Chapter 301 No retreat
Inside and outside Xudu, the scorching heat was mixed with a solemn atmosphere.

Cao Cao returned to Sikong Mansion, washed and bathed to cool down, and then prepared to meet with the officials in the mansion.

His expression was gloomy as he waited alone.

Mrs. Du was kidnapped, and Mrs. Yin was also kidnapped.

These are all small matters. Having a few sons taken away is not a big deal.

It was just that Cao Hong was killed, which left him with a limp in one leg.

Cao Hong is very important, especially when the brothers Cao Ren and Cao Chun are both very outstanding. Cao Hong, the Protector General, can effectively dilute the influence of Cao Ren and his brother.

Within the entire Cao clan, there are currently two actual successors to Cao Cao's power, one is General Cao Hong, and the other is Inspector-General Cao Ren.

Cao Hong had a nephew Cao Xiu and a general Cao Ding, and with Cao Cao's favoritism, Cao Hong always had the upper hand over Cao Ren.

In terms of actual military achievements, before Cao Ang's death, Cao Hong was in charge of the Jingzhou battlefield; after surrendering Zhang Xiu, Cao Hong was gradually expelled from the Nanyang area by the Jingzhou army.

As for Cao Ren, he was always the most capable fighter among the close relatives of the royal family. His attacks were so fierce and his murderous nature was so cruel that even Cao Cao found it difficult to suppress him.

Cao Chun, in particular, was restrained by nature, had outstanding appearance, and a more likable personality than Cao Ren, and he enjoyed an extremely good reputation among the scholars.

If the power of the Cao family falls into the hands of Cao Ren and Cao Chun in the future, it will be difficult for the lineage of Cao Cao and Cao Hong to take it back.

After all, the brothers Cao Ren and Cao Chun had no shortage of followers, former officials and students.

But Cao Cao had very bad luck. His troops and personal soldiers were wiped out several times, and the development of Cao Cao's direct lineage was very slow, so slow that it was outrageous.

Up to now, there are few officers who were originally Cao Cao’s personal soldiers; there are none now, and it will be difficult to have them in the future.

His fellow villagers are also the fellow villagers of Cao Ren brothers, and there is a high probability that these two brothers will seize power.

If someone forcibly elevates the status of the brothers Cao Ren and Cao Chun, just as Huang Wan and Cui Lie forcibly elevate the status of Dong Zhuo, this will lead to the division of the Cao family.

So this time Cao Cao hurriedly took a long detour back to Xu Du just to take the initiative to promote the brothers Cao Ren and Cao Chun.

Especially Cao Chun, he can no longer be allowed to supervise the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry.

It cannot be a small-scale promotion, it must be a grand promotion that sends a clear signal that Cao Ren is the future successor to the power of the Cao Group!
Only in this way can we firmly unite the Cao Ren brothers, stabilize the Liangpei folks, stabilize the Ruying people, stabilize the court, and stabilize the scholars and soldiers in various states and Qingzhou.

The current situation is very bad, and Cao Cao feels like he is walking on thin ice.

He has no time to plan for his own family. If Cao Pi's status is forcibly improved, Cao Ren and his brothers will not care, but the group of surrendered generals will definitely cause problems!
How much older is Yuan Shao than Cao Cao?

Yuan Shao is gone, how long can you, Cao Cao, live?

Instead of looking for a young and strong successor to military power who is good at fighting, you look for your sixteen-year-old son?
The pressure of exterminating three clans was always hovering over Cao Cao's head, leaving him no room for selfish motives.

In the corridor outside the hall, Xu Chu's heavy footsteps could be heard.

Cao Cao rubbed his face with his hands, straightened his robe sleeves, and sat upright without moving.

Soon, Xu Chu led Cao Ren inside.

Cao Ren had arrived in Xu Du for two days. At this moment, Cao Ren hardly dared to look up at Cao Cao.

The situation has become so dire now that Cao Ren must stand up bravely and shoulder his due responsibilities in order to cooperate with Cao Cao to support the situation.

However, this would deprive Cao Cao's descendants of their future power. If they were not careful, the descendants of the two families would kill each other.

Therefore, Cao Ren was quite frightened.

"Zixiao, look at this."

Cao Cao handed over a scroll of bamboo slips with an expressionless face.

When Cao Ren saw Xu Chu not passing it, he stepped forward to take it, but Cao Cao refused to let go. Cao Ren then looked up at Cao Cao.

Cao Cao's eyes turned red: "Look carefully."

"Yes."

Cao Ren then successfully took the bamboo slips, and saw that it read: "Yuzhou Governor Liu Zhang, together with his brother, General Liu Xun, Colonel Liu Xie, General Liu Ruo, and former Crown Prince of Langya Liu Xi, are plotting a rebellion."

The King of Langya died of illness ten years ago. Due to the war, his son, Prince Liu Xi of Langya, was unable to succeed to the throne.

When a prince of a vassal state ascends the throne, the imperial court needs to send an imperial envoy to certify it.

If the younger brother inherits the throne after the brother dies and the son inherits the throne after the father dies, then what is the purpose of the court?
In recent years, due to the death of the old king, the court did not send an envoy to preside over the succession ceremony, and nine kingdoms were temporarily without a master.

The kingdoms were like this, and the clan states were countless. Therefore, the hatred between the clan and the Xudu court was not small at all.

If you are not allowed to inherit the title, you will not receive a salary, nor will you be able to legitimately take over and manage the private property of the fiefdom.

The imperial court has this attitude, so naturally the counties and prefectures will not be nice to them.

Cao Ren suppressed his inner shock and continued reading the bamboo slips, the contents of which revealed a rebellious plot.

When the Minister Liu Ai was sent to Heluo to mediate a dispute, he actually instigated a black bear to attack Xu Du and kidnap the emperor. Many important officials of the royal family conspired with him and even instigated Zhang Xiu to rebel.

Fortunately, General Wei Cao Ding and General Du Hu Cao Hong defended the capital and repelled the black bear, thus preventing the conspiracy from succeeding.

After reading the bamboo slips, Cao Ren's expression became dull: "Brother, why don't you see Lord Xun?"

He remembered very clearly that it was Xun Yu who appeared on the top of the city wall and suppressed Liu Ruo.

I can’t imagine what would have happened if Cao Ding hadn’t been able to withstand the pressure and opened the city gate to let the black bear in.

"There is no Xun Yu incident. He did not rebel."

Cao Cao defined Xun Yu and looked at Cao Ren. "Brothers Liu Zhang and Liu Xie have been imprisoned. Liu Xi and his uncle committed suicide out of fear of punishment. Liu Xun is definitely not someone who will sit back and wait for death. Zixiao, you lead the troops immediately to surround and kill Liu Xun! I have sent a message to Yuan Si and Gong Liu, they will cooperate with Zixiao."

For suppressing such a large rebellion, General Cao Ren, who had made great contributions, must be ranked among the most important officials.

The guard general Han Hao, whose courtesy name was Yuansi, and the commander Shi Huan, whose courtesy name was Gongliu, were in charge of the selection, replenishment and transfer of various units of the central army.

Cao Ren took a deep breath, took two steps back, and bowed: "I obey your command."

"This is a matter of life and death for our clan, and I should do my best as a filial son."

Cao Cao stood up and handed his sword to Cao Ren with both hands: "If the Liu family is not eliminated, we will not survive."

Even if there is a raging flame ahead that could destroy everything, we must charge forward at this moment!
The defeat at Liyang has exposed the strengths and weaknesses of Cao's army.

Coupled with the disastrous defeat in the Battle of Bowangpo last year and the Black Bear's siege of Luoyang to harvest wheat this year, not only did all parties realize the weakness of Cao's army, but even the Cao army itself realized this problem and felt that it was at a disadvantage.

This kind of demoralizing and depressed self-awareness is fatal.

But there is really no good solution, the only option is to kill.

Start killing first. In the process of killing, many problems will become smaller and no longer important.

Cao Cao had no choice, and neither did Cao Ren.

After catching the heavy sword, Cao Ren took two steps back before turning around and leaving.

Cao Cao watched Cao Ren leave and asked Xu Chu, "Where is the military advisor?"

"The military advisor is waiting in the side hall."

"Please ask the military advisor to come and see me."

"Here."

Xu Chu immediately went to invite Xun You, who was also in a bad mental state.

Now Xudu is in a precarious situation. All the princes and sons of the vassal states who live in various places in Xudu are within the capture range. These people either commit suicide out of fear of punishment or fight to the death.

These people will die, but their blood will dye the other officials and their families in Xudu red.

This is a mark. Not only Xun You, but also the princes and sons of the vassal states who were constantly dying, as well as the officials and soldiers who were watching, all knew that this blood mark would attract black bears.

The black bear's revenge will cause most people to follow Wang Yun's old path.

Although Xun You is Xun Yu's nephew, he is more than ten years older than him.

Therefore, Xun You was not that afraid of black bears, but as a member of the Xun family, he had to consider the clan.

Black Bear had already thrown official documents onto the city wall, but Xun Yu suppressed them and did not read them.

The only chance for peaceful communication was cut off, and then Cao Hong was hacked to death, Zhang Xiu rebelled, the Liu clan rebelled, and the Xu Du court was on the verge of division.

But what else can Xun You do?
If Black Bear had been a little gentler and spared Guo Jia's life, no one would have taken such extreme measures.

Therefore, the Cao family had no room to retreat, and neither did the Ruying scholars headed by the Xun family.

Now we can only kill, all potential dangers that may cause internal division must be killed!

(End of this chapter)