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

The night did not get any darker.

There were twice as many torches outside the village as usual.

The refugees' camp stretched along the boundary line, with bonfires lit up, casting overlapping shadows that made it impossible to tell how many people there were.

The noise, which was relatively restrained during the day, became uncontrollable at night.

Some people were arguing in hushed tones, some were coughing incessantly, and children were crying intermittently, which was covered by adults but soon resumed.

The aroma of grains carried far on the night breeze.

Lu Ding stood on the gate tower, his gaze sweeping inch by inch across the boundary line.

Too many people.

There are so many that a roster can no longer easily control them.

"Young Master," Lü Fu said in a low voice, standing behind him, "Tonight... I'm afraid something bad is going to happen."

Lü Ding nodded.

He smelled it too.

It doesn't taste like grain.

Instead, it was restlessness.

Just then, a figure emerged from the shadows.

Their steps were unhurried, yet steady.

The guards on night watch were about to question him, but after seeing who it was, they silently stepped aside.

It was that refugee from the daytime.

He was wearing old clothes, his back was slightly hunched, and he looked like he hadn't eaten enough all day.

Xun Heng.

He walked to the gatehouse, didn't look up, and only said one sentence:

"Young master, if we don't stop them tonight, at least thirty people will die."

Lu Ding's hand paused slightly.

"If we stop them, at most seven people will die."

The night breeze carried their voices very softly.

"You choose."

These three sentences were spoken extremely quickly and coldly.

Lu Fu suddenly turned his head to look at the man, and his expression changed.

What is this talking about?

Lü Ding did not answer immediately.

He looked down at Xun Heng.

"Which thirty?" he asked.

Xun Heng raised his head, the firelight reflecting in his eyes, bright but devoid of emotion.

"Those who steal grain, and those who are robbed."

"There are seven refugees who didn't register during the day and sneaked in at night."

"They're not starving, they're just used to it."

"Once they succeed, the rest will follow suit; conservatively estimated, at least thirty people will be drawn into it."

Lü Ding nodded.

"What about the other seven?"

Xun Heng remained silent for a moment.

"Those are the seven people who snuck in."

Lü Fu felt a chill run down his spine.

"Young master..." he couldn't help but say.

Lu Ding raised his hand, signaling him to be quiet.

He didn't look at Xun Heng again, but instead turned his gaze to beyond the boundary line.

There, a figure moved behind the firelight, deliberately keeping a low profile.

Like a wolf.

"Why didn't you stop them yourself?" Lu Ding suddenly asked.

Xun Heng said in a low voice, "I can't stop them."

"If I speak up, they will only act sooner."

"and--"

He paused.

"This isn't about the refugees; it's about establishing rules."

Upon hearing this, Lü Ding finally looked at him again.

The two looked at each other for a moment.

Lü Ding understood.

Xun Heng did not come to plead for mercy.

They've come to hand over the bill.

"Are you sure it's tonight?" Lu Ding asked.

"Yes," Xun Heng answered quickly, "around midnight."

Lü Ding closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was fixed.

"Sound the assembly bell," he said.

Lü Fu was startled: "Young Master?"

"It's not a warning bell," Lü Ding added, "It's a drill."

Lü Fu immediately turned around.

The bell rang.

Three short, one long.

In the darkness of night, the sound was not harsh, yet it caused almost everyone on duty in the village to stop at the same time.

They have already heard this clock.

I also know what that means.

The people quickly gathered.

The torches were lowered, and the formation was divided into three sections, slowly spreading out along the boundary line.

There were no shouts of killing. Only the sound of footsteps.

It's almost midnight.

Seven figures slowly gathered around the campfire outside the boundary line.

Some people pulled out short knives from their pockets, while others wrapped their hands in cloth.

Unbeknownst to them, there were already more people in the darkness beyond the firelight.

When the first hand reached for the grain sack.

"move."

Lu Ding only uttered one word.

The torches suddenly lit up.

Shouts, the sound of knives, and screams erupted almost simultaneously.

The refugees scattered.

Some people were pushed down, while others stepped on others to run backward.

Before the seven men could even take two steps, they were tackled to the ground.

struggle.

A roar.

Someone tried to squeeze into the crowd but was pinned to the ground and killed.

Brief, yet chaotic.

In less than fifteen minutes, the area outside the village became quiet again.

Five more corpses lay on the ground.

It wasn't hacked to pieces.

His throat was severed, his heart pierced, and he died with a single blow.

The remaining two were dragged out and pinned to the ground.

Lü Ding walked over.

The night wind was cold, making the torches sway.

"Why are you looting the grain?" he asked.

The man, his face covered in blood, hissed, "If I don't rob it... I'll die anyway!"

"If you rob someone, you'll live?" Lu Ding retorted.

The man opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word.

Lü Ding waved his hand.

"Take him back."

"After daybreak, his name will be displayed publicly."

He was not executed.

It's more painful than execution.

The crowd was dispersed.

The fire was relit.

But that night, no one dared to approach the boundary line.

Xun Heng stood at a distance, watching all of this, without approaching.

He didn't turn and leave until most of the people had left.

He took a few steps, then stopped.

He didn't turn around.

He just whispered:

"Young master, the accounts are settled."

Lü Ding stood still, without responding.

The night wind blew, and the torches crackled.

He watched the five bodies being carried away, and he knew very well—

This is not the end.

This is just the first transaction.

In this world

Rules are not written down.

It was calculated one by one, with lives at stake.

As dawn approached, the two men who had been being held captive were brought to the center of the boundary line.

Their hands were tied behind their backs, their clothes were tattered, and their faces were unrecognizable.

People gradually gathered around.

No one dared to get too close, yet no one left either.

Everyone is watching.

Lü Ding did not show up.

This was something he did intentionally.

Some things, the first time, must be done without the owner being seen.

"These two men," a subordinate said, his voice low but authoritative, "colluded to rob grain last night."

"According to the young master's rules—"

"Those who owe a life, will not repay it immediately."

"I'll owe you for now."

The rope was pulled taut.

The two people were hung up.

No one was killed.

But it was even harder to endure than being killed.

Some people lowered their heads, some turned their faces away, and some quietly swallowed.

From that moment on, everyone understood one thing—

Lujiazhuang has no shortage of grain.

The question is, is it worth it for you to eat it?

Once the crowd had mostly dispersed, Lü Dingcai emerged from the backyard.

The sky was turning white, and a cold mist clung to the ground.

Lü Fu followed behind him, hesitating to speak several times.

"What do you want to say?" Lu Ding asked.

Lü Fu gritted his teeth: "Young Master... isn't this too ruthless?"

Lu Ding stopped in his tracks.

He did not answer immediately.

Instead, they looked into the distance.

The two people who were hanging were still swaying.

"What do you think would have happened last night if they hadn't died?" Lu Ding asked.

Lü Fu was taken aback.

"The village will descend into chaos," Lü Ding continued for him. "The grain will be looted, and the refugees will trample each other to death."

"More people will die."

Lü Fu fell silent.

"I'm not ruthless," Lü Ding said softly. "I'm just not qualified to be merciful."

After saying that, he turned and left.

His silhouette appeared straighter than usual in the morning mist.

In the courtyard.

Xun Heng was already waiting.

He changed into a cleaner set of old clothes, but he still didn't stand out.

"Young master." He bowed.

"After last night, where do you think the refugees will go?" Lu Ding asked.

Xun Heng thought for a moment: "I will stay."

Why?

"Because of fear," Xun Heng answered directly, "fear of chaos, fear of death, and also fear... of order."

Lü Ding smiled.

"Do you think this is a good thing?"

"Yes." Xun Heng nodded. "The fact that they're afraid means they're starting to see this place as a 'place,' not just a piece of land they can seize at any time."

"What's next?" Lü Ding pressed.

Xun Heng raised his eyes and looked at Lü Ding: "Next, it's time to give them 'something to do'."

"I'm afraid they won't agree," Lü Ding said.

"So we need to divide them into groups." Xun Heng was prepared. "The group of people we saw last night can be used first."

"A reminder to them—"

"Working is the only way to make a living."

"Moving around recklessly is a dead end."

Lu Ding remained silent for a moment.

He suddenly realized that he had unknowingly entrusted many of his judgments to the person in front of him.

Xun Heng accepted it without hesitation.

This is a strategist.

It's not about offering advice, it's about sharing the burden.

"Aren't you afraid that one day I'll hold you accountable?" Lu Ding suddenly asked.

Xun Heng was taken aback, then smiled.

"If you really do that, young master," he said, "then I've chosen the right person."

Lü Ding chuckled.

Those words were very sharp.

"Go ahead," Lü Ding waved his hand. "Do as you say."

Xun Heng bowed and turned to leave.

The courtyard fell silent again.

Lu Ding stood there, watching the sky fully brighten.

He suddenly realized that he wasn't as uncomfortable as he had imagined.

Yes, but it was a kind of calm that was almost frighteningly clear-headed.

He knew very well—

The five people who died last night were not the last five.

But if we choose the right path, it might be the one with the fewest deaths.

Chaotic times are never about who is kindest.

It's not about who can understand it first:

Human lives are the first cost that must be paid.