In troubled times, it's when you desire tranquility that the wind keeps blowing.

In troubled times, even a trivial matter can cause a city to change hands.

Liu Bei defected to Cao Cao, who led his army to capture Xiaopei and Xuzhou.

Only the isolated city of Ye remains under my control.

This time, Cao Cao relentlessly besieged Ye, leaving no escape.

But I am not panicked—Ye has the advantage of the dangerous Si River and abundant provisions, capable of self-defense without worry.

Moreover, even if I am ultimately defeated, I will make sure Cao Cao pays a heavy price.

Only then can I have greater diplomatic value.

You see, I didn't attend Chen Gong's class for nothing.

As the two armies faced each other, Cao Cao approached me amicably and said, "General, you have an excellent record of killing the traitor Dong Zhuo. Why not surrender and join me in supporting the Han Dynasty?"

I was tempted.

But before I could respond, Chen Gong pointed at Cao Cao's nose and started hurling insults. While Cao Cao was still trying to retort, Chen Gong suddenly aimed at Cao Cao's wide-open mouth and shot an arrow.

Although Chen Gong was just a literary man and had no skill in archery, it proved the saying that even the worst hunter can hit a fox sometimes.

Chen Gong shot off one of Cao Cao's incisors.

The problem was that Cao Cao had dentures, and this incisor happened to be his only real tooth.

Chen Gong's arrow was like hitting the jackpot.

The prize was as chilling as an icehouse—I knew that my chance of surrender, like Cao Cao's real tooth, was forever lost.

Military strategists are also skilled psychologists, like Cao Cao.

While marching against Zhang Xiu, the troops became extremely thirsty. Cao Cao pointed ahead and said, "There's a plum forest over there, filled with sour plums hanging from the branches."

As a result, he saved a lot of money, as the soldiers quenched their thirst with their own saliva.

This time, Cao Cao ordered, "Whoever captures Lu Bu's head shall be rewarded with Diao Chan!"

How cunning—this motivated the enemy soldiers to go mad, while our soldiers mistakenly believed that they were fighting to protect Lu Bu's beautiful wife.

The siege was exceptionally fierce, and I fought alongside my soldiers until our eyes turned red.

But I knew that if we continued like this, we would surely lose the city.

Strangely, Cao Cao suddenly issued the order to stop attacking the city.

The next day, the waves outside Ye City raged, and Cao Cao unexpectedly ordered the flooding of the Si River around the city!

I knew it was all over.

Utter despair unexpectedly brought me clarity.

I saw Cao Cao on a high platform, drinking and reveling, completely disregarding the crying commoners in the turbulent waves.

Just to avoid fighting and humiliate the people, he could wantonly trample upon the lives of the world.

And the world always rolls in the hands of such villains—Dong Zhuo, Wang Yun, Li Jue, Guo Si, Cao Cao—each one adhering to the principle of "no poison, no husband."

Nothing is sadder than a dead heart. I am tired, utterly tired.

If death is the only way out, then so be it!

I can't withdraw from this world, but I can abandon myself.

Let them fight, compete. I just want, at the end of my life, to be able to drink with Diao Chan.

Will there ever be such a wise and keen woman in the world?

As I pushed open the door, I froze—Diao Chan was heavily adorned, wearing the translucent dance costume from when we first met in the Sima clan. She led me to sit down and began dancing for me.

When the music ended, Diao Chan sat down and poured herself a drink.

She had many things she wanted to tell me.

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