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Dian Wei fought his way back, just as Xiahou Yuan arrived with his troops. The two of them coordinated their efforts to protect Cao Cao as he broke through the encirclement. Xiahou Yuan dismounted and offered his horse to Cao Cao, helping him onto the steed, while Dian Wei gripped his dual halberds tightly, standing like an unyielding wall beside them, swinging his weapons to carve a bloody path.
Thick smoke billowed and flames lit up the sky. Although Cao Cao's armor was charred and his face was covered in dust, his eyes shone with determination as he shouted, "Retreat!" With Xiahou Yuan leading the way and Dian Wei covering the rear, the three of them charged through the sea of fire, not returning to the main camp until dawn. Inside the tents, the soldiers waited anxiously; upon seeing Cao Cao return safely, they immediately knelt to pay their respects.
Cao Cao dismounted and surveyed the crowd, letting out a long sigh before bursting into laughter. "What a chaotic night! I fell for that fool Lü Bu's scheme! But this grudge shall not go unpunished!" The soldiers' spirits lifted at his words as they awaited their lord's next command.
Guo Jia noticed that Cao Cao's momentum had returned and smiled slightly, asking, "My lord, how do you plan to counterattack?"
Cao Cao wiped the dust from his mouth, his gaze sharp as he replied solemnly, "We will turn their own tactics against them and give Lü Bu a 'great gift'! Issue orders: declare mourning and wear mourning attire! Spread the word that I, Cao Cao, was gravely injured last night by fire and poison and have passed away at dawn."
At this proclamation, everyone was taken aback. Xiahou Dun frowned and said, "My lord, this seems too risky!"
Cao Cao merely smiled calmly, a calculating glint in his eyes. "Lü Bu is overconfident and brave; upon hearing of my death, he will surely seize the opportunity to attack. If he dares to come, we will set an ambush at Malingshan. Once he crosses halfway, we will annihilate him without escape!"
Guo Jia clapped in praise. "Brilliant! This plan will turn Lü Bu's arrogance into his fatal flaw!"
Cao Cao immediately ordered the soldiers to don mourning attire and hang white banners throughout the camp. A spirit hall was set up outside the gates to create a façade of sorrowful mourning, with wails echoing everywhere.
Before long, someone hurriedly rushed to Puyang City to report to Lü Bu: "General Lü! Last night, Cao Cao was burned by fire; his body is in ruins and he has already passed away at dawn! The army is in mourning and morale is low—this is the perfect time to attack!"
Upon hearing this, Lü Bu laughed heartily, a look of disdain on his face. "That traitor has finally fallen into my hands! Since he is dead, it’s the perfect opportunity to seize his camp!"
Chen Gong furrowed his brow and cautioned him, "General, Cao Cao is cunning and deceitful; this matter may be a ruse! We must not act rashly."
Lü Bu scoffed dismissively. "If Cao Cao were alive, he would have already attacked my city; how could such news of mourning arise? This time, I will ensure that his remnants are completely buried!"
Ignoring Chen Gong's warnings, Lü Bu promptly assembled his forces and marched grandly towards Cao's camp. Upon reaching the foot of Malingshan Mountain, he noticed the flat ground below was eerily quiet with no signs of disturbance. Feeling triumphant, Lü Bu urged his horse forward and shouted, "Charge into Cao's camp and seize his stronghold!"
The army surged forward, having just crossed the mountain pass, and at the sound of a command, the drums thundered!
"Kill!" The ambush troops sprang into action from all sides, their shouts shaking the heavens. Cao Cao had long since positioned his elite forces in the mountains, and with blades flashing, countless soldiers charged out, encircling Lü Bu's army so tightly that not even water could leak through. Arrows rained down like locusts, instantly throwing Lü Bu's soldiers into chaos.
"It’s a trap!" Lü Bu was filled with both anger and fear as he wielded the Fangtian Halberd and fought desperately to break through. However, Cao Cao's forces were already well-prepared, surrounding Lü Bu's army like an iron barrel. They fought their way through one bloody path after another, only to be blocked again.
In the midst of the melee, Lü Bu led his men valiantly, charging east and west until he barely managed to break free from the encirclement, retreating with his remaining troops back to Puyang. The scene along the way was one of devastation, with countless soldiers dead or wounded. He reined in his horse and looked back towards the mountains, his gaze dark and brooding.
"Cao Cao... you are ruthless!" Lü Bu gritted his teeth in a low voice, suppressing the anger within him as he urged his horse to gallop away, disappearing beyond the dawn light outside Puyang City.
That year, natural disasters and human calamities intertwined; a locust plague swept across Kanto, devouring all crops in the fields. Famine ravaged the land, with a measure of grain fetching fifty coins; desperate citizens resorted to cannibalism. Cao Cao's army ran out of supplies and had no choice but to retreat to Jucheng to recuperate. Lü Bu also moved his troops to Shanyang to forage for food. Both factions temporarily ceased hostilities, finding a moment of peace.
Within Xuzhou City, Tao Qian lay on his sickbed, appearing increasingly haggard. At sixty-three years old, his illness was severe; his voice was weak like a gentle breeze, yet he still mustered his spirit to summon Mi Zhu and Chen Deng for discussion.
Mi Zhu stepped forward first to pay his respects, his expression grave as he spoke: "My lord, although Cao Cao has temporarily retreated, this is not a long-term solution. His withdrawal is merely due to Lü Bu's attack on Yan Province and lack of supplies. When spring arrives and his troops have rested, the Cao Army will surely return. Our Xuzhou is rich and fertile; it has always been a coveted land among warlords—it is difficult to ensure its safety!"
Tao Qian weakly raised his hand and sighed: "Alas... how could I not know this? But... the situation is such that I am powerless to change it." He coughed several times before continuing: "Do you have any good plans that could help Xuzhou?"
Chen Deng pondered for a moment before cupping his hands in suggestion: "My lord has twice wished to cede Xuzhou to Liu Xuande. Unfortunately, Xuan De is a man of great virtue and compassion; he cannot bear to take away another's position and thus declined. Now that you are gravely ill and may not have much time left, why not meet with Xuan De again and entrust him with the affairs of the province? Xuan De is a relative of the Han Dynasty—virtuous and capable—and beloved by the people. If he takes charge of Xuzhou, it would ensure peace in our region."
Mi Zhu nodded in agreement: "What Chen Yuanlong says is indeed correct. With great enemies surrounding us and famine within our borders, if my lord does not make a decision soon, Xuzhou may be divided among warlords, bringing suffering upon the people. Xuan De has always been loyal and benevolent; if he governs Xuzhou, even if Cao Cao returns, it would help stabilize our power against external threats."
Tao Qian lowered his head in thought, showing signs of pain as if he felt both worry and reluctance. He slowly raised his eyes to look at both men, his voice choked: "If I entrust Xuzhou to Xuan De now, can it truly ensure peace for Xuzhou?"
Chen Deng spoke loudly: "My lord trusts in Xuan De's virtue; he will not betray the people of Xuzhou!" Mi Zhu also sincerely encouraged: "My lord shares a deep bond with Xuan De; by ceding control now for the benefit of the people, you can leave in peace—what could be better?"
After hearing this, Tao Qian sighed deeply and murmured: "Very well then; this Xuzhou must ultimately be entrusted to a virtuous person." He turned towards Mi Zhu and said softly: "Send word to Liu Xuande; ask him to come quickly to Xuzhou. I need to entrust him in person so that I can rest easy."
Tao Qian heard that Liu Xuande had arrived. He forced himself to sit up, his face pale yet carrying a hint of relief. He signaled to his attendants to bring Xuan De, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei into the bedroom. On the bed, Tao Qian slightly opened his eyes and, seeing Xuan De enter, struggled to raise his hand in greeting, his voice weak as he said, "Mr. Xuan De, please... take a seat."
Liu Xuande noticed Tao Qian's haggard appearance and felt a pang of sympathy. He stepped forward to pay his respects and asked with concern, "Governor Tao, how is your health?"
Tao Qian forced a smile and waved his hand. "This old life... I fear it won't last much longer." As he spoke, he gestured for an attendant to bring forth the seal of Xuzhou and weakly said, "I have summoned you today not for any other matter. Old Man's illness has reached a critical point; I fear I may not see another sunrise. Right now, the millions of people in Xuzhou and the affairs of the city cannot be left unattended. I... I hope Honorable Duke can take on this heavy responsibility for the sake of the Han Dynasty... to protect Xuzhou, so that I may die with my eyes closed!"
Upon hearing this, Xuan De quickly declined, saying earnestly, "Governor Tao, why do you say such things? Although you are gravely ill, how can Xuzhou be easily handed over? You have two sons; why not pass the position to them?"
Tao Qian shook his head with a bitter smile, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. "My two sons, the eldest Shang and the second Ying, though they are my flesh and blood, are truly lacking in talent and unable to bear such a heavy burden. Old Man knows that the people of Xuzhou need a capable person like Honorable Duke to protect them. If I were to leave it to them, I fear Xuzhou would not escape disaster... After my death, I only wish for Honorable Duke to guide them a little; please do not let them meddle in state affairs."
Liu Xuande still insisted, "Liu Bei is but a mere commoner with shallow knowledge; how could he dare take on such a great responsibility? Please reconsider."
Suddenly, Tao Qian reached out and tightly grasped Xuan De's sleeve, breathing heavily with agitation. "Mr. Xuan De! The land of Xuzhou is one vein of the Han Dynasty; Old Man would never dare let this city fall into the hands of villains. Only with Honorable Duke's benevolence and wide support from the people can peace be maintained! This is heaven's mandate and also righteousness!"
At this moment, there was silence in the room. Mi Zhu saw Tao Qian's sincerity and stepped forward to speak. "Mr. Xuan De, Cao Cao's forces are still nearby; Xuzhou is fraught with danger. Governor Tao's intentions reflect the will of the people. If you do not accept this responsibility, I fear there will be no peace for Xuzhou again!"
As Tao Qian gasped for breath, his tone softened slightly as he said, "I recommend someone who can assist Honorable Duke in governing Xuzhou. He is from Beihai and named Sun Qian; his courtesy name is Sun Quan. He is loyal and talented and can be your capable assistant." He then turned to Mi Zhu and earnestly said, "Mi Zhu, your family has been wealthy for generations and holds great prestige. If Mr. Xuan De takes charge of Xuzhou, you must assist him well and treat him kindly; you must not be negligent."
After saying this, Tao Qian seemed to have exhausted all his strength and collapsed back onto the pillow. Yet his gaze remained steadfast as he looked at Liu Xuande, seemingly waiting for his final response.
Xuan De looked at Tao Qian's aged yet resolute face, feeling a stir in his heart as he sighed heavily within himself.
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