Chapter 120 Bargaining

After hearing Cao Cao's words, the strategists and generals thought to themselves, 'Truly brilliant, so very brilliant!'

To use Cao Cao's father as a hostage would be utterly rebellious. Even with Cao Cao's thick skin, he couldn't openly use that as an excuse.

Emperor Gaozu of Han had done something similar. Although Xiang Yu ultimately didn't kill Liu Taigong and Lü Zhi, it wasn't something to be openly praised.

However, he was, after all, the founding emperor, and no one dared to openly criticize him.

The Cao family was currently in a period of widely recruiting scholars from across the land, and appearances had to be maintained.

But to change the narrative and say that Juan City was in danger, allowing Cao Taigong to take his family to Ye City for refuge, that would be perfectly justifiable!

Cao Cao would hand over his family, and Yuan Shao would get the hostages he wanted. Both sides would get what they needed!

"Your brilliance, my lord!"

Xi Zhicai coughed twice and said, "Ye City and Juan City are only a few hundred li apart. If we agree, the Yuan family will send money and supplies, which will arrive within ten days."

Cao Cao looked around at the generals: "The situation is so difficult, it is truly my fault."

"If it weren't a matter of life and death, I would certainly offer my own punishment to apologize to you all."

The crowd was greatly alarmed and quickly rose from their seats, kneeling and weeping, "We are incompetent, and have implicated you, my lord!"

Cao Cao suddenly stood up, drawing the sword at his waist with a clang, "Today's humiliation, we will repay it a hundredfold in the future!"

The crowd shouted in unison: "We swear to follow you to the death, my lord!"

If Yuan Xi were present, he would certainly lament that regardless of Cao Cao's character, he at least had a knack for managing his subordinates, which was far more united than Yuan Shao's side.

Of course, Cao Cao wasn't without his problems. He largely used power and authority, rather than benevolence, to govern his people.

Power and authority could suppress the masses, but it was also prone to backfiring. Unless they were exceptionally trusted, it was easy for subordinates to develop rebellious intentions.

This was evident in the many scholars and generals who defected after joining Cao Cao.

Logically, Cao Cao also had a reputation for treating virtuous men with courtesy and valuing talent over morals, yet the defection rate of his generals was shockingly high.

Chen Gong, Zhang Miao, Zhang Chao, Wei Zhong, Bi Zhan, Yu Jin, Zhang Xiu, Guan Yu, Yuan Tan, Gao Gan, Chang Xi… It could be said that those who didn't start following Cao Cao from the beginning either betrayed him or were killed like Xu You.

This showed that there was also internal strife among Cao Cao's subordinates, but because Cao Cao's own abilities were very strong, it was temporarily suppressed.

Yuan Shao initially adopted benevolence, focusing on buying off scholars during his rise to power. Although he recruited many talented people, it also led to his scholars and strategists becoming powerful and domineering, with constant infighting.

By the time Yuan Shao realized this and wanted to adopt Cao Cao's use of power and authority, his scholars had already become too powerful, and it was too late. He could only target military generals without a background.

In all fairness, both Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were lords with strong personal abilities, which led to the hidden dangers of infighting among their subordinates only erupting after their deaths.

However, Yuan Shao was even unluckier. He died at a very inopportune time, leading to infighting between his two sons and the collapse of the north.

When Cao Cao passed away, it was also right after the defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, with great chaos in the north, rebellion in Liang Province, and famine in the Central Plains. The situation was precarious, and Cao Pi even considered moving the capital.

However, before Cao Cao died, Guan Yu, who severely threatened Cao Wei, was ambushed and killed by Eastern Wu. Liu Bei then attacked Sun Quan, and both sides fought to a standstill, with Sun Quan directly submitting to Cao Wei to suppress the Shu kingdom.

The situation transformed from Shu and Wu resisting Wei to Wei and Wu controlling Shu, and the Shu and Wu kingdoms missed the best opportunity to attack Wei.

In contrast, the territory Cao Cao had previously conquered was vast, and he had left behind a large number of forces loyal to the Cao family, allowing them to overcome the crisis with difficulty.

Yuan Xi pondered as he sat in the carriage, watching the goose feather snow fluttering outside.

Not far from the carriage, Zhao Yun stood upright, his silver helmet and white horse making him appear heroic and imposing.

After the Battle of Juan City broke out, Cao Cao agreed to send out his family, and Yuan Shao sent Yuan Xi as an envoy to Dongwuyang City in Dong Commandery.

Initially, Cao Cao wanted Yuan Xi to go directly to Juan City, but Yuan Xi considered that there would be many variables in crossing the Yellow River, so he ultimately chose Dongwuyang City, which was adjacent to Wei Commandery and only a few hundred li away from Ye City.

In any case, his mission was to bring back Cao Cao's family. As for how Cao Cao's army would bring troops and supplies across the Yellow River, it was not his concern.

The initiative was on his side. If Cao Cao wanted to tamper with his family, he wouldn't mind deducting troops and supplies.

He said to Wu Zhao beside him, "Guess what kind of family Cao Cao will send over."

Wu Zhao thought for a moment and said, "His legal wife and sons are definitely impossible. I can't guess the other concubines."

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "This time, he should send over his illegitimate sons and daughters, and even adopted sons and daughters. Even concubines will be rare."

Wu Zhao was surprised and said, "What's the reason? Is it because of the art of astrology?"

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "It's just a feeling. Cao Cao is lustful and definitely reluctant to part with his concubines."

Wu Zhao shook his head and said, "I don't believe he will only send his children."

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "I'll make a bet with you."

Several days later, when Yuan Xi was outside the city gate of Dongwuyang City and Yu Jin led troops to welcome him into the city, he spat out three liters of blood upon hearing about the family Cao Cao had sent.

He lost.

Cao Cao indeed didn't only send his own children. He also sent Cao Song's entire family.

Yuan Xi felt it was absurd. He had worked so hard to save Cao Song's family in Fei County, but now he had to take them back to Ye City. What was the point?

His expression was somewhat gloomy as he said to Yu Jin, "Is Lord Mengde deceiving me because I don't know the inside story?"

Yu Jin tasted bitterness in his mouth. He was the scapegoat again!

He had had enough. Cao Song's gaze was always full of resentment, obviously suspecting that he had killed Cao De.

The key was that he really didn't do it!

Yu Jin had to clasp his fist and say, "Young Master, please calm down. Please come into the city to discuss the reasons."

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "General, you're too polite. This time, what I say doesn't count."

"I'm just here to assist Mr. Yuan Hao."

Faced with Cao Cao's strategists haggling, Yuan Xi thought that he was still too inexperienced, so he directly asked Yuan Shao to bring Tian Feng, the great firebrand, to see how top strategists negotiated terms with people.

Both sides would be refined and elegant, engaging in verbal sparring, pointing out the landscape while talking and laughing, and settling major events with a wave of their hands. Wouldn't such a scene be very interesting?

With a smack, Tian Feng slammed the table, "How could the Cao family send a butcher like you? You must be very happy to have slaughtered all the elders of your hometown?"

Cheng Yu wasn't angry at all, smiling and saying, "Yuan Hao, why are you so angry? Do you have family in Dong'a too?"

Tian Feng snorted in a strange tone, "Doing such an unrighteous thing, Zhongde, be careful of being condemned by the heavens and your whole family dying out."

Cheng Yu smiled and said, "I haven't been condemned by the heavens yet and I'm living very well. As for what will happen in the future, who can say for sure?"

"Yuan Hao, you're so close to me, aren't you afraid that a thunderbolt will strike down and affect you?"

Tian Feng spat on the ground, "If you only know how to use your tongue, I'm afraid you won't take a single grain of rice from me."

"Look for yourself, what kind of family are you sending to Ye City as hostages? You have no shame!"

Cheng Yu said calmly, "It's not as hostages. It's that Lord Cao, out of consideration for the generations of friendship between the Cao and Yuan families, asked Governor Yuan to protect his family. Lord Cao is very grateful."

Tian Feng laughed loudly, "Lord, Lord, you have the nerve to say that!"

"I think Puyang is also good. Why doesn't Cao Cao send his family to Marquis Wen for protection?"

"Maybe he can exchange for more grain."

Yuan Xi turned his face away, and the so-called aristocratic integrity in his heart was completely destroyed.

It turned out that for thousands of years, when bargaining, whether in the court or in the market, there was no difference.

On that side, Tian Feng and Cheng Yu were still passionately arguing, spraying saliva everywhere. For a time, they couldn't tell who was winning. Yuan Xi turned to Yu Jin, who was equally bored, and said, "Brother Wenze…"

Yu Jin quickly said, "I'm afraid, I dare not let the Young Master call me that. Just call me Yu Jin."

"Alright, Brother Wenze, since our last farewell in Fei County, I didn't expect there would be a day to meet again."

Yu Jin didn't know that Yuan Xi had started to think about poaching him again. He quickly said, "The Young Master is full of vigor, and I admire him very much."

This was half true and half false. Yu Jin did value Yuan Xi very much.

Yuan Xi didn't actually know that he was already very famous among the gentry in Ji and Yan provinces.

Whether it was killing Zhang Kai and retreating from Liu Bei in Fei County, or the three battles in Qing Province, continuously breaking Tian Kai, Kong Rong, and Liu Bei, all of which made Yuan Xi famous under the vigorous promotion of Yuan Tan's faction.

Cao Cao's strategists and generals were all proficient in battle formations. They naturally knew the value of these battles, and saw Yuan Xi's decisiveness and skill in battle formations.

Coupled with the information from the spies in Jizhou, Yuan Xi, like Tian Feng, was a hardliner who advocated suppressing the Cao family, which made Cao Cao's faction even more fearful.

Therefore, when Yu Jin spoke to Yuan Xi, he was already very wary, fearing that Yuan Xi would trip him up.

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "Brother Wenze, are you doing well with Lord Mengde?"

Yu Jin quickly clasped his fist and said, "Lord Cao has the grace to recognize my talent, and I will never forget it!"

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "That's true. I heard that Brother Wenze was once under Bao Xin, the Chancellor of Jibei. It is said that Bao Xin governed the army strictly, and the soldiers were obedient. I heard that Brother Wenze also gained the essence of his command."

Yu Jin quickly said, "Young Master, you're praising me too much. I'm ashamed."

Yuan Xi changed the subject, "But the Qing Province soldiers are not easy to manage, right?"

"Brother Wenze, although Lord Mengde's side is good, my Yuan family is also not bad. If you come to join me, the position I give you will only be higher, how about it?"

Yu Jin almost spat out blood. Was this how you talk?

Both sides were negotiating, and dozens of ears were listening. You were openly sowing discord?

He quickly said, "Young Master is joking. I have no ulterior motives towards Lord Cao."

Yuan Xi smiled, "Brother Wenze, I have high hopes for you."

It wasn't easy to poach people from Cao Cao's side, but Yu Jin was quite likely, after all, the other party really betrayed him in the end.

At this time, the possibility of Yu Jin's betrayal was not high, but who knew if he didn't try?

Yuan Xi was a very scheming person. He decided to do the opposite. If it didn't work in private, he would openly dig, and if Yu Jin was really suspected and ostracized because of this, then his goal would be achieved.

Yu Jin wasn't a fool either. When he saw Yuan Xi openly recruiting, he knew it was bad, but he couldn't shut the other party's mouth.

On that side, Tian Feng and Cheng Yu were still passionately arguing, spitting everywhere. On this side, Yuan Xi and Yu Jin were also going back and forth.

One was aggressive, one was flattering, one was trying to undermine the wall, one was desperately blocking and resisting, one had a belly full of bad ideas to sow discord, and one had a belly full of bitterness with no one to tell.

A friendly and uneventful day passed just like that.