Chapter 6

Hu Che’er, with a look of shame, said, "General, Cao Shuo received the news in advance and managed to escape!"

Zhang Xiu sneered, "You couldn’t even keep an almost dead sick man, how can I believe you can take Cao Cao’s head?"

Hu Che’er lowered his head, not daring to speak.

Listening to their conversation, Cao Shuo curled his lips.

Want to cut off his head?

It’s probably not that easy anymore.

No matter how hard Zhang Xiu and Hu Che’er tried to think, they could never imagine that Cao Shuo not only managed to leave the city but also followed them out of the city.

The city gate opened, and Zhang Xiu waved his hand, "Let’s go!"

A force of less than a thousand people marched out of Wan City, and Cao Shuo was very puzzled.

Although Cao Cao’s current strength was not as powerful as after the Battle of Guandu, he still had a considerable number of soldiers.

Could a force of a thousand people defeat Cao Cao so easily?

Cao Shuo was a bit skeptical about the historical records of this battle.

However, he soon believed it.

The Zhang Xiu army stationed in Wan City was only a part of it. Before Cao Cao entered the city, Zhang Xiu had moved the main force outside the city.

Cao Cao knew about this, but Cao Shuo, who had not yet traveled back in time, naturally did not know.

More and more of Zhang Xiu’s troops joined the ranks, and gradually, Cao Shuo could no longer tell how many people had gathered in front!

The two guards beside him did not dare to relax for a moment.

They vigilantly observed their surroundings, fearing that Zhang Xiu’s troops might recognize Cao Shuo and suddenly attack them.

With so many enemies, if they were recognized, they and Cao Shuo would only end up being chopped into mincemeat.

Looking at Cao Shuo, he was not the least bit nervous. Standing at the back of Zhang Xiu’s army, he looked as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

More and more of Zhang Xiu’s troops gathered.

Zhang Xiu waved his hand, and the gathered soldiers silently moved towards the direction where Cao Cao’s army was stationed.

Cao Shuo gave the two guards a nod, and the three of them almost simultaneously slowed their pace.

They were already at the back of the formation, and it didn’t take long for them to fall to the very end.

All of Zhang Xiu’s troops had moved to the front, and Cao Shuo waved to the two guards. Taking advantage of the lack of attention, the three of them quickly darted into a small ditch by the roadside.

The snow was thick, and hiding in the snow, Cao Shuo poked his head out to look ahead.

"Master, should we quickly inform Lord Cao?" one of the guards asked.

"We don’t have horses, it’s already too late," Cao Shuo said. "Father has his elder brother and the generals with him, so there shouldn’t be any problem. If we rush back now, the main force won’t have time to prepare, and it would be nothing but a death sentence."

"Are we just going to watch Zhang Xiu launch a surprise attack?" the other guard asked.

Cao Shuo, who had traveled back from the future, naturally knew the outcome of the Battle of Wan City.

Although Cao Cao suffered a major defeat, it was a close call without any real danger.

In this era, having become Cao Cao’s son, his fate was already tied to the Cao family.

Zhang Xiu had made his move.

Rushing back to the Cao camp with the two guards would only be a rush to certain death.

Cao Shuo was not about to do such a foolish thing!

However, he still decided to do something secretly. After all, to make Cao Cao take him seriously, he had to do something.

"The overall situation cannot be changed," Cao Shuo said. "The most important thing now is to protect Father. We will take a detour and intercept him halfway when he retreats."

The two guards exchanged glances but didn’t say much.

Knowing that Zhang Xiu was about to launch a surprise attack, they couldn’t warn their unaware comrades, which made them feel uneasy.

But what Cao Shuo said was not wrong.

Without horses, by the time they returned to the camp, Zhang Xiu would have already launched his attack.

Returning now would only mean certain death, and they couldn’t change anything.

Instead of risking a return to the Cao camp, it was better to follow Cao Shuo’s plan and intercept Cao Cao on the way.

Protecting Cao Cao’s retreat would be a much greater achievement than rushing back to certain death.

Moreover, this way, they had a greater chance of survival!

Zhang Xiu’s troops had already moved far ahead.

Cao Shuo waved his hand and led the two guards quickly towards the Cao camp.

The snow was deep.

Rapidly moving, Cao Shuo once again felt the inconvenience of his weak body.

In the past, not only could he walk such a short distance, but he could even walk for three days and three nights without feeling tired.

But now, it was different.

After walking just three or four miles in the snow, his legs felt as if they were filled with lead, and lifting them even a little caused muscle pain.

Noticing his difficulty, the two guards supported him from either side.

"Master, watch your step!" one of them said.

"I can manage on my own!" Cao Shuo pushed them away.

His weak body was not a reason to rely on others!

If he got used to relying on the guards to walk, it would be hard to change in the future.

Just as he pushed the two guards away, Cao Shuo stumbled and almost fell into the snow.

The guards moved to support him, but he waved them off.

Watching Cao Shuo stagger forward, the two guards exchanged glances.

They had been protecting Cao Shuo for some time.

They could sense that the current Cao Shuo was completely different from the one a few days ago.

Just a few days ago, Cao Shuo needed help to get out of bed.

Now, he refused the guards’ help even when he fell in the snow.

"Is it strange?" Cao Shuo asked, sensing their surprise.

The guards did not hide their feelings and nodded.

"My body is too weak," Cao Shuo said. "Being supported while walking is a small matter, but the key is that if this weak body doesn’t get stronger, I won’t be able to do many things in the future."

The two guards remained silent. Given their previous experiences, they were not surprised by Cao Shuo’s words.

"Have you two taken wives?" Cao Shuo asked.

"Yes!" the guards answered almost simultaneously.

"Without a strong body, you won’t last long on a woman’s bed," Cao Shuo said. "As men, do you know why we study, practice martial arts, and fight in the world?"

The two guards looked at each other in confusion, not knowing how to answer.

As soldiers who only fought to fill their bellies, they had never even thought about this question.

"For power, for wealth, for women!" Cao Shuo said. "If not for these, why would we run to the battlefield and fight to the death?"

"I don’t have big ambitions," Cao Shuo said, walking through the snow. "I just want to have a few beautiful women around me, and every night, I can enjoy myself with them. That way, I won’t have wasted my life as a man!"

Cao Shuo was speaking from the heart.

Having come to the Three Kingdoms era, if he didn’t have a few romantic encounters, it would have been a waste.