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

late at night.

Outside Pingyu City, the north wind is getting stronger.

An unmarked riding team quietly stopped at the intersection.

The horses were led aside, their hooves wrapped in cloth; the soldiers wore no armor, only short jackets. The swords at each soldier's waist were unfastened, awaiting only the order.

The leader was a captain in his early thirties, surnamed Jiao.

He is not a native of Runan, and his accent is more southern.

"Just this one place?" he asked in a low voice.

The director nodded repeatedly, sweat trickling down his chin from his forehead.

"Yes, it's here."

All I know is... it's an outer estate of the Tian family.

"Normally...most of the grain shipments are handled by others."

"There aren't many people during the day, and there aren't many guards at night either."

Captain Jiao glanced at the dark shadows of Zhuang in the distance but did not give the order immediately.

He is waiting.

A moment later, a guard in the rear whispered:

"There's no movement in the city."

"The night patrol did not leave the city."

Captain Jiao nodded.

"Let's do it."

There was no drumbeat.

No password.

The cavalry split into three groups, spreading out like water, hugging the night, and winding their way along the paddy field ridges.

This is their usual tactic.

Fast, ruthless, and leaves no trace.

The gate of the manor is not high.

Two soldiers flipped up, but before they landed, a small light suddenly appeared behind the door.

It's not a torch.

But -

The tinderbox had been set on fire prematurely.

At that moment, Captain Jiao's heart sank.

wrong.

Almost simultaneously, a short whistle sounded from inside the village.

It wasn't a gasp of surprise.

Yes--

Warning.

The next moment, the woodpile behind the village collapsed with a loud crash, the sound of the wooden frame hitting the ground being particularly jarring in the night.

"Retreat!" Commander Jiao shouted in a low voice.

Before the words were even finished, a second fire had already lit up inside the village.

It wasn't lit in a panic.

Instead, two lights were turned on at the same time.

It illuminated the people standing in the courtyard.

More than ten men, armed with spears, were not wearing armor.

Not a hospital guard.

He is a soldier.

Commander Jiao felt a chill in his heart.

They weren't stepping on soft ground.

"Release the arrows!"

Suddenly, the sound of bowstrings rang out outside the village.

Just as the arrow left the bowstring, a loud shout suddenly rang out from the darkness on the side.

"shield!"

Several wooden shields were erected simultaneously, their angles perfectly aligned.

The arrows struck, making a series of thuds, but not a single person fell.

Captain Jiao finally realized something—

This was something we had anticipated.

He made a quick decision and turned to leave.

But just then, a row of torches suddenly lit up on the other side of the village.

In the firelight, a line of figures advanced in an orderly fashion.

They moved in unison.

The command was given in a very low voice, yet it firmly suppressed the night wind.

The first person was carrying a long axe.

Not cavalry.

They were foot soldiers.

"They're county soldiers!" someone exclaimed.

Captain Jiao cursed.

"Who the hell said this is an empty village!"

No one answered.

Because it's too late.

Hand in hand.

When the first knife fell, blood splattered on the muddy ground and was quickly trampled away.

One of Captain Jiao's personal guards was struck by the axe blade and fell to the ground without even having a chance to shout.

Commander Jiao gritted his teeth and forcibly tore open a gash.

He knew it was impossible to succeed tonight.

But I also know—

Something must be left behind.

Otherwise, I won't be able to explain myself when I go back.

"Light the fire!" he shouted.

A soldier spilled kerosene onto a grain shed.

The fire tumbler was thrown.

Fire breaks out.

At that moment, the village finally descended into chaos for a brief instant.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Captain Jiao led his men to break through the encirclement.

But just as they rushed out of the village, a person suddenly stood in front of them.

Not wearing armor.

He was only wearing a dark-colored short robe.

He held his long sword horizontally in front of him.

The firelight reflected off the blade, making it blindingly bright.

"Stay," Xu Huang said in a low voice.

The next moment, the knife fell.

One of the men beside Captain Jiao was slashed and fell to the ground.

Commander Jiao dared not stop any longer, mounted his horse, and led the remaining soldiers into the night.

The fire is still burning.

A corner of the grain shed collapsed.

But the house didn't break.

The crowd hasn't dispersed.

By the time the fire was extinguished, it was already dawn.

⸻

Before dawn.

Lü Ding has arrived.

He stood outside the village, looking at the burned-down grain sheds, without saying a word.

Xu Huang said in a low voice.

"Young master... two people have died."

"One was a protector of the village, and the other was a newly formed volunteer force."

Lu Ding nodded, then asked.

"Did they stay behind?"

Xu Huang shook his head.

They ran away.

"but--"

He handed something to me.

A broken bronze talisman.

There is no name engraved on it.

But the patterns are extremely well-developed.

Lu Ding glanced at it only once before putting it into his sleeve.

That's enough.

This is not evidence.

But that's enough for him to judge—

Who is reaching out?

⸻

At the same time.

Thirty miles to the south.

A temporary camp.

Commander Jiao knelt before the tent, his armor still on, blood still seeping from his shoulder.

The people inside the tent did not come out.

Only one sentence was conveyed.

"Did it work?"

Captain Jiao's Adam's apple bobbed.

"A grain shed was burned down."

There was a moment of silence inside the tent.

"How many died?"

"...Seven people."

Another silence followed.

Then, a soft laugh.

"Pingyu."

"As expected, he's not simple."

"Let's stop the operation for now."

Captain Jiao suddenly looked up.

"That county—"

"Someone from the county will go and ask."

The sounds inside the tent were faint.

⸻

Three poles in the sun.

Inside Pingyu City.

The news spread.

It's not panic.

It was a suppressed anger.

The powerful figures realized one thing for the first time—

Those outsiders really dare to destroy the village.

People from the Shen, Zhou, and Tian families sent representatives to the county government almost simultaneously.

This is not a request for help.

Yes--

Ask a question.

"What happened last night, is the county government going to do anything about it?"

Xu Heng only replied with one sentence.

"Tube."

⸻

evening.

Lüjiazhuang.

Lu Ding sat at his desk, on which lay a broken bronze talisman.

Xu Huang stood to the side, looking at the bronze talisman, and suddenly whispered:

"Tonight, they're testing the waters."

Lu Ding hummed in agreement.

"Testing the officials, testing the troops, and testing people's hearts."

Xu Huang paused for a moment.

"So what's next?"

Lü Ding looked up and gazed out the window.

"They didn't act on a whim."

"To draw the knife at night is to scout ahead."

Xu Huang's heart sank.

"So what's their next step...?"

"They won't come at night," Lu Ding interrupted him.

"To strike at night is to steal."

"Bringing documents during the day is robbery."

He stood up and walked to the window.

The last vestiges of red on the horizon were being swallowed by the night.

"The next person who comes won't cover their face."

The next morning, on the official road outside Pingyu City, before the fog had dissipated, the sound of horses' hooves, not hurried, could be heard pressing against the damp earth.

It wasn't a nighttime outing.

It is to walk with dignity and integrity.

The flag at the very front unfurled in the morning breeze—

Red background with black patterns, understated yet instantly recognizable.

County soldiers.

The watchman guarding the city was the first to see it, and his spear tightened instinctively, but no one stopped him.

Because that team was on the right track.

In front were scribes, behind were foot soldiers, and in the middle were more than thirty horsemen, each carrying a sword. The horses were not fast, but the formation remained intact, following the official road without veering off course.

Outside the city gate, some early risers had already stopped walking.

Vegetable vendors, travelers, and porters all stood by the roadside, but no one spoke.

They realized one thing—

This is not just passing through.

This is aimed at Pingyu.

On the city wall, the county soldier on duty quickly reported back.

Report—There are county troops blocking the road outside the city!