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

The water at Xihe Ferry is not deep.

After autumn arrives, the water level recedes, making it possible for horses to wade and people to walk. The boundary between Chenliu and Runan was originally just a river bend and two earthen slopes.

A few days ago, the Chenliu army built a simple earthen rampart on the north bank, without raising any flags, only setting up sentry posts. Runan also increased its patrols, and the two sides were on opposite sides of the river, understanding each other's intentions.

The real change occurred on the third night.

Before midnight, the patrol on the south bank of the West River Ferry suddenly spotted a fire. It wasn't a campfire on the opposite bank, but rather in the direction of a deserted village ten miles within the county. The patrol riders immediately rode back to the city that night.

"Three hundred soldiers from Chenliu have entered the country!"

The lights in the west wing were still on. After hearing this, Lü Ding did not immediately get up, but only asked, "How many miles across the boundary?"

"About ten li."

"Visible flag?"

"No flag".

Cui Jun arrived upon hearing the news, his tone already cold: "Crossing the border by ten miles constitutes an invasion."

Xun You said in a low voice, "Marching at night may not be intentional."

Lu Ding was silent for a moment, then said, "Surround them."

Cui Jun frowned: "Not attack?"

"Surround without attacking."

What if they break through?

"We'll see."

Upon receiving the order, the three night drills were immediately switched to combat readiness.

Chen Fang personally led a cavalry unit to speed across the south bank of the Xihe Ferry, while two other infantry units split up to encircle the deserted village.

Before dawn, the Runan army had already formed an arc outside the village, surrounding the three hundred men inside.

As dawn broke, the dust in the village had not yet settled.

The Chenliu army stood in formation, their armor worn and tattered, clearly having marched swiftly from the north bank.

Seeing that the Runan army had surrounded them but did not attack, the leader did not rush into their ranks. Instead, he shouted, "The Chenliu army has mistakenly entered; please retreat!"

Chen Fang did not answer, but only ordered the bow to be strung.

The stalemate continued until the sun was high in the sky. On the earthen ramparts on the north bank of the Xihe Ferry, the Chenliu army had already assembled, and their figures could be seen moving in the distance, but they did not cross the river.

The news rushed into the city, and Cui Jun advocated immediate execution as a demonstration of force: "Crossing the border is a crime. If we release them today, there will be three thousand tomorrow."

Lü Ding replied, "There's a fine line between mistakenly entering and testing."

Cui Jun asked in a deep voice, "What are you betting on?"

Lu Ding said calmly, "It's not a gamble, it's a calculation. He doesn't have a province as his base right now, so he won't fight for three hundred men."

"What if he really intends to raise an army?"

Lu Ding's gaze remained unmoved: "That means he has secured his position in Chenliu. Sooner or later, war will be inevitable."

-

In the afternoon, a rider crossed the river from the north bank, unarmored and without a weapon, and claimed to be an envoy.

He entered the battle formation on the south bank of the Xihe Ferry and shouted, "Last night, our army lost its way and mistakenly entered Runan territory. We hope to be allowed passage to retreat."

Chen Fang did not respond and sent someone back to the city to ask for instructions.

In the west wing, Xun You whispered, "If we release them, it's a sign of weakness; if we kill them, it's a sign of fighting to the death."

Lu Ding said slowly, "Since you claim to have entered by mistake, let's verify whether it's true or not."

"How do I verify it?"

"Make them abandon their armor."

Cui Jun's gaze darkened: "Discard armor?"

"Disarm and retreat to the north bank."

"What if you don't comply?"

"Then it wasn't a mistake."

The order reached the front lines. Upon hearing this, the envoy from Chenliu's expression changed slightly: "To abandon our armor would be to lose our military prestige."

Chen Fang said coldly, "An army that has mistakenly entered the territory, what military might does it possess?"

The stalemate resumed, and the Chenliu army formed an even denser array on the earthen ramparts on the north bank.

If Runan fires its arrows first, war will break out.

The three hundred villagers, however, remained motionless for a long time.

Before sunset, the messenger entered the battle once more. This time, he brought a message—

"Lord Cao asked, 'Can the acting manager speak to me personally?'"

The news reached the city.

Xun You was slightly surprised: "He's on the north bank?"

Lü Ding remained unmoved: "Not necessarily."

Cui Jun sneered: "I'm using your name to intimidate you."

Lu Ding pondered for a moment and said, "Give him a reply—"

"Those who have mistakenly entered shall be disarmed and returned; otherwise, Runan shall be considered an invading territory."

The messenger returned with the message.

As night fell, bonfires lined both banks of the Xihe Ferry. The Runan army surrounded the village but did not attack, while the Chenliu army neither retreated nor advanced, their tension palpable.

-

North bank of Chenliu.

Inside the central command tent, Cao Cao listened to the report and lightly tapped the table with his fingers.

"Remove armor?"

"Yes."

He wants me to admit my mistake.

Someone inside the tent angrily said, "My lord, if these three hundred men abandon their armor, what will become of the army's morale!"

Cao Cao did not immediately become angry. He got up and went outside the tent, looking towards the firelight on the south bank.

"He didn't kill."

"They didn't put it down either."

"This is leaving me a way out."

Xiahou Dun whispered, "My lord, you can force your way across."

Cao Cao shook his head: "To force a crossing is to start a war."

He remained silent for a long time, then suddenly laughed and said, "Okay."

The next morning, three hundred villagers slowly walked out in formation.

Under the arrows of the Runan army, their armor was removed piece by piece.

The sound of armored vehicles hitting the ground was particularly jarring in the silence.

On the north bank, some soldiers stood gritting their teeth, but no one dared to cross the line.

Chen Fang stared at them, but did not fire a single arrow.

After removing their armor, three hundred men crossed the river on foot. The Chenliu army on the north bank lined up to greet them, but did not cross the border.

At Xihedu, sparks flew for the first time.

However, it did not catch fire.

-

The news reached the city.

Cui Jun said in a deep voice, "He has withdrawn."

Lü Ding nodded: "He did not retreat."

"What do you mean?"

"They retreated, but showed no intention of retreating."

Xun You slowly said, "He is testing our resolve to defend the line."

Lü Dingdao said, "Let's test his courage to start a war."

Neither side lost.

But victory or defeat is never decided solely on the battlefield.

As soon as news of the disarmament at Xihedu reached the city, the Zhang family immediately closed their doors.

Zhang Huan personally sent someone to the west wing to deliver a letter, ostensibly to inquire after Zhang Huan's health, but in reality to probe his intentions.

The Zhao family took a more direct approach, secretly diverting the grain carts originally destined for Beishi back to their warehouse and suspending the delivery of salt contracts.

The number of night shifts for the city gate guards doubled, and rumors began to circulate in the city. Some said that Chenliu had mobilized more than a thousand troops, while others said that Cao Cao was in the earthen ramparts on the north bank.

When Cui Jun climbed the city wall for the second time, his face was extremely grim.

Looking at the newly built wooden fence on the north bank, he suddenly said, "If you make him remove his armor, he will remember it."

Lu Ding stood in the shadows of the city wall, his tone calm: "Remembering is better than starting a war."

Cui Jun sneered, "Aren't you afraid he'll retaliate for this humiliation in the future?" Lü Ding said calmly, "If we don't establish a side today, we'll never have the chance to do so in the future."

Meanwhile, things were not peaceful for everyone in the North Shore military.

The news of the three hundred men removing their armor had spread throughout the Chenliu camp.

One general angrily said, "Runan is deceiving us!" Xiahou Dun went even further and suggested a forced crossing.

Cao Cao summoned the three hundred men one by one, not to humiliate them, but to inquire about the formation of the Runan army, the archers' positions, and whether there were any weaknesses when they surrounded the enemy without attacking.

After asking the question, he only said one sentence: "He's waiting for me to make the first move." Then he stood alone on the riverbank, looking at the firelight of the patrol on the south bank, and whispered: "This man is very steadfast in guarding the line; he can't be taken down in a short time."

After nightfall, he secretly ordered his men to deliver new armor to the three hundred men. He also ordered that an earthen wall be built three feet higher on the north bank of the Xihe Ferry, but still not beyond the designated boundary.

In Runan City, Lü Ding patrolled the drill ground at night.

The soldiers may not understand the meaning of removing their armor, but they understand one thing—the boundary has been defended.

Xun You whispered, "He didn't lose." Lü Ding replied, "He didn't win either." Xun You asked again, "Then what's next?" Lü Ding looked up at the firelight on the north bank: "He will come again, but there won't be only three hundred men."