Chapter 306 Setbacks of Cao Cao (2/2)

However, Cao Cao had displayed many underhanded tricks, such as manipulating Diaochan as a puppet, promoting himself into the Chancellor of the Han, and issuing fake edicts.

Yet, his domestic development has improved very little.

The people were still suffering from the after effect of the drought last year. The constant wars and conflicts between lords and rebels had not been cooled down, but Cao Cao insisted on expanding to Luo Yang without listening to his advice.

The comparison between Cao Cao and Tong was tormenting Xun You.

He envied his cousin. He wanted to have a competent lord like Tong.

Because of that, he intentionally made a blunder a few months ago, and he came to apologize Cao Cao.

”My Lord, I have a piece of bad news for you. It's bad enough that you will kill me after you hear it. Do you want to hear it now?”

Cao Cao paused, observing Xun You. He had known this scholar for a long time and knew about the tradition of the Xun Clan, so Cao Cao did not worry about Xun You betraying him.

But this time, Xun You indeed looked suspicious.

”I'll decide that once I heard the news. Tell me frankly.”

”Very well,” Xun You took a deep breathe, ”Xiao Wu raided our city, burned our granaries, killed one of our generals, and took Diaochan and Wang Yun with her. During the chaos, we've captured a group of royal guards that were fleeing from the scenes. From the investigation and interrogation, they were spies from the Xiongnu that were sent to kill Diaochan.”

Cao Cao was petrified.

Diaochan was the political tool that he could use to order neighbor lords around. Losing her meant that he lost the majority of his political influence, and the only way to get it back was to conquer the neighbors by force, which Cao Cao had avoided using this method.

With a broken voice, Cao Cao muttered, ”Who died?”

”Ren Jun, my lord. He's the general of our logistic troops. He died fighting Xiao Wu when she attacked our granaries.”

Ren Jun was one of the talented generals that served Cao Cao in his early years when he raised his banners. He did not accomplish many tasks, but Cao Cao could still remember his face.

”Give him a proper funeral. Pu Jing, you handle to negotiation with Zhang Tong and his coalition offer. I need some times to think.”

.

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A few months ago, Friday, Zhang Ji, Zhang Xiu, and Zou Shi reached Shangdang City as a new team to govern this commandery.

However, Friday entrusted the city to Zhang Ji and told everyone not to report anything to the clan chat. She left the city afterward and headed to Xuchang to rescue her mother.

Friday got to Xuchang in July. Out of anger and hatred, she burned Cao Cao's granaries and killed several soldiers of Cao Cao. With her power and her borrowed spirit of Tong, she decimated all opponents that came her way.

Using the chaotic scenes as a distraction, Friday slipped into the inner city and secured her powerless mother and Wang Yun without difficulty. They sneaked out of the town afterward.

Now, on the Yellow River, a boat was carrying a woman, a young girl, and an elder. They were Friday, Diaochan, and Wang Yun.

The atmosphere was awkward as the rescued Diaochan was standing, scolding Friday who was kneeling on both knees.

”There is a limit on how short-sighted and ignorant you can be. Do you even know why I'm allowing myself to be used by Cao Cao? I've planned to recruit him into Tong's clan after I make him realize that he's not Tong's opponent! His officers are elites as well. I want to influence them into betraying Cao Cao and join Tong when Cao Cao's attention is on somewhere else. Now, look at what you've done. You've ruined my plans and my hard work, forcing me out here to Tong's territory. Do you know what the people and the soldiers would think about your stupid operation? They will think that Tong is a power-hungry man that kidnapped old Empress and the new Empress so he can centralize his political influence! He will be the villain in people's eyes, and it will be recorded in history books! You …”

The sermon went on for hours as Diaochan never stop talking for a minute. Even after she had spoken a certain topic already, she re-mentioned about it again for the second time, the third time, and so on. When she no longer had anything else to scold Friday, Diaochan restarted her points all over again from the very beginning, which even made the onlooker, Wang Yun, cringed.

Wang Yun had learned about the immortals, Hell, Heaven, and their purpose of being here from Diaochan during their times under Cao Cao's surveillance, so he was not surprised about them anymore.

As Wang Yun got tired of listening to Diaochan's nagging, he stopped rowing the boat.

”There's no point talking about the past anymore. Let's talk about our future, shall we? Where are we heading next? We have reached the north shore.”

Realizing that her mother's nagging had ended, Friday's eyes lit up.

”We're using to the road to Henei, and then we're moving north to Shangdang. Tong made me the governor there. We can hide there for the time being!”

Diaochan frowned. She was going to object the idea, but she remembered that her status was unique.

Had she moved to Ye and joined Tong, all lords and peasants would have thought that Tong sent Friday to kidnap Cao Cao's Empress, and it would have ruined Tong's hard-earned reputation. They would believe that Tong had many other ulterior motives aside from the political purposes as Tong was rumored to be a pedophile.

Going missing and hiding with Friday was a better choice. At least, Diaochan could protect Tong's certain reputation.

As for the incident in Xuchang, it would come to light eventually, so she could not change or interfere with anything.

”Fine. I'll go with you. But Friday, that Khan is about to unify the west. What's Tong plan to do next?”

Friday smiled, ”We'll mimic the Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition Event.”