Chapter 49: Will General Cao Surrender?

“General Cao, how have you been?”

Lu Chuan regarded Cao Cao with a playful expression, feeling quite pleased with himself.

Did Cao Cao really think that by leaving Dian Wei and those two thousand soldiers behind, and having Cao Hong accompany Dian Wei for drinks, Lu Chuan would be unaware of his movements?

What a joke!

Lu Chuan had long urged Lu Jin to establish an intelligence department. After several months—and with Lu Chuan’s lavish investment—the intelligence network under Lu Jin’s control was finally beginning to bear fruit.

Among the northern warlords—Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Gongsun Zan, Tao Qian, and others—each had spies planted by Lu Jin.

When selecting these informants, Lu Chuan was especially meticulous. They had to be residents who settled in Lu County since its founding and must have families.

The saying “I will care for your wife, children, and parents” was no mere phrase or a joke to Lu Chuan; it was a genuine benefit and promise.

Anyone who joined Lu Jin’s intelligence service would have their entire family exempt from taxes and would receive at least two thousand coins in annual subsidies.

Moreover, depending on the informant’s location and the value of the intelligence provided, Lu Chuan rewarded them accordingly.

For example, the spy planted close to Cao Cao, who had just provided information on Cao Cao’s troop movements toward Lu County, was rewarded with ten thousand coins in one lump sum.

For merchants, ten thousand coins might not be much, but for native residents of Lu County, it was an immense fortune!

Stimulated by such generous rewards, every member of the intelligence department was fiercely loyal to Lu Chuan, forbidding anyone from harming him.

Under these circumstances, Lu Chuan knew precisely when Cao Cao would mobilize, how many laborers he would conscript, the route of his march, and where he would camp.

All Lu Chuan needed to do was dispatch a cavalry unit to launch a midnight raid on the camp, and Cao Cao’s newly raised ten-thousand-strong army could be easily shattered.

It wasn’t that Cao Cao was weak; Lu Chuan’s preparations were simply too thorough, leaving no time for Cao Cao to react.

When Cao Cao saw Lu Chuan, bitterness welled up inside him.

He had thought that recruiting over ten thousand soldiers would be enough to defeat Lu Chuan. Yet before even reaching Lu County, Lu Chuan had already led a cavalry unit to rout him effortlessly.

Defeat always came so swiftly.

This time, not only was his previous humiliation unavenged, but he himself might be lost.

Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ren saw Lu Chuan’s demeanor and were furious. Brandishing their swords, they charged forward.

Both were fierce warriors; even if they were defeated by Lu Chuan’s cavalry, they would never surrender easily!

Besides, surrender now would mean handing their lives over to Lu Chuan—how could they bear it?

They had to fight!

At this moment, they abandoned all notions of martial ethics and charged at Lu Chuan from both sides.

Lu Chuan sneered, his spear trembling in his hand. Cao Cao only saw a flash of cold light, and the two who had charged forward, Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ren, coughed up blood and retreated. Their swords were severely bent, rendered unusable.

Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ren exchanged a glance, filled with shock.

They only felt a flash of cold light, then a terrifying force struck their swords—and that was all.

Lu Chuan’s strength was horrifying; his speed, utterly astonishing!

They had seen Lu Bu fight before Hulao Pass, but even he probably couldn’t achieve this level of prowess.

This seemingly slight man, still dressed like a scholar, was so formidable?

If Lu Chuan’s spear had struck their bodies instead of their swords, the consequences were too dreadful to imagine.

Realizing what had just happened, the two warriors showed expressions of deep frustration.

As fierce generals, to be defeated in a single exchange by Lu Chuan’s attack was a staggering blow.

Cao Cao’s face also turned pale; he had witnessed Lu Chuan’s true strength.

Lu Chuan spurred his horse forward to stand before Cao Cao. Sweat beaded on Cao Cao’s forehead, his heart pounding with anxiety, yet he knew not what to say.

What else could he say?

Lu Chuan had kindly offered him loans and even sent Dian Wei with two thousand elite infantry to help him regroup. Yet as soon as Cao Cao had begun to gather strength, he turned and attacked Lu Chuan.

Was this not the very definition of ingratitude?

If he could break through Lu County and capture Lu Chuan, he might find a way to restore his reputation.

But now, defeated before even setting foot in Lu County, how could he redeem himself?

Even shamelessness had its limits.

“Do not panic, Mengde! I will save you!”

Hearing the commotion behind, Xiahou Dun, who had been fighting ahead, immediately turned back with several hundred veteran soldiers, intending to use their numbers to drive Lu Chuan away.

After all, Lu Chuan only had a hundred cavalry by his side—and they had just stopped.

Are they still cavalry if they’ve stopped moving?

Xiahou Dun thought his chance had come!

Cao Cao’s heart leapt with joy at Xiahou Dun’s voice: I’m saved!

Lu Chuan glanced toward Xiahou Dun and gave a subtle signal to Lu Huo behind him.

Without hesitation, Lu Huo led a hundred cavalry out.

At Lu Huo’s command, the hundred cavalry swiftly divided into five squads of twenty each. Four of the squads vanished into the darkness instantly, leaving only Lu Huo leading twenty to charge toward Xiahou Dun.

Seeing this, Xiahou Dun’s anger grew.

This man was utterly reckless—charging him with only twenty riders?

Even if you are cavalry, I will stop you!

But the next moment, Xiahou Dun’s smile faded.

He realized that Lu Huo, instead of attacking him directly, suddenly veered toward his flank.

At the same time, the eighty riders who had vanished into the darkness reappeared, launching an assault on the hundreds of veteran troops behind Xiahou Dun.

Lu Huo’s cavalry employed a unique tactic.

They did not rely on the massive impact of a cavalry charge but repeatedly attacked from the flanks, each time lightly colliding before retreating.

Thanks to their mobility and impact power, each clash inflicted varying degrees of casualties on Xiahou Dun’s veterans, while none of Lu Huo’s cavalry were lost.

Had it been daylight, Xiahou Dun would have seen the five squads circling his troops, each approach snatching away several soldiers’ lives.

If this continued, within fifteen minutes, all of Xiahou Dun’s hundreds of veterans would be wiped out.

No matter how courageous Xiahou Dun was, mere flesh and blood could not withstand fully mobilized cavalry.

Listening to the agonized screams from the darkness, Xiahou Dun’s heart bled.

These were elite veterans, the core of Cao Cao’s resurgence—far more important than the newly raised ten-thousand-strong army!

If they were all lost here, how could Xiahou Dun face Cao Cao?

Just as Xiahou Dun felt despair and prepared for a desperate last stand, Lu Chuan finally spoke.

“General Cao, are you willing to surrender?”