Chapter Sixty: When Two Fight, the Third Profits

In the allied army’s grand camp…

Within the central command tent, Yuan Shao was struggling to don his heavy armor, preparing to personally lead his troops into battle and launch an assault on Hulao Gate. He sought to assert his authority as the leader of the alliance, yet the initiative had already been seized by Sun Jian and Zifan, leaving him seething with rage. As a man of illustrious lineage—four generations of high office, renowned and at the height of his power—how could he allow these upstart youths to steal all the glory?

“Report—urgent news from Hulao Gate!” A scout rushed in, fell to his knees, and cried out, “My lord, urgent news from the north! Several days ago, Zifan dealt a crushing blow to Hulao Gate and repelled Lü Bu. Lü Bu’s forces have been routed to Xiapi, and Zifan’s army is in hot pursuit; they have now reached Xiapi and completely surrounded Lü Bu’s troops.”

“What!” Yuan Shao exclaimed, so startled that he nearly lost his balance. Regaining his composure, he slammed the table and cursed furiously, “Is Lü Bu made of paper? The world sings of Lü Bu’s might and valor, but it seems it’s all just empty praise—he’s useless! So quickly defeated, all show and no substance. If only we had struck first and seized the initiative, the glory would have been ours. Regret! Such regret!”

The strategist Tian Feng was equally stunned, as though he had seen a ghost. “Lü Bu’s might is said to be peerless—how could he be defeated so swiftly? Did we underestimate Zifan, or overestimate Lü Bu?”

The scout then recounted in detail how Zifan had shattered Lü Bu’s army in a single strike. As Yuan Shu listened, his expression darkened to a livid hue, his face a mask of disbelief. He could not accept that the undefeated, unparalleled Lü Bu had been routed so thoroughly by Zifan, forced to flee in disarray and abandon his armor within such a short time.

Pride is indispensable, but arrogance is not. Without pride, one is base; with arrogance, one cannot be a true gentleman. Lü Bu’s downfall lay in his conceit—unable to master his emotions in the crucial moment, he was dragged into the mire…

Tian Feng, eyes narrowed in amusement, remarked, “Now that Lü Bu’s strength is greatly diminished and he lacks the power to counterattack, still, despite his defeat, he retains several thousand men. Moreover, Xiapi is the seat of Xuzhou’s administration, with strong defenses. For Zifan to capture it will be no easy task. And with Dong Zhuo’s main force stationed in Luoyang and able to send reinforcements at any moment, it’s unlikely they’ll be defeated so easily.”

“Why not let Zifan lay siege to Xiapi as he pleases, while we conserve our strength? Once his assault drags on and his troops’ morale falters, we can then march north and seize the opportunity. The credit will be ours.”

“Hmm, you have a point—just as I was thinking…” Yuan Shu nodded repeatedly, a sly grin creeping onto his face as he pondered the advantages.

Without delay, Yuan Shu issued his orders: “Reorganize the troops, prepare supplies and arms—we’ll sit back and watch the tigers fight. Let Zifan wear down Lü Bu’s forces at Xiapi while we rest and gather our strength. When the time is right, we’ll advance north and sweep through Xiapi!”

In the main hall, Cao Cao pored over the latest intelligence sent from Xuzhou: Lü Bu’s crushing defeat, Xiapi under siege, and Zifan’s fame shaking the realm. He toyed with the report, reading it again and again until he was certain his eyes had not deceived him. “That Zifan actually defeated Lü Bu so quickly. Lü Bu may be a fierce warrior, but his mind is inflexible and proud—fit to be a general, but not a commander. Lacking capable advisors, it’s no wonder he fell to Zifan. Still, Zifan’s swift victory is surprising… I wasn’t wrong to see promise in him—my judgment is sharp indeed…” Cao Cao muttered to himself, a playful smile curling his lips.

A hero of his age, Cao Cao prided himself on his keen perception of the times. Even with his high opinion of Zifan, he had not expected Lü Bu’s defeat to come so swiftly. Though the two were close, and Zifan had even aided him before, interests would always come first—it never paid to let one’s guard down.

Cao Cao knew well Lü Bu’s formidable prowess—the saying “Among men, Lü Bu; among horses, Red Hare” was not mere flattery. Ordinary men quailed under Lü Bu’s might; such valor was rare under heaven, and his cavalry were all seasoned in battle.

At that moment, the strategist Xun Yu stepped forward and said, “My lord, Liu Bei has repeatedly asked to lead an assault on Hulao Gate. Why not send him to assist Zifan? With his influence among the people, he could raise more troops and expand his power. Let him make the attempt to capture Xiapi—should he suffer losses, we might profit as the fisherman after the mantis and the cicada. What do you think?”

Cao Cao nodded in agreement, finding Xun Yu’s proposal sound, though a trace of unease lingered in his heart.

But another adviser, Cheng Yu, quickly objected, “From what I see, Liu Bei is an ambitious man. Claiming Imperial descent, he uses the Liu name to gather men under his banner. From a humble sandal-maker to his current position—he is truly a hero among men, and his ambitions are far from small. With mighty warriors like Guan and Zhang under his command, he poses no immediate threat, but his power cannot be ignored. Should he and Zifan ever attempt to recruit one another, whether Zifan joins Liu Bei or Liu Bei joins Zifan, it would be a case of adding wings to a tiger—eventually, it would bode ill for us.”

Cao Cao laughed aloud. “Liu Bei is a hypocrite—he and Zifan will never get along. Besides, both are ambitious; neither would be content to serve another. We need not worry on that score.”

“Still, we cannot be careless with Liu Bei. His power is expanding rapidly, and there will come a day when we must face him. He is a master at recognizing and employing talent, able to spot ability at a glance and give his followers full play to their strengths. As a leader, this is an extraordinary gift—one that commands respect.”

“As for Zifan… though powerful, he poses no threat to us for now. The future is uncertain, but for the moment, we can set him aside.” With a wave, Cao Cao dismissed the assembly.

His decision was made, and in terms of the larger strategy, there was little to fault. Cheng Yu, seeing that further persuasion was futile, took his leave together with Xun Yu.

The hall emptied, and silence returned.