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

Xu Heng stood in front of the county government hall. When he heard these words, the document in his hand slammed down on the table.

He didn't ask how many people came.

They didn't even ask who was leading the team.

I only asked one question:

"Are you taking the official road?"

"Yes."

Xu Heng closed his eyes.

The city gates slowly opened.

The county troops did not enter the city directly, but stopped a hundred paces outside the city.

The leading officer dismounted, shook the hem of his robe, and unfolded the documents.

The voice wasn't loud, but it was crystal clear:

"By order of the county's military supplies allocation—"

"Please, Pingyu County, hand over your troops and grain."

The roadside was completely silent.

Not far outside the city, in the direction of Lüjiazhuang, the commands from the drill ground rang out precisely at that moment.

After the clerk on the official road finished reading the document, he did not immediately put it away.

The clerk stood still, as if waiting for something.

The county troops did not enter the city.

The cavalry reined in their horses, the infantry stood still, and the formation naturally spread out, neither approaching nor retreating, but positioned just a hundred paces outside the city gate.

This is a very particular distance.

They're getting closer; it's the city under siege.

It's too far away; it's just empty talk.

Now it's "I'm right here, you figure it out yourself."

On the city wall, Xu Heng slowly gripped the bricks of the wall.

"Deliver troops and supplies."

He had already anticipated those four words last night.

But when it is actually read aloud in a proper and respectable manner, it still feels heavier than I imagined.

It's not because of the number.

It's not because of the method, but because of the approach.

This is not urging, nor is it a hint; it is a formal transfer.

"Open the door."

Xu Heng spoke softly.

The city gate creaked open and swung wide.

Xu Heng, accompanied by two clerks, slowly walked out of the city.

He wasn't wearing official robes, just a plain robe, but he walked very steadily, step by step.

The clerk saw him and nodded slightly.

"Xu, the county magistrate."

"The military supplies in the prefecture are in urgent need, so we have come to request their allocation."

Xu Heng cupped his hands in return.

"May I ask?"

"Which unit should we deploy?"

The clerk paused slightly.

"Pingyu has newly recruited one thousand volunteers."

Upon hearing this, a quiet commotion was clearly stirred among the people on both sides of the official road.

They were not unaware of the recruitment of soldiers in Pingyu.

But they didn't expect—

They were just recruited, barely had time to warm up, and were about to be transferred.

Xu Heng did not answer immediately.

Instead, he asked:

"Is the roster in the prefecture or the county?"

The clerk was taken aback.

This was not the problem he had anticipated.

"The roster is naturally in the county," he replied.

"Does the transfer order specify a destination?" Xu Heng continued to ask.

The clerk was silent for a moment.

"Take the northern route for now."

These three words were spoken very softly.

But that's enough.

Xu Heng's heart sank completely.

But on the surface, he simply nodded.

"Please wait."

After saying those three words, he turned and went back to the city.

There was no argument.

There was no cursing.

But this turn of the head caused the clerk to frown for the first time.

Everything went too smoothly.

It didn't seem like he was forced to comply.

It's as smooth as—

I knew you would come.

⸻

Inside the city.

People have gradually gathered on the street in front of the county government office.

It's not about being a bystander.

Instead, they stood.

People from the Shen family, the Li family, and the Zhou family appeared at the street corner at almost the same time.

There was no room for negotiation.

But it was as if they were pushed out by the same gust of wind.

They didn't say anything.

He just stared at the gate of the county government office.

Watching Xu Heng go inside.

Then I watched him come out.

Xu Heng stood on the steps, not going up to the hall.

Instead, they spoke directly:

"The troop deployment in the prefecture has been finalized."

"Nominal authority prevails."

"The county has no choice but to comply."

"But before troop deployment—"

Xu Heng raised his eyes and glanced at everyone.

"I need to muster the troops."

Shen Shao couldn't help but speak up:

"Order troops?"

"Haven't we already ordered everything?"

Xu Heng glanced at him.

"A roster is a roster."

"Whether it's that person or not, we need to check again."

These words were spoken very calmly.

But the word "time" was firmly pressed onto the table.

It takes time to muster the troops.

Time is the only thing we can fight for now.

⸻

at the same time.

Lüjiazhuang.

On the drill ground, the orders remained unchanged.

Training will proceed as scheduled.

New recruits will continue as usual.

Xu Huang stood at the front of the formation, listening to the faint commotion coming from the city, without turning around.

he knows.

The person has arrived.

"stop."

He suddenly raised his hand.

Everyone stopped at the same time.

"Shield".

The wooden shield was raised.

It's not a defensive stance.

Instead, they stood neatly at his feet.

This is a posture of "waiting".

"Young master."

Someone came to report in a low voice.

"The county troops outside the city have arrived."

Lü Dingzheng was washing his hands in the courtyard.

The water is very cold.

He washed very slowly.

"I understand," he said.

⸻

Noon.

The county soldiers outside the city have been standing there for two hours.

They did not enter the city.

There was no rush.

But his complexion was already starting to look bad.

The clerk looked at the city gate for the third time.

Finally, someone couldn't hold back any longer.

"Xu, the county magistrate."

"This number of soldiers—"

"How much longer?"

Xu Heng stood in the shadow of the city tower, his voice calm and unhurried:

"There are too many soldiers."

"A mixed crowd."

"It has to match up."

That's true.

But to the other party, it sounded like a perfunctory response.

Just then—

Suddenly, a series of orderly footsteps echoed through the city.

I'm not just wandering around.

They are in rows, all moving in the same rhythm.

Five hundred people lined up and walked out from inside the city gate.

They were not wearing armor.

But the waist knife was neatly arranged.

They moved in unison.

The formation of the county troops outside the city clearly shifted slightly.

The clerk instinctively stood up straight.

He finally understood one thing—

The troops in Pingyu were not hastily assembled; they had already formed a formidable force.

While everyone's attention was drawn to these five hundred people.

On the other side of the city, another series of footsteps sounded.

Second column.

The third column.

until--

A full thousand people lined up inside the city gate.

There was no shouting.

There were no demonstrations.

Just standing there.

This completely silenced the official road.

The clerk's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

He suddenly realized:

This is not a "you come and take the troops" situation.

This is--

Let me show you what you're trying to take.

⸻

At this moment, Lü Ding finally appeared.

He wasn't wearing armor.

They weren't even standing at the very front.

They simply walked out slowly from the side and rear of the crowd.

The clerk didn't recognize him at first glance.

But the next moment, one of the officers beside him whispered something:

"It's him."

The officer's voice was low, but firm.

"The person Xu Huang was listening to on the Pingyu side was him."

Lu Ding stood still, without looking at the document.

Instead, he glanced at the array first.

Then they turned towards the outside of the city.

"May I have a look at the documents?"

His tone was very polite.

But the clerk hesitated for a moment before handing over the document.

Lu Ding glanced at it.

Just one glance.

Then he closed it.

"The documents are correct," he said.

"The soldiers are here too."

This statement sounds like it's speaking up for the other person.

But the next sentence made everyone's heart skip a beat.

"only--"

He looked up.

"The soldiers are from Pingyu."

The air, at this moment, became completely tense.

The clerk's expression changed:

"Young Master Lü, this is a dispatch from the prefecture—"