I, Zhou Cang, am the number one tank in the Three Kingdoms.

Every time Zhang Xiu opened his eyes, it was another day where he silently prayed, "Cao Cao, don't let me down." He had become somewhat numb to it all.

As the servants brought water for washing, Zhang Xiu casually asked, "Is there any movement outside the city?"

The servants remained silent.

Zhang Xiu kicked over the basin of water and shouted angrily, "Report the truth!"

The servant stammered, "My lord, there is nothing serious, only a minor matter."

Zhang Xiu frowned and asked, "What is it?"

The servant said, "This morning, Liu Bei's army delivered a wooden box to the city gate. We took it and placed it on the city tower, not daring to open it lightly."

Zhang Xiu remained silent for a moment before saying, "Hmph, it's probably just some petty tricks again."

After donning his armor, Zhang Xiu ordered, "Take me to see."

On the top of the city gate tower, there was a wooden box about five feet long and wide, with a note attached to it: "To General Zhang Xiu."

Zhang Xiu looked at his men with suspicion and opened the wooden box.

Inside was a small wooden box, a command arrow, and a letter, placed on top of a flag.

Zhang Xiu opened the wooden box, and inside was a seal with the words "Order of Bowang" engraved on the bottom.

The command arrow was Cao Cao's army's command arrow.

The banner was unfurled, and surprisingly, it read "Marquis of Duting, Cao Ren".

Zhang Xiu looked astonished. Could it be that the reinforcements sent by the Prime Minister, led by Cao Ren, had been defeated?

Upon opening the letter again, it was found to be a handwritten letter from Liu Bei:

"Liu Bei, General of the Left of the Han Dynasty, Governor of Yu Province, and Marquis of Yicheng, bows twice and presents this letter to General Zhang Xiu:"

Both Liu Bei and the general had received the Han's favor and cared deeply for the people.

Now, by imperial decree, I have raised an army to attack Cao Cao. I have been besieged in this isolated city for over a month. Every time I look towards the city walls, it is not that I wish to send more troops, but I am truly saddened that your brilliant talents have been wasted and your brave soldiers have made pointless sacrifices.

There is something of utmost importance that I must speak frankly about:

Cao Cao was defeated at Guandu, a fact known to all.

They were too busy to help themselves, and the only general they could send to aid them was Cao Ren with a thousand cavalry.

However, when Cao Ren's troops arrived at Bowang, they saw our flags and drums and dared not go deep. After a brief battle with my brother Yide, they fled in the night.

I have already captured Bowang under the cover of night, and Cao Ren's banner, Bowang command seal, and command arrow are all here now.

It wasn't that Cao Ren lacked courage, but rather that the Han traitors' power was already waning, and he was powerless to stop them.

General, please consider this: if Cao Cao still had spare strength, would he be willing to use a mere thousand cavalry to carry out perfunctory tasks, while abandoning the strategically important city of Wancheng and his trusted generals?

General, you are an exceptionally talented individual. In the past, you were forced to surrender to Cao Cao. Cao Cao outwardly showed you great kindness, but inwardly harbored old grudges. This is what troubles you day and night.

Now that they have been defeated, if the general still clings to his beliefs, it is tantamount to abandoning his pawns to defend a lonely city, sacrificing personal grudges for the sake of defeat, failing the emperor above and causing suffering to the common people below.

The city's food supplies are running out, and external aid is cut off forever. Even if the general is willing to sacrifice himself, how can he bear to see his soldiers starve to death and the city's people turn to skeletal remains?

He prepared to raise an army with benevolence and righteousness, aiming to pacify the world and restore the Han dynasty.

If the general opens the city gates to meet me, I will treat you with the utmost respect, preserve your rank and emoluments, and safeguard the lives of all my men. All past grievances will be swept away.

Welcoming back the Emperor and jointly punishing the traitors of Han will make the General's name of loyalty and righteousness known throughout the world. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

The outcome of fortune or misfortune can be decided in an instant; the path of loyalty and righteousness lies in the present moment.

I urge the general to assess the current situation and, for the sake of the lives of the city's inhabitants and for the greater good of the nation, to devise a sound plan as soon as possible.

Tears streamed down my face as I prepared to write this, eagerly awaiting its arrival.

I will pay my respects again.

After reading the letter, Zhang Xiu looked at the flag, command arrow, and seal in front of him, and staggered back a few steps.

Upon seeing this, someone quickly helped him up and brought him a chair.

Zhang Xiu slumped into a chair, finally calmly considering every word in Liu Bei's letter.

What is before them proves that Hu Che'er was right; Cao Cao has indeed given up on himself.

The saying that "Cao Cao outwardly showed great kindness but inwardly harbored old grudges" is incorrect. Cao Cao actually treated me very well, but—

Because he killed Dian Wei, Cao Ang, and Cao Anmin, apart from Cao Cao himself, he was like a lost soul in Cao Cao's camp.

Whether it was the civil and military officials under Cao Cao, the servants and eunuchs around Cao Cao, or even his son Cao Pi and a group of guests.

Almost everyone looked at him with disgust.

He killed Cao Cao's closest relatives without achieving any merit, yet he received high-ranking official positions and generous salaries simply because he surrendered.

Isn't this a kind of torment...?

I have always been an absolutely pragmatic person. The only time I acted on emotion was when I became loyal to Cao Cao and insisted on not surrendering to Liu Bei.

But what did we get in return?

First there was Hu Che'er, who loyally remonstrated until his death in battle; then there was Cao Ren, who feigned rescue but fled without a fight.

Have I, Zhang Xiu, really made the wrong choice this time?

Liu Bei was a skilled and courageous general. Although he suffered repeated defeats, this time, after raising an army based on righteousness, he achieved a series of victories.

This time, from the attack on Gualijin to his return from Guandu, it seems that every step he took was calculated by them.

I, Zhang Xiu, pacified Zu Li in my youth, established myself in Xiliang, followed Zhang Ji in causing chaos in Chang'an, and defeated the Prime Minister in Wancheng. But today... my fate is not in my own hands.

Zhang Xiu let out a long sigh and closed his eyes.

Liu Bei waited outside the city for a day. After the garrison of Wancheng carried the wooden box inside and there was no further movement, he asked Xu Shu, "Strategist, is this plan truly feasible?"

Xu Shu confidently replied, "It will definitely work, my lord, please rest assured."

That evening, the two climbed the Guali Jinwang Tower to look out over Wancheng.

"Thump thump thump thump!" A soldier quickly rushed up the watchtower.

"Report! My lord, men from inside the city have come to surrender!"

"Oh?!" Liu Bei was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly asked the soldier, "Where is the messenger?"

The soldier replied, "They're in the northern camp."

When Liu Bei and Xu Shu rode back to the main tent of the northern camp at full speed, they saw a handsome young man standing in the tent.

"Our lord has arrived!" a soldier outside the tent called out.

Upon hearing the voice, the young man bowed respectfully, neither humble nor arrogant, and waited for Liu Bei to take his seat.

After Liu Bei and Xu Shu entered the tent, Liu Bei asked, "Who are you?"

The young man replied, "I am Zhang Quan, son of General Yangwu."

Liu Bei's eyes lit up. He glanced at Xu Shu, then smiled and asked Zhang Quan, "Your father sent you to surrender. Do you have a letter of surrender?"

Zhang Quan took out a letter from his sleeve, bowed respectfully, and held it above his head with both hands, saying, "This is the letter of surrender; please accept it, my lord."

Xu Shu stepped forward, took the surrender document, and handed it to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei opened it and saw:

"This guilty subject Zhang Xiu, bowing and weeping, reports to General Liu of the Left:"

Embroidered-clad, he guarded the isolated city, running out of food and reinforcements, failing the imperial court above and feeling ashamed before the soldiers and civilians below.

Reading the general's handwritten letter today is like seeing a lamp in the night fog; I am deeply moved by the general's righteousness in protecting the people and jointly punishing the traitors.

The Cao family's power was already gone, and Xiu dared not let personal grievances interfere with public justice, nor could he bear to let the entire city's inhabitants perish in the defeat.

We are willing to surrender the entire city and serve under your command.

I hereby agree that at dawn tomorrow, I will open the north gate of Wancheng, personally bind myself before the general, and present the seal and ribbon to him.

I humbly request your kind consideration.

Embroidered tears flowed as she bowed.

Liu Bei became more and more excited as he read it, and only after reading it twice did he hand the surrender document to Xu Shu.

After all, this would be the first large city he had captured since he started his army, and his excitement was beyond words.

After reading it, Xu Shu remained relatively calm. He looked at Zhang Quan and asked, "Why did your father send you to surrender?"

Zhang Quan bowed to Xu Shu and replied, "My father has a message for me to convey."

Xu Shu said, "Please speak freely, young master."

Zhang Quan then turned to Liu Bei and bowed, saying, "My father has instructed that you, my lord, enter the city alone on horseback tomorrow. If you do not agree, I regret that my father cannot comply."

Upon hearing this, Xu Shu's eyes widened, and his heart skipped a beat.

A lone horseman entering the city?

Is this an acceptance of surrender or an acceptance of slaughter?!