Liu Bei Borrows Troops, Never to Return
But since their lord had already spoken, could they possibly publicly contradict his words?
How would that be any different from seeking death?
So everyone praised their lord for his brilliant strategy.
But did Cao Cao really think this way?
Of course not!!
He wanted Xuzhou more than anyone, but now that he had fallen into Long Chen's "besiege Wei to rescue Zhao" strategy, he had no choice but to withdraw his troops back to Yanzhou.
Otherwise, he, Cao Cao, would surely have continued to compete with Long Chen for dominance in Xuzhou.
However, before leaving, Cao Mengde did not simply retreat to Yanzhou.
Even if he himself couldn't get Xuzhou, he couldn't let Long Chen have it.
Long Chen was an extraordinary talent, with vast strategic acumen, immense martial strength, and a blend of virtue and great ambition.
Once Long Chen took Xuzhou, he would use it as a springboard to attack and conquer the counties of the four provinces.