The most important thing was that his own people could not be treated this way. Cao Cao made up his mind in an instant and met Yuan Shao’s hesitant gaze head-on. "Cao Cao, what do you mean? Do you still intend to protect them?"
Cao Cao shamelessly chuckled and said, "Lord Yuan, you can't say it like that. After all, he is one of the lords. If we act rashly, it might be counterproductive!"
"You mean?" Yuan Shao asked softly, his eyes widening. "What should we do?"
"In my opinion, why not seize this person first? If one day he can be used as a vanguard, it will reduce casualties. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone? What do you think, Lord Yuan?" Cao Cao cautiously proposed a suggestion!
"Dream on, you lackey! My brother Wang Kuang will never let you off!" Zhang Miao spat and cursed angrily, "You will surely die a horrible death!"
"Slap!" Zhang Miao was hit hard on the head. Cao Cao frowned and gave him a look. "Foolish thing! Lord Yuan is here now, how can you speak such nonsense? If there's a next time, I'll cut off your head!"
Zhang Miao was stunned for a moment, then murmured, "Well said, Cao Cao. You were born to a eunuch, and now that you have power, you are arrogant. Don't you see that these people are doomed to die?"
"Foolish!" Cao Cao roared, his face turning red. "I will definitely kill you!"
Yuan Shao was already worried about having too many factions and not being able to control them. How could he let go of such an opportunity? He coughed softly and placed his hand on his chest. "General, general!"
Pulling Cao Cao and Yuan Shao apart, he said earnestly, "General, do not act impulsively. This person is still useful. If we kill him, I fear the lords will become estranged. It is better to keep him; he might still be useful!"
Although Cao Cao was displeased, he nodded in agreement. Zhang Miao was left alone as Cao Cao left the tent. As Cao Cao left, he gently patted Zhang Miao’s shoulder. "Don't forget, I will kill you one day!"
Zhang Miao clearly felt Cao Cao's hand move slightly. His eyes lit up, and he kowtowed heavily. "Lord Yuan, I have already realized my mistake. From now on, I will shed blood and sweat for Lord Yuan without any reservations!"
"General, leading your troops to fight bravely is the greatest comfort to this lord!" Yuan Shao said with half-closed eyes. "In the future, on the battlefield, if the general can protect himself, there will be good things!"
"Yes!" Zhang Miao agreed without hesitation. With a drumbeat, Cao Cao drank a cup of wine and headed for Hulu Kou without hesitation. Xiahou Dun stared at the terrain with wide eyes, hesitating.
"My lord, if we go in like this, we'll be trapped!"
"What are you afraid of? Ye Feng invited us here, it was bound to be a trap. If I were afraid, I would have lost face already!" Cao Cao said. "The only way is to charge forward. Moreover, if Ye Feng dares to attack me, he will have nowhere to hide!"
Seeing that Cao Cao had thought clearly, Xiahou Dun did not dare to say more. He followed Cao Cao, keeping a sharp lookout for any signs of trouble and ready to shield Cao Cao.
"Don't be nervous!" Cao Cao leaped forward and shouted, "King Chu, I am here to see you. Do not hide!"
Ye Feng sat at the table, drinking wine sip by sip. Lü Bu stood by Ye Feng, gripping his halberd tightly.
Seeing Cao Cao enter, Lü Bu snorted, "General, you have quite the air of authority, making His Majesty wait so long!"
"Hmm?" The halberd fell, and the next moment, Xiahou Dun rushed out with his great sword. The two weapons clashed heavily. The next moment, Xiahou Dun's face darkened, and he cursed, "If His Majesty did not wish for my lord to come, why would he put on such a show and arrange all this!"
Ye Feng raised his hand slightly to stop Lü Bu. Lü Bu stepped back, clearing a path. Cao Cao ascended the platform with a smile, carefully placing his sword beside the table. "I have long heard of the unparalleled general Lü Bu's might. Seeing him today is indeed extraordinary. If I could..."
Before he finished speaking, Ye Feng coughed softly, and Cao Cao suddenly withdrew his thoughts. "Hahahaha, it is truly my admiration for talent that got the better of me. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"
"No harm done!" Ye Feng raised his hand slightly in a gesture. Cao Cao then sat on the cushion and steadied himself. "King Chu is indeed young and promising, which makes me quite envious!"
"What are you saying, General? I hear the lords have formed an alliance and want to flatten my Third Legion. Among them are undoubtedly loyal and brave individuals. What is a mere King Chu like me!" Ye Feng said lightly. "Even a general like yourself is probably a thousand times stronger than Lü Bu."
Such self-deprecation would only be taken seriously by a fool. Cao Cao chuckled and said, "You can't say that. In my opinion, there are not many heroes in this world. Only General Lü and King Chu remain. The rest are nothing but common folk!"
"General Cao became famous at a young age and must have made great achievements, but I disagree!" Ye Feng said with a smile. "I often hear that Lord Yuan is unparalleled in loyalty and righteousness and is a model of noble families!"
"There are many dirty secrets within aristocratic families, why should Your Majesty listen to biased opinions? Moreover, he is merely relying on the glory of his ancestors!" Cao Cao shook his head. "Your Majesty knows why Yuan Shu did not sit on the position of the Four Generations of Three Dukes!"
"What about the generous and righteous Zhang Miao!" Ye Feng asked with interest, picking up his tea and waiting for Cao Cao to speak.
"He is merely using money to gain a good reputation. He is not worth mentioning!" Cao Cao answered without hesitation!
After asking about several people, Ye Feng sat silently. Cao Cao picked up his tea and cupped his hands. "Your Majesty need not test me. Hulu Kou is a place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. I presume Your Majesty has already laid an ambush. Since I dared to come, I am fully prepared!"
Ye Feng rose and clapped his hands. Instantly, soldiers armed with crossbows and spears emerged from the grass, their aim solely at Cao Cao.
Cao Cao laughed heartily and clapped his hands. "Your Majesty, why go to such trouble? If you have any conditions, just say them. If I can agree, I will!"
"Oh?" Ye Feng stood up and smiled. "Even if I wanted the Jing and Xiang lands, would you readily agree?"
Cao Cao was stunned. He had expected Ye Feng to have many conditions, but he never thought it would be Jingzhou. Everyone knew the strategic importance of Jingzhou. Whoever obtained Jingzhou could obtain the world. He hesitated. Moreover, the Prefect of Changsha, Sun Ce of Jiangdong, was standing in the way.
"Your Majesty should know that since Sun Jian's death, Sun Ce has become the successor of Jiangdong. I'm afraid I cannot make decisions about the Jing and Xiang lands. Your Majesty might be disappointed!" Cao Cao reminded him with a forced smile. "Why don't Your Majesty reconsider? I will certainly agree and will not let Your Majesty down!"