Three Kingdoms, Myth

After securing Cao Cao's body in a coffin, Guan Yu ordered Zheng Jun and Guan Ping to lead five thousand troops to guard Pengcheng while he personally took Cao Cao's body back to report the situation.

On the other side, Taishi Ci watched helplessly as Xiahou Yuan and Xiahou Dun escaped. Although neither of them could defeat him in a one-on-one fight, capturing them in the heat of battle proved difficult. Furthermore, with Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan working together, Taishi Ci had no choice but to let them go.

When Taishi Ci reunited with Gan Ning, seeing Taishi Ci empty-handed, Gan Ning sighed, "I figured you didn't succeed either."

"It's mainly because you let Xiahou Dun get away. He ended up running to my side. Otherwise, with a few more hours, I could have taken down Xiahou Yuan," Taishi Ci responded, frustrated but also familiar enough with Gan Ning to speak candidly.

"Don't kid yourself. If you want to kill someone at the level of inner qi manifestation, unless you have Lu Bu's strength and a top-tier horse like Red Hare, there's no stopping them from escaping if they decide to run," Gan Ning replied with a helpless shrug.

"So, you didn't go all out when chasing Xiahou Dun?" Taishi Ci asked, exasperated.

"I did, but I couldn't catch him. His horse is better than mine," Gan Ning sighed again. "At least I ran into a guy named Cao Chun."

"These horses are a real problem," Taishi Ci muttered, looking down at his own yellow steed. While decent, it was nowhere near the quality of top-tier mounts like Red Hare or the Jade Lion.

"Yeah, it's tough to find a good horse. I want one too. Riding a great horse, sailing big ships, fighting fierce battles, and looting supplies—that's the life!" Gan Ning said, letting his less-than-noble ambitions slip.

"Those things are rare, and it's a matter of luck whether you encounter one or not," Taishi Ci sighed. "Did General Guan manage to capture Cao Cao?"

"He's dead," Gan Ning replied, mimicking a cutting motion with his hand.

"It seems the matter in Xuzhou is settled," Taishi Ci said, though his tone was somewhat melancholic.

Gan Ning shook his head slightly. Though he often appeared simple-minded, as a member of a prominent family from Shu, he understood the complexities of the conflicts between noble families and warlords. While Taishi Ci believed the matter was resolved, Gan Ning knew there was still much left unsettled—at least until the power structure in Xuzhou was fully redefined.

However, Gan Ning wouldn't voice these thoughts. He preferred to maintain his facade of foolishness, one that had served him well. It was also why he respected Chen Xi—Chen Xi saw through his act and acknowledged his true abilities.

If Gan Ning knew the history of Wu, he would understand why Chen Xi regarded him so highly. In the peculiar environment of Jiangdong, where Sun Ce and the four great generals of Wu all met untimely deaths, and even Taishi Ci perished under mysterious circumstances, Gan Ning, as a top-tier general, managed to avoid a similar fate. This could easily lead one to suspect that his "foolish" persona was merely a protective guise.

Liu Bei looked down at Cao Cao's body inside the coffin and sighed. He recalled their earlier days at Hulao Pass, where they had boldly declared their intentions and supported each other. Back then, he had thought Cao Cao would be his comrade in arms, helping to restore order to the chaotic times. Yet, before the chaos had even been quelled, the man he had once regarded as a kindred spirit now lay dead at his feet.

"Ah, Cao Mengde, you went too far," Liu Bei muttered in anger, leaning on the coffin. After a long pause, he continued, "Cao, rest in peace. I will care for your family and wives, and I will help fulfill the dreams you could not achieve."

After speaking, Liu Bei sighed and quietly left the tent where Cao Cao's body was kept. He was not the kind of tyrant who would extend his wrath to the families of his enemies. Nor did he wish to pursue the wrongs that Cao Cao had committed in life.

"Order the body to be sent to Yanzhou, Chenliu," Liu Bei instructed as he stepped out of the tent, letting out another sigh.

"Report! Urgent news from the strategist!" A messenger on horseback galloped over.

"Read it!" Liu Bei said calmly.

"Lord Xuande, if you have defeated Cao Mengde, please send troops north of Pengcheng immediately. There have been reports of disease outbreaks. The plague is already rampant in Donghai Commandery. Although Physician Hua has formulated a remedy, we lack sufficient medicine. I fear that if Cao's army did not handle the corpses properly, a plague might have already begun in northern Pengcheng," the messenger read aloud, his hands trembling and face pale with fear.

"This matter must not be disclosed!" Liu Bei cast a sharp glance at the messenger.

"Understood!" The messenger bowed his head even lower.

Unbeknownst to him, Chen Xi had also felt a chill run down his spine when he considered the possibility of what might happen north of Pengcheng. Historically, the plague in Xuzhou had swept through Qing, Yan, Xu, and Yu provinces, four central provinces with a combined population exceeding ten million. The plague, compounded by consecutive years of disaster, had decimated half of the population.

To be frank, Cao Cao's massacre might have killed tens of thousands at most, but the subsequent plague caused by improper handling of corpses was the real issue. This was why Chen Xi had felt an unsettling sense of having forgotten something when he went to dispatch troops.

Historically, the plague that erupted in Xuzhou had severely weakened the province, stripping it of its status as the grain-producing hub of the central plains. The surrounding provinces, also affected by the plague, suffered a significant decline.

"Order Zilong to lead the White Horse Cavalry north of Pengcheng to investigate. Command Gan Ning and Taishi Ci to seal off the two rivers, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to seal the borders of Pengcheng. The rest will stay here with me," Liu Bei instructed his secretary Li You.

Li You frowned as he quickly recorded Liu Bei's orders. "My lord, it would be wise to also send a letter to Tao Gongzu, informing him of the situation in Pengcheng. I believe he will agree to our actions."

Liu Bei glanced at Li You but said nothing. He could already sense the thoughts of his subordinates, but as Li You suggested, it would be best to communicate the situation with Tao Qian directly. Tao Qian would surely agree.

"Come, let's go celebrate our victory with the troops," Liu Bei said with a hearty laugh, sweeping away the gloom from his brow as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, and the remnants of their forces escorted Xun You westward toward Yuzhou. Of the tens of thousands of veteran soldiers they once commanded, only a few hundred remained. The group of officers and strategists was now reduced to a handful of survivors.

"Zhongde, you didn't need to knock me out," Cao Cao said to Cheng Yu after regaining consciousness.

"My lord..." Cheng Yu lowered his head, remaining silent.

"Zihe, Boren, Bojian, Gongliu, Yuansi..." Cao Cao scanned the faces of his remaining officers. "And Wenlie..."

Everyone lowered their heads.

"Zhicai and Wenruo are still in Yanzhou. What do I have to fear? Liu Xuande, you may have won today, but the day will come when we settle this once and for all!" Cao Cao took a deep breath and stood, his expression resolute.

"My lord, we must hurry to Yuzhou and join forces with Wenruo. If we remain out of contact for too long, I fear chaos will ensue in our territory," Cheng Yu urged.

"Send word to Wenchan to abandon Fanyang and retreat to Yanzhou," Cao Cao sighed, issuing his order. His officers exchanged uneasy glances.