Chapter 82 Rescue the Father

Beneath the city of Jimo, the city walls were damaged everywhere. The soldiers on and off the walls had already been fighting with bloodshot eyes, with only one thought left: how to kill the enemy in front of them.

Seeing that the sky was getting late, Cao's army had no choice but to sound the gongs to retreat.

Inside the main tent.

Sitting at the head was Cao Cao. Several strategists sat on both sides, and below them were generals such as Cao Chun, Xiahou Yuan, and Yu Jin.

Cao Cao, with a stern expression, said to the generals in the tent, "A small Jimo, besieged for five days, and still unable to take the city. I am very disappointed."

Cao Chun looked ashamed: "Cavalry is not good at sieging cities, and we also have to guard against attacks from the Taishan bandits. We are really stretched thin."

"Now, calculating our army's food supply, it's not even enough for ten days, and there are signs of instability in the army's morale."

Cao Cao coldly snorted, "That's why we must attack Jimo and seize the grain in the city!"

"Cao Ren sent an urgent report that he, along with Cao Hong, had already captured Yangdu County in the Langya Kingdom the other day!"

"We split our forces into two routes, but we are stuck here, truly a joke!"

Everyone dared not speak.

Cao Cao turned to the strategist beside him and asked, "Zhi Cai, what do you think?"

Xi Zhi Cai, a native of Yingchuan, was from the same Yingchuan scholarly family as the Xun family.

Seeing Cao Cao ask, he calmly said, "My lord, the fall of this city is just a matter of a day or two."

"It's the matters after the city falls that need to be planned for in advance."

Cao Cao asked, "What is Zhi Cai's opinion?"

Xi Zhi Cai immediately said, "Now that Yangping has fallen first, it is not suitable for us to waste too much time in Jimo, lest we miss the opportunity to cooperate with Sima Cao (Cao Ren, who was serving as a separate commander at this time) and attack Tancheng to the south."

"Therefore, I believe that it is best not to waste time slaughtering the city after capturing Jimo. Disperse the people, quickly obtain grain within the city, and hasten to attack Huaxian to the south, echoing Sima Cao's route from afar, so that Tao Qian cannot divide his forces to resist. This is the best strategy."

Yu Jin couldn't help but raise his eyelids upon hearing this.

He could sense that Xi Zhi Cai didn't seem to like slaughtering cities either. This strategy was clearly giving the people within Jimo a way out.

Cao Cao coldly snorted, "I understand Zhi Cai's meaning, but if we only collect grain and not recruit talent, what about the promises made to the Qingzhou soldiers?"

"How can I, Cao Mengde, be a man who goes back on his word?"

Everyone lowered their heads even further.

Seeing the stiff atmosphere, Xi Zhi Cai had no choice but to stand up and say, "My lord, there is an even more important matter."

Seeing Cao Cao nod, Xi Zhi Cai then said, "News has come from Tancheng that Tao Qian sent his subordinate Zhang Kai to escort Cao Gong's family from Langya County to Taishan County. They are now very likely between Hua and Fei."

"The Governor of Taishan County, Ying Shao, was sent by my lord to welcome them, but his march is slow. It is said that he has not even reached Fei County after half a month. If this continues, I fear something may happen."

As soon as Xi Zhi Cai said this, the expressions of everyone present became somewhat subtle.

The Cao Gong he spoke of was Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, along with Cao Cao's brother, Cao De, and over fifty family members.

This large family was not easy to deal with.

Cao Song was the adopted son of the Central Regular Attendant Cao Teng.

Legend has it that Cao Teng was a descendant of the Han Chancellor Cao Can. He served six emperors and was especially appreciated by Emperor Huan of Han, who enfeoffed him as the Marquis of Feiting.

Cao Teng was very good at dealing with people and had a reputation for integrity, accumulating deep connections for the Cao family. Although he was a eunuch, he became the recommender for many scholarly families entering officialdom.

Recommenders were equivalent to teachers and parents. Although the scholarly families looked down on eunuchs, they still held their noses and recognized Cao Teng as their recommender in order to become officials.

But his adopted son, Cao Song, was not like his father. He was a complete corrupt official. His position as Grand Commandant, one of the Three Dukes, was bought for 100 million coins. After taking office, he made even more money.

Cui Lie, who held the position of Grand Commandant before him, only spent five million coins to buy it, which proves that Cao Song was really not short of money.

Chen Lin's "Proclamation to Yu Province on Behalf of Yuan Shao" later said this: (Cao) Song, raised by a beggar (referring to the eunuch Cao Teng), used bribes to falsely obtain a position, transporting gold and jade, delivering goods to powerful families, stealing the tripod of the state, and overturning important instruments.

This means that Cao Song was the biggest corrupt official in the world.

With such a father, Cao Cao was actually quite embarrassed.

Especially now that Cao Song was bringing his entire family of over fifty people, with hundreds of carts loaded with family wealth, gold, pearls, jade, and other valuables, to join Cao Cao in a high-profile manner, which caused quite a division among Cao Cao's subordinates.

What made Cao Cao even more headache was that Cao De was also accompanying them.

Although Cao De was younger than Cao Cao, the ancients valued generations. De came before Cao, meaning Cao Cao was ranked behind Cao De.

The reason for this was kept secret by the Cao family, but the scholarly families were speculating about a possibility.

Either Cao Cao was adopted, or he was an illegitimate son.

Cao Cao's courtesy name was Mengde. According to the "Book of Rites," "The eldest son of the legitimate wife is called Bo, and the eldest son of a concubine is called Meng."

Moreover, Cao Cao's poem "Good Deeds" says: "I pity myself for my meager blessings, and suffered loneliness and hardship from a young age. I never received the teachings of three moves, nor did I hear the words in the courtyard."

He said that his status was humble and that he did not receive parental upbringing from a young age.

The teachings of three moves refer to the mother's teachings, which can be explained by the early death of Cao Cao's mother.

The words in the courtyard refer to the father's teachings, but Cao Song was clearly still alive, so why did he never teach Cao Cao?

If he was the legitimate son, would he have been treated like this?

Therefore, Cao Cao was able to get along with Yuan Shao, who was also an illegitimate son, when he was young. The two were fond of chivalry, similar to robbers, the street thugs of today.

However, Yuan Shao was eventually adopted as the legitimate son, and his fortunes turned, giving him the capital to contend with Yuan Shu. Of course, he later did not forget Cao Cao. After Cao Cao escaped from Chang'an, Yuan Shao recommended him as the Governor of Dong Commandery, which allowed him to have his own territory.

And from the beginning of Cao Cao's uprising, Cao Song had never cared about his son during the years of war.

Even the money Cao Cao initially used to raise troops was supported by Wei Zi and the Xiahou family from his hometown. Cao Song did not contribute a single coin.

Some say that the idea of finding Wei Zi came from Cao Song, but the key is that Cao Song himself was very rich, yet he sent Cao Cao to ask others for money. Is this reasonable?

His younger brother, Cao De, although he did not hold an official position, was very likely to inherit Cao Song's Marquisate of Feiting.

So, on the surface, Cao Song and Cao Cao were a filial father and son, but what they were like in private was hard to say.

Now that Xi Zhi Cai brought up this matter, it was like opening a can of worms. Everyone knew that Cao Song bringing Cao De with him would hinder Cao Cao's actions in everything. How could he accomplish great things then?

Xi Zhi Cai's expression remained unchanged. As a strategist, his job was to speak for his lord at inconvenient times. Cao Song's problem was unavoidable.

Cao Cao listened and pretended to be worried: "Tao Qian is a cunning little child, and his subordinates are all Yellow Turban generals. Who knows what his intentions are in escorting my family?"

"Perhaps my father has already been captured by him and is being used to threaten me!"

Cao Cao slowly looked around at everyone: "If this is the case, what do you all think we should do?"

Everyone thought, "Why are you asking us?"

Who would be willing to take the blame for this?

Xi Zhi Cai and the other strategists all began to pretend to be stupid. This was Cao Cao's family matter. Why would they interfere?

Since they didn't speak, Yu Jin and the other non-Cao generals would not be the first to speak out. They were all lowering their heads and dozing off.

Seeing this, Cao Chun stood up and said, "My hundreds of cavalry are useless in sieging the city. Otherwise, I will set off now, take the road to Hua and Fei, and welcome Cao Gong?"

"Idiot!"

Several strategists cursed in their hearts at the same time.

Sure enough, after charging on horseback for a long time, one's brain becomes stupid!

Xi Zhi Cai spoke up and said, "General Cao's cavalry is indispensable for the siege."

"In case the enemy breaks through, how can we catch up without cavalry?"

"In my opinion, the city must be attacked, and Cao Gong must be rescued."

"Rescuing people cannot be delayed without affecting the siege."

"Why not gather all the soldiers who are unable to attack the city, make up a number of two thousand, and set off tonight to meet Cao Gong."

"Presumably, Zhang Kai's troops are not many, which should be enough to suppress him."

"After capturing Jimo, the entire army will march towards Huaxian to meet Cao Gong."

Everyone thought, "Well, a bunch of wounded soldiers, and you've gathered so many people. Are you afraid of going too fast?"

Cao Cao nodded and said, "This plan is excellent!"

"Then—"

At this time, Cao Xiu spoke, "Let me and Miao Cai (Xiahou Yuan) go."

Cao Cao's face turned cold: "You can't!"

"Miao Cai, Wen Ze (Yu Jin), you two take the troops!"

Yu Jin thought, "This is enough. I couldn't escape even by pretending to sleep. We non-Cao generals will have to take the blame after all!"