Three Kingdoms: The Peerless Strategist of Wei

Chapter 25: Using the Imperial Seal to Crack a Walnut for Cao Cao

"Reporting to the lord, Shouchun City has fallen!"

Pan Zhang repeated it again in a deep voice.

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu stared at each other in astonishment, feeling as if they had been slapped hard across the face.

"Shouchun was such an impregnable fortress, yet it was breached by the traitor Cao Cao in just half a month!"

Zhou Yu was the first to recover from his shock and sternly questioned him.

Pan Zhang then recounted in detail how Cao Cao secretly dug tunnels, how he ordered his soldiers to beat drums and gongs day and night to feign an attack, thus deceiving Yuan Shu, and how they ultimately seized the city gates and breached the city walls under cover of night.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yu secretly gasped, his eyes filled with undisguised astonishment. He clearly hadn't expected Cao Cao to take Shouchun in such an unexpected way.

"Bang!"

Sun Ce slammed his fist on the table: "I must say, this plan is truly ingenious! I wonder who devised such a masterpiece for Cao Cao!"

Zhou Yu frowned and said in a deep voice, "Cao Cao only has a few strategists under his command. Xun Yu was left to guard Xuchang, and only a handful of people, such as Xi Zhicai and Cheng Yu, accompanied the army on the expedition. With their wisdom and strategy, it is impossible for them to come up with such a flawless way to break through the city. Could it be that...?"

Zhou Yu seemed to have suddenly guessed something; his pupils contracted sharply, and his gaze suddenly sharpened.

"Gongjin, could it be something?"

Sun Ce hurriedly asked further questions.

"Our spies sent to Xuchang have sent back a secret report saying that Cao Cao has recently been helped by a reclusive master. This man is incredibly resourceful and almost supernatural. The previous annihilation of Zhang Xiu and the defeat of Liu Biao were all his schemes."

"Now I'm wondering, could it be that Cao Cao's strategy for capturing Shouchun was also devised by this mastermind!"

Zhou Yu spoke in a solemn tone, carefully stating his guess.

Sun Ce's body jolted, his eyes filled with astonishment and doubt. He asked, "Who exactly is this person, that he possesses such profound wisdom?"

"This is just a rumor at the moment. Even the high-ranking officers in Cao Cao's camp in Xuchang cannot confirm whether this person really exists."

Zhou Yu gently shook his head and spoke.

A deep sense of apprehension welled up in Sun Ce's eyes. His brows furrowed, and he said in a deep voice, "Cao Cao is a formidable figure of our time. If he were to gain the assistance of such a person, it would be akin to Emperor Gaozu of Han gaining Zhang Liang, or King Wu of Zhou gaining Jiang Ziya. I fear that even Yuan Shao, who controls Hebei, might not be his match in the future!"

Zhou Yu's face was also covered with a solemn expression, but he still sighed softly and said, "I only hope that this is just a rumor and that such a person does not exist in the world. After all, a genius with wisdom comparable to Zhang Liang, the Marquis of Liu, and who is like a reincarnation of a strategist, is rare, and it is not possible that such a person would happen to appear in this chaotic world."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce slowly nodded.

Suddenly.

His expression suddenly changed, and he asked urgently, "Pan Zhang, you just said that the Imperial Seal of the State is missing. What exactly happened?"

"Reporting to my lord, on the day Shouchun fell, Qiao Rui betrayed Yuan Shu in the face of battle, and took the Imperial Seal of the State to escape the city in the chaos. His whereabouts are now unknown."

Pan Zhang bowed again to report.

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I never expected that Qiao Rui would betray Yuan Shu in the face of battle. In that case, the Imperial Seal of the State did not fall into Cao Cao's hands after all."

"Qiao Rui fled in haste, surely taking his family with him. Does that mean the two Qiao sisters have also disappeared without a trace?"

Zhou Yu's heart tightened instantly, and his expression suddenly became tense.

Pan Zhang, with a bitter face, bowed and replied, "According to the information sent back by spies at the front, Qiao Rui was not killed by Cao Cao's army, but the whereabouts of him and his family are still unknown."

Zhou Yu clenched his fist tightly, and a long sigh escaped his throat.

"Click!"

The wine glass in his hand was crushed and shattered.

Sun Ce gritted his teeth and said bitterly, "Shouchun is lost, the Imperial Seal is gone, and now even the Qiao sisters have vanished without a trace! Cao Cao, Cao Cao, your actions have completely disrupted all my plans and schemes!"

"If that reclusive sage truly exists, he must be the one stirring up trouble behind the scenes, ruining our grand plan!"

A fierce hatred and anger also ignited on Zhou Yu's face.

Sun Ce's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he said in a deep voice, word by word, "If I find out who this person is, I, the Little Conqueror of Jiangdong, will fight him to the death and will never let this go!"

A raging inferno surged and burned wildly atop the city walls.

Han Dang, standing nearby, couldn't help but speak up: "General Bofu, I've said long ago that we should march straight for Shouchun. What are we waiting for? Immediately muster the army and head north to fight Cao Cao and retake Shouchun!"

The murderous intent in Sun Ce's eyes instantly ignited like wildfire.

"No!"

Zhou Yu sternly stopped him, saying in a deep voice, "Cao Cao's army consists of elite soldiers who have fought countless battles. They have already captured Shouchun and established a firm foothold. If we force our way north, we have no chance of winning."

"In your opinion, Gongjin, what should we do now?"

Sun Ce turned his head and looked at him with a deep gaze.

The gloom on Zhou Yu's face dissipated, and his former confidence rekindled. He said with a cold smile, "Naturally, we should retreat to Jiangdong for the time being to recuperate and build up our strength. When Yuan Shao leads his army south and the two families engage in a decisive battle, resulting in mutual destruction, you, Bo Fu, can then lead your army north to the Central Plains and reap the benefits."

Although Sun Ce was filled with resentment, he pondered for a long time with his head down, but in the end he had no choice but to give up.

"Very well, let's follow Gongjin's plan and immediately break camp and retreat back to Jiangdong."

Sun Ce waved his hand and added, "Also, immediately send more spies north to search for the whereabouts of the Two Qiao sisters and the Imperial Seal of the State."

"promise!"

The generals under his command all bowed and accepted the order.

Two days later, Sun Ce left Han Dang to guard Hefei and personally led his army to retreat back to Jiangdong.

Three days later, Lü Bu, who was stationed in Xuyi, learned of Yuan Shu's death and the destruction of Shouchun. After incorporating Yuan Shu's scattered remnants, he also led his army back to Xuzhou.

The entire Huainan region was thus incorporated into Cao Cao's territory.

After Cao Cao garrisoned Shouchun for half a month to appease the people and stabilize morale, he left Cao Ren to guard the city and personally led his army back to Xuchang.

The news that Cao Cao had annihilated Yuan Shu and captured Huainan in just two months quickly spread throughout the north and south of the Yangtze River and all the provinces.

All the feudal lords in the land were shocked and terrified.

...

It is located in Youzhou, a hundred li south of Yijing City.

Inside the main tent of Yuan Shao's army camp.

Yuan Shao sat high on the throne, full of pride and splendidness, discussing with his advisors the strategy to defeat Gongsun Zan and capture Yijing.

"Splash!"

Feng Ji abruptly flung open the curtain and rushed in, his expression grave as he urgently reported, "Your Majesty, an urgent report has arrived from Huainan: Shouchun City has fallen, and Yuan Gonglu has been killed by Cao Cao!"

"Um?"

Yuan Shao, who was gazing intently at the map, suddenly turned around, a look of shock flashing across his face.

The once quiet tent instantly erupted into a cacophony of voices and discussions.

"Shouchun's defenses are strong, and the city has ample food supplies. How could Cao Cao have breached the city so quickly?"

Guo Tu suddenly jumped up from his seat, his face full of disbelief as he questioned him.

The strategists and generals in the tent all wore expressions of disbelief.

Feng Ji sighed softly and then recounted the entire cause and effect of the Battle of Shouchun, as well as the course of the battle, in detail.

The tent gradually quieted down, and all the strategists in Yuan's camp were speechless and remained silent.

"Hmph, my younger brother is indeed a good-looking but useless good-for-nothing. He has completely disgraced the Yuan family, which has been a family of high-ranking officials for four generations!"

Yuan Shao flicked his sleeves, his tone filled with undisguised contempt and disdain.

Ju Shou, standing to the side, looked doubtful and asked, "It's true that Yuan Shu is incompetent, but Cao Cao's strategy for capturing Shouchun this time is truly too ingenious and unpredictable. I wonder who came up with it?"

"According to the information brought back by the spies, this plan to breach the city was proposed by Cao Cao's eldest son, Cao Ang."

Feng Ji bowed and replied.

"Cao Ang?"

Yuan Shao let out a cold laugh and said with a face full of disdain, "Cao Cao's sons are all mediocre people like pigs and dogs. Their martial arts and wisdom are not even half as good as my son Yuan Shang's. How could that brat Cao Ang come up with such an amazing plan?"

Upon seeing this, the advisors under his command quickly chimed in to agree.

Ju Shou's expression suddenly changed, and he said in a deep voice, "If it was not Cao Ang who offered it, then such a brilliant and unpredictable plan must have been devised by that reclusive genius that Cao Cao recently recruited."

As soon as these words were spoken, a cacophony of discussion erupted within the tent.

Yuan Shao frowned deeply and said in a deep voice, "Could it be that Cao Cao's luck is really so good that he can get such an unparalleled genius to assist him?"

"My lord, even if such a person truly exists, so what?"

"After you, my lord, have wiped out Gongsun Zan, you will command the mighty armies of the four provinces of Ji, Qing, You, and Bing, and march south. Even if that man is truly Zhang Liang resurrected, what trouble could he possibly cause in the face of your absolute strength?"

Guo Tu, with a disdainful expression, took the opportunity to shower Yuan Shao with excessive praise.

The fear on Yuan Shao's face vanished instantly, replaced by a renewed sense of domineering arrogance and unparalleled confidence.

"That's right. Let Cao Cao enjoy his glory for a few days. Once I've unified Hebei, I'll personally lead a large army south and settle this score with him!"

Yuan Shao flicked his sleeves and arrogantly shouted, "Issue my order: the army shall immediately break camp and head north, straight for Yijing City!"

On that day, Yuan Shao's hundreds of thousands of elite troops from Hebei set off in a grand procession towards Yijing City.

...

Inside Gu Cheng's residence in Xudu City.

Inside the inner bedroom.

After Gu Cheng finished examining Da Qiao's wound for the last time, he smiled and said, "Alright, your wound has completely healed. You won't need to apply medicine or change dressings anymore."

"Very good."

Da Qiao's face was full of joy. She turned to look at Gu Cheng, her beautiful eyes filled with deep gratitude.

Gu Cheng's expression remained calm as he gently pulled up the clothes that had slipped off her shoulder.

Da Qiao then realized what was happening, her cheeks instantly flushing red. She quickly raised her hand to cover her shoulder and hurriedly straightened her clothes.

"Although your injury has healed, you should still rest and recuperate more often. I won't bother you any longer."

After giving a few gentle instructions, Gu Cheng stood up and prepared to leave.

Da Qiao hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't help but speak, softly calling out, "Young master, please wait."

Gu Cheng stopped and turned around, his gaze falling on her.

Da Qiao bowed gracefully and said with deep gratitude, "Young Master saved Wan'er's life, and in these past few days, you have taken great care of me and shown me great concern. Wan'er has no way to repay you, so I would like to give you a small gift to express my gratitude."

"Gift?"

A look of bewilderment appeared on Gu Cheng's face.

Da Qiao then stood up, opened the cabinet next to her, took out a key from her bosom, opened the heavy iron box inside the cabinet, took out a square wooden box, and gently placed it on the table in front of Gu Cheng.

"This is... an urn?"

Gu Cheng stared at the wooden box and asked a question.

"No, no, no!"

Da Qiao quickly shook her head and said urgently, "Young Master has been kind to Wan'er, how could Wan'er dare to give Young Master a bone helmet box!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Da Qiao carefully opened the wooden box.

A lustrous jade artifact suddenly appeared before my eyes.

Da Qiao gently picked up the item, as if holding the most precious treasure in the world, and presented it to Gu Cheng with both hands.

Gu Cheng reached out and took the item, examining it carefully from all angles.

This jade seal is four inches in diameter, and the seal knob at the top is carved with five intertwined dragons. One corner of the dragon is missing, but it has been carefully repaired with pure gold.

Upon closer inspection, the front of the seal is inscribed with eight ancient Qin Dynasty seal characters: "Received the mandate from Heaven, may it live long and prosper."

"Young master, you are learned and talented; surely you should recognize what this is?"

Da Qiao asked with a smile.

"This is the Imperial Seal of the State!"

Gu Cheng's expression changed slightly. He looked up at Da Qiao and asked, "Isn't this Yuan Shu's most prized possession? How did it end up in your hands?"

Da Qiao didn't answer. Instead, she bent her knees and knelt down directly in front of Gu Cheng.

"What are you doing now?"

A look of confusion appeared in Gu Cheng's eyes.

Da Qiao's face was full of guilt as she said, "To be honest, Wan'er has been hiding her true identity from you, and I feel very guilty towards you. Please forgive me."

"True identity?"

Gu Cheng reached out and helped her up, saying, "Then tell me, what is your background?"

"My real name is Qiao Wan. My biological father is Qiao Rui, a general under Yuan Shu."

She spoke softly, revealing her real name and background.

Gu Cheng's eyes flickered slightly, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. He asked, "You're actually Qiao Rui's daughter? Then you must be one of the legendary Two Qiaos of Jiangdong?"

"Exactly."

Da Qiao nodded slightly and said, "My younger sister is named Qiao Qing. Together, we sisters are known as the Two Qiaos."

Gu Cheng's eyes flickered slightly as he looked the stunningly beautiful woman up and down.

No wonder she possessed such a stunningly beautiful face, capable of captivating fish and eclipsing geese, and putting the moon and flowers to shame. It turns out she was Da Qiao, one of the Two Qiaos, and a peerless beauty whose name is etched in history.

According to the original trajectory, she should have been kidnapped by Sun Ce and forced into marriage at this moment.

"It seems I've managed to slightly alter history after all. The beauty that the Little Conqueror of Jiangdong longed for was actually snatched away by me halfway..."

Gu Cheng's mind raced, and he was momentarily lost in thought.

"Young master~~"

Qiao Wan called out softly.

Gu Cheng snapped out of his reverie, gathering his scattered thoughts, and asked again, "Then why is the Imperial Seal in your possession?"

"It was all because Yuan Shu was licentious and tyrannical. When Shouchun was besieged by Cao Cao's army, my father fought desperately to defend the city for him, exhausting all his energy, but he was blinded by lust and even thought of forcibly taking my sister and me into his harem."

"So on the day Shouchun fell, my father, in a fit of rage, seized Yuan Shu's Imperial Seal and, with my sister and me, escaped from Shouchun in the chaos."

"Later, we were pursued by Cao Cao's army. My father, sister, and I were separated in the chaos of battle. I was shot in the shoulder with an arrow and was then rescued by you, sir."

"At that time, the Imperial Seal of the State was hidden in the carriage I was riding in, which is why it ended up in my hands."

Da Qiao no longer concealed anything and told the whole story in detail.

"It's truly a case of coincidences meeting a tale."

Gu Cheng couldn't help but sigh, then looked puzzled and asked, "You've been hiding your identity all this time, so why are you no longer hiding it and are even offering me the Imperial Seal, a priceless treasure?"

"Because I am the daughter of a defeated general, and I possess the Imperial Seal of the State, a treasure that could bring about my death, how could I dare to reveal the truth before knowing your background and intentions?"