Chapter 55

It was Xu who went to Cao's camp, intending to persuade Cao Cao, but he didn't expect to run into someone who wanted to kill him right at Sheqiu. The man was in his thirties, with a yellow face and a short beard. Although he wore a helmet and armor, his appearance lacked any sense of authority, and he looked more like a clerk from a county office. Even when he raised his eyebrows and shouted, "Tie him up and behead him!" his tone and expression were no different from saying, "Get lost and don't bother me!"

However, the soldiers, who were used to following orders, did not treat it as a joke and moved to tie up Xu. As Xu struggled, he shouted, "I will die, but I must know who you are and what grudge you have against me! If I can die with understanding, I will die in peace!" He felt that something was amiss, wondering if the man in front of him was also a spy for Yuan Shu. However, the position of "Commander of the Cavalry" was not low, and if Cao Cao really had such a "deep-sea" spy, it wouldn't make sense that he could defeat Yuan Shu so easily. So, why did he want to kill him? Who was this man? Who were the Commanders of the Cavalry at this time... Damn, I didn't remember these details from the history books!

At this moment, his sense of injustice outweighed his confusion, and his confusion outweighed his fear. His face turned red, and he looked as if he was angry. The man did not speak, but stared at Xu for a long time. Only when the soldiers had tied Xu up and were about to secure the knots did he suddenly change his expression and laugh loudly, "Indeed, you are a man of great courage!"

He then waved his hand, ordering the soldiers to step back, and personally came over to untie Xu. Xu was even more confused and asked, "Why did you treat me so rudely at first and then so respectfully?"

After the man untied all the ropes and threw them to the ground, he turned to Xu, clasped his hands, and bowed deeply, "I apologize. Recently, many people have tried to assassinate my lord, so I had to test you. It was a necessity, and I hope you can forgive me."

Xu took a deep breath, but then thought it was strange, "Can you really tell the truth from a test like this?" The man nodded deeply, "Facing danger without fear, encountering strength without trembling, upholding righteousness, and speaking with dignity—these are the marks of a hero. How could a mere thief or assassin do such things?" Xu thought it made sense. In this era, there were no specialized spy agencies, and the cultural requirements for assassins were low. Most scholars would not stoop to such deeds, and the rough ones could not display the "scholarly pride" that he had shown.

For example, in the later Western Jin, Guo Chong praised Zhuge Liang by recounting five anecdotes, one of which was: Cao Cao sent an assassin to kill Liu Bei. The assassin discussed the state of the world with Liu Bei and seemed to get along well until Zhuge Liang entered, at which point the assassin showed signs of panic and quickly found an excuse to leave. Liu Bei then told Zhuge Liang that he had found a remarkable person who could be of great help. Zhuge Liang replied that the man's panic revealed him as Cao Cao's assassin. Indeed, Liu Bei could not find the man again.

Pei Songzhi, who wrote the commentary for the "Records of the Three Kingdoms," refuted Guo Chong's five anecdotes, saying that if Liu Bei could recognize a remarkable person and consider him a valuable asset, no one would send such a person to be an assassin, as it would be a waste. This was even less reliable than sending a meat bun to a dog.

So, the assassins of this time were likely similar to the two men Xu had encountered, who might have some martial skills (though not as good as Guan Si and Bai Laowu), but their intelligence was questionable, and they lacked the demeanor and bearing of scholars.

Xu was quite lucky. He had been so scared that he almost wet his pants. If not for the many dangerous situations he had encountered recently, which had toughened his nerves, and the fact that he had a lot to say before meeting Cao Cao, his fear might have overwhelmed his sense of injustice. A single misstep... it wasn't about being cautious or not, but about being unlucky. If the man in front of him had thought he was faking, Xu would have been dead.

Thinking about this, his entire back was drenched in sweat. People often react this way when they are in danger. Initially, they are caught off guard and don't have time to think, and their reactions are often influenced by other situations or emotions. The fear only truly sets in when they reflect on the close call later. This is what is meant by "after fear."

However, Xu didn't have time to savor this after fear. The man had apologized, and he needed to respond quickly. What could he do? Refuse the apology and start yelling? He was still on the other's territory, and if he angered the man, he might be killed for real, leaving no chance for after fear. So, he calmly clasped his hands and said, "Your vigilance in protecting your lord is understandable. May I ask your name?"

The man invited Xu to sit opposite him, ordered the soldiers to bring hot water to calm Xu, and introduced himself, "I am Ren Jun from Zhongmu, with the courtesy name Boya."

Oh, so you are Ren Boya.

Ren Jun's presence in Cao Cao's camp was actually quite low-key. He had joined Cao Cao early and died relatively young, apparently not long after the Battle of Guandu. He was mainly responsible for transporting supplies and had no notable military achievements, making him far less prominent than the Cao and Xiahou families or even Zhang Liao and Xu Huang. However, Xu knew Ren Jun's name because it was said that Xun Yu was Cao Cao's Xiao He, but in fact, Xun Yu and Ren Jun together made a complete Xiao He. The "land reclamation" policy that allowed Cao Cao to stand out among the warlords was suggested by Zao Zhi and implemented by Ren Jun.

So, Xu quickly bowed, "I have long heard of you." Ren Jun took this as a polite gesture—outside of Yanzhou, few people knew him—but it was Xu's sincere admiration.

Ren Jun then asked, "Mr. Xu, you have come a long way to see my lord. What is your purpose?" Xu smiled mysteriously, "This is not something I can explain now. Once I see Cao Cao, I will reveal a grand plan. The timing is crucial, as opportunities are fleeting."

Ren Jun did not dare to be negligent and quickly sent soldiers to escort Xu to Cao Cao's camp. Cao Cao's headquarters were not far from Sheqiu, about thirty miles to the northwest, near Suixiang. It took less than an hour to ride there. It was nearly noon, and Xu had not slept well the previous night, had not eaten breakfast, and had been traveling for half the morning. He was also still shaken by Ren Jun's actions, feeling both tired and hungry.

In this state, he couldn't muster the courage to persuade anyone. So, Xu dismounted outside the camp, stretched his legs, and asked the soldiers from Tancheng for some dry rations to eat. He then leaned against a tree and took a short nap before taking a deep breath and instructing the soldiers sent by Ren Jun, "Go and announce me."

How would Cao Cao treat him? Xu had thought about this from all angles. If he was being overly optimistic, Cao Cao would be overjoyed, run out barefoot, and say, "You have come from afar, what can you teach me?"—but this treatment was only for Xu You at the Battle of Guandu, not for him.

Xu was a commoner with no official position and had not even mentioned his purpose. The most likely scenario was that Cao Cao would not see him. If that happened, he would have to present the letter from Cao De, but it would be more effective to do so later. Think about it: why did Pang Tong keep the letters of recommendation from Zhuge Liang and Lu Su in his pocket and not show them to Liu Bei immediately? He wanted to observe and evaluate Liu Bei, "I also choose my lord," right? No, he had no intention of joining Cao Cao, and Sun Quan had rejected him. Where else could he go? Back home to farm? He just wanted to keep the valuable goods until the best time to sell them. People often don't cherish the first thing they see, but only when they almost lose it and then regain it do they realize its true value.

So, the saying goes: a wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine is not as good as a servant, a servant is not as good as a prostitute, and a prostitute is not as good as a secret affair, and a secret affair is not as good as an unattainable one... Hmm, it seems I'm getting a bit off track.

A better scenario would be if Cao Cao allowed him to enter but was not very enthusiastic. In that case, he would try to persuade Cao Cao with his eloquence. If that failed, he would present the letter from Cao De. The best scenario would be to succeed in persuasion and then present the letter, which would further improve Cao Cao's impression of him. The letter was a safety net, and there was no rush to present it.

However, Xu did not expect Cao Cao to use the word "please." So, he followed the guards to the main tent. The guards lifted the tent flap, and Xu hesitated as he was about to step in—

This is just a small step for me, but... it's still a big step for me!

He found it strange that he had not felt such a mix of anxiety and anticipation when he first met Liu Bei in Pingyuan. He could tell that it was not due to the difficulty or challenge of persuading Cao Cao. Yes, he was a partial fan of Cao Cao, but in this era, not two thousand years later, he should view Liu Bei and Cao Cao on the same level. After all, his life would either be with Cao or with Liu, and there was no difference between them before he made up his mind.

So, he took a deep breath, steadied his nerves, and lifted his robe to step into the tent. Inside, besides the guards, there were two people, both standing to greet him. Xu was a bit overwhelmed and bowed, "I greet you, Governor Cao." He looked up and saw—indeed, this was Cao Cao?

——I am the recommendation line——

The main event of the second volume has begun, with the protagonist going to persuade Cao Cao—by