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

The night did not quiet down as a result.

After that night, the atmosphere outside the village changed.

It wasn't that there were more footsteps, but rather more gazes.

During the day, the people in the outer villages would continue to cultivate the land, fetch water, and repair fences as usual, but some would always notice strangers standing at the end of the field ridges and in the shadows of the forest edge.

They didn't approach each other, nor did they speak.

Some leaned against trees, some squatted behind stones, as if they were recognizing the way, or as if they were counting heads.

Some people pretend to be passing by, taking a few steps closer, and those people slowly back away; but as soon as they turn around, they reappear.

It wasn't theft.

It's about looking.

This kind of looking is more unsettling than stealing.

The next day, the women in the outer villages began to return home earlier, and the children were forbidden from going out. Even the grain sacks that had been drying on the fence were brought back one by one.

On the morning of the third day, the hunter from the north of the village hurriedly reported back.

There were more fire marks in the woods.

It's not the kind of continuous black ash from burning stubble.

Instead, it was the traces of people lighting fires at night, eating, and drying clothes, which were then carefully covered up with soil and withered leaves.

The fire wasn't big, but it kept burning.

This shows that—

I wasn't just passing by.

It has been a while.

The clan elders gathered in the hall once again.

This time, no one argued about "whether or not to recruit people".

They asked about something else.

"When will it really happen?"

The hall was very quiet.

A gust of wind slipped in through the crack in the window, causing the candlelight on the table to flicker.

Lü Ding did not answer immediately.

He had someone bring the list of guards and placed it on the table, turning the pages one by one.

The paper is very new.

The name was already familiar.

One hundred and eighty people, each line written neatly.

They were not registered as soldiers, but merely guards within the manor.

But these 180 names have already been seen.

He suddenly asked a question that seemed completely unrelated.

"How many households are there in Waitun now?"

The steward hesitated for a moment, but still answered, "Sixty-three households."

"How many able-bodied men can be provided?"

"If we're counting sixteen and above... around forty."

The expressions of the elders in the hall immediately changed.

"We can't use them."

"They are not villagers."

"It's not on the list."

Lu Ding closed the roster and gently pressed his finger on the cover.

"I didn't plan to use it either."

He stood up, his tone not loud, but very steady.

"But if they can't hold it, the area outside the village will be empty."

"The area outside the village is completely deserted—"

"The knife will fall directly onto the manor wall."

Some people wanted to refute, but couldn't find the words.

Lü Ding continued:

"so--"

He paused for a moment.

"Outer village, we must hold out for at least another minute."

It's not about asking them to kill the enemy.

It's not about sending them into battle.

only--

Don't let it fall apart at the slightest touch.

That afternoon, Xu Huang led his men to the outer village.

They were not wearing armor.

There is no formation.

He only brought twenty straight wooden spears, the spearheads of which weren't even covered with iron.

The people outside the village were initially agitated, thinking that people were going to be arrested and brought into the village.

Xu Huang simply gathered the people in an open space, where they stood casually.

His words were very simple.

"If anyone comes again tonight, remember only one thing."

He pointed to the torches that had already been piled up.

"Stand behind the fire."

"Don't run away."

"As long as you stand there—"

"We're here."

Someone's hands are shaking.

Some people subconsciously looked towards their own front door.

Some people lowered their heads, staring intently at the soil beneath their feet.

But no one left.

Because they all understand—

Once you retreat inside, that house is no longer a house.

That night, the moonlight was obscured by clouds.

It's very windy.

The blades of grass lay flat on the ground, making a soft rustling sound.

Just after the second watch, a commotion suddenly broke out in the direction of Waitun.

It's not fire.

It's a human voice.

Very low, very mixed.

Someone is shouting.

This is not official jargon.

It was a mix of local accents from different places, as if they were testing each other.

The whistle blew.

It's not an urgent whistle.

It's a flat whistle.

This shows that—

The other side has more people, but they are not fast.

It wasn't a charge.

They were watching from the sidelines.

Lu Ding stood on the manor wall and could see clearly.

The torches in the outer village were lit.

One.

Two.

Three.

The flames were not neat, but they were not chaotic.

After the fire, there were indistinct human figures.

They weren't standing too close together.

But they were all standing.

No flushing.

No one shouted.

It's like they're waiting.

Wait for them to run away.

Wait until they disperse.

At that moment, Lü Ding suddenly understood.

This is not a bandit gang.

This was taught to me.

"Send out thirty men," he whispered.

Take care.

Xu Huang nodded.

Thirty local militiamen left the village through the side gate.

There was no light.

They spread out behind the fire, using only the light from the fire outside the village.

Do not approach.

No confrontation.

Just stand still.

A night breeze blew by.

The flame flickered.

There was a long silence on the other end.

Suddenly, someone laughed.

It wasn't loud, but it was jarring.

"Wow, that's actually quite impressive."

"The Lü family's estate?"

No one answered.

The man then said:

"Could you lend me some grain?"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the outer village couldn't help but grip his wooden gun tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Lü Ding then spoke.

His voice wasn't loud, but it drowned out the sound of the wind.

"Food is essential for survival."

"You need to—"

"You have to risk your life for it."

There was a moment of silence on the other side.

Then, someone muttered a curse under their breath.

Then, I withdrew.

It's not a collapse.

It was an orderly retreat.

It's like memorizing a route.

One by one, the torches went out.

Night fell again.

No one cheered.

No one felt relieved.

Because everyone knows—

This is just a roll call.

⸻

On the third day, people from the prefecture came.

It was the same three riders.

This time, they did not enter the training ground.

He simply sat down in front of the hall.

The leader got straight to the point.

"Last night, someone reported that you had mobilized the local militia without authorization."

The elders felt a pang of anxiety.

Lü Ding remained calm.

"We did not leave the village."

"It's just for protecting the village."

The man squinted.

"Outer villages are not included in the register."

Lü Ding nodded.

"So no troops were deployed."

"It's just protecting the grain."

The man stared at him for a long time, then suddenly laughed.

"You've calculated the boundary lines very clearly."

He stood up, but his tone turned cold.

"However, I must remind you."

"Now, it's not just those people outside who are watching you."

"besides--"

He paused for a moment.

"The person who wants to borrow this place from you."

Lü Ding looked up.

"Who?"

The man did not answer.

Only one sentence was left behind.

"When there are many people, someone will want to raise the flag for you."

After saying that, he turned and left.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Lu Boshe let out a long sigh.

"They're starting to be afraid of you."

Lu Ding shook his head.

"No."

"They're starting to want to use me."

That night, for the first time, Lü Ding did not return to his room.

He sat on the training ground all night.

No lights were turned on.

All that could be heard was the sound of the wind.

I could hear the occasional barking of dogs coming from the distant outlying villages.

He is very clear.

The next cut—

This will no longer be a test.

Either I'll chop someone up.

Either cut the name.

Just as dawn was breaking, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from outside the manor gate.

It's not a night watch.

It's a flight.

The guards had just raised their torches when a rider charged to the gate.

The man practically tumbled off his horse.

Covered in mud and blood, his armor was barely recognizable, and his helmet was askew.

My throat felt like it had been scorched by fireworks, and my voice was hoarse.

"Young...Young Master."

"Thirty li to the southwest."

"Liu Family Village—"

Before he could finish speaking, he coughed up a mouthful of black blood.

The training ground was deathly silent.

Lü Ding slowly stood up.

"What flag?"

The man looked up, his eyes filled with fear.

"To punish Dong Zhuo."

"But the people under the flag—"

He gritted his teeth and spoke word by word.

"Not from Liujiazhuang."

The moment those words fell—

The first gray-white streak on the horizon fell right on the line of the village wall.

Like a knife that has already been raised.