Chapter 151: Flooding Jizhou City, Xu You Beheaded

"I, I don't have any good ideas."

Xu You replied without even thinking.

Cao Peng immediately smiled and said, "So that's how it is. It turns out the famous scholars of Jizhou are nothing more than empty reputations..."

Xu You flew into a rage. "Stop trying to use such reverse psychology on me."

"If you truly have any good ideas, just speak them out. I will certainly vouch for your grand achievement before the Prime Minister."

Xu You knitted his brows, feeling that if he did not say something, he would likely become the laughingstock of these fellows.

Thus, he stood up and approached the map.

He was indeed very familiar with Jizhou.

Upon careful thought, a stratagem actually came to his mind, and the more he thought about it, the more viable it seemed.

"Heh, Cao Peng, I truly do have a brilliant plan. If you all adopt it, the city of Jizhou can be shattered in the snap of a fingers," Xu You smiled.

"Then what are you waiting for? Speak quickly," Guan Yu shouted coldly.

Xu You shook his head. "I am afraid my brilliant strategy will be plagiarized by someone else again. Go summon Cao Mengde; I will speak to him alone."

Cao Peng smiled and said, "Very well, then please ask the master to ride a fine horse and quickly report this news to our uncle. We shall wait at the front lines to take commands."

Xu You sneered, assuming Cao Peng merely wanted to watch him make a fool of himself.

Without further ado, he mounted his horse and galloped toward Cao Cao's location.

The current disposition of the Cao army was quite peculiar.

Cao Peng, serving as the General of the Northern Expedition, led an army at the front, while Cao Cao likewise led a large army in the rear.

It was as if Cao Peng was the executor on the front lines, while Cao Cao stationed in the rear resembled a camp commander acting as a supervisor.

Guan Yu frowned as he approached Cao Peng and asked, "Is it really alright to let this fellow go find the Prime Minister?"

"Rest assured, Yunchang, nothing major will go wrong," Cao Peng said.

Zhao Yun, standing nearby, felt a nagging doubt in his heart: Could Cao Peng's prediction actually turn out to be true?

Does the brilliant plan to breach the city this time lie with this Xu You?

All answers would soon be revealed.

For Cao Cao's order was swiftly transmitted: Xu You had suggested breaching the river dikes to flood the walled city once more.

This stratagem bore a striking resemblance to the plan Cao Peng had previously offered when conquering Xiapi City.

Upon hearing Xu You's proposal, Cao Cao gave his consent immediately.

Following that, Cao Peng dispatched men to follow Xu You's command and dig the river dikes at designated locations.

Without this person who was familiar with Jizhou, no one would better understand how to breach the riverbanks so that the torrents would truly inundate the city of Jizhou.

Such frantic activity continued for several days.

Finally, the river dikes were breached, and the roaring floodwaters surged toward the city of Jizhou.

At this moment, the military command returned to Cao Peng's hands.

Yet Cao Peng declared, "General officers, this time everyone is the main attacking force; no one is to play a supporting role. Return to your respective camps and charge directly toward the city. Today, merits shall be determined by the number of enemy heads collected!"

The generals received their orders and departed, while Cao Peng remained stationed in the central commander's tent with no intention of going out.

Hours later, a messenger hurriedly pushed open Cao Peng's tent flap and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"General, the city of Jizhou has fallen!"

The person carrying the most complex mixture of emotions upon hearing this news was Zhao Yun.

He could only pray in his heart for his master to forgive him.

At the same time, he comforted himself with the thought that passing down the White Bird Mocking Spear to Cao Peng was a measure taken to spare the people of the realm from the suffering of endless warfare.

Having received the news, Cao Cao also led the Tiger Guard forward, escorted by Xu Chu and Dian Wei.

Upon arriving at Cao Peng's location, they prepared to enter the city of Jizhou together.

Unexpectedly, just as they stepped through the city gates, an unharmonious voice rang out.

"Cao Aman..."

The voice originated from none other than the top of the city gate tower.

Cao Cao and the others raised their eyes to see Xu You, intoxicated, leaning against the railing.

Xu You laughed and said, "Aman, without me, Xu Ziyuan, how could you fellows ever have entered this city of Jizhou?"

Cao Cao chuckled heartily. "If not for you, Brother Ziyuan, we certainly could not have entered Jizhou. I shall not forget your grand contribution."

Ever since his achievement at Wuchao was usurped by Cao Peng last time, Xu You had felt deeply suppressed.

This time, having finally proven his talent to everyone, he naturally became arrogantly insufferable.

"Hahaha, among the Cao army, not a single person possesses the insight of Xu You. How pathetic and lamentable! Without me, how could you ever have entered Jizhou?!" Xu You roared with laughter.

Cao Cao paid him no further heed, conversing with the others as they proceeded inward.

Bringing up the rear was Cao Peng, who cast a profound, meaningful glance at Xu You.

It seemed this fellow's doom was fast approaching.

Just now, while others might not have noticed, Cao Peng had seen it clearly: Xu Chu's gaze toward Xu You was fraught with killing intent.

"Zhongkang, where are you heading?" Cao Peng asked with a smile.

Xu Chu said in a deep voice, "I have some matters to attend to and will be right along. You all go ahead."

With that, Xu Chu turned his horse around and rode back in the direction they had come.

Watching Xu Chu ride backward, Cao Cao deliberately chose to turn a blind eye.

Cao Peng smiled knowingly; playing dumb while understanding everything perfectly, Cao Cao certainly had his ways.

...

Xu Chu rode back and soon crossed paths not far away.

An intoxicated Xu You was riding toward him on horseback, shouting arrogantly and throwing his weight around.

Ever since the conquest of Jizhou, this fellow had been in high spirits, telling everyone he met that capturing Jizhou was entirely due to his efforts.

Furthermore, he addressed Cao Cao familiarly as Cao Aman at every turn.

Seeing him behave with such unbridled dissoluteness, not a single person dared to approach him along the entire route.

Even the generals and soldiers of the Cao army, upon seeing him, swallowed their anger in silence and gave him a wide berth.

For everyone knew that this fellow was currently acting like a mad dog.

Yet he was indeed a great meritorious subject of Cao Cao; anyone who harmed him would undoubtedly meet certain death, given Prime Minister Cao's temperament.

Xu Chu spurred his horse forward and lashed Xu You's mount fiercely with his riding crop.

Startled, Xu You's steed bolted, throwing him unceremoniously to the ground.

Angered, Xu You berated him, "Ignorant scoundrel, who do you think you are to be so bold?!"

Gazing down at him, Xu Chu said coldly, "Listen well, you wretched dog, stop running your mouth wildly in this city, or I will cut you down!"

"Hahaha..."

After scrambling to his feet and dusting himself off, Xu You actually stretched his neck straight beneath Xu Chu's broadsword.

"Truly, the ignorant are fearless! In capturing Jizhou this time, I am the foremost contributor. Even your master Cao Aman treats me with deference. How dare you act so presumptuously?"

"Scoundrel, if you have the ability, sever this head of mine and take it to claim your reward from your lord!"

When no movement followed after a brief moment, Xu You sneered.

"Scoundrel, I wager you wouldn't dare. Get lost at once!"

Just as he was about to retract his neck, a whistling sound rushed past his ears—Xu Chu had already brought his heavy blade down.

The broadsword swept horizontally across, and Xu You's head soared high into the air.

"Ah..."

The surrounding onlookers were startled out of their wits by the sudden turn of events.

Zhen Mi was so frightened that she shrank instinctively into Cao Peng's arms.

Having beheaded Xu You with a single stroke, Xu Chu spat on the ground.

"Wretched dog, you are unworthy of the surname Xu!"