Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Cao Bao saw Tao Ying and his group approaching from afar. His expression froze slightly, and a subtle hint of vigilance flashed in his eyes. However, he remained standing like a statue, his feet rooted to the ground, not moving an inch. His face maintained his usual indifferent expression, as if nothing around him could cause him any ripples.

After Tao Ying and his party arrived, Cao Bao slowly raised his arms and clasped his fists. His movements were mechanical and perfunctory, and his tone was as flat as a pool of stagnant water in the mountains: "Second Young Master, I have finally waited for you to come." There was no enthusiasm in his voice, as if he was just fulfilling a task that had to be completed.

Tao Ying dismounted with alacrity, his movements quick and decisive, but the fury on his face grew thicker, like the dark clouds before a storm. Seeing Cao Bao like this, his fury suddenly surged, like a ignited powder keg, erupting instantly. He snorted, his voice filled with sarcasm and dissatisfaction, "General Cao Bao, you're so arrogant! I've traveled all the way here, through thick and thin, to help you out, and you're not even willing to leave the city to greet me. Is this how you treat guests? I see you don't even take me, the Second Young Master, seriously, let alone the overall situation of this war!"

Cao Bao's brows knitted into the shape of a "川" character, a flash of anger in his eyes. He opened his mouth to retort, but the words seemed to be blocked by something as they reached his lips. His Adam's apple rolled up and down, and thinking of Tao Ying's identity and power, he finally forced himself to suppress his anger. His face regained its calm expression and said calmly, "The war is busy, and the affairs in the city are complicated. I have to deal with everything personally, and I really can't spare the time. If the Second Young Master is blaming you for such a small matter, it would be a bit of an exaggeration."

Tao Ying refused to give up. He took a big step forward, his momentum fierce like an angry lion, and questioned Cao Bao: "What a busy battle! Now let me ask you, when I was fighting with the Shanyue, the battle entered a white-hot stage, and it seemed that they could be wiped out in one fell swoop. As a general in the army, commanding a large number of troops, you should have acted decisively. Why didn't you decisively send troops to attack? Because of your indecision, you let the Shanyue bandits go in vain, and all our previous efforts were wasted. What is your crime? Do you know that this is not only related to the success or failure of this battle, but also to the safety of the people of Xuzhou. How can you be worthy of the thousands of people in Xuzhou and the trust of your lord by acting like this!"

Cao Bao's face instantly turned ashen, then pale and red, as if he'd been slapped hard. His hands unconsciously clenched, his knuckles turning white from the force. He spoke in a deep voice, "I had my considerations at the time. The city's troop deployment was complex, and a single mistake could lead to total defeat. If we rashly sent out our troops and encountered an enemy ambush, what would become of Yong'an City? Who would bear the responsibility then? The Second Young Master only blames me, without considering the stakes involved. That's truly one-sided."

The two exchanged barbs, neither willing to yield. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, as if sparks were about to fly. The surrounding soldiers held their breath, not daring to make a sound, fearing that the tense atmosphere would consume them if they were not careful.

At that moment, Wang Lang, hearing the news, hurried over. He trotted along, beads of sweat covering his forehead, yet a warm smile, like the warm spring sun, tried to dispel the tense atmosphere. He waved his hand at Tao Ying and said gently, "My dear nephew, please don't be angry. The most important thing in commanding troops in battle is harmony among the commanders. Now that we're facing a formidable enemy and the Shanyue are still pacified, how can we afford to start a quarrel among ourselves? If this small conflict undermines the morale of the army and gives the Shanyue an opportunity to exploit, we will regret it."

Then, he turned around, looked at Cao Bao, and said earnestly: "General Cao, my nephew is young and hot-headed, and he speaks bluntly. Please bear with me. We are all for Xuzhou, for the people here, and to protect our common home. There are still many days to come, and we need to work together and fight side by side." Wang Lang was apparently trying to persuade peace, but those words of comfort to Cao Bao, with their earnest words and sincere attitude, secretly narrowed the distance between him and Cao Bao, making Cao Bao have a better impression of Wang Lang.

Tao Ying watched Wang Lang's actions, feeling discontent, but unable to say anything. He clenched his teeth, his cheeks puffing slightly, a flicker of resentment in his eyes, but he could only grit his teeth and swallow his anger. Meanwhile, Cao Bao, reassured by Wang Lang's words, softened slightly, his once tense body gradually relaxing. The tense confrontation had come to a temporary halt, but the resentment between them, like deep-rooted weeds, had only grown deeper.

Thanks to Wang Lang's diligent mediation, the tense conflict was barely resolved, and everyone temporarily put their differences aside. Seeing this, Zuo Rong hurried out to mediate, having already prepared a banquet, hoping that the alcohol would ease tensions and allow everyone to discuss the bigger plan. Everyone moved to the banquet, ostensibly toasting each other, the atmosphere seemingly harmonious, but secretly, everyone was harboring their own thoughts, and the previous unhappiness still loomed like a haze.

After a hearty meal and a few drinks, everyone gathered around to discuss the next battle plan. Tao Ying was the first to speak, his words laced with sarcasm. He glanced at Cao Bao, mockingly, "The elite troops of Danyang are fierce and invincible, yet General Cao, commanding such a powerful army, has been trapped in Yong'an City for so long, making no progress. It's truly baffling." With these words, the table fell silent, and everyone's gaze fixed on Cao Bao, a pin drop audible.

Cao Bao's face darkened, his anger reignited. He slammed down the teacup in his hand, a thud that was particularly piercing in the quiet room. He stared directly at Tao Ying and retorted, "Second Young Master, your words are quite biased. I've long wanted to address the Shanyue threat behind Yong'an City, and I've meticulously planned to do so. However, the Shanyue bandits are cunning and fierce, and the terrain is extremely favorable to them, so previous actions have failed. How can you completely negate my efforts with a few sarcastic remarks?"

Seeing this, Zuo Rong hurried out to smooth things over, explaining, "General Cao is right. The previous battle was indeed difficult. The Shanyue people are familiar with the mountains and forests, and their fighting style is extremely flexible, which has caused us great obstacles."

However, Sun Guan did not intend to let it go. With a mocking smile on his face, he joined in the commotion: "No matter how brave they are, once we arrive, we will still defeat them and uproot their camps. Some people just don't have the ability and are unwilling to admit it." These words were like a handful of salt sprinkled on Cao Bao's wounds, making his face even uglier.

After hearing Sun Guan's words, Tao Ying showed a smug look on his face and continued to exaggerate: "It seems that General Cao needs to learn more from us, otherwise if he encounters a war like this again, I'm afraid he will be trapped and unable to move."

Cao Bao clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. He suppressed his anger and said coldly, "The situation on the battlefield is ever-changing, and no one can guarantee complete victory every time. It's too early for Second Young Master to be complacent now. There's still a long battle ahead. Let's wait and see."

After hearing what Cao Bao said, Tao Ying sneered and responded bluntly: "Are you waiting for later? Now is the perfect opportunity! Before, you were worried that Yong'an City was short of troops and could not hold on. Now, our army of 60,000 to 70,000 is approaching, and the Shanyue in the rear have been defeated by us. General Cao, I will have to trouble you to meet the enemy in front of the city." He stared at Cao Bao, his words full of provocation, and he was determined to provoke Cao Bao to go out of the city to fight Shamoke.

Upon hearing this, Cao Bao's brows knitted into a knot, a flicker of hesitation and displeasure crossing his face. He knew that while some of the Shanyue army had been dispersed, the Shanyue still held the majority, a force to be reckoned with. A rash attack would be an uncertain outcome. He paused for a moment, then slowly spoke, "That being said, even if they've divided their forces, the Shanyue's main force is still here. Our army has fought them many times before and is well aware of their strength. Victory is likely difficult, so we'd better take a long-term approach."

How could Tao Ying give up? He continued to press the issue step by step, his words becoming more and more sharp: "General Cao, you have the elite soldiers of Danyang, but you don't even have this little courage? Or is it that the previous failures have really made you afraid of the enemy like a tiger?" As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere at the table dropped to freezing point in an instant, and everyone noticed the gunpowder smell between the two men that was about to explode.

Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Wang Lang stepped forward, his expression concerned, and spoke in a gentle voice, "General Cao, Master Tao is also desperate to pacify the Shanyue as quickly as possible, so please don't be offended by his hasty words. In my opinion, how about this? I have 20,000 elite troops under my command. Let Zuo Rong lead them and join General Cao in the battle. This way, our forces will be greatly increased, and our chances of victory will be greater."

This proposal, though seemingly simple, held a profound meaning. First, annihilating the Shanyue was the top priority. Wang Lang knew he couldn't allow Tao Ying and Cao Bao to continue their feud; he had to find a way to get them to temporarily put aside their differences and fight together. Second, by having Zuo Rong assist Cao Bao, he could strengthen their relationship and enhance their mutual trust. Third, it would also serve as an overt show of support for Tao Ying's decision, discouraging him from further provocations and easing the current tense situation.

Cao Bao listened to Wang Lang's proposal and pondered it. It was indeed a compromise, avoiding a direct confrontation with Tao Ying while also leveraging his military strength to increase his chances of victory. He nodded slightly and said solemnly, "If that's the case, then I will follow Lord Wang's advice. General Zuo Rong and I will fight together and give it our all."

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Tao Ying showed a barely perceptible sense of pride on his face, and snorted softly, "I hope General Cao will not disappoint us again this time." A tense argument was temporarily put to an end with Wang Lang's clever mediation, but everyone knew that this internal contradiction was only temporarily covered up, and future wars were still full of variables.

After the war plan meeting concluded, everyone rose and dispersed, their own thoughts drifting away. The oppressive atmosphere lingered, a tense atmosphere still thick in the air. Tao Ying and Cao Bao maintained stern expressions throughout, not even exchanging the slightest greeting. They walked in opposite directions, their feud completely exposed for all to see.