Chapter 5, Exposure
Currently, Liu Bei has led his army into the city, with only two to three thousand men under his command, which is a mere drop in the bucket and insufficient for significant matters. If Liu Bei were to engage in a decisive battle outside the city, our forces could easily defeat him. Liu Bei's only method of achieving victory is to ally with Tao Qian to defend the city, relying on the stronghold of Xuzhou to counter our army. However, Liu Bei has used the pretext of rescuing Tao Qian to occupy Xuzhou. If he does not engage in battle with our army, he will have no explanation for Tao Qian and the people of Xuzhou. Directly proposing an alliance with Tao Qian to defend the city would only invite ridicule for his cowardice and reluctance to fight, which would be detrimental to his reputation.
It is not difficult to defeat Liu Bei. Guo Jia said lightly: Liu Bei took advantage of our army's unpreparedness, fortuitously entered Xuzhou City, and met with Tao Qian. His morale is high, and he immediately launched an attack on the city. Even if our army succeeds, we will inevitably suffer heavy casualties. It is better to turn the situation to our advantage, first treat Liu Bei's envoy well, respond to Liu Bei with kind words, and take our time. When he becomes complacent, we can suddenly attack the city, and we can break Xuzhou in this battle.
How... how should I handle this? Tao should know that his time is drawing near, and his heart is even more in turmoil, with his legs trembling uncontrollably in a frenzy
"There is no award." Cao Cao shook his head and, with a smile reminiscent of a cat playing with a mouse, asked, "Your father, Tao Qian, led troops to kill my father, yet you still dare to come to my camp to deliver a message. Are you not afraid that I will kill you?"
"Thank you for your concern, my lord. Guo Jia's condition is not serious," Guo Jia said while coughing. "My lord, although I have not seen Liu Bei's letter, I understand from your words that it contains sarcasm. I have already grasped Liu Bei's true intentions. I hope my lord will temporarily set aside your wrath, think carefully, and not fall into Liu Bei's scheme of turning the tables on us."
"I am afraid." Tao Ying answered honestly this time
Therefore, Tao Ying simply did not struggle; the tension in his mind was merely a tense calculation: "Why did Cao Cao send Dian Wei to capture me? Is it possible that my identity has been exposed? That cannot be, if there were someone in Cao's camp who could recognize me, my identity would have been revealed long ago. Why wait until now?"
This black dwarf is probably Cao Cao. Tao Ying thought to himself, He sent his trusted general Dian Wei to capture me, what exactly does he intend to do?
Cao Cao's屯田 primarily cultivated millet, so the staple food offered to Tao Ying by Cao's army was also millet. The dishes were quite simple, consisting of a plate of melons and a plate of meat, along with a jug of turbid wine. Compared to the abundant and luxurious food in the city of Xuzhou, this was far inferior. However, despite the simplicity of the meal, Tao Ying enjoyed it immensely, feeling good, and naturally, the food tasted delicious.
"What a big appetite." Cao Cao sneered again and asked, "Since Liu Bei is so treacherous, what do you think I should do to counter him?"
"The abacus is played quite well, but does Liu Bei's child have the ability to repel me?" Cao Cao sneered.
Wonderful! Cao Cao clapped his hands and laughed, saying: "Let Liu Bei enjoy his moment of pride for now; we will deal with him and that old man Tao Qian later! Come here, send Liu Bei's messenger to the rear tent, and treat him well with food and drink. Once I have finished writing the reply, let him return to Xuzhou City." The civil officials under Cao's command bowed and acknowledged the order, then departed.
Thanks to the ailing yet handsome young man Guo Jia, our Deputy Director Tao has narrowly escaped a major disaster. When Officer Cao invited Deputy Director Tao to dine in the rear tent, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that his gamble had paid off. As long as he had evaded Cao Cao's initial wave of wrath, he could essentially consider himself safe. The next step was to see whether that incident would occur and to strategize on how to claim as much credit as possible for the rescue of Xuzhou.
The soldiers saluted and dragged Tao Ying away. Tao Ying did not resist—resisting would be futile. Not to mention that this was the main camp of Cao's army, with tens of thousands of Cao soldiers, even the man standing before him, Dian Wei, could crush Tao Ying with just one hand
"Why are you asking me my name and identity?" Tao Ying felt a cold sweat on his forehead, faintly realizing that Cao Cao had already uncovered his identity
"Answer!" Master Cao spoke again, his tone commanding and his demeanor exuding utmost authority
At the moment when Cao Cao's treasured sword was completely drawn from its sheath, a name suddenly flashed through Tao Ying's mind—Chen Lin! The very Chen Lin who had scolded Cao Cao's ancestors for eighteen generations, yet ultimately managed to secure a stable position within Cao Cao's army!
"Since you are afraid, why do you still dare to come?" Cao Cao asked with a cold smile, making an effort to suppress the impulse to tear Tao Ying into pieces with his own hands
By the way, the original author of this poem is the son of a certain dark dwarf, and this son is not yet two years old.
"Young man, what is your name?" Cao Cao finally spoke, coldly asking Tao Ying: "What is your identity?"
Cao Cao did not respond immediately. Tao Ying, who had been thrown into a state of confusion, struggled to raise his head, only to see that the large tent was filled with civil and military officials of Cao's army. In the center hung two white flags, inscribed with the words "avenge and settle old scores." Beneath the flags stood a man in his forties, dressed in white mourning clothes, short and dark, unremarkable in appearance, yet exuding an extraordinary presence, towering like Mount Tai. With his hands behind his back, he gazed at Tao Ying, his eyes cold and sharp as blades, making Tao Ying feel anxious and his hair stand on end.
Indeed, this is the case. However, some believe that Liu Bei's actions carry a deeper significance. Guo Jia nodded and continued, "Liu Bei is a formidable hero, already harboring ambitions for the world. This time, under the pretext of rescuing Xuzhou, he is actually here for the land of Xuzhou. Previously, Tao Qian suffered consecutive defeats, with his army losing eight or nine out of ten, and his morale has been severely damaged. If Liu Bei can join forces with Tao Qian to repel the lord, then Tao Qian will certainly receive Liu Bei with the highest courtesy. Moreover, in order to leverage Liu Bei's strength to protect Xuzhou and guard against our army's return, Tao Qian will undoubtedly make every effort to retain Liu Bei, offering him provisions and land. Liu Bei can also take this opportunity to establish a foothold in Xuzhou."
People say that Tao Qian's two sons are weak and incompetent, utterly useless; it seems the rumors are mistaken. Cao Cao sneered menacingly and said darkly: "I never expected that Tao Qian's sons are not only not weak, but also particularly bold, daring to personally come to my camp to deliver a message, truly walking into a trap! Such courage, indeed, such courage!"
"Returning to the Ming Duke, Tao Ying fears death, yet he comes to the Ming Duke's army to deliver a message, simply because..." Tao Ying began to recite: "My name is recorded among the valiant, I do not indulge in selfishness, I sacrifice my life for the nation's peril, and regard death as a return home! Therefore, Tao Ying is not afraid of death!"
My lord, wait a moment! As Cao Cao's words fell, before the warriors below could respond, a figure suddenly stood out from the ranks of civil officials on the left. He was around twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with a handsome appearance akin to that of an unparalleled beauty. Unfortunately, he bore a sickly pallor and was frail, looking as if a gust of wind could blow him over. This person was none other than the renowned Guo Jia, also known as Guo Fengxiao.
Thus, Liu Bei used the pretext of courtesy before aggression to deliberately provoke me. Cao Cao quickly realized this, smiting his forehead and exclaiming: "What a cunning scoundrel! If I fall for his trick, I would immediately execute the envoy and attack the city, which would not only put me at a moral disadvantage but also allow Liu Bei's young man to evade the peril of a decisive battle outside the city. Liu Bei's young man could then take the opportunity to ally with the old Tao Qian on equal terms to defend the city. If victorious, Liu Bei would monopolize the credit for rescuing Xuzhou; if defeated, he could preserve his military strength and retreat at ease, leaving the old Tao Qian to bear the brunt of my wrath!"
The sudden roar interrupted Tao Ying's meal. Immediately after, a group of fierce Cao army soldiers burst into the military tent where Tao Ying was seated. The leading burly man, upon seeing Tao Ying sitting quietly at the table, first showed a look of joy, then shouted loudly: "Capture him!"
Damn it! I have to fight! Tao made up his mind, thinking that since the old thief Cao Cao had likely already seen through his identity, it would be useless to report a false name, and it might even make Cao Cao hate him more.
Tao's forehead was drenched with sweat, his complexion as pale as ashes, and after trembling for a long time, he finally replied, "Your Excellency, you flatter me; I truly do not deserve such praise."
The soldiers of Cao Jun paid no heed to Tao Ying's thoughts; they rushed forward and pinned him down. A thick hemp rope, as thick as a wrist, fell over his head, and in just a few moments, they bound Tao Ying securely. The burly man, with a fierce grin, said, "Good lad, you have quite the audacity to come here! When the lord issues the order for execution, I, Dian Wei, will personally tear you apart! Take him away!"
"Feng Xiao, has your illness worsened again?" Cao Cao noticed that Guo Jia's condition was not good and hurriedly asked, "Should we summon the doctor?"
Dian Wei moved swiftly; as he arrived in front of the central military tent, Tao Ying had not even had the chance to clearly see the appearance of this tent heavily guarded by Cao's troops. Dian Wei had already dragged Tao Ying into the tent and then forcefully threw him onto the ground in the center of the tent, cupping his hands in salute towards Cao Cao, who sat in the high seat, and announced: "My lord, this person is the messenger of Liu Bei!"
"Please sit down and speak," Cao Cao said as he invited Guo Jia to return to his seat. He then asked, "What does Fengxiao mean by this? How did Liu Bei turn the tables on the host?"
Having calculated to this point, Tao Ying struggled to stand up, slightly bowed to Cao Cao, straightened his back, and replied in a clear voice: "In response to the esteemed lord, I am Tao Ying, with the courtesy name Mingwu, the second son of Tao Qian, the Governor of Xuzhou, and I currently hold no official position"
... ...
"It is of no consequence if we cannot repel them. With the formidable generals Guan Yu and Zhang Fei providing support, it will not be difficult for Liu Bei to break through the chaos of battle," Guo Jia said with a smile. "However, if we are forced to retreat, Liu Bei's gains could be substantial. Our spies have already reported that the old thief Tao Qian is gravely ill and has little time left. His two sons are notoriously weak and loyal, utterly incompetent. If Liu Bei, with the help of Kong Rong and Tian Kai, manages to fortuitously drive our forces back and takes credit for the rescue of Xuzhou, and then the old thief Tao Qian suddenly passes away, would Liu Bei not..."
With a snap, the bamboo chopsticks fell from Tao's hand, and even on the face that had cultivated composure within the system for many years, a rare expression of shock appeared. He thought to himself: "What is happening? Why did Cao Cao first treat me with hospitality and then want to capture me?"
Tao was no longer just sweating coldly on his forehead; rather, he was drenched in cold sweat all over his body, feeling utterly bewildered and at a loss, unsure of how to respond to Cao Cao's question—surely he couldn't say that he had impersonated Liu Bei's envoy to Cao's camp in order to compete for credit with Liu Bei
"Go!" Dian Wei found the soldiers' movements too slow. He extended an arm thicker than Tao Ying's thigh and grabbed the rope on Tao Ying's body, lifting him up like an eagle catching a chick. He strode swiftly towards the central tent where Cao Cao was located. Tao Ying, unable to resist, could only silently pray in his heart, pleading for heaven's protection, hoping that Cao Cao would not uncover his true identity.
The messenger from Xuzhou is here!
Guo Jia first cupped his hands in salute, then coughed and spoke to stop him: "My lord, please quell your wrath and do not fall into Liu Bei's trap"
Returning to the Lord, Liu Bei sent a letter to the Lord, ostensibly advocating for courtesy before conflict, but in reality, he sought to take the initiative. However, the person Liu Bei aimed to target was not the Lord, but rather Tao Qian. Guo Jia replied: "The Lord has already annihilated Tao Qian's main forces, and our troops are at the gates of Xuzhou. Tao Qian is left with only six or seven thousand remnants of his defeated army, trapped in a solitary city, lacking the will to fight and the morale to resist. The fall of Xuzhou is imminent."
Come here! Execute the messenger sent by Liu Bei at the gate and send the head to the foot of Xuzhou City for public display! The army will leave the camp and launch an immediate assault on the city!
Could it be that Tao Qian lost his composure and sent troops to rescue me, this false son? Is that why Cao Cao, the cunning one, suspects that my identity is not simple? But that doesn't seem right; there are no sounds of battle outside the camp. If Tao Qian really sent troops to rescue me, there should be chaos outside.
Indeed, it is this young boy! A cacophony of voices erupted in the tent, with Cao Jun's military officers either looking astonished or displaying joy. Some gritted their teeth, clenched their fists, and shouted, "Good! He has delivered himself to us! My lord, I beseech you to allow me to tear this boy to pieces, to avenge your father!"
"Why do you not answer?" Cao Cao asked again, while his hand rested on the sword hilt, slowly drawing the treasured sword from his waist. The murderous aura emanating from him was so intense that even from twenty paces away, it felt as if it were cutting into Tao Ying's skin.