Chapter 4, Sending a Letter
Deputy Director Tao is still one of the outstanding figures among them
Tao Ying responded gently, pulling on the reins and lifting his leg to dismount. Without stirrups and no one to assist him, Tao Ying, who had only recently learned to ride, moved in a manner that was both clumsy and unpracticed. However, this also had an advantage: the experienced scouts of the Cao army could immediately tell that Tao Ying was not a military general and that his close combat skills were lacking. Therefore, this group of Cao scouts did not make things overly difficult for him. After searching him, they escorted Tao Ying to the Cao camp, and in accordance with the protocol for receiving envoys, they afforded him a measure of courtesy, demonstrating commendable military discipline.
"Come here!" Under the furious outburst, Chief Cao immediately slammed the table and shouted, "Execute the messenger sent by Liu Bei at the gate and send the head to the foot of Xuzhou for public display! The army shall march out of the camp and launch an immediate assault on the city!"
When Tao Ying truly arrived at the gates of Cao's camp, his heart unexpectedly ceased its intense beating, and his anxious mood gradually relaxed. Since he had come this far, he decided to accept his fate. After all, he was already here, and it was too late to turn back. With Cao Cao's army so close at hand, fleeing from the battle would be tantamount to seeking death. It was better to calm himself and proceed according to his previous plans. Even if he were to lose, he would still have the opportunity to witness the renowned Cao Cao's army in history, making his journey worthwhile.
This letter from Liu Bei is indeed heartfelt, and the key points are as follows: "I, Bei, have received your esteemed countenance from beyond the pass. Since then, we have been in different regions, and I am unable to attend to you. Previously, the respected father, Lord Cao, was harmed due to the unkindness of Zhang Kai, and this is not the fault of Tao Gongzu. Currently, the remnants of the Yellow Turbans are causing disturbances externally; the remnants of Dong Zhuo are entrenched internally. I hope that Your Excellency will prioritize the urgent matters of the court before personal grievances; withdraw the troops from Xuzhou to alleviate the national crisis: then Xuzhou will be fortunate, and the world will be fortunate!"
Tao should gamble, betting on the fact that within the ranks of Cao and the library camp, no one can recognize themselves. As long as his identity remains undisclosed and he successfully delivers Liu Bei's letter to Cao's hands, there is no need for Tao to worry too much about the rest
I ask, under heaven, which dandy can step forward at a critical moment of life and death to do something for the common people and the citizens? Whether there will be others in the future is unknown, but as of today, Young Master Tao Er should be the first.
I am the son of the shepherd of Xuzhou. In the past, every piece of clothing and every meal I had came from the people of Xuzhou. Now that Xuzhou is in distress, I should stand up and do something for the people of my hometown. Please tell my father not to worry about my life or death. If I do not return, please bow to my father on my behalf and say that I can no longer fulfill my filial duty to him
Moreover, Tao Ying was also aware that even if Tao Qian truly ceded Xuzhou to Liu Bei, Liu Bei would not be able to hold it. Surrounding figures such as Cao Cao, Lü Bu, and Yuan Shu were all eyeing Xuzhou covetously. At that time, regardless of who ultimately took control of Xuzhou, Tao Ying would not have a favorable outcome. The best scenario would be to become a mere supporting character, struggling to survive in the chaotic era of the Three Kingdoms; in a worse case, he would end up without a burial place.
Liu Bei could not hold Xu Province, so Tao had no choice but to come and defend it himself. The fervor for promotion and wealth surged within Deputy Director Tao, and his ambition to rise above others also burned fiercely in his heart
As for Liu Bei, although Tao Ying had never visited Liu Bei's camp, he still dared to wager that if Liu Bei's reinforcements had chosen to break through from the defense area of Yu Jin instead of the area commanded by Cao Cao himself, then even with the three great warriors, Zhang, Zhao, acting as enforcers, Liu Bei would not have been able to break through the obstruction of Cao's army to reach the outskirts of Xuzhou!
The notorious Dong Lao Da has many accomplices left behind after his escapades, and those entrenched within are none other than the new and old leaders, Li Jue and Guo Si, who currently hold the Emperor in Chang'an to command the feudal lords. Ironically, a year ago, Cao Cao followed the orders of Li Jue and Guo Si and dispatched troops to Qingzhou to suppress the Yellow Turban Army there, thereby securing the title of General of the Eastern Town from Li Jue and Guo Si, making him nominally a subordinate of Li Jue and Guo Si.
What Tao should prioritize is to seize the credit for dissuading Cao Cao and defending Xuzhou from Liu Bei, in order to win the support of the military and the people of Xuzhou, establish his own authority, lay the foundation for his grand ambitions, and buy time
The most difficult thing in the world is nothing but death! With a heart determined to face certain death, the thousands of brave warriors in Cao's camp naturally appeared to Tao Ying as mere chickens and dogs. Seizing this opportunity, he boldly entered the sprawling camp of Cao's army, presenting Liu Bei's handwritten letter to an unknown Cao officer. Following this, Tao Ying began to appreciate and learn the methods of establishing a military camp employed by Cao's forces.
Riding a warhorse without stirrups, he trotted for less than three miles when a scout team from the Cao army had already approached, brandishing swords and guns to block Tao Ying's path. The leading squad leader shouted sternly, "Halt! What is your purpose?"
In comparison, the garrison camps of the Xuzhou army, despite having cities to rely on, can still only be described with one word when compared to Cao Cao's main camp—rubbish
The morale of the Xuzhou garrison has reached an all-time low, yet neither Kong Rong nor Tian Kai dare to enter Xuzhou. Only Liu Bei, leading his troops, has broken through Cao Cao's blockade and entered Xuzhou, greatly boosting the morale of the city's defenders. If Liu Bei were to be defeated by Cao Cao again, the morale of the Xuzhou garrison would inevitably collapse completely, and the reinforcements from Kong Rong and Tian Kai might choose to flee at the critical moment. Therefore, Tao should not allow Liu Bei to engage in battle outside the city, but rather choose to assist Liu Bei in holding Xuzhou firmly.
One does not strike a smiling face. Tao Ying spoke with such respect, addressing the general in an endearing manner. The Cao army's shichang, who was still far from the rank of general, appreciated this and softened his tone, saying: "Since you are a messenger, dismount and be searched."
Isn't Liu Bei fond of acting? Then let’s compare acting. Which student graduated from the Public Servant School's Performing Arts Department has not absorbed the essence of three thousand years of acting techniques? Which one has not been battle-hardened, with acting skills rivaling those of an Oscar-winning actor?
Moreover, the identity of Tao Ying as the second son of Tao Qian is still at play here. Not long ago, the traitors in the Xuzhou army had just killed the entire family of Cao Cao's father. Once Tao Ying's identity is exposed, relying on Cao Cao not to execute the envoy would likely become exceedingly difficult.
Cao Cao was indeed one of the most outstanding commanders of the early to mid period of the Three Kingdoms, if not the most exceptional. The Cao army camp, which he personally oversaw, was truly remarkable. Although the camp was not very large, it was meticulously organized and arranged. Nestled against hills and rivers, the various units were strategically positioned in a staggered manner, with forces interlinked and mutually supportive. At the same time, it addressed the needs for defense, water supply, grain transportation, and logistics, with seamless connections and coordination, exhibiting a rigorous and comprehensive structure.
In this way, combined with the context of the letter, Liu Bei's sarcasm towards Cao Cao for accepting the enfeoffment of Dong Zhuo's remnants and acting as an accomplice to them becomes evident. Naturally, the Cao Cao who once established the anti-Dong alliance under a forged edict would feel uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Cao Cao, this time under the pretext of avenging his father, did not accept the surrender of any civil or military officials from Xuzhou, alleviating concerns about being betrayed by traitors; at the same time, the previously honest youth Tao Ying was also living a secluded life under the protection of Tao Qian, spending his days either reading or practicing martial arts, rarely appearing in public. Even if Cao's army had spies infiltrating Xuzhou, the likelihood of them having encountered Tao Ying, the inconspicuous son of the Xuzhou governor, was quite low, giving Tao Ying a significant chance of winning the gamble.
However, Liu Bei happened to be caught in the trap set by Tao Ying. Tao Ying could see the sarcasm in Liu Bei's letter towards Cao Cao, and he understood Liu Bei's true intentions even better. Liu Bei lacked the courage to engage in a decisive battle with Cao Cao's main forces in the open field. The so-called strategy of first showing courtesy and then resorting to arms was merely to provoke Cao Cao, prompting him to launch an attack on the city. Liu Bei intended to take this opportunity to ally with the Xuzhou army to defend the city, using Xuzhou's resources, manpower, and lives to wear down Cao Cao.
These were the words left by Tao Ying before his departure, which moved the soldiers of Xuzhou on the city wall to tears, completely changing their impression of Tao Ying
Hao's defeat led to Liu Bei's rising reputation in Xuzhou, significantly increasing his hopes of annexing the region. Even if Hao lost, it was of little consequence; the three formidable warriors—Guan, Zhang, and Zhao—could not defeat Cao Cao's seasoned army. As long as Liu Bei managed to break through the encirclement, it was not a major issue. As for how Cao's troops would retaliate against the Tao family and the people of Xuzhou after breaching the city, it had nothing to do with Liu Bei.
"General, I am but a humble messenger." Tao Ying bowed on horseback, clasped his fists in salute, and spoke with utmost respect: "This general, I am a messenger sent by the military and civilians of Xuzhou, with a letter to present to General Cao of the Eastern Town. I kindly request the general to grant me an audience."
While Tao was lamenting under the close watch of the soldiers of the Cao army, Liu Bei's handwritten letter had already been delivered to the main command tent of the Cao army, presented to the leader of the Cao army, Cao Cao, who had been appointed as the General of the Eastern Town of the Han Dynasty by Li Jue and Guo Si. As Cao Cao was furiously reprimanding Yu Jin for his failure to repel Liu Bei, he opened the letter and was instantly filled with rage, exclaiming, "A mere peddler of mats and shoes dares to write to advise me? The letter even contains a hint of mockery?"
Liu Bei is not a good leader, and this is something Tao should be able to see. Tao encouraged Liu Bei to battle Cao Cao, but the purpose was merely to test him, and he had no intention of putting Liu Bei in a difficult position. If Liu Bei had truly agreed to lead the troops into battle, Tao would have done everything in his power to stop him
Tao Ying certainly did not go mad, nor did he ever consider throwing himself into the trap of Cao's camp. Tao Ying was compelled to act this way; Cao Cao was coming to take the lives of the entire Tao family, while Liu Bei was there to seize the territory of the Tao family. The enemies were increasingly formidable, yet the strength of the Tao family was pitifully weak, and Tao Ying's personal power was even more negligible. Unless Tao Ying chose to follow Liu Bei, there was no hope for survival.
On the surface, Liu Bei's letter appears flawless; it can be described as appealing to emotions and reasoning. However, upon closer analysis, the tone becomes questionable, particularly with the phrase "the remnants of Dong Zhuo's faction are entrenched within"
The legendary Cao army camp was drawing ever closer, and as he sensed the overwhelming aura of slaughter, Tao Ying's heart raced faster, and his body involuntarily trembled slightly. This was because Tao Ying was acutely aware that during the cold weapon era in China, although there existed an unwritten rule between the two warring nations that forbade the killing of envoys, very few armies throughout history have truly adhered to this principle. Tao Ying did not know whether Cao Cao would abide by this rule.
Liu Bei and Mi Zhu received accurate news that Tao Ying had indeed personally left the city to deliver a message to Cao Cao. In order to prevent the troops of Xuzhou from obstructing his exit, Tao Ying first arranged for a messenger. When the guards of Xuzhou opened the city gates, Tao Ying then pushed aside the messenger, rode out of the city alone, and went to Cao's camp to deliver the message. By the time Cao Bao, Cao Hong, and other Xuzhou generals arrived to intercept him, Tao Ying had already gone far away.