Three Kingdoms: The Peerless Strategist of Wei

Chapter 15 Using a borrowed knife to kill

"That scoundrel Yuan Shu is truly audacious, daring to openly usurp the throne and declare himself emperor!"

Zhao Yun roared angrily, but his face was full of disbelief.

The attendant quickly replied, "This is absolutely true. I've heard that Yuan Shu has not only openly declared himself emperor, but also plans to have his son, Yuan Yao, marry Lü Bu's daughter in order to win Lü Bu over. The news is already spreading like wildfire throughout Xuchang."

Zhao Yun finally had to believe it, and looked at Mi Huan with a look of surprise: "Miss Mi, we really underestimated that Young Master Gu before. We never expected that he would actually be right."

"It seems that this young master Gu is indeed a rare talent hiding in the countryside."

Mi Huan repeatedly expressed his amazement, then sighed softly and said, "Our lord is in dire need of such a strategist. If we could persuade this young master Gu to come to Xiaopei to assist our lord as his advisor, that would be wonderful."

"Miss Mi is absolutely right."

A glint flashed in Zhao Yun's eyes, and he immediately said, "After we finish this errand and return to Xiaopei, when we pass by the Gu residence, why don't we pay a visit and invite him back to Xiaopei?"

"General Zilong's words are absolutely correct."

Mi Huan nodded slightly.

The two suppressed their shock and continued riding towards Xuchang.

"It's truly unexpected that such a handsome and extraordinary young talent is hidden in this remote countryside..."

Mi Huan turned her head to look in the direction of the Gu residence, muttering to herself under her breath.

Inside the Gu Family Manor.

Gu Cheng had already eaten and drunk his fill and was leisurely listening to music and admiring the blooming flowers in the courtyard.

Cao Jie finally couldn't help but ask, "Husband, do you really believe that Yuan Shu has the guts to declare himself emperor?"

"Yuan Shu, this pampered and dissolute young man, has always been arrogant and self-important. How many outrageous things has he done over the years? There is nothing in the world that he dares not do. What is it of him to declare himself emperor?"

Gu Cheng fed the koi in the pond while speaking nonchalantly.

Cao Jie lowered his eyes, lost in thought. He thought to himself that such a matter concerning the world must be reported back to his father, Cao Cao, as soon as possible.

She immediately used the excuse of needing to return to Xuchang to buy things, and with her maids and servants who had come with her dowry, she hurriedly bid farewell to Gu Cheng and left the mansion, riding at full speed to Xuchang.

Inside Xudu City, in the main hall of the Sikong Mansion.

At this very moment, angry shouts filled with indignation echoed repeatedly within the main hall.

"Yuan Shu, this treacherous and rebellious minister, dares to openly usurp the throne and declare himself emperor! He is truly audacious and arouses the wrath of both heaven and man!"

"Your Excellency has just welcomed the Emperor and established the capital in Xuchang, and Yuan Shu has dared to defy the world and declare himself Emperor. If we do not immediately raise an army to punish him, the prestige of the Han Dynasty will surely be completely destroyed."

"Lord Minister, I implore you to immediately mobilize the entire nation's army to march south and attack Shouchun, and annihilate this treacherous traitor Yuan Shu in one fell swoop!"

The generals below the hall were all filled with righteous indignation and stepped forward to clasp their fists and ask for battle.

Even the usually composed Xun Yu and Xi Zhicai frowned deeply at this moment, and did not voice any opposition to the generals' request to fight.

Yuan Shu now has a strong and powerful army. If we send troops to attack him, it will inevitably lead to a protracted and fierce war.

However, with Lü Bu entrenched in Xuzhou to the east and not yet pacified, and Yuan Shao to the north eyeing the country with hostility and potentially launching a southward invasion at any time, it would be extremely unwise to engage in a protracted and bitter war with Yuan Shu at this juncture.

However, Cao Cao now respects the emperor and commands the world, and Yuan Shu openly proclaims himself emperor, which is tantamount to slapping him in the face in public. If he does not send troops to punish him, how can he convince the other warlords and the people of the world?

By then, anyone with a bit of power would dare to emulate him and declare themselves emperor, and the prestige of the Han Dynasty would completely collapse. Even if he held the trump card of being the emperor, what use would it be?

"This is truly a dilemma..."

Cao Cao sighed inwardly, then waved his hand and said, "You may all leave now. Let me think this over some more."

The assembled strategists and generals bowed and took their leave.

Cao Cao raised his hand to his forehead, his brows furrowed, and he fell into deep thought.

Just as he was filled with worries and in a dilemma, Cao Jie stepped into the main hall and bowed gracefully to him.

"Jie'er is back! Come here, sit down and let's talk."

When Cao Cao saw his daughter return, his furrowed brows relaxed a bit, and his mood improved considerably. He smiled and invited his daughter to sit down quickly.

He then smiled and asked, "Jie'er, is Gu Cheng good to you? Has he bullied you?"

"How could this be?"

Cao Jie gently shook her head, her cheeks slightly flushed, and said, "My husband treats me very considerately, so Father can rest assured."

That's good.

Cao Cao was finally relieved and then asked, "So you didn't give yourself away and let him discover your true identity, did you?"

Cao Jie covered her mouth and smiled, saying, "Father, please rest assured. I have always remembered your instructions and will never let him discover my true identity."

Cao Cao was now completely relieved. He stroked his long beard and laughed heartily.

Suddenly.

Cao Cao looked puzzled and asked, "Jie'er, you've only been married for a short time, why are you going back to your parents' home so soon? That's not very proper according to etiquette."

"My daughter has come back this time because she has something extremely important to tell her father."

Cao Jie's smile vanished, and his tone instantly became extremely serious.

"What exactly is this important matter?"

Cao Cao picked up the fragrant tea on the table and slowly brought it to his lips.

"It is like this: today, some guests passed by our house. During our conversation, my husband inadvertently mentioned Yuan Shu of Huainan, who will soon usurp the throne and declare himself emperor."

"At first, I couldn't believe it, but Father had said before that he was always right and never made a mistake. I thought that this matter was related to the overall situation of the world and was of great importance, so I made an excuse to return to Xudu City and specially reported this matter to Father in advance."

Cao Jie recounted the whole story in detail.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's body jolted, and his hand trembled involuntarily, causing a considerable amount of tea in his cup to spill out.

"My dear son-in-law, did he really say that?"

Cao Cao hurriedly put down his teacup, his face filled with shock.

"Of course it's true. How could a daughter dare to fabricate lies to deceive her father?"

Seeing Cao Cao's expression, Cao Jie was startled and quickly asked, "Could it be that my husband was right after all, and Yuan Shu has really declared himself emperor?"

Cao Cao nodded slightly, and said with a sigh, "The great events of the world and the extraordinary people of the world cannot escape his predictions and foresight."

"How could he have foreseen something so absurd?"

Cao Jie muttered to himself, his eyes filled with utter astonishment and surprise.

Seeing this, Cao Cao couldn't help but smile and ask, "Jie'er, you said before that you wanted to see for yourself what kind of extraordinary person he was. Now you've finally seen him with your own eyes, haven't you? Tell me, are you satisfied with the son-in-law I've chosen for you?"

When Cao Jie was asked this question, her surprise instantly turned into embarrassment. She lowered her head with a smile and a touch of shyness.

After his emotions gradually calmed down, Cao Jie's face showed indignation again, and he asked, "Father, that scoundrel Yuan Shu dared to openly declare himself emperor. This is blatant contempt for you and the court. What do you intend to do with him?"

"All my generals advocate for an immediate campaign to punish them, but Wenruo and Zhicai haven't been able to come up with a foolproof plan either. That treacherous Yuan Shu has presented me with an enormous problem at this crucial juncture!"

Cao Cao sighed helplessly.

Cao Jie's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he quickly suggested, "Since that's the case, why doesn't Father go and ask my husband for a good solution?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao suddenly realized his mistake and said with great joy, "Jie'er, you are absolutely right. You should go back to the manor immediately. I will set off later to see what brilliant plan my son-in-law has to break this deadlock."

Cao Jie then bowed and took his leave, heading back to the Gu residence ahead of everyone else.

By evening.

Cao Cao then summoned Xi Zhicai and Dian Wei to accompany him, changed into ordinary civilian clothes, and quietly set off for Gu Family Village.

In the afternoon, Cao Cao came to visit.

"What brings you here, Father-in-law? Please come in and have a seat."

When his father-in-law came to visit in person, Gu Cheng naturally went out to greet him personally.

Gu Cheng's address of "father-in-law" warmed Cao Cao's heart immensely, and he immediately laughed heartily and gladly followed him into the mansion.

Once everyone was seated, fragrant tea was served.

Gu Cheng smiled and said, "I originally planned to take my wife back to her parents' home to visit my father-in-law in a few days, but I didn't expect my father-in-law to come here first."

"I'm often away on business, and I was afraid you might not be able to see me even if you went there. I just happened to have some free time today, so I came to visit you."

Cao Cao casually made up an excuse and said with a smile.

Gu Cheng didn't think much of it and casually poured Cao Cao a cup of hot tea.

"My dear son-in-law, I heard from Xuchang that something terrible has happened in Huainan. That scoundrel Yuan Shu has actually declared himself emperor. Are you aware of this?"

Cao Cao asked, with a hint of probing.

Gu Cheng gave a faint "Oh," his face showing no emotion, clearly having anticipated this.

Cao Cao turned to look at Cao Jie beside him, and the father and daughter exchanged a glance, understanding each other without saying a word.

"Now Yuan Shao is eyeing us covetously and could march south at any moment. To the east, Lü Bu is entrenched in Xuzhou, and to the west, the warlords of Guanzhong have not yet submitted to the court. And now, Yuan Shu has jumped out and declared himself emperor. This is going to give Cao Mengde a real headache."

Cao Cao then feigned a sorrowful expression and sighed in mock despair.

"What's there to worry about? Dealing with Yuan Shu is a piece of cake."

Gu Cheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and spoke with a faint smile on his face.

Cao Cao's eyes flashed with a sharp light, but he remained calm and said, "My dear son-in-law, what good plan do you have? Tell me."

My father-in-law is about to bring up important national affairs again. It's giving me a headache!

The two guests from Xuzhou who came in the morning had spent the morning discussing many important military and national affairs with him, and now his father-in-law had come to visit in person this afternoon, and they wanted to continue the conversation.

Gu Cheng was puzzled. How could just anyone be so concerned about the world's affairs?

He could only manage a wry smile as he said, "Father-in-law, let's not talk about those stressful and mentally taxing things. Wouldn't it be better if I kept you company while you fed the fish, admired the flowers, and chatted about how to make money and get rich?"

Cao Cao immediately became anxious.

He was currently preoccupied with Yuan Shu's affairs and was eager to hear what good strategies his son-in-law had. He had barely begun to speak when he was interrupted, which was sure to suffocate him.

"My dear son-in-law, my Yang family has quite a few businesses in Huainan. Yuan Shu's declaration of himself as emperor and his rebellion will naturally affect my Yang family's business. How can I not care? Please tell me what's going on."

Cao Cao could only feign helplessness.

Gu Cheng's eyes gleamed, and he asked with a smile, "Father-in-law, you wouldn't happen to have taken my plan again and used it to curry favor with your friends in the government, so that your friend could present it to Minister Cao and claim credit, would you?"

Cao Cao smiled bitterly to himself, thinking to himself, "I'm not trying to use your flowers to offer to Buddha; I'm clearly using them to offer to myself."

"We should see through things but not say anything. As business people, we need to have a few acquaintances and friends in the government to get things done."

Cao Cao could only go along with the conversation and tactfully admit it.

He glanced at Cao Jie and subtly gave him a wink.

Cao Jie immediately understood his meaning, so she gently nudged Gu Cheng with her elbow and pleaded in a soft voice, "Husband, please talk to Father properly..."

With his father-in-law so humble and his young wife pleading earnestly, Gu Cheng had no reason to refuse any longer.

"Okay, okay, then I'll just ramble on and on."

Gu Cheng could only smile helplessly.

Cao Cao immediately perked up and sat up straight to listen attentively.

Gu Cheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly said, "Actually, Cao Mengde didn't need to go to great lengths to deal with Yuan Shu. He only needed to do four words."

"Which four characters?" Cao Cao hurriedly asked.

"Using someone else to do the dirty work!"

Gu Cheng spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone carrying a chilling, murderous aura.

Cao Cao's eyes flickered slightly, and suddenly he seemed to understand something.

"Yuan Shu's arrogance and self-proclaimed emperorship will surely be condemned and despised by the whole world. Many of his generals and officials must be opposed to him."

"Cao Mengde only needs to use the emperor's name to issue an edict to punish the traitor, and Yuan Shu will surely end up being deserted by everyone."

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Cheng pointed south.

"Sun Ce, the Little Conqueror of Jiangdong, was the biological son of Sun Jian. Back then, Sun Jian was a great hero who fought against Dong Zhuo and was a famous loyal minister of the Han Dynasty."

"Now Yuan Shu has openly defied the world and declared himself emperor, becoming a traitor to the Han Dynasty. How can Sun Ce, as Sun Jian's son, bear the eternal infamy of following a traitor?"

"Moreover, Sun Ce has always harbored great ambitions, and now that he has conquered the entire Jiangdong region, his army is strong and his power is formidable. He is certainly not willing to remain subordinate to Yuan Shu forever."

"If Cao Mengde only needs to give Sun Ce a decent reward and issue an imperial edict ordering him to raise an army to attack Yuan Shu, Sun Ce will surely accept the edict happily and immediately turn against Yuan Shu!"

Gu Cheng's words were clear and resonant, echoing in Cao Cao's ears and gradually dispelling the heavy clouds that had shrouded his vision.

"That little tyrant is far away in Jiangdong, yet he sees him so clearly. Hmm, this Sun Ce is indeed a sharp blade that can be used by me..."

As Cao Cao stroked his long beard, he nodded in approval to himself.

After talking for so long, Gu Cheng suddenly felt his mouth was dry.

Seeing this, Cao Jie quickly poured some fragrant tea and handed it to him, saying, "Husband, please moisten your throat before you continue."

Gu Cheng took the teacup and gulped down several mouthfuls, then turned his gaze to the east.

"Let's talk about Lü Bu of Xuzhou."

"In fact, ever since Liu Bei occupied Xuzhou, Yuan Shu has always coveted this territory and even once sent troops north to try to take Xuzhou in one fell swoop."

"Nowadays, Yuan Shu wants to form a marriage alliance with Lü Bu and force Lü Bu to submit to him, which is nothing more than an attempt to indirectly bring Xuzhou completely into his own territory."

"Cao Cao only needs to use a little trick to induce Lü Bu to refuse to send his daughter to Yuan Shu for marriage. Once Yuan Shu is enraged, he will definitely mobilize a large army to launch a major attack on Xuzhou."

"At that time, Lü Bu naturally became a knife in Cao Mengde's hand, helping him to stab the traitor Yuan Shu."

After another well-reasoned analysis, Gu Cheng sneered and asked in return, "So, with Lü Bu and Sun Ce both betraying Yuan Shu, and attacking from both the north and south, does Cao Mengde still need to go to great lengths to personally lead a large army to attack Yuan Shu?"

A glint suddenly flashed in Cao Cao's eyes, and the heavy clouds in his heart were instantly swept away. Unconsciously, he clenched his fists, and he couldn't help but feel excited.

"What a brilliant scheme to use someone else to do the dirty work! Only he could come up with such a cunning plan!"