Chapter 2391 - 2109: The Cards Are on the Table

Cao Cao’s expression was somewhat hard to maintain at this moment, even though the intelligence personnel had previously explained the detailed situation of the military parade to Cao Cao.

However, compared to the Xiahou Brothers, Zhang Xiu, and Ma Chao, the intelligence personnel who observed from afar and those who received news from other channels did not witness the shocking details that the Xiahou Brothers and others saw from beginning to end.

"Around 400,000 elite armored soldiers?" At this moment, Cao Cao no longer knew what kind of expression to use to face the Xiahou Brothers and others.

Even if Cao Cao had previously guessed that Liu Bei’s target was not them, the display of such powerful strength was indeed disheartening, making it clear that they were not worthy opponents of Liu Bei, nor even qualified to be his enemies.

"Wen Ruo, is 400,000 armored soldiers the most formidable army since ancient times?" Cao Cao asked Xun Yu with bitterness, feeling a bit lost as he suddenly realized that all his prior plans and counterattacks had failed.

If he had some doubts about absolute strength before, now there was no doubt at all. Liu Bei’s strength on display was enough to be called absolutely invincible!

"It is probably the most formidable army since ancient times." Xun Yu responded with a dry laugh, realizing for the first time the vast gap like a chasm.

"Lord, speed up the exploration of the Western Regions. We probably don’t even have the qualification to prove our strength in the Central Plains unification war. The gap is so vast that if they wish to unify, they can march straight from Ye City, breaking mountains and damming rivers, storming all the way to Chang’an." Xun Yu had little else to say.

Hearing this, Cao Cao nodded. He asked Xun Yu more out of habit, not hoping for a solution. These were truly 400,000 elite armored troops, their dispatches as consistent as their strict orders weren’t something a simple meteor, like a century ago, could solve.

Now, with so many armored soldiers gathered, not to mention a meteor, even an asteroid should be shattered. Times have changed.

"I wonder how many will choose Liu Xuande." Cao Cao sighed, transmitting his voice to Xun Yu. "Although it seems a natural choice, it feels quite depressing to think about!"

"It’s feared that very few will choose you, Lord, over Liu Xuande," Xun Yu replied with a bitter smile. The inspection of the 400,000 elite army probably signifies that there is no battle spirit left for those under Cao Cao and Sun Ce. Even what needed explanation before no longer requires it; the hearts of men have scattered in the face of such power.

"Those civil and military willing to still follow me, I shall not fail them!" Cao Cao secretly vowed.

At this stage, those willing to continue following Cao Cao, those civil and military who regarded him as their lord, were most loyal subordinates. If Liu Xuande’s determination was as genuine as once promised, then Cao Cao didn’t mind taking his remaining subordinates to create a new foundation.

"But every advantage has a disadvantage, as they say, ’fortune and misfortune are interdependent.’ At least after this, we can clearly distinguish who our own are, weeding out the undesirable." Xun Yu transmitted his voice to Cao Cao, finding some joy amidst the bitterness.

Shortly after returning to his hometown, Weii Zi brought a large amount of money to Cao Cao, carried by carriages that seemed endless from the front to the back.

How much is five billion coins really? A ’Five Zhu’ coin from the Han Dynasty weighs about 4 grams, so five billion coins weigh about 20,000 tons, and the density of ancient bronze is roughly 8.5 tons per cubic meter, translating to a cube of about thirteen to fourteen meters in length, width, and height.

But in ancient times, besides this, the main currencies included silk and textile, so the funds Weii Zi sent filled hundreds of carriages.

"Meng De, I have nothing else to say; I believe in you." Weii Zi spoke plainly to Cao Cao without any extra words.

It was at this moment, seeing Weii Zi, who had supported him since the start, that Cao Cao realized just how much Weii Zi valued him.

"Thank you, Zixui, for your support." Cao Cao looked at the carriages stretching beyond sight and hesitated, not knowing what to say, finally offering a simple word of thanks. Weii Zi had remained a ’little transparent’ by his side for so many years but had never stopped supporting him, even as he faced potential defeat.

"Liu Xuande may have 400,000 armored soldiers, but I, Weii Zi, have money. I support you with five billion coins, Meng De. Use it to arm your soldiers; this is the greatest support I can give!" Weii Zi spoke to Cao Cao with utmost seriousness.

With 100,000 armored soldiers against 400,000, a four-to-one ratio, in Cao Cao and Xun Yu’s view, it was possible to fight. Some strategy could work, although now it’s meaningless, but Weii Zi’s support reignited Cao Cao’s confidence.

No matter how dark the future, at least there are always those by my side who support me.

"Zixui, I, Cao Mengde, shall not fail you!" Cao Cao declared seriously.

Cao Cao clearly saw Weii Zi’s weariness, and the endless carriages likely represented all the Weii Family’s wealth. An aristocratic family willing to spend all its fortune to support him at this time wouldn’t allow him to admit defeat. Even just to repay today, Cao Cao needed to carve out a realm of his own, to be worthy of all the sacrifices.

"Hahahaha~" Cao Cao laughed up to the sky.

"Meng De, why do you laugh?" Weii Zi curiously asked.

"I laugh at how I lost my heart and spirit without even seeing the result." Cao Cao spoke now with high spirits, unafraid of defeat; losing allowed for future victories. With a world so vast, what did temporary victories or losses mean? If the Central Plains were lost to Liu Xuande, as long as Cao Cao lived, he could still seize the world!

Looking at Cao Cao beside him, Weii Zi admired him most for his courage, able to face a dark future and still laugh in the face of adversity.

As Cao Cao received the largest sum of support, Zhou Yu from the South Blue also obtained the final, most accurate information from Gan Ning.

"So, the navy we previously saw is actually the theoretical major foe, Kushan?" Zhou Yu asked with a serious expression.

"Yes, it’s Kushan—a very strong country, especially its navy. You’ve seen it, and all I can say now is that we can barely fight them." Gan Ning said helplessly, "I spent over a year learning Kushan’s naval battle techniques and investigating their situation. I must admit, Kushan is very strong."

"Yes, I’ve seen the previous sea battle, and indeed, you’re far from being Kushan’s opponent." Zhou Yu remarked casually.

Gan Ning rolled his eyes, dissatisfied, but did not argue further. It was clear that he only learned the superficial aspects, not acquiring the core. Kushan’s naval tactics were customized according to their unique cultivation practices.

"By the way, I’m curious about why you’re here, and, truthfully, aren’t we supposed to be enemies? More importantly, why do you have fifth-generation warships?" Gan Ning changed the topic, not wanting to continue dwelling on Kushan’s navy.

"To identify Han Dynasty’s enemies. It turned out to be Kushan. As for the fifth-generation warships, they are indeed yours, but there’s no need to be so particular about it." Zhou Yu said indifferently. "Chen Zichuan won; indeed, the world is broader than just the Central Plains."

"Has the Central Plains been unified?" Gan Ning asked incredulously.

"No, it hasn’t." Zhou Yu shook his head, preferring not to discuss it. He was unwilling to accept defeat, but given the grand situation witnessed firsthand, was there any choice between internal strife or global prominence?

"It seems Chen Marquis predicted correctly; you did make the right choice." Gan Ning speculated based on Zhou Yu’s expression. "Since that’s the case, some things can be said—Kushan, their God and Buddha Visualization has too much advantage in internal qi, their Inner Qi Manifestation might be double, or even more, than ours."

"Yes, that’s an issue, but it’s not serious." Zhou Yu shook his head, stating that in large army battles, the number of Inner Qi Manifestations was important but not crucial. "Actually, to be precise, we and Kushan are already on the brink of war."

"True, our move has basically been exposed." Gan Ning nodded.

"It’s not because of you; it’s because Kushan came to propose marriage to the Grand Princess again. The Imperial Court is already in chaos; we’ve already detained Kushan’s emissaries." Zhou Yu said with a sigh, admiring the boldness of Cao Cao’s firm stance.

"Marrying the Grand Princess?" Gan Ning reacted immediately. This was indeed a matter of face; back then, Ban Chao would rather fight than explain, and Gan Ning felt the same.

Zhou Yu explained in detail the aspects involved in the entire event.

"In short, we cannot avoid a war with Kushan now. This naval skirmish is a minor thing compared to previous situations." Zhou Yu stated quietly. Given the strength and scale of Kushan’s navy, Zhou Yu did not see much hope for Yizhou or Cao Cao.

[The Great Yuezhi have grown to this extent over these years.] Zhou Yu thought with a grave expression, considering the Han Dynasty’s circumstance over the years. [We must fight outward; if not, being trapped in the Central Plains ensures strength, but constant growth of the opponent means our weakening. How can Huaxia be suppressed?!]

"Ha, the Governor of Yizhou actually engaged in battle and won." Gan Ning expressed disbelief.

"Maybe it wasn’t full strength or just a probe." Zhou Yu speculated, "But there’s no need to worry; Chen Zichuan’s 400,000 armored soldiers have probably been itching to engage."