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

The rear hall of the prefectural government.

Registrar Chen Su was working on the case files at his desk.

These past few days, he has been personally pushing forward the matter of the Shen family's tenancy agreement.

The documents were not issued hastily, but each one was urgent and pressing.

He originally thought that this matter only needed to be handled according to the rules.

Unexpectedly, the Yi Cong Battalion formed a battle formation in front, forcing them to take a step back.

Just as they were considering other ways to suppress the Shen family and Lü Ding, they vaguely heard some rumors—

It is said that something has changed in Luoyang.

It is said that Dong Zhuo has mobilized his troops.

It is said that the emperor will move west.

Rumors circulating in the streets are always three parts truth and seven parts chaos.

Moreover, if there were any major changes, the county would not be without any official documents.

He was looking down at the ledgers.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open.

No notification was given.

Prefect Han Zixiu had already entered.

Chen Su stood up and bowed.

"Prefect."

Han Zixiu raised his hand to indicate that he did not need to stand on ceremony.

His face looked terrible, even more somber than usual.

His robes were still dusty, indicating that he had just returned to the prefecture.

He didn't exchange pleasantries.

He placed an urgent report directly on the table.

"have a look."

Chen Su's heart tightened.

The urgent message had no red string, but it did have a seal.

He took it apart.

After reading only two lines, his knuckles turned slightly white.

—Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang.

—They forced the emperor to move west to Chang'an.

The room suddenly became eerily quiet.

"Is this... real?"

Chen Su's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Han Zixiu nodded.

"Copy and paste from the Central Plains."

"It's not a rumor."

These four words were spoken very lightly.

But it makes it hard to breathe.

Chen Su slowly sat down.

He suddenly realized—

These past few days, what I've been pushing in the county isn't just the Shen family, but rather, ensuring things proceed according to old rules in a world on the verge of spiraling out of control.

Han Zixiu stood in front of the desk, looking at him.

"Bo'an".

This was the first time he had spoken a word.

Chen Su's heart sank.

"The Shen family matter."

Han Zixiu's voice was steady.

"We left in a hurry."

Chen Su lowered his head.

"Upon investigation according to the regulations of the prefecture, there was no violation of the rules."

Han Zixiu nodded.

"No overstepping the bounds."

"Have you ever considered the limits?"

There was a moment of silence in the room.

Chen Su did not answer.

Han Zixiu walked to the window.

"Luoyang has been burned down."

"The capital is gone."

"It's not about putting pressure on anyone right now."

"It's to prevent chaos."

He turned around.

My gaze fell on the stack of documents that said "assistance in verification".

"With Luoyang destroyed, the world is still unsettled."

"It is inappropriate to cause trouble with the tenancy agreement at this time."

"Documents revoked."

"Let's discuss it another day."

Chen Su was taken aback.

"Prefect—"

I said, let's discuss it another day.

The tone was not harsh.

But there was no room for maneuver.

Chen Su lowered his head.

"Yes."

Han Zixiu said slowly:

"Dong Zhuo took the emperor to Chang'an."

"The state and prefecture will soon be very different from what they are today."

"What you and I need to do now is not to stand up for anyone."

"It's for this county town—"

Leave them a way out.

No one made a sound from inside the room.

Chen Su looked down at the urgent report.

This time, he finally understood—

Everything I had done before,

It's just playing the old game.

And now-

A corner of the chessboard has been overturned.

At the same time.

Outside Lüjiazhuang.

The entrance to the Yicong Camp was more lively than usual.

It's not that it's noisy, it's that there are too many people.

A row of young people stood outside the camp, dressed differently but with similar expressions.

There was tension, excitement, and a suppressed fire.

Xu Huang stood in front of the camp gate.

He didn't speak.

They simply asked people to display the roster.

"Give me your name."

Place of origin.

"The family members."

The rules are simple.

The first person to step forward was a tall, thin boy.

His voice trembled slightly.

"Zhao Ling, eighteen."

How many people are in your family?

"My parents are alive, but my younger brother is all alone."

"Do you know that once you enter the camp, the training will never stop?"

"Know."

"Does it mean they might not stay in the prefecture?"

The boy paused for a moment.

"Know."

Xu Huang nodded.

"record."

The pen falls.

One name is added to the register.

the second.

The third.

The line moved forward slowly.

Someone asked in a low voice:

"Was Luoyang really burned down?"

A voice came from inside the camp gate:

"Burn it."

The voice wasn't loud, but it was very steady.

"Is the emperor still alive?"

"In Chang'an."

A low murmur of breathing rose from the crowd.

It's not crying.

It wasn't a shout.

It's a feeling of sudden emptiness.

The capital city.

It should have been on the horizon.

It feels like I've been swept away by someone.

Someone suddenly gritted their teeth.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"Go join the army."

Although no one agreed with this statement, the line pushed forward one step.

Lü Ding stood at a distance.

He did not approach.

Just watching.

Xun You was standing nearby.

"The number of people is increasing too fast."

Lü Ding said calmly:

"People's hearts are easily united."

"It is difficult to maintain morale in the army."

He watched as he turned the pages of the roster.

"We can't just put out the fire."

"You need to be able to keep people in line."

Xu Huang suddenly spoke.

"After entering the camp, the monthly ration is two shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain."

"If you die in battle, your family will receive a pension."

The crowd fell silent.

This is not a passionate statement.

This is the long-term solution.

Lü Ding glanced at Xun You.

"Let's start editing."

"Train first."

"Do not leave the prefecture."

Xun You nodded.

"The county doesn't dare to touch you now."

Lu Ding shook his head.

"It's not that I don't dare, it's that I can't."

"Whoever causes chaos first will be held responsible."

The ranks in front of the camp gate slowly dispersed.

The roster was already quite thick.

The number of volunteers has increased by several hundred today.

Chenliu.

Cao Cao was in his tent.

Urgent report sent in.

He opened it and read it.

There was no slamming of the table.

There was no sighing.

I simply folded the paper and set it aside.

"Dong Zhuo, fearing the coalition of warlords, had already taken the emperor to Chang'an and burned Luoyang in the process."

The generals in the tent looked at each other in bewilderment.

"How are the other prefectures?" someone asked hurriedly.

Cao Cao said calmly:

"Observe and wait."

"There is a manifesto."

"Less real soldiers."

He stood up and walked to the map.

The fingers moved slowly across the Central Plains region.

"Dong Zhuo burned down the capital."

"They have lost the hearts of the people."

He paused for a moment.

"But the emperor is in his hands."

The tent fell silent.

Cao Cao did not speak again.

Just standing in front of the map.

His gaze remained calm.

Only measurement.

"If we raise an army now—"

"The pretext is to attack Dong Zhuo."

"In fact, we attacked first."

He raised his eyes and looked at the people in the tent.

"But whoever makes the first real move, whoever confronts Dong Zhuo head-on."

"The feudal lords have not yet arrived."

"The army has not yet gained the necessary strength."

"Those who step forward first are just taking the fall for others."

The tent fell silent.

Someone asked in a low voice:

"What if we don't move?"

Cao Cao said calmly:

"If we don't move, morale will collapse."

"The reputation is also lost."

"People all over the world will say—"

"They keep criticizing Dong, but they only watch from the sidelines."

He paused for a moment.

"Therefore, we cannot remain still."

"But we can't act first."

He turned around, his gaze sweeping across the faces of everyone present.

"The manifesto must be issued."

"The soldiers also need to be disciplined."

"The flag must be raised."

"But the knife—"

He raised his hand and tapped lightly on the table.

"Don't draw your sword yet."

Someone in the tent breathed a sigh of relief.

Some people felt uneasy.

"When will it be released?"

"Waiting for the wind to rise."

Cao Cao's voice was not loud, but it was enough to quell the restlessness in the tent.

"Wait for Dong Zhuo to mobilize his main force first."

"In the counties of Guandong, blood has indeed been shed."

His gaze slowly swept across the crowd.

"By then."

"Let's move again."

No one spoke again in the tent.

The wind outside picked up, and the curtains billowed gently in the breeze.