Overthrowing Wei: Starting with Cao Cao's "I'd rather betray the world than surrender

The moment he finished speaking, Lü Ding did not stop walking.

My breathing was normal.

His face didn't even change in the slightest.

But only he himself knew—

When that name entered his ears with the wind and snow, a part of his heart trembled slightly.

Xu Huang.

Not a famous general.

Not yet, at least not now.

At this time, Xu Huang was still serving in a local post, his status was ambiguous, and he was treated as a pawn that could be discarded at any time. He had no illustrious military achievements, nor did he have a true sense of belonging.

But Lü Ding knew that this name would be written into history sooner or later.

Moreover, it's the kind of thing—

People who rise through the ranks not by birth or connections, but solely by their own hard work and perseverance.

He didn't speak immediately.

Because any unnecessary reaction would be inappropriate.

He simply went over the line of thought again in his mind.

The county government is worried about the village.

—What we're really worried about is the "people" behind Zhuangzi.

So, a knife was delivered.

They were both escorts and thorns in the side.

It is both an eye and a knife.

But ironically, this knife belonged to Xu Huang.

"So it's Gongming." Lü Ding finally spoke, his tone still calm. "He's from Hedong, it's not a short distance."

Xu Huang glanced at him, seemingly surprised that he knew his handwriting, but did not ask any further questions.

"In chaotic times, nowhere is close," Xu Huang replied.

Lu Ding smiled but didn't answer.

But he knew very well in his heart—

This trip back to the village meant that not only was he released, but he was also freed.

Instead, someone was brought to his side.

Not friends.

Not a subordinate.

They can't even be considered allies.

But at this point in time, in this location—

This is the biggest concession the county can offer.

The snow is still falling.

At the end of the official road, the outline of Lüjiazhuang Village could already be vaguely seen.

When we entered the village on a snowy night, the Lü family village did not ring the bell.

The gate opened slowly, and the torches were held low, illuminating only a small section of snow in front of the gate. When the young guards saw Lü Ding, they instinctively straightened their backs but did not speak immediately.

Their gazes quickly passed over Lü Ding and landed on the black-armored figure behind him.

With a gun in hand and armor covering his body, he stood very straight.

He's not from Zhuangli.

This is obvious at a glance.

"Open the door."

Lu Ding only said two words.

The wooden latch was pulled open, and the door panel opened a crack. The torches parted to make way for the person, but no one stepped forward to exchange pleasantries.

The gate closed behind them, keeping the wind and snow out.

At this moment, it seemed as if the village had regained its voice.

Footsteps, breathing, and the crackling of burning torches gradually returned.

But no one's eyes left the black-armored general.

Xu Huang realized this very clearly.

These gazes, though hostile, also contained a sense of propriety.

He didn't speak or look around; he simply followed behind Lü Ding at a moderate pace.

This is a habit he has developed over the years—

Don't rush into anything before you're sure where you stand.

The ancestral hall was not open.

Lü Ding did not summon anyone, but only sent people to light lamps and continued his night patrol as usual.

This made many people feel a little relieved.

If we gather the crowd immediately, it will seem like we are in a hurry.

But the real changes soon became apparent.

People who were supposed to leave didn't go immediately.

The stewards stood under the eaves, while the clan elders paused outside the lamplight, hesitating to speak several times.

They didn't want to ask about Lü Ding.

It was the person behind him.

"And this is..." someone finally couldn't help but ask.

Lu Ding stopped and turned to look at Xu Huang.

This glance came without asking.

Just confirming.

"He was sent by the county," he said. "He'll be with me for a while."

The message is very short.

But it was like a stone that had fallen into the water.

No one asked any further questions.

The word "county" carries enough weight in itself.

Xu Huang stood there, listening to those words, but he knew better than anyone else—

This is not an installation.

It means to place.

Let's leave him here and see how Zhuangzi receives him and how Lü Ding uses him.

That night, everything remained the same.

The night patrols were still conducted in groups, and the torches were still lit on time.

The smoke from the cooking fire dissipated quickly; the food was neither extra nor reduced.

No one provided Xu Huang with alternative accommodations.

He was assigned to an empty room in the outer courtyard, not close to the ancestral hall, but not far from the gate of the manor.

The location was chosen very cleverly.

He looked neither like a guest nor a prisoner.

Xu Huang leaned his gun against the wall, sat on the couch, and did not immediately remove his armor.

Footsteps came and went outside, their rhythm steady, yet completely different from those in the military camp.

There are no orders here.

But there is one—

Order that doesn't need to be shouted out.

This was the first time he had ever truly looked at the estate.

It's not about looking at houses.

It depends on the person.

When the night watchman passed by, he neither avoided him nor struck up a conversation.

Some people might nod, but few would look.

They knew who he was, and they also knew he wasn't one of their own.

There was no nervousness, nor any attempt to please.

This attitude made Xu Huang feel a little awkward.

If this is a private estate, it's extremely safe.

If refugees were to gather, it would be too crowded.

The snow stopped for a while after nightfall.

Xu Huang got up, pushed open the door, and went out.

The courtyard was quiet, with only the torches swaying gently in the wind.

He saw Lü Ding standing under the corridor, listening to someone speaking in a low voice.

It lacks authority.

There was no deliberate attempt to lower the price.

After speaking, the man left.

Lu Ding simply nodded, and as he turned around, he saw him.

The two looked at each other across the snow-covered courtyard.

Neither of them spoke first.

"Can't get used to sleeping here?" Lu Dingxian asked.

"No," Xu Huang replied.

"That's good," Lü Ding said. "The village won't be noisy at night."

This statement was made very naturally.

But Xu Huang could tell—

This is not a consolation.

Is the truth.

He nodded and didn't say anything more.

Before returning to the house, he suddenly realized something:

Since he entered the village, not a single person has asked him a single question—

What is your official rank?

Whose orders are you on?

It's as if none of these things matter.

Only one thing matters—

What are you doing standing here?

Xu Huang slept very lightly that night.

It's not because of unease.

Rather, it was because he discovered for the first time—

It felt as if he had been placed in a place that didn't operate according to the rules he was familiar with.

And at the heart of this place, there is neither sword nor soldier.

It was that young master who walked slowly and didn't talk much.

Lü Ding.

As the snowy night passed and dawn approached, the dogs outside the village started barking.

It's not just random barking.

It was a short, sharp alarm, which was then lowered in a low voice, as if someone was watching them.

The night patrolmen immediately stopped.

The torch was not raised high, but only moved forward half a step.

There were footprints in the snow.

Not new, but dense.

It was planted very firmly.

Not a passerby.

That's not how people from Zhuangli walk either.

When Lü Ding arrived at the village gate, it was still dark.

The wind blew from the direction of Xigang, carrying an intensely cold chill.

"From Xigang," he said in a low voice.

It's not a guess.

Yes, I recognize it.

Since Zhuangzi established his rule, people from that area have been harassing it, but they have all returned empty-handed, and Chen Guang's people have also been punished.

Several gangs of habitual bandits occupied the woods and old roads, robbing officials and targeting wealthy households, but only eyeing places like villages that were "newly established, shallowly rooted, but with plenty of grain."

It hadn't been touched before.

It's not that I don't want to.

Yes, etc.

When Zhuangzi could no longer stand steadily,

When the winter snow settles down,

Wait for others to get hungry first.

"The snow is too heavy." Xu Huang stood beside him, looking at the footprints. "They can't hold on any longer."