New Three Kingdoms Tales: Starting as the expressionless Liu Bei

On the official road in Xingyang, seven thousand cavalrymen were galloping along the route Dong Zhuo had fled. Their hooves pounded the dry yellow earth, kicking up clouds of dust.

Cao Ren rode closely beside Cao Cao, his brows furrowed, his lips moving several times before he finally couldn't help but speak.

"Brother, I have a question that I have been pondering for a long time but still cannot figure out. I hope you can enlighten me."

Cao Cao turned his head and, seeing Cao Ren's scratching-headed expression, nodded. Cao Ren immediately said, "Brother, why did you give Luoyang to Sun Jian and then come to hunt down Dong Zhuo?"

Cao Cao chuckled, a sly glint in his eyes.

He tightened the reins, slowing the horse, and turned to ask, "Tell me, which is more important, ruins or the emperor?"

Without a second thought, Cao Ren blurted out, "Of course, the Emperor is more important."

Cao Cao slowly shook his head, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his narrow eyes.

He raised his hand, made a light pinch in the air, and said, "Wrong. Ruins and emperor are not important. What is important is the Imperial Seal."

He frowned slightly and sighed in a lecturing tone.

"Cao Ren, your political maneuvering skills still need improvement."

Cao Ren's lips twitched, and he was filled with doubt.

Brother, you didn't even give me the option of the Imperial Seal just now.

Despite his thoughts, he didn't dare to say it aloud. Instead, he lowered his head, clasped his hands in a gesture of flattery, and said, "Brother, you truly understand strategy and tactics. We are all inferior to you. However, this humble general is foolish and hopes that you will enlighten me."

Cao Cao chuckled, leaned back slightly in his saddle, and pointed towards Luoyang.

"Luoyang has been burned to the ground by Dong Zhuo, leaving only rubble and barren land. As for the emperor..." He withdrew his hand, his tone turning somber.

"His reputation has already been tarnished by Dong Zhuo at such a young age. Everyone knows he was kidnapped, and the court's prestige has been completely destroyed. Even if we risk our lives to bring him back, what good will it do?"

He abruptly changed the subject, a burning light flashing in his eyes.

"The Imperial Seal of the State is different. It's a true treasure, the most precious of treasures, worth more than a million soldiers!"

Cao Cao raised his head, his face showing a look of reminiscence, and his tone became solemn, "Emperor Gaozu once said, 'He who possesses the Imperial Seal possesses the world.' As long as we hold the Imperial Seal in our hands, our strength will be greatly enhanced, and it will be no problem for us to carve out our own territory."

"If the opportunity arises in the future, we might even become emperors and kings. At that time, all the other lords will have to look at us with disdain."

Cao Ren nodded repeatedly, clasped his hands in praise, and said, "This humble general has learned a great deal. Elder brother, you clearly understand the ambition of the king; this humble general admires you!"

But before he could finish speaking, a new look of confusion appeared between his brows. "But brother, we clearly only have four thousand soldiers. Why did you tell Sun Jian that we have over ten thousand elite cavalry?"

Cao Cao glanced at him, a disdainful smile playing on his lips.

"Cao Ren, do you really need to ask me about such a simple political strategy?"

He reached out and patted Cao Ren on the shoulder, saying earnestly, "If I hadn't said that, would Sun Wentai have been willing to hand over three thousand cavalrymen so easily? These warlords are all opportunists and fence-sitters."

"When Liu Bei first joined the alliance, he was just a commoner who wove mats and sold shoes. They surrounded him and mocked him, and none of them gave him a second glance."

He sighed, and the image of that perpetually expressionless face flashed through his mind.

"And now? Liu Bei has several thousand elite troops under his command, three great generals Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Tang Sanzang, and he has also formed an alliance with Yuan Shu and Gongsun Zan. His strength should not be underestimated."

"These warlords immediately changed their tune, one after another rushing to curry favor with him. Cao Ren, huh..." He gave Cao Ren a deep look, his tone becoming exceptionally solemn.

"In this chaotic world, we must constantly strive for improvement and cannot afford to relax for even a moment. Otherwise, sooner or later we will become crickets at the mercy of others."

Cao Ren lowered his head and remained silent for a long while.

This question had been weighing on his mind for a long time, and only after Cao Cao pointed it out did he suddenly understand.

He recalled that when he first joined the alliance, the soldier who announced it had clearly shouted it out at the top of his lungs from the command platform:

"Cao Cao, the valiant cavalry commander, led four thousand brave warriors from his family to the alliance meeting."

Four thousand words, each one clear and distinct, were heard perfectly by all the princes in the hall.

As a result, when his elder brother said without changing his expression that there were more than 10,000 elite cavalry, Sun Jian did not doubt it at all and did not even bother to verify it.

Cao Ren couldn't help but chuckle to himself. This fierce tiger of Jiangdong had probably lost his mind at Baima Fortress.

However, as the number one "spirit seeker" in the new Three Kingdoms, his curiosity could not be suppressed for long before it surged up again.

He turned to Cao Cao and asked, "Brother, I have another question. Our army has ventured deep into enemy territory alone. Although Dong Zhuo was defeated, his defeated troops from Xiliang still number at least tens of thousands!"

Horse hooves flew, and the withered trees on both sides of the official road rushed past.

Cao Cao spurred his horse and galloped away, the strong wind making his cloak flutter loudly behind him.

He raised his head slightly, a smug look spreading across his face, and laughed loudly into the howling wind:

"Proceed with the victory, advance! The enemy is not here, their forces are few! The fleeing army, though routed, is not to be feared, for it is numerous!"

He read it with intonation and rhythm, as if he had already seen through the entire pursuit.

Cao Ren frowned, his face full of worry, and his voice became more urgent:

"But brother, do you still remember the military strategy you yourself spoke of? Victorious armies are bound to be arrogant, and arrogant armies are bound to be defeated! Defeated armies are bound to be dejected, and dejected armies are bound to be victorious!"

"Now that Dong Zhuo has burned Luoyang and fled west in haste, his army is in dire straits; our army, on the other hand, has been pursuing us victoriously and is now arrogant. Given this contrast, I fear we are in danger!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao not only did not suppress his laughter, but laughed even more heartily.

He gently pulled on the reins, slowing his horse's pace, and rode alongside Cao Ren at a leisurely pace. Then he leaned closer, lowered his voice, and a sly glint flashed in his eyes:

"That's why I borrowed these three thousand cavalry from Sun Jian. As long as I send all these borrowed soldiers to the Xiliang army to kill, they will turn from a desperate army into a proud army, while our army will become a desperate army!"

Cao Ren's pupils suddenly contracted, and he opened his mouth, his worry instantly replaced by a shocking realization.

Cao Cao straightened up, lashed his whip forward, his smile vanished, and he gave a deep order:

"Once you get close to the enemy, you don't need to fight. Just deploy more feints and create a false impression to terrify the Xiliang army."

He paused, lowering his voice further, yet revealing an undeniable resolve, "Once we engage, I don't need you to seize the Emperor, nor do I need you to take Dong Zhuo's head. I only need you to do one thing: rush forward without regard for the consequences and retrieve the Imperial Seal for me!"

"Yes, sir!" Cao Ren instinctively clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, but as soon as he clenched his fist, he relaxed it again.

He licked his lips, hesitated, and asked, "But brother, the Imperial Seal is most likely with Dong Zhuo, and Dong Zhuo has that fierce general Lü Bu by his side at all times. I'm afraid... trying to snatch it from Lü Bu..."

Cao Cao reined in his horse, turned his head, and asked in return, "Do you think you can defeat Lü Bu?"

Cao Ren looked embarrassed, shook his head helplessly, clasped his hands and bowed his head, saying, "This humble general is ashamed. In a one-on-one fight, I am no match for that fellow."

But he suddenly raised his head, a defiant arrogance flashing in his eyes, "But when it comes to troop deployment, Lu Bu is no match for me!"

Cao Cao nodded in satisfaction and slowly said:

"Alright. I order you to activate your supernatural transformation and rush at full speed to the front of Dong Zhuo's army. Lay a tight net along their inevitable path to stop Dong Zhuo! Remember, your mission is to use the formation to hold them back. I will personally seize the Imperial Seal!"

Cao Ren took a deep breath, his eyes no longer showing any hesitation, and clasped his hands heavily on horseback: "Your humble servant obeys!"