Chapter 39: Zhang Xiu Surrenders

During this period, she had never asked what would come next, what plans had been made for the future. Fushou had always shown nothing but happiness, enjoying the simple pleasures of a life among the common folk. In truth, her silence did not mean the thought never crossed her mind, nor that she did not care. She refrained from asking because she sensed that Liu Xie already had a plan in his heart.

But now, she finally voiced the question, if only to gain some certainty for herself.

“From this point on, it’s a matter of waiting for the right moment. Our quiet days may soon be over,” Liu Xie said, deep in thought. He was perfectly aware of the coming storm—Wan City would soon lose its tranquility. Yuan Shu was about to declare himself emperor, and Cao Cao would march his army on Wan.

Liu Xie had been waiting for this very moment: Yuan Shu’s coronation, Cao Cao’s campaign. The new year had just passed, and many were still lingering in the festive spirit. Yet only a dozen days later, the world was shaken by a single piece of news: Yuan Shu had proclaimed himself emperor.

The shock was felt everywhere, but none more so than Hu Che’er, for only he knew that someone had foreseen all of this. In his military camp, Hu Che’er was stunned into silence by the news.

“Yuan Shu... has really... declared himself emperor? How... how is this possible?” he muttered, dazed and unable to believe what he was hearing. His mind replayed the conversation he’d once had with Liu Xie.

Just then, a subordinate rushed into the tent. “General, the Governor has summoned all the officers to the hall for a council of war.”

“So urgent? What’s happened?” Hu Che’er could tell from the tone that this was no ordinary summons. He was puzzled, but replied, “Understood. I’ll be there at once.”

Without further delay, he left the camp and rode swiftly to the Governor’s residence. Arriving, he found the hall already crowded with officers and deputy generals, and even the strategist Jia Xu was present, everyone’s face grave.

“General Hu is here. Now that we’re all assembled, let’s discuss the matter at hand.”

Once everyone had gathered, Zhang Xiu swept his stern gaze across the assembly.

“The situation is this: Cao Cao is leading a massive army against us, determined to destroy Wan City. I want to hear your thoughts—how should we respond?”

Zhang Xiu laid out the crisis, and Hu Che’er felt as though he had been struck by lightning. Eyes wide, he stood rooted to the spot in disbelief.

“Jia Xu, what say you? How should we respond?” Zhang Xiu asked the strategist beside him.

But Hu Che’er barely heard their exchange; his mind was still reeling. Yuan Shu had declared himself emperor, and Cao Cao was attacking—everything Liu Xie had predicted had come to pass, even down to the timing. He could not comprehend how Liu Xie could have foreseen it all.

“General Hu, what do you think we should do?” After hearing Jia Xu’s advice, Zhang Xiu turned to Hu Che’er, as both men were his closest confidants.

Still lost in shock, Hu Che’er didn’t respond until Zhang Xiu called his name again. Snapping out of it, he replied, “My lord, in my opinion, we should avoid direct confrontation with Cao Cao’s forces. The enemy is at their peak, and we cannot withstand them—we should focus on defense.”

Many in the hall nodded in agreement; it was the only feasible strategy. Yet Zhang Xiu shook his head.

“No, it won’t do. Surely you all realize why Cao Cao is attacking us. Yuan Shu’s coronation has made him anxious—he wants to eliminate every threat near Xuchang, and we are first on his list. He is determined to destroy us, and we are no match for him.

Even if we could withstand his assault, the question is: for how long? Our defeat is inevitable, for we all know deep down that we cannot oppose Cao Cao. This is the truth we must face.”

Zhang Xiu spoke at length, and gradually his meaning became clear to all: he did not wish to fight.

“Then, my lord, what brilliant plan do you propose?” Hu Che’er asked respectfully.

All eyes turned to Zhang Xiu, awaiting his answer.

“Cao Cao’s army is now only a few dozen miles away; we have no way of resisting him. Therefore, for the sake of saving as many lives as possible, I believe we must surrender.”

The words had barely left Zhang Xiu’s lips when Hu Che’er jerked his head up, stunned once more. He remembered the wager he’d had with Liu Xie: Liu Xie had said Yuan Shu would declare himself emperor, Cao Cao would attack, and when that happened, they would surrender.

At the time, he hadn’t believed it—he thought Liu Xie was making wild guesses. But now, every word had come true, down to the last detail.

“My lord, we must not surrender!” As a general, Hu Che’er immediately stood to protest.

But Zhang Xiu only shook his head gently.

“General Hu, I know your heart is unwilling. But you must see that even if we resist, we cannot hold out for long. Against Cao Cao’s might, defeat is our only fate. And you know what happens after defeat—many will die. To spare as many lives as possible, we must surrender.”

It was clear that Zhang Xiu did not wish to surrender either, but circumstances left them no choice. Cao Cao’s power was overwhelming, and resistance would mean only needless deaths. Thus, he made his decision.

Hu Che’er was at a loss for words and could only nod reluctantly, understanding Zhang Xiu’s position. As a general, he would rather die on the battlefield, but as the leader, Zhang Xiu had more to consider. The assembly fell silent, accepting the decision to surrender.

And so, just as Liu Xie had predicted, everything unfolded. A few days later, when Cao Cao’s troops arrived at the city gates, Zhang Xiu led his entire army to surrender.

News of the surrender spread quickly, reaching every corner of the city, including Liu Xie and his companions.

“Husband, what do we do? Zhang Xiu has surrendered—Cao Cao is in the city!” Fushou was panic-stricken when she heard the news.

Indeed, if Cao Cao discovered their presence, it would mean disaster. She had thought hiding here would keep them safe, but now, once again, they found themselves in peril.