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

Chapter 240, Lord Cao, have you been having a headache lately?
Kuai Yue thought for a moment, quickly organized his thoughts, and said, "Your Majesty, the matter is not that serious. Governor Liu is still very capable and prestigious in Jingzhou. It's just that this time, the misunderstanding was caused by Cai Mao's temper getting out of control. I believe that after this lesson, Cai Mao will be able to restrain himself in the future."

"I hope so."

Liu Xie nodded indifferently; he didn't believe Cai Mao would back down.

Liu Xie looked directly at Kuai Yue and asked again, "What does he intend to do with Cai Mao? Has he removed Cai Mao from his military command?"

This immediately stumped Kuai Yue. Cai Mao was Liu Biao's brother-in-law and the pillar of the Cai family. How could Liu Biao possibly strip him of his military power?

Kuai Yue was at a loss for words. Liu Xie sighed in disappointment and said, "So, Liu Biao didn't take any action against his brother-in-law afterward?"

Kuai Yue smiled bitterly to himself. It seemed that the emperor had found a handle against him in this matter.

Lu Bu couldn't help but say, "Liu Biao is protecting his own. Cai Mao is his brother-in-law, and he plans to let this matter drop."

Kuai Yue quickly explained, "Gan Ning has already given Cai Mao a hundred lashes; he has received the punishment he deserves."

Lu Bu shook his head. "Gan Ning beat him because he disrespected the court and roared in court. But as the governor of Jingzhou, does Liu Biao think he can just ignore such a problem? He still allows Cai Mao to hold military power. If Cai Mao harbors resentment and does something outrageous, can Liu Biao bear the responsibility?"

Liu Xie looked at Kuai Yue and said, "My dear minister, you keep saying that Liu Biao sent you to plead guilty, but I have not seen any sincerity in Liu Biao's admission of guilt. Why don't you tell me what he did to apologize to me?"

"This...?" Kuai Yue was speechless for a moment after being asked the question.

Kuai Yue oversimplified the problem, thinking that since the emperor had come all the way to Xudu, his anger would subside.

Unexpectedly, the emperor was no pushover at all.

"A person who doesn't respect the imperial court is allowed to command tens of thousands of troops? Just thinking about it makes me shudder. If something goes wrong, it won't be a small matter. And last time, during the Battle of Guandu, the imperial court wanted to attack Yuan Shao in Hebei. Liu Biao had no less than 100,000 troops. I asked him to send 10,000 as reinforcements. That wasn't unreasonable, was it? In the end, Liu Biao didn't send a single soldier, and there wasn't even a reply afterward. How does Liu Biao intend to explain this?"

Kuai Yue broke out in a cold sweat, truly regretting taking on this assignment.

Despite his predicament, Kuai Yue had no choice but to make up an excuse. “Your Majesty, Zhang Xian of Changsha suddenly rebelled. Governor Liu had no time to attend to other matters and had to lead his troops to quell the rebellion. Before I came to Xuchang, Governor Liu asked me to tell Your Majesty that he knew he was wrong and would give his full support if the court ever needed him in the future.”

"Is that so?" Liu Xie's tone was neither warm nor cold, still showing a hint of doubt.

Kuai Yue hurriedly stated, "Your Majesty, rest assured, Governor Liu sincerely apologizes; he truly knows he was wrong."

"In that case, when you return, please tell Liu Biao that the court suffered heavy losses in its campaign against Yuan Shao, and that the remnants of Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang have not yet been pacified. Tell him to send 20,000 troops and 200,000 bushels of grain before the end of the year. As for Cai Mao, you must give me a reply as soon as possible. Is it necessary for someone like Cai Mao to continue to hold an important position in the army?"

Kuai Yue clicked his tongue in amazement. Good heavens, he had previously asked for 10,000 soldiers, but now the number had doubled, and he also needed to add 200,000 bushels of grain. Even if Jingzhou was a fertile land with abundant food supplies, it would still be enough to make Liu Biao feel the pinch.

Furthermore, Liu Biao was also ordered to severely punish Cai Mao and remove him from his military post, which made things even more complicated.

"Otherworld".

Seeing that Kuai Yue's expression had turned ugly, Liu Xie's tone softened considerably, and he addressed him affectionately by his courtesy name, "I am speaking on the matter at hand, not targeting you. This matter has nothing to do with you, so please don't take it to heart."

Kuai Yue nodded. "Your subject understands."

Liu Xie then pointed to Lü Bu and Zhao Yun, and said to Kuai Yue, "Go back and tell Liu Biao that Gan Ning was sent by me to help him. Tell him to fully support Gan Ning's work and make sure that he governs Jingzhou well for me. Since Cai Mao is his brother-in-law, he should set an example to avoid criticism. As the governor, how can he protect his wife's family and let Cai Mao continue to command the troops? What kind of behavior is that?"

"I have noted it down and will certainly pass it on when I return." Kuai Yue nodded, then took his leave.

After walking a distance, Kuai Yue couldn't help but look back. He saw the barracks bustling with shouts and the soldiers training like madmen. The more Kuai Yue looked, the more worried he became. He thought to himself: "His Majesty is sharpening his sword. Is he really preparing to launch a military campaign against Jingzhou?"
Regardless, this matter is very serious, and Kuai Yue must return to Xiangyang as soon as possible.

After he left, Lü Bu asked, "Your Majesty, will Liu Biao punish Cai Mao?"

Zhao Yun also said, "The reason why Liu Biao was able to gain a foothold in Jingzhou was because of the Cai family. If he were to dismiss Cai Mao from his military power, wouldn't that be tantamount to completely offending the Cai family? And the Cai family has intricate relationships with several other powerful clans in Jingzhou. Liu Biao's handling of Cai Mao will probably cause a lot of dissatisfaction."

Liu Xie's lips curled into a cold smile. "Then it depends on his choice. Does he want to keep his position as Governor of Jingzhou, or does he want to protect the Cai family? I want them to fight amongst themselves. If Jingzhou doesn't descend into chaos, how will we have a chance to intervene?"

By sending Gan Ning to Jingzhou, Liu Xie was preparing for the next step of controlling Jingzhou. For the time being, Liu Xie's target was Qingzhou, but after Qingzhou, it would be Jingzhou's turn.

If Liu Biao had built Jingzhou into an impenetrable fortress without any weaknesses, Liu Xie would be in a difficult position. He couldn't simply replace Liu Biao, could he?

But now, Gan Ning is like a stone thrown into water, making the waters of Jingzhou no longer calm.

"You guys keep training."

Liu Xie waved his hand, stepped forward, and entered the main tent. After thinking for a while, he wrote a letter to Guan Yu. Although Liu Biao dared not openly attack Gan Ning, Liu Xie, out of caution, still hoped that Guan Yu could be prepared.

When Liu Xie thought of Jingzhou, he couldn't help but think of that person: Zhuge Liang!
Liu Xie smiled, then picked up his brush again, dipped it in ink, and wrote another letter.

Then he summoned his attendants and instructed them: "Send one of these two letters to Runan and give it to Guan Yu, and send the other to Longzhong and give it to a man named Zhuge Liang."

"Here!"

The attendant didn't ask any further questions, agreed, and ran out.

As it was getting dark, Liu Xie returned to the palace, took Cao Ying with him, and the two went back to Cao Ying's parents' home together.

Cao Cao was having a meal in the front hall when Liu Xie arrived, which caught Cao Cao somewhat off guard.

Liu Xie arrived at the front hall and smiled. "Cao Ying hasn't been home for some time and misses her family very much. I figured it was close by, so I came over."

Cao Ying understood immediately and quickly nodded, "Yes, Father is away on a campaign and we've been apart for several months. I miss you very much."

When his daughter and son-in-law came to visit, Cao Cao naturally had to appear happy.

Cao Cao accompanied Liu Xie, exchanging toasts and drinking several cups.

Cao Chong, Cao Jie, and the other youngsters were also brought in one by one to meet Liu Xie.

Liu Xie's favorite was Cao Chong, who was fair-skinned, exquisitely beautiful, like a porcelain doll, and also intelligent and exceptionally sensible from a young age.

Upon meeting, they would inevitably pester Liu Xie to tell them stories, whether it was "Journey to the West," "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio," or "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils"... Liu Xie could tell them any story he wanted, and the children listened with great interest.

After the banquet, Cao Cao waved his hand, signaling the ladies to take the children away. Liu Xie looked at the children's reluctant expressions and laughed, "Lord Cao, I really envy you. Your family is so large and prosperous, with so many children and grandchildren. It must be such a lively family."

Cao Cao was taken aback and couldn't help but look at Liu Xie. He was always suspicious and thought: Is His Majesty reminding me?
Having many family members means having many hostages. Is His Majesty warning me that I should behave myself for the sake of my family?

But Liu Xie didn't mean it that way. He continued, "Look at me, I already have four women by my side, but I don't have a single child. Although Empress Fu is pregnant, she won't give birth for several months."

Cao Cao regained his composure and comforted him, saying, "Your Majesty is still young, and you will surely have many children in the future."

"I hope so. Huan hasn't been practicing swordsmanship these past few days. Did Cao Cao find him a new swordsmanship teacher?" Liu Xie casually chatted about family matters.

Cao Cao sighed, "We did find one, named Shi A. The main problem is that there are many women in the palace, and Zi Huan is growing up. There is a difference between men and women. It would be inconvenient for him to keep coming in and out of the palace. I don't want him to break the rules of the palace."

The main reason is that Cao Cao has recently discovered that Cao Pi has been secretly going out to find women on several occasions.

Sometimes he went to brothels, and sometimes he sought out young widows in the city.

At such a young age, he was already behaving badly, so Cao Cao wanted to keep him by his side and discipline him properly.

Furthermore, Cao Cao was also worried that if his son couldn't resist breaking the rules in the palace, it would be very troublesome if the emperor caught him.

In short, Cao Cao felt more at ease having the child by his side.

Cao Cao was both angry and amused that Cao Pi, at such a young age, was so lustful and had such a fondness for young widows. He wondered where Cao Pi had learned this from.

After a while, the servants brought tea, and Liu Xie, without being polite, waited a moment before picking it up and taking a sip.

On the contrary, Cao Cao was unsure of Liu Xie's intentions, so he secretly observed him while remaining vigilant.

"Lord Cao, there is one more thing I would like to discuss with you."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"It's about Zhang Liao."

Cao Cao subconsciously assumed that Liu Xie was trying to poach Zhang Liao from his side.

Liu Xie said, "Some of Zhang Liao's subordinates are quite sentimental. They have followed Lü Bu and Gao Shun for many years, and many of them want to return to Lü Bu and Gao Shun's side. This matter is very difficult for Zhang Liao and Gao Shun. I know that Cao Cao is always reasonable, so I have come to discuss it with you."

Cao Cao glanced at Liu Xie and thought to himself: What a reasonable and understanding statement! He doesn't even give me a chance to refuse.

Cao Cao hesitated. He had actually noticed Zhang Liao's situation long ago, but he didn't want to let Lü Bu off too easily.

These soldiers have followed Lü Bu for a long time. Once they return to Lü Bu's side, Lü Bu's power will suddenly become much stronger, and correspondingly, the emperor's power will also become much stronger.

Even if those people were idle and did nothing, Cao Cao did not want them to return to Lü Bu's side.

After thinking for a while, Cao Cao said, "Your Majesty, how about this: let those people decide for themselves. Those who want to go back can go back."

Liu Xie glanced at Cao Cao, not believing that Cao Cao would agree so readily.

What does it mean to say that if you want to go back, you can go back?

The right to interpret this was entirely in Cao Cao's hands. What if someone wanted to go back, but Cao Cao insisted that they didn't want to?
Liu Xie took another sip of tea and mentioned Mao Jie and the others, "I have always admired Cao Cao's eye for talent. My principle in employing people is to make the best use of resources and talents, so that they can play their roles to the fullest. I agreed to Cao Cao's proposal to transfer Mao Jie and others away from Xuchang to various places, precisely because I considered that they could better utilize their talents away from Xuchang."

Cao Cao picked up his teacup, brought it to his lips, and was about to drink when he heard this. He couldn't help but glance at Liu Xie, his eyes darting around.

"What does your majesty mean?"

Liu Xie said, "I and Cao Cao are not only ruler and subject, but also family. No matter who they serve, they are all serving the court. This allows them to better display their talents and give full play to their abilities, which is what I hope to see. What does Cao Cao think?"

"This?" Cao Cao pondered, he already understood Liu Xie's meaning.

The emperor's decision to have Mao Jie and his men leave Xuchang was already a gesture of respect to Cao Cao. One cannot be too selfish; Cao Cao had to yield a step.

Cao Cao hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded, "Alright, in a few days I will send those men back to Lü Bu's side."

Liu Xie praised with satisfaction, "I knew it! Cao Cao is the most understanding and reasonable person."

Cao Cao gritted his teeth and said, "Bullshit!"

After chatting for a while, Liu Xie accompanied Cao Ying and then went to sit with Madam Ding for a while, with Cao Ang also keeping them company.

Lady Ding was very happy. Her son had become a general and her daughter had married the emperor. She was already very content.

When it was late at night, Liu Xie took his leave, and Cao Cao personally saw him off.

As Liu Xie walked out of the Prime Minister's residence, he suddenly stopped and asked with concern, "Lord Cao, how have you been lately?"

Cao Cao was taken aback for a moment, then replied, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am in good health."

Liu Xie nodded. "Then I'm relieved. If you have any headaches or discomfort, you must tell me. I'm quite knowledgeable about headaches and dizziness."

Cao Cao nodded vaguely, and after Liu Xie left, Cao Cao subconsciously reached out and touched his head.

He muttered to himself, "What does His Majesty mean by this?"

In fact, as early as two years ago, during a casual conversation, Guo Jia mentioned that the emperor had been studying the symptoms of headaches and migraines in his spare time.

Previously, Cao Cao had never taken it to heart, but in the past two years, he had suffered from headaches several times, each time more severe than the last.

What does it mean that the emperor suddenly brought this up today?
Cao Cao was puzzled and also worried. Would the emperor want to do something to my head under the guise of seeing a doctor?

(End of this chapter)