137 Cao Cao's Grand Vision

Once Ju Yi finished his fierce tirade, everyone assumed he was undoubtedly heading to his execution.

To their astonishment, Prime Minister Cao’s expression remained entirely unchanged. There was not a trace of anger on his face, only his usual genial smile.

"General Ju Yi, you must have some misunderstanding about this Prime Minister!"

"However, misunderstandings are always cleared up eventually. Once we spend more time together, you will come to truly understand my character!" Cao Cao chuckled as he defended himself.

The fact that Cao Cao felt no urge to kill Ju Yi despite such harsh insults demonstrated his genuine desire to recruit this formidable general.

At the same time, Cao Cao knew that Ju Yi was an exceptionally stubborn man, and winning him over would not happen overnight.

Still, with the man already securely detained in his central military tent, Cao Cao was in no particular hurry.

Even if Ju Yi were a solid block of ice, Cao Cao resolved to melt him with warmth.

This thought naturally brought Guan Yu to Cao Cao's mind.

He decided to treat Ju Yi with the exact same perseverance he had once shown Guan Yu, fully believing he could eventually move him.

In Cao Cao's estimation, Ju Yi was perhaps slightly inferior to Guan Yu in terms of sheer martial prowess, but he was by no means second to anyone when it came to loyalty and righteousness.

Moreover, in terms of devising strategies within a command tent to achieve victory a thousand miles away, Ju Yi likely surpassed Guan Yu.

In short, Cao Cao viewed Ju Yi as a rare and exceptional talent—a master strategist of the kind that could be counted on one's fingers across his entire camp.

Even after Yuan Shao had fled first, Ju Yi had led his forces to hold off Cao Cao's army for so many days. How could such a man be anything less than brilliant?

Having said all this, Cao Cao noticed that Ju Yi still refused to acknowledge him. Far from being annoyed, he instructed his guards, "Someone, escort General Ju Yi to go and rest!"

"Ensure he is provided with the finest food and drink every single day. Do not neglect General Ju Yi in the slightest."

With that command, the guards led Ju Yi away to a separately prepared tent.

This was hardly imprisonment; it was hospitality.

Aside from not being allowed to leave the Cao camp, Ju Yi was given whatever he asked for.

Food, wine, entertainment, and amusements—if Ju Yi were to demand two concubines, Prime Minister Cao would have found a way to bring them to him.

Once Ju Yi was escorted away, Cao Cao’s civil officials and military generals were completely baffled.

Everyone wondered what had gotten into the Prime Minister now.

Just earlier, Chunyu Qiong had showered him with lavish flattery and sweet words, only to be executed on the spot.

Yet this Ju Yi marched right into the tent and cursed him with the most vicious language imaginable, and in return, was treated as an honored guest.

Could it possibly be—

Could it be that Prime Minister Cao simply enjoyed being cursed by people?

Xu Chu, being a straightforward man who could never keep thoughts bottled up inside, asked bluntly, "My Lord, why did you execute Chunyu Qiong when he flattered you?"

"Yet when this Ju Yi clearly refuses to surrender and hurls such terrible insults at you, you choose to treat him with such hospitality?"

Xu Chu’s question was precisely what everyone present was thinking. In a way, Xu Chu had voiced the doubt shared by all.

Observing the puzzled expressions of his subordinates, Cao Cao smiled cheerfully and explained, "You do not understand. When I execute someone, it is not based on whether they curse me or not!"

"That Chunyu Qiong possessed no real talent; he only knew how to flatter. Today, he lost the Wuchao granary for Yuan Shao. If I had accepted him into our ranks, he would only have ended up losing my granary in the future. Would I not then be following the exact same disastrous path as Yuan Shao?"

"Ju Yi is different. Despite insulting me, Ju Yi possesses genuine ability, and his character is defined by profound loyalty and righteousness."

"Today, when Yuan Shao fled, it was Ju Yi who stayed behind to cover the retreat. If I can successfully win Ju Yi over and secure his allegiance, then should I ever find myself in dire straits in the future, Ju Yi will stand ready to cover my retreat as well."

Hearing this explanation, the civil and military officials present silently raised their thumbs in admiration for the Prime Minister.

No wonder he was the Prime Minister capable of achieving a grand hegemony!

Such broad-minded vision was simply beyond the reach of ordinary men.

Setting the matter of Ju Yi aside for the moment, Cao Cao turned his attention to deploying his troops for battle.

Originally, a strategy of slow attrition rather than fierce assault, and encirclement rather than direct attack, had been established.

However, circumstances had changed.

When that strategy was devised, Yue Jin had just been captured, and the morale of the Cao army was low.

Now, the situation was completely different.

With Ju Yi captured and brought to the Cao camp, the Yuan army was presently left without a leader.

Therefore, the original strategy could no longer be applied.

The new strategy called for a raid on the Yuan camp under the cover of night.

When the Cao army launched its night raid and the Yuan forces discovered their commander-in-chief Ju Yi was missing, they would inevitably fall into absolute panic.

Without a leader, the Yuan army was bound to descend into chaos.

Cao Cao issued his orders: Xu Huang and Li Dian were to assault the front, while Cao Ren and Cao Hong were to attack the right flank.

As for the Xiahou brothers on the left flank, there was still no need for haste; they only needed to pin down Gao Lan on the left.

Once the front and right wings were secured, a three-sided encirclement could be closed in on the left flank, leaving Gao Lan with nowhere to fly even if he grew wings.

Just as Cao Cao finished arranging the directions of attack, Guo Jia stepped forward and said, "My Lord, I have a strategy."

Hearing that Guo Jia had a plan, Cao Cao immediately urged, "Fengxiao, what is your plan? Speak quickly."

"My Lord can dispatch a small detachment of troops to the frontlines to spread a rumor that Ju Yi has already taken advantage of the night to escape back to Yecheng."

"When the Yuan soldiers find they cannot locate Ju Yi, they will surely believe it to be true. At that moment, the officers and men of the Yuan army will inevitably scatter and flee in panic," Guo Jia slowly outlined his stratagem.

Finding Guo Jia's plan remarkably sound, Cao Cao promptly assigned a unit of soldiers to carry out the dissemination of the rumor.

Without a moment to lose, following Cao Cao's arrangements, the Cao army launched a full-scale night raid against the Yuan camp.

At the outset of the raid, the officers of the Yuan camp attempted to organize a defense.

However, rumors quickly spread through the Yuan camp that Ju Yi had abandoned them and fled back to Yecheng under the cover of darkness.

Once rumors take root in an army, trying to quell them becomes an insurmountable task.

Several officers went to look for Ju Yi, only to discover that he had indeed vanished without a trace.

Convinced by the disappearance, the Yuan soldiers took the rumor for truth, believing that Ju Yi had indeed abandoned them.

Everyone thought to themselves: *If even General Ju Yi has run away, what are we still fighting for? We might as well run too!*

Before dawn had even broken, the defense line of the Yuan army had completely collapsed. The Cao army swarmed everywhere across the hills, rounding up prisoners just like catching rabbits.

The Yuan soldiers offered no resistance, simply allowing themselves to be captured. After all, being a soldier anywhere was just serving as a soldier.

To them, it was merely a matter of changing their uniforms and switching their banners.

On the left flank of the Yuan camp:

"General Gao Lan, something terrible has happened!"

"General Ju Yi has fled back to Yecheng overnight, and our defense lines have completely collapsed!"

"The soldiers on our left flank are filled with panic!" a deputy commander reported hurriedly as he ran to find Gao Lan.

"Nonsense!" Gao Lan rejected the claim without a second thought.

Gao Lan and Ju Yi shared a deep personal friendship; he understood Ju Yi's character thoroughly and knew that Ju Yi would never flee, even in death.