, flamboyant men hurriedly ran away, clutching their clothes.

Chen Gong ignored them and went straight into the room. He saw Lü Bu leaning against the couch with his long hair disheveled and his undergarments unbuttoned, revealing a voluptuous scene that his undergarments could not conceal.

"At a time like this, how can the general still be in the mood to play around with men?"

Chen Gong looked anxious. "The imperial army has already left Xuchang. Are we just going to sit here and wait to die?"

Lu Bu smiled lazily: "Gongtai, why panic? Cao Cao was humiliated and nearly killed even when he fought Zhang Xiu. What trouble can that small force cause in attacking Xuzhou?"

Chen Gong shook his head in anger: "Although Cao Cao was defeated at Wancheng, he was not seriously injured. He has many strategists and fierce generals under his command. General, you must not underestimate the enemy."

"I think the general should prepare immediately and send troops out tomorrow to take advantage of the fact that Cao's army is tired from its long journey and has not yet gained a foothold, and defeat them in one fell swoop."

"Although Cao's army has many soldiers, most of them are infantry. If they are not given the opportunity to set up camp and form a battle formation, they will certainly not be a match for you, General."

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu burst into laughter.

She sat up, her bare feet touching the cold floor, and walked to the window. Sunlight streamed onto her tall, athletic figure, her curvaceous curves faintly visible beneath her open undergarment.

"Gongtai, you underestimate my ambitions."

Lu Bu turned around, his eyes gleaming with pride:

"When I was in Bingzhou, I could lead a few hundred cavalry across the grasslands and drive away the Xianbei; at Hulao Pass, my halberd struck fear into the hearts of the eighteen warlords; just recently, what did it matter that Yuan Shu gathered seven armies? They were still routed by my single blow!"

"Of course I know that if we attack now, we can defeat Cao Cao."

"But what I want... is more than just a repulsion!"

She raised her chin: "I intend to let Cao Cao lead his army into Xuzhou. By setting up layers of defenses, we can blunt their advance."

"Once she arrives at the walls of Xiapi, her morale is low, and her supplies are scarce, then we'll lead our iron cavalry out to deliver a fatal blow!"

"I will drive Cao Cao's army into the Si River like pigs and dogs and drown them! I will ensure that Cao Cao has no chance to escape!"