Xiahou Yuan, Guo Jia, Xu Chu, and 10,000 soldiers under their command surrendered to Yuan Shao . The three commanders were taken to Yuan Shao, so everyone could interrogate them together .

  The captives were tied with wooden restraint planks, the cangues . They were two plank pieces, which locked their head and their wrists .

  Xiahou Yuan, Guo Jia, and Xu Chu knelt before Yuan Shao .

  Yuan Shao began his questioning, "Are you Cao Cao’s spy?"

  Xiahou Yuan scoffed, "Is this how you deal with your subordinates? We’re under a heavy siege, but you’re trying to kill your own men!?"

  "One of the cannon crews said you promised them gold coins and other benefits if they did not shoot the cannons . They also referred to you . "

  "Bullshit! We’re mercenaries! We’re working for gold! Why would we give them our hard-earned gold for something we don’t even understand!?"

  Guo Jia coughed, "Miao Cai, let me speak . "

  Yuan Shao glared at Guo Jia, "Who are you? Are you also working for Cao Cao?"

  "I am Feng Xiao . My surname is Feng, and my name is Xiao . I’m Sir Miao’s strategist . "

  (Author note: Fengxiao is actually Guo Jia’s style name . )

  "So? Are you going to tell me the truth? The first one who can tell me what Cao Cao is planning, I’ll let that person live . For the slowpokes, they will join the other corpses in front of the gates . "

  Guo Jia coughed again, "My lord . This is a misunderstanding . You are falling into Cao Cao’s scheme . "

  "I’m falling into his scheme? Hardly . It’s me that found his schemes . You’re a bunch of spies, and you’re working for Cao Cao . End of story . I’m actually giving you a chance to confess, so I can keep one of you alive . I also want to hire you and want to inquire about what Cao Cao is trying to do . How about it? Will all of you tell me what Cao Cao is planning?"

  Guo Jia laughed, "My lord . As I said, you misunderstood us . Do you really think we’re really spies? If we’re Cao Cao’s men, we would have joined them during yesterday battle . "

  "Don’t try to change the subject . Those cannon crews told us that you’re one of them!"

  "That’s why I said you’re falling into Cao Cao’s trap! Think about it, my lord! Do you think a sane spy will sit around after the attack began? No! They would have immediately escaped from the city to avoid the complication!"

  "But the soldiers told us it’s you! Fuck, you’re wasting my times . Guards! Take them away and kill them all!"

  "MY LORD! IF YOU KILL US, YOUR EAST GATE WILL LACK DEFENDING SOLDIERS! THIS IS WHAT CAO CAO HAS BEEN PLANNING . THEY WANT TO KILL YOUR LOYAL SUBORDINATES BY FRAMING US!"

  Ten soldiers walked to Guo Jia, Xiahou Yuan, and Xu Chu with drawn blades . They were ready to chop their head off .

  However, Yuan Shao frowned and raised his hand, "Stop!"

  The ten soldiers paused their blade .

  "Continue, Feng Xiao!"

  "Yes, my lord . I believe that the cannon crews are the sacrificial pawns that Cao Cao had sent . If I were him, I would have told all spies that if they’re caught, they should frame someone within your ranks that command an army . Then, the commanders of that army can be killed by you, my lord . Afterward, the morale of all troops will crumble because you keep killing your allies!"

  "……"

  "Please think about it, my lord . We fought with Cao Cao yesterday on the frontline, and we had stopped him from climbing the east wall! Obviously, we’ve ruined their assault plan, so they will try to get rid of us!"

  "……"

  "If we were really Cao Cao’s men, we would have forsaken you on the field battle . Remember? We are fighting in front of the east gate . We could have run away at any moment at that time . Do you why we’re still here?"

  "Why?"

  "Because we’re your subordinates! We’re working for you! We’re loyal to you!"

  Yuan Shao gulped . He widened his eyes, staring at Xiahou Yuan and Guo Jia in shock .

  "B-But you were once Cao Cao’s men-"

  \r \r \r

  "We’re mercenaries! They hired us and threw us away! You saved all of us and gave us a place to live! Why should we betray you!?"

  "……"

  Yuan Shao could not retort . He glanced at the three, hesitated if he should kill them or not .

  Guo Tu and Shen Pei stepped forward . They glared at Guo Jia and the rest and reported to Yuan Shao .

  "My lord, you must not believe in this blasphemy! Those men clearly said that they are the mastermind . You can’t be fooled by these silly excuse!"

  Xiahou Yuan bellowed, "Silence, you wastrels! What have you done in yesterday’s battle!? Nothing! We stopped Cao Cao’s main forces from getting to the wall with our sweat and blood! Lord Yuan, do you rather believe in those bootlickers, or will you believe in military men like us!? Do you want to kill your valiant soldiers when our battle with Cao Cao has not yet resolved!?"

  Guo Tu and Shen Pei were infuriated by Xiahou Yuan’s remarks . They pointed their finger at Xiahou Yuan and was about to curse at them . However, Yuan Shao’s eldest son, Yuan Tan, joined the commotion as well .

  Yuan Tan walked to the front of Xiahou Yuan and faced his father .

  "Father, I think Sir Miao and Sir Feng is right . If they were spies, they would have resisted against our arrest . They have 10,000 soldiers that could have potentially overtake this city from the inside, but they didn’t do it . Father, please cancel your execution order . They are clearly framed . "

  Guo Tu and Shen Pei turned to Yuan Shao, "My lord, do not let them live! You must kill them now, or they will spread chaos among our men!"

  Yuan Shao held his face with both palms . He could not decide if he should trust Xiahou Yuan and Guo Jia .

  Both of them were right . Had Yuan Shao were in their shoes, he would have run back to the other side the first chance he had gotten . Yet, these generals stayed behind and defended the wall for him .

  Unable to make his decision, Yuan Shao waved his hand .

  "Let them go . "

  Guo Tu and Shen Pei could not believe their ears, "WHAT!?"

  "Let those men go . Have them resume their posts . We have to defend the city again today . "

  "MY LORD, THEY ARE SPIES!"

  Yuan Shao yelled at his strategists, "SHUT UP, BOTH OF YOU!!"

  Everyone was silent, looking at their lord . The soldiers behind Xiahou Yuan release the three from the shackles .

  Guo Jia, Xu Chu, and Xiahou Yuan stood up and bowed to Yuan Shao .

  "Thank you for believing in us . We shall repay this kindness with our battle result . "

  Yuan Shao waved his hand, "I know . Go, get me Cao Cao’s head . "

  "Understood, my lord . "

  All Cao Cao’s moles left the building, leaving the baffled Guo Tu and Shen Pei . Meanwhile, Yuan Shao had a severe headache that he could not think straight .

  Still, he left Yuan Tan and others with an order .

  "Keep an eye on those men . If they make contact with any suspicious person, kill them all . Use Miao Cai’s army as meat shields . Even if they’re not spies, let them die fighting outside the wall . If they’re acting like one, kill them . If they won the battle and come back with lesser casualties than the others, kill them . Only let them reenter our city again if their number is halved or lesser . "

  Yuan Tan was shocked .

  "F-Father, those are my men-"

  "I don’t care if they’re working for you or me . Just kill them if they act like a spy . "

  "Y-Yes, my lord!" .

  Meanwhile, Xiahou Yuan reported everything to Cao Cao .

  Xiahou Yuan: "We were arrested and released just now . What’s next?"

  Cao Cao: "That was fast . Well, get your army armed as soon as possible . "

  Xiahou Yuan: "Then?"

  Cao Cao: "What was your initial troops when you had first arrived there again? 5,000?"

  Xiahou Yuan: "Yeah, 5,000 . They transferred another 5,000 into my army, though . "

  Cao Cao: "Good . Today, you’ll come out to fight me like yesterday . However, I’ll slaughter half of your army . "

  Xiahou Yuan: "WTF!? Are you nuts, Mengde!? They’re our men!"

  Cao Cao: "Half of them are Yuan Shao’s men . I need to make it believable, Miaocai . "

  Xiahou Yuan: "You’re insane! What are you trying to do!? Letting me being a mole longer? Mengde, we’ve been staying here long enough . Can I just storm the castle and kill Yuan Shao? It will be quicker if you want to kill Yuan Shao, right?"

  Cao Cao: "True, but you’ll die . "

  Xiahou Yuan: "You’re underestimating me . Do you think I’ll die?"

  Cao Cao: "If Yuan Shao doesn’t know about gunpowder and cannons, I would have ordered you to finish the battle right away . Unfortunately, suicide-bomb threats are present in this battle . They can easily kill you, Miaocai . I don’t want that . Therefore, be patient . We’ll kill our allies for the plan to work . "

  Xiahou Yuan: "What is your plan, anyway? Why is it so complicated?"

  Cao Cao: "Just stay alive . You’ll know in a few days . "

  Xiahou Yuan: "Fine . " .

  After the chat, Xiahou Yuan turned to Guo Jia and recounted the conversation to him .

  "What’s our lord’s plan? Do you know anything?"

  Guo Jia laughed, "Ah, you don’t have to worry about it . Let’s survive the friendly killing tomorrow . Just don’t kill too many of our lord’s troops . "

  "Then? What’s next?"

  "Get a good achievement and wait for the other Yuan Shao’s generals to die . "

  "Huh?"

  "Keep scoring merits, Sir Xiahou . Make yourself look like a loyalist of Yuan Shao . Once he trusts you, this battle will be over . "

  "Isn’t it easier to just kill Yuan Shao and force the others to surrender? We can do that right now . "

  "Then, his sons, all survivors, and Yuan Shao ex-subordinates will migrate to Zhang Tong and join his side . It will strengthen them, and we’ll be in deep shit . "

  "Then, we kill everyone!"

  "Impossible . Tian Feng is outside of the city, and Sun Jian’s forces are not that trustworthy . We can’t count on them when Yuan Shao’s remnants gather at one direction to breakthrough . Don’t forget that Yan Liang is still alive . "

  "What about Zhang Kai? Didn’t our lord send him here as a double-agent?"

  "That one is unusable . He is there for the sake of being a scapegoat for our fight . "

  "…… I don’t understand . "

  "You’ll understand everything soon . For now, we’ll have to do our best to survive . " .

  8 AM .

  Xiahou Yuan’s 10,000 men gathered before the east gate, facing Cao Cao Army .

  Cao Cao still did not bring out his cannons . Instead, he geared for the field combat . Ten 1,000-man battalions marched forward while the other ten 1,000-man archer battalions followed after them . Meanwhile, 5,000 horsemen of Cao Cao protected their flanks and escorted them .

  No siege weapon was in Xiahou Yuan’s sight this time .

  Xiahou Yuan followed after Guo Jia’s suggestion . He shouted and commanded his men, "Archers, get your crossbows ready! Aim forward and get ready to fire!"

  Cao Cao also shouted, "Shield bearers, brace yourself! Archers, aim at the ground troops! Kill them all!"