Introduction

Last year, when Guo Jia passed away in Liucheng, my father sadly remarked that he had thought Guo Jia was younger than him and had intended to entrust his affairs to him. Unexpectedly, he left us at such a young age. At that time, Cao Chong lamented that Guo Jia's death was truly a great loss, not realizing that just a few months later, he too would have to depart.

What did you say? Cao Cao shouted angrily

Upon hearing Cao Cao's words, a glimmer of cold light flashed in Cao Pi's eyes, only to be quickly obscured by tears. His hand trembled gently as he stood by, silently shedding tears.

The tiger warriors standing outside rushed in, causing the sorcerers to stop in surprise. They widened their eyes and exchanged glances, still unable to comprehend what was happening. Before they could react, the tiger warriors seized them without hesitation, and despite their struggles and pleas for mercy, it was of no use. They were dragged outside and, with a few sharp sounds, their heads were severed.

In recent days, his mother has been by his side. Although he cannot see her, he knows she must be very haggard, as can be discerned from her increasingly hoarse voice. His younger brothers, Cao Yu and Cao Ju, have also been by their mother's side, weeping. After all, they are biological brothers, unlike Cao Pi, who, although he has visited a few times, conveys a sense of ease and pleasure in his voice.

He suddenly realized that it was himself; he was already dead

"Cang Shu! Cang Shu!" Cao Cao cried out to the heavens

With a loud crash, Cao Cao rushed out, his face covered in tears, having not even had time to put on his shoes, his feet clad in two white socks.

"That body is no longer yours from now on," Lao Bai said impatiently, as he pulled out an iron chain from his pocket and fastened it around Cao Chong's neck. "Let's go, follow me."

Cao Zhang wiped away his tears and sighed as he glanced at Cao Chong, who lay quietly there. To his astonishment, he noticed Cao Chong's eyelids twitching slightly. Startled, he quickly rubbed his eyes and focused intently. This time, he saw Cao Chong open his eyes, staring steadily at him, and even blink.

Cao Chong listened to the faint sound of his mother, Lady Huan, crying beside him. He tried his best to open his eyes to comfort her, but his eyelids felt as heavy as a millstone, and no matter how hard he tried, it was in vain. He let out a bitter laugh in his heart and sighed helplessly.

"Zihuan, this is my misfortune, yet your great fortune." Cao Cao sat down heavily on the ground, tears streaming down his face, sliding down his already sagging features to his grizzled beard. He was already fifty-four years old and did not expect to lose his most beloved strategist at this time, followed by the death of his most cherished son

"No problem, no problem." That young man chuckled, flicking his fingers to produce a sharp sound, resembling the unruly youths on the streets.

He shouted in panic, but no matter how much he strained his voice, neither his mother nor his brother Cao Zhang could hear him; they only wiped their tears in silence. Outside the door stood a young man, who did not shed a single tear, merely staring blankly at the overcast sky, his face devoid of any color. That was Zhou Buyi, Zhou Buyi from Lingling, his best friend. What had happened to him

Another brother, Cao Zhang, stood by with a look of deep regret. He was dressed in military attire, with a four-foot-long black-sheathed sword at his waist. It seemed that this martial-minded brother had come to see him directly after finishing his training, without even having time to change his clothes. Cao Chong let out a bitter smile, realizing that he could no longer ride horses and shoot arrows with this brother. Alas, he had yet to ride that famous horse gifted by the Wuhuan people.

Father, your health is of utmost importance. If Cang Shu were to see you like this, his spirit in heaven would surely be troubled. Cao Pi said in a hushed voice as he leaned behind Cao Cao, casually wiping his eyes with his sleeve

"Cang Shu, Cang Shu, you nearly scared your father to death." Cao Cao suddenly slumped beside Cao Chong, trembling as he extended his hands. Lady Feng's eyes were filled with tears, yet she looked at Cao Chong with immense joy, unable to tear her gaze away for even a moment

"Not bad, not bad, hehe. Although this kid isn't as handsome as I am, he's still passable. I said, Old Bai, let's settle our accounts like this, and from now on, we owe each other nothing." That kid glanced at the furious Cao Chong and laughed while patting Old Bai's shoulder.

"That's right, follow me, your time is up." The pale-faced man ignored him and turned to the smirking young man, saying: "So, are you satisfied with this?"

Cao Chong looked helplessly into the distance, where he saw Cao Zhang shouting wildly as he rushed into a room. He knew that there were several sorcerers inside performing a ritual, and his father was personally requesting a decree for him.

"I am you, and you are me." That mischievous boy chuckled, waved at Lao Bai, opened his arms, and shouted to the sky, "The Han Dynasty, here I come!" He then pounced down, and immediately, Cao Chong saw his own body lying there motionless tremble slightly, opening his eyes. He instantly understood that his body had been taken over by this boy with a wicked grin.

Indeed, one cannot blame him; having left, he can no longer threaten his position. After all, who could have imagined that his father would dote on him so much, especially when his father happens to be the most powerful Minister of Works in the Han Dynasty

"Father... Father..." Cao Zhang shouted as he rushed in frantically. A few guards at the entrance immediately blocked his way and pointed to the long knife at his waist. Cao Zhang was taken aback and hurriedly tried to draw the blade from its sheath, but he fumbled for a moment. In his anxiety, he shouted towards the inside, "Father, Father, Cang Shu is still alive, Cang Shu is still alive"

Cao Chong suddenly felt his body becoming lighter, as if a feather was gently lifted by the wind. He opened his eyes in astonishment and was surprised to find himself floating in mid-air. His mother covered her face, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Cao Ju and Cao Yu leaned against their mother, each holding onto her arms, their small faces streaked with tears.

Father—"Cao Pi stood beside Cao Cao, sobbing.

"Yes, who are you?" Cao Chong said with a frown, feeling that this person was quite rude to address him by name in front of others

"Who are you?" Cao Chong could not help but ask

Cao Pi watched as the tiger warriors dragged the sorcerer away, and a wave of unease washed over him. He glanced at his furious father, observing the bluish hue of his hand from gripping the scabbard tightly, and involuntarily swallowed. The fleeting sense of satisfaction in his heart vanished in an instant.

Cao Chong wanted to go over and pull him, but was stopped by a voice from behind. He turned around and saw a strangely shaped person standing in front of him, wearing a peculiar short garment, with a hint of a wicked smile on his face, and having undergone a peculiar punishment.

Cao Zhang felt a surge of joy; Cang Shu was not dead, Cang Shu was not dead, he was still alive. He rushed forward to take a closer look, pressing his ear against Cao Chong's chest to listen. Although the heartbeat was faint, it was clear and becoming stronger. He suddenly jumped up and pulled Cao Ju, saying: "Stop crying, Cang Shu is still alive." Before he could finish his sentence, he dashed out.

Cao Cao sat helplessly on the ground, watching the several sorcerers in front of him, brandishing swords and shaking bells, and the more he looked, the more annoyed he became. Liars, all of them liars, claiming they could prolong life, claiming they could bring the dead back to life. His beloved Cang Shu was gone, after all. Was his heart not sincere enough? He had truly fasted for three days, even more sincerely than when he participated in the emperor's sacred rites, but what was the use? Cang Shu was still gone.

Cao Pi watched as Cao Cao ran away in a frenzy, his face pale. The words of Cao Zhang echoed in his ears like thunder: "Cang Shu is still alive? Cang Shu is still alive?" Then came his father's words: "This is my misfortune, but your great fortune."

He knew that if his father, in a fit of rage, noticed his pride, he might very well be the next one dragged out

Cao Chong was being pulled forward by him, shouting and struggling, desperately turning his head to look at the bad boy who had taken over his body. He saw the boy casually curl the corner of his mouth, as if filled with boundless pride

Cao Chong's eyes glanced towards the bed, and he suddenly discovered a pale-faced youth lying there, his cheeks sunken, eyes tightly closed, and completely motionless. Who is he, and why does his face look so familiar? Why is his mother weeping over him?

Although she knew that Cao Chong was already dead, she was unwilling to believe it. She always felt that Cao Chong had not truly left, that he was there watching her, perhaps just tired and asleep. At that moment, upon hearing Cao Ju's words, she instinctively looked up at Cao Chong and indeed found him looking at her, his eyes still as lively as before, and on his pale, thin face, there was even a faint smile.

Standing in mid-air, Cao Chong looked at the person lying on the bed and blinked his eyes, feeling somewhat annoyed. He pointed at that person and shouted to Lao Bai: "Who is he, and why has he taken over my body?"

"Are you Cao Chong?" the white-faced man on the left asked.

Cang Shu ... ... Cang Shu ... ... Madam Huan was overwhelmed with joy and wept, her trembling hands holding onto Cao Chong's face, gazing at him incessantly

Cao Ju responded in a daze, instinctively looking towards Cao Chong, who was lying there and gazing at him. He was taken aback, smiled through his tears, and hurriedly nudged his mother: "Mother, Mother, Brother is smiling."

Zhou Buyi outside the door jumped up, looking inside with a face full of suspicion. He raised his foot, wanting to step inside, but hesitated and pulled back, his hands nervously clasped together. Cao Chong wanted to say a few words to him, to tell him that that person was no longer Cao Chong, but someone else, a boy with a wicked smile. However, the iron chain around his neck was pulled tight, forcing him to move forward involuntarily. Cao Chong wanted to say a few words to him, to tell him that that person was no longer Cao Chong, but someone else, a boy with a wicked smile. However, the iron chain around his neck was pulled tight, forcing him to move forward involuntarily.

"Very well, you may go now. I have made some arrangements for you, so this time you will surely live until you are fed up with it," Old Bai said with a smile to the young man. "However, you must keep your promise and live your life as a well-behaved rich heir, without disturbing the order of the world"

"Father, I am not mistaken, is Cang Shu still alive?" Cao Zhang rushed in behind, grinning as he spoke

Cang Shu..." Cao Zhang, while loosening the long knife on his belt, gasped and said, "Cang Shu is still alive." As soon as he finished speaking, Cao Cao had already swept past him like a gust of wind. He widened his eyes to look at the tiger warriors, who were also staring at him with wide eyes, all sharing a common question: How could the Minister of Works run so fast?

Madam Huan was holding Cao Chong's hand in a daze, feeling as if the sky were about to collapse. Cang Shu was her most cherished son and also the most beloved son of her husband, the Minister of Works. She had originally hoped to rise in status through her son, but now he had inexplicably fallen ill and passed away. She felt as if all her hopes had been dashed in an instant, and she could even sense the relief and mockery in Cao Pi's sigh upon hearing the doctor's conclusion.

He wasn't dead, was he? I saw it with my own eyes. How could he be alive again so soon? Cao Pi was perplexed, turning in circles in frustration. The two pairs of shoes outside the door caught his eye, piercing his heart like needles. Gritting his teeth, he stepped outside, put on his own shoes, and picked up Cao Cao's shoes, then hurriedly ran over.

Now everything has come to an end

When Cao Pi came to inform him of the news, Cao Cao was so pained that he nearly cried out loud. Looking at the several sorcerers still dancing wildly before him, he could not contain his anger and shouted, "Come here, take them out and execute them all."

Cao Cao pushed open the door and rushed into the room, where he found Zhou Buyi standing at the entrance. He dashed to the bedside. Cao Chong was lying in the embrace of Lady Huan. Although his face was still pale, there was a distinct hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. He looked at Cao Cao, whose beard was streaked with tears, and after a long moment of trembling lips, he finally managed to utter two words: "Father... dear!"

"Let’s go, let’s go, everything here has nothing to do with you." Lao Bai laughed lightly, saying, "Damn it, this account is finally settled."