Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Cao Cao noticed the increasingly tense atmosphere in the tent, so he started to spread the word, "How many troops do we have left?"

Xiahou Dun looked embarrassed and lowered his head, saying, "My lord, there are less than ten thousand of us now."

Cao Hong and Yu Jin exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Our combined forces still number less than 20,000."

Cao Ang continued, "Yun Lu and I still have six thousand Xiliang cavalrymen."

After hearing this, Cao Cao suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Hey, everyone, why are you so worried? Although our army has suffered some losses this time, the core is still there. Look, half of Yanzhou is still in our hands, and Qingzhou has not suffered any losses. Our foundation is still there! It's just a few casualties. At worst, we can make a comeback!"

The generals and soldiers forced a smile after hearing Cao Cao's words. However, Cao Ang looked around at the generals and suddenly asked, "Father, why is Uncle Miaocai the only one not here?"

Cao Cao's morale, which had been so hard to raise, collapsed like a building. He forced himself to stay calm, but his voice choked with sobs as he spoke, "Miao Cai was killed in battle while trying to cover our retreat."

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Dun burst into tears. Cao Ren and Cao Hong, who had spent so much time with Xiahou Dun and had a deep friendship with him, couldn't help but say with a trembling voice, "A wonderful talent... a wonderful talent is gone..."

The tent was suddenly filled with grief. Remembering Xiahou Yuan's usual smile and voice, everyone felt a pang of sorrow. Cao Cao slowly raised his head, tears glistening in his eyes, but he quickly forced himself to calm down. He said, "Miaocai was brave and fearless, sacrificing himself for the greater good. His contributions must never be forgotten. But at this moment, we must turn our grief into strength."

Cao Cao swept his gaze over the crowd with determination, then continued, "I have a plan. We will immediately head for Yanzhou and Qingzhou. As long as we can stop Yuan Shao in Yanzhou, we will still have the strength to fight. Yanzhou has a strategic location, a wealthy population, and half of it is under our control, which is enough to serve as a foundation for us to recuperate and accumulate strength. Qingzhou has sufficient manpower and can provide us with reinforcements. Once we gain a foothold in Yanzhou and cooperate with Qingzhou, there will be no worries about not being able to make a comeback and recapture Xudu!"

The generals clenched their fists and said in unison, "We must recapture Xudu and avenge General Miaocai!"

Cao Cao steeled himself, his gaze sweeping resolutely across the generals in the tent. He spoke slowly, "Men, we can't return to Xudu anytime soon. Yanzhou and Chenliu are once again under siege by Yuan Shao's army, and the situation is extremely critical. However, we have no shortage of brave and capable generals. After careful consideration, I have decided to personally lead the army to Chenliu to confront Yuan Shao. We must stop Yuan Shao's offensive at all costs and retake Yanzhou."

Cao Cao then turned to Cao Ang and said solemnly, "Zixiu, I order you to take my seal and immediately go to Qingzhou and mobilize sufficient troops to support us. Everything is based on the priority of retaking Yanzhou. This matter is of great importance, and you must give it your all."

Cao Ang's expression was serious. He clasped his hands together and replied firmly, "Don't worry, father. I will definitely fulfill my mission."

Cao Cao nodded slightly, then raised his voice and addressed the generals present: "Everyone, listen up! Pack your bags immediately! We will change our route again and head for Chenliu! This time, we must unite as one and fight Yuan Shao to the death to recapture our Yanzhou!"

"We will obey the Lord's orders!" the generals shouted in unison, their voices echoing throughout the camp, instantly boosting morale. Despite the dangers ahead, Cao Cao's determination was like a stabilizing force, inspiring the others greatly.

Then, everyone in the tent quickly sprang into action. The generals returned to their respective units, relayed Cao Cao's orders, and organized the soldiers to pack their bags and prepare their supplies. Warhorses neighed, and the soldiers hurried, yet in perfect order. Cao Cao stood outside the tent, observing the busy soldiers, his mind silently pondering the impending battle. This journey to Chenliu to confront Yuan Shao would be a formidable and arduous one.

The army advanced hurriedly in silence, the atmosphere oppressive and suffocating. The ground beneath their feet churned up clouds of dust, as if anxious about the unknown future. Cao Cao sat on his horse, his expression grave, his mind constantly pondering a strategy to deal with Yuan Shao. The generals and soldiers also wore serious expressions, their steps firm, knowing full well that a fierce battle was about to begin.

However, fate always seemed to throw them a curveball. Before the main army reached Chenliu Commandery, they spotted a remnant of the enemy approaching from afar. As they approached, Cao Cao took a closer look and saw that it was Wei Yan leading the few remaining Xiliang cavalry.

Wei Yan's face was filled with fatigue and grief. Upon seeing Cao Cao, he quickly dismounted, knelt on one knee, and said in a hoarse voice: "Lord Cao, Chenliu has been captured, and General Cai Yang has died in battle..."

Upon hearing this news, Cao Cao felt as if struck by lightning, his body swaying slightly. The generals around him also expressed shock and grief. The loss of Chenliu and the death of Cai Yang undoubtedly made the already difficult situation even more critical.

After a brief silence, Cao Cao took a deep breath, suppressed his inner grief and anger, and made a quick decision. Now that Chenliu had fallen into Yuan Shao's hands, they could no longer proceed to Chenliu to confront Yuan Shao as originally planned. After a moment's deliberation, Cao Cao decisively ordered: "The army will change its destination again and head for the State of Chen!"

Xun You frowned, and after a long moment of deep thought, he addressed Cao Cao, "My lord, Yingchuan County has been occupied by the enemy, and Runan County is likely in imminent danger. Chen State, you see, is a narrow territory, bordering Runan on one side and Chenliu on the other. If our army were to defend against Yuan Shao only here, the enemy from Jingzhou would most likely launch a surprise attack from Runan. Then, our army would be attacked from both sides. Chen State is definitely not an ideal place to station troops."

Cao Cao nodded slightly, signaling Xun You to continue.

Xun You continued, "In your opinion, we should dispatch another general to lead an elite division to Liang. This way, when our army confronts the enemy forces from Liang, Chen, and Yanzhou, we can form a pincer attack. If the enemy in Yanzhou makes a move, the three sides can coordinate and effectively repel the enemy. If Chen encounters a crisis, Liang's troops can also rush to its aid, providing additional security."

Cao Cao's eyes flashed with approval after hearing this. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Gongda is absolutely right. But who should we send to Liang State to take on this important task?"

Upon hearing this, the generals looked at each other, each pondering the appropriate candidate. At this moment, Yu Jin and Li Dian stepped out, clasped their fists, and said, "Lord, we two are willing to go to Liang State. We will live up to your trust and support Chen State to fight the enemy together."

Cao Cao looked at Yu Jin and Li Dian with a trusting gaze. He said, "Wen Ze, Man Cheng, you two are pillars of our army. I am relieved to have you go to Liang State. However, this journey carries a heavy responsibility, so you must not underestimate the enemy."

Yu Jin and Li Dian responded in unison, "Rest assured, my lord. We will act with caution, firmly defend Liang, and form a strong alliance with Chen to relieve your worries."

Cao Cao nodded and said, "Alright. I will assign you two eight thousand elite soldiers. You will depart immediately. Upon arrival in Liang, quickly familiarize yourself with the local terrain, strengthen the city defenses, and prepare for a prolonged standoff with the enemy."

After receiving the order, Yu Jin and Li Dian immediately assembled their troops and galloped towards the State of Liang.

Guo Jia had been concentrating on studying the map, his brow furrowed in a look of deep worry. By this time, Cao Cao and his men had already decided to split up their forces, and Yu Jin and Li Dian had already left. Cao Cao noticed that Guo Jia's frown had not relaxed but deepened, and he couldn't help but ask, "Fengxiao, do you see anything wrong?"

Guo Jia's expression was solemn. He said, "My lord, Dongjun and Jiyin are closely connected. Given the current situation, if Yuan Shao stopped pursuing us and instead turned to attack Jiyin, Yanzhou would soon fall completely into enemy hands."

Cao Cao thought for a moment and said, "If that's the case, although the situation in Yanzhou is critical, we might be able to use this opportunity to gain a respite."

Guo Jia quickly shook his head and said, "No, no, my lord. Don't you find this strange? This time, Yuan Shao launched his invasion. Although Yan Liang was brave and one of his four pillars of Hebei, Zhang He and Gao Lan have been missing, and even the great general Ju Yi has made no move."

After hearing this, Cao Cao frowned and asked, "Fengxiao, what do you mean..."

Guo Jia turned and pointed forcefully at the map in the direction of Qingzhou. He said, "My lord, we have been holding out for Dongjun with all our might, confident that Yuan Shao would simply send a large force to attack it. As a result, we were careless and overlooked Qingzhou, a crucial location. If Yuan Shao had split his forces into two groups, personally commanding one to attack Dongjun to distract us, while sending Zhang He and Gao Lan to attack Qingzhou, and we had mobilized soldiers from Qingzhou to assist in Dongjun's defense, then after such a long standoff with Yuan Shao, and yet there's been no news from Qingzhou, I'm afraid Qingzhou has already fallen to the enemy."

Cao Cao was immediately anxious when he heard this and blurted out, "Isn't it extremely dangerous for Zixiu to go to Qingzhou to mobilize troops?"

When everyone in the tent heard this, their faces changed drastically. The already tense atmosphere became even more oppressive, like the pressure before a storm. It was as if an invisible net was slowly tightening around Cao Cao and the others, and Cao Ang's safety weighed heavily on Cao Cao's heart like a huge rock.

Cao Cao was terribly anxious. Cao Ang and Ma Yunlu had led the Western Liang cavalry to Qingzhou to borrow troops. Now it looked like Qingzhou might have been lost, and they were in danger. He could count on his current troops to pursue them immediately, but they feared they would not be able to catch up. In his turmoil, Cao Cao's eyes suddenly fell on Wei Yan, who had just returned.

Others might not be able to do it, but Wei Yan, also under the command of the Western Liang cavalry, might have a chance if he had been sent to support Cao Ang. However, Wei Yan was originally a foreign soldier, having followed them on their campaigns throughout the country, and had just returned from the brutal battle of Chenliu, leaving him exhausted both physically and mentally. Asking him to undertake such a dangerous and arduous mission at this point was difficult for Cao Cao to accept.

Wei Yan was incredibly perceptive. Seeing Cao Cao's gaze fixed on him, he immediately understood. He knew the situation was critical, and Cao Ang's safety was paramount. Without waiting for Cao Cao to speak, he offered his services, "Eunuch Cao, I am willing to lead my cavalry to assist the eldest young master!"

Cao Cao was both surprised and delighted. Looking at Wei Yan's bloodstained and exhausted face, he was deeply moved and said, "Wen Chang, you just went through a hard battle, and I shouldn't let you take risks again. But now Zixiu is in critical condition, it really is..."

Wei Yan interrupted Cao Cao and said firmly, "Lord Cao, there is no need to say more. Miss Yunlu is in danger now, and I cannot sit idly by. My Xiliang cavalry are very skilled in long-distance raids and will definitely bring the young master back safely!"

Cao Cao nodded seriously and said, "Okay! Wenchang, you must be careful on this trip."

Wei Yan took the order, quickly assembled his troops, and rushed towards Qingzhou at lightning speed. Cao Cao watched Wei Yan's retreating figure and silently prayed that he would be able to successfully escort Cao Ang back.