Chapter 1: The Hero's Match
These words appeared again... Cao Cao thought.

[Yuan Shao, courtesy name Benchu. One of the heroes of the Three Kingdoms period in the late Han Dynasty]

[He is a humble man, well-known in the world. But he is arrogant and self-righteous, and is indecisive. The Yuan family of Runan is well versed in Zhouyi, and their family fortune is prosperous. Killing Yuan Shao at this time will do more harm than good...]

There were four people sitting in the room in the evening.

Two men and two women.

The first one is the owner of this mansion, who is dressed in gorgeous clothes and is from the Yuan family of Runan, Yuan Shao, a family of three officials in four generations.

The guest is Cao Cao.

He calmly withdrew his gaze from Yuan Shao and looked at the two women on the other side.

The entry-like prompt reappeared, as if refreshing the retina:

[Zhen Yan: Daughter of the Zhen family in Zhongshan, a Yin-Yang master, gifted with extraordinary talents. The art of repairing the heavens... can be killed, can be used]

[Zhen Xin: Born in the Zhen family of Zhongshan. Literary talent: Ding grade; Confucian scholar... can be killed]

On the fifth day of the journey, this entry-like prompt appeared eight times.

Cao Cao has already confirmed that this is his benefit from traveling through time, a plug-in.

But this fucking cheat is so murderous.

Every person's search tag ends with the word "kill".

After several days of research, it was found that the function of this plug-in is to detect hints, with the main purpose of gaining insight into the enemy and knowing ourselves as well as the enemy.

Cao Cao discovered that this written entry would appear in front of his vision every time, stay for three or four breaths, and then disappear, and only he could see it.

The identity he traveled through time and space to was Cao Cao, the ruler of the Cao Wei Dynasty, which was divided into three parts at the end of the Han Dynasty, and a bohemian eunuch of the third generation when he was young.

A capable minister who governs the world, a hero in troubled times!
He was also the overlord with the largest territory and the most troops among the Three Kingdoms, and only the Eastern Wu and Shu Han could contend with him together. He was also the villain and the treacherous minister in the novel, leaving a bad reputation for thousands of years.

When Cao Cao traveled through time, the prelude to the chaotic times had already begun.

But it hasn't been fully opened yet.

Emperor Ling Liu Hong had just passed away and Emperor Shao Liu Bian succeeded to the throne.

The conflict between the foreign relatives headed by He Jin and the eunuch group headed by the Ten Eunuchs continued to intensify.

The Eastern Han Dynasty at that time was facing internal and external troubles.

The emergence of the Taiping Dao caused a disaster that swept across the country.

The world is on the brink of collapse.

A few years ago, Cao Cao was selected as an official by the imperial court and was initially appointed as the Northern Commander of Luoyang. In order to enforce the law, he beat to death the uncle of Jian Shuo, a eunuch favored by the emperor.

This led to a fierce game between the forces behind Cao Cao and the other side.

He was transferred to another place, promoted in name only but demoted in reality, and finally returned to his hometown Qiao County to live out his life.

This incident made the young Cao Cao realize the cruelty of the court and learned how to weigh things and be prudent.

After a period of time, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out and Cao Cao was again summoned by the court to lead his troops to join the war.

However, due to the deterioration of the political situation, Cao Cao's career in the officialdom experienced ups and downs as a result of the multi-party gambling and scramble for power in the following years.

Last year, in order to consolidate his rule, the emperor established the Xiyuan Imperial Guards, which he personally commanded.

Cao Cao entered the court for the third time and served as a counselor, and concurrently as the commander of the army among the eight commanders of the Western Garden.

After several years of experience, he has become more and more calm and resourceful. He has learned to stay still and not give his opponents a chance to breathe. His methods and tactics have become more and more mature.

This plug-in started to appear since he traveled through time.

The original body had experienced a dangerous assassination five days ago, and another soul was sent there at that time and merged with Cao Cao.

Time travel seems to be very popular these days. It has become universal and time travelers are not uncommon.

Thinking of the assassination attempt, Cao Cao touched his forehead.

Perhaps it was the special changes brought about by the time travel, the nearly fatal wounds from the assassination attempt were basically healed that night.

It's hardly noticeable now.

The assassin, after inflicting heavy damage on Cao Cao, escaped like a ghost and disappeared, coming and going as fast as the wind.

After traveling through time, Cao Cao discovered that something was not right with the late Eastern Han Dynasty.

Some special changes have taken place in the history of this place.

Hundreds of years ago, Emperor Qin Shi Huang transformed himself into a dragon and activated the earth's veins, causing some kind of spiritual charm between heaven and earth to change.

"And Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu."

"Historical records show that when he and Wang Mang were fighting, a strange phenomenon appeared in the sky, and a comet fell. Not only did he defeat Wang Mang and continue the Han Dynasty, but he also caused further changes in the energy of heaven and earth.

Since then, the inheritors of the Hundred Schools of Thought passed down during the Spring and Autumn Period have gained the power to communicate with heaven and earth.”

"Those who are familiar with all schools of thought gradually master the method of calling upon the power of heaven and earth."

Cao Cao also possesses the powerful force that this world calls civil and military strategy.

"My age is also somewhat different from what is recorded in history books..."

According to traditional history, Cao Cao, who became one of the Eight Commandants of Xiyuan, was already in his thirties.

But Cao Cao is younger than the historical records show...

"According to what Si Li said, my Zhen family is willing to help you with all our strength."

The one who spoke was Zhen Yan.

She and Zhen Xin sat opposite Cao Cao.

Si Li Xiao Wei was Yuan Shao’s new official title.

Zhen Yan was about twenty-two or twenty-three years old, with a pretty face. She wore an indigo gauze skirt, her diamond-black hair was tied up in a bun, and she wore a palm-wide waist belt that made her slender waist look narrow.

It was a thin summer day, and she sat behind a low mat. The afterglow of the setting sun shone in, and through her thin skirt, one could see the outline of her plump and slender legs and the moon-white embroidered shoes under her skirt, which looked petite.

Zhen Xin, who was beside Zhen Yan, was two or three years younger than her. She was also very beautiful, but the corners of her eyes were a little narrow.

The Zhen family of Zhongshan and the Yuan family of Runan have always been close.

Historically, Yuan Shao had a famous daughter-in-law who was from the Zhen family.

The women in this family are mostly famous for their beauty.

Zhen Yan is not only the best among them, but also a pretty widow.

Her husband's family died early, and she never remarried.

Cao Cao recalled the entry about Zhen Yan he had just seen, which noted that she was "extraordinarily gifted," but he had no idea what that meant.

[The incident is happening...]

Without any warning, Cao Cao saw a new prompt passing by.

event?

"Meng De, what do you think of what I said?"

Yuan Shao turned his attention to Cao Cao.

The relationship between the two was pretty good during this period, after all, they had known each other since childhood.

Cao Cao said, "I have no objection to removing the Ten Eunuchs to rectify the rules and regulations."

Yuan Shao: "He Jin came to me the other day to ask for advice, and he also thinks that we should get rid of those eunuchs as soon as possible."

He Jin was a great general of the time. After Emperor Ling Liu Hong passed away, Empress Dowager He, who nominally controlled the government, was He Jin's sister.

On the surface, Yuan Shao was quite close to He Jin in order to jointly deal with the eunuch forces of the Ten Attendants headed by Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong.

But Cao Cao knew very well that Yuan Shao's real purpose was not only to get rid of the eunuchs, but also to get rid of the external relatives as well, so that the aristocratic families headed by him would be in power, which would be the most ideal.

"Just killing a few eunuchs."

Cao Cao said calmly: "Benchu, you want to unite all parties, but you must know that if there are too many people, you will miss the opportunity."

Yuan Shao shook his head: "Meng De, you have just returned to Luoyang to take up your post. You don't know that Zhang Rang and his ilk have been operating for many years. They are not easy to deal with. We should gather our strength to defeat them so as to avoid future troubles."

Bullshit, you are just being selfish... Cao Cao thought to himself.

What Yuan Shao meant by pooling everyone's strength was a suggestion to He Jin that Dong Zhuo and other foreign generals should lead their troops into Luoyang (then called Luoyang).

Some people in later generations have always said that Yuan Shao and He Jin’s idea was too stupid, and that luring Dong Zhuo into Luoyang was a big mistake and brought disaster upon themselves.

Cao Cao is now in the middle of the situation and understands the hidden story behind it.

This involves Dong Zhuo's background.

He was originally a subordinate of Yuan Wei when he was the prime minister. He was dismissed for some reason in his early years and was reinstated by Yuan Wei.

Yuan Wei was Yuan Shao's uncle, the head of the Yuan family of Runan, and a pillar of the dynasty. He was ranked as Taifu and co-recorded Shangshu affairs with General He Jin, and together they were in charge of the government.

In other words, Dong Zhuo was actually a disciple and former official of Yuan Wei.

Yuan Wei was kind to him and helped him, so he was like one of the Yuan family members.

Yuan Shao suggested letting Dong Zhuo come to Luoyang for more far-reaching considerations.

After getting rid of the Ten Eunuchs, Yuan wanted to use Dong Zhuo's troops to stabilize the situation and achieve a deeper goal.

"Benchu, have you ever thought that it is easy to summon Dong Zhuo to Luoyang, but difficult to let him leave?" Cao Cao hinted.

Yuan Shao laughed: "How dare he? Meng De is worrying too much."

The two daughters of the Zhen family also agreed with Yuan Shao's judgment.

Zhen Xin said, "What Sili did was the result of our discussion. Cao Dianjun, with your background, you should know how serious the harm caused by eunuchs is. They buy and sell official positions and cultivate power in the court. If it were so easy to get rid of them, why would we have waited until now?"

The tone and emotion of her voice revealed the innate sense of superiority of a noble family, as well as contempt for eunuchs.

In a sense, Cao Cao is also included.

Because the Cao family also relied on the great eunuch Cao Teng to rise to power.

In the eyes of the aristocratic families, Dong Zhuo was nothing more than a crude warrior. Without their support in Luoyang, how could Dong Zhuo dare or achieve anything?

Moreover, He Jin was not without any precautions. He also summoned troops from many directions to Luoyang.

There is also a hidden relationship of mutual restraint between these troops.

"General He has already sent out the order to summon Dong Zhuo to Luoyang. Dong Zhuo is on his way now and should arrive in three or four days at most," said Yuan Shao.

"What is He Jin doing?" Cao Cao asked suddenly.

"He entered the palace." Yuan Shao said.

Cao Cao's heart moved slightly.

How to enter the palace... Calculating the current time, combined with the previous entry hint, the historical incident may have happened tonight.

Thinking this in his mind, Cao Cao was the first to stand up and say goodbye.

When we left Yuan Shao's mansion, it was already dark.

Cao Cao glanced at the rising stars and thought to himself: Why do we have to make such a big fuss about killing a few eunuchs? He was hesitant.

He muttered to himself: Self-examination.

The words immediately appeared in front of him: [Cao Cao, courtesy name Mengde, nickname Aman. An outstanding politician, military strategist, writer, and calligrapher during the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period...]

[Position: Lieutenant of the Xiyuan Army]

[Health value: 81, lower grade B, with stabbing wounds on the head, potential concerns]

[Cultural Talent: 91, Lower Grade A, Heirloom Grade, Derived Confucian Mystical Power: Insight]

[Military Talent: 79, Grade C+]

[Your military talent is special, currently take a lower value]

[Hidden Talent: Unknown]

[Character flaws: You are very complex and suspicious. You can make up for your shortcomings through the art of listening to the mind, accompanied by the practice of protecting the soul. The art of listening to the mind can listen to other people's thoughts to resolve doubts and eliminate character flaws.]

[Please improve your personal reputation as soon as possible, recruit talents, generals, counselors, and scholars are vacant...]

In Cao Cao's self-examination entry, the talent in the military strategist column was only given a "Bing Shang", which seems to be a bit low.

But it depends on who you compare with.

Looking at history, if we include rare commanders like Bai Qi and Han Xin, Cao Cao's ability to command troops is indeed far inferior.

His strengths lie in his use of open strategies in terms of the overall situation, his character, and his governance.

He fought many battles in his life where the weak defeated the strong, especially suppressing foreign races, but he also suffered many defeats.

In terms of fighting alone, he cannot be ranked first in history, or even in the second tier, but only third class, 79.

In terms of literature, Cao Cao once created famous works such as "The Longevity of the Turtle", "Viewing the Sea" and "Short Song". It is no doubt that his literary talent is higher than his ability to command troops.

He came to Yuan Shao for a purpose, to borrow something.

Yuan Shao's family was prominent and they collected many scrolls written by ancient sages, including military books handed down from generation to generation.

Cao Cao came to borrow military books.

After leaving Yuan Shao's mansion and getting on the carriage waiting outside, Cao Cao took out the military book he had borrowed.

This is a jade slip, strung together with gold thread. It has been handed down for hundreds of years and is still well preserved.

It seems to contain a special power.

When Cao Cao saw the handwriting on the bamboo slips, he felt as if the scroll in his hand had suddenly turned into a battlefield.

He seemed to have fallen into a military book, experiencing numerous battles in it, trying to comprehend and experience the true meaning of the book.

When he stepped out of the military book, he felt as if he had gained a lot of knowledge in his mind. He had an unprecedented profound interpretation of this military book passed down by Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin, and grasped some of its true meanings.

As a result, there are also some inexplicable improvements in military tactics.

This is the effect of his contextual talent of "insight" when he examines himself.

He can improve himself through insight, quick learning, and mastering the true meaning of knowledge.

The prerequisite is that the content of study must be the "original", which needs to be the handwriting of some sages, containing their hard work, so he came to Yuan Shao to borrow the military manual of Han Xin, who was known as the "Military Genius".

When he used Insight to read Han Xin's military book, the self-examination entry that appeared showed that the military talent's 'C-level upper', which was marked as 79, quietly changed to 80.
Although it was only a numerical improvement, it was a promotion from 79, upper C, to lower B, entering another tier.

This kind of change is happening for the first time.

My cheat can actually improve my talent!

The words in front of him continued to change: [Military talent increased to level B, civil and military talents combined, derived talent military strategy: Listening to the battlefield]

At the same time, the sound of horse hooves like thunder suddenly came from the street, filled with murderous intent.

　When writing about Cao Cao, I won't write him too well, but I won't write him too badly either. I won't whitewash him, nor will I blacken him.

　　In addition, new people and new books, please vote and read, the lifeblood of the new book period

　　
　
(End of this chapter)