My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 471 Xi Lu Envoy to Ji
Many of Cao Cao's generals and officers unanimously agreed that the elite force of the Vanguard Army, meticulously trained by Liu Feng, was in no way inferior to the renowned Halberdiers under Yuan Shao, the valiant White Horse Cavalry under Gongsun Zan, the battle-hardened Qingzhou Army under Cao Cao's own forces, and the formidable Xiliang Iron Cavalry. It was undoubtedly a top-tier elite force.

Cao Cao's Qingzhou army, tempered by countless brutal battles, had grown into a formidable force. Although its discipline remained somewhat lacking, and incidents of disturbance to civilians occasionally occurred, its combat effectiveness on the battlefield was extremely formidable. Furthermore, this army was utterly loyal to Cao Cao alone, obeying his every command. Even Cao Cao's closest relatives, such as Cao Ang, could not be mobilized without Cao Cao's personally written orders; they were undoubtedly Cao Cao's most trusted and relied-upon trump card.

A look of satisfaction flashed in Cao Cao's eyes. He nodded slightly, agreeing wholeheartedly with Cao Ren's analysis, finding it to be spot-on. He unconsciously stroked his beard, falling into a brief moment of contemplation.

After a moment, Cao Cao slowly turned his gaze to Yan Xiang.

Yan Xiang, a native of Jingzhao, was born into a distinguished family with a long tradition of learning. He grew up immersed in a rich cultural atmosphere from a young age. As early as when Li Jue and Guo Si were causing chaos in the court, he was highly regarded by the court officials for his outstanding talent and insight. He was regarded as a rising star in the court with a bright future ahead of him.

Cao Cao's decision to bring Yan Xiang along when leading his army into Guanzhong was based on profound considerations. On one hand, he hoped to leverage Yan Xiang's family influence and network of connections in the region to gain the support of the people of Guanzhong, thus enabling him to more easily dismantle and eliminate the forces of Li Jue, Guo Si, and other Liangzhou warlords. On the other hand, by heavily relying on Yan Xiang, he also wanted to demonstrate to the people of Guanzhong his sincerity in recruiting talented individuals, thereby securing their support, consolidating his rule in the region, and laying a solid foundation for future great achievements.

Previously, Cao Cao had offered Yan Xiang a position in the General's office as a test. Yan Xiang did not refuse, which was undoubtedly a very positive signal, indicating that Yan Xiang was not opposed to serving Cao Cao and was willing to display his talents and ambitions under Cao Cao's command.

At this moment, Cao Cao was eager to hear Yan Xiang's views and opinions on the current situation. Yan Xiang was intelligent, learned, courageous, and talented in both literature and military affairs from a young age.

In the original timeline, Yan Xiang, with his talent and ability, was favored by both the imperial court and Cao Cao, and appointed as the governor of Yangzhou, stationed in Shouchun. He was also the recommender of Sun Quan, the Prince of Wu of the Great Wei. During his tenure, he was invincible, recommending Sun Quan as a talented scholar and in exchange for a lot of resources. If it weren't for Li Shu's madness after he established himself as emperor following Sun Ce's death, Yan Xiang would have had a much more significant role in history.

However, Yangzhou was now under the control of Liu Bei and his son, with Liu Feng personally serving as its governor. Under these circumstances, Yan Xiang naturally could not be appointed as the governor of Yangzhou. But precisely because of this, he grew closer to Cao Cao, becoming one of Cao Cao's key advisors during his entry into Guanzhong, offering advice, liaising with local authorities, and resolving difficulties for Cao Cao.

At this moment, Cao Cao stared intently at Yan Xiang, and asked hesitantly, "What insightful opinions do you have, Wen Ze? I hope you will not hesitate to enlighten me."

His tone carried an undisguised expectation, not so much that he hoped Yan Xiang would offer any useful advice, but rather as a test of Yan Xiang's choice.

Yan Xiang, courtesy name Wenze.

Upon hearing Cao Cao's question, he calmly rose, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, his posture upright like a pine tree, his demeanor dignified and generous, displaying the style of a renowned scholar.

After a moment's thought and gathering his thoughts, he slowly said, "General, in the past, the powerful Qin Dynasty was tyrannical and cruel, and the six states were afraid and retreated one after another. Today, it ceded five cities, and tomorrow it will cede ten more, just to seek a day of peace, but in the end, it could not escape its fate. Moreover, General, you have been ordered by the Emperor to assist in governing the country, and this is precisely the time when you need the help of heroes from all over the world."

"Today, Liu Biao sincerely submits to the court, but you, General, firmly refuse to accept it. How will the people of the world view you in the future? This move will not only strengthen our army and enhance our influence throughout the land, but also demonstrate your magnanimity and high prestige. It is truly a win-win situation. I hope you will consider this carefully."

Yan Xiang's voice was steady and powerful, echoing in the room like a resounding bell.

Every word and every sentence was clear and logically sound, making people unconsciously believe him, as if everything he said was an unquestionable truth.

"What Wenze said is absolutely right!"

Cao Cao praised loudly, a gratified smile spreading across his face, his heart filled with satisfaction. He was very pleased with Yan Xiang's answer, feeling that Yan Xiang had indeed lived up to his expectations. The advice he gave was not only in line with the current situation but also extremely insightful. Most importantly, Yan Xiang's words were based on Cao Cao's perspective, which undoubtedly dispelled most of Cao Cao's doubts, making him extremely satisfied.

Although Cao Cao's strategist Xi Zhicai remained silent and smiling throughout, quietly observing everyone's reactions, he was the one who knew Cao Cao's thoughts best.

In fact, from the moment Cao Cao summoned Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Yue Jin and others, Xi Zhicai, with his deep understanding of Cao Cao, keenly sensed that Cao Cao would inevitably accept Liu Biao's surrender.

Liu Feng is currently riding high, and his influence in Jingzhou is constantly expanding. If Cao Cao wants to accept Liu Biao's surrender, he must be prepared to launch a military campaign at any time. After all, this is an act of snatching food from Liu Feng's mouth, and Cao Cao knows all too well how cunning, difficult, and battle-hardened Liu Zisheng (Liu Feng) is.

Even if Cao Cao didn't want to confront the Yangzhou army head-on, he had to prepare to send reinforcements to Liu Biao's aid.

This is because Liu Feng might not stop his expansion just because of an imperial edict.

If the two sides were to actually fight, and his generals were too afraid of Liu Feng to step forward, Cao Cao would find himself in a difficult and awkward situation. Not only would he lose the trust of Liu Biao and the scholars of Jingzhou, causing Liu Biao to doubt his sincerity, but he would also become a laughingstock throughout the land, severely damaging his prestige and reputation.

Even if Liu Feng were to back down out of consideration for the harmonious relationship between the two families, Cao Cao would still likely resort to military force.

Xi Zhicai knew full well that in Cao Cao's heart, whether Liu Biao truly submitted was irrelevant. Because regardless of Liu Biao's sincerity, Cao Cao would use the prestige of the imperial court to leave Liu Biao with no other choice but to genuinely submit. And in achieving this goal, military means might be necessary at times to force Liu Biao into submission.

Cao Cao was always adept at political maneuvering, and in military affairs, he was decisive and skilled in warfare. In order to achieve his hegemony and unify the world, he would never let go of any opportunity to strengthen his power and expand his influence, and he would forge ahead without hesitation even if the road ahead was full of challenges and dangers.

Xi Zhicai was deep in thought when he suddenly noticed Cao Cao's gaze turn towards him. He understood immediately, gave Cao Cao an approving look, and quietly nodded.

Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai had been working together for many years and were extremely compatible and had a perfect understanding of each other. Cao Cao immediately understood his strategist's meaning and made up his mind.

"it is good!"

Cao Cao stood up, his posture upright, and said with great enthusiasm, "I understand your intentions! Since Liu Biao has sincerely submitted, the court cannot refuse him. Otherwise, how will the people of the world view us? How will we face the Emperor and the people?" As soon as Cao Cao said this, everyone responded in unison, their voices clear and loud, filled with loyalty and devotion to Cao Cao.

At this moment, Xi Zhicai slowly spoke: "Since our lord has decided to accept Liu Biao, there is one place we must send an envoy to immediately."

A glint of light flashed in Cao Cao's eyes, as if he had already guessed what Xi Zhicai was going to say, and he asked, "Is Zhicai referring to Zhang Ji?"

"Exactly!"

Xi Zhicai felt a deep connection with Cao Cao, and a sense of harmony between ruler and subject arose spontaneously within him.

He continued, "Zhang Ji currently occupies Shangcheng, a strategic location between Guanzhong and Nanyang. His presence obstructs our Guanzhong army's southward advance to Nanyang. Moreover, although he is also a warrior from Xiliang, like Duan Wei, he has committed fewer atrocities and is not particularly ambitious, posing a relatively small threat to our lord. Now that Liu Biao has surrendered, it is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of the situation and subdue his troops. If we can successfully subdue Zhang Ji, we can not only remove the obstacle to our southward advance but also strengthen our power and enhance our control over the Nanyang region."

After listening, Cao Cao nodded slowly, indicating his approval of Xi Zhicai's analysis: "What Zhicai said is very much to my liking. But in your opinion, who is the most suitable candidate for this envoy?"

After a moment's thought, Xi Zhicai replied, "Both Man Boning (Man Chong) and Xi Hongyu (Xi Lu) are suitable. Man Boning is calm and composed, with exceptional wisdom and resourcefulness, and he always handles matters prudently; Xi Hongyu is learned and talented, with eloquent speech, comes from a prestigious family, and is a disciple of the great Confucian scholar Zheng Gong, enjoying considerable prestige among scholars. With these two as envoys, they will surely not disgrace our lord."

Cao Cao smiled with satisfaction, and after considering it for a moment, he decided, "Let Xi Hongyu go."

Because of Liu Feng, Cao Cao's control over the court was far less than that of the same period in the original timeline.

In the original timeline, Xi Lu, used as a henchman in Cao Cao's political struggles and a professional cruel official, naturally lacked the prestige he held in the other timeline. Now, however, Cao Cao has reassigned him to other tasks, which is actually a good thing for Xi Lu. After all, since the Han Dynasty, cruel officials have been as numerous as carp crossing a river, emerging one after another. Although they rose through the ranks extremely quickly, very few actually had a good ending and died peacefully.

The most important purpose of this visit to Zhang Ji is to persuade him to submit to the imperial court. Xi Lu comes from a good family, is a student of a famous teacher, and is also exceptionally talented and knowledgeable, making him very suitable for this mission.

Xi Zhicai had no objection to this and wrote down the appointment for Cao Cao.

Cao Cao then said to Cao Ren and others, "The army should halt its return march and urge Luozhong to continue sending more grain over."

Cao Cao had been stationed in Chang'an for several months, during which time he carried out a large-scale purge of the remaining bandits in Xiliang. In particular, the two main culprits, Li Jue and Guo Si, were targeted. Li Jue was killed by his subordinates who betrayed him and presented his head to Cao Cao in order to curry favor. Guo Si, on the other hand, was pursued by Duan Wei and eventually, with nowhere to run, was surrounded and committed suicide.

Thus, the campaign to subdue Guanzhong was largely completed. Half of Guanzhong was now under Cao Cao's control, while the other half was in the hands of Han Sui and Ma Teng. Finally, Zhang Ji held only a small piece of land in the lower right corner of Guanzhong, comprising just two counties.

Cao Cao had his own reasons for keeping Zhang Ji alive.

Firstly, Zhang Ji himself was quite sensible. After Cao Cao entered Guanzhong, he not only did not come to Chang'an to join forces with Li Jue and Guo Si to resist Cao Cao, but also sent someone to curry favor with Cao Cao and secretly presented him with a generous gift. Judging from these actions, his attitude was quite good, so Cao Cao naturally put him on the back burner and did not take military action against him for the time being.

Secondly, Zhang Ji's location was also crucial. Shang County, where he was stationed, was a strategic point between Guanzhong and Nanyang, connected by the Dan River. Whether Guanzhong was conquering Nanyang or Nanyang was invading Guanzhong, Shang County was a necessary passage. Given Zhang Ji's efforts to curry favor with Cao Cao and his repeated raids on Nanyang via Wuguan Pass, keeping Zhang Ji alive was actually beneficial for Cao Cao. He could use Zhang Ji to contain Nanyang's forces and launch attacks on Nanyang through Shang County when necessary.

Therefore, before receiving the report and letter from Luoyang, Cao Cao had already planned to return to Luozhong in triumph.

His original plan was to have Cao Ren guard Guanzhong, with Yue Jin and Duan Wei as his deputies, leading 20,000 troops to garrison Chang'an. To this end, the army had already begun preparing its supplies and made all the necessary preparations for its eastward journey back to Luozhong.

But now that Liu Biao has encountered such a predicament, he may have to send troops to Nanyang at any time. In that case, it would be time-consuming, laborious, and costly for the army to return to Luozhong. Furthermore, if Zhang Ji were willing to surrender, it would be much more convenient to send troops from Guanzhong to Nanyang than from Luozhong, and with the Dan River as a backup, transportation costs could be greatly reduced.

Even if Zhang Ji refused to surrender, it would be a simple matter of killing him along the Dan River, which would not be difficult for Cao Cao's army.

"Here."

Upon hearing Cao Cao's order, Cao Ren and other generals immediately responded, their voices firm and powerful, demonstrating their absolute obedience and loyalty to Cao Cao.

**
"An envoy from the imperial court?"

Upon hearing Jia Xu's words, Zhang Ji was shocked, his eyes filled with disbelief, and he almost stood up from his seat.

It's no wonder Zhang Ji was so surprised. At present, Cao Cao's family holds absolute power in the court. Although it hasn't reached the point where the Cao family wields absolute authority, they are undeniably the most powerful faction in the court. Under Cao Cao's strong control, many of the court's decisions are deeply influenced by him. Currently, Cao Cao has a large army stationed in Chang'an, posing a powerful military threat to the Guanzhong region, especially to the isolated Zhang Ji.

Given this situation, Cao Cao's sudden envoy seemed to have ill intentions, making people wary.

(End of this chapter)