Chapter 46: Dispatch the Troops at Once and Attack Lu County!

Cao Cao was utterly bewildered. No matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn’t understand how Lu Chuan’s presale auction could have fetched three hundred million coins!

Three hundred million coins!

Lu Chuan had only given him ten million coins and forty million worth of grain and supplies, and that was enough to easily raise an army of several thousand men—and still have resources left over.

If he could get his hands on three hundred million coins, how many troops could he muster?

With money, provisions, and men, wouldn’t Cao Cao be able to rise up again?

“Zilian, you’re not deceiving me, are you?” he asked.

Cao Hong had anticipated Cao Cao’s reaction and raised his hand, swearing to the heavens.

“It’s absolutely true—there’s not a shred of falsehood!”

Xiahou Dun and the others were stunned as well. All eyes were on Cao Hong, silently urging him to explain how such a thing could happen.

Cao Hong didn’t hold back and shared all the information he had gathered.

And once he spoke, Cao Cao and the others were baffled once more.

Cao Cao had assumed that Lu Chuan’s auction was simply a presale of fixed assets in the northern outer city—selling off some of the unfinished houses and shops to recoup funds and facilitate further construction.

But the reality?

Lu Chuan had only put up one hundred houses and twenty shops for sale.

Cao Cao was well aware of the scale of the northern outer city.

Conservatively estimated, there would be nearly thirty thousand houses and three thousand shops in total, yet Lu Chuan had auctioned off less than one percent of that—and still managed to fetch the staggering sum of three hundred million coins. If Lu Chuan were to auction all the properties and shops in the northern outer city, how terrifying a fortune would that yield?

Cao Cao dared not imagine.

Even if the prices for the remaining properties and shops wouldn’t reach the heights seen at the auction, the sheer quantity alone would amount to an astronomical sum.

Xiahou Dun and the others were equally stunned.

“Zilian, you’re telling me that Miss Zhen from the Zhen family actually spent one hundred and fifty million coins just to buy one house and two shops? Do you think she’s foolish?”

Cao Hong smiled wryly. “One hundred and fifty million coins sounds outrageous, doesn’t it? When I first heard the news, I thought Miss Zhen must have lost her mind. But after hearing more, I realized she’s the smartest of all!”

“Why?”

“Because the Zhen family missed the chance to invest in the northern outer city. Without that, their commercial influence in Lu County would be suppressed by the Mi family. To reverse this situation, Miss Zhen boldly spent one hundred and fifty million coins—not only to show everyone the Zhen family’s immense strength but also to ingratiate herself with Lu Chuan.

Lu County was built entirely under Lu Chuan’s leadership, and he held absolute sway there. Miss Zhen understands perfectly well that only by maintaining a good relationship with Lu Chuan can the Zhen family thrive and make big money in Lu County.

You could say that Miss Zhen’s extravagant investment of one hundred and fifty million coins will yield unimaginable returns within the next two years!”

Xiahou Dun and the others exchanged glances. They knew nothing of commerce, but from Cao Hong’s explanation, it seemed that Miss Zhen’s purchase was a very worthwhile deal.

They felt as if the world had gone mad.

Yet Cao Cao saw something different in all this.

“Zilian, do you think Lu County can develop? Don’t mind what I think—just tell me what you’ve seen and what you’ve learned.”

“Alright, I’ll speak frankly.”

Since Cao Hong and Cao Cao were kin, there was no need for formality.

“I believe Lu Chuan is no ordinary man. He’s developed Lu County to such a scale that nearly every merchant in the realm has gathered there. Even powerful families like the Zhens and the Mis have invested heavily in Lu County, hoping to get ahead and not fall behind.

One or two merchants’ opinions might be limited, but with so many making the same choice, it proves Lu County is truly a place ripe for commercial growth.

The Zhen and Mi families are extremely wealthy; any decision they make is carefully considered and not easily swayed. They must have seen Lu County’s potential and opportunities firsthand, which is why they’re investing so vigorously.

Lu County is located in Chenliu, not far from our homeland, and we’ve even secured Lu Chuan’s investment. I think perhaps we should pay a visit—cultivate a good relationship with Lu Chuan or even make some investments in Lu County ourselves.”

Cao Cao frowned deeply. He suddenly realized that Lu Chuan’s reputation was growing stronger and stronger—so much so that even Cao Hong was harboring such thoughts.

This was no good.

As the great Emperor Wu of Wei in history, Cao Cao truly did not want anyone wielding such influence so close to his home territory.

Even if Lu Chuan was only a minor county magistrate, the fact that he could train elite soldiers, expand the county to comfortably house hundreds of thousands, and command fierce generals like Dian Wei meant that if Lu Chuan harbored ill intentions, Cao Cao’s homeland would be in grave danger.

Who would tolerate another’s snoring beside their bed?

Therefore, Cao Cao’s current thought was not to invest in Lu County, but rather...

“Yuanrang, do you think if I lead the soldiers we just recruited to Lu County, could we take it?”

“Hm?”

Xiahou Dun was stunned.

“Mengde, you—”

“That’s right! I want to take Lu County!”

“That... might not be wise,” Xiahou Dun hesitated.

Just months ago, Cao Cao had received an investment of one hundred million coins from Lu Chuan, which allowed him to quickly assemble a force of over ten thousand troops. If Cao Cao now turned around and attacked Lu County, wouldn’t he be branded ungrateful and treacherous?

With the Han dynasty in decline and the realm in turmoil, such an act could cost him the loyalty of the people, making his ambitions all the more difficult.

Cao Hong also said, “I think attacking Lu County is unwise. Maybe we should reconsider—”

“No need to reconsider. I’ve made up my mind!”

Cao Cao was never a man of scruples. After his failed assassination of Dong Zhuo and during his flight, he had killed Lü Boshe and his entire family by mistake, and then, fearing Lü Boshe might report him, cruelly murdered him as well, coining the eternal phrase: “Better I betray the world than let the world betray me.” So he cut off Cao Hong’s words decisively.

“Lu County is wealthy and bustling with merchants. If we take Lu County, all those merchants fall into our hands. Then we’ll have endless money and grain, plus a vast and prosperous county! The benefits are enormous—why wouldn’t we strike?

And Lu Chuan has humiliated me repeatedly. How can I endure it?

This time, we must strike swiftly and take Lu County. I want to see what Lu Chuan has to say then!”