Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Immediately, the entire Governor's mansion was thrown into chaos, and physicians were hastily summoned to administer acupuncture to Cao Cao, finally bringing him back to consciousness.

Upon awakening, Cao Cao still felt a splitting headache and cried out in pain repeatedly.

Under the intense gaze of everyone present, the physician hurriedly took his pulse and administered more acupuncture, which finally alleviated Cao Cao's headache.

"Physician, what exactly is wrong with my father?" Cao Ang quickly inquired.

The physician pondered for a moment and explained in relatively simple and understandable terms.

"Your Lordship's condition is due to a temporary emotional overreaction, leading to qi stagnation attacking the heart, causing fainting and headaches. A few doses of medicine can be used to regulate his condition later, but it is crucial to avoid further anger or overstimulation within half a year, otherwise, it may become a chronic ailment."

Immediately, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Cao Cao, of course, also heard the physician's words.

However, after venting his emotions so thoroughly, Cao Cao's heart was now as calm as still water, but with a still-ferocious expression, he grabbed Cao Ang's sleeve, who was about to see the physician off, and roared.

"Who was it? Who harmed my father? I will tear them into a million pieces to offer as a sacrifice to my father's spirit in heaven."

Fearing that Cao Cao would become angry again, Cao Ang quickly tried to appease him.

"Father, please rest and recuperate for now. When you recover, you can seek out the enemy and avenge grandfather."

"Who is the enemy? I cannot sleep or rest for even a moment until I know! Tell me!"

Finally, under Cao Cao's fierce gaze, Cao Ang could only brace himself and answer.

"The identity of those who murdered grandfather and uncle is not yet clear, but when scouts investigated Dongwan County, they discovered that the county magistrate had abandoned his post and fled, and all of the thousand people accompanying grandfather were killed inside the temple, and hundreds of carts of valuables have disappeared."

As soon as these words came out, the answer was almost self-evident.

Located in Dongwan County of Langya Commandery, Xu Province, near Qing Province, only two warlords had the ability to do this: Cao Cao and Tao Qian.

And the victim was Cao Cao's biological father, Cao Song, so the culprit pointed directly to Tao Qian!

There were quite a few people present who thought of this.

Especially Xu You and Yang Hong, whose expressions changed drastically, completely unexpected such an accident at this juncture, and they cursed Tao Qian endlessly in their hearts.

Especially since Tao Qian had changed his style after the campaign against Dong Zhuo, unscrupulously squeezing the people of Xu Province for profit, Xu You and Yang Hong almost subconsciously felt that Tao Qian wanted to plunder Cao Song's wealth.

"Pain!!!"

Cao Cao's eyeballs were covered with bloodshot veins, and he pounded the ground with his hand, crying out in grief.

"If I, Cao Mengde, do not avenge this, if I do not tear the old thief Tao Qian into a million pieces, I swear I am not worthy to be a human!"

At this moment, everyone present was moved, only Cheng Yu quietly retreated behind the crowd, hanging his head, afraid that his expression would reveal some flaw.

Immediately, Cao Cao struggled to get up with Cao Ang's support, his body still stained with the blood of his vomit, suddenly drew his sword, his eyes full of fierce determination, and said.

"Send troops! Send troops!!! Send troops immediately to punish the rebels and avenge my father!"

As soon as these words came out, everyone couldn't help but be shocked.

"Lord, raising troops in anger is a major taboo in military strategy…"

Xun Yu blurted out that he wanted to dissuade Cao Cao, but Cao Cao pointed the sharp sword in his hand at Xun Yu and shouted.

"If I do not avenge my father, what face do I, Cao Cao, have to stand between heaven and earth? Whoever dares to dissuade me again will be executed!"

Immediately, looking at Cao Cao, who seemed to be devouring people at any time, no one dared to speak again.

Immediately, Cao Cao turned around and bowed deeply to Xu You and Yang Hong, saying.

"My father was murdered by treacherous people, and I will immediately use all the troops of Qing Province to avenge my father. I am afraid that I will have to break my previous promise to borrow troops. Please explain this to Brother Benchu and Brother Gonglu on my behalf."

In the name of his father, holding high the banner of filial piety and revenge, this was a practice that was in line with the mainstream thinking of the Han Dynasty.

Killing people to avenge blood relatives was even exempt from responsibility under the laws of the Han Dynasty.

Cao Cao had said everything to the point, and Xu You and Yang Hong could only accept it, and even persuaded Cao Cao to take care of his health and mourn.

However, just as Xu You and Yang Hong wanted to find an excuse to quickly take their leave and quickly send someone to report the matter to Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu.

Cao Cao took a few steps forward, grabbed Xu You and Yang Hong, his eyes red, and said in a sad voice.

"Xu Province is rich and Qing Province is poor, Xu Province has many soldiers and Qing Province has few generals, and the strength of Qing Province alone may not be able to eliminate the old thief Tao Qian…"

After a pause, Cao Cao bowed again and said.

"I want to borrow troops and food from the two elder brothers, Benchu and Gonglu, to help me avenge this blood feud. Please say a few good words to Brother Benchu and Brother Gonglu. I thank you both on behalf of my father."

In an instant, Xu You and Yang Hong unconsciously leaned back a little, their hearts surging with endless complexity.

Reversed…

Reversed, right?

It was clearly Xu You and Yang Hong who came to borrow troops from Cao Cao, but how could it be that after the alliance was formed, Cao Cao, under the great righteousness of revenge, wanted to borrow troops from Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu instead?

"This matter is very important, and I am unable to make a decision alone," Yang Hong replied somewhat hesitantly.

"Please allow me to report back to my lord…" Xu You also followed up.

Cao Cao did not press Xu You and Yang Hong to agree immediately, but only pulled Cao Ang to perform another great salute to Xu You and Yang Hong, asking Xu You and Yang Hong to say a few good words.

And when the changes in Qing Province and Cao Song's death were reported back to the two Yuans by Xu You and Yang Hong, the mood changes of the two Yuans can be described as highly similar.

First joy, then surprise, and then difficulty…

The joy was the alliance document that was sent over at the beginning, the surprise was Cao Song's death, and the difficulty was Cao Cao's request to borrow troops.

The words "brother" in the alliance document, and even Cao Cao's readily agreeing to lend 30,000 troops, were the reason why Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu were embarrassed.

If this alliance document had not been in place, the two Yuans would have just comforted Cao Cao with a few words of condolence.

But Yuan Shao wanted face. Cao Cao, who was regarded as a "younger brother" by Yuan Shao, readily lent troops, calling him brother, but when his brother wanted to avenge his father, Yuan Shao really couldn't not show any expression.

As for Yuan Shu, not to mention that he wanted face, he was best at being loyal.

Cao Cao's words of brotherly affection were so flattering that he immediately decided to help in any way possible.

Especially since Cao Cao was going to fight Tao Qian, then Liu Bei would definitely help Tao Qian. In Yuan Shu's view, it was almost equivalent to fighting Liu Bei, wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?

Immediately, Yuan Shao bit the bullet and lent Cao Cao 10,000 soldiers and a large amount of money and food.

Yuan Shu even wrote back directly that he would dispatch troops to attack Xu Province from the flank, containing Liu Bei and Tao Qian's forces.

On the fifth day of May, Cao Cao used all the troops of Qing Province, everyone with white cloth tied to their foreheads, in the name of revenge, issued the "Exhortation to Punish the Rebels and Avenge," and raised an army of 100,000 to go south to punish Tao.

Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu echoed each other, accusing Tao Qian of killing the former Grand Commandant Cao Song for personal gain.

In addition to ceding Nanyang Commandery to Lu Bu, Yuan Shu also heavily garrisoned troops in Pei State, threatening the west side of Xu Province, with a tendency to join forces with Cao Cao to divide Xu Province.

It was not until Cao Cao's army invaded the border and the "Exhortation to Punish the Rebels and Avenge" reached Tan County that Tao Qian belatedly learned of Cao Song's death.

(End of this chapter)