Chapter Seven: The Bravery of a Common Man

As an outstanding member of the system in the twenty-first century, Deputy Director Tao naturally valued his life and was fearful of death. Therefore, when he heard the new conditions proposed by Old Man Cao, Deputy Director Tao instinctively raised his leg to flee. However, just as he moved, he suddenly noticed something unusual—there seemed to be a strange odor in the air

My lord, since you wish to test the second young master, why not make the stakes a bit higher?" Guo Jia said with a smile, "If Young Master Tao dares not jump, please allow him to return to Xuzhou first, and then you can lead your troops to attack the city, killing all the soldiers and civilians of Xuzhou to avenge your father. If Young Master Tao jumps into the cauldron himself, then you shall keep your promise and withdraw your troops from Xuzhou.

If Yanzhou falls, I will have no home to return to!" After a long silence, the usually optimistic and confident Cao Laoda gritted his teeth and uttered a disheartening remark

Meanwhile, Deputy Director Tao, who was pushed next to the oil pot, heard the words of Old Man Cao, and his relatively handsome face turned paler than that of a corpse. The only thought left in his mind was, "Oh no! How could Old Man Cao be so cunning, to come up with such a vicious idea? Not only can he fry me to death in boiling oil, but he can also justifiably return to rescue Yanzhou, gaining both reputation and substance!"

"It is not Liu Bei. When Liu Bei first entered Xuzhou, he would not risk sending a letter that would expose his vile character," Guo Jia said confidently. "However, the person who sent the letter must have been instructed by Liu Bei!"

"Attention everyone in the city!" Dian Wei, who was following Cao Cao, turned around and shouted with a voice as powerful as Zhang Fei's, "From this moment on, if anyone dares to step out of the city, we will immediately execute the young Tao Ying!" Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and the others were instantly at a loss for words, unsure of what to do.

"This guy is Guo Jia." Tao Ying glanced at Guo Jia, making a strong effort to remember the hideous face of this consumptive man. Then he turned his head to look at the large pot filled with green oil, and Deputy Director Tao felt a cramping sensation in his legs—Oh my, how did the oil in the pot boil so quickly?

Liu Bei, a formidable hero! Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, enemies of thousands! Guo Jia said solemnly: "If we bestow the credit for lifting the siege of Xuzhou upon Liu Bei, the military and civilians of Xuzhou will surely regard Liu Bei as their reborn parents, overwhelmed with gratitude. Tao Qian will also spare no effort to win Liu Bei over, leveraging his strength to guard against our army's return. Once Liu Bei establishes a foothold in Xuzhou, it will be exceedingly difficult for our army to capture Xuzhou again to avenge the lord's father.

"Xuzhou can no longer be attacked; the lord must immediately return to Yanzhou!" Guo Jia said decisively: "All five prefectures of Xuzhou have suffered from warfare, and its vitality has been severely damaged. Even if the lord captures Xuzhou, he will be unable to establish a foothold. Trading Yanzhou for Xuzhou is not worth the loss! Moreover, the reinforcements from Kong Rong, Tian Kai, and Liu Bei have already arrived on the battlefield. Our army's further assault on Xuzhou will be quite challenging, and there is a possibility that Lü Bu, Tao Qian, Liu Bei, Tian Kai, and Kong Rong will form an alliance, jointly attacking our forces. The consequences would be unimaginable!"

Tao Qian let out a hoarse scream, and at the same time, Tao Shang and Tao Jitang also cried out in despair. However, Cao the Elder did not give the Tao family any chance to plead for mercy; he turned his horse around and left. The walls of Xuzhou were once again filled with voices, as the soldiers and civilians of Xuzhou either gasped in shock, gritted their teeth in anger, or showed expressions of joy, hoping that Tao would willingly throw himself into the oil pot in exchange for Cao the Elder's withdrawal from Xuzhou—Cao the Elder had a relatively good reputation.

After hearing the new conditions set by Cao Cao regarding the cat-and-mouse game, Tao Qian, along with the two brothers Tao Shang and Tao Ji on the city wall, naturally wept bitterly, unsure of how to choose. The military and civilians of Xuzhou were in heated discussions, each with their own thoughts. However, Liu Bei, along with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and others, shouted, "Second Young Master, come back! Come back! We will steadfastly defend Xuzhou and will not allow the traitor Cao to breach the city!"

Tao Ying's father, Tao Qian, the Governor of Xuzhou, also ascended the city wall. Upon hearing the news that Tao Ying had personally left the city for Cao's camp, Tao Qian, as a father, fainted on the spot. However, after being revived, Tao Qian unexpectedly refused Liu Bei's request to send troops to rescue Tao Ying, insisting that the Xuzhou army and Liu Bei's forces hold the city and not allow a single soldier to leave. The reason given was that the Cao army was formidable; anyone who left the city would be sending themselves to their death. All the civil and military officials of Xuzhou wept, and the three warriors, Guan, Zhang, and Zhao, in Liu Bei's army were deeply moved, believing that Tao Qian was indeed a rare and loyal elder who considered others. Despite Guan, Zhang, and Zhao being formidable warriors, the task of charging into the heavily guarded Cao army camp to rescue a living person was essentially impossible.

My lord, it is still not advisable! Today, Guo Jia seems determined to oppose Xun You. Once again, he spoke up to stop him, saying astonishingly: "My lord, in Guo Jia's opinion, not only should this Tao Ying not be killed, but we should also bestow upon him all the merits of our army in accepting Tao Qian's plea for peace to save the people!"

Guo Jia smirked and nodded, understanding the situation—Tao Ying was indeed a foolish young man with courage but no strategy, while the old Tao Qian was a genuine old fox. Upon seeing that letter, he could not help but suspect Liu Bei. In the end, Guo Jia suggested: "My lord, Guo Jia believes that it would be a pity to simply release the young Tao Ying. I have a plan that can elevate Tao Ying's reputation in Xuzhou to great heights, making Liu Bei feel utterly ashamed in Xuzhou, even forcing him to part ways with the old Tao Qian."

After a moment, the previously calm Cao army camp suddenly became agitated. Troops from various divisions of the Cao army poured out, forming a large formation outside the camp gate. Cao Cao himself mounted his horse and led the charge, directing tens of thousands of soldiers towards the northern gate of Xuzhou. Additionally, our unfortunate Deputy Director Tao was dragged out by the soldiers of the Cao army, his arms bound behind him, and was taken along as the Cao army marched south.

A chorus of exclamations arose on the city wall, as the military and civilians of Xuzhou, along with the civil and military officials, were all astonished by Tao Ying's righteous demeanor, as he boldly proposed to exchange his life for that of Old Cao! Only Liu Bei secretly laughed in his heart, cursing inwardly: "What Zizhong said is not false; Tao Qian's sons are indeed all as foolish as pigs and dogs!"

Deputy Director Tao's face turned ashen, and he did not dare to respond—this is a joke. Deputy Director Tao has already been in a car accident once; how could he still dare to jump into a boiling pot of oil by himself

Elder brother

Tao Qian was in a state of great hesitation. Naturally, he did not wish for his son to be publicly fried to death by Cao Cao. However, Tao Qian was more aware that with Liu Bei's ragtag army of only two or three thousand and the remnants of defeated soldiers in Xuzhou, rescuing his beloved son from the ferocious Cao Cao's forces was an exceedingly difficult task, and it would also deplete his last remaining resources. Yet, if he did not venture out to save him, his son Tao Ying, whom Tao Qian had recently come to regard with newfound respect, would be publicly turned into fried meat snacks.

"How could a scheming person personally deliver a message to our army's camp?" Guo Jia said with a smile, "A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. Tao Ying, being the second son of Tao Qian, displays reckless bravery by coming alone to our army's camp to deliver a message, without any consideration for the consequences of his actions. Is this not a case of having courage without strategy?"

What clever plan does Feng Xiao have? Speak quickly. Cao Lao said joyfully: "The reputation of Tao Ying's young son in Xuzhou is growing higher; it will be easier for me to attack Xuzhou next time!"

"It is reasonable to heed the advice of Xie Yan." Cao Lao Da came to a realization and agreed, saying: "Liu Bei's son excels at winning the hearts of the people, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei possess extraordinary martial prowess. Even Lü Bu fears them to some extent. If Liu Bei establishes himself in Xuzhou, given time, he will surely become a formidable rival to us"

At this moment, Tao Ying, dressed in a Confucian scholar's robe, had already been pushed to the front lines, brought to the side of a large cauldron of oil. Simultaneously, Cao Lao Da, clad in pure white mourning attire, emerged from a throng of fierce Cao soldiers, riding his horse at a brisk pace to a position just outside the range of the Xuzhou city walls, and shouted loudly: "Old Tao Qian, come out and answer!"

Tao Qian, tears streaming down his face, trembled as he walked to the arrow tower and struggled to call out: "My lord, Tao Qian is here"

Seeing that Cao Cao agreed with Guo Jia's opinion, Xun You did not insist further and suggested, "In that case, the Lord should execute Tao Ying publicly to honor the late Duke, and then immediately mobilize the troops to return and swiftly withdraw from Xuzhou"

Cao Jun suddenly mobilized all its forces, and naturally, the defending troops in Xuzhou did not dare to be negligent. The Xuzhou generals led by Cao Bao, Cao Hong, and Tao Ji promptly ascended the city walls to prepare for defense. Within half a day of entering the city, Liu Bei's troops also quickly climbed the walls to join the defense. Additionally, a large number of Xuzhou citizens spontaneously rushed to the inner city walls, carrying stones and wood to supply the defenders with weapons for the city's defense, assisting the army in holding the city

My lord, please open the city gates quickly and allow General Bei to lead the troops to rescue the young master!" Liu Bei shouted with wide, round eyes, his expression a mix of anger and madness. Guan, Zhang, and Zhao, the three fierce warriors, also stepped forward, expressing their willingness to lead the army out of the city to rescue Tao Ying

"My lord, since this is the case, why not do Liu Bei a favor?" Xun You suggested, pointing to Liu Bei's letter on the table, "For the time being, why not negotiate a truce with that old man Tao Qian and withdraw the troops back to Yanzhou?"

As Tao Qian ascended the city wall of Xuzhou with the assistance of his attendants, Cao Cao's army had already established a firm position in the wilderness outside the northern gate of Xuzhou. Long shields were placed at the forefront, with strong bows and crossbows positioned behind them, and they had also erected deer-horned barricades to thwart cavalry charges, demonstrating a highly cautious strategy. At the same time, what left Tao Qian and Liu Bei perplexed was that the Cao soldiers had actually built a large earthen stove in front of their formation, kindled a fire beneath it, and finally set up a large iron pot over the flames.

Excellent, let's proceed accordingly

Dear brother

... ...

Deputy Director Tao sniffed carefully again and finally discerned the source of the strange odor. The peculiar smell was a strong sourness, emanating from the boiling oil pot.

Hahaha! Cao Lao Da laughed wildly, pointing his riding whip at Tao Qian and shouted: "Old fool, stop with your flowery words. If you truly can die for Xuzhou, why not end your life early? Why wait until I capture your son? Today, I will not kill you first; I will kill your son!"

"Why does Mr. Fengxiao say this?" Xun You exclaimed in surprise, "Tao Ying is the son of Tao Qian, and he has a vendetta against our lord! Now that Tao Ying has thrown himself into the trap, how can we let him go?"

Tao Qian wept aloud and, bowing his hands towards Cao Cao atop the city wall, said: "My lord, the child is ignorant and has spoken foolishly. I hope my lord will forgive me. Qian has sinned against heaven, causing this great calamity to Xu Province. I have long harbored the intention of dying, and I implore my lord to spare my son and the people of Xu Province. This old man is willing to exchange his life for theirs"

Cao Hong suddenly realized and thought to himself, indeed, the several envoys sent by Tao Qian earlier had all been executed by the lord. How could Tao Ying dare to come and deliver a message? Was he not being foolish? Unless Tao Ying possessed the ability to foresee the future, knowing that he would deliver the letter to our army's camp, and that the news of Lü Bu attacking Yanzhou would coincidentally arrive at our camp as well

Old Cao blinked his triangular eyes and asked, "Is Fengxiao's proposal to relieve the siege of Xuzhou and hand it over to the young Tao intended to sow discord between the Tao family and Liu Bei?"

When the soldiers of Cao's army poured the green oil into the iron pot, Tao Qian and Liu Bei finally understood Cao Cao's malicious intent—clearly, the notorious and ruthless Cao was planning to publicly fry Tao Ying in boiling oil

After hearing the news delivered by the messenger about the death of a fine horse, even Cao Cao, no matter how calm and confident he was, broke out in a cold sweat. The war god Lü Bu, incited by Cao Cao's archrival Chen Gong, launched an attack on Yanzhou. Not only did he defeat the Cao army general Cao Ren, who was stationed in Yanzhou, leaving him searching for his teeth in defeat, but he also captured the strategically important city of Puyang, seizing almost all the cities in Yanzhou. Cao Cao's stronghold in Yanzhou now only has the three cities of Juancheng, Dong'e, and Fan County barely holding on, which could be breached by Lü Bu at any moment

Let him go!" Cao Laoda commanded the soldier holding Tao Ying, instructing him to release Deputy Director Tao. He then had a mounting post brought over and placed beside the pot, and finally shouted at Tao Ying, "Kid, you choose for yourself: is it your life, or the lives of the entire populace of Xuzhou?"

Not only that, there is another possibility. Guo Jia smiled and said: "Old Tao Qian has already passed sixty, frail and sickly. If he were to hear of his beloved son's misfortune, even if he does not die on the spot, his condition would undoubtedly worsen. Regardless of whether Old Tao's condition worsens or he dies on the spot, only Liu Bei stands to gain from it all"

Cao Lao Da applauded and cheered, giving a knowing glance to the officer Dian Wei beside the tent. Dian Wei understood immediately and rode his horse to the city wall, raising his voice, which was no less than that of Zhang Fei, to announce the new conditions set by Cao Lao Da. If Tao Ying was afraid of death and did not jump into the oil pot, Cao Lao Da would immediately release him, allowing him to return to the city before launching another attack. If Tao Ying jumped into the oil pot, then Cao Lao Da would immediately withdraw his troops, sparing the entire military and civilian population of Xuzhou—of course, this was only a temporary reprieve. In other words, if Tao Ying was afraid of death and did not jump into the oil pot, Cao Lao Da would immediately release him, allowing him to return to the city before launching another attack. If Tao Ying jumped into the oil pot, then Cao Lao Da would immediately withdraw his troops, sparing the entire military and civilian population of Xuzhou—of course, this was only a temporary reprieve.

"Cao Cao, you scoundrel, what skill is it to bully children?" Zhang Fei also shouted from the city wall, his eyes wide open like a leopard, roaring with a voice like thunder: "If you have the ability, come out and fight me, Zhang, for three hundred rounds!"

"That makes sense," said Cao Lao Da, slapping the table. "If I were to kill Tao Ying, the enmity with Tao Qian would only deepen. Tao Qian would inevitably rely even more on Liu Bei, which would greatly benefit Liu Bei in establishing his foothold in Xuzhou and subsequently gaining control over the power in Xuzhou"

Mr. Guo Jia, I see that the young Tao Ying possesses great courage and talent. Why do you say that he is merely a man of brute strength, lacking in cunning and strategy? asked Cao Hong, a loyal general of Cao Cao, with curiosity.

As the lord has said, it is indeed so. Guo Jia nodded in agreement and said with a sly smile: "If the credit for relieving Xuzhou is given to Tao, the military and civilians of Xuzhou will only be grateful to the Tao family and not to Liu Bei. In the eyes of Tao Qian and the people of Xuzhou, Liu Bei and his brothers will not be that significant. Naturally, it will be difficult for Liu Bei and his brothers to establish themselves in Xuzhou, and they might very well retreat from Xuzhou in disgrace. Once Liu Bei leaves, when the lord comes to attack Xuzhou again, won't the resistance be much less?"

Your Excellency!

"What makes you say this, Feng Xiao?" Elder Cao asked in surprise

However, the current Tao Ying is of great use to the lord!" Guo Jia asked with a smile, "Master Gongda, have you ever considered who shot the arrow that conveyed Tao Ying's identity to our scouts from the city of Xuzhou?"

Cao Cao rose from his seat, pacing back and forth in the large tent with his hands clasped behind his back, weighing the pros and cons as he tiptoed. Guo Jia's gaze followed Cao Cao's figure, and he calmly said: "My lord, Guo Jia understands that the enmity of killing one's father is a matter of life and death, but there are distinctions among people and choices among enemies. Liu Bei is a formidable hero of the world, skilled in both literature and martial arts, and adept at winning people's hearts. If he is allowed to establish a firm foothold in Xuzhou, it will require a greater price for you to seize Xuzhou again. The Tao family, however, is different. Tao Qian is old and frail, his eldest son Tao Shang is weak and incompetent, and his second son Tao Ying only knows poetry and literature, possessing mere brute strength without any cunning or strategy. They are far easier to deal with than Liu Bei."

"Young man, have you heard my new conditions?" Master Cao turned to Tao Ying again and said with a sinister smile, "If you are afraid of death, you can leave immediately; I will not kill you for the time being"

"Young Master Tao, throughout history, who can escape death? Let my loyal heart illuminate the annals of history. This is your exquisite line." Guo Jia also coughed as he stepped forward, smiling at Deputy Director Tao and said, "Today, I, Guo Jia, would like to see if the Young Master Tao, who can compose such beautiful verses, can truly live up to it."

"The reckless bravery of Tao Ying's child can also be utilized by our army." Suddenly, Cao Lao Da stopped in his tracks, turned to Guo Jia with a sinister smile, and said: "Feng Xiao, keep that letter of arrows safe. When we release Tao Ying's child later, hand that letter over to him, and let Tao Qian and Liu Bei's child tear each other apart like dogs!"

Cao Lao Da raised his eyebrows, just about to agree, when unexpectedly, Guo Jia suddenly spoke up to stop him: "No! My lord, this favor must not be given to Liu Bei!"

Xun You was taken aback for a moment, and then he recalled a significant issue—who had shot the arrow of accusation from the city of Xuzhou? In a flash, Xun You exclaimed, "Could it be Liu Bei?"

Cao Lao Da slowly nodded, acknowledging that Guo Jia's words were indeed true. In order to avenge Cao Lao Da's father, Cao Song, the Cao army had slaughtered four out of the five commanderies in Xuzhou, leaving rivers of blood and mountains of corpses. The people of Xuzhou were terrified of the Cao army, harboring deep-seated hatred. Upon hearing the news that Lü Bu had invaded Yanzhou, it was highly likely that they would not miss the opportunity to strike a fallen enemy. Kong Rong and Tian Kai, who had good relations with Tao Qian, might also take advantage of the situation to profit from the chaos.

Old fool, listen carefully! Cao Lao Da roared: "Today, I will expose the hypocritical nature of you and your son, who are afraid of death! Your son, Tao Ying, claimed he would rather die than see me retreat, right? Well, I am giving him the opportunity. I have already set up the oil pot and heated the oil. If your son, Tao Ying, dares to jump into the oil pot himself, I will immediately withdraw my troops and leave Xuzhou, and I will not go back on my word! If your son does not dare, I will first sever his limbs, then vivisect his heart and liver, and then I will attack the city!"

"Old fool, you have given birth to a fine son!" Cao Lao Da raised his whip, grinning maliciously as he shouted, "How dare he disguise himself, change his name, and infiltrate my camp under the pretense of delivering a letter to spy on my military affairs! After being exposed, he even resorted to sweet talk, claiming he was willing to die for the people of Xuzhou, and would gladly sacrifice himself to persuade me to withdraw my troops. Such audacity!"

Lord Ming... Tao Qian wept inconsolably

Understanding this, Tao Qian was certainly ashen-faced, tears streaming down his cheeks, while Liu Bei was filled with righteous indignation, shouting: "Lord Tao, please give the order to open the city. I will personally lead the troops out to rescue the two young masters at all costs!"

"Tao Ying, sacrificing oneself for the nation's plight, views death as if returning home!" Old Cao laughed heartily as he rode closer, waving his whip at Tao Ying and said with a laugh: "Your opportunity to sacrifice yourself has come. You heard what I just said; if you dare to jump into the cauldron of oil yourself, I will immediately withdraw my troops, and I will not go back on my word!"