With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 145, Take the opportunity to save face.

The fact that no common people gathered to watch the hunt in Xutian was something Cao Cao could be thankful for.

Without the people, news is easier to control and prevent from spreading.

Afterwards, Cao Cao immediately summoned his generals together, swept his stern gaze over them, and instructed them: "No one is to spread this matter. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

No one dared to disobey orders, and they immediately relayed Cao Cao's instructions. Cao Cao was known for his strict military discipline, and besides, this matter involved the emperor, so no one dared to discuss it further.

Even if some people disapproved of Cao Cao, they could only keep their dissatisfaction to themselves.

Unless someone incites them to openly stand up against Cao Cao, perhaps someone will have the courage to do so.

If Liu Xie were to do this today, some of the lower-ranking Cao army soldiers would respond!
As the setting sun casts its rays, Xuchang is bathed in its afterglow, gaining an air of sacred solemnity.

After several years of expansion, Xudu City has doubled in size compared to its original size. The inner and outer cities are clearly separated, and the water in the moat is exceptionally clear.

The grass was lush and green, and the trees along the roadside were also very dense, with their branches and leaves swaying in the wind. Pedestrians were coming and going on the street, and everywhere was filled with a bustling and lively atmosphere.

Even as Cao Cao rode on his horse, he couldn't help but sigh, realizing that Liu Xie deserved a great deal of credit for the changes in Xuchang today.

Objectively speaking, Cao Cao admitted that Liu Xie treated him well, and that Cao Cao's current strength was partly due to Liu Xie.

Cao Cao was not that selfish; he always held Liu Xie in high esteem.

Cao Cao simply wanted Liu Xie to be a nominal emperor, stay put, and not run around or cause trouble.

But Liu Xie had grown up, and more and more people were willing to follow him. Over the past year, Cao Cao's sense of crisis had become increasingly intense.

Even if Liu Xie did nothing, as the emperor of the Han Dynasty, there would still be people willing to support him. Moreover, Liu Xie himself was smart enough and patient enough.

Cao Cao had no choice but to regard him as his rival. Since they were rivals, a battle had to be fought, so Cao Cao always wanted to suppress Liu Xie.

After returning to the city, Cao Cao did not dare to go directly to see Liu Xie. He decided to go back to the Sikong Mansion to discuss things first. Before he even got home, Cao Xiu rushed over.

Cao Xiu was a member of Cao Cao's clan. He was tall and strong, and full of heroic spirit. Although he was only a teenager, he had already begun to follow Cao Cao into battle.

He, along with Cao Zhen, Xiahou Shang, and others, were outstanding representatives of the next generation that Cao Cao focused on cultivating.

"My lord, General Cao Chun is seriously injured and urgently needs medical treatment."

Cao Cao was also very worried and immediately ordered, "Quickly go find Hua Tuo."

But Cao Xiu shook his head helplessly, "The Divine Physician Hua is not in Xudu right now."

"Then fetch the imperial physician and bring Ji Ping here!" Cao Cao roared, almost shouting.

Cao Chun was seriously injured. He not only lost an arm, but also suffered injuries to his chest and abdomen. When he was carried back, he was covered in blood.

Cao Cao returned to the Sikong Mansion and sat down, exhausted. Just as he sat down, Cao Ang strode in.

With a thud, Cao Ang knelt down on the ground.

"Zixiu, what's wrong with you?" Cao Cao looked at his son and was immediately stunned.

Cao Ang looked directly at Cao Cao and said earnestly, "Father, I really don't understand what's wrong with you today, but it's obvious that you've made a mistake. I don't think I have the right to criticize you. It would be a great act of filial impiety for me to say that you've made a mistake."

“But before Your Majesty, Father is a subject, and so is I. Seeing Your Majesty being humiliated, I truly cannot understand. I implore Father to go to the palace to plead guilty to Your Majesty and beg for your forgiveness.”

“My mother taught me the principles of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness from a young age, and His Majesty also hopes that I will grow up to be a person of both virtue and talent. But Father, you have offended His Majesty in front of so many people…”

Cao Ang's voice choked with emotion, and he became more and more agitated as he spoke. In the end, he shed tears and kowtowed to Cao Cao again and again.

This infuriated Cao Cao. He jumped to his feet and roared, "You brat, how dare you lecture your father! Get out of here!"

Cao Ang refused to back down and stubbornly knelt on the ground. Guo Jia, who followed him in, quickly waved his hand, signaling the armored soldiers beside him to carry Cao Ang out.

Cao Cao, still furious, pointed a trembling finger at the door and said, "See that? This brat dares to reprimand me! Is he still my son?"

Guo Jia advised, "My lord, the eldest son has not done anything wrong. All parents in the world are the same; they all hope that their children will be knowledgeable, well-mannered, and become promising talents."

Indeed, all parents in the world hope that their children will become successful and sensible.

Cao Ang did indeed do a very good job, but from Cao Cao's perspective, it was a different story.

"Hmph!" Cao Cao snorted again, though he wasn't really angry with Cao Ang.

Cao Cao also knew that Cao Ang had always done very well, which made him, as a father, very proud.

Just as the two were about to discuss, Cao Pi came in again. He was now fourteen years old, taller, and much stronger.

But compared to before, he became even more cunning. In front of Cao Cao, he was always a man of few words and would never say anything he shouldn't.

But whenever he had the chance, Cao Pi still loved to flatter and fawn over Cao Cao.

On his way here, Cao Pi happened to see Cao Ang being carried away. Cao Pi was very pleased and realized that this was a good opportunity.

"Father."

After entering the room, Cao Pi respectfully bowed and then stood aside.

Cao Cao glanced at him and asked, "Zihuan, what do you think of what happened at the hunting grounds today?"

As parents, we always like to test our children.

Cao Pi immediately replied, "I think Father has done a good job. This territory was originally conquered by Father. However, since Your Majesty refuses to bow down, I think Father can take this opportunity to simply imprison Your Majesty in the palace."

Cao Cao was somewhat displeased and snorted with a sullen face.

Cao Cao's purpose was merely to intimidate Liu Xie; he did not want to completely escalate the situation.

Cao Cao looked at Cao Pi sternly and said, "Zihuan, aren't you afraid that your father will bear the blame? Besides, Lü Bu and Zhao Yun are both by His Majesty's side. Do you think His Majesty is so easy to control?"

Cao Pi, oblivious to the displeasure in Cao Cao's eyes, continued, "Father, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei are all so valiant, yet they are still powerless against your army. The same applies to Lü Bu and Zhao Yun. If we imprison His Majesty, order the city sealed off, and execute anyone who dares to speak out, the matter will quickly be quelled, and any criticism will be deterred by your iron-fisted orders." "Nonsense! Get out of here!" Cao Cao snapped as soon as Cao Pi finished speaking.

If controlling the emperor were that easy, Cao Cao would have done it long ago, but things are not that simple.

“My lord, it’s easy to control His Majesty, but difficult to control people’s hearts!” As he spoke, Xun Yu walked in from outside.

Xun Yu, his face full of worry, glanced reproachfully at Guo Jia as soon as he entered, then looked at Cao Cao and said, "My lord, why didn't you discuss the hunting with me beforehand? If you had acted carefully, this situation wouldn't have happened."

Cao Cao sighed, "Wenruo, I never expected things to turn out this way. By the way, how is His Majesty doing?"

Cao Cao was now very concerned about Liu Xie's reaction, and Guo Jia also turned his attention to Xun Yu.

Xun Yu shook his head and sighed heavily. "His Majesty is currently in Lingyan Pavilion. His Majesty said that he will wait for you there. He just asked me how to record your merits and demerits in Lingyan Pavilion today."

"this?"

Whenever the Lingyan Pavilion was mentioned, Cao Cao felt as if he were under a spell; he couldn't help but feel uneasy whenever he offended the emperor.

Cao Cao was somewhat troubled and looked to his two trusted advisors for help, asking, "Wenruo, Fengxiao, how should I deal with this matter?"

Xun Yu said, “My lord, your struggle with Yuan Shao is the most important matter. Before that, Xuchang must remain stable. You and His Majesty must ease tensions as soon as possible. Your actions today have already made His Majesty uneasy. Do you really want to force His Majesty to treat you as an enemy?”

"His Majesty has not done anything to wrong you, my lord. He has always helped you and trusted you as a confidant. This is truly rare. My lord, consider this: if you do not yield, can you still confidently send troops to fight Yuan Shao in the future? You have witnessed His Majesty's temper today. His Majesty is not as weak as you imagine. If His Majesty were to fight back, with internal and external troubles, your ambitions would surely be destroyed."

Guo Jia nodded. “My lord, Wenruo and I share the same opinion. His Majesty currently harbors no hostility towards you. Your priority is to deal with Yuan Shao and it is not advisable to make an enemy of His Majesty.”

"His Majesty's waiting for you at Lingyan Pavilion signifies two things."

What are the two meanings of "Fengxiao"?

"First, it shows that His Majesty is still willing to believe in you, and believes that you are a loyal subject of the Han Dynasty. As long as you are willing to make concessions, His Majesty will consider the overall situation and forgive you."

"Secondly, this also demonstrates His Majesty's determination. His Majesty will not yield. If you, my lord, wish to control His Majesty, you can only resort to force. The Lingyan Pavilion is filled with the names of loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty, and those who have made contributions to the Han Dynasty are all those who have been rewarded. Many of them have even made sacrifices for the Han Dynasty, such as Lu Kang and Shi Sunrui. His Majesty is waiting for you in the Lingyan Pavilion. It goes without saying that His Majesty will use his actions to defend the dignity of the Han Dynasty!"

With a sigh, Cao Cao stood up, his face very serious. He paced back and forth in the room a few times, then looked at Guo Jia and said, "Fengxiao, His Majesty is probably far more difficult to deal with than you and I imagine."

The more Cao Cao interacted with Liu Xie and learned about him, the more he realized that Liu Xie was not a simple man.

Guo Jia nodded. "Therefore, my lord, you must not act rashly and turn against His Majesty. It will only result in mutual destruction and a lose-lose situation. Just like today's events, His Majesty has actually done his best to restrain himself. After Guan Yu made his move, His Majesty could have taken this opportunity to make his move, but he gave up."

Cao Cao couldn't help but recall the thrilling scene at that time, when Guan Yu alone almost killed him, and Liu Xie was not far away.

If Liu Xie had ordered Lü Bu and Zhao Yun to attack together, Cao Cao's forehead broke out in a cold sweat as he thought about it.

With Lü Bu, Zhao Yun, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei on the scene, there might be many Cao soldiers who would be incited by Liu Xie. The more Cao Cao thought about it, the more frightened he became.

“Fengxiao, you’re right. His Majesty has been restraining himself. In fact, he reminded me several times during our competition.”

Guo Jia said, "If His Majesty is determined to take action, he can immediately send people to Chen to gather reinforcements. However, most of your troops are at Guandu. Just imagine what the outcome would be if a real battle broke out."

Cao Xiu came running again, panting, "My lord, even Physician Ji Ping is helpless. He said..."

Cao Cao's eyes widened, and he asked incredulously, "Is it possible that even the imperial physicians cannot heal Cao Chun's injuries?"

Cao Xiu nodded. "Imperial Physician Ji said he was powerless to help; he couldn't save General Cao Chun."

Even if Ji Ping could cure him, he wouldn't. He's Liu Xie's man, and Ji Ping was overjoyed that Cao Chun was so badly injured.

"This……"

Cao Cao was so anxious that he stamped his feet. Suddenly, he thought of someone and murmured, "Perhaps Your Majesty can save him."

All sorts of troubles came at once. Cao Chun was a trusted and beloved general whom Cao Cao relied on greatly, and a pillar of the Cao family. How could Cao Cao bear to ignore him?

"Come here immediately, carry Cao Chun with me to see His Majesty." Time was of the essence, and Cao Cao made his decision quickly.

This is Cao Cao: never indecisive, always resolute and decisive in execution!

Having made his decision, Cao Cao was no longer hesitant and immediately led his men to Lingyan Pavilion. On the way, Cao Chun was carried there.

Cao Chun lay on the stretcher designed by Liu Xie. Due to excessive blood loss, his face was deathly pale and his breath was very weak. When he saw Cao Cao, he could only barely open his eyes a little wider.

"Zihe, don't worry, I will definitely make sure His Majesty saves you."

Cao Cao was extremely anxious. He quickly offered a word of comfort and urged everyone to quicken their pace. The group headed straight for Lingyan Pavilion.

Bloodstains dripped from beneath the stretcher.

Seeing Cao Cao arrive with his men, including many armored soldiers, Dong Cheng felt as if he were facing a formidable enemy and gripped his long sword tightly.

Lu Bu, Zhao Yun, and others were all on high alert, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense, with swords drawn and bows ready to strike.

No one knows if Cao Cao will do anything rash, or if he might provoke them again.
Cao Cao waved his hand, ordering the others to stop, and then walked towards Lingyan Pavilion alone.

A few steps from the door, Cao Cao suddenly knelt down, bowed deeply, and said to the inside, "Your Majesty, your sinful subject Cao Cao has come to beg for forgiveness."

This wasn't the first time she had knelt before Liu Xie.

Cao Cao was utterly wicked when he was bad, but his good deeds were also astounding.

Others might have felt embarrassed or ashamed, but Cao Cao was very open and honest.

Cao Cao made it clear that he had come to confess his crimes.

As for whether he'll change his ways after pleading guilty, who knows!
"Let him in." Liu Xie's voice came from inside the room, strong and powerful, exuding an aura that commanded respect.

Cao Cao hurried over, and Xu Chu wanted to come over to protect him, but Cao Cao waved his hand, confident that Liu Xie would not lay a hand on him.

If we really wanted to take action, wouldn't it have been better to do so at the hunting grounds?

(End of this chapter)