My Three Kingdoms is not right

Inside the main hall of the Sikong Mansion, incense smoke curled from the bronze incense burner. Cao Cao sat in the main seat, his crimson brocade robe accentuating his snow-white skin.

She rested her chin on her hand, her phoenix eyes half-closed, seemingly somewhat absent-minded.

However, everyone present knew that beneath their lord's lazy demeanor lay a mind clearer than ever before.

"The Emperor's attitude towards you has been rather cold lately," Cheng Yu said with a worried expression. "Shouldn't we think of something?"

Xun Yu smiled slightly and said, "Zhongde is overthinking it."

"The Emperor is simple-minded and acts on emotion. Previously, out of concern for the Princess's safety, he repeatedly urged the Duke to compromise with Lü Bu and withdraw his troops, but the Duke refused to obey the order on the grounds that 'a general in the field may not obey military orders.' It is normal for the Emperor to have some resentment in his heart."

"Now that Your Highness has returned safely, the Emperor is no longer worried and will calm down in a few days."

Cheng Yu nodded: "That's good. If the emperor continues to act this way, I'm afraid that over time, rumors detrimental to our lord will circulate throughout the court and among the people."

Xun Yu shook his head and said, "The emperor values ​​relationships, but he is not unreasonable. There is another matter..."

She looked at Cao Cao, her expression turning serious. "As I mentioned to you last time, Dong Cheng's side needs more attention."

When Cao Cao was leading his army in the field and confronting Lü Bu at Xiapi, the emperor issued an order allowing Dong Cheng to establish his own government and military headquarters.

This matter did not cause any stir in the court, because Dong Cheng was the General of the Guards. The General of the Guards was a second-rank general, equivalent to the Three Dukes, and originally had the power to establish his own government.

However, Xun Yu was very sensitive to this matter and wrote a letter to Cao Cao to inform him. After Cao Cao defeated Lü Bu and returned to the capital, he brought up the matter again to remind Cao Cao to pay attention to it.

Cao Cao looked at Guo Jia, "Fengxiao, how's your investigation into Dong Cheng going?"

Guo Jia reluctantly put down his wine cup and said, "Besides officially equipping the staff with Sima and Attendant Gentlemen, Dong Cheng is also secretly gathering his old subordinates, about three or four hundred people."

"At the same time, she has recently been frequently participating in gatherings of court officials and has maintained close relationships with many civil and military officials."

She raised her head, her eyes exceptionally clear at that moment: "Lord Xun's judgment is correct. Although Dong Cheng has not taken any concrete action, he has clearly developed restless thoughts."

"What?!" Xiahou Yuan slammed his fist on the table and stood up, exclaiming, "We're fighting alongside our lord on the front lines, and this little emperor is plotting against us from the rear?!"

"My lord! This humble general will go to the palace tomorrow to explain things clearly to the Emperor!"

"Sit down." Xiahou Dun's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

When she glared at him with her one eye, Xiahou Yuan immediately lost his momentum and obediently sat back down.

Xiahou Dun looked at his fiery-tempered younger sister and shook his head: "How can you reason with me? Are you suggesting we bring troops to court? Do you want our lord to bear a reputation for disloyalty and injustice?"

"Then what should we do?" Xiahou Yuan asked, unwilling to give up. "Should we just do nothing?"

Cao Ren said in a deep voice, "Now that you, my lord, are returning to the capital with a great victory, Dong Cheng seems quite docile. I imagine that no matter how bold she is, she wouldn't dare to play any tricks in front of you, my lord."

"Besides, with that small force she has, what kind of trouble can she possibly cause against our massive army?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions softened slightly.

Cao Hong's voice still carried a hint of worry: "The problem is, you are not always in Xuchang."

"Although Lü Bu of Xuzhou has been pacified, Yuan Shu of Huainan still harbors treacherous intentions, Liu Biao of Jingzhou has grown strong, and Yuan Shao of Hebei is eyeing us covetously."

"If Your Excellency leads the main force on a distant expedition, and something were to happen in Xuchang, wouldn't the front lines be in grave danger?"

The hall fell silent.

Cao Hong was telling the truth.

The recent campaigns, whether against Zhang Xiu or against Lü Bu, have not been too far from Xuchang. If there are any changes in the rear, the army can quickly return to provide support.

But next, they would have to face Yuan Shao of Hebei.

That would be a war that would devastate the entire nation.

At that time, the army will march north, thousands of miles away, a protracted campaign. If anything changes in Xuchang, the consequences will be unimaginable.

All eyes turned to Cao Cao.

Cao Cao glanced around at everyone, his gaze calm:

"Liu Bei accompanied us on this expedition," she began slowly, "and has repeatedly distinguished himself in battle. He also contributed greatly at the Battle of Xiapi. Now that Lü Bu has been defeated and Xuzhou has been pacified, those who have rendered meritorious service should be rewarded."

Everyone was taken aback, wondering why she suddenly brought up Liu Bei.

"I wish to submit a memorial to the Emperor, requesting that Liu Bei be appointed as the Left General." After saying this, Cao Cao picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.

The hall was quiet for a moment.

Cheng Yu was the first to react: "My lord, your decision is brilliant! This move is extremely wise!"

Xun Yu nodded repeatedly, his eyes showing approval: "Indeed, this is truly a win-win solution."

Xiahou Yuan looked confused: "Weren't we talking about Dong Cheng? How did we get onto Liu Bei?"

Cheng Yu explained with a smile: "The generals of the front, rear, left, and right are ranked only after the general of the guards, and their rank is just below that of the Nine Ministers."

She looked at Xiahou Yuan, "More importantly, the Fourth General's duty is to 'manage the capital's military defenses.' This overlaps with the General of the Guards' responsibility for the security of the capital and the imperial city."

Xiahou Yuan blinked, still a little confused: "So?"

"Therefore, the reason why you appointed Liu Bei as the Left General is to have her watch over Xuchang for you when you are away on campaign." Cheng Yu put it more bluntly, "Although Dong Cheng has the title of General of the Guards, Liu Bei, as the Left General, is more than capable of standing on equal footing with her."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Xun Yu smiled and added, "Liu Bei is not one of your subordinates, and he has prestige and seniority in the court. It would be best for her to suppress Dong Cheng. The Emperor will not be displeased either."

Clearly, if Cao Cao were to directly attack Dong Cheng when the emperor harbored resentment towards him, it could escalate the conflict between the two sides.

The discord between the ruler and his ministers was something Xun Yu did not want to see.

With the matter settled, the meeting drew to a close, and everyone rose to take their leave.

Guo Jia did not move.

Once only the two of them remained in the hall, she slowly began to speak:

"My lord, I have a worry."

"Liu Bei is a man of great ambition; he is unlikely to be content to remain subservient to others. If we grant him power today, he may not be easy to control in the future."

Cao Cao smiled calmly and said, "Liu Bei prides herself on benevolence and righteousness. I will commend her for her achievements, grant her a high position, and treat her with sincerity and kindness. I believe she will not betray me."

"Besides, even if she truly harbors ambitions, so what?" Cao Cao stood up, a sharp glint flashing in his phoenix eyes:

"I placed her in Xuchang. If she wants troops and power, she can only compete with Dong Cheng. The two of them will restrain each other and wear each other down. Whoever wins or loses, it will only benefit me."

Guo Jia smiled, nodded, and said no more.

Cao Cao stood with his hands behind his back, and said arrogantly, "The capable are bound to have desires, and the strong will always seek advancement. If we dare not use them out of jealousy, in the long run, won't our men be nothing but mediocre men?"

"Mountains are never too high, seas are never too deep; the Duke of Zhou spat out his food to welcome guests, and the world turned to him."