ATPnovel Chapter 63 I will take care of your wife.
Chapter 63 I will take care of your wife.
North of Shouchun City, in Cao Cao's army camp, at dawn.
Before dawn, rumors of insufficient food supplies were already spreading among Cao Cao's army, and public resentment was rising.
All the soldiers simply refused to even participate in today's routine siege.
"Damn it, this watery soup is so thin you can see your reflection in it, how are we supposed to fight?"
"Attack the North Gate? We don't even have the strength to climb the ladders!"
"I've heard that at least Yuan Tan's place at the East Gate is still getting some dry rations..."
"Does the Grand Commandant intend to let us starve to death beneath the walls of Shouchun?"
Because the food rations have visibly decreased over the past few days.
Therefore, when the rumors were spread, they spread throughout the entire military camp almost instantly.
Initially, it was just a few soldiers from different camps who shirked their duties and pretended to be sick in their tents.
Soon, this passive resistance spread like wildfire.
When the officer on duty tried to suppress the attack, a fierce soldier stubbornly resisted.
"Captain! It's not that we're afraid to die, it's just that our legs are too weak! Let those who have eaten their fill go charge!"
The message was urgently reported to the central army through various levels.
Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and other generals stormed into Cao Cao's tent with grim faces, disregarding all formalities.
"Lord Commander! Morale is low; a major crisis may ensue!"
Xiahou Dun's one eye was wide open, filled with anxiety.
"During today's roll call, nearly 30% of the soldiers failed to appear under any pretext. The supervisory team whipped a few, which only fueled further resentment. If this continues, forget about attacking the city; the camp itself may collapse from within!"
Cao Ren also said urgently:
"The offensive at the north gate is showing signs of weakness, and the soldiers are unwilling to fight to the death. Yuan Shu's defending forces also seem to have realized our army is short of supplies, and their counterattacks are becoming increasingly rampant. Minister, a decision must be made quickly!"
Cao Cao did not sleep all night, and his eyes were bloodshot.
He was well aware of the danger of running out of food. The prolonged siege of Shouchun and the difficulty in transporting supplies from the rear were all within his expectations. However, he did not anticipate that the collapse in morale caused by the food shortage would come so swiftly.
He slowly stood up, walked to the tent, and looked at the dim and noisy camp outside, and his headache flared up again.
"The army is short of food, and the soldiers are complaining. This is a path to disaster."
Cao Cao felt his headache worsen. He rubbed his temples and continued speaking.
"In the past, during the Chu-Han Contention, Emperor Gaozu and Xiang Yu were locked in a stalemate at Chenggao. Once Xiang Yu cut off their supply lines, the Han army collapsed. If it weren't for Ji Xin's death in his place, Emperor Gaozu would have almost not escaped! The lessons of the past are still fresh in our minds!"
"We are now trapped beneath a fortified city. If our supplies run out and our army collapses, Yuan Shu's cavalry will launch a surprise attack, and our army will suffer the same fate as the Han army at Chenggao, facing total annihilation!"
Upon hearing this, all the generals in the tent turned solemn.
Cao Cao's army has finally reached its current size; if it suffers another defeat, it will be difficult for it to make a comeback.
Cao Cao sat down in pain, and after easing his discomfort for a while, he glanced at his generals:
Where is the grain official?
"Grain officer Wang Hou has been waiting outside the tent for quite some time."
Konoe reports.
"Bring it in!"
Wang Hou scrambled in, his face ashen. Before Cao Cao could ask any questions, he kowtowed and cried out:
"Minister Sikong, please understand! It's not that I'm disobedient, but the grain supplies from the various prefectures have been delayed, and the granaries are truly... truly empty! At our current rate, we can only sustain ourselves for three more days at most, and then we'll have to halve the supplies again!"
"Half off?"
Cao Cao interrupted sharply, trying to stand up, but felt a wave of dizziness and could only sit down helplessly.
"Look outside! The soldiers are already resentful due to insufficient rations, and they're on the verge of mutiny! If we reduce their food rations by half again, are they trying to hasten our defeat?!"
Wang Hou trembled all over and spoke incoherently:
"But...but if we don't reduce the amount, we won't even last three days, Master!"
Cao Cao stared at him, his expression shifting repeatedly, before finally letting out a slow sigh and saying:
I wish to borrow something from you.
Wang Hou, kneeling on the ground, was also taken aback upon hearing this: "What is it?"
"I'll borrow your head!"
Wang Hou was so frightened he almost collapsed to the ground. "Lord Commander, the shortage of supplies is truly not my fault! I'm innocent..."
Cao Cao interrupted him before he could finish speaking:
"Rest assured, after your death, I will take care of your wife and children. You need not worry."
"Someone come here!"
Cao Cao's voice suddenly turned fierce.
"Wang Hou, as the grain officer, you have failed in your duty to supervise the transport of grain, resulting in the army running out of food and morale wavering. What is your punishment?"
Wang Hou was trembling all over, and he lay on the ground, stammering that he was innocent.
Cao Cao stopped looking at him and turned to Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and the strategists Xun Yu and Cheng Yu who had rushed over upon hearing the news, saying each word carefully:
"The army is without food, and morale has plummeted. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. This is not a natural disaster, but a man-made one! Grain officer Wang Hou colluded with unscrupulous merchants to steal and sell military rations for personal gain, causing the entire army to suffer from food shortages. His crime is unforgivable!"
As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked.
Xun Yu's lips moved, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped, and finally turned into a sigh.
He understood that Cao Cao was about to take a risky tactic of "using a head to reassure the army."
Cheng Yu remained expressionless, as if everything was as it should be.
Wang Hou collapsed to the ground, fully understanding his fate, and let out a desperate cry:
"Lord Sikong! Your humble servant is utterly loyal to you!"
"loyalty?"
Cao Cao sneered.
"Is your loyalty to send my soldiers to their deaths on empty stomachs?"
The Tiger Guards had already entered in response.
"Drag Wang Hou out and behead him as a warning! Proclaim to all camps: Grain officer Wang Hou has been embezzling military rations and enriching himself through corruption. He has now been executed in accordance with the law! His confiscated property will be used to purchase grain to feed the soldiers! From today onwards, the previous ration standards will be restored!"
Cao Cao paused, his voice carrying throughout the tent, clearly audible even to the soldiers outside:
"Anyone who dares to neglect military rations or undermine morale will be punished, and Wang Hou will serve as a prime example!"
Wang Hou was gagged and dragged out like a dead dog.
The tent was deathly silent, save for Cao Cao's heavy breathing and a sudden, mournful cry from afar.
Soon, the drumming stopped, and a guard carried Wang Hou's bloodied head into the tent to report.
Cao Cao waved his hand, ordering the heads to be displayed to each camp.
He rubbed his temples and sat back in the main seat, looking as if he had aged several years in an instant.
"Killing one to warn a hundred can temporarily stabilize morale."
Xun Yu broke the silence first, his tone heavy.
"However, this is not a long-term solution. It is still unknown how much wealth Wang Hou possesses, or whether he can purchase enough provisions. Furthermore, our army's lack of food is not due to a lack of money, but rather a lack of places to borrow food. How will we get through these next three to five days?"
After a moment of silence, Cheng Yu stepped forward. He had a thin face, sharp eyes like an eagle, and a voice with a metallic quality:
"Minister, the only solution now is to borrow grain again. Right now, famine is rampant within a hundred miles, and only... Yuan Tan's army in Qingzhou has the most abundant provisions."
Upon hearing this, Xun Yu frowned slightly and offered his advice:
"Zhongde, I went there before, but Yuan Tan used the excuse of insufficient supplies to only allocate a small amount, which was just a perfunctory gesture. This man is arrogant and self-important, and his intentions are hard to fathom. If I go again this time, I'm afraid I will not gain anything and will only damage the prestige of the Minister of Works."
Cheng Yu turned to Xun Yu and said coldly:
"What Wenruo said is correct. However, times have changed! When we borrowed grain last time, our army's situation was not as urgent as it is now, so Yuan Tan could have feigned compliance."
Now that Wang Hou is dead, the army's morale is temporarily stabilized, but it is like dry tinder, ready to ignite at any moment. If Yuan Tan continues to refuse, he will be watching the royal army collapse, and his intentions are despicable! I am willing to go in person to explain the advantages and disadvantages and to persuade him of the greater good. If he still does not understand the times…”
A cold glint flashed in Cheng Yu's eyes. He didn't continue speaking, but his meaning was self-evident.
If you, Yuan Tan, are going to be so shameless, then don't let our Cao army turn against you...