, Youzhou, is coming to an end!

It is said that on the day Li Dian and Yue Jin came to Yijing to report to their lord Cao Cao that the generals in the army were clear, but they were surprised to find that their lord Cao Cao's mood did not seem very good. Cao Cao naturally saw the surprised looks in Li Dian and Yue Jin's eyes, and a bit embarrassed appeared on his face. Yesterday was truly an unforgettable day for Cao Cao. In the past, Cao Cao had never been so embarrassed... Cao Cao did not even know how he returned to his residence yesterday. He only knew that he walked away in a sorry state under the astonished and even disbelieving eyes of Yuan Shao, Yan Liang and Wen Chou... He walked away in a very embarrassing manner.

"Shouyi, you've really ruined my life!" Cao Cao said helplessly, rubbing his forehead.

Li Dian and Yue Jin looked at each other, both puzzled.

However, Cao Cao's heavy accusations weren't entirely unfounded. Although Yuan Shao was heartbroken, he had no choice but to put on a brave face and sign an unequal treaty with Jiang Zhe… First, Yuan Shao's forces and Cao Cao's forces would “not invade each other’s territory.”

Secondly, Yuan Shao's forces were moving westward, while Cao Cao's forces were moving eastward. Before the world was settled, it was not advisable to launch a war.

Third, both sides should exchange goods and services, open up channels, and refrain from unilaterally increasing taxes.

Fourth, if one side is attacked by another force, the other side must provide unconditional assistance; if one side is fighting against another force, the other side may choose to send reinforcements or not, depending on the circumstances.

These four clauses seem quite fair, but they are not. First, the thirteen thousand-plus warhorses were not even recorded in this treaty, meaning that Yuan Shao would have no way of bringing up this matter later!

Secondly, Jiang Zhe clearly understood that he never intended to form an alliance with Yuan Shao when he signed this agreement. He knew that after Cao Cao conquered Xuzhou and defeated Lü Bu, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao would gradually turn against each other. This treaty was less for Cao Cao and Yuan Shao and more for deceiving the world. At least Jiang Zhe and Tian Feng, who later learned of this, understood this perfectly well!

At the end of November in the second year of Zhongping, Cao Cao ordered Li Dian and Yue Jin to gather their troops and prepare to leave Youzhou and return to Xuchang in Yuzhou. However, because of the death of Gongsun Zan, Yuan Shao, who had become the host, had to come out to see Cao Cao off.

It seems that Cao Cao now doesn't even dare to meet Yuan Shao's eyes, for fear of seeing the resentment in Yuan Shao's eyes, even though he is secretly delighted. Anyone would feel this way if they suddenly got ten thousand fine horses.

Although those warhorses were still untrained and substandard... Yuan Shao was much more frustrated than Cao Cao. He hadn't slept a wink all night, carefully considering what Jiang Zhe had said. Only now did he realize with astonishment that he had already fallen into Jiang Zhe's trap the moment Cao Cao entered with a sigh!

Because Yuan Shao had been with Cao Cao since childhood and knew Cao Cao's optimistic, timid, and reckless nature, he had no reason to sigh and lament. Jiang Zhe likely understood this and lured Yuan Shao into asking questions to achieve his own goals… “I never imagined Jiang Shouyi was not only skilled at strategizing, but also adept at manipulating people's hearts, gradually pressuring me with words until I had no room to refute him. Mengde, from childhood to adulthood, why is it always you who wins the approval of others?” Yuan Shao stood beneath the city gate, quietly waiting for Cao Cao and Jiang Zhe, because he still had something to say to Jiang Zhe.

"My lord!" Yuan Shao's general Yan Liang rushed to Yuan Shao's side, pointing to the crowd in the distance. "Cao Mengde and Jiang Shouyi have arrived!"

With a slight frown, Yuan Shao asked in a deep voice, "Then those ten thousand... have the ten thousand warhorses been delivered?"

"Yes, my lord!" Yan Liang said hesitantly, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

When Yuan Shao mentioned the ten thousand warhorses, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if a steel knife was scraping his chest, which was very painful!

Cao Cao and Jiang Zhe walked at the front of the procession. Naturally, they saw Yuan Shao from afar beneath the city gate. Cao Cao's face fell; after hesitating for a long while, he stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said to Yuan Shao, "Benchu, how have we been?" Ah no, the events of yesterday were not...

"Cough!" Jiang Zhe coughed suddenly from the side, immediately swallowing back the half-sentence Cao Cao had said.

Yuan Shao glanced at Cao Cao for a few moments, then smiled slightly. He clasped his hands in a respectful greeting and replied, "It's nothing, just a trivial matter, nothing more than ten thousand warhorses. Mengde, there's no need to be so formal."

Yuan Shao's words only made Cao Cao more embarrassed and awkward, leaving him standing there with a wry smile.

"Mengde!" Yuan Shao called out to Mengde. Pointing to Yan Chang beside him, he said, "My general Yan Liang said that the ten thousand warhorses have all been delivered to your camp. Mengde, is that true?"

Cao Cao glanced at Yan Liang, immediately noticing the extreme dissatisfaction in his eyes. He thought about it; if Yuan Shao had obtained those ten thousand warhorses and wanted to form a cavalry force, then one of the brothers Yan Liang and Wen Chou would naturally have been the commander. Now, however, everything was gone!

"The original source... Um, that's true..." Cao Cao was somewhat ashamed after being told off by Yuan Shao. How could the generous and forthright Cao Mengde have ever taken even an inch of something that didn't belong to him?

Although the young Cao Cao did many foolish things, he never took anything that didn't belong to him. Why didn't he? It wasn't because he was arrogant, but because Cao Cao was confident that he would get something better in the future!

Cao Cao and Yuan Shao had known each other for over ten years. When Cao Cao was fifteen years old, he accompanied his father Cao Gao to Luoyang, where he met Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and other members of the "Crown Prince Party."

Compared to Yuan Shu's arrogance, Cao Cao preferred to stay with Yuan Shao.

Cao Cao was the descendant of a eunuch, while Yuan Shao was born out of wedlock. To put it bluntly, they were illegitimate children. Having experienced too much contempt from outsiders, their similar sentiments brought Cao Cao and Yuan Shao together as close friends.

Before they even reached the age of twenty, they frequented brothels in the city, drinking and reveling with courtesans. Their sole purpose was to witness what drinking and reveling with courtesans was all about. When someone in the city got married, the two of them, along with a few wicked servants, went to abduct the bride, solely to fulfill a bet they had made about whether the woman was beautiful.

Although their actions were indeed evil and utterly absurd, neither Cao Cao nor Yuan Shao had done anything truly heinous!

Similar experiences and similar identities brought Cao Cao and Yuan Shao closer together, a bond that had lasted for over a decade. At this moment, for the first time, a feeling surged within Yuan Shao—an emotion known as "Roar!"

Why was Cao Mengde always better at making friends than I was, from childhood to adulthood? When our friend Xu You came to join us, I even wanted to show off in front of Cao Mengde, but unexpectedly, Cao Mengde got Jiang Zhe… Jiang Zhe! That person in Luoyang who spoke rudely and ill of the court—how laughable that I had once regarded him as a failed scholar. And so… alas!

Shaking his head, Yuan Shao gave a wry smile and said to Cao Cao, "Mengde, rest assured. Although it was my oversight that led to this..." Heh, what kind of relationship do I have with you? How can I be compared to a mere ten thousand warhorses?

Now that we are allies, we shall advance and retreat together, and bring peace to the world!

"Of course!" Cao Cao smiled slightly, though his face still showed some embarrassment.

"Good!" Yuan Shao laughed loudly a few times. He extended his right palm and said, "From this day forward, I will head west, and Mengde will head east, to jointly save the world! We swear this oath with a high five!"

Cao Cao nodded, and also extended his right hand, saying, "Let us swear an oath by striking our fists together to restore the Han Dynasty!"

The Han Dynasty? To jointly restore the Han Dynasty? Ha! Yuan Shao looked slightly taken aback, then shook his head and smiled gently, saying, "Mengde is absolutely right, come!"

"Clap clap clap!" The two high-fived three times. It was as if they had taken heaven and earth as witnesses to fulfill their vow.

"Mengde!" Yuan Shao gave Cao Cao a deep look, and then the two of them burst into laughter.

"Farewell!" Cao Cao said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

"Wait!" Yuan Shao called out, and amidst Cao Cao's astonished gaze, he approached Jiang Zhe, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Shouyi, may I have a word with you in private?"

Jiang Zhe was completely bewildered. He looked at Cao Cao with a puzzled expression.

Cao Cao was also extremely puzzled, but he still stepped forward and said, "Shouyi, since Yuan Shao has something to say to you alone, then... Cao Cao will go ahead and wait for you, okay?"

"Then... I'll trouble you, my lord!" Jiang Zhe cupped his hands in greeting to Cao Cao, then said to Yuan Shao, "Lord Yuan, please!"

"Please uphold righteousness!"

Jiang Zhe and Yuan Shao walked about twenty steps to the side. Jiang Zhe turned around and looked at their surroundings, then glanced back at Yuan Shao: "Shall we stay here?"

Yuan Shao nodded, looking at Jiang Zhe with a complex expression, and sighed, "Shouyi, I've known you since Luoyang, for two years now. I never expected you to treat me like this. Of the ten thousand fine horses left by Gongsun Zan of Youzhou, you don't want to leave me even a single one. Shouyi, haven't you gone too far?!"

"Ahem!" Jiang Zhe coughed, looking embarrassed. "I did say I went too far, but my lord's heart... sigh, he doesn't care at all about the past relationship with the magistrate, he's gone too far..." Hahaha! Unexpectedly, Yuan Shao burst into laughter upon hearing this. Pointing at Jiang Zhe, he said with a smile, "You speak ill of your lord in front of me. Don't forget that I am a close friend of your lord Cao Mengde. Aren't you afraid I will speak to Mengde on your behalf?"

"Tch! You think I'm afraid?" Jiang Zhe scoffed. But he still cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency is not that kind of person, I'm absolutely certain of that! May I ask what important matter Your Excellency has summoned me here for?"

"Jiang Zhe and Jiang Shouyi, who once subdued Dong Zhuo, who bullied the Luoyang imperial family, are indeed extraordinary. Shouyi, do not call me 'Lord,' I, Yuan Shao, have no shortage of people calling me that." Shouyi, you are truly a special person! Shao felt deep regret at this moment!

Jiang Zhe, who had been pondering why Yuan Shao had spoken to him, became even more confused after hearing Yuan Shao's words. He asked in surprise, "My lord, why does Yuan Shao regret his decision?"

"Hehe, yes! Just call me Benchu!" Yuan Shao looked at Jiang Zhe with admiration, then suddenly sighed. "I regret that I mistook you for a scholar who came to Luoyang seeking an official career but failed. I later learned that you and your wife came to visit Minister Situ. But because I was too proud to talk to Shouyi."

"Benchu?" Jiang Zhe stared at Yuan Shao in astonishment, seemingly trying to glean something from his eyes. But to Jiang Zhe's surprise, Yuan Shao's gaze was incredibly sincere when he spoke! "Shouyi."

"I only have one question for you!" Suddenly, Yuan Shao's expression turned serious as he stared intently at Jiang Zhe and said, "If it were me, Yuan Shao, who was befriending you, Shouyi, in Luoyang that day, would you be willing to serve under me?"

Jiang Zhe gave Yuan Shao a deep look, then suddenly smiled and said, "I never imagined I had wronged Yuan Shao that day. I thought he was an arrogant and conceited person. Please forgive me, please forgive me... Hehe, perhaps, who knows!"

"Ha ha!" Yuan Shao laughed three times, then sighed and looked at Jiang Zhe. He clasped his hands in a fist salute and said solemnly, "Consider those ten thousand warhorses a gift from me, Yuan Benchu, as an apology! Shouyi, have a safe journey!"

Feeling Yuan Shao's goodwill, Jiang Zhe felt somewhat embarrassed. He was originally someone who repaid kindness with kindness and revenge with revenge. Now that Yuan Shao was treating him so kindly, Jiang Zhe felt ashamed. But then he thought, since he had decided to assist Mengde in pacifying the world, there would inevitably be a battle between him and Yuan Shao in the future!

With a heavy heart, Jiang Zhe cupped his hands to Yuan Shao. Hesitantly, he said, "Benchu! Farewell!"

"I apologize that I cannot travel far."

Watching Cao Cao and Jiang Zhe head towards the military camp, and then lead their troops away from Youzhou, Yuan Shao shook his head and sighed. "Jiang Shouyi, a hero among men, a great talent indeed. I regret that my eyes were clouded back then… If I had recognized him then, let alone a mere Gongsun Zan, I would likely already possess the four provinces of Qing, Bing, You, and Yi… What a pity!"

"Huh?" Yan Liang, standing beside Yuan Shao, stared at his lord in astonishment, thinking to himself. A talent capable of managing a hundred li (a unit of land area) is already rare, but now his lord is comparing this person to someone from four provinces. Then what is this Jiang Zhe? A talent capable of managing four provinces?

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